"Master, test my soul strength—how many people are outside?"
Yang Fan closed his eyes, focusing deeply.
An invisible energy radiated from him, and to his astonishment, his consciousness now clearly mapped everything within a 300-meter radius—and the range was still expanding.
This was the transformation brought by his soul strength's qualitative leap!
Before, his perception barely reached 100 meters; beyond that, everything blurred into static.
"Thirty-two people!" Yang Fan declared with certainty.
Yao Lao pressed further: "Where exactly?"
"Two on the left rooftop, five in this room…" Yang Fan pinpointed 28 positions flawlessly. Beyond 300 meters, he could only sense faint, indistinct presences.
"Not bad!" Yao Lao nodded, satisfied.
Yang Fan's soul strength was still far from Tier-4 alchemist level—but he'd already outpaced all peers his age. Even prodigies on the Dou Qi Continent rarely matched his prowess at this stage.
"Master, about my breakthrough…" Yang Fan grinned sheepishly.
"You impatient brat," Yao Lao scolded. "Breakthroughs demand perfect preparation. Fail, and you might lose more than just cultivation—you could lose your life."
"What?!" Yang Fan's heart lurched.
A risk of death? This was the first he'd heard of it.
"Think it's just a setback?" Yao Lao scoffed. "Failed breakthroughs cause Dou Qi backlash—light cases leave hidden injuries or demonic deviation; severe ones end your life permanently."
It wasn't an exaggeration. Countless Dou Shi had perished during failed breakthroughs on the Dou Qi Continent.
Yang Fan's face turned grim.
Of course. Cultivation defied heaven itself—death mid-path was tragically common.
"What do I need to prepare?"
"A quiet environment and peak condition."
"What about… pills?"
Whap! Yao Lao flicked his forehead. "Pills, pills—you'll turn into a walking pharmacy! This time, rely on yourself."
Yes, pills to boost breakthrough success existed—but Yao Lao refused to provide them.
First, he wouldn't let Yang Fan depend on pills as a crutch.
If every problem was solved with pills today, what would he do when pills failed tomorrow?
Pills were aids, never the foundation.
Second—and more importantly—Yao Lao trusted him.
This confidence was built on Yang Fan's relentless progress.
…
The next day.
Yang Fan slung the Heavy Xuan Ruler across his back and headed for Sunset Forest.
After deliberation, he decided the soul beast forest was the ideal breakthrough site.
Though dangerous, its isolation trumped the noisy outer town.
Breaking through to Dou Shi mirrored cultivators' heavenly tribulations. No lightning would strike—but it wasn't as simple as "passing gas." Any disturbance could draw curious soul masters…
"Master, we're being followed."
Before the words fully left his mouth, Yang Fan sidestepped behind a tree wide enough for several men to encircle. He masked his aura with soul power.
"Noticed them?"
He'd sensed the trackers since entering the forest—but dismissed it.
The forest belonged to no one; anyone could enter.
But after half a day of tailing? Suspicious.
"Can you identify them?"
Yang Fan probed—then froze.
"Elephant Armor Sect?!"
"Sharp kid," Yao Lao chuckled. "You even caught that."
Yang Fan's cheeks flushed.
His soul strength only confirmed someone was tracking him. What gave away their identity was their massive size—coupled with recent conflicts, the answer was obvious.
Why are they following me?
Do they know I killed Huyan Hai?
Panic surged—not for himself, but for the Breaking Clan.
If his identity was exposed, the sect would face all-out war with the Elephant Armor Sect.
Gripping the Heavy Xuan Ruler, Yang Fan waited silently as the trackers approached.
"Where'd he go?"
"He was just ahead! Don't get too close."
"Do you think he's the one who killed our elder?"
"Shh! Hope not—or we're doomed too…"
They feared retribution—but Sect Master Huyan Zhen's orders were absolute. As ordinary clan members, they dared not disobey.
Learning of Yang Fan's frequent outer-town activity, they'd sent word to Huyan Zhen and tailed him discreetly.
Then—
Ambush!
Yang Fan erupted from the shadows, slamming the Heavy Xuan Ruler into one tracker's face.
CRUNCH—!
Blood gushed from the Diamond Mammoth soul master's nose and mouth as he toppled backward. His teeth shattered, some lodging in his throat.
BOOM—!
The second tracker frantically activated his martial soul:
Two yellow rings, two purple—the Soul Ancestor standard.
But before he could unleash a defense skill, Yang Fan's ruler cleaved downward.
Dou Qi surged like a tidal wave, compressing the air into a shrill whistle.
The ruler smashed into the soul master's skull with a dull THUD—the Earth-Tier technique erasing him instantly.
"Ugh—ah—!" The surviving tracker gurgled, nose flattened and teeth pulverized.
ROAR—!
Knowing flight meant death, the Diamond Mammoth soul master chose battle.
His first three soul rings blazed simultaneously.
A thick layer of earth-yellow keratin armored his body, while an invisible lock fixed onto Yang Fan.
This was the Diamond Mammoth's signature combo:
- Rings 1–2: Ultimate defense.
- Ring 3: Thousand-Year Crush—compensating for speed with crushing weight.
"Die!"
The soul master leapt skyward, then plummeted like a meteor.
This was Thousand-Year Crush's essence—using the Diamond Mammoth's unnatural mass to obliterate foes.
Thousand-Year Crush?
Let's see how you handle this!
In the next second—the pure-offense Soul Breaking Spear materialized in Yang Fan's hand.
------------------------------------------------------
30+ Chapters Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)