Chapter 1116: Bow of Yi

Time slipped away, though no one knew how long had passed.

When Ling Feng finally opened his eyes, he found the ground beneath him soaked with sweat.

"Another ordeal worse than death."

He gave a bitter smile and shook his head, wondering if he might actually become a masochist at this rate.

"This time you only passed out for half a day before waking. Your tolerance for pain is improving."

At some point, Tianbai Emperor's spiritual manifestation had drifted over. He chuckled as he looked at Ling Feng.

Ling Feng wiped the sweat from his brow. He could hardly lift a finger, his strength completely drained.

Two more Primordial Locks had been implanted, suppressing his aura until it hovered around the sixth level of the Transformation Realm. His body felt unbearably heavy, as if eight mountains were strapped to his back.

Yet this was always the case with new locks. Once he adapted to their crushing weight, releasing them would give him a surge of strength and speed unlike anything else.

If he opened all seven locks together, Ling Feng believed he could surpass even his Chaotic True Form. If he combined the two, he was confident he could fight a sixth-level Spiritual Sea Realm expert head-on.

For someone only at the early stage of the Spiritual Element Realm, the idea was unimaginable. To clash evenly with peak king-tier experts at his current stage was something no one would believe unless they saw it with their own eyes.

And that did not even take into account his Chaotic Rebirth or beast-soul fusion!

"Enough. You have rested long enough."

Tianbai Emperor's spiritual manifestation curled his lips into a smile. "It is time I show you my second inheritance!"

A spark of excitement stirred in Ling Feng's chest. Soon he would set out into unfamiliar territory. The Tiansheng Empire and the Dongling Immortal Pool both stood far above the Tianbai Empire in cultivation strength. A new trump card at this moment would be invaluable.

"Follow me!"

Tianbai Emperor's spiritual manifestation turned and led him down a shadowy corridor until they came before a massive stone gate. A strange inscription, like a seal, was carved upon it.

"Open your Primordial Locks and merge a thread of elemental qi into the seal."

Ling Feng obeyed. A muffled boom echoed as the gate swung open. Blinding radiance burst forth, so bright it nearly seared his eyes.

He raised an arm to shield his face. Only when the light gradually receded did he see what lay within.

In the center of the chamber stood a pedestal. Upon it rested a longbow.

A longbow without arrows.

Its body gleamed with golden light, dragons and phoenixes etched into its frame. Taller than a man, it shimmered with flowing brilliance. The bowstring gave off a faint hum, as though the soul of a dragon lingered within it.

Even from a distance, Ling Feng felt an immense pressure that nearly stole his breath.

"This... is it a sacred artifact?"

"A sacred artifact is nothing in comparison. This is a celestial artifact!"

Tianbai Emperor's spiritual manifestation chuckled. "This bow is called the Bow of Yi[1]. It is a replica of the divine Sun-shooting Divine Bow once wielded by an ancient true god."

Ling Feng's heart sank. "A replica?"

"Do not give me that look." Tianbai Emperor's spiritual manifestation rolled his eyes. "The Sun-shooting Divine Bow was a divine artifact of the ancient age. Even an Immortal Emperor might not have been able to control it. Even if it were placed in your hands, you could not use it!"

"

Uh...

" Ling Feng rubbed his nose, unable to argue. That much was true.

"Besides, even as a replica, the Bow of Yi is still a beginner-level celestial artifact. In the entire Dongling Region, even in the Dongling Immortal Pool, there are no more than three of this level. Most so-called celestial artifacts are not even true celestial artifacts. At best they are pseudo celestial grade."

Ling Feng swallowed hard as his gaze clung to the bow. "But Senior, a bow without arrows seems useless, does it not?"

"That is exactly what makes the Bow of Yi extraordinary."

Tianbai Emperor's spiritual manifestation's eyes glinted with amusement. "Go on, pick it up."

Ling Feng strode forward and grasped the bow. The moment his fingers closed around it, a terrifying power erupted, devouring his elemental qi. In an instant, he was drained dry and collapsed to the ground.

"This... what is happening?" Ling Feng's eyelids twitched. A bow that devoured its master's qi, how could anyone use it?

"Try again, this time with your Primordial Locks open." Tianbai Emperor's spiritual manifestation's voice held a faint smile.

Ling Feng drew a deep breath and opened his third lock. When he reached for the bow again, the devouring power vanished. Instead, a gentle force surged back into him, returning all the elemental qi he had lost.

"Now do you understand?"

Tianbai Emperor's spiritual manifestