Pursuit of the Truth

”What is the meaning of lightning calamity?” Su Ming mumbled.

The words ‘lightning calamity’ were mentioned in the method to create Spirit Plunder stored in his head.

In his memories, the lightning calamity only appeared due to Spirit Plunder. The laws of nature did not allow the use of humans for cauldrons to create medicinal pills, much less creating it using the aura of death. That was why celestial lightning turned into a calamity that fell on him. The purpose of this bolt of lightning was to destroy the medicinal pill, but as the medicinal pill was shielded by the corpse, the power of lightning once it struck down would diminish. When the corpse was eventually destroyed, the medicinal pill would be created!

Su Ming had never truly mulled over this description of the pill in detail. Based on his understanding, this was something that he could not possibly understand. However, at that moment, as his heart raced and the thought that made him excited bloomed in his head, the pill’s description appeared in his mind.

‘What is the meaning of lightning calamity? If we take off the word ‘calamity’, we are only left with lightning!’

Su Ming’s mind raced. He was not unfamiliar with lightning. When he initially came to the Land of South Morning, he saw lightning striking trees.

At that time, he already analyzed it and believed that it was because the trunks were too moist, that was why lightning was drawn to them, causing the trees to be set ablaze instantly, until all that was eventually left were the materials he needed to create his medicinal pills.

However, there seemed to be some inaccuracies in his previous theory.

‘There are a lot of trees in the rainforest, so why did the taller trees attract lightning..? Perhaps it’s because the humidity on those trees was greater, or it could be because there’s another reason for it.

‘Lightning can strike trees, then this time, why did He Feng’s body draw in all the bolts of lightning from the lightning calamity? The description in my memories is too cryptic, it doesn’t seem like it’s the correct explanation for this.’

Su Ming could not understand this phenomenon.

In fact, there was a feeling within him telling him that it was only natural for lightning to fall. As for why it happened and the source for why it was happening was something he could not figure out.

Yet at that moment, if he wanted to bring that mad thought of his to fruition, he must understand all these completely!

Why does lightning exist?! What is lightning?!

‘If I can’t understand the causes for lightning, then I won’t be able to keep it inside my body and turn it… into my Origin Vessel!’

This was Su Ming’s idea, the insane, inconceivable, but exciting idea.

However, after some quick thinking, Su Ming had to give up on it. He could not understand what lightning was and where it came from. He had no confidence in making lightning stay in his body.

Those thoughts eventually turned into a sigh. Su Ming knew he was short on time. The deity statue of Awakening was slowly standing up and the bolt of lightning in the sky was rapidly converging before it would strike down. No matter how hard he melted the Berserker Bone in his body, he could not increase anymore blood veins. It was not something that he could accomplish by just gritting his teeth to persevere and endure through it.

His current condition was of a stone bottle that was full. Even if he poured more water in it, he could not add more water into the bottle. It would only spill out.

If he wanted to manifest more blood veins, his only method was to make that stone bottle bigger!

In truth, once the 990th blood vein manifested on Su Ming’s body, he was already filled like the stone bottle in his analogy. He could only manifest four more blood veins due to the presence of Awakening fusing into his body, which in a way transformed his body, as if his body was the stone bottle, and it had become bigger. It allowed him to better complete the transition to become a powerful Awakened Berserker in a situation where it was impossible for him to do anything to increase his blood veins.

However, the unexpected appearance of the bolts of lightning broke this irreversible situation, giving Su Ming the chance of a lifetime. It allowed him to make the impossible possible – increasing four more blood veins.

Yet now, he was at his limit once again.

There was no way he could change anything to make the stone bottle contain more water and to make another blood vein appear on his body. This was something Su Ming understood fully. He knew that even the burning of blood could not help him with this.

‘I don’t know how the Ancients managed to manifest 1,000 blood veins. Perhaps there are people born who truly possess such astonishing potential that they can contain 1,000 blood veins in their bodies, but I’m not them…

‘I don’t know how they did it, but if I want to increase more blood veins… This… is the only way!’

A glint appeared in Su Ming’s eyes. He swiftly stood up and stomped on the ground to launch himself into the air. When he was in midair, he spread his arms wide open.

‘My body is filled. I can’t add anymore blood veins. The only way I can think of is to break my own body, just like breaking the stone bottle. The instant it cracks, the amount of water it can contain will increase!

‘Even if my body breaks, if I can seize the precise moment and Awaken, it’s not impossible!’

Su Ming’s eyes shone with calmness and madness.

His madness stemmed from his idea, and his calmness came from every single planned action of his!

Su Ming could not stay too long in midair. Before long, he would fall

Right now, he had his arms spread wide, and loud banging sounds instantly came from his body. As the sounds reverberated in the air, the 994 blood veins in his body scattered as if they had just broken down and were set ablaze.

‘If I break my body and make myself to be no longer contained in a bottle, there’s no way I won’t be able to obtain more blood veins!’ Su Ming shouted out in his heart.

