Chapter 704: Ruins of a Broken Spirit Array
As the last trace of soul essence was absorbed by Xiao Ze, a satisfied expression flickered across his face a deep contentment that seemed to emanate from his very soul.
"Ever since achieving the Soul Sovereign Realm, I haven't felt this kind of soul fullness," he murmured.
After the spiritual energy assimilation, Xiao Ze's soul underwent a transformation, ascending to a higher level. Unsure of what lay beyond the Soul Sovereign Realm, Xiao Ze had given it a name of his own: Holy Soul Realm.
With this elevation, Xiao Ze's previously stagnant soul power began to surge once more. Now, the soul essence hidden within the wraiths of the Fallen Battlefield had become delicacies to his soul a feast he could hardly resist.
"This place isn't just a hunt for the Sky Sovereign's legacy or a chance to find the Battle Array Master's inheritance," Xiao Ze thought, his eyes gleaming with determination. "Now I have a third goal collecting the soul essences of wraiths."
Rather than feeling pressured by this addition, he was invigorated. Each wraith he defeated brought tangible growth to his soul power a sensation of progress too exhilarating to resist.
Caution Amidst Opportunity
Despite his excitement, Xiao Ze didn't act recklessly. The depths of the Fallen Battlefield were perilous not only because of natural calamities and hostile wraiths but also due to the presence of other elite factions.
This time, the Great Hunt War had drawn no fewer than ten top tier powers more than during the era of Mu Chen. The stakes were high, and with each cycle of the hunt, at least one prominent force would suffer devastating losses, potentially even obliteration.
Retrieving a jade dragon token, Xiao Ze murmured softly:
"All clear on my end. No sign of relics or abnormalities."
This dragon token was a special creation of his, enabling seamless communication between its bearers without interference from others.
After confirming the minimal energy cost with Xiao Ze, Mandala had insisted on periodic updates through the tokens.
Once Xiao Ze sent his report, he turned his attention back to the surrounding terrain. A flick of his finger sent a bolt of spiritual energy shooting toward a spot where space visibly twisted and warped.
Crack!
The space shattered, releasing a burst of frigid, bone chilling air.
A wraith, exuding an aura of terrifying malevolence, emerged from the rift, its crimson eyes locking onto Xiao Ze.
With a shadowy, almost fluid form, the wraith blurred forward, closing the distance in a flash. Its clawed hand, like an ethereal blade, slashed through the air, bringing with it a cold so fierce it could freeze even an Eight Star Sovereign's spiritual energy.
Xiao Ze's expression remained calm. As the claw neared, his palm radiated searing heat, suffused with an overwhelming spiritual force.
With a resounding boom, his fist collided with the claw, shattering it into countless fragments of ice like debris.
Undeterred, the wraith reformed its claw almost instantly, its attacks relentless and devoid of hesitation.
Xiao Ze, accustomed to the unyielding nature of wraiths, met each strike head on. His fiery punches clashed repeatedly with the spectral claws, leaving deep gouges in the earth.
Eventually, with a surge of Flame of Origin, Xiao Ze forced the fire into the wraith's form, reducing it to nothingness.
"Even for me, this Nine Star Sovereign level wraith was no easy challenge," Xiao Ze muttered, catching his breath.
The strength of this wraith hinted at its past life. It was likely a once powerful figure, perhaps on the verge of achieving the Sky Sovereign Realm, before succumbing to the battlefield's horrors.
Collecting the soul essence left behind, Xiao Ze sealed it for later use.
"The race against time is on," he reminded himself. The more wraiths he defeated, the stronger his soul could become.
A Sudden Storm
As Xiao Ze moved to pick up his pace, a shift in the sky drew his attention.
The already dim expanse darkened further as a massive black storm, spanning from the ground to the heavens, surged toward him.
Recognizing the storm's destructive power, capable of overwhelming even Nine Star Sovereigns, Xiao Ze chose not to face it head on.
Releasing his soul perception, he scanned the black iron mountains for a shelter. His search quickly led him to a narrow fissure in one of the peaks.
Without hesitation, he slipped inside just as the storm rolled through.
The storm's devastating energy flattened nearby peaks, leaving them unrecognizable. It struck Xiao Ze's sheltering mountain with tremendous force, causing it to tremble but not collapse.
Inside, Xiao Ze steadied himself as the tremors subsided.
"This storm stretches for hundreds of miles. It'll take time to clear," he mused.
Sending a quick message through his dragon token to inform Mandala, Xiao Ze began exploring the fissure.
A Hidden Relic
As he delved deeper, his soul perception detected faint energy fluctuations ahead.
"Did I just stumble upon a relic?" Xiao Ze murmured, intrigued.
Without delay, he pushed forward, eventually passing through a distorted section of space that revealed a hidden chamber.
The scene that greeted him was one of ruin. The remnants of a fierce battle were everywhere fractured walls, scattered debris, and lingering traces of immense spiritual energy.
But what caught Xiao Ze's attention most was the subtle, unique energy saturating the air. His eyes narrowed in recognition.
"This... could it be a shattered spirit array?"
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