Chapter 105: What on Earth Is a Second Nascent Soul?

The four men let out a synchronized roar. Forming a circle and channeling their secret techniques, four distinct colors of light erupted from their bodies, their auras climbing steadily with every passing moment.

These four colors corresponded to the elements of the Five Phases, but since Chen Xiang had already eliminated one of their members, the formation was incomplete.

"Haha! This is the unique Five-Elements Combined Strike technique of my Kunshan Sect! Its power is immense, and with the Great Elder joining in, you are finished, boy!" the Young Sect Master laughed triumphantly, seemingly convinced that this time, Chen Xiang would surely be dealt with.

"Oh, a Five-Elements Combined Strike technique? It doesn't look like much," Chen Xiang muttered, appearing lost in thought.

Of course it didn't look like much. The five of them could normally unleash the power of a fifth-level Nascent Soul cultivator in a short burst, but with one man missing, they would be lucky to reach the third level of the Nascent Soul realm! While this might have been troublesome for others, in Chen Xiang's eyes, this level of power was nothing more than child's play.

"Attack!" The Great Elder shot a glare at the Young Sect Master before shouting the order in a deep voice.

Bolstered by their boosted strength, the four men steeled themselves and launched their techniques at Chen Xiang, their combined efforts coalescing into a ferocious assault.

"Haha, let me test out this combined technique of yours," Chen Xiang chuckled, then deployed his Three-Thousand Thunder Movements to meet them head-on.

He gripped his Dragon-Coiling Staff and swept it across the sky with the force of a bamboo-splitting strike.

Boom!

In an instant, the staff collided with the combined attack. The four-colored energy shattered like tufts of cotton. The four men’s expressions shifted to sheer horror.

"Retreat, quickly!" the Great Elder cried out, startled by the turn of events.

Chen Xiang curled his lip and said, "Tsk, so weak. You actually had me looking forward to something!"

"Hehe, goodbye!" Seeing the four attempting to flee, he sneered and unleashed a barrage of staff shadows toward them.

"No!" the four cried out in terror.

Bang!

An invisible shockwave exploded, and the four men were sent flying like cannonballs, crashing through several large trees before slamming into the ground, where they finally came to a halt. The Great Elder glanced back and could sense that all four of them had breathed their last.

"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Chen Xiang' for causing fear in cultivators. Gained 120 Prestige Points!"
"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Chen Xiang' for causing fear in cultivators. Gained 140 Prestige Points!"
"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Chen Xiang' for causing fear in cultivators. Gained 160 Prestige Points!"

...

"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Chen Xiang' for killing Golden Core stage cultivators. Gained 20,000 EXP and one Golden Core each!"
"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Chen Xiang' for killing Golden Core stage cultivators. Gained 20,000 EXP and one Golden Core each!"
"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Chen Xiang' for killing Golden Core stage cultivators. Gained 20,000 EXP and one Golden Core each!"
"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Chen Xiang' for killing Golden Core stage cultivators. Gained 20,000 EXP and one Golden Core each!"
"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Chen Xiang' for obtaining a fragment of the 'Five-Elements Heart-Merging Technique.' Would you like the system to complete it?"

...

The men had gifted Chen Xiang several hundred Prestige Points before dying, though he was still just short of leveling up. However, it was the "Five-Elements Heart-Merging Technique" that captured his attention.

"Huh? It's a fragment?" Curious, Chen Xiang opened the description.

*Five-Elements Heart-Merging Technique: A combined strike technique consisting of five chapters—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. It requires five people to practice together. The cultivation speed of the five will be faster than ordinary cultivators. Once mastered, they can perform a combined strike technique, which at its peak, can surpass Heaven-grade high-level martial skills.*

"Hiss! Surpass Heaven-grade high-level martial skills? It's that powerful?" Chen Xiang was truly shocked. He hadn't expected the technique to be this potent; it was fortunate he had only faced people using a fragment of it.

