Meanwhile, perched on a majestic cliff, bathed in an abundance of Spiritual Qi, nestled within the boundaries of the Purple Heaven Holy Land.
Amid a swirling vortex of Spiritual Qi, a young man sat immersed in profound meditation.
His features were honed, his visage handsome, and his demeanor was laced with a hint of frosty severity.
This individual was none other than Fang Yuan.
From his being radiated waves signifying a cultivation base in the Late-stage Spiritual Awakening realm.
Intriguingly, these vibrations appeared to ebb and flow, subtly diminishing as Fang Yuan tenaciously pursued his cultivation. As if paradoxically, the emanations from his cultivation base seemed to become more indistinct with the passage of time.
"Why!"
"Why is this transpiring!"
"I've been ceaselessly cultivating, why is my cultivation base disappearing as if into nothingness! Damned cosmos, what transgression have I committed to deserve this!!"
"Ahhh! I cannot reconcile with this!"
Overwhelmed, Fang Yuan released a roar of despair, his face twisting into a visage of torment.
In that moment, his cultivation base regressed again, falling sharply to the Middle-stage Spiritual Awakening realm!
"No!"
A bitter outcry of defiance tore itself from Fang Yuan.
However, he did not capitulate.
Instead, he redoubled his efforts, straining every ounce of his being to circulate his primary cultivation method, ceaselessly drawing upon the ambient Spiritual Qi.
Additionally, he swiftly seized a pill and forced it into his mouth, swallowing it whole.
Owing to Fang Yuan's unwavering determination, his cultivation base halted its decline and steadied at the Middle-stage Spiritual Awakening realm.
"How detestable."
"What on earth is transpiring... At this pace, I may very well regress to the Soul Refining realm."
While maintaining his cultivation, Fang Yuan clenched his fist, the veins on the back of his hand surfacing prominently, throbbing in a rhythmic pulse.
Suddenly!
"Ah~~"
"Finally, I've fully regained consciousness. Oh, the feeling of being alive is truly exhilarating!"
"Nangong Wan, that repulsive woman, must have been utterly vanquished, hahaha, this brings me even greater joy!"
"..."
A sequence of alluringly melodious feminine voices unexpectedly reverberated!
"Who, who is speaking!!"
A look of terror spread across Fang Yuan's face as his eyes darted back and forth. Despite his efforts, he found no one in sight.
Out of nowhere.
"Shangguan Ning!"
"You are the one who should face total obliteration!"
"You had the audacity to ambush me while I was enduring the tribulation. I vow to exact my vengeance!"
Another angered yet melodious feminine voice echoed. This voice, in contrast to the enchanting one from before, bore a markedly more chilling tone.
"Who, who is it that speaks!?"
Fang Yuan's expression hardened, his eyes persistently roving over his body, as he had already sensed that the source of the voice seemed to reside within him.
"What!"
"Nangong Wan, you unsightly woman, you still draw breath!"
"How could you possibly have survived, and how did you infiltrate my Soul Embodying Ring!"
Shangguan Ning's voice echoed once again, suffused with incredulity.
"Heh."
"You are the one who shall meet your end."
"Would I have been compelled to perish with you, had you not exploited my moment of weakness to ambush me?"
"How regrettable! After countless years of strenuous cultivation, I finally ascended to the Half-step Primal Chaos realm. Shangguan Ning, you truly warrant death!"
Nangong Wan's frosty voice was permeated with an unmistakable aura of rage and lethal intent.
"Hmph!"
"Nangong Wan, I neglected to end your life before, but now, I will!"
"I will seek vengeance for my clan!!"
Shangguan Ning's retort was a disdainful snort, her words seething with murderous intent, her loathing for Nangong Wan ran marrow-deep.
"Your clan did not fall by my hand."
Nangong Wan replied with a mix of resentment and helplessness, "How many times must I reiterate this!?"
"The evidence against you is incontrovertible, yet you continue to deny it. Truly, your audacity knows no bounds."
Shangguan Ning's response was a frosty sneer, "Today, it is either your life, or my demise!"
"Then come!"
Nangong Juan retorted with icy derision, "Let's see if you can summon the strength to even conjure a minuscule fireball!"
Then, all was quiet.
Both feminine voices fell silent.
Having just regained consciousness after a fierce struggle, their souls were fragmented and frail. How could they possibly muster the strength to engage in battle?
At that very moment.
"Hey!"
