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Translator: Silavin & Raikov
Translation Checker: PewPewLazerGun
Editor and Proofreader: Leo of Zion Mountain & Dhael Ligerkeys
Feng Ying sighed, “It’s not that I’m concerned, just some things that have been bothering me to see.”
And so, she told him.
Yang Kai was dumbfounded at what he heard, “Truly? How come I never noticed it?”
Feng Ying could not help but roll her eyes, “That’s why I say that you men are all blind. That Miao Fei Ping is like this, and so are you. That day, her eyes were practically melting when she came out of your Small Universe, but you didn’t even notice.”
Yang Kai scratched his head in confusion.
“Based on the time frame, shouldn’t they be in retreat to consolidate their cultivation right now? Why did she come out to ask you to let her join our Squad?” Yang Kai asked.
Feng Ying answered, “No no, she didn’t do that. She just brought it up back then when we were on the way back after they just broke through. I told her that we can only accept members when a battle happens and the number of our Dawn’s Squad members went down, so she said she didn’t want to join Dawn anymore. This girl has a good foundation. While the others are still stabilizing their cultivation, she has already come out of retreat several days ago and specifically came over to offer her help.”
Yang Kai was surprised, “Her cultivation has stabilized after just over a year? Have you checked to make sure?”
Feng Ying snorted, “How could I be sloppy about such things?”
Yang Kai nodded. Thinking back to what she told Feng Ying earlier, he praised, “She’s quite a sensible girl.”
“Yes, and it’s her sensible nature that makes it so hard to reject her,” Feng Ying sighed, “Unfortunately, Miao Boy did not even notice it in the slightest. I don’t even know if he’s really a fool or just acting.”
Yang Kai shook his head, “But Dawn is still full. It’s unfair for us to break the rules for just one person. If I were to bring this matter up, then it would make things difficult for the Army Commanders in the future, too.”
Feng Ying nodded, “Fair enough. Never mind, we’ll see how things go. These are youthful problems either way, I don’t have the time or energy to worry about them.”
“That’s exactly the attitude to have!” Yang Kai nodded. Then, he suddenly changed the subject, “But then again, Senior Sister, it’s time for you to advance to the Eighth Order. It’s not a good idea to stay in the Seventh Order forever.”
Feng Ying squinted at him, “Such matters are dependent on opportunity. If the opportunity is yet to come, then what is struggling through cultivating going to help?”
Yang Kai laughed, “Then, where is Senior Sister’s opportunity?”
“Who knows? Maybe it’ll come tomorrow.” Feng Ying also laughed before turning around and heading out, “I’m going.”
As he watched her leave, Yang Kai slowly shook his head.
Feng Ying had been in the Seventh Order of the Open Heaven Realm for long enough, and she had already accumulated enough to break through to the Eighth Order. Only, she never sensed an opportunity to do so all this while. Still, it was true what Feng Ying said, nobody can say when something like an opportunity would arrive. Maybe one day she will suddenly have the urge to forge ahead and advance to the Eighth Order.
All this while, Feng Ying had been making preparations for that moment. So, no matter when she advanced, she could still ensure that she had the highest chance of succeeding.
After returning to his own small courtyard, Yang Kai opened the Spirit Array barrier to isolate himself from the outside before he sat down cross-legged.
With a flick of his palm, he took out a Soul Rending Thorn. Now that the artifacts were ready, the only thing he had to do was to refine them. The refinement process was also easy, the same as any ordinary Soul-type artifact. One had to pour their Spiritual Energy Sense into it until they formed a solid connection to the artifact itself.
The process of refinement was also a process of familiarisation. Only when the artifact was fully refined could it be used against an enemy with ease.
Compared to creating this artifact, refining it was simpler, so it took only a few days for Yang Kai to fully refine one Soul Rending Thorn.
The hard part was the final step that came after the refinement process was complete!
The refiner had to split a portion of their Soul from themselves and integrate it into the Soul Rending Thorn to render the process complete.
This was akin to sacrificing one’s life for power.
The separation of a portion of one’s Soul and the consumption of Spiritual Energy were two completely different things. Simply expending energy was a type of consumption that could be replenished once it was exhausted and was of no harm to a cultivator.
However, to separate even a thread of one’s Soul was considered a sacrifice.
In short, for every Soul Rending Thorn that he refined, he had to give up a portion of his Soul.
That was where the Soul Rending Thorn got its name from. To rend naturally meant to tear off.
This was why the Old Ancestor said that Yang Kai was the only one in the world who could properly make use of this artifact.
It was also why Grandmaster Ma Fan commented on the artifact being sinister when it received its manufacturing method.
That was because this thing was a weapon that inflicted serious harm to oneself to deal even more devastating damage to the enemy, to a ridiculous degree at that.
Right now, Yang Kai was merely refining it and hadn’t used it against an enemy, yet he already had to give up a thread of his Soul. Once it truly came time for him to face off against an enemy with this thing, then the price he had to pay would be even bigger. When that time came, the more of one’s Soul that one sacrificed, the more powerful the artifact would be as the Secret Technique was performed.
If that were not the case, then the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, who was hiding in the Shattered Heaven, would have been able to defend against Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao with this thing at that time.
Even if an ordinary cultivator was to refine a Soul Rending Thorn and cultivate the necessary Secret Technique, it was still difficult to use because giving up a thread of one’s Soul was akin to self-mutilation, likely leading to irreparable damage.
However, it was different for Yang Kai. With the Soul Warming Lotus’ protection and nourishment, even if he did have to give up a part of his Soul, he could eventually heal from the wound, which was the greatest capability that the Soul Warming Lotus had.
It can be said that the Soul Rending Thorn was simply tailored to Yang Kai.
This, combined with his already powerful Soul, if he did get attacked by all the Territory Lords in the strange space inside of the Black Ink Nest, he would still be able to fight back.
Yang Kai was no stranger to separating parts of his Soul. Back then, that was also how Embodiment was born; however, even with preparation, the pain that came from one’s Soul being torn apart was still hard to bear.
It felt as if one’s body was being cut in half by a blunt knife, and one had to remain conscious throughout the entire process and not be distracted by the pain, otherwise, the entire process would fail while still leaving a wound on the Soul.
Yang Kai’s body trembled violently and he was instantly drenched in sweat. Even though the process lasted but a short moment, for Yang Kai, it felt like a million years had passed.
Once he had finally sacrificed a thread of his Soul and merged it with the Soul Rending Thorn, Yang Kai breathed a sigh of relief.
However, at the thought that he still had 11 more Soul Rending Thorns to refine, Yang Kai’s face turned a little dark, inwardly scolding himself for being so foolish as to have asked Grandmaster Ma Fan to refine so many.
However, when he thought of the number of Territory Lords he would have to face, Yang Kai felt like he had to fully refine all of the Soul Rending Thorns even if the price was high.
Any other cultivator would find it difficult to move their fingers after such a gruelling experience. The damage and pain that this process caused were not something that ordinary people could bear. However, with the nourishment of the Soul Warming Lotus, Yang Kai instantly felt a cooling sensation pour into his Knowledge Sea, as if a small invisible hand was brushing over him and smoothing out the pain in his body and filling his heart with comfort.
To feel this kind of relief immediately after excruciating pain was especially indulgent…
After calming himself slightly, Yang Kai took out a second Soul Rending Thorn and repeated the process.
Even with the Soul Warming Lotus nourishing his Soul though, Yang Kai still had to stop for a while and adjust himself after refining 3 Soul Rending Thorns in a row so that his Soul could recuperate.
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