Chapter Forty-Nine: The Doorway

At last, the agitation in his eyes gradually faded, the surging power within him slowly settled, and his body once more came under his control. It was as if he had entered a foreign vessel, regaining strength bit by bit. Though not a long process, it was enough to make one restless!

Countless blazing white lights flowed across his skin, while immense nether force coursed through his meridians, as if his body was being reforged anew. His body had broken through once again, yet he felt no joy whatsoever. All his attention was fixed on the person above him, who would risk his very life for his sake.

Just then, the fiery dish that Jue was holding up cracked with a crisp sound, and all the flames vanished. Jue seemed as frail as a withered leaf, drained of all strength.

Boom!

Jue’s body suddenly slumped further, his white hair streaming around him.

“Hurry!”

A sudden pain stabbed Jiang Feng’s heart. He could no longer care that his own body was still imperfectly formed; he prepared to launch himself forward, to shield the old man and save him.

But Jue’s eyes were as sharp as ever—he saw through Jiang Feng’s intention at a glance, and with a glance of his own, signaled him not to act.

“Elder, you—”

Jue’s face turned stern, though inwardly he could only smile bitterly. I saved you only to fulfill a wish, yet you, with no desire or demand, would risk your life to save me in return. Truly, a heart as pure as a child’s.

He shouted, “Don’t come over! You haven’t finished your breakthrough! You—”

Before he could finish, another wave of the sandfall crashed onto him, weighing him down even farther, bringing him closer to Jiang Feng. Blood burst from countless wounds on his body, and he was already showing signs of collapse.

“Hurry—take it—”

Jiang Feng felt his nose sting and tears shimmered in his eyes.

Yet another sandfall swept down!

Jue’s body, like a nail, was driven downward, unable to halt his descent.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

At last, his body could bear no more; with a crash, it burst into countless fragments of blood and flesh, vanishing into the air.

Only Jue’s soul origin remained, but even it was battered, his gaze unfocused, his soul plummeting downward at an even more terrifying speed.

A soul is weightless, an ethereal thing—yet now, it was as if it had been filled with molten lead. One could well imagine how deadly the sandfall was for Jue!

Jiang Feng’s mind exploded, his entire body pulsed with energy, everything in him suddenly clear as day—a rush of power surged in like a flood.

He vanished from where he stood.

A torrent of nether soul power arose from deep within him, lifting his Shadow Dance, Shattered Soul Steps to a whole new level. In nearly the same instant, he appeared at Jue’s side, gathering up the soul as though it weighed a thousand pounds, and held it safely in his grasp.

In the air, his body arched like a bow, back to the sky, sheltering Jue’s soul within his arms.

With his right hand, he unleashed the Profound Heaven Divine Palm, pouring all his soul and nether force into the oncoming sandfall with reckless abandon!

“Begone!”

A series of explosions resounded, blinding flashes bursting forth in the heavens.

Jiang Feng felt a crushing blow to his back, a metallic taste in his throat as he spat blood, but compared to his previous wounds, this was nothing. The force, however, was overwhelming—a giant hammer smashing down from above. Clutching the soul, he was like a meteor slammed into the earth.

Bang!

The ground here was parched and dead, hard as steel. Jiang Feng was driven deep into it, but by some fortune, the soul in his hands remained unharmed.

“The ground’s so hard!”

“You brat, you dare hold me aloft like this—aren’t you afraid the sandfall will come again?” Jue realized he was being lifted high by Jiang Feng, and seeing the sulfur sand still swirling above, he couldn’t help but shudder.

Jiang Feng’s limbs were numb and weak, all strength spent. He managed a bitter smile, “Elder, I’m not exactly having an easy time right now myself. Please, spare me your complaints.”

“Hmph, I’ll let you off this time. Next time, if you dare do this again, I’ll go inside your body and shred your soul to bits! You know, I’ve been a soul far longer than I’ve been a man!”

Jiang Feng’s mind went blank in shock.

“You mean—?”

Jue seemed to guess his meaning and waved it off with a laugh, “Of course! I’ve lived three thousand years, hunted constantly, my body broken again and again, each time rebuilt. So being a soul, I’m used to it.”

It sounded like a myth to Jiang Feng, who could only sweat in awe.

To die again and again, to live again and again.

He’d completely misunderstood Jue’s meaning, and his respect for him only grew.

Suddenly, Jue’s eyes caught something he had sought his entire life. Half the sand in the sky had vanished, revealing a chasm hanging in the heavens. What he’d first thought a celestial sign was, in fact, a great door!

