Godslayer: Reincarnated with SSS Rank Cultivation System

An enormous pressure overtook Wen Ran as he sat still, his expression growing darker by the second. "What the hell?" he muttered through gritted teeth. The energy rushing into his dantian was unlike anything he had ever experienced. The sheer force of it threatened to shred his meridians into pieces, each strand of spiritual energy feeling like a wild, unbridled storm tearing through his body. But before he could succumb, a crimson light enveloped his dantian and meridians, calming the chaos and acting as an ethereal barrier against the violent influx. It was as if the demonic path he had chosen was now showing its usefulness.

For the first time, Wen Ran felt what it was like to steal spiritual energy from a living being. The vile art, taboo in any righteous community, was now etched into his reality. Yet, instead of guilt, Wen Ran felt exhilaration. This was power. Unrestrained, wild, forbidden, yet so good.

So, this is what it feels like… The energy that failed to return to the heavens now flows into me. His thoughts raced as his lips curled into a twisted grin. This is amazing. If I keep killing strong cultivators, I can rise to the top faster than anyone. No need for slow progress…

His heart burned with a dark desire, a hunger that felt both foreign and familiar. Had he lost himself, or was this the truest version of him, finally awakened? That question clawed at the corners of his mind, but he dismissed it. In his past life, he had lived in the gray—neither saint nor devil. But now, the lines were becoming blurred, and the answers didn't matter.

I need to refine this energy quickly. The disruption I'm causing will definitely draw attention, and if I'm caught mid-refinement, I'll be too vulnerable to defend myself.

Without hesitation, Wen Ran sat cross-legged on the floor, his breathing slowing as he steadied himself. The violent spiritual energy raged within him like a furious beast, but he controlled it with an iron will, circulating it through his body with the precision of a master. The threshold to the ninth circle was close—tantalizingly so. Reaching the peak of the Spirit Gathering Stage was every cultivator's dream, the cusp of a new realm. For most, such a breakthrough required external aid like medicinal pills, specialized techniques, or rare opportunities. But for Wen Ran, this surge of stolen energy was all the catalyst he needed.

Each breath drew the wild energy deeper into his dantian, nourishing his body in ways that felt almost supernatural. His veins burned, his bones hummed, and his entire being felt on the verge of transformation. Then, with a sudden, earth-shattering boom, an explosion of spiritual energy surged through his body, making him shake uncontrollably. The release of power radiated outward, spilling into the air, making the walls tremble under its force.

But it didn't stop there.

Wen Ran's body felt insatiable, as if it craved more, demanded more. His dantian expanded further, no longer a small reservoir but now resembling a vast, crimson sea. The sight of it stunned him. This... this can't be normal. How is this possible for my cultivation base? His thoughts spiraled as he studied the swirling energy within him. The crimson hue of the sea was unlike anything he'd ever seen—deep, pure, and untamed, yet carrying a rebellious energy that resonated with his very soul.

This color… this energy… It feels like an ocean of blood, but it's so pure, so defiant, as if even the heavens themselves are unworthy of it. His chest tightened with an unfamiliar mix of awe and exhilaration. I can feel its rebellious passion… its unrelenting drive to break free.

Emotions he had buried for lifetimes surged to the surface, overwhelming him in a wave of euphoria and fury. This power wasn't just his; it was him. It was the culmination of his choices, his defiance, and his refusal to be bound by fate. For the first time in this life, Wen Ran felt alive.

Suddenly, the entire sky churned violently once more, black clouds gathering with an intensity that dwarfed the earlier tribulation. This time, the atmosphere felt entirely different. A single thunderbolt began to form in the center of the storm, crackling with unrestrained power. Heaven and earth seemed to tremble under its might, and its target was none other than the Fang Palace.

Panic gripped the people in the town as they felt the oppressive aura of the heavens locking the entire area. No one could run, as if the world itself had chained them in place. The heavens hate this place... That was the collective thought of the masses as their eyes turned toward the palace. The sky split open, and a blinding light descended like divine judgment.

The thunderbolt struck with devastating precision, obliterating the palace roof in an instant. A deafening explosion echoed through the city, followed by a thunderclap so loud it shattered eardrums. Cultivators near the epicenter collapsed, bleeding from their ears and writhing in agony. The sheer force of the strike left no room for doubt—this was no ordinary lightning bolt.

Inside the Fang Palace, chaos erupted even before the strike. The jade spirit tablet belonging to Fang Jinyao's father shattered into pieces, signifying his death. The news spread like wildfire, leaving the clan members in shock. A group of cultivators rushed toward his room, but what they sensed outside the door made their hearts sink. The spiritual energy radiating from within was unmistakably that of a Spirit Gathering cultivator, yet it was far more refined, pure, and terrifyingly powerful than anything they had encountered. Their faces turned grim. How could someone at Spirit Flow's peak be defeated by such a lowly stage? It didn't make sense. Fang Jinyao's father was no ordinary cultivator—he was a genius, teetering on the edge of breaking into the Spirit Refinement stage, a top powerhouse of the region.

But before they could enter, the room erupted in a brilliant explosion of lightning, engulfing them in the shockwave. Many perished instantly, their bodies reduced to nothing but charred remnants. Others staggered back, coughing mouthfuls of blood, their internal organs severely damaged from the impact.

As for the one at the center of it all, Wen Ran remained calm. The moment the lightning bolt struck, his dantian expanded exponentially, shrouding him in a crimson light. His entire body trembled under the intense pain, but it was tolerable now—he had tempered himself enough to withstand the heavenly wrath. He breathed steadily, his focus unshaken despite the destructive force around him.

A strange, viscous black substance oozed out of his pores, staining his skin. Wen Ran glanced at it, a sinister grin creeping onto his face. "Heh... this body was filled with so many impurities. Thank you, heavens, for helping me cleanse myself." His voice dripped with mockery as he watched the impurities leave his body. With each passing moment, his meridians absorbed more spiritual energy from the surroundings, greedily feeding on the power unleashed by the heavens.

And then, his dantian began to shake violently.

BOOM!

A seismic shift coursed through his body, and the tenth circle of his cultivation formed. Wen Ran felt his entire being elevate, his power surging to new heights. If anyone were to inspect his cultivation base at that moment, they would witness an unprecedented phenomenon—the tenth circle shone with a multicolored brilliance, a kaleidoscope of light that no one in this world had ever seen. It pulsed with a divine, yet ominous energy, as though it held the potential to rewrite the very laws of cultivation.

Wen Ran chuckled darkly. This is only the beginning.