Chapter 658: Crazy Absorption

"Cheating?" Zhang Xuan scratched his head.

If it was about cheating, he really had done it. While others focused on absorption, using their physical bodies as a bridge to nourish their souls, he directly brought his soul out to absorb the energy. It was like a transaction between a seller and a buyer, where both parties would benefit directly. Adding an intermediary, however, might complicate things.

However, upon closer inspection, it was still a form of cultivation. Since he hadn't used any magical artifacts or weapons, it couldn't really be considered cheating.

"Exactly! If it wasn't cheating, how could you possibly absorb so quickly?" Princess Feier's eyes widened.

"Uh..." Zhang Xuan didn't know how to respond. He certainly couldn't reveal his identity as a Witch Soul Master, or it would lead to significant trouble.

After a moment of hesitation, he replied, "If I were cheating, there would surely be some method involved. You, the esteemed Princess of the Hongyuan Empire, can't achieve this, so how could I? If you don't believe me, how about we switch our cultivation spots?"

"Yours is almost completely depleted! Who would switch with you!" Princess Feier rolled her eyes. "You're dreaming! What would be left for me to absorb if I took your spot?"

"Teacher, I'll switch with you..." Luo Qiqi, who was beside them, offered when Princess Feier refused.

Among the several geniuses from the Master Teacher Academy, she was the strongest, having already reached the peak of the Bridging Heaven Realm. With such power, the Soul Cleansing Pond's effect was already quite limited for her. Using this less impactful opportunity to observe how he absorbed wouldn't be a disadvantage.

"Oh..." Zhang Xuan nodded after a moment's surprise. His spot was already depleted of spiritual energy, and his Witch Soul had only improved slightly. He couldn't just sit there waiting, could he?

He stepped out of his cultivation spot and entered Luo Qiqi's, the two exchanging places.

"Alright, start cultivating. If you can still be this fast now, I'll believe you weren't cheating!" Princess Feier snorted. This time, as Zhang Xuan entered the cultivation spot, she watched him without blinking. Since he didn't put anything in, there was definitely no way he could cheat.

"Mmm!" Zhang Xuan shook his head and said no more. His Witch Soul gently trembled, detaching from his physical body and hovering just outside, in close proximity. From such a close distance, even a Six-star Master Teacher wouldn't be able to discern anything, let alone them.

Boom!As the Witch Soul began to cultivate, the Soul Cleansing Incense floating in the cultivation spot flared up as if ignited. In less than five minutes, three sticks were almost completely consumed. Zhang Xuan's Witch Soul returned to his physical body, leaving him utterly helpless. He had thought changing spots would yield a better result, but it was almost the same. His Witch Soul hadn't even absorbed much before the spot was depleted... How could he cultivate with such limited spiritual energy? He recalled that his Witch Soul's previous advancement had completely drained the mother water of the entire Yin-Yang Pond.

Feeling frustrated, he looked up at the girl not far away and asked, "Did you see clearly just now? Was I cheating?"

"Uh..." Her face flushed with embarrassment, Princess Feier's cheeks turned red. "No!" She had suspected him of cheating, but he had just demonstrated his true ability—he absorbed at an incredible speed. What could she do about it? Her face burned, and she felt so frustrated she almost wanted to spit blood. If she had known he absorbed so quickly, why would she have challenged him? Wasn't this just asking for trouble? It seemed continuing the bet was pointless; she was already destined to lose.

"Alright, hurry up and cultivate!" Seeing the girl was about to cry, Zhang Xuan felt a little awkward and waved his hand. "Don't worry, it's still possible you'll win..." He had, after all, promised Xing Yuan that he would let her win; he couldn't just shatter her confidence like that!

"Possible..." Luo Qiqi, from the side, rolled her eyes. "You're talking nonsense! You cultivated for five minutes and consumed nearly three sticks of Soul Cleansing Incense, while the two of us combined haven't even made a dent. How can the Sixth Princess possibly win? Your attempt at comfort is far too insincere!"

"The teacher is right, hurry up and cultivate! Otherwise, you'll just be wasting this opportunity to be here..." Despite her frustration, Luo Qiqi still advised.

"Mmm!" Princess Feier nodded and closed her eyes to cultivate. Although she knew her chances of winning were almost zero, cultivating here was still beneficial for her soul, so she couldn't waste the opportunity.

Seeing that her friend, despite being affected, could still continue to cultivate, Luo Qiqi breathed a sigh of relief. She glanced at Teacher Zhang and then closed her eyes as well. Although most of the spiritual energy here had already been absorbed, given her speed, she could still absorb for another half a day without issue.

Watching the two continue to cultivate, Zhang Xuan rubbed his temples. Absorbing with his Witch Soul was simply too fast. The last stick of Soul Cleansing Incense before him would likely be consumed in less than a minute. If that were the case, wouldn't coming to the Soul Cleansing Pond have very little effect before he had to leave? That would be a great waste! Yet, continuing to cultivate with his physical body was unnecessary. Since he could use his Witch Soul, there was no need to choose the less efficient path and go through so much trouble.

"What should I do?" A wave of frustration washed over him. Just as he considered waiting for the last bit of Soul Cleansing Incense to burn out before leaving, his eyes suddenly lit up.

"Oh right, how could I forget about the Library of Heaven's Path!" He had been so focused on how to cultivate that he had completely forgotten about it.

He dipped his finger into the pond water, and with a thought. "Defect!" Immediately, his mind reeled, and a book materialized before his eyes.

