After the Soul Sea was completely locked, all of the Soul Power began gathering towards it, concentrating more and more.
The Soul Power kept accumulating, becoming denser and denser.
Just like bits of air being compressed into a single point, it could eventually unleash astonishing force.
The Soul Power pressed tightly within the Soul Sea, finding no outlet.
It kept compressing, tearing.
Nie Li felt his Soul Sea constantly breaking apart and then reforming. This intense pain left his face pale and drenched in cold sweat.
"Ahhh!" Nie Li roared in agony. Although his willpower was constantly challenged, he forced himself to maintain mental clarity, guiding the terrifying, immensely compressed Soul Power, slowly channeling its flow.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Key nodes within the Soul Sea were shattered one by one. With each node broken, Nie Li felt his Soul Power instantly surge several times over.
Finally, with a bang.
The compressed Soul Power violently exploded, sweeping through the entire Soul Sea, which churned and surged ceaselessly.
Hiss!
That horrifying pain engulfed his entire body, as if countless tiny needles were piercing straight into his brain.
His meridians were constantly torn apart. Nie Li endured the excruciating pain. After the explosive Soul Power surged through and battered his Soul Sea, it broke open the sealed meridians.
Phew!
Nie Li let out a breath and relaxed. Although his meridians were severely damaged at this moment, a smile of excitement appeared on his face. Just as expected, by using the Qijing Intercepting Hand method, he had expanded his Soul Sea, elevating it to the Silver rank.
Once his Soul Power fully recovered, Nie Li would be a Silver-rank Demon Spirit Master!
Nie Li swallowed a few restorative pills, sat cross-legged, and began quiet cultivation. At this level of cultivation, he could neutralize the yin energy absorbed at night. Moreover, as a male, he possessed ample yang energy and wouldn't be left with hidden ailments like Ning'er.
After sitting in meditation for roughly two hours, Nie Li's meridians and Soul Power finally began to recover.
He had finally reached the Silver rank.
Nie Li opened his eyes. A sharp gleam flashed through them. Now he could finally use that Shadow Demon Spirit Lamp!
Nie Li took out the Shadow Demon Spirit Lamp. His right hand gently caressed its surface. Threads of Soul Power seeped into the lamp. With a soft "poof," a dim yellow flame flickered to life within the lamp, resembling a ghostly fire in the dark night.
Mournful, wailing sounds, like those of vengeful spirits, emanated from the Shadow Demon Spirit Lamp.
Inside that flame hid the Shadow Demon Spirit!
However, Nie Li showed no fear. With a low shout, his Soul Power, like strands of rope, lashed out and coiled around the flame.
Nie Li's Soul Power detected a dark shadow. As his Soul Power, like ropes, wound around it, the Shadow Demon Spirit shrieked piteously, struggling wildly, trying to sever Nie Li's Soul Power.
"Trying to escape? Not so easy. Submit!" Nie Li barked, unleashing a shockwave of Soul Power directly at the Shadow Demon Spirit.
The Shadow Demon Spirit shuddered instantly. It resisted fiercely, but under the suppression of Nie Li's Soul Power, it gradually ceased its struggle. With a swoosh, it transformed into a black shadow and plunged into Nie Li's Soul Sea. Once a spirit entered a Demon Spirit Master's Soul Sea, it fell under the master's control, nurtured by the Soul Sea. If it wished to regain freedom, the master would have to actively release it.
It was as if an invisible soul-brand had been imprinted.
After merging with the Shadow Demon Spirit, Nie Li's Soul Sea rapidly expanded by more than double. Once a spirit merged with a master, mutual influence occurred. Even the speed at which Soul Power grew would be mutually enhanced, more than doubling the usual rate.
The Shadow Demon Spirit was one of the rarest and most mysterious types. Few knew its characteristics, so very few Demon Spirit Masters could perfectly coordinate with them to execute various combat techniques. However, this was no difficult feat for Nie Li.
The Shadow Demon Spirit was undoubtedly incredibly powerful and possessed extremely high growth potential, far beyond ordinary spirits. Furthermore, Nie Li's mind was filled with combat techniques perfectly suited for the Shadow Demon Spirit, allowing him to maximize its power.
With a wave of his right hand, Nie Li summoned the Shadow Demon Spirit. His body swiftly fused with it. Now, Nie Li's form flickered in and out of visibility, like a ghost. Strange, scythe-like bony protrusions sprouted from his arms, resembling those of a mantis. The Shadow Demon Spirit could shift between intangible and solid states at will. When intangible, few could track his aura, though in this state Nie Li possessed no offensive power. But he could solidify at any moment. Once solidified, he could deliver a lethal blow to his enemy!
The Shadow Demon Spirit was an incomparably powerful assassin. In combat, even if facing an opponent several cultivation levels higher, one lapse in concentration could easily result in their demise by the Shadow Demon Spirit!