As roars came from within his body, blood trickled out from Su Ming’s mouth. Blood also flowed out from his eyes, ears, and nose.

The roaring coming from his body arrived at its loudest point. His blood veins erupted in his body. As they did so, the first to be affected was his body. It was just as he thought it would be - the stone bottle broke!

Thin cracks appeared on Su Ming’s body. It was as if his body had been split apart. Once the cracks spread out, he would be torn to shreds!

Red light shone from the thin cracks and scattered out of them, even showing signs of spreading further.

An indescribable pain spread to every corner of Su Ming’s body. It was a pain as if he was about to self-destruct, a pain that a common person would not be able to endure. Su Ming, too, was unable to withstand it. His expression twisted, but as his body continued breaking apart, his blood veins abruptly increased once again.

995!!

In a spot no one could see on Su Ming’s right leg, the 995th blood vein appeared!

The additional blood vein increased the speed of Su Ming’s body breaking down. More cracks appeared A feeling as if he was about to be destroyed and die filled his entire being.

Yet a smile appeared on Su Ming’s lips, which was hidden under the hood. That smile was cruel. This cruelty was not directed to others, but towards himself. He always remembered what his elder had once said.

If he wanted to obtain something, he must give up something in return.

The more he wanted to obtain something, the more he would have to sacrifice. Only he could determine whether the sacrifice was equivalent to the reward and whether it was worth it, not anyone else.

‘I’ve already taken this step and obtained the 995th blood vein. If I don’t pour everything I have and fight for it, I… won’t be satisfied!’

Su Ming’s body started falling from the air. During the process, his body started rapidly breaking apart.

The roars echoed in the air, and as Su Ming fell, another blood vein appeared with an explosive might on his left leg!

996!

That additional blood vein made Su Ming’s body reach its breaking point. Blood mist gushed out of his body, and his vision blurred. A feeling of death filled his entire body.

All these were seen by the people around him, and they were filled with shock and deep reverence.

At that moment, all those who were still conscious could see what Su Ming was trying to do. From his actions alone, they could feel his madness and desire to increase his blood veins.

As Su Ming fell, he looked at the true form of the deity statue of Awakening clad in black armor that had now stood up completely. When the deity statue stood up, it looked like a giant that reached the sky. The black armor it wore exuded an endless amount of vicious aura.

It looked at Su Ming coldly and lifted its right hand to point at Su Ming.

”This is the final time… I order thee… Awaken!”

The moment its voice reverberated in the air, even the blue cloud in the sky stopped for an instant. Su Ming lifted his head and let out a low growl towards the sky.

”Blood veins!”

His body broke apart. The stone bottle completely shattered, his robes exploding in the process. The blood mist enveloping the area outside his body completely covered his face and his torn body so that no one could see his face.

The moment his body broke, Su Ming’s blood veins started increasing madly with a shocking speed, as if the limits on his body had been lifted!

997!

998!

999!!

999 blood veins covered every corner of Su Ming’s broken body. It seemed that there was no longer any space to take in the 1,000th blood vein!

The only spot left… was underneath his eyes under his crumbling face hidden away by the mist – the scar left behind when the broken shard from the destroyed Dark Mountain statue of the God of Berserkers slashed his face.

It was a normal scar, but to Su Ming, this was the only mark left of Dark Mountain on his body.

If the 1,000th blood vein appeared, the scar on Su Ming’s face would disappear and be replaced. The instant the only mark he had left of Dark Mountain was about to disappear, conflict appeared in Su Ming’s eyes.

To Awaken with 1,000 blood veins, a sight that was rare even during the age of the Ancients, and wipe away the only trace left of Dark Mountain on his body, or to retain this scar and give up on the 1,000th blood vein? that was the question.

”If you want to obtain something, then you have to give up something in return… Only you can decide whether it is worth the cost…”

The elder’s words echoed in Su Ming’s head. He felt as if he had seen his elder, Dark Mountain, and the moment Dark Mountain Tribe’s statue of the God of Berserkers shattered.

Eventually, in Su Ming’s eyes, he recalled the sight he saw using Han Kong’s power, where he saw himself tied up in chains in the void. That Su Ming had no scar on his face, but once he said something, the scar appeared on his face.

”I… refuse…” Su Ming mumbled.

The moment these words were spoken, the 1,000th blood vein dissipated. At the same time, the vast presence of Awakening enveloped Su Ming’s whole body. His broken body mended itself in that instant, and the blood mist that had spread out tumbled back into his body. Even the torn clothes pieced themselves together and appeared on his body, as if time had just reversed.

The world roared. The presence that only belonged to those who Awakened erupted from Su Ming’s body! The might of that presence was so incredible it caused all the Berserkers in the Blood Solidification Realm in the area to tremble. Even Nan Tian and the other powerful Awakened Berserkers felt shocked. They could clearly feel an incredibly mighty pressure coming from Su Ming’s body.

Awakening!