Although the power level was tempting, Chen Xiang tossed it into his inventory after one read. He had no intention of completing it. It was a joke to think he would find five people to cultivate it with him, and with his system, this broken technique was useless to him.

"Haha, old man, it seems your plan didn't work out!" Chen Xiang laughed, looking at the Great Elder.

"You!!" The Great Elder trembled with rage, unable to utter a single word as he pointed at Chen Xiang. Those were five Golden Core stage cultivators—all at the seventh level or higher! The sect only had about thirty such experts; they were the backbone of the sect. To lose five at once—how long would it take to recover?

The Young Sect Master, seeing Chen Xiang wipe out four people in two moves, had collapsed to the ground in a daze, paralyzed by disbelief.

After his initial fury subsided, the Great Elder regained his composure. He weighed the situation: although Chen Xiang was only at the third level of the Nascent Soul realm, his strength was clearly no less than his own. With the Young Sect Master useless, a direct confrontation would likely lead to his defeat.

The thought flashed through his mind, and he made his decision.

"Fellow Daoist, I admit you are strong. I concede. You have killed five of my Kunshan Sect members, but I will not hold it against you. Let us be friends; you may leave, and we shall see each other again in the future!" The Great Elder’s face returned to a calm, indifferent mask, as if nothing had happened.

Chen Xiang looked at him with surprise; he hadn't expected this old man to fold. Of course, he didn't believe for a second that the old man had actually given up. Not that it mattered; he never intended to let them leave alive. He needed to infiltrate the Li family, and he couldn't afford to have his true strength exposed.

"Old man, I never intended to hold a grudge against you, but your useless Young Sect Master had to go and pick a fight. So, my apologies!" Chen Xiang said with a faint smile.

Without further ado, he deployed his Three-Thousand Thunder Movements and vanished instantly.

The Great Elder’s pupils constricted, his expression turning to one of terror. He couldn't track Chen Xiang’s figure; he only saw several black shadows flickering before his eyes, unable to distinguish the real one.

The Great Elder’s face grew grave, his knuckles white as he gripped his silver scythe. Suddenly, a sense of danger washed over him, and he twisted his wrist to parry to his left.

*Clang!*

A metallic collision echoed. A whisper brushed against the Great Elder’s ear: "Hehe, nice reaction. Too bad my speed is still faster!"

*Bang!*

A muffled thud followed as the Great Elder plummeted straight down into the valley, smashing a large circular crater into the earth!

Chen Xiang did not stop there. The Mountain-Opening Seal, Ocean-Turning Seal, and Earth-Covering Seal followed in quick succession, slamming into the pit.

*Boom!*

Several explosions erupted, sending invisible shockwaves and debris flying in all directions.

"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Chen Xiang' for killing a high-level Nascent Soul cultivator. Gained 100,000 EXP and one mid-grade Nascent Soul."
"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Chen Xiang' for leveling up. Current realm: Fourth-level Nascent Soul!"
"Ding! Host has acquired the conditions to cultivate a Second Nascent Soul. Would you like to fuse and begin cultivation?"

...

"Huh? A Second Nascent Soul?" Chen Xiang looked at the final notification with curiosity. What was a Second Nascent Soul? He knew it was essentially a second life for a cultivator, but how could he be capable of cultivating one?

Chen Xiang set the thought aside; he would study it once he reached the inn. He then turned his gaze to the Young Sect Master, who was still sitting on the ground in a daze. Suddenly, Chen Xiang caught a foul odor and looked down; the Young Sect Master had wet his pants.

"Sen... Senior, I... I was wrong! I shouldn't have provoked you. I shouldn't have mocked you at the Feng family residence. Please spare my life!" The Young Sect Master snapped out of his stupor, looking at Chen Xiang in terror as he scrambled on the ground, pleading.

Chen Xiang’s expression remained indifferent. With a wave of his hand, a sheet of eerie white flame engulfed the Young Sect Master. In an instant, the man was reduced to ash, leaving no trace behind in this world.

Having finished, Chen Xiang flew toward the foot of the mountain.

"To be continued..."