บท 52: Chapter 52: The Unrelenting Rain, and the Natal Pearl
While the people in their homes busied themselves with growing their families, the Star Dou Forest stirred with life. For the soul beasts within, night was an opportune time for activity—hunting and foraging.
Yet, in one tranquil and picturesque valley, the atmosphere was unusually calm. The surrounding area spanned several miles with hardly a trace of soul beast activity.
In this stillness, even the faintest sound was amplified tenfold.
For instance, the low whimper of a rabbit, soft yet persistent, was startlingly clear and grating in this otherwise silent night.
Outside the Wooden Cabin
The immense figure of the Titan Giant Ape, Er Ming, slumped dejectedly on the ground like a mountain. His golden eyes flickered with confusion and despair.
A heavy ache gripped his heart—so sharp it robbed him of breath, a torment beyond words.
He wanted to leave this place of heartbreak, yet found himself immobilized. Or perhaps, deep within, he simply couldn't bear to part.
He longed to storm inside the cabin, but what right did he have?
He was nothing but a failure.
And a failure... had no claim to anything.
"Damn it!"
Inside the cabin, Yan Rou tossed and turned on the bed, sleepless. Clenching the blanket tightly between her legs, she gnashed her teeth in frustration while straining to listen to the sounds from the neighboring room.
"Damn scoundrel!
"Does he have an iron body or something?
"Does he never need rest?"
Even as she cursed, her heart swelled with shock and curiosity.
He was impossibly strong—unreasonably so!
The power he displayed when he slayed the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger with that single, peerless strike was still vivid in her mind.
Zhou Yi, with his Indestructible Vajra Body, embodied a balance of hardness and flexibility, operating tirelessly with an unending flow of energy.
[TL/N: Changed Diamond Body obtained from Golden Bell Shield to Indestructible Vajra Body to better align it with the Golden Bell Shield which came from the Buddhist.]
He thought back to the legend of Bodhidharma, who endured attacks from martial experts, including punches, kicks, blades, and swords. For five hundred days, without eating or sleeping, Bodhidharma endured poison, fire, and floods yet emerged unscathed and radiant, shaking the martial world and securing his eternal legacy.
"What I've done is nothing by comparison," Zhou Yi thought with a smirk. "I haven't even begun to push myself yet."
Suddenly, a deafening roar of thunder shook the heavens. Ominous dark clouds rolled in, shrouding the bright moon in their oppressive shadow.
Er Ming looked up, his gaze catching a dazzling streak of lightning splitting the sky.
Moments later, torrential rain poured down from the heavens as if the sky itself were collapsing.
The relentless rain was accompanied by howling winds and the continuous growl of thunder, like the furious roars of an enraged lion.
Er Ming, his dark fur quickly soaked by the downpour, sat motionless in the courtyard. He seemed utterly unaware of the storm around him, his colossal form listless and forlorn.
Inside the Cabin
"Brother Yi, what a storm!" Xiao Wu's soft voice trembled slightly amidst the clamor of the storm.
"Yes, now you don't have to worry about being overheard. The sound of the wind, rain, and thunder is far louder," Zhou Yi teased mischievously.
"Villain!"
Xiao Wu shot him a playful glare, her alluring eyes sparkling with charm. Her cheeks, flushed like petals of a blooming rose, betrayed her shyness and joy as she gently scolded him:
"Brother Yi, how are you so strong? Even Er Ming, known for his unparalleled strength, can't hold a candle to you. You… you've left me sore all over!"
Outside, Er Ming's heart shattered.
The words pierced him like a thousand daggers. He, the benchmark for raw strength, had become nothing more than a comparison.
Zhou Yi caressed Xiao Wu's soft, delicate skin and smirked. "It's a natural gift. Do you not like it?"
Xiao Wu gave him an exasperated look, pouting. "You're insufferable! You don't even know how to hold back!"
"Blame yourself for being so beautiful. I simply can't resist."
His tone was earnest, though the sentiment was one she'd heard many times before.
Yet, somehow, those words always seemed to work their magic.
As Zhou Yi and Xiao Wu moved to the window to enjoy the rain, Er Ming remained seated in the courtyard. Though obscured by the cabin walls, he could hear every word inside.
The rain poured on, unrelenting.
It wasn't the soft, hopeful rain of early spring, nor the poetic drizzle of autumn.
Nor was it the light, graceful snowfall of winter.
This rain was wild and passionate, rushing down like cascading pearls, battering the forest canopy and striking Er Ming's face.
The bitter wind howled, yet it couldn't dispel the pain in his heart.
When morning came, the storm had passed.
The sun shone brightly over the valley, as if the dark, stormy night had been but a distant memory.
Zhou Yi emerged from the cabin, adjusting his robe as he stepped outside to breathe in the rain-cleansed air.
Before him stood Er Ming, drenched from head to toe, looking utterly miserable.
"You've been out here all night?" Zhou Yi asked, astonished.
Er Ming's gaze focused, his towering frame casting a long shadow over Zhou Yi. "Zhou Yi, if you ever dare to hurt Xiao Wu, I'll risk my life to make you pay!"
With that, Er Ming leapt away, disappearing into the dense forest.
Zhou Yi chuckled, shaking his head. "That stubborn gorilla… spending a whole night in the storm over such nonsense."
"You're such a bastard!"
Yan Rou emerged from the house, her beautiful eyes shadowed with dark circles as she glared at Zhou Yi.
"With your strength, there's no way you didn't notice Er Ming outside!
"And yet, you still found a way to torment Xiao Wu!"
"Hey, hey, wasn't this to help those two big fools cut ties completely? Isn't it better to rip the bandage off quickly than prolong the pain?" Zhou Yi laughed softly, reaching out to pull Yan Rou into his arms.
"What are you doing? Xiao Wu is still inside…"
Yan Rou's eyes widened in shock, never expecting Zhou Yi to be so bold—or rather, so audacious.
"Don't worry. Xiao Wu won't wake up until the afternoon at the earliest," Zhou Yi said confidently, flashing a mischievous smile.
"That's still no excuse! Get away from me… Mmm!"
Two hours later.
Zhou Yi looked at Yan Rou and chuckled, "Alright, I'm leaving now."
"Go away! I don't want to see you again!" Yan Rou replied weakly.
"Ah, women—they always say one thing and mean another!" Zhou Yi shook his head, stepping away.
In the blink of an eye, he was gone from Yan Rou's sight.
"That scoundrel…"
Yan Rou quickly circulated her Soul Power, destroying everything within her body that didn't belong to her.
Zhou Yi was unaware of this.
This time, he didn't linger.
He returned directly to Notting City, satisfied and triumphant.
Zhou Yi's cultivation had reached Rank 53.
For reference, in the original story, even Tang San—who had reached the level of a Titled Douluo—only gained one and a half ranks after absorbing the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's Soul Ring.
While Tang San was a Titled Douluo, Zhou Yi's Sacred Heart True Qi was of an even higher quality, fully comparable to or even surpassing that of Tang San. The fact that Zhou Yi gained three whole ranks was due to his meticulous refinement, leaving no energy wasted.
This was the power of the Sacred Heart Sutra.
Of course, these were minor achievements.
The rare herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well would allow him, along with Erlong and Ah Yin, to rapidly increase their cultivation.
"Right, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger should have a natal pearl. I wonder if it's still intact?"
Recalling this, Zhou Yi retrieved the tiger's corpse from his Eternal Heart spatial ring.
"There it is!"
Soon, Zhou Yi extracted a black pearl from the tiger, brimming with potent energy. It resembled the core of a demon beast.
"Perhaps I can refine this to boost my strength…"
After examining it for a moment, he put the pearl away.
One hour later.
Zhou Yi returned to Notting City.
The Zhou Estate quickly became lively.
Yu Xiaogang and Chen Xin hurried to greet him.
"Disciple greets Teacher!"
"Alright, no need for formalities!" Zhou Yi smiled, retrieving the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's body. "You've come at the right time. Let's prepare a feast—a full tiger banquet!"
"This is…"
Chen Xin's eyes widened as he sensed the residual pressure from the tiger's corpse. Despite being dead, its aura was overwhelming, making him shudder.
This Soul Beast must have been incredibly powerful—likely a 100,000-year Soul Beast.
"Oh my heavens!"
Before Chen Xin could speak, Yu Xiaogang exclaimed in shock.
"Teacher, could this be the legendary Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, the most malevolent of Soul Beasts?"
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