Deep within the Gale Canyon, above a newly discovered micro-fissure, the Grand Elder stood silently at the edge of a massive boulder eroded by the wind into the shape of an eagle's beak. His green shirt whipped violently in the wind, sharp enough to tear fine steel, but his body was as solid as the rock beneath him. His deep gaze pierced through the thick, dark bands of black wind rising from below, fixating intently on one of the struggling figures. That figure was Chen Yi.
At this moment, Chen Yi's upper body had already been sliced to pieces by endless blades of wind; his exposed skin was crisscrossed with old scars and new wounds. Some were deep, some scabbed only to be ripped open in the next instant, and blood, as soon as it seeped out, was swept away by the wind, leaving dark red streaks behind. Like a statue staggering forward through a storm, every step Chen Yi took was heavy, leaving blood-stained footprints on the rocky floor of the canyon.
The soul light that once protected his body had grown faint under the relentless consumption, flickering like a candle in the wind, barely covering only the most vital parts. The Grand Elder looked at this stubborn, tenacious youth, and a fleeting pain passed through his eyes before being replaced by a deeper hope. He quietly whispered to the wind, as if speaking to it:
"It's been almost two months… Under this tremendous pressure, unleash your potential to the maximum… Now is the time to reach your limits, to usher in change."
Two months ago, he had brought Chen Yi to this canyon. Compared to the outside world, the wind here was completely different—its color was as dark as ink and contained a terrifying power that could destroy landslides. It was not just cold and biting, but corrosive and oppressively pervasive, as if every blade of wind carried a curse. The wind pressure here was more than ten times that of the outside.
During these long sixty days, Chen Yi had faced death almost daily. He was slashed countless times by the black wind, his muscles cut, his bones injured. Every step forward was a torture of both will and body. Fatigue was his constant companion. Only when he was on the verge of being swallowed by the black wind did the Grand Elder intervene, carrying him back to the canyon's summit to breathe and heal.
At the bottom, Chen Yi gritted his teeth so hard that blood oozed from his gums; he could feel the cold black wind buffeting and slicing his bare body again and again like icy currents. His once-proud, painstakingly tempered body was now riddled with holes, barely holding together like a shattered porcelain vase. Worse still, the black wind never ceased. Sometimes, when the valley's energy was violently disturbed, even fiercer gusts would surge. Even when Chen Yi deployed Dark God Divine Mask to defend with all their might, they could only withstand two or three waves before their defenses shattered and another onslaught battered down.
Now, as the howling wind suddenly sharpened, a pillar of black wind, several times thicker than before, roared toward Chen Yi's position, wrapped in a destructive aura like a demon dragon from the depths of hell. Chen Yi's pupils shrank. He forced the last bit of soul power from his body, mixing it with his nearly-dry qi and blood, and once again, a layer of violet-golden lightning condensed into thunder armor.
Boom!
The black wind struck the violet-golden thunder armor. Amid the violent explosion, lightning flickered and vanished; the thunder armor lasted less than three hits before shattering like fragile glass, and the remnants of the black wind slammed into Chen Yi's flesh without mercy.
Whoosh!
He spat out a mouthful of blood and was flung back like a broken kite, smashing into the rock wall and sliding to the ground. His soul power was completely depleted again. Now, all he could rely on was his battered body and the last trace of unyielding will deep in his heart. He curled up, using his back to withstand the relentless black wind. His consciousness blurred; his body was being swallowed by endless pain and weakness. His qi and blood were nearly exhausted, his mind teetering on the brink of darkness.
It felt as if the solid barrier within his body had completely shattered. From the depths of his nearly spent qi and blood, a force imbued with indescribable vitality and majesty surged forth—like an awakened dragon, a fine yet incredibly tough golden thread wound through his dried meridians, damaged organs, and every corner of his flesh and bones. Wherever it passed, the burning pain of old wounds was replaced by a tingling comfort, coldness in the marrow disappeared, and everything was replaced by a soothing sensation as if bathed in divine light.
Soon, under his bronzed skin, more and more golden light began to flow through his body. At first faint, the points soon connected, and finally, his entire body transformed into pure gold, blossoming with dazzling brilliance. Like a dormant volcano, a majestic aura exploded from within him.
The Grand Elder, who had been tense and focused, ready to intervene at any moment, loosened his clenched fist slightly as he saw the first golden thread appear beneath Chen Yi's skin. When the brilliant golden light enveloped Chen Yi entirely, the Elder finally relaxed completely, a look of ecstatic relief spreading across his once solemn face.
"It's done… At last, the moment has come!"
The Grand Elder's voice trembled slightly.
"The second awakening of the True Body Martial Soul… Gold!"
Even though he had anticipated this scene, witnessing the legendary golden second awakening unfold before his eyes left the Grand Elder still unable to contain his excitement. The golden-level second awakening symbolized that a being's martial soul had reached its ultimate potential. Even Body Douluo Chu Shanhe only reached gold at his third awakening, and Xie Xiaoqing had the potential to reach gold at her third awakening in the future. But Chen Yi, at his second awakening, had already stepped into this legendary realm, leaving an indelible mark on the history of the Body Sect.
On the canyon floor, Chen Yi—now completely enveloped in golden brilliance—suddenly raised his head and let out a long, piercing howl that broke through the cracking stone. That howl contained both the release of endless pain and the joy of new life. Like a dragon's roar, it briefly overpowered the eternal howling of the canyon wind.
With this long howl, Chen Yi's entire body filled with golden light, and behind him appeared a golden human-shaped avatar, as tall as himself and forged from pure gold.
Buzz——!
A terrible aura, several times stronger than before, surged around him like a storm. Even the black wind at the bottom of the canyon was pushed back a few feet, forming a brief vacuum zone!
Chen Yi slowly straightened his body, feeling the majestic qi and blood within him, and the absolute sense of power brought by the golden avatar. His eyes shone with a golden light as tangible as matter. In this golden second awakening state, Chen Yi's current strength was by no means inferior to any Soul Douluo-level powerhouse. If he fought Xie Xiaoqing again, even if he lost, he would be able to stand his ground and fight back instead of being helpless as before.
He lifted his head, gazing at the black wind still raging ahead, and took a step forward. The rock under his feet quietly shattered, but Chen Yi's figure remained as steady as Mount Everest, without the slightest hint of staggering or struggle as before. He no longer needed soul power; the radiant golden layer itself was the strongest barrier. The black wind slashed at it, producing a metallic clang, but left only shallow white marks that were instantly healed by the flowing golden light.
Chen Yi walked steadily toward the opposite side of the canyon. Under the golden light, all obstacles felt insignificant.
Watching Chen Yi stride across the black sky, the Grand Elder on the canyon rim could no longer contain his excitement and joy. He suddenly looked up to the sky and laughed:
"Hahaha!!"
His laughter thundered through the air, filled with boundless pride and arrogance, piercing through the howling winds and spreading across the entire Gale Canyon.
Far away, soul masters struggling with the wind throughout the canyon were startled awake by the sudden wild laughter, whether they were meditating or advancing. All of them looked up in fear at the source of the sound—the deepest, forbidden life zone of the canyon—faces filled with doubt and shock.
"Who… who is that?"
"What a terrifying laugh! It cuts right through the wind's howling!"
…
Bonus chapter at 300 PS