Sword Sovereign of the Celestial Emperor-Chapter 818 - 817: Failed Advancement

In the entire valley, only Ling Ming's angry roars and the thunder's snarls echoed incessantly in this corner of the sky.

Chu Ming took out a handful of Spirit Pearls from his Storage Ring, preparing to refine them. He had acquired seven or eight hundred Spirit Pearls, which were enough to push his cultivation a step further.

"Don't refine them yet!"

At this moment, the Ancient Sword Emperor inside him suddenly spoke up, stopping him in his tracks.

"What's wrong?"

Chu Ming asked in confusion.

"There's something strange about these Spirit Pearls!"

The Ancient Sword Emperor slowly said, with a hint of surprise in his voice, evidently not expecting Ling Ming to have tampered with these Spirit Pearls.

"Hmm?"

Chu Ming was startled in his heart. Immediately, his Soul Power swept out, enveloping the Spirit Pearls. As soon as he approached, Chu Ming didn't notice anything unusual but only felt an abundance of Spiritual Power emanating from them.

However, in just a moment, he detected a trace of unusualness. At the center of these Spirit Pearls, a light red seed was actually floating.

This seed was incredibly bizarre and unremarkable. If it weren't for Chu Ming's Soul Power being comparable to a high-level sealing emperor's, he wouldn't have discovered it at all.

"Seed of the Soul!"

Chu Ming's expression showed a hint of emotion. At the same time, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The Seed of the Soul was a means of controlling others, similar to the servitude brand Chu Ming had once used on the Heaven-devouring Bee King.

He could imagine that once he refined these Spirit Pearls, Ling Ming's Seed of the Soul would undoubtedly implant itself in his soul, which would mean Ling Ming controlled him.

"This is troublesome!"

Chu Ming furrowed his brow. If he wasn't mistaken, the emperors who just snatched the Spirit Pearls immediately wanted to refine them for an extra edge in the upcoming battle for the Pearl King.

But once they refined the Spirit Pearls, they would undoubtedly be controlled by Ling Ming. He wouldn't foolishly think that only the Spirit Pearls he grabbed contained Ling Ming's Seed of the Soul.

Those who refined the Spirit Pearls would be controlled by Ling Ming, making it undoubtedly troublesome for Chu Ming to seize the Pearl King next.

"It seems there's only one way!"

Chu Ming thought silently, then transmitted a message to Fire Cloud Ancestor and the Demon God King, informing them about the Seed of the Soul.

The two went silent, as if contemplating. Then, Fire Cloud Ancestor transmitted a message: "Why should I trust you?"

Indeed, Fire Cloud Ancestor had no reason to trust Chu Ming. After all, with the Pearl King ahead, every bit of power they augmented increased their chances of acquiring the Pearl King.

Moreover, who knew what thoughts Chu Ming harbored? If Chu Ming told them not to refine the Pearl King but secretly refined the Spirit Pearls himself, wouldn't they immediately fall behind when they fought for the Pearl King?

From Fire Cloud Ancestor's perspective, Chu Ming wouldn't agree immediately. Such a tempting offer couldn't be abandoned without a compelling reason.

"I can give you all my Spirit Pearls!"

Chu Ming contemplated slightly and then transmitted the message calmly.

These Spirit Pearls contained Ling Ming's Seed of the Soul, which were of no use in his hands.

It was better to use them as proof at this moment.

As for why Chu Ming only communicated with Fire Cloud Ancestor and the Demon God King, one reason was they were both humans and sealing emperors. He also had personal reasons. Among the four strongest on the scene were Fire Cloud Ancestor, Demon God King, Li Qianfan, and himself.

He already had grievances with Li Qianfan, evident from Li Qianfan's harsh words earlier. At this moment, he wasn't magnanimous enough to remind Li Qianfan.

As for the two demon intermediate sealing emperors, their strength wasn't significant, so becoming adversarial made little difference.

"Alright! I believe you!"

Fire Cloud Ancestor gritted his teeth and responded. Facing the temptation of the Pearl King, he valued his life more. If he lost his life, even obtaining the Pearl King would be meaningless!

Moreover, another reason he chose to trust Chu Ming was that Chu Ming was a titled prodigy. Prodigies had their pride, something his disciple, Fire God Ning Lie, demonstrated profoundly.

The pride of prodigies wouldn't permit them to commit such despicable acts.

On the Demon God King's side, Chu Ming's conversation was almost identical to that with Fire Cloud Ancestor, and the Demon God King agreed straightforwardly.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Everyone quietly watched Ling Ming and Lei Yun in midair, their eyes filled with fervor. It seemed they were looking not at a Spirit Body but a vast treasure.

At this moment, the thundercloud in the sky had gradually thinned. Clearly, Ling Ming's ascension to Spirit King had reached the final critical stage. Success or failure hinged on this.

"Break for me!!!"

Ling Ming roared, his right claw transforming into a piercing ray, directly assaulting the thundercloud, attempting to shatter it in one move. The human face formed by Lei Yun finally showed its anger.

Two sharp streaks of lightning gathered in the eyes of Lei Yun's face, as if the Thunder God had descended, transforming into two pillars of light, blasting towards Ling Ming. Now, the Spirit Bodies in the valley were almost entirely devoured by Ling Ming.

Puchi!

Riiiiip!

Ling Ming, after all, possessed the combat strength of a high-level sealing emperor. With one strike, he ripped half of Lei Yun's face off, thunder roaring, light beams scattering.

Boom!

Puchi!

However, under the Thunder Tribulation's attack, Ling Ming didn't fare well either. His majestic body was directly blasted into the ground, countless cracks spreading outwards like a spider web. A quarter of his body had already disintegrated, transforming into pure Spiritual Power, dissipating into the sky.

"He's going to fail in his ascension!"

Inside Chu Ming, the voice of the Ancient Sword Emperor suddenly rose, startling Chu Ming. He asked in confusion.

"The thundercloud is about to disperse, why would he fail?"

The Ancient Sword Emperor remained silent, and Chu Ming quietly watched Ling Ming.

Despite his severe injuries, Ling Ming wobbly stood up from the valley, looking up at the face of Lei Yun in the sky, a hint of panic flashing in his eyes.

Crack!

Lei Yun's face reformed, its mouth slightly parted, and a lightning bolt, like a flash, blasted towards Ling Ming.

Ling Ming struck with a claw, attempting to resist, but was mercilessly blasted kilometers away.

"I'm not reconciled!!!"

Pain filled Ling Ming's eyes. He had underestimated the power of the Great Wilderness. Spirit Bodies were equivalent to the indigenous inhabitants of the Great Wilderness, and in the Great Wilderness, one had to abide by its rules.

The thundercloud's face in the sky was the manifestation of the rule's will of the Great Wilderness!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The thunderstorm relentlessly battered. Without Spirit Bodies to replenish Spiritual Power, Ling Ming's body repeatedly retreated, gradually becoming fainter.

After a while, the thunderstorm in the sky intensified. Ling Ming finally couldn't hold on, roaring in anger as his entire light red body erupted, white waves sweeping across the starry sky, causing the entire valley to tremble violently.