Chapter 265

Chapter 265: Attempting the Limit

Over two hundred million battle merit points remained, yet there seemed nothing suitable to exchange for. Everything was either too costly or insufficient.

What Wang Jie desired most was the Thousand Bamboo Sword or the Sky-One Armor, yet his points fell short. As for the mysterious Rebirth Pill, an unmatched treasure capable of reviving even the dead, it demanded a hundred billion points—utter madness. [Who could ever accumulate that much?]

Just then, someone reached out to him—Tong Shou?

Wang Jie quickly went to meet her.

“You redeemed Thunder Abyss Marrow Cleansing?” Tong Shou Shuang Jin asked, looking directly at Wang Jie. “The Heavy Thunder Zone?”

Wang Jie respectfully answered, “Yes, disciple wishes to cleanse my marrow in the Heavy Thunder Zone.”

“The Heavy Thunder Zone is suited for Hundred Star Realm cultivators. Any random Heaven Thunder there carries destructive power above five hundred thousand. Even if you resist with your full strength, you won’t survive long. Death would come easily.”

“Disciple desires to temper myself between life and death,” Wang Jie raised his gaze bravely, “and besides, isn’t there a senior protecting me?”

Shuang Jin smiled faintly, “The Deep Thunder Zone would already suit your needs. It seems you wish to find your absolute limit.”

Wang Jie nodded gratefully, “Thank you, Tong Shou, for understanding.”

Shuang Jin paused briefly, then lifted her eyes, saying, “Take him there.”

Wang Jie had no idea to whom she spoke.

The next instant, a shadow emerged from behind him. Wang Jie swiftly turned, startled. [When did this person arrive? Who is he?]

“You’ve met him before; he resides at Meditation Peak,” Shuang Jin explained.

Wang Jie was astonished, quickly bowing, “So it’s Senior. Junior Wang Jie greets Senior.”

The figure before him was completely wrapped in black cloth. It was this very person who had singlehandedly ended the battle among a thousand planets. He was also the one who had been silently observing Wang Jie from Meditation Peak.

A formidable expert of the Hundred Star Realm.

“He is Shuang Ying. He will guard you, but do not act recklessly. If you die, blame no one but yourself,” Shuang Jin warned.

Wang Jie replied respectfully, “Disciple understands.”

Without delay, the two departed swiftly.

Shuang Ying guided Wang Jie away from Central Command, heading toward their destination.

In the distant Cloud Stream Region, a solitary planet floated quietly. Fang He sat there in silence. Far from Central Command’s noise and speculation, he had finally regained his composure.

Whether he returned to Central Command or the sect, he’d now become a laughingstock. No third path existed.

[Wang Jie, are you truly a traitor or not? I’ll find out soon enough. We’ll meet on the battlefield.]

…

The Thunder Well lay just beyond the Cloud Stream Region.

Though Shuang Ying traveled incredibly fast, the journey still took several days.

Seeing the blinding Heaven Thunder in the distance, Wang Jie felt a deep unease in his heart. This trip was unlike any before. It felt as if he were on the brink of an endless abyss.

“Senior, should we take things slowly, or—” Before he could finish, Shuang Ying grasped him and plunged directly into the Thunder Well.

Surrounding the Thunder Well were various structures and cultivators, including cosmic giant beasts, cultivating nearby.

Aside from a single Hundred Star Realm guard overseeing the Thunder Well, no one else noticed Shuang Ying and Wang Jie’s arrival.

Endless Heaven Thunders flashed around them. The Shallow Thunder Zone posed no threat, but the Deep Thunder Zone was different. While some Heaven Thunders were harmless flashes, others made Wang Jie tremble—each strike undoubtedly near five hundred thousand in destructive force.

In the Deep Thunder Zone, billions of Heaven Thunders raged every second.

Wang Jie watched as countless Heaven Thunders streaked past, nearly filling the void. Glancing at Shuang Ying beside him, the senior appeared entirely unaffected.

Hundred Star Realm cultivators typically trained in the Heavy Thunder Zone, where trillions of Heaven Thunders roared each second.

As they ventured further downward, the Thunder Well widened endlessly.

Soon, Wang Jie crossed beyond the Deep Thunder Zone and entered the Heavy Thunder Zone.

Immediately, his entire body shook violently.

A bolt of Heaven Thunder struck him directly. The numbing sensation nearly halted his thoughts. Clearly, its destructive force exceeded the mentioned five hundred thousand points.

