Chapter 165: Lightning Spirit [PART 1]

“I’ve changed my mind. Join my Wuming Cult and I’ll spare your little sect for offending me,” the Wuming Cult leader spoke.

But Li Yao wasn’t paying attention to his words. Instead, her focus shifted inward to the Empress. “What is happening here?” she asked mentally.

[It seems my guess was right,] the Empress replied, satisfaction evident in her tone.

“What guess?” Li Yao pressed.

[You have been acknowledged by the world as an elemental spirit,] the Empress explained. [A lightning spirit, to be specific. After absorbing too much lightning element, the world recognized you as a lightning spirit.]

The Empress paused momentarily before continuing, [It’s quite rare for the world to recognize a human as an elemental spirit.]

She reflected that usually, the world would condense energy for a long time, then create its own spirits. For it to recognize a human this way was exceptionally uncommon. Li Yao truly was favored by the heavens.

“Is this a good thing?” Li Yao asked practically. To her, it didn’t matter whether or not the world recognized her—she only cared about the benefits.

[Mostly yes, but it also has its own downsides,] the Empress replied. [The benefits are mostly increased affinity with the lightning element, and also the ability to fight souls using your physical body.]

[Since spirits are creatures acknowledged by the world to protect it, their bodies are optimized to be able to fight all sorts of creatures, ghosts…]

Li Yao interrupted impatiently, “And the downsides?”

[As I was saying,] the Empress continued with a hint of irritation, [spirits have the responsibility to protect the world. If the world is ever in danger, you are expected to protect it.]

[In a way, you are tied to the world. If the world doesn’t exist, although you won’t lose your life, you’ll lose your spirit status.]

Li Yao considered this information thoughtfully. It didn’t seem all that bad. “Protect the world from what? Does the world even need protection?” she asked.

[There are many dangers to the world,] the Empress explained. [If a strong immortal made a move, they might be able to destroy the world. And others even practice methods that require refining worlds.]

“So I just have to beat them when they come,” Li Yao stated matter-of-factly.

The Empress’s lips twitched in exasperation. Wasn’t this girl listening to anything she was saying? [Well, yeah,] she conceded reluctantly.

“Alright, then I’ll protect the world. It’s my senior brother’s home after all,” Li Yao declared, finally turning her attention back to the Cult Leader.

She casually used her finger to clear her ear, as if bored. “Sorry, I wasn’t listening. You were saying?” she asked with deliberate disinterest.

The Cult Leader’s face twitched involuntarily. He’d been talking for almost a minute, and she hadn’t even been listening? He breathed deeply to calm himself. It was just a junior—there was no need to lose his composure over a kid. He still needed to uncover the secret behind her unusual physique.

“I was saying that you should join my Wuming Cult, if you…”

Li Yao didn’t even let him finish. “Ahh, no wonder I wasn’t listening. So it was just this nonsense,” she interrupted, waving her hand dismissively. “Just come at me,” she added, gesturing provocatively. “My senior brother is waiting for me, so let’s try to make it quick.” She dropped into her battle stance, her posture relaxed yet ready.

Veins bulged prominently on the Cult Leader’s face. I’m not hearing things right, am I? he wondered silently. I admit that I haven’t made a move for some time, but has the Cult Leader’s name fallen off? Back then, it was MASSIVE. Parents would even scare their children with my name. Am I getting old?

“Chop chop lil bro, we don’t got all day,” Li Yao taunted, her tone casual, as if addressing a street vendor rather than one of the most feared cultivators in the region.

The veins on his forehead bulged even more prominently. He exhaled slowly, forcing himself to remain calm. Maybe she just didn’t understand the difference in power. Perhaps she would understand after he taught her a little lesson.

The Cult Leader’s lips curved into a cold smile. “Alright, if that’s what you want, then,” his aura suddenly flared up, spiritual pressure bearing down on the area like a mountain, “I’ll indulge you a little.” With that declaration, he charged at her, his form blurring with tremendous speed.

…

Li Yao felt the pressure growing all around her, an invisible weight pressing down with increasing intensity. The Cult Leader was truly powerful—even his soul clone exuded such tremendous force. She watched him charging toward her, his fist cocked back and radiating deadly intent.

Excitement sparked within her. She hadn’t gotten the chance to test her limits earlier. A smile spread across her face as anticipation coursed through her veins. “Let’s see how much I’ve improved,” she thought, her body tensing in preparation.

[Aren’t you focusing on the wrong things?] the Empress asked, exasperation evident in her tone.

But Li Yao paid no attention to the warning, already charging forward to meet the Cult Leader head-on. Lightning crackled along her sword as she raised it to block the incoming fist. The impact resonated through her arms, her form sliding backward despite her best efforts to hold her ground.

Yet she continued to smile, her eyes gleaming with the thrill of combat. The Cult Leader observed her expression with narrowed eyes. “This girl is a little strange,” he thought as he suddenly vanished from sight.

Li Yao wasn’t surprised by this maneuver. She instantly pivoted, turning to block the attack she knew would come from behind. Her sword met his strike with perfect timing, metal ringing against his reinforced fist. Her confidence grew as she realized she could keep pace with his movements. Maybe this was actually doable.

But before that thought could fully form, the pressure around her intensified dramatically. She looked up to see a massive dark palm materializing in the sky above, its shadow engulfing everything below. The spectral hand descended slowly, growing larger with each passing second until it covered an enormous radius.

“Umm…” Li Yao’s eyes widened as she assessed the situation.

She immediately attempted to escape, employing her movement technique while channeling lightning energy to boost her speed. The edge of the attack’s radius seemed within reach, just a few feet away. A triumphant smile started to form on her lips.

Without warning, the soul clone materialized directly in her path, his own smile far more menacing than hers. He threw another fist, this one carrying even greater power than before. Li Yao raised her sword in defense, barely managing to block the strike.

The impact sent her hurtling backward, her body spinning through the air as she struggled to regain control. Her muscles strained as she fought to stabilize herself, gradually bringing her chaotic flight to a halt.

When she finally regained her balance, a terrible sense of danger washed over her. She glanced upward, realization dawning on her.

“Oh shit.”

She had been maneuvered directly to the center of the attack. The massive palm slammed down with overwhelming force, engulfing her completely in its destructive embrace.

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