"Master Teacher Continent, the cultivation spot of the Soul Cleansing Pond in the Phantom Feather Empire. It contains spiritual energy that can nourish the soul and enhance soul power. Defect one: The spiritual energy contained within it is too scarce. When absorbed by a Witch Soul, it is easily depleted and is far less potent than the spiritual energy in the main pond. Defect two..."

"The spiritual energy in the pond water is potent? That's right, the spiritual energy in the cultivation spots permeates from the main pond! If I could absorb directly from the main pond, wouldn't I have an inexhaustible supply?" After reading the first defect, his eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but glance at the large pond not far away.

The Soul Cleansing Pond itself emanated a turbulent aura with intertwining powers, inspiring awe and deterring anyone from approaching too closely. In contrast, the cultivation spots were calm; though they contained spiritual energy, it was vastly inferior compared to the main pond. It was like digging a pit on a riverbank beach that would quickly fill with a small puddle. The cultivation spots were essentially formed by the spiritual energy permeating from the main pond water, so the quantity was naturally scarce. To absorb more spiritual energy, the massive Soul Cleansing Pond before him was the optimal choice.

"However... the Soul Cleansing Pond can instantly melt even mid-grade spirit weapons. If I enter it, I surely won't be able to withstand it!" Although he knew the main pond contained abundant spiritual energy, the earlier scene still replayed in his mind, making him hesitant to act rashly. This place could effortlessly melt mid-grade spirit weapons. While he considered his physical body formidable, it was still significantly weaker compared to weapons of that caliber.

"Huh? How could I be so foolish!" After agonizing for a long time, just when he thought there was no solution, he suddenly slapped his forehead, a wry smile spreading across his face. "If my physical body can't enter, I can simply stay here and send my soul in!"

For others, separating their soul from their physical body meant certain death. But he was different; he had received a Witch Soul inheritance from tens of thousands of years ago, allowing his Witch Soul to leave his body. He could absolutely send his soul directly into the pond! The souls of other Witch Soul Masters, if they entered the pond, would certainly be unable to withstand the Yang Fire power that could melt weapons and would be instantly torn to shreds. But he was different... his Witch Soul, refined by the Heavenly Path Witch Soul Art, was immune to the Five Soul Declines; even if it entered, it wouldn't be affected in the slightest! Moreover, even if the pond's contents were incredibly violent, his soul was an intangible substance that could reassemble even if torn apart, so it wouldn't pose a significant problem!

"Let's try it!" Without any hesitation, Zhang Xuan sat cross-legged, ensuring his physical body maintained a cultivation posture. With a thought, his Witch Soul detached from his body once more.

His soul flew into the air, reaching the boundary between the cultivation spot and the main pond. After a moment of hesitation, he extended his palm, which then sank into the pond water.

"Indeed, it's fine..." Seeing that his soul body was unharmed and he felt no discomfort, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up. With a decisive step, his entire soul entered the main pond.

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle! The Soul Cleansing Pond seemed to boil, its water endlessly turbulent. The power that could effortlessly melt even mid-grade spirit weapons had no effect on him whatsoever.

"Absorb!" He took a few steps to the very center of the pond, sat cross-legged in the water, and immediately activated the Heavenly Path Witch Soul Art.

Boom!Surging and violent power immediately poured into his soul body through its acupoints, causing his soul form to grow at an astonishing rate.

"Such incredibly potent spiritual energy..." With a comfortable groan, Zhang Xuan almost laughed aloud. It truly felt like reaching the end of the road only to find a new path opening up.

He had thought that with the rapid burning of the Soul Cleansing Incense, the Soul Cleansing Pond would be of little use to him. He never dreamed that his soul could directly enter the main pond and absorb at will. The spiritual energy in the pond was not just hundreds, but thousands of times more abundant than in the cultivation spots; he could absorb without any restraint or concern!

"Oh right, I should let my clone come out and absorb some too!" With a thought. His clone also needed to increase its soul power, and this was such a good opportunity, so he might as well have him join in.

With a thought, he communicated with his storage ring. The next moment, his clone appeared in the cultivation spot. To prevent anyone from discovering that there were two Zhang Xuans, he deliberately had the clone enter the main pond. The abundant spiritual energy within would conceal it, making it impossible to be seen.

"My clone is condensed from the Nine Heavens Lotus Embryo; it should not fear this pond water!" The clone's material was said to be a divine object, naturally much stronger than mid-grade spirit weapons, so perhaps it wouldn't need to fear the pond water. Speculating, he had the clone touch the pond water, and just as he thought, there was no change.

"Go!" He controlled the clone, which swam from the bottom towards the center of the pond and soon sat down beside his Witch Soul.

"Begin!" The clone's soul also appeared, and the two Witch Souls began to absorb simultaneously.

Boom! Splash!The center of the entire Soul Cleansing Pond seemed to churn as if two giant whirlpools had appeared, and countless spiritual energies surged straight towards them.

Creak! Creak! Creak!The two souls, as if they had consumed a powerful tonic, continuously grew. They transformed from roughly the size of a physical body to becoming tall and massive. Two meters, three meters, four meters...

After absorbing the power of the Yin-Yang Pond's mother water previously, his Witch Soul had already grown to over three meters tall. Now, it was even more astonishing. The two souls, his main body's and the clone's, continuously absorbed power. After two hours, they had already reached five to six meters in height. One could say, they were indistinguishable from giants.