Hundred Star Realm cultivators varied greatly in power, with five hundred thousand merely the beginning.

Standing calmly beside him, Shuang Ying endured the thunder’s bombardment effortlessly, his expression unchanging, observing Wang Jie carefully.

That previous Heaven Thunder had been intentionally weakened by him, yet even then, Wang Jie struggled. At this moment, Shuang Ying awaited Wang Jie’s decision.

However, even if he gave up now, the battle merit points wouldn’t be returned.

Wang Jie gazed around at the overwhelming Heaven Thunders, which consumed his vision and hearing, their explosive roars nearly deafening him.

“Senior, please help me. This junior… wishes to endure my absolute limit.”

Shuang Ying’s gaze flickered with approval. Nodding once, he summoned a barrier of Starforce around Wang Jie, adjusting its strength carefully. Only Heaven Thunder capable of breaking through would reach Wang Jie’s body.

[Let’s start with the previous strength level,] thought Shuang Ying.

Heaven Thunder burst through the barrier, striking Wang Jie again. His body went numb instantly. The thunder shredded his clothes and scorched his flesh black. Clenching his teeth, Wang Jie looked toward Shuang Ying and said resolutely, “Please increase the strength a bit more.”

Shuang Ying was mildly surprised—this boy’s endurance was beyond expectation.

Heaven Thunders struck Wang Jie repeatedly. He endured each strike directly, never using protective qi. The powerful thunderbolts Force fully entered his body, brutal and unstoppable, entirely unlike the Thunder Sealing Pills he’d previously used. With each strike, his original thunder patterns shattered relentlessly.

It was like forcibly dismantling and rebuilding his essence.

Utterly ruthless.

Yet, amidst the continual onslaught, Wang Jie could clearly feel his body growing stronger. It felt like being melted down and reforged, steel tempered in fierce heat. Inside his body, sword threads circulated as he attempted simultaneous cultivation of muscles and bones, yet failed repeatedly.

Every attempt at controlling the sword threads was interrupted by the Heaven Thunder strikes. At that precise moment, Wang Jie was utterly paralyzed, unable to control anything.

Shuang Ying observed in silence.

Wang Jie lost all sense of time as Heaven Thunder endlessly bombarded him. Eventually, he ceased feeling the pain.

Then, abruptly, the Heaven Thunder vanished.

Confused, he looked to Shuang Ying, who merely pointed upward, indicating that the trial had ended.

Wang Jie gazed down at his body. There was barely an inch of skin left unharmed—he was probably cooked through by now.

He turned to Shuang Ying and said, “Senior, junior wishes to continue exchanging for the Thunder Abyss Marrow Purge.”

Shuang Ying looked at him thoughtfully, then nodded. “Very well, continue.”

“Please wait a moment, Senior,” Wang Jie asked, “Junior needs a bit of time to recover first.”

Shuang Ying didn’t urge him on; he simply stood there, shielding Wang Jie from the Heaven Thunder.

Wang Jie quietly calculated the time. It was about the moment to start his exercises. Soon afterward, right in front of Shuang Ying, he began his strange exercise routine. Since he hadn’t taken a Revive Pill, the recovery effect was far weaker this time, and the situation didn’t appear too exaggerated.

Gradually, sensation returned to his body.

It hurt, but he could bear it.

Watching the Heaven Thunder dance nearby, Wang Jie turned to Shuang Ying and said, “Senior, we can begin. Please increase the strength more than before.”

Shuang Ying was astonished but still nodded.

The same torment repeated itself, though this time numbness set in much faster because the Heaven Thunder’s power had grown stronger.

Wang Jie spat out a mouthful of blood, barely holding on.

Seeing this, Shuang Ying frowned deeply, instinctively blocking the thunder.

Gasping and pale-faced, Wang Jie hurriedly swallowed a Revive Pill, then weakly said to Shuang Ying, “Continue.”

Shuang Ying’s eyes held a glint of admiration as he looked at Wang Jie.

[It’s truly a pity this boy cultivates Lock Force.]

Usually, Wang Jie sought safety over danger—at least, most of the time. But there were moments when circumstances forced him to risk everything.

If he didn’t push beyond his limits, how could he ever stand out at the Starry Martial Meet among countless powerful opponents? How could he face Shu Mu Night again? How could he ever venture onto the mysterious Sacred Star Linked Bridge he’d never even heard of before?

The wristguard had given him immense help, but someday it might turn against him with equal intensity.

From the start, his life was never truly his own.

He could either fight desperately to survive or cling to life one day at a time, knowing death was inevitable anyway.

But Wang Jie didn’t want to die.

So, he decided to keep fighting.

It wasn’t often he had the chance to risk his life under the protection of a true master.

Besides, he still had a hidden trump card: the life-saving chance from Star Dome Visage. Si Yao had given it to him. If death approached, the chance would activate, sending him to the nearest person holding a Star Dome Visage identity token.

If he still didn’t dare to risk it despite all these safeguards, his future would remain forever dull and hopeless.

The booming Heaven Thunder seemed to drown out every other sound in the world.

Wang Jie lost track of how many strikes he endured, let alone whether he had reached his limit, because his body had long grown completely numb.

Finally, the second marrow purge ended.

He slowly opened his eyes.

Once again, Shuang Ying pointed upward.

Wang Jie looked down at his body, a miserable sight. In many places, his bones were clearly visible.

After a brief hesitation, he spoke up. “Senior, would you allow junior to rest a few days, then exchange again for a third marrow purge?”

Shuang Ying stared deeply at Wang Jie, then nodded solemnly, granting permission.

Wang Jie bowed respectfully, “Thank you, Senior.”

He wanted to finish this as thoroughly as possible.

Several days later, Wang Jie began his exercises once more.

Shuang Ying watched him curiously. Even he couldn’t understand the significance of Wang Jie’s movements, but it was undoubtedly some kind of cultivation method. The universe was vast, containing endless mysterious paths. With Wang Jie connected to a Star Path Master, perhaps this strange exercise was indeed that master’s heritage.

Regardless of whether Wang Jie cultivated qi, Lock Force, or his strange exercises, all his astonishing abilities were now attributed to the Star Dao.

The third marrow purge began.

And this time, Wang Jie once again requested to push beyond his previous limits.

For the first time, Shuang Ying hesitated.

He wasn’t sure if Wang Jie would survive another increase in strength. Allowing a junior brother of Star Dao to perish under his watch was a consequence he couldn’t bear, and even Shuang Jin might be troubled by it.

Seeing Shuang Ying’s hesitation, Wang Jie quickly reassured him, “Senior, don’t worry. Junior isn’t suicidal. Before coming here, my master gave me methods to protect my life.”

Shuang Ying stared at Wang Jie for a long moment before nodding again.

Wang Jie swallowed hard, nerves fluttering inside him. “Let’s begin.”

Boom!

A thunderous strike hit him, nearly knocking him unconscious immediately.

After that first strike, everything fell silent.

Wang Jie trembled violently, taking a long while to regain his senses. He glanced toward Shuang Ying, who was anxiously staring back. Seeing Wang Jie’s gaze, Shuang Ying finally relaxed a bit.

“That was powerful enough. Senior, please continue.”

Shuang Ying’s eyes flickered uncertainly before he unleashed another Heaven Thunder bolt.

This third purge was completely different from the previous two.

Wang Jie had no idea how strong the Heaven Thunder had grown, but he had truly reached his limits. Several times he fell unconscious, and each time Shuang Ying hesitated to continue.

He lost track of time entirely.

Consciousness faded and returned in cycles, each revival marked by another crushing strike of thunder.

When he opened his eyes again, they were traveling through starry space, with Yunxi Domain visible up ahead.

“Senior, we’ve left Thunder Well?”

Shuang Ying nodded slightly.

Wang Jie glanced at his body again, more battered than ever. Surely, he had broken through his limits this time. It felt even worse than when Shu Mu Night had nearly killed him for the second time back on Blue Star. If this still wasn’t enough, he honestly didn’t know what else he could do.

Returning to Central Peak, Shuang Ying took him directly to Meditation Peak without asking anyone for approval.

There, Wang Jie lay motionless, completely unable to move.

Days later, he began exercising again. After finishing the movements this time, he felt a surge of strength within.

At that moment, relief flooded him, and he almost wanted to cry. He had finally surpassed his second limit. The process had been torture.

[Will Full Star Realm be like this too?]

He hoped not. The Full Star Realm wasn’t a normal realm; it was more about absorbing strength.

But Wandering Star Realm certainly would be like this.

Each breakthrough was a desperate race against death itself.

And Wang Jie was truly afraid of losing that race.