Tang San quickly composed himself, forcing a faint smile onto his face. It was forced because even the small act of smiling brought him searing pain. He had confirmed that he was indeed not dead. Xiao Wu's soul was still peacefully dormant within his Soul Rings and Soul Bones. As for the Soul Power inside his body…
It was a feeling that left Tang San torn between laughter and tears. He had only just realized that all the agonizing pain throughout his body was caused by his Soul Power. Not from Soul Power depletion or exhaustion — but from far too much of it. There was so much that every single meridian in his body was filled to bursting, unable to circulate at all, like blocked blood vessels. The searing pain came from those engorged meridians. The only thing he could be grateful for was that, under these circumstances, his body hadn't actually ruptured. That was already the greatest fortune amid misfortune.
Around him, there was only the sound of rushing water — waves continuously crashing against the shore, washing over his body. Tang San knew full well that cultivating in this state was far from safe. But there was nothing he could do to change his situation. The simple act of sitting up had nearly made him pass out from pain, let alone walking. If it were merely pain, he might have been able to endure it. But if his meridians ruptured from any movement, the consequences would be catastrophic.
Scenes from before he lost consciousness surfaced in his mind, and Tang San gradually recalled what had happened. The energy flooding his meridians had clearly resulted from his over-absorption of the Deep Sea Demon Whale's power. That beast had been incredibly powerful, but its defenses were surprisingly ordinary — it had been pierced and drained by his Eight Spider Lances.
In truth, he had no idea — it wasn't that the Deep Sea Demon Whale's defenses were weak. The spot he had chosen to attack just happened to be the creature's vital point. Under normal circumstances, even if other creatures dared to attack the Deep Sea Demon Whale, they would have been shredded to pieces by its violent energy long before reaching it. Tang San had managed to close in because his Instant Transmission and Invincible Golden Body skills worked in tandem.
After the Eight Spider Lances' second evolution, their sharpness had nearly doubled. Those blood-red lances possessed far greater piercing power than Tang San had imagined. Combined with the fact that he had struck the Deep Sea Demon Whale's most vulnerable spot, the lances had managed to pierce through its skin and begin draining its energy.
How exactly did I survive? Tang San still vividly remembered the Deep Sea Demon Whale's fury. He absolutely refused to believe that terrifying creature would have let him go for no reason. And when that wall of seawater came crashing down, there had been no reason for him to survive.
Whatever — as long as he was alive, that was all that mattered. The feeling of surviving a near-death experience was wonderfully refreshing, both body and soul. His physical condition was terrible, but it was still infinitely better than being dead.
Tang San was a practical man. Questions without answers weren't worth agonizing over. He took a deep breath and began his cultivation.
That single deep breath sent a tidal wave of pain crashing through his entire body, nearly making him give up on the spot. But he clenched his teeth and held on.
The spiritual energy in his brain felt somewhat depleted, but it was still barely usable. Before beginning cultivation, Tang San carefully examined his own body.
He discovered that the energy he had absorbed from the Deep Sea Demon Whale had been so enormous that it had caused his body to swell. Now, although his body had returned to its normal size, the absorbed energy hadn't decreased in the slightest. Instead, his body had forcibly compressed it all within, with not a single wisp leaking out.
No wonder it hurts so much. Tang San couldn't help but laugh bitterly to himself. He had only wanted to deal as much damage as possible to the Deep Sea Demon Whale — but who could have predicted it would lead to this? If he had known he would survive, he would have absorbed less.
Absorbed energy wasn't something that could be directly used as one's own. That was impossible. In the past, Tang San had used the Eight Spider Lances to kill opponents, and he had carefully felt the energy absorbed through them.
The absorbed energy varied from person to person — different people or Soul Beasts provided different types of energy. But compared to his own Soul Power, this absorbed energy was always impure and mixed. Generally, Tang San would use his Mysterious Heaven Skill to instantly purify it. The impurities would be expelled through his next attack, and the purified remainder used to replenish his stamina and Soul Power — though it only served as a minor supplement.
The fact that he had handled it easily before didn't mean he could do so now. In the past, what he had absorbed was mostly energy converted from his opponents' blood and vitality. Compared to his own energy, that was trivial. But this time, what he had absorbed was the terrifying blood, vitality, and energy of a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast — the Deep Sea Demon Whale itself. At that level of existence, virtually every part of its body was brimming with enormous energy.
This meant that the absorbed energy inside Tang San's body was now even more voluminous than his own Soul Power. It was suppressing his Mysterious Heaven Skill's internal energy so completely that it couldn't move. Otherwise, with the Mysterious Heaven Skill's capabilities, it would have digested these energies long ago.
After being compressed, the absorbed energy had become almost solid, lodged within Tang San's meridians like metal blocks. Fortunately, his blood could still barely flow — otherwise, he would never have woken up.
Having assessed his condition, Tang San was left speechless. What was he supposed to do? His Mysterious Heaven Skill's internal energy was suppressed to the point of immobility — forget about cultivating. Expelling the energy from his body was equally impossible. Right now, his body was like an overinflated balloon. If even one release valve opened, what would come out wouldn't just be energy — it would be his own blood, vitality, and life force.
Sitting quietly in the seawater, Tang San's energy gradually recovered. As he was pondering his situation, a sudden warmth spread through his right arm. A wisp of soul-bond communication filtered into his mind.
Xiao Wu's soul, attached to the hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring and Soul Bone, couldn't directly communicate with Tang San. Only after returning to her original body could she truly speak with him during those brief moments when she could control her soul. However, she was now a part of Tang San's body, so she could naturally sense his physical condition clearly. While true communication wasn't possible, she could still convey vague, subconscious impressions.
Accompanied by Tang San's awakening, Xiao Wu's soul — dormant within his Soul Ring and Soul Bone — had also awakened. Sensing Tang San's physical state, she was greatly alarmed. But more than that, she was elated. Tang San was alive. Her soul still existed. This made her impressions lively and active, and through the Soul Bone she was attached to, she sent her thoughts to Tang San.
Feeling the waves of intention from his right arm, Tang San felt a surge of joy. With his intelligence, he immediately grasped Xiao Wu's meaning.
"Absolutely not," Tang San blurted out. "Transferring that impure, solidified Soul Power into your Soul Bone is far too dangerous. One mistake, and it could damage your soul."
Xiao Wu's idea was simple: since the energy inside Tang San's body couldn't be expelled, he should find a suitable place to store the excess energy, leaving only a small amount within himself. That way, he could gradually purify the remaining impure Soul Power using his own cultivation, thus resolving his crisis.
"You think I'm stupid?" Tang San sensed a second impression from Xiao Wu. Then it hit him, and a gleam of delight appeared in his eyes. "That's right! If I can't pour Soul Power into your Soul Bone, I still have the other Soul Bones!"
Tang San possessed four Soul Bones in total: the Spirit-Condensing Wisdom Skull, the hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone, the hundred-thousand-year Xiao Wu Right Arm Bone, and the external Eight Spider Lances.
After a brief assessment, Tang San already knew where to temporarily store the impure energy. Xiao Wu's Soul Bone was obviously off-limits. The Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone also contained a trace of his mother's soul force — he couldn't take that risk either. As for the Spirit-Condensing Wisdom Skull, it was on his head. If the energy leaked and surged into his brain, death or permanent brain damage would be the result. After a simple comparison, the only option that could handle this task was the external Eight Spider Lances on his back.
Channeling his spiritual energy to his back, Tang San discovered that the Eight Spider Lances, which had been shattered inch by inch that day, had already regrown. This wasn't just thanks to the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone — it was also an intrinsic property of the Eight Spider Lances themselves. As long as the host body wasn't completely destroyed, any damaged Soul Bone could repair itself. Of course, the repair process required energy from the Soul Master's body.
Normally, repairing the Eight Spider Lances would have required a considerable amount of energy, leaving Tang San weakened for a period. But not now — he had far too much energy to worry about. The Eight Spider Lances had long since fully recovered. And yet his body still contained an absurd amount of surplus energy.
Tang San had always been meticulous. After settling on a plan, he didn't begin cultivating right away. Instead, he carefully used his spiritual energy to access the Hallowsea Heaven and Earth Cover concealed within his brow, releasing the Hallowsea Protective Shield.
A blue light enveloped him. From the outside, Tang San's figure vanished from the beach — even the seawater could no longer touch his body.
However, after activating the Hallowsea Heaven and Earth Cover, Tang San noticed something. The cover, which had once glowed with brilliant, crystalline light, was now extremely dim. While it could still maintain the Hallowsea Protective Shield's effect, he could no longer sense the extraordinary energy within it — the same energy that had once made his soul tremble.
Has the Hallowsea Heaven and Earth Cover weakened? Or has its own energy been depleted? Could it be…
A possibility flashed through Tang San's mind, and as he gazed at the faint blue barrier, his heart warmed. Could it be that the Hallowsea Heaven and Earth Cover had saved him? The thought had barely formed before he dismissed it himself. Impossible. The Hallowsea Heaven and Earth Cover, as powerful as it was, couldn't compare to the Deep Sea Demon Whale. And without his direction, how could the Hallowsea Heaven and Earth Cover have unleashed any power?
He set the thought aside and began his cultivation.
First, he carefully released his Eight Spider Lances. This was an excruciatingly painful process. Even the slightest movement of his body sent piercing agony through him, let alone extending his Soul Bones. As the Eight Spider Lances burst from his back, Tang San nearly blacked out. Through the unbearable pain, he clenched his jaw and forced himself to endure.
Sweat poured down like rain, dripping onto his tattered clothes. The intense pain felt as though he were being roasted over open flames. The engorged Soul Power inside him fluctuated slightly in response to the movement, and his meridians once again bore the agony of being stretched to the breaking point.
The process of releasing the Eight Spider Lances alone took a full half-hour. The remnants of Tang San's clothes were completely drenched — not with seawater, but with sweat.
Gritting his teeth, Tang San's eyes burned with unwavering determination. He knew that the longer this situation persisted, the worse it would be for his body. He had to resolve it as quickly as possible.
The Eight Spider Lances spread out behind him, extending horizontally to both sides. Tang San began cautiously, bit by bit, forcing the impure Soul Power within his body toward the Eight Spider Lances on his back.
This process was even more painful than before. It felt as though metal blocks had been placed inside his meridians and he was now dragging them along, with the friction between the metal and his meridians producing an unimaginable agony.
Time ticked by second by second. Tang San's consciousness was growing increasingly hazy. The excruciating pain had numbed the nerves throughout his body, and his already-deteriorating physical state was gradually reaching its limit after this severe expenditure.
What he was enduring right now would be absolutely unbearable for any Titled Douluo. It was here that Tang San's own iron willpower, combined with the resilience of a body forged by two great spirit herbs, enhanced by the Blue Silver Emperor and Xiao Wu's Soul Bones, and tempered beneath a waterfall, truly showed its worth. Even through this agonizing process, his body still hadn't collapsed — it held firm.
As the energy flowed into them, each of the Eight Spider Lances gradually straightened. The originally blood-red lances turned a two-toned red and blue. That murky blue was, naturally, the energy of the Deep Sea Demon Whale.
When the eighth and final lance was finally filled with the impure energy, Tang San could hold on no longer. His body slowly slumped. He had pushed through the severe exhaustion and heart-rending pain for far too long.
This time, Tang San remained unconscious for a full three days. Going without food or water for that long — it was only his cockroach-like constitution that could survive it.
When he finally regained consciousness, Tang San discovered that the Hallowsea Protective Shield around his body had completely dissipated. And he was no longer lying on the beach — he was on what appeared to be a rather crude bed.
His lips were cracked and dry. Due to his weakness, he could barely open his eyes. Faintly, he could hear voices in conversation.
"Brother, listen to me — this guy must have been attacked by sea Soul Beasts on his ship, which is why his body ended up like this. What's the point of saving him? If those people from Purple Pearl find out, they'll probably come after us. I say we just take that pretty belt and that pouch off him and throw him back on the beach. Let him fend for himself."
"Brother, how can you say that? This is a human life! We may live on Purple Pearl Island, but we're not pirates — we don't treat human lives like dirt. This is none of your business; I'm saving him. If Purple Pearl's people come looking for trouble, they can come after me. It has nothing to do with you. I told you from the start not to come with me, but you wouldn't listen." The clear, youthful voice was laced with anger.
"Fine, fine, fine — be your bleeding heart, then. I'm going for a drink. But be careful, and don't let Purple Pearl's people find out."
The clear voice replied impatiently, "I know. Just go."
The conversation ended there, accompanied by footsteps as one of the two left the room.
Listening to these voices, Tang San's consciousness gradually sharpened. His eyelids felt impossibly heavy — though his mind was waking up, he could barely force his eyes open. Since arriving in this world, this was the first time he had faced such a state. The feeling of physical weakness was decidedly unpleasant.
Tang San understood that his current weakness came from two sources: going an unknown number of days without food or water, and the enormous drain on his stamina, mental energy, and the physical toll of forcing that impure energy into the Eight Spider Lances. Even his freakish constitution couldn't withstand it.