Crossing the Cultivation Realm: Two Souls Coexist

Gu Yang's punch missed its mark, and his spiritual energy was absorbed instead. Alarm bells rang in his mind, but it was too late to react.

Suddenly, he felt a weight around him, and several dark figures clung to him like a leech, their icy touch penetrating through his clothes, carrying a chilling aura that went straight to his bones.

These dark figures emitted a hissing, excited cry, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, sharp and piercing, stabbing straight into the brain.

Even more terrifying, Gu Yang could clearly feel the surging spiritual energy within his body that had just resumed its normal function.

Just like a flood bursting its banks, it leaked out uncontrollably from the parts that these shadows touched!

Not only spiritual energy, but also physical strength, energy, and even some deeper life force were being frantically sucked up by these greedy ghosts!

His body quickly became weak and heavy, as if all his strength had been drained, and even lifting a finger became extremely difficult.

He could only watch helplessly as more dark figures swarmed towards him like sharks smelling blood, piling up on him in layers.

I felt dizzy and lightheaded, my vision blurred, and my consciousness began to fade. The cold shadow of death had never seemed so real as it loomed over me.

Just as he was about to give up resistance and succumb to the darkness of helplessness and despair—

An indescribable, intense heat, seemingly capable of burning away all evil in the world, suddenly erupted from his side without warning!

That was not the temperature of flames, but a purer, more sacred light, imbued with supreme majesty and purifying power!

Gu Yang, forcing himself to stay conscious, used his last strength to turn his head and look—

This unforgettable scene was deeply imprinted on his soul!

A hand of unimaginable size, its entire body displaying a sacred, azure hue, its surface flowing with mysterious golden patterns...

It roared past from the void beside him, as if traversing time and space, with a majestic aura that could crush everything!

Wherever his palm passed, the space itself seemed to distort and tremble!

The dense black aura that blotted out the sun, like ice and snow meeting their nemesis, hissed and vanished instantly!

The undead shadows clinging to Gu Yang and fluttering around him were rendered speechless under the holy light emanating from the golden palm.

Just like bubbles under the sunlight, they silently vanish and disappear into nothingness, one by one!

The aftershock of the palm strike alone completely swept away all the black energy and undead within dozens of feet around Gu Yang!

So clean and tidy, as if they had never existed in this world!

Gu Yang felt a lightness on his body as all the suction and chill suddenly disappeared. He staggered and quickly circulated his remaining spiritual energy to stabilize himself.

At the same time, he held tightly to Hu Qing, who was still unconscious, his heart pounding like a drum, so shocked that he almost forgot to breathe.

He swallowed hard, following the retracting giant glass hand, his gaze piercing through the gradually clearing black mist and landing below—

Where the ground should have been, there was an enormous head, covered with a thick, glassy-colored shell...

It was raised proudly, and a pair of eyes, as large as small lakes and burning with golden flames, pierced through layers of space with coldness and majesty.

It confronts the little finger of the Demon King in the sky and the source of the surging black energy from afar!

It's... an old turtle?!

Gu Yang could hardly believe his eyes! He was currently at an altitude of at least 10,000 meters!

However, from this vantage point, he could clearly see the old turtle's enormous head.

And below the head, the outline of a portion of the tortoise shell, as majestic as a moving mountain range!

What does this mean? It means that the true form the old tortoise is currently manifesting is probably over 10,000 meters tall!

What a terrifying behemoth it must be to have such a complete form!

Is this... Senior Turtle's true strength?

The old tortoise who's usually so slow, sarcastic, and loves to play pranks—is actually such an earth-shattering being?!

Just as Gu Yang was shocked and almost unable to think, the old tortoise, which had revealed part of its true form, let out a deep, cold snort like ancient thunder from its nasal cavity!

"Humph!"

That single cold snort carried an invisible pressure and aura as powerful as a raging hurricane.

In an instant, the black mist that was trying to spread and approach again was blown into pieces and rolled backward!

Immediately afterwards, the old tortoise's voice, as resounding as a great bell, echoed throughout every corner of the world, booming out with unparalleled questioning and anger.

Soaring straight into the heavens, it seemed to be challenging the supreme being beyond this world:

"You! As the leader of a clan, ruling over hundreds of territories, how dare you act so recklessly and disregard the laws?!"

The Meteorite Continent is protected by an ancient and enduring world will!

Even if you can temporarily pry open a crack and cast a shadow, what are you worth in the face of the will of this world?!

They're just a bunch of unwelcome outsiders, how dare they be so arrogant?!

The will and power contained in that sound seemed to resonate with the entire world, causing the space to hum and tremble.

"Hmph, ant."

A cold, indifferent voice, seemingly emanating from the depths of endless void and devoid of any emotional fluctuation, pierced the very core of everyone's consciousness like an icicle.

That was the voice of the Otherworldly Demon King. Clearly, the old tortoise's questioning and provocation had enraged this supreme being.

As the word "ant" fell, the still, jet-black little finger in the sky twitched slightly.

Then, a change occurred that surprised and delighted Gu Yang—a towering black cloud of gas continuously gushed out from the "cave entrance," almost staining the entire sky black.

As if drawn by an invisible force, it began to rush back towards the hole like a receding tide!

The black mist retreated extremely quickly, and the sky cleared up again at a visible speed, revealing the normal, slightly twilight-tinged sky behind it.

