Soul Emperor Awakening

Instead of descending, Lin Xuan remained high in the air, leaving the pursuing Li Wei stunned. He hadn’t expected Lin Xuan to choose to stay up there rather than come down.

’This kid’s a tough one, harder to deal with than I thought...’ Li Wei’s eyes glinted; he’d thought Lin Xuan would beg for mercy. It seemed he’d been overthinking things.

After a moment’s thought, he shouted, "Kid, just give me that Divine Beast, and I’ll let you leave in one piece! I absolutely won’t chase you another step!"

He was after the Phoenix. Divine Beasts were incredibly powerful, which was why he coveted it so much.

Lin Xuan looked down at him and sneered, "Do you really think I’m a three-year-old? If I actually gave you the Phoenix, I’d die an even more miserable death!"

’If I give the Phoenix to Li Wei, I’ll have no chance of escape. I don’t believe for a second that Li Wei would let me go. How could a pirate who lives and dies by the blade ever let me off so easily? If they were the type to let people go, they would have tried to negotiate first instead of attacking right away.’

A vicious look crossed Li Wei’s face as he sneered, "Since you feel that way, you can stay up there forever!" And that was exactly what he was thinking. If he really did get the Phoenix, Lin Xuan was a dead man.

’So many of my brothers have died. If I don’t get revenge, I won’t be able to hold my head high in front of the others when I get back. But for now, all I can do is wait for Lin Xuan to be struck dead by the lightning. Even if the Phoenix dies with him, I can at least take its corpse back. That’s still worth a lot.’

Lin Xuan had no intention of going down anyway. ’Going down means certain death. If I fight it out up here, I might still have a chance to live!’

RUMBLE!

Lightning quickly gathered once more, and with a deafening CRACK, a bolt shot down from the dark clouds. The flash tore through the night sky, illuminating their faces, especially the resolute expression on Lin Xuan’s.

Fourth Layer Soul Possession! His aura surged wildly as Elemental Power circulated furiously through his body. Because his body had been tempered, the pressure he could withstand had greatly increased. He hardly felt the strain, aside from the fierce consumption of his Elemental Power.

"One Stick Shatters Void!"

Lin Xuan swung his staff and thrust it upward, intending to shatter the descending bolt of lightning. With control comparable to the Core Formation Stage, he drew upon the surrounding Power of Heaven and Earth, even pulling it from the lightning bolt itself. The lightning’s power instantly weakened. As he unleashed his Celestial Level Martial Arts, the two forces collided violently.

With a thunderous BOOM, a violent explosion erupted in mid-air, its fiery light illuminating a vast stretch of the surrounding sea.

*Cough, cough...*

Lin Xuan coughed a few times, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. His entire body was blackened once more. He had endured another bolt of lightning. This one was much thicker than the last, yet he had taken it head-on. It was simply Heaven-Defying!

’The kid can still take it? What kind of monster is he? Which faction does he belong to?!’

Down below, the pursuing Li Wei was dumbfounded. ’So he wasn’t even using his full strength during our fight earlier. He really knows how to hide his trump cards.’

RUMBLE!

Lin Xuan hadn’t had much time to rest before the lightning gathered again. This time, it was even larger than before. If the previous bolt was as thick as a bucket, this one was twice that size. It was a terrifying sight.

The lightning here seemed to double in power with each strike; the deeper one went, the more terrifying it became. No wonder even experts at the Spirit Pill Stage and above didn’t dare venture too far in. And this was just the outer region. The middle or inner regions would be absolutely lethal!

"Kid, you can’t take much more of this! Join my crew, and I guarantee I’ll forget all about your past transgressions. I’ll even give you more resources!" Li Wei shouted from below, changing his tune. However, there was one thing he conveniently left out: he planned to brand Lin Xuan with a Slave Mark.

’That way, Lin Xuan would never be able to betray me. A genius like him would be mine to command. It’s an absolute bargain.’

Lin Xuan remained silent in the air. ’I’ll never believe a word these people say, especially from someone who was just trying to kill me. Only a fool would trust them! It’s like someone stabbing you and then promising to treat you well from now on. If you believe that, you’re either an idiot or a moron.’

CRACK!

Another massive bolt of lightning struck down. Once again, Lin Xuan met it head-on. The collision left his body charred black, his skin split open to reveal raw flesh in a gruesome display.

He merely coughed a few times before gathering his aura again, preparing to face the next bolt!

Standing atop the Phoenix, Lin Xuan showed no sign of bowing his head. His back was ramrod straight, and his broad shoulders looked as if they could bear the weight of the very heavens—a truly imposing figure.

’Damn it, this kid’s a real freak! I’m almost at my limit!’ Li Wei cursed from below. Chasing at such high speeds consumed an immense amount of Elemental Power, and the environment was only growing more dangerous as they ventured deeper.

If he kept this up, he would definitely run out of steam. Once his Elemental Power was depleted, the surrounding Tiger Fish would devour him, leaving not even a single bone behind.

Lin Xuan endured two more bolts of lightning before he finally collapsed to his knees on the Phoenix’s back. The Fourth Layer Soul vanished, and his powerful aura disappeared without a trace. The lightning’s power was simply too ferocious, growing stronger with each strike. It had left Lin Xuan severely injured, but his will remained clear. He desperately held on. ’I absolutely cannot collapse!’

RUMBLE!

The lightning condensed once more, an even thicker bolt preparing to strike. The further in they went, the longer it took to form, giving Lin Xuan a moment to catch his breath.

Lin Xuan was at his breaking point, but so was Li Wei below. He finally stopped and cursed, "That bastard, why is he flying in that direction? Damn it! I’m at my limit, too. I’m not chasing anymore!"

He didn’t dare to pursue any further. A look of terror filled his eyes as he stared in the direction Lin Xuan was flying. Gritting his teeth, he turned and left without a second glance.

CRACK!

The lightning struck again, crashing down on Lin Xuan’s body. He took the full force of it with his physical form. The terrifying electrical energy coursed wildly through him, wreaking havoc on his internal organs. After spitting out a mouthful of blood, he fell into a semi-conscious state.

In his semi-conscious state, he guided the Phoenix beneath him to slowly descend. As they flew lower and lower, the lightning in the sky finally ceased, the dark clouds rapidly dispersing.

He struggled to keep his eyes open and seemed to spot an island in the distance. He steered the Phoenix for one last stretch of flight. However, before he could guide the Phoenix to the shore, the intense pain finally overwhelmed him, and he passed out. His injuries were simply too severe; even his tempered body couldn’t withstand so many lightning strikes.

As for what happened next, he knew nothing.