"Who might you two be?"
"Why are you inhabiting the ring my mother bestowed upon me?"
Fang Yuan realized that the voices were issuing from the ring adorning his right hand, rendering him completely astounded.
This ring had been a fixture on his finger for over a decade.
He was wholly unaware that it harbored occupants!
"Fang Yuan, isn't it?"
"Are you hard of hearing, or do you lack the capacity to reason?"
An alluring, yet somewhat exasperated voice, unmistakably Shangguan Ning's, resonated.
"..."
The corners of Fang Yuan's mouth twitched. On reflection, the quarrel between the two had indeed revealed a fair amount of information.
The enchanting voice was Shangguan Ning's.
The calm and aloof voice belonged to Nangong Wan.
The two were mortal enemies, meeting their demise together, residing in the ring on his right hand, known as the Soul Embodying Ring.
Among them, Nangong Wan was a powerhouse of the Half-step Primal Chaos realm.
Fang Yuan was unsure of what the Primal Chaos realm entailed, but he was aware it wasn't within the purview of the first three Steps of the Cultivation Path.
Therefore, it was likely a realm within the legendary Fourth Step of the Cultivation Path!
If Nangong Wan possessed such formidable prowess, then Shangguan Ning undoubtedly wasn't any less powerful, probably existing within a realm of similar stature.
...
"Have you pieced it together?"
"Fang Yuan, allow me to enlighten you, this Nangong Wan is bad news."
"She exterminated my clan, wiped out every single member, leaving us utterly decimated. Moreover, she unabashedly parades her actions as righteousness!"
"When your cultivation advances and you gain strength, you must vanquish her, do you understand?"
Shangguan Ning's somewhat enchanting voice rang out, filled with a captivating charm.
"Fang Yuan, pay no heed to her fabrications."
Nangong Wan promptly countered, "Shangguan Ning is a fox demon from a different race originating from the Azure Hollow Immortal Star. She's a master at seducing minds!"
"Halt!"
"Everyone, silence."
Fang Yuan inhaled deeply, posing a question, "I only wish to ask one thing at present. The deterioration of my cultivation base, was it your doing?"
"Indeed, it was."
"To regain my consciousness, I was left with no choice but to utilize the power of your cultivation base."
Shangguan Ning candidly confessed, "In the past, I was perplexed as to why my recovery was proceeding so slowly. It appears, it was because Nangong Wan, this unsightly woman, was siphoning it off!"
"Such coarseness!"
Nangong Wan snorted coldly, then proceeded, "Fang Yuan, I acknowledge that the drain on your cultivation base's power has had a significant impact on you. I'm genuinely regretful, but I promise to make amends."
"I also won't leave any debt unsettled."
Shangguan Ning quickly interjected, "That said, what form of compensation would you prefer?"
"..."
"A significant impact... it is far more severe than just an 'impact.'"
"For two long years, anyone else in my place might have been driven to suicide!"
Gloominess spread across Fang Yuan's face, clearly etching out the agonizing journey from apex to abyss that he had experienced over the past two years.
Shangguan Ning posed her question with indifference, "What compensation do you truly seek?"
"Restore my cultivation base to me immediately."
The steady decline of his cultivation base had nearly pushed Fang Yuan to the brink of insanity, leading him to answer without a moment's hesitation.
"This."
"This isn't feasible."
Shangguan Ning hesitated briefly before asserting adamantly, "It's not just unacceptable now, but in the future, I'll need to draw on your cultivation base's energy for my restoration."
"Hmph!"
"Whether it's acceptable or not, it will have to be!"
Fang Yuan grunted in indignation, "Otherwise, I'll dispose of this worthless ring!"
"If you dare, I'll take your life!"
Shangguan Ning retorted frostily.
"Shangguan Ning, silence."
Nangong Wan interjected, "Fang Yuan, rest assured, moving forward..."
Time ambled on.
An accord was struck between Fang Yuan, Shangguan Ning, and Nangong Wan.
He would retain the ring and contribute a portion of his cultivation base for Shangguan Ning and Nangong Wan to recuperate.
In return, Nangong Wan and Shangguan Ning would mentor Fang Yuan in his cultivation journey.
Guided by two Void Tribulation realm powerhouses, this arrangement was undoubtedly an unparalleled privilege across the vast expanse of the Immortal Martial Continent!
A note from AlphaWIA:
Get early access to (+75) more chapters by joining my Patreon.
Meanwhile, perched on a majestic cliff, bathed in an abundance of Spiritual Qi, nestled within the boundaries of the Purple Heaven Holy Land.
Amid a swirling vortex of Spiritual Qi, a young man sat immersed in profound meditation.
His features were honed, his visage handsome, and his demeanor was laced with a hint of frosty severity.
This individual was none other than Fang Yuan.
From his being radiated waves signifying a cultivation base in the Late-stage Spiritual Awakening realm.
Intriguingly, these vibrations appeared to ebb and flow, subtly diminishing as Fang Yuan tenaciously pursued his cultivation. As if paradoxically, the emanations from his cultivation base seemed to become more indistinct with the passage of time.
"Why!"
"Why is this transpiring!"
"I've been ceaselessly cultivating, why is my cultivation base disappearing as if into nothingness! Damned cosmos, what transgression have I committed to deserve this!!"
"Ahhh! I cannot reconcile with this!"
Overwhelmed, Fang Yuan released a roar of despair, his face twisting into a visage of torment.
In that moment, his cultivation base regressed again, falling sharply to the Middle-stage Spiritual Awakening realm!
"No!"
A bitter outcry of defiance tore itself from Fang Yuan.
However, he did not capitulate.
Instead, he redoubled his efforts, straining every ounce of his being to circulate his primary cultivation method, ceaselessly drawing upon the ambient Spiritual Qi.
Additionally, he swiftly seized a pill and forced it into his mouth, swallowing it whole.
Owing to Fang Yuan's unwavering determination, his cultivation base halted its decline and steadied at the Middle-stage Spiritual Awakening realm.
"How detestable."
"What on earth is transpiring... At this pace, I may very well regress to the Soul Refining realm."
While maintaining his cultivation, Fang Yuan clenched his fist, the veins on the back of his hand surfacing prominently, throbbing in a rhythmic pulse.
Suddenly!
"Ah~~"
"Finally, I've fully regained consciousness. Oh, the feeling of being alive is truly exhilarating!"
"Nangong Wan, that repulsive woman, must have been utterly vanquished, hahaha, this brings me even greater joy!"
"..."
A sequence of alluringly melodious feminine voices unexpectedly reverberated!
"Who, who is speaking!!"
A look of terror spread across Fang Yuan's face as his eyes darted back and forth. Despite his efforts, he found no one in sight.
Out of nowhere.
"Shangguan Ning!"
"You are the one who should face total obliteration!"
"You had the audacity to ambush me while I was enduring the tribulation. I vow to exact my vengeance!"
Another angered yet melodious feminine voice echoed. This voice, in contrast to the enchanting one from before, bore a markedly more chilling tone.
"Who, who is it that speaks!?"
Fang Yuan's expression hardened, his eyes persistently roving over his body, as he had already sensed that the source of the voice seemed to reside within him.
"What!"
"Nangong Wan, you unsightly woman, you still draw breath!"
"How could you possibly have survived, and how did you infiltrate my Soul Embodying Ring!"
Shangguan Ning's voice echoed once again, suffused with incredulity.
"Heh."
"You are the one who shall meet your end."
"Would I have been compelled to perish with you, had you not exploited my moment of weakness to ambush me?"
"How regrettable! After countless years of strenuous cultivation, I finally ascended to the Half-step Primal Chaos realm. Shangguan Ning, you truly warrant death!"
Nangong Wan's frosty voice was permeated with an unmistakable aura of rage and lethal intent.
"Hmph!"
"Nangong Wan, I neglected to end your life before, but now, I will!"
"I will seek vengeance for my clan!!"
Shangguan Ning's retort was a disdainful snort, her words seething with murderous intent, her loathing for Nangong Wan ran marrow-deep.
"Your clan did not fall by my hand."
Nangong Wan replied with a mix of resentment and helplessness, "How many times must I reiterate this!?"
"The evidence against you is incontrovertible, yet you continue to deny it. Truly, your audacity knows no bounds."
Shangguan Ning's response was a frosty sneer, "Today, it is either your life, or my demise!"
"Then come!"
Nangong Juan retorted with icy derision, "Let's see if you can summon the strength to even conjure a minuscule fireball!"
Then, all was quiet.
Both feminine voices fell silent.
Having just regained consciousness after a fierce struggle, their souls were fragmented and frail. How could they possibly muster the strength to engage in battle?
At that very moment.
"Hey!"
"Who might you two be?"
"Why are you inhabiting the ring my mother bestowed upon me?"
Fang Yuan realized that the voices were issuing from the ring adorning his right hand, rendering him completely astounded.
This ring had been a fixture on his finger for over a decade.
He was wholly unaware that it harbored occupants!
"Fang Yuan, isn't it?"
"Are you hard of hearing, or do you lack the capacity to reason?"
An alluring, yet somewhat exasperated voice, unmistakably Shangguan Ning's, resonated.
"..."
The corners of Fang Yuan's mouth twitched. On reflection, the quarrel between the two had indeed revealed a fair amount of information.
The enchanting voice was Shangguan Ning's.
The calm and aloof voice belonged to Nangong Wan.
The two were mortal enemies, meeting their demise together, residing in the ring on his right hand, known as the Soul Embodying Ring.
Among them, Nangong Wan was a powerhouse of the Half-step Primal Chaos realm.
Fang Yuan was unsure of what the Primal Chaos realm entailed, but he was aware it wasn't within the purview of the first three Steps of the Cultivation Path.
Therefore, it was likely a realm within the legendary Fourth Step of the Cultivation Path!
If Nangong Wan possessed such formidable prowess, then Shangguan Ning undoubtedly wasn't any less powerful, probably existing within a realm of similar stature.
...
"Have you pieced it together?"
"Fang Yuan, allow me to enlighten you, this Nangong Wan is bad news."
"She exterminated my clan, wiped out every single member, leaving us utterly decimated. Moreover, she unabashedly parades her actions as righteousness!"
"When your cultivation advances and you gain strength, you must vanquish her, do you understand?"
Shangguan Ning's somewhat enchanting voice rang out, filled with a captivating charm.
"Fang Yuan, pay no heed to her fabrications."
Nangong Wan promptly countered, "Shangguan Ning is a fox demon from a different race originating from the Azure Hollow Immortal Star. She's a master at seducing minds!"
"Halt!"
"Everyone, silence."
Fang Yuan inhaled deeply, posing a question, "I only wish to ask one thing at present. The deterioration of my cultivation base, was it your doing?"
"Indeed, it was."
"To regain my consciousness, I was left with no choice but to utilize the power of your cultivation base."
Shangguan Ning candidly confessed, "In the past, I was perplexed as to why my recovery was proceeding so slowly. It appears, it was because Nangong Wan, this unsightly woman, was siphoning it off!"
"Such coarseness!"
Nangong Wan snorted coldly, then proceeded, "Fang Yuan, I acknowledge that the drain on your cultivation base's power has had a significant impact on you. I'm genuinely regretful, but I promise to make amends."
"I also won't leave any debt unsettled."
Shangguan Ning quickly interjected, "That said, what form of compensation would you prefer?"
"..."
"A significant impact... it is far more severe than just an 'impact.'"
"For two long years, anyone else in my place might have been driven to suicide!"
Gloominess spread across Fang Yuan's face, clearly etching out the agonizing journey from apex to abyss that he had experienced over the past two years.
Shangguan Ning posed her question with indifference, "What compensation do you truly seek?"
"Restore my cultivation base to me immediately."
The steady decline of his cultivation base had nearly pushed Fang Yuan to the brink of insanity, leading him to answer without a moment's hesitation.
"This."
"This isn't feasible."
Shangguan Ning hesitated briefly before asserting adamantly, "It's not just unacceptable now, but in the future, I'll need to draw on your cultivation base's energy for my restoration."
"Hmph!"
"Whether it's acceptable or not, it will have to be!"
Fang Yuan grunted in indignation, "Otherwise, I'll dispose of this worthless ring!"
"If you dare, I'll take your life!"
Shangguan Ning retorted frostily.
"Shangguan Ning, silence."
Nangong Wan interjected, "Fang Yuan, rest assured, moving forward..."
Time ambled on.
An accord was struck between Fang Yuan, Shangguan Ning, and Nangong Wan.
He would retain the ring and contribute a portion of his cultivation base for Shangguan Ning and Nangong Wan to recuperate.
In return, Nangong Wan and Shangguan Ning would mentor Fang Yuan in his cultivation journey.
Guided by two Void Tribulation realm powerhouses, this arrangement was undoubtedly an unparalleled privilege across the vast expanse of the Immortal Martial Continent!
A note from AlphaWIA:
Get early access to (+75) more chapters by joining my Patreon.