The gate to the Blood Fiend Tree!

“Quickly, take me there!” Jue shouted in excitement, flailing with such vigor that Jiang Feng couldn’t help but laugh, “Hurry, boy!”

Jiang Feng climbed to his feet with a wry smile, “Elder, please don’t torment me further. I can’t endure another sandfall like that. If you’re hurt as well, what then?”

“You fool, look—the sandfall’s gone.”

“Hm?” Jiang Feng looked up and, sure enough, the old man was right. The sky had split open with a massive gap, and beyond it stood a tree so vast its crown was lost from sight.

“What is that?” he blurted out, voice trembling despite himself. The scene’s grandeur dwarfed all he’d seen—the mysterious forest, the bronze halls—none could compare to this tree.

The wind and sand ceased, and for the first time, a beam of light pierced the thick clouds and ever-present mist, shining down on the wasteland.

All was silent in this desolate place, but gradually, as the light spread, the world stirred to life.

The most primordial sounds of creation began to echo unceasingly.

Jiang Feng drew a deep breath of post-sandfall air, discovering a fresh, intoxicating fragrance that made him sigh with pleasure. Even the soul in his hands stretched lazily, as if waking from a long slumber.

“See? The sandfall’s gone. You’re lucky, you know—I’ve pondered here for so long, never guessing that the key to opening the Blood Fiend Gate was with you.” Jue’s joy was palpable, his voice lively and youthful, which only made Jiang Feng more curious, though he dared not ask.

“Elder, the Blood Fiend Gate you mentioned—is that the entrance to the Blood Fiend Tree?”

Jue gave him a withering look. “Seriously? You know nothing, yet you’re here looking for the Blood Fiend Fruit?”

“Uh, well…” Jiang Feng scratched his head, embarrassed. “I made a promise by accident and so I’m here to find the fruit.”

“A promise?” Jue burst out laughing, doubling over. “You’d risk your life for a promise? You’re a fool!”

Jiang Feng looked at him earnestly, “Elder, didn’t you also just risk your life to save me?”

“That’s different!” Jue huffed, then waved his hand impatiently, “Let’s get inside. The Blood Fiend Fruit is just beyond. If we’re late and the door closes, what then?”

“Oh,” Jiang Feng replied, glancing up to see the yellow sand thickening, obscuring the earlier beam of light. Yet this sand was ordinary, not yet the deadly sulfur sand—it would take ages to form again. From his vantage, it looked like layers of yellow mist, overlapping endlessly.

There—there lay the Blood Fiend Fruit!

He launched himself skyward, moving with the perfected Shadow Dance, Shattered Soul Steps, gliding through the air. It was his first time using all twenty-five forms since his breakthrough, and the sensation was exhilarating.

Within him, something new flowed alongside the nether force—a strange, more turbulent energy.

He was startled. His nether force had nearly reached the capacity of the Void Nether Realm, yet this new power was even mightier. What was it?

Jue’s voice suddenly rang in his ears, “Ha! Boy, I never thought you’d comprehend Nether Soul Force—a power lost for who knows how many ages. How does it feel? Let me tell you, this force is infinitely more potent and pure than nether force. In all my years, I’ve met few with your talent.”

Jue’s words left Jiang Feng dizzy. Nether Soul Force? Stronger than nether force?

“Believe it or not, your nether force is impressive, but compared to your nether soul force, it’s a joke. Any Void Nether Realm cultivator would be a laughingstock next to your soul force.” Jue rambled on, oblivious to Jiang Feng’s confusion.

Finally, Jiang Feng found a chance to interrupt, “Elder, could you explain what exactly is Nether Soul Force?”

“Ah, let me think.” Jue pondered, then explained, “When humans are driven to extremes, they can spontaneously generate a force far superior to nether force—that is Nether Soul Force. In the Age of Ten Thousand Nether, the chance of awakening it was one in a billion. Before that, there was the Age of Jue, when the chance was much greater. But then something unknown happened—the world nearly ended. Only seven ancient clans survived, and though they preserved the method for cultivating this force, none have succeeded since.”

He shrugged, “As for whether those seven clans still exist, I have no idea.”

“I see.” Jiang Feng watched Jue gesticulate wildly, unable to tell truth from tale, but he feigned astonishment anyway.

Suddenly, Jue pointed ahead, “We’re here—hurry inside!”

Jiang Feng looked ahead and realized that, without knowing it, he’d reached the threshold of the great gate. His heart tightened and, with a surge of power, he kicked off and dashed into the vast opening.