Chapter 805

Chapter 805: Breaking and Rebirth

“Master Shui Lingling, the master is in a crucial moment of closed-door cultivation and cannot be disturbed. Please understand,” a girl in light blue declared on the first floor of the Star God Hall, where two figures—one in azure and the other in pale pink—stood locked in stalemate. The pink-clad Shui Lingling pouted irritably at Qing Li, who blocked her path unyieldingly, sensing Ye Yun’s fragile aura.

“What’s the harm? He cultivates daily, and Ling’er will be careful. How could I disturb him?” Shui Lingling giggled, eyeing Qing Li’s stubborn stance. “Besides, even without urgent matters, I have the right to see Ye Yun. Step aside, Qing Li.”

“And if you refuse, Ling’er might lose her temper,” she added playfully, her gaze frosting over.

“Then punish me as you wish, Master Shui Lingling. I will not yield,” Qing Li muttered through clenched teeth, body taut as she shielded Ye Yun from disruption.

“Hmph! Then Ling’er will act!” Shui Lingling’s voice turned icy, her smirk sharpening as she loomed over Qing Li like a wolf cornering a lamb.

“Enough, Ling’er. You’ll frighten the poor girl.” Shui Yingying tugged Shui Lingling’s collar, scowling. “Qing Li already explained Ye Yun is in seclusion. Keep this up, and she’ll despise you.”

“Nonsense! Little Qing Li adores me!” Shui Lingling chirped as she was dragged away, flashing a grin that eased Qing Li’s tension. Yet when Qing Li glanced toward the hall’s third floor, worry choked her heart, her pink eyes clouded with dread.

*

“Should I discard this surplus true qi and spiritual power? Wasting it pains me, but retaining it risks self-destruction.”

Cross-legged on a mat, Ye Yun watched Immortal spirit energy seep from his body. Though he cherished his former Immortal spirit body, acceptance had dulled his regret. If loss was inevitable, adapting would ease the burden.

With a sigh, Ye Yun willed the swirling Immortal and Demon energies within him to condense into miniature vortices. They devoured the fading Immortal spirit power, storing it within his Heart of Immortals and Demons—a reservoir vast as a small realm, far surpassing his mortal frame’s limits.

His new body was ordinary, stripped of divine physique or innate gifts. Yet Ye Yun felt no sorrow. Regret was for the weak, and though diminished, he refused weakness. This was merely a fresh start…

“Still, a flicker of regret remains.”

Amused by his own irony, Ye Yun chuckled. Reclaiming his “true self” had granted fuller control over this ordinary vessel. Surprisingly, it wasn’t so bad. While lacking his past might, its flawless mortal meridians and mental capacity matched a First Level Earth Immortal’s. A serviceable foundation.

A crippled body would’ve been troublesome. This one, though plain, was whole. Satisfaction, not admiration, warmed him. Lost strength could be regained; his resolve stayed unbroken. A discarded Immortal spirit body meant little.

Pleading was beneath him. True experts weathered storms without bending. Efforts might go unrewarded, but all things concluded in time.

“I’ll await that conclusion calmly. Smooth paths breed only regret.”

Opening his eyes, Ye Yun smiled. Matters were settled. Through this trial, his comprehension of personal laws had deepened.

*

“Well? Done?” The Ancestor blurted as Ye Yun stirred. Noting the absence of anguish in the youth’s gaze, he burst into laughter. “So the brat’s regained his true self! I feared that power surge would inflate your ego for weeks. This outcome isn’t half bad.”

The Ancestor had bristled at Ye Yun’s earlier arrogance but understood such temptations were natural for the young. Guidance, not restraint, was his role. Ye Yun’s recovery proved his gamble worthwhile—the boy’s life was no longer at risk.

“But what now? Your Immortal spirit body is gone, and your energies seem… mediocre. What trick are you hiding?” The Ancestor eyed Ye Yun, sensing secrets even he couldn’t pierce.

“All discarded. Keeping them would’ve killed me. A pity, but necessary.” Ye Yun shrugged, his calm startling the Ancestor into a rueful sigh.

No perfect solution existed, it seemed. Yet Ye Yun appeared unbothered. Freedom from overwhelming spiritual and mental burdens had its perks. His current Ice and Thunder Spirit powers were formidable, Fire and spatial magical array mastery lagging but attainable. Purpose fueled determination.

Summoning the Purple Shadow Divine Sword, Ye Yun traced its gleaming blade. Where his fingers brushed, harmonic hums resonated. The Ancestor watched, tense, as Ye Yun let a blood drop splatter the tip. Crimson threads engulfed the sword, unleashing a hidden will.

Hundreds of Immortal Swords materialized behind Ye Yun—each a supreme artifact thrumming with power. At his thought, they vanished. Exhaling softly, he smiled.

The Sword Path Domain was his. A desperate card, yet it leveled the field against Earth Immortals.

“How potent is this domain? What Earth Immortal levels can you challenge?” The Ancestor pressed, recalling Du Jianyin’s Myriad Sword Tribulation slaying a peak Seventh Level Nascent Soul expert. His own domain, infused with life-death cycles, dwarfed others. Ye Yun’s nascent version left room for doubt.

“Facing the Lava Sea King again would be… manageable. Perhaps even easy.”

“Arrogant fool!” The Ancestor spluttered, though astonishment tinged his ire. Ye Yun’s growth defied reason.

“Startling, yes. But acclimating in the Thunder World honed my control. It feels… natural now.”

“Monster. My worries were wasted.” The Ancestor chuckled, scanning Ye Yun’s unharmed body. “How’s the mortal vessel treating you?”

Inferior to the Immortal spirit body that withstood a Great Demon King’s strike, this flesh might falter against a Seventh Level Nascent Soul’s blow.

“Why dwell on it? Cultivators defy heavens; bodies are but tools. Loss tests resolve.” Ye Yun shrugged.

“True. At least the Nine Clears Supreme Thunder Punishment spared your Earth Immortal First Level cultivation.” The Ancestor snorted. Choosing a top-tier Immortal Spirit Stone over a middling one was obvious, but Ye Yun’s pragmatism prevailed.

“A counterfeit punishment, weaker than the true calamity. Had I faced the real one, I’d have fled.”

“Yet here you stand. Imitations are trouble enough.” The Ancestor grimaced, recalling his own earlier panic. True Nine Clears Thunder Punishment would’ve annihilated Ye Yun outright.

“What next? The Immortal Dao Sect’s competition begins tomorrow. Can you face those extraordinary geniuses weakened?”

“No issue. Ling’er mentioned Eighth Level Earth Immortals won’t participate. An Shuiyan and Dang Fenyan are mere figureheads.” Ye Yun smirked. “As an elder, my role is symbolic. Any challengers will be Seventh Level Earth Immortals at best. Manageable.”

He recalled Mo Tianxiao’s ambition to reach Eighth Level. Success would bar him from competing—a relief, given his laziness toward battling prodigies.