The shadow of death that had been looming over my heart seemed to be dissipating.

Gu Yang breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the black aura disappear rapidly, and his tense muscles relaxed a bit.

He adjusted his posture, steadied Hu Qing who was still unconscious but breathing steadily, and looked at the sky that had regained its light, feeling a surge of relief at surviving the ordeal.

However, the old tortoise standing beside him, revealing part of its true form and towering like a mountain, did not have its solemn expression lessen; on the contrary, it became even more profound.

Its enormous eyes, burning with golden flames, gleamed with an unprecedented seriousness and determination.

Its size began to shrink rapidly, its dazzling light subsided, and its glassy luster deepened.

In the blink of an eye, it transformed back into its ordinary form as an old tortoise with a heavy shell on its back, and floated lightly to Gu Yang's side.

“Something’s not right.” The old tortoise’s voice was low, carrying a heaviness that Gu Yang had never heard before. “The world’s will… is not responding.”

They didn't even show the slightest sign of rejecting this intruder. I'm afraid... something serious has happened.

It glanced at the unconscious Hu Qing and the pale-faced Gu Yang, and quickly issued the command: "Next, I'm afraid there will be a fierce battle."

That guy won't give up easily. Gu Yang, listen to me, immediately take Hu Qing and find a secluded and safe place to hide!

If I... if I lose, you take Xiao Zi and run as far as you can..."

Upon hearing this, Gu Yang shook his head violently, his eyes instantly bloodshot, a surge of heat rushing to his head. He stubbornly met the old tortoise's gaze and hissed:

"No! I won't leave! When Senior Zheng Su left, there was nothing I could do but watch helplessly!"

Today, no matter who our opponent is, I will never back down! I will stay here, with you…

Before he could finish speaking, a hint of relief flashed in the old tortoise's eyes, but it was instantly replaced by a resolute expression.

Without further ado, it swiftly extended its front paws and precisely targeted several acupoints on Gu Yang's body!

Gu Yang felt a gentle yet irresistible force instantly invade his body, like the strongest chains, completely sealing off all his meridians and dantian!

The surging spiritual energy instantly subsided, and his body became completely stiff, unable to move, and he couldn't even make a sound. He could only open his eyes wide and let out a mournful "woo-woo".

The old tortoise grabbed the sealed Gu Yang, then used a gentle force to lift the unconscious Hu Qing. With lightning speed, it landed on the ground and arrived in front of the simple wooden house.

It opened the wooden door and gently placed the immobile Gu Yang and the unconscious Hu Qing inside.

Seeing this, Little Purple, who was anxiously waiting inside, quickly came forward, her large golden eyes filled with panic:

"Grandpa Turtle! What's wrong with them? Why are there those dark, wicked things in the sky?"

The old tortoise stretched out its paw and lovingly rubbed Little Purple's head, its tone unusually gentle, yet carrying an undeniable admonition:

"Little Purple, listen to your grandfather. If a fight breaks out in the sky later, it will become very, very scary."

"You immediately transform into a dragon, and as fast as you can, take Gu Yang and Hu Qing with you, leave this place, fly westward back to the Central Region, and find Grandpa Xia. Do you understand?"

Although Xiao Zi didn't quite understand why, she sensed the solemnity and a hint of... in the old turtle's tone.

With a sense of farewell, he nodded vigorously, his claws clenched tightly together.

The old tortoise smiled, a smile that seemed to contain a great deal of meaning.

He took out the "Western Inspector" gold medal, which he always carried with him and which represented endless responsibility and authority, from his bosom.

Then she took off an ordinary-looking storage ring from her paw and solemnly placed it in Xiao Zi's small hand.

"Keep this token safe. And take this ring too. There are some things inside that you might need later."

It didn't offer much explanation, but simply looked deeply at Xiao Zi, then at Gu Yang, who lay motionless on the ground with tears in his eyes, and at the unconscious Hu Qing.

Without hesitation, it turned around, took firm steps, walked out of the wooden house, and gently closed the wooden door behind it.

Holding the token and ring, still warm from the old tortoise's body, Xiao Zi was somewhat at a loss. She looked down at Gu Yang on the ground and timidly asked:

"Is that guy... really that strong? He couldn't even beat Grandpa Turtle?"

Gu Yang lay on the ground, his body stiff and unable to speak. Only tears silently streamed down his face, soaking the dust beneath his cheeks.

He stared intently at the tightly closed wooden door, his heart feeling as if it were being repeatedly cut by countless dull knives.

He trained desperately, struggling on the edge of life and death time and time again, and breaking through his limits time and time again.

Isn't it all about having enough power to protect those who are good to you and to reverse that hopeless fate?

But why... why does it always come down to the last minute?

It was always those he wanted to protect who stood in front of him, took everything for him, and even... paid the price with their lives?

Commander Li, Elder Han, Elder Yan, Senior Zheng Su...

Now, even his mentor, the turtle-senpai who had always taught him, though sharp-tongued, genuinely cared for him, was going to...

Is it really worth it?

If the price of becoming stronger is watching the important people around you leave one by one, then what is the meaning of this power?

Boundless pain, resentment, self-blame, and a deep sense of powerlessness, like the heaviest shackles, imprisoned his unsealed soul.