C5 Possession
"Hahaha, the kid's got spirit!" A strange voice erupted out of nowhere, sounding both close at hand and far away, ethereal and shrouded in mystery.
Chu Tianyu's face turned ghostly pale, his heart pounding in his chest as he frantically scanned his surroundings. Yet, he found no one, which sent his anxiety soaring. After all, he was known as "Ten Jin Chu" in a world where martial prowess was held in the highest regard, and he was at the very bottom of the hierarchy. He couldn't even best the most ordinary of civilians, much less someone as elusive as this!
"Where am I? How did I end up here? Did you bring me? What do you want?" It was only now that Chu Tianyu realized he was no longer amidst the rubble but in an unfamiliar cave.
His guard lowered somewhat, reasoning that if this person had meant him harm, they would have acted while he was unconscious, not gone through the trouble of transporting him to this location.
The mysterious figure seemed to be dizzied by Chu Tianyu's barrage of questions, momentarily at a loss for words.
"Hey, are you going to talk? What's your agenda? If you stay silent, I'm out of here." The silence was unnerving, and Chu Tianyu was desperate to escape.
"Hahaha!" The stranger found amusement in his reaction. "Go ahead, leave. No matter where you go, you won't be able to shake me off."
Chu Tianyu's leg, poised to take a step, dropped back down. He was compelled to stay put, a consequence of his own weakness.
"Not bad, kid," the mysterious man seemed to grow fonder of Chu Tianyu. "If circumstances were different, I'd like to be your friend. But for now, all I can do is apologize. I must say, my luck is quite extraordinary. To come across the rare Ethereal Body, even if it's acquired rather than innate, is fortunate indeed. Soon, I may be able to reclaim my peak strength and perhaps even surpass it. When that time comes..."
The mysterious person, also known as Ao Xingyun, the Golden Holy Dragon, was evidently in high spirits. Despite the situation, he was willing to engage in such an extensive conversation with Chu Tianyu. If it weren't for the mention of his adversary, he might have even continued the chat.
Ao Xingyun was feeling quite pleased, but Chu Tianyu's mood was the complete opposite. Despite the lack of any murderous tone, Chu Tianyu knew he had become a target.
Even though his body had received compliments, Chu Tianyu couldn't muster any joy. After all, what good was a fine physical form if it was soon to be no longer his? What was there to celebrate?
"Am I really going to die again just after being reborn? This can't be happening!" Chu Tianyu's heart was heavy with bitterness and a sense of injustice.
"Senior, to be completely honest, my abilities are quite subpar. I'm hardly a suitable host for you. Perhaps in a couple of days, you'll find someone far superior!" Even an ant clings to life, and Chu Tianyu was no different. He hoped the senior would dismiss him due to his lackluster potential.
"Haha, kid, you're pretty sharp to realize I'm inside your body. But you're mistaken about one thing: your talent is top-notch. If someone with an Ethereal Body is considered weak, what hope is there for the rest?" Ao Xingyun chuckled at Chu Tianyu's words. An Ethereal Body, a spirit body devoid of any spiritual energy or impurities, might be deemed worthless to some, but for the ancient Dragon Clan, overcoming this shortcoming was trivial.
"Still, you shouldn't be taking over my body. It's unethical," Chu Tianyu protested.
"Heh, aren't you also seizing someone else's body? How else did you get this one?" Ao Xingyun felt no qualms about the unethical act of possession. Cultivators naturally defied the heavens. If Yugong and the others could claim their rightful inheritance, why couldn't he claim this body? Especially since it wasn't even truly Tianyu's to begin with.
Chu Tianyu was deeply shaken, realizing that Ao Xingyun had uncovered his secret. Who exactly was this man?
Ao Xingyun had known he was doomed when he was encircled by the four adversaries. He had already been plotting his escape. During his attack, he intentionally spared Chu Tianyu's frail body, which would have otherwise been reduced to dust.
