Chapter 2: Rebirth through Fire
If there is a next life, I will be with you forever
The physical body seems to undergo refinement in the furnace, being melted inch by inch. The bones, meridians, and blood are all instantly reduced to ashes.
However, this reincarnation in this life is truly a waste. After all, at just over twenty years of age, it is equivalent to squandering decades of life for nothing! If it were not for the pressing circumstances, how could one resort to such a desperate measure?
This connection cannot be observed; it is merely an enigmatic and elusive feeling
Xie Qingdai let out a weak gasp, yet her beautiful eyes remained closed. It was evident that she had lost nearly half of her soul, rendering her mental strength extremely frail. However, faintly, she seemed to still have some awareness. Her body trembled slightly, snuggling even closer in Chu Xiong's embrace.
After the second reincarnation, having arrived in the present world, Chuxiong has not yet cultivated to the peak of his previous life. The sword strike he exerted with great effort has already far exceeded his own limits. At this moment, as he is subjected to the soul-snatching of the Heavenly Hound, he seems utterly powerless to resist.
You possess extraordinary talents, yet how can you contend with me? Chuxiong, with a sudden resolve, let out a thunderous roar.
"The Art of Rebirth through Self-Immolation"! Chuxiong is about to begin his third reincarnation
He tightly grasped one of Xie Qingdai's ankles. With a gentle pull upwards, he drew her body into his embrace. However, there was nothing beneath his feet to support him, and falling onto the corpse of the nine-tailed celestial fox became inevitable
Chuxiong sensed that Xie Qingdai's body had become somewhat rigid; her eyes, though slightly open, lacked any glimmer of spirit. Moreover, there seemed to be a faint yet enduring connection between Xie Qingdai and the corpse of the nine-tailed fox.
This life is already over, I will take you to the world at https://www.hetushu.com
Ah? Suddenly coming to his senses, Chuxiong was greatly alarmed. He wanted to muster all his strength to strike again, but found it was already too late. It seemed as if his head was splitting, a tremendous pain of soul separation resonating through every cell in his body
The term "soul possession" refers to the act of forcibly occupying and controlling another person's body with one's own soul
At this moment, driven by the singular desire to rescue Xie Qingdai, the immense allure of the gigantic Tianhuang became even more intense for Chuxiong. In the blink of an eye, Chuxiong found himself somewhat unable to maintain control. The strike he had just unleashed with all his might not only exhausted his physical strength but also nearly depleted his mental energy.
The innate abilities of the ancient demonic beasts, although powerful enough to rival the heavens, are nonetheless bound by the laws of fate. However, the technique of rebirth through self-immolation, named as defying the heavens, transcends the constraints of destiny.
The "Burning Body Rebirth Technique" is inherently a defiant method, allowing a person to be reborn three times, thus possessing four lives. Moreover, after each rebirth, the memories of the previous life are fully inherited.
At the very moment he let his guard down, the massive corpse of the celestial hound suddenly sank. Having lost its connection with the celestial hound, Chu Xiong's body no longer floated, and he fell straight down into the abyss, holding the unconscious Xie Qingdai.
With a single stroke, the deep abyss seemed to instantly unleash a tempest. The connection that had persisted between Xie Qingdai and the Nine-Tailed Fox was abruptly severed
The body fell straight down, and Chuxiong was anxious and restless
Soul attack! In his second life, Chu Xiong had seen legends of this bizarre method of attack. It is rare and quite perverse. This technique utilizes the power of the soul to launch an impact on the opponent's soul, almost as if it were a physical entity. If it causes damage to the soul, it is not only more severe than physical harm but also much more difficult to heal.
In a fit of rage, Chuxiong unexpectedly decided to confront Tianhao head-on. If Tianhao's technique is termed "Soul Snatching," then Chuxiong's move, "Dominating Soul Seizure," can be described as "Seizure."
Soul Domination!
Fortunately, he possesses the experiences of three lifetimes, which has enabled him to master such a multitude of strange skills. Otherwise, at this moment, Chuxiong would undoubtedly be in a situation of being at the mercy of others. However, even so, the situation remains perilous. After all, the opponent is the most formidable ancient demon beast, and even if it has only a trace of residual soul, it is still not something Chuxiong can easily control
With the rebirth through self-immolation, there were no further obstacles. Even that divine soul attack inscribed with the innate divine abilities of the celestial hound was naturally assimilated by Chu Xiong's soul, becoming a part of his essence, a unique innate ability that belonged to him.
Chuxiong was caught off guard and struck by the illusory light, resulting in a moment of dizziness
As if having endured tribulations across several lifetimes, bearing the memories of three eras and the innate divine abilities of the celestial hound, I drifted uncertainly towards a completely unknown world
It is the Soul Snatching! Chuxiong has practiced the "Burning Body Reincarnation Technique" and has already been reincarnated twice. The survival experiences from three lifetimes have made him well-versed in many peculiar matters.
Nine Yin Severing Soul Blade
Chuxiong felt somewhat anxious, yet his experiences and mindset over three lifetimes allowed him to maintain a fundamental calmness. Suddenly, an unadorned ancient long knife was swung out from behind him, striking down between Xie Qingdai and the Nine-Tailed Fox.
Once the residual soul has recovered to a certain extent, it can fully awaken, ultimately reviving the "deceased" physical body as well
In simple terms, Xie Qingdai's soul is currently serving as a kind of "nourishment". Moreover, the seven teammates ahead of the books have already fulfilled their mission as nourishment!
With a loud shout, Chuxiong gathered all his spirit, concentrating it at the crown of his head. There, indeed, was the place where the soul dispersed
The spirit of the Celestial Hound was greatly alarmed, yet it was constrained by its inability to exert its physical strength, relying solely on its spiritual power for defense. Naturally, as a formidable ancient beast, it was not an easy target to be slaughtered; it possessed a multitude of strange skills. Just as the souls of the human and the beast were engaged in a tug-of-war, a beam of azure light suddenly shot out from the top of the Celestial Hound's head, striking towards Chu Xiong.
But if one is possessed by another, then all will be lost
However, Chuxiong did not relent, for his move "Domination of the Soul" was inherently a relentless tactic. Otherwise, the remnants of the Heavenly Hound's soul would not perceive Chuxiong as so vigorous and domineering
His soul has already been devoured by the celestial hound for nearly one third
This mysterious abyss, its depth is unknown. However, Chuxiong knows that it is the lair of ancient mythical beasts such as the Tianhong.
Suddenly, the remnant soul of Tianhao surged violently, forcefully expelling the absorbed soul of Chuxiong and fiercely guarding its own divine essence. In an instant, a tremendous mental force erupted, returning to Chuxiong's body. In that moment, Chuxiong's mind became much clearer, and his overall condition improved somewhat
Xie Qingdai, like the previous seven individuals, completely lost her autonomous consciousness and fell straight down rapidly. Although Chu Xiong fell later, he pushed off the stone wall with all his strength, resulting in a faster descent.
Tian Huang chose the latter almost without a second thought. As a demon beast with an ancient life, especially in a state of apparent death, it could afford to wait, even if it meant waiting for a hundred, a thousand, or even ten thousand years for the * map * to reappear. As long as time permitted, it would eventually witness the reopening of this abyss.
The enormous Tianhuang, measuring forty meters in length, stands as a primordial monster at the pinnacle of the ancient beast food chain. Although it has not come to life, it still exudes an irresistible majesty. Chu Xiong felt a sense of relief, and his descending body unexpectedly hovered at the mouth of the abyss. Subsequently, he was swiftly pulled by an inexplicable force to the side of the Tianhuang
The so-called soul snatching refers to the act of stripping away another's soul to nourish oneself
However, he could not even perform the most basic lightness skill. This was because all his focus was devoted to resisting that soul attack. He could sense that the soul attack contained the innate divine abilities of the Tianhao, which were extremely formidable. The so-called innate divine abilities are the natural instincts of these powerful demon beasts. For instance, the greatest instinct of the Tianhao is devouring, an insatiable hunger. It even surpasses the legendary Taotie beast.
At the same time, Chuxiong seemed to tremble all over, and the "Domination Soul Seizure" also showed a slight relaxation
On that day, the remnant soul of the hound seemed to sense a hint of threat, as the soul of Chuxiong fully pressed forward, exhibiting a momentum of fighting with all its might and potentially overshadowing the host. Should it continue to seize the soul at the risk of being possessed, or choose to actively relinquish? Success and failure both stood at a fifty-fifty chance.
Burning oneself to be reborn
Although transforming into an ancient demon beast is not the best option, nor is it what Chuxiong desires, it is still preferable to having one's soul devoured and reduced to ashes
Upon successful possession, Chuxiong's own body will become an empty shell, but he will control the enormous body of Tianhao
At the bottom of the abyss, the massive corpse of the celestial hound lies quietly, devoid of life. However, within its body, a remnant soul seems to express some regret. After thousands of years, having waited for a soul of such exceptional quality, it has escaped!
On the foundation of that defiant technique, Chu Xiong further defied the heavens. He even applied the power of self-immolation and reincarnation onto the young woman in his arms, Xie Qingdai. As a result, Xie Qingdai's soul was also able to be separated and condensed. However, the consequence of this action was that Chu Xiong's own soul lost its autonomy. In the next reincarnation, he could only resign himself to fate, with no room for choice.
In the profound and pitch-black abyss, Chuxiong's body erupted with dazzling golden light, his entire being resembling fire
Reverse Devouring
The flames gradually extinguished, and it seemed that not even a trace of ash was left of the two bodies. Two souls transformed into two beams of white light, suddenly rushing out of the abyss, never to be seen again
The so-called soul snatching refers to an exceptionally powerful life form that, after entering a state of apparent death, retains a fragment of its residual soul. Under certain fortuitous circumstances, this fragment of soul can strongly attract the souls of nearby life forms, stripping and extracting their souls to nourish its own residual essence.
As for the souls of Chuxiong and Xie Qingdai, they soared straight up, piercing through the clouds
Only his soul, floating and swaying, began to coalesce. Beside this soul, there was unexpectedly a slightly weaker soul—Xie Qingdai
When the lost soul of Chuxiong was returned once again, the connection between him and Tianhao remained unbroken. In fact, Tianhao's remnant soul was forcibly pulled out by him
The final two calls from the soul linger in the abyss for a long time
As the long knife was drawn, a pale and cold white light instantly overflowed, resembling moonlight, like the twinkling of stars
If he were to fully resist this soul attack, Chu Xiong could not guarantee that he would be able to completely recover by the time he fell to the bottom of the abyss. Even if he did recover, there was no way he could survive in the lair of the demon beasts