Chapter 1280: Ghost King (Part 1)
Yang Haoran wasn't anxious, partly due to his current disposition, and partly because the changes Tang Shi was undergoing before his breakthrough were entirely normal.
Though he felt no inner haste, his attention on Tang Shi never wavered. Despite his seemingly relaxed demeanor, he was meticulously observing Tang Shi, not a single subtle shift in Tang Shi's state escaping his notice.
From these minute alterations, he could generally analyze Tang Shi's current physical condition, thereby judging whether he needed to intervene and lend a hand.
If Tang Shi could achieve the breakthrough through his own abilities, without any external assistance, then such a breakthrough would be immensely beneficial for him. It would allow him to gain far greater insights, and even if it meant enduring considerable pain, it would still be worth it.
Conversely, if Yang Haoran were to interfere, helping Tang Shi accelerate the breakthrough and increase its success rate, then even if Tang Shi ultimately succeeded, the insights gained from this breakthrough would undoubtedly be significantly diminished.
Of course, it wasn't that Yang Haoran didn't want to aid Tang Shi's breakthrough. The very reason he sat there, sipping tea, was to assist Tang Shi in successfully breaking through at the crucial moment. It simply wasn't the right time for him to act, so he wouldn't intervene prematurely.
As for when the appropriate time to intervene would be, Yang Haoran had long since made up his mind. If Tang Shi exhausted all his methods, genuinely unable to complete the breakthrough by his own power, and his Soul Body could no longer sustain him, then Yang Haoran would undoubtedly make a decisive move. This was the standard he had set for himself in this matter.
Time ticked by, minute by minute. Tang Shi's condition not only failed to improve but grew steadily worse. Whether it was his tormented expression, his trembling body, or even the fluctuating power surges that were at times strong, at times weak—none of these negative reactions showed the slightest improvement; instead, they became progressively more severe.
Indeed, this was the case. Concern began to brew in Yang Haoran's heart regarding Tang Shi's current state, as it had become quite dire. If Tang Shi couldn't find a way to change this, then as his master, Yang Haoran would be forced to intervene. Without his aid, Tang Shi's breakthrough would be doomed to failure.
Although his intervention would lessen Tang Shi's insights from this breakthrough, gaining fewer insights was still better than failing entirely. He knew Tang Shi had prepared for this breakthrough for a long time and had expended considerable resources. If the breakthrough failed, it would be a tremendous pity, not only wasting resources but also time and effort.
A few more minutes passed, and Tang Shi's condition worsened rather than improved. Yang Haoran, who had been meticulously observing every subtle change in Tang Shi's body, watched this entire scene unfold. With a calm expression, he set down his teacup, preparing to step in and help Tang Shi overcome his current ordeal.
Because he could tell that, given Tang Shi's current state, if he didn't intervene soon, Tang Shi's breakthrough would genuinely fail.
However, just as Yang Haoran was about to move and help Tang Shi through the crisis, Tang Shi suddenly opened his eyes.
"Mas. . . Master. . . don't worry about me, I can break through on my own!"
Tang Shi spoke through gritted teeth, though his gnashing was not born of anger, but of pain, and the stubborn unwillingness to yield within his heart.
Yang Haoran had already decided to act, but hearing Tang Shi's words, he hesitated. He knew that if he ignored Tang Shi's request and forcibly intervened to help him through the current ordeal, then even if Tang Shi successfully stepped into the Ghost King realm, he might not be happy.
After a brief consideration, Yang Haoran decided against intervening. It wasn't that he lacked the ability to help Tang Shi overcome the current difficulty; rather, he respected Tang Shi's choice.
"Alright, since you've asked for it, I won't interfere. Go all out. With me here, you won't die. If this breakthrough fails, at worst, you'll rest for a while and try again."
"Master, don't worry. . . I will definitely succeed in breaking through!"
Tang Shi responded with effort, then pulled out a Soul Pill. Without a moment's hesitation, he swallowed it whole.
As the Soul Pill was swallowed by Tang Shi, the Yin Qi emanating from his body suddenly intensified by more than double. Even though Yang Haoran was quite close to him, if he relied solely on his naked eye, Yang Haoran could only make out Tang Shi's rough outline.
Yang Haoran knew that Tang Shi's action at this moment was, in fact, a final desperate push. His breakthrough had reached a critical juncture; he had already employed all other possible methods, none of which could help him succeed. Therefore, his only choice was to swallow the Soul Pill and make one last gamble!
If he could successfully break through by leveraging the rich Yin Qi contained within this Soul Pill, it would mean his gamble had paid off. If he couldn't break through, it would mean he had gambled wrong, and the cost would be far more than just a failed breakthrough; his soul would also suffer severe damage.
Because the Yin Qi Tang Shi released was too dense, completely enveloping his entire body, Yang Haoran's naked eye simply couldn't discern his current situation.
This was hardly ideal for Yang Haoran, as his inability to observe every minute change in Tang Shi's body meant his judgment of Tang Shi's physical state could be inaccurate. If Tang Shi encountered the danger of his soul being scattered, and Yang Haoran didn't intervene promptly, then Tang Shi might truly vanish right before his eyes.
To prevent such an outcome, Yang Haoran decisively activated his Ghost Eye. As the Ghost Eye opened, the world before him transformed. The dense Yin Qi released by Tang Shi could no longer obstruct his vision; he could now clearly perceive every subtle change occurring in Tang Shi's body.
Tang Shi's expression was still as tormented as before—to be precise, even more so—yet he forcibly endured it with sheer willpower, gritting his teeth and refusing to utter even a hint of pain, let alone a bloodcurdling scream.
The power surges erupting within him were also more unstable than before, and their frequency was rapidly increasing.
Yang Haoran watched all this unfold. He didn't speak, nor did he make any move, simply observing in silence. Within him, his power was secretly being mobilized; he had to ensure that at the most critical moment, he could protect Tang Shi's soul instantly.
The immense internal changes caused Tang Shi's body to tremble violently. Suddenly, a crack opened on his face, a mere few centimeters long.
Since Tang Shi's body was not made of flesh and blood to begin with, no blood flowed from the crack on his face. It was merely another vent for the dense Yin Qi emanating from his Soul Body.
At first, the crack was only a few centimeters, but then, with a tearing sound, the initially small fissure rapidly expanded, splitting directly from his left eyebrow down to his chin, utterly ruining his entire face. The monstrous fissure gave off only one impression: terror.
With the first fissure appearing, a second, then a third followed in quick succession. Amidst a series of tearing sounds, in just a few breaths, Tang Shi's "outer form" became riddled with fissures of various sizes, from top to bottom. Even without blood flowing, his appearance at that moment was enough to make a child cry.
Had it been Yang Haoran from a few years ago, before he became a Night Watcher, seeing Tang Shi in this state would undoubtedly have terrified him. Yet now, not the slightest ripple disturbed his heart, let alone fear.
Nevertheless, he still harbored worry for Tang Shi in his heart, for he could see and feel that Tang Shi had reached his absolute limit.
"So, he couldn't hold on after all?"
Just as this thought crossed Yang Haoran's mind, Tang Shi suddenly snapped his head back, letting out a hysterical roar. This roar didn't convey pain, but rather fury, unwillingness to yield, and stubborn resolve!
The fluctuating power surges, which had been strong one moment and weak the next, suddenly surged violently at this instant. The already tattered "outer form" could no longer withstand this terrifying power and was directly torn into fragments. Only Tang Shi's Soul Body remained, still seated cross-legged on the spot.
Yang Haoran, who had been observing every change in Tang Shi, witnessed this scene firsthand. His eyes narrowed slightly, and his internal power rapidly circulated. He knew Tang Shi had reached his limit; if he didn't stop him now, he worried Tang Shi's Soul Body would suffer severe damage, perhaps even leading to his soul being scattered.
But in the very next instant, he froze. His outstretched hand suddenly stiffened in mid-air, because the surging power fluctuations from Tang Shi showed no sign of weakening. There was only one possible explanation for this: Tang Shi's Soul Body had stabilized, and the reason for the mad surge of power was that Tang Shi's Soul Body was undergoing a qualitative transformation. If this state continued, Tang Shi would truly succeed in his breakthrough.
To be precise, judging by the changes currently occurring in Tang Shi's Soul Body, he was incredibly close to a successful breakthrough. Yang Haoran understood this clearly, which was why his outstretched hand had suddenly frozen in mid-air, and why he hadn't used his own power to assist Tang Shi!
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