War God Long Ao

'Soul Attacks?'

Startled, Long Ao couldn't fathom why there would be Soul Attacks on the thirtieth heaven.

At this moment, Long Ao finally understood why the Ninety-Nine-Heaven Celestial Ladder allowed a Martial Artist's strength to increase so rapidly. First, it was gravitational pressure, and now, Soul Attacks. 'So, what's next?'

Far from retreating, Long Ao grew even more excited.

Long Ao knew perfectly well that these circumstances presented the perfect opportunity for him to cultivate Soul Attacks.

For that very reason, Long Ao wasted no time or energy. He chose to fight fire with fire, countering with Soul Attacks of his own.

Long Ao's Soul Attacks were powerful. Since he couldn't see his assailants, he unleashed his own attacks in all directions. And so, while continuously using Soul Attacks, he slowly advanced toward the thirty-first heaven of the Celestial Ladder.

「At the foot of the Celestial Ladder.」

Gazing at the Ninety-Nine-Heaven Celestial Ladder before him, Long Potian's face was a mask of determination. In ten years, he had attempted this climb a full twelve times, yet not once had he managed to reach the thirtieth heaven. It was his greatest regret.

"I will succeed this time."

With that, Long Potian resolutely stepped onto the Celestial Ladder. Perhaps because he was so familiar with the path, his speed was clearly much faster than Long Ao's.

Long Potian seemed very confident. Although Long Ao had started first, with his speed, he expected to catch up by the fifteenth heaven at the latest. Yet, even after he easily reached the twenty-ninth heaven, he still hadn't seen any sign of Long Ao.

This left Long Potian stunned. He had no idea what had happened.

'Could Brother Long have already reached the thirtieth heaven?'

Although he found it hard to believe, Long Potian had to admit that Long Ao's talent and potential far surpassed his own. If even he could reach the twenty-ninth heaven, how could Brother Long not?

He stopped thinking about Long Ao. At this moment, Long Potian was finally about to challenge the thirtieth heaven.

The thirtieth heaven. For all these years, it had been a source of constant torment for Long Potian. No matter how hard he tried, he had never been able to set foot upon it.

'I must succeed this time.'

「Four hours later.」

Relying on his powerful Soul Attacks and unyielding perseverance, Long Ao finally reached the sixtieth heaven of the Celestial Ladder. If the Nine Great Clans were to learn of this, they would likely be shocked speechless.

Long Ao seemed to have reached his limit. His soul had been attacked countless times, but to his pleasant surprise, not only was it not critically damaged, but it had actually grown stronger.

'Hold on. I have to hold on. No matter what happens, I have to keep going.'

Such was Long Ao's character: the greater the difficulty, the more resolute he became. He never entertained the thought of giving up, for he firmly believed that perseverance would always be rewarded. If you don't persevere, you don't have even a sliver of hope.

Opportunity always favors the prepared and the persistent.

A Rebirth from the cocoon.

Long Ao was struck down by the surrounding soul attacks. His entire body trembled, his eyes lost focus, and his face turned deathly pale. His soul was battered and broken. An injury this severe would leave him crippled for life, if not dead.

But a voice in Long Ao's mind kept repeating, 'Hold on. Hold on. I must hold on.'

'You have family, you have loved ones. If you can't hold on, what will happen to them?'

'You still have to reach the Martial Arts Peak, to become a peerless expert! How can you do that if you die like this?'

Then, a miracle occurred. Just as Long Ao's soul was on the verge of dissipating, a terrifying surge of Soul Power erupted from within him. It was the so-called rebirth from the cocoon.

Ultimately, Long Ao's persistence had paid off.

If Long Ao hadn't held on, forget about a Rebirth; his soul would have vanished, and his physical body would have been subject to the Devouring of Heaven and Earth.

Flipping to his feet, Long Ao didn't hesitate. The surrounding Soul Attacks were still ongoing. His soul had just undergone a Rebirth, becoming twice as strong as before. How could he not seize such an opportunity?

'My soul has doubled in strength. What does that even mean?'

To put it simply, Long Ao was fully confident that if he were to encounter someone like the Demoness now, he could instantly kill her. Even if her soul was stronger than an ordinary Martial Artist's, and even if she knew Soul Attacks, his current Soul Power was more than enough.

That's right. An insta-kill.

Long Ao was just that confident he could insta-kill the Demoness. Such was the power of Soul Attacks.

The power of Soul Attack Martial Skills increased as one's soul grew stronger.

To say he wasn't excited would be a lie. After all, this Rebirth had doubled his soul's strength. 'If I can keep going and climb a few more heavens, can my soul get even stronger?'

"Master, with your current soul, you're more than capable of handling the Soul Attacks on the sixtieth heaven. Come in quickly. I have something to tell you."

Curious, Long Ao wondered why Long Fu was calling for him at a time like this. But he trusted Long Fu completely, so his soul entered the Dragon Seal Space.

「Inside the Dragon Seal Space.」

"Long Fu, you needed something?"

Long Ao sounded impatient. He was in the middle of climbing the Ninety-Nine-Heaven Celestial Ladder, after all. The slightest delay, and who knew what might happen.

"Master, your soul has doubled in strength. Therefore, I will now formally teach you Soul Fusion."

'Soul Fusion?'

Long Ao was curious. He had no idea what this Soul Fusion that Long Fu mentioned actually was.

"Soul Fusion?"

"Master, Soul Martial Skills are divided into two types: Soul Attack and Soul Fusion. You have already achieved initial success in your Cultivation of Soul Attacks. All that's left is Soul Fusion."

Then, Long Fu imparted the Cultivation method for Soul Fusion to Long Ao.

After a moment of contemplation, Long Ao understood what Soul Fusion was. It was simple: when faced with a Soul Attack, one would directly envelop the enemy's soul with their own, then use Fusion and Refinement on it to continuously strengthen their own soul.

He was overjoyed.

Long Ao left the Dragon Seal Space and immediately began to resist the surrounding Soul Attacks as he pushed toward the sixty-first heaven. After his Rebirth and soul enhancement, handling these Soul Attacks was more than easy for him.

Just like that, Long Ao finally reached the threshold and unhesitatingly stepped onto the sixty-first heaven of the Celestial Ladder.

The instant he set foot on it, Long Ao's entire body was crushed down. He was startled, but before he could even react, he was forced to the ground, unable to move a muscle.

Such terrifying pressure! In an instant, Long Ao knew what this was. It was the suppression of Heaven and Earth's Momentum.

Previously, Long Ao would have had no idea what Heaven and Earth's Momentum was. But things were different now. He understood the structure of the Ninety-Nine-Heaven Celestial Ladder: the first to the twenty-ninth heaven was gravitational pressure, the thirtieth to the sixtieth was Soul Attacks, and from the sixty-first heaven onward, it was the suppression of Heaven and Earth's Momentum.