C198 Marrow Cleansing!

The sky, a tapestry of grayish-brown, was marred by dark clouds as if punctured by gaping holes.

The sun's fierce rays cascaded down like a torrent of crimson.

Sword lights and ancient sword's wills that once wandered the earth's fissures retreated, vanishing into the subterranean depths.

Deep within the roiling clouds, thunder and lightning prowled, with some bolts striking down.

The remaining alien souls and Aberrant Souls were instantly obliterated.

The storm selectively targeted the mightier Aberrant Souls and alien souls, disregarding the weaker ones.

More rogue lightning streaked uncontrollably towards the heavens, vanishing into the mysterious extraterrestrial realm.

The ancient Soulforge Matrix, now subdued at the base of the Soulforge Pool, seemed reluctant to expend excessive Soul Power, opting for a partial activation.

Around the Soulforge Pool, the cultivators from the Silvermoon Empire remained unusually subdued and composed following Van Hen's death.

Su Xiangtian also kept his silence, occasionally glancing at Lee Yuangui, who had called forth the Black Turtle to consume the residual Aberrant Souls and alien souls in the forbidden area. He mulled over his next move, considering how to approach Yu Yuan once the Soul Nexus was disengaged.

"Girl, take care of yourself," the burly figure with a human head and dragon body said, casting a deep look at Zhao Yafu after observing the sky's new perforations.

After a brief pause, he turned to Su Xiangtian and cautioned, "I advise you, don't act rashly with Yu Yuan."

With those words, his elongated dragon form began to churn.

Refined streams of spiritual energy, tugging at the remnant thoughts of the alien soul archdemons, converged upon his dragon body.

He unleashed a resonant dragon cry, akin to the Soul Splitting Staff's artifact soul, and set off towards the Crimson Sun Empire.

In the sky, only Ann Jieshan, the Elder of the Colddeath Cult, remained, continuing to devour the remaining alien souls alongside the Black Turtle summoned by Lee Yuangui.

For reasons unknown, the alien souls that originated from the Moonfall Sanctuary, brought by the Silvermoon Empire, all seemed to gravitate towards the Crimson Sun Empire.

At the bottom of the pool.

Yu Yuan closed his eyes, immersing himself in the sensation of the heaven soul being cleansed and purified by the refined and pure Soul Power.

Tiny strands of sword light zipped through his veins, bones, and flesh, a testament to the power coursing within him.

Bearing the Primal Body, beads of sweat emerged from his pores, each one murky with the impurities drawn from deep within.

From birth, the human body accumulates impurities through breathing, eating, and cultivating—no one is exempt from this truth.

The air we breathe, the food we consume, and the spiritual energy we absorb are never entirely pure, always carrying some remnants of waste.

For cultivators in the Soul Awakening Realm, strengthening their bodies and fortifying their flesh is also a process of purging these deeply ingrained impurities.

Only through such cleansing can one's physique grow stronger and the flow of spiritual energy become more swift and unobstructed.

The Soul Awakening realm is divided into three stages: early, middle, and late. The early period focuses on refining muscles and bones, the middle on blood and muscles, and the late on the internal organs.

Yu Yuan, feeling the sword's will coursing through his bones, muscles, and organs, understood that this was a thorough purification.

The sword's will seemed to be methodically expelling years of accumulated filth and impurities from his body.

Even in his disoriented state, without actively engaging the Evil Body Refining technique, he knew that his progress in the Soul Awakening realm would surge forward after this comprehensive cleansing.

"Hu!"

With his breath, glimmers of crystal light darted up from the depths of the Soulforge Pool.

Yuan Lianyao, standing nearby, could clearly see the filaments of light swiftly entering his mouth and nose, seeking out his pores.

These strands of crystal light, brimming with the purest spiritual energy and an extraordinary life essence, left her aghast.

For within that light, she detected the unmistakable scent of the Wraith Ape's blood!

The Wraith Ape, recently obliterated by the sword's will, had its soul shattered and its massive body torn asunder, scattering across the earth's fissures.

The Wraith Ape, on the cusp of regaining its seventh-level strength, had met an abrupt and unforeseen end.

After the demise of such a formidable archdemon, its blood would condense into an overwhelming surge of vital energy.

A glimmer of crystalline light carried the distinct scent of the Wraith Ape, didn't it?

With this realization, the mayor of Asvetaesi grew visibly uneasy.

Moments later, her expression shifted once more.

Threads of greenish crystal light, delicate as strands of hair and nimble as lightning, snaked into Yu Yuan's nostrils and vanished in an instant.

Yuan Lianyao could clearly sense the presence of the tree monster emanating from the green crystal light.

The aura brimmed with life, rich with the essence of natural flora, as if it could nurture all beings.

Where the Golden Elephant God had found the tree monster, which thrived on the blood of numerous Fellbeasts from Shadow's Keep, was a mystery. After the sword's will had slain it, the tree monster too plummeted into the earth's crevices.

Yuan Lianyao had assumed that once the tree monster's soul was absorbed by the pool's walls, its bizarre demon energy would dissipate into the world.

Unexpectedly, the earth's ravines had secretly swallowed it, and at this moment, were aiding Yu Yuan in fortifying his body in an unusual way.

"It appears there's a transformative magnetic field or array deep within this world."

Yuan Lianyao was taken aback for a moment before enlightenment struck. She suddenly grasped that Yu Yuan, as a sword-bearer, would swiftly transcend the Soul Awakening stage with the sustenance of this forbidden area.

After observing for a short time, she could sense the life essence of both the Wraith Ape and the tree monster.

Countless more crystal lights vanished into Yu Yuan's body, their origins and rarity unknown.

The practice of Soul Awakening is a cycle of destruction and rebirth. The sword's will, fleeting through his bones and organs, initiated a destructive phase.

The influx of crystal light that followed was restorative, reinforcing him anew with each cycle.

This interplay of breaking down and rebuilding represented the heart and soul of the Soul Awakening practice.

The sword's will and the nourishing life essence were incredibly potent and boundless.

Under the refinement of such power, Yu Yuan would undoubtedly transcend the Soul Awakening stage with haste, or else he would not have earned the favor and recognition of the ancient sword spirit in this sacred place.

"Ms. Yuan."

Above the edge of the pool, Su Xiangtian mused for a while before speaking, "Care to come up for a chat?"

At this juncture, all those who could pose a threat to Yuan Lianyao, be they people or alien souls, had vanished.

Unable to assist Yu Yuan from the bottom of the Soulforge Pool, and with the presence of the sword scar on the pool's wall, she was confident that no one in this forbidden area, nor any alien souls, would dare to delve into the depths and inflict harm upon Yu Yuan.

The death of Van Hen was a deterrent to all.

"Alright."

Yuan Lianyao nodded gently, called forth a flurry of red lotuses, and ascended toward the surface of the Soulforge Pool.

She eyed the sword scar on the wall of the Soulforge Pool with a hint of nervousness.

The sword scar showed no signs of anomaly.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Yuan Lianyao, aided by the red lotuses, once again alighted outside the pool and positioned herself between Zhao Yafu and Su Xiangtian.

"Would you all give us some space? And you too, young lady." Su Xiangtian cast a glance at the others from the Silvermoon Empire, then offered Zhao Yafu a slight smile. "Ms. Yuan and I need to have a word in private."

"Oh." Zhao Yafu was the first to step away.

The imperial powerhouses, aware of Su Xiangtian's formidable reputation, nodded in agreement and scattered.

Once everyone had dispersed, Su Xiangtian inhaled deeply and called out, "Yu Yuan, is it truly still Yu Yuan?"

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