novelzi Chapter 36 The tenth circle
Chapter 36 The tenth circle
An enormous pressure overtook Wen Ran as he sat still, his expression growing darker by the second. "What the hell?" he muttered through gritted teeth. The energy rushing into his dantian was unlike anything he had ever experienced. The sheer force of it threatened to shred his meridians into pieces, each strand of spiritual energy feeling like a wild, unbridled storm tearing through his body. But before he could succumb, a crimson light enveloped his dantian and meridians, calming the chaos and acting as an ethereal barrier against the violent influx. It was as if the demonic path he had chosen was now showing its usefulness.
For the first time, Wen Ran felt what it was like to steal spiritual energy from a living being. The vile art, taboo in any righteous community, was now etched into his reality. Yet, instead of guilt, Wen Ran felt exhilaration. This was power. Unrestrained, wild, forbidden, yet so good.
So, this is what it feels like... The energy that failed to return to the heavens now flows into me. His thoughts raced as his lips curled into a twisted grin. This is amazing. If I keep killing strong cultivators, I can rise to the top faster than anyone. No need for slow progress...
His heart burned with a dark desire, a hunger that felt both foreign and familiar. Had he lost himself, or was this the truest version of him, finally awakened? That question clawed at the corners of his mind, but he dismissed it. In his past life, he had lived in the gray—neither saint nor devil. But now, the lines were becoming blurred, and the answers didn't matter.
I need to refine this energy quickly. The disruption I'm causing will definitely draw attention, and if I'm caught mid-refinement, I'll be too vulnerable to defend myself.
Without hesitation, Wen Ran sat cross-legged on the floor, his breathing slowing as he steadied himself. The violent spiritual energy raged within him like a furious beast, but he controlled it with an iron will, circulating it through his body with the precision of a master. The threshold to the ninth circle was close—tantalizingly so. Reaching the peak of the Spirit Gathering Stage was every cultivator's dream, the cusp of a new realm. For most, such a breakthrough required external aid like medicinal pills, specialized techniques, or rare opportunities. But for Wen Ran, this surge of stolen energy was all the catalyst he needed.
Each breath drew the wild energy deeper into his dantian, nourishing his body in ways that felt almost supernatural. His veins burned, his bones hummed, and his entire being felt on the verge of transformation. Then, with a sudden, earth-shattering boom, an explosion of spiritual energy surged through his body, making him shake uncontrollably. The release of power radiated outward, spilling into the air, making the walls tremble under its force.
But before they could enter, the room erupted in a brilliant explosion of lightning, engulfing them in the shockwave. Many perished instantly, their bodies reduced to nothing but charred remnants. Others staggered back, coughing mouthfuls of blood, their internal organs severely damaged from the impact.
As for the one at the center of it all, Wen Ran remained calm. The moment the lightning bolt struck, his dantian expanded exponentially, shrouding him in a crimson light. His entire body trembled under the intense pain, but it was tolerable now—he had tempered himself enough to withstand the heavenly wrath. He breathed steadily, his focus unshaken despite the destructive force around him.
A strange, viscous black substance oozed out of his pores, staining his skin. Wen Ran glanced at it, a sinister grin creeping onto his face. "Heh... this body was filled with so many impurities. Thank you, heavens, for helping me cleanse myself." His voice dripped with mockery as he watched the impurities leave his body. With each passing moment, his meridians absorbed more spiritual energy from the surroundings, greedily feeding on the power unleashed by the heavens.
And then, his dantian began to shake violently.
BOOM!
A seismic shift coursed through his body, and the tenth circle of his cultivation formed. Wen Ran felt his entire being elevate, his power surging to new heights. If anyone were to inspect his cultivation base at that moment, they would witness an unprecedented phenomenon—the tenth circle shone with a multicolored brilliance, a kaleidoscope of light that no one in this world had ever seen. It pulsed with a divine, yet ominous energy, as though it held the potential to rewrite the very laws of cultivation.
Wen Ran chuckled darkly. This is only the beginning.@@@@