C14 A Night of Madness and Soul Controlling Stage.

Boom!

Before Su Yun could even register what was happening, the Divine Hammer within him erupted. A torrent of Soul Power surged inside him like searing flames.

"Ahh!"

In that instant, his entire body felt as though it was engulfed in fire. Su Yun clutched his stomach and collapsed, curling up on the floor, writhing in agony like a cocoon.

"Su Yun, are you in there?"

A woman's voice suddenly pierced the air from outside the door.

"Ahhhh!"

But Su Yun was beyond responding; the fiery pain consuming his body elicited nothing but continuous screams from him.

"Su Yun, are you okay?"

The person outside, alarmed by the screams, called out with concern.

"Ahhhh!"

Yet, the only reply was the unrelenting cries of pain.

Bang!

Unable to remain calm, the person outside pushed the door open with force.

It was Yun Yilan who entered.

She paused briefly at the sight of the weapons on the table, but her attention quickly shifted to Su Yun, who was rolling on the ground in distress.

"Su Yun, what's happened to you?"

Her voice was laced with confusion.

"Ahhhh!"

Again, Su Yun's screams were the sole response.

Yun Yilan's eyes filled with concern at the sight of his torment. She hurried over and crouched down, intending to examine him.

Bang!

But as soon as she made contact with Su Yun, a shockwave sent her reeling backward, leaving her crumpled on the floor.

"Such powerful Soul Power!"

Staring at her tingling hands, Yun Yilan was astounded as she turned her gaze back to Su Yun.

In that moment, he seemed to her like a vessel brimming with intense Soul Power, a ticking time bomb ready to detonate.

"Hah!"

Before she could process the situation further, the screams abruptly ceased.

She looked up, startled, to find Su Yun, who had been thrashing about, now suddenly still as if her touch had rooted him to the spot. But then, he twisted, facing her while lying on his side. His eyes, however, were a stark contrast, now filled with a deep, crimson glow.

He fixed his gaze on her, intense and ravenous, like a famished wolf eyeing a succulent sheep.

"Su Yun, you..."

That look sent a shiver through Yun Yilan's delicate frame, her mouth parting as if to speak.

"Hah!"

But before she could get the words out, Su Yun transformed into a ravenous wolf, lunging at her.

"Ahh!"

Her scream pierced the air as she tried to fight back, but her body, brimming with Soul Power, left her no chance to resist, completely overpowering her...

In that instant, Su Yun's mind was consumed by a singular desire: release!

To unleash the overwhelming Soul Power within him that threatened to burst forth!

For a brief moment.

The room was filled with the primal roar of a beast and the feeble chirps of a bird.

...

The following morning, a sliver of dawn light crept through the window, casting its glow on a bronzed, muscular chest.

Su Yun sat amidst the tattered remnants of clothing, his expression one of bewilderment.

Reflecting on the wild rampage of the previous night, the memory of the beautiful figure who had silently departed half an hour earlier, wrapped in his robe, and the bloodstains among the shredded fabric on the floor...

"What have I done!"

He massaged his throbbing head, a wry smile involuntarily spreading across his face.

"But what exactly happened last night?"

Yet, as he pieced together the events, his brow furrowed in concern.

The moment the Divine Hammer merged and detonated within him, his body felt ablaze, stripping him of all reason, leaving only the urge to vent the scorching Soul Power consuming him. And then there was Yun Yilan...

"Congratulations, Master!"

His thoughts were abruptly cut off by the unexpected voice of the Hammer Spirit.

"Congratulations?"

Su Yun was perplexed.

The Hammer Spirit instructed, "Master, inspect your body!"

"Hmm?"

Su Yun paused, then examined himself.

"Holy smokes!"

The internal inspection left him astounded!

Apart from his dantian, the meridians throughout his body were alive with torrents of Soul Power.

With a flick of his wrist, a surge of Soul Power burst forth, precisely striking the room's wall and blasting a fist-sized indentation.

The ability to wield Soul Power through the air was the hallmark of the Soul Controlling Stage!

Witnessing the unfolding scene, Su Yun's mouth fell open in astonishment.

Could it be that after such a bewildering and wild night, he had managed to break through to the Soul Controlling Stage?

With his mouth agape, Su Yun queried, "What... What exactly happened?"

"Master, the Meteorite Silver deserves all the credit!" the Hammer Spirit clarified. "Unexpectedly, that piece of Meteorite Silver was brimming with immense natural Soul Power energy. During the weapon forging process, the Divine Hammer absorbed this energy, and upon returning to your body, it explosively transferred the energy back to you!"

"So, that's the catalyst for my breakthrough?"

"Indeed."

Receiving confirmation left Su Yun at a loss for words.

Should he feel elated?

Certainly, advancing to the Soul Controlling Stage was cause for celebration!

Yet, the memory of the previous night's ordeal sent shivers down his spine!

"Hold on, Yilan... she was with me when..."

A sudden thought struck him, and Su Yun, with a tinge of anxiety, inquired, "Is she going to be okay?"

"Master, there's no need for concern! Not only is she unharmed, but she will also reap benefits from the experience!"

"Benefits?"

Su Yun was perplexed once more.

The Hammer Spirit elaborated, "Master, the excess energy you experienced yesterday led to your condition. Your union with her was akin to dual cultivation, and throughout the process, a significant amount of your energy was absorbed by the young lady..."

Su Yun arched an eyebrow. "Are you suggesting that Yilan helped to siphon off some of my energy?"

"That's one way to look at it!"

The Hammer Spirit chuckled, "That young lady is quite fortunate, arriving just in time to find you. Otherwise, with your Thunder God Holy Body, it would have taken much longer to assimilate all that energy!"

"Fortunate?"

Su Yun rolled his eyes, unwilling to chalk it up to mere luck.

Reflecting on the previous day's events, he was torn between guilt and a burgeoning headache. Now, he was at a loss for how to face Yun Yilan after everything that had transpired.

"By the way, Master."

The Hammer Spirit interjected once more, "Your Weapon Forging has been upgraded!"

"Hmm?"

Su Yun was taken aback and promptly inspected the Divine Hammer within him.

A fresh insight flooded his mind:

[Weapon Forging (Intermediate) - Provide the necessary materials, and the Divine Hammer will randomly craft a Weapon or Soul Weapon. With each successful Weapon forged, the host will receive an energy boost from the Divine Hammer. For every Soul Weapon created, the host will gain ten points of luck!]

"Reflective energy? Luck value?"

Su Yun's eyebrows quirked up as he examined the new information, "Does this 'reflective energy' refer to what happened yesterday?"

"Yes, Master!" the Hammer Spirit confirmed. "However, yesterday was an anomaly. Unless you acquire another material rich in natural Soul Power, replicating such an astonishing energy reflection will be difficult. Typically, Weapon Forging can only recapture about one-tenth of the energy. For instance, if you use ten Spirit Stones in the process, you will be able to reclaim the Soul Power of one Spirit Stone."

Su Yun nodded in understanding.

This ability was quite impressive. It essentially meant that he was gaining Soul Power while simultaneously forging weapons!

Something else seemed to cross his mind, and he asked, "And the luck value, is that related to the egg smashing at the Holy Pagoda?"

"Indeed," replied the Hammer Spirit. "Master, by forging a Soul Weapon, you earn ten points of luck value. Forge six Soul Weapons, and you'll offset the sixty points of luck value you currently owe. Should you manage to craft additional Soul Weapons and accrue more luck value, it will facilitate your next treasure hunt in the Holy Pagoda!"

Su Yun gave a slight nod of approval.

Neutralizing that luck value would certainly be beneficial!

After all, had it not been for the debt of negative luck value left by the previous Divine Hammer Owner, he wouldn't have missed out on so many treasures.

Even though he ultimately acquired the Thunder God Essence and the Thunder God Holy Body, it was purely by chance. Who could say if luck would be on his side again?

But six Soul Weapons...

"I guess another trip to the Cloud Vast Treasure Pavilion is in order..."

Su Yun exhaled softly.

He wasn't expecting to stumble upon materials as rare as Meteoric Silver Iron again, but securing some valuable materials from the Cloud Vast Treasure Pavilion was definitely achievable.

Especially since he had a High Level Weapon sitting right there on his table.

As for the Silver Soul Spear, selling it was out of the question. Such a fine item was to be kept for himself. Besides, one High Level Weapon should suffice to trade for the materials he desired!

After tidying up, Su Yun donned a crisp new robe and stepped out of his room.

But no sooner had he made it to the courtyard than someone approached him.

"Young Master, the Old Family Head requests your presence in the reception hall!"

"Old Family Head?"

Su Yun was taken aback by the remark, then quickly arched an eyebrow and replied, "Lead the way!"

​