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After everyone moved to Thunderclap Gorge, the construction of the Body Sect was in full swing.
In just a month or two, the sect had already taken on a rough but functional shape.
Having learned from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's devastating ambush, the sect placed immense emphasis on defensive measures, making it the top priority in their construction plans.
The protective river surrounding Thunderclap Gorge received special attention from Yang Wudi and Niu Gao.
Yang Wudi directly planted a large number of poisonous plants in the river and introduced several poison-type spirit beasts. The sight was both ferocious and ruthless—even ordinary soul masters couldn't swim across.
A small wooden bridge was built over the river, rigged with various traps. Only those accompanied by sect members could cross safely; anyone attempting to force their way through would cause the entire bridge to collapse into ashes.
Beyond the river, there was no land—just towering walls and countless defensive crossbows, with extremely tight aerial defenses.
Overall, Thunderclap Gorge was like a massive fortress, nearly impossible to breach from the outside.
The Imperial Clan showcased its astonishing manufacturing capabilities. Hundreds of soul masters with the Armored Rhinoceros martial soul, each possessing immense strength, employed a variety of construction techniques that left even Yang Xiong dazzled. Their prowess surpassed even the legendary "infrastructure demons" of his previous life.
To construct the defensive walls, the entire structure was made of massive stones and countless metals, capable of withstanding the true forms of some soul masters' martial souls. Truly, it was an impenetrable fortress.
Yang Xiong couldn't help but recall the enormous mountain gate of the Hao Tian Sect's ancestral grounds—it seemed similar in construction, making it extremely difficult for outsiders to invade.
Niu Gao even personally organized a group to haul a giant stone dozens of meters tall. Yang Xiong then inscribed the three characters "Body Sect" onto it with his own hands.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Yang Xiong decided to explore Thunderclap Gorge alone.
The entire gorge was filled with lightning, and as he ventured deeper, the lightning grew denser and more powerful.
There were very few plants inside Thunderclap Gorge, only a handful of lightning-attribute plant-type spirit beasts and several animal-type spirit beasts with lightning attributes.
These spirit beasts, having lived in Thunderclap Gorge for years under constant exposure to lightning, not only possessed incredibly strong vitality but also boasted formidable combat abilities.
However, even Yang Xiong's robust physique couldn't withstand the conditions at the deepest part of the gorge.
Though Yang Xiong had trained his body since childhood and was currently only a Soul Sage, his physical strength surpassed that of many Title Douluos.
Even so, under the relentless assault of lightning, his body turned charred black, and he became completely paralyzed.
What he saw next sent shivers down his spine.
This was the deepest part of Thunderclap Gorge. Though the gorge itself was dozens of meters wide, here a vine tens of meters long blocked the entire passage, making it impossible for even top experts to approach.
Yang Xiong was shocked: "How is this possible? It's the Thunderclap Hellvine!"
This Thunderclap Hellvine was enormous, seemingly composed of countless vines. Each vine crackled with electricity, possessing incredible offensive power and explosive capabilities. Judging by its age, it likely exceeded the hundred-thousand-year mark.
Especially within Thunderclap Gorge, this Thunderclap Hellvine could harness the entire gorge's lightning. Killing it was practically impossible.
Yang Xiong felt that not only himself, but even Yu Yuanzhen, once hailed as the strongest beast soul master, would be unable to break through the control of this Thunderclap Hellvine, let alone enter the deepest part of the gorge.
After much deliberation, Yang Xiong decided against forcing his way through and instead sat down to cultivate right there.
Under the relentless stimulation of Thunderclap Gorge's intense lightning, his body was constantly bombarded. Not only did his skin turn charred black, but it felt as though he were being forged by lightning elemental energy.
Gritting his teeth, Yang Xiong endured the extreme destructive force acting upon his body.
The lightning in Thunderclap Gorge seemed endless. At first, his body could remain conscious and resist using sheer physical strength.
But as the lightning intensified, his body grew increasingly numb and painful, to the point where he felt he might lose all sensation.
After an indeterminate amount of time, when Yang Xiong felt his body had reached its limit, he prepared to leave Thunderclap Gorge.
Thunderclap Gorge was indeed a remarkable place, especially for Body martial souls. The lightning acted like a special form of body tempering, not only strengthening muscles but also stimulating the evolution of martial souls to some extent.
This was likely one of the reasons for the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's strength. Under the constant stimulation of lightning, every member of the clan possessed extraordinary physical prowess.
However, the destructive nature of lightning also affected their bodies, hindering their ability to break through to higher levels.
Otherwise, given Yu Yuanzhen's talent and strength, it was inconceivable that he would remain stuck at level 95. Moreover, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan hadn't produced a new Title Douluo in all these years.
Still, Yang Xiong felt that Thunderclap Gorge was a heaven-sent location for Body martial souls.
Since the body itself was the martial soul for Body-type soul masters, the lightning wouldn't harm their bodies. Instead, it would stimulate their physical strength and accelerate the growth of their martial souls, potentially even leading to a second awakening.
…
When Yang Xiong returned to the main peak of the Body Sect, everyone around seemed extraordinarily busy.
Oscar and Qin Shuang had recently been helping Niu Gao. Oscar assisted with construction and transportation, which also served as physical exercise for him.
At the same time, Oscar provided sausages to those working on-site. Particularly, his first soul skill—"Super Recovery Sausage"—after reaching the Soul Emperor level, consumed very little soul power to produce, significantly boosting work efficiency.
Qin Shuang, on the other hand, displayed incredible strength. Her martial soul, the Iron Armored Bear, made her exceptionally skilled at moving heavy objects, earning praise even from the Imperial Clan.
If Qin Shuang hadn't already become Zhao Wuji's disciple, Niu Gao might have considered taking her as his own. Qin Shuang was not only talented but also deeply committed to mastering strength-based techniques, excelling in both offense and defense.
As for Yang Wei, he had been following Yang Wudi. Since both Yang Wudi's Soul-Piercing Spear and Yang Wei's Black Iron Sword emphasized attack, Yang Wei was learning a great deal about offensive techniques.
Ning Rongrong, meanwhile, worked closely with Lin Gong, overseeing the overall planning and development of the Body Sect.
Having studied sect management under Ning Fengzhi, Ning Rongrong found planning and constructing the Body Sect quite manageable.
The Body Sect's activities in Thunderclap Gorge were immense. With thousands of sect members and hired workers, over ten thousand people were tirelessly busy, and news of this quickly spread throughout the soul master world.
The entire soul master community was astonished. No one expected someone to so boldly occupy Thunderclap Gorge, the former stronghold of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—a prize coveted by many yet feared due to the clan's historical dominance in the soul master world.
Many attempted to challenge the new occupants, and numerous soul master factions sought to claim a share of Thunderclap Gorge, given its concentration of lightning-attribute spirit beasts—a rare and valuable resource.
Unfortunately, any challengers were swiftly driven away by Yang Wudi, and even Yang Wei demonstrated his strength on occasion.
Gradually, the entire soul master world came to realize that a new sect was emerging—one with immense power, a steady stream of experts, and extravagant spending. It appeared poised to replace the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan as one of the top three sects.
Of course, Yang Xiong had made certain arrangements. He invited many Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect soul masters with the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda martial soul to reside in Thunderclap Gorge, even assigning them one of the Thunder Nine Peaks for their stay.
They were only temporarily stationed in Thunderclap Gorge and wouldn't interfere with the internal affairs of the Body Sect.
Among them were several Soul Sages with the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda martial soul, as well as some Soul Emperors and Soul Kings. This was part of the collaboration between Yang Xiong and the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.
With these experts in the Body Sect, they could provide invaluable support in critical moments, potentially turning the tide of battle. This also demonstrated the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's support for the Body Sect.
Meanwhile, another major event occurred in the soul master world.
After the Hao Tian Sect reemerged, they announced their intention to recall their former allies to rebuild the sect.
Though the soul master world was abuzz with excitement, very few responded.
After the Hao Tian Sect's war with the Spirit Hall, many soul master families had aligned themselves with the Spirit Hall, while others had gone independent, becoming scattered cultivators.
None of the four most famous single-attribute families responded to the Hao Tian Sect's call.
Both Yang Wudi, Niu Gao, and Bai He dismissed the Hao Tian Sect's efforts entirely, showing no interest whatsoever.
Even Tai Tan strongly opposed the Hao Tian Sect. Although the Strength Clan had been nearly wiped out by Qian Ren Xue, Tai Tan showed no intention of returning to the Hao Tian Sect. Instead, he remained loyal to Tang San and Tang Hao, focusing his efforts on rebuilding the Tang Sect.
Although the Tang Sect had suffered catastrophic damage, Emperor Xue Ye was still highly interested in Tang San's hidden weapons. Tai Tan gathered many blacksmiths to rebuild the Tang Sect and collaborated with the Tian Dou Imperial Family to mass-produce hidden weapons.
Some scattered cultivators who opposed the Spirit Hall were willing to join the Hao Tian Sect, but they merely sought refuge. The Spirit Hall's ruthlessness had instilled fear in them, and their past conflicts with the Spirit Hall ran deep—they simply wanted a new protector.
Gradually, the landscape of the soul master world began to shift. Many now regarded the Body Sect as a formidable power, one capable of rivaling the top three sects.
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