Unexpectedly, a breach in space brought back a Soul Body, which then seized the very flesh he had been eyeing. But Ao Xingyun harbored no frustration or resentment; he was confident that he could claim the body whenever he wished, a testament to his unwavering faith in his own power.
In the ensuing battle with the four adversaries, he displayed a fearless resolve, even indicating a willingness to engage in mutual destruction to protect himself. He had long been ready to abandon his physical form and escape with a fragment of his soul essence. To make his sacrifice seem genuine, he had no choice but to relinquish a portion of his soul and lifeblood.
Despite the formidable power of the Five Elements Unification attack, it remained within his control. He seized the moment when his opponents were fleeing to transport the soul essence, blood, and Chu Tianyu thousands of miles away!
He had divulged so much to Chu Tianyu to enlighten him on certain matters and to coax him into willingly abandoning his body, thus alleviating his own sense of guilt.
"Kid, don't hold it against me. Truth be told, you owe your arrival here partly to me. If you're looking for someone to blame, blame yourself for choosing the body I had destined for myself!"
No sooner had he spoken than Chu Tianyu felt a complete disconnection from his physical form. He could only observe, unable to act; he could only listen, unable to speak. As a mere bystander, he was at the mercy of Ao Xingyun's actions.
Ao Xingyun finally took action. Although Chu Tianyu had anticipated this, he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of resentment. He had stumbled upon a chance for rebirth, and just as he was on the verge of fulfilling his past life's ambitions, why did a senior figure emerge to seize the opportunity that was rightfully his?
Sensing Chu Tianyu's resentment, Ao Xingyun spoke calmly, "Young man, let go of your resentment. We cultivators naturally defy the heavens, and if I were to sum it up in one word, it would be 'struggle.' We struggle for spiritual energy against all things, for opportunities against fellow cultivators, for life against the cosmos itself. Nothing is off-limits as long as you possess the power!"
A look of resignation washed over Chu Tianyu's eyes, signaling his surrender. Yet, his heart was still a maelstrom of unrest: "Indeed, this is not Earth. The rules there don't apply here. Here, there is but one rule: power reigns supreme!"
"I must possess immense strength!" Chu Tianyu's gaze hardened, as he truly grasped the significance of power for the first time. He had always craved strength, but never with such intensity, for he had not yet encountered the despair of powerlessness.
After some time, Chu Tianyu was relieved to find that he had regained control of his body. He had been genuinely concerned that the elder might strip him of his physical form and his life. Yet, he was left wondering why such an unreasonable person would relinquish control.
Deep within Chu Tianyu's mind, myriad specks of golden blood converged into a blood droplet the size of a walnut, shimmering with a mysterious glow. Within it, a majestic miniature Divine Dragon could be faintly discerned, its scales and claws exuding supreme nobility.
"Kid, you're quite fortunate. It appears that being weak can sometimes be an advantage!" Ao Xingyun grumbled inwardly, his words lacking any warmth. However, Chu Tianyu chose to interpret them as a compliment.
"Thank you for the compliment, senior. I always believed you to be a person of high principles who wouldn't stoop to such actions!" Chu Tianyu responded promptly.
"Enough, kid. I get what you're trying to say. But let me make it clear—I'm set on claiming this body," Ao Xingyun declared, his irritation leaving him little desire to engage in banter with Chu Tianyu.
Ao Xingyun had not expected to encounter an Ethereal Body, which he believed would allow him to swiftly regain his cultivation level. The Ethereal Body was devoid of spiritual energy, making it capable of practicing any type of cultivation technique, even multiple attributes simultaneously.
What was most crucial was the absence of impurities in the body, known as the Stainless Body. It was common knowledge that even the most powerful and exceptional physiques contained some level of impurity.
A body with fewer impurities produced Genuine Qi of a higher purity than that of peers at the same level. This meant fewer bottlenecks and a smoother path to advancement.
However, this physical form was exceedingly frail, so much so that the phrase "weak as a reed" would be an understatement. It simply lacked the capacity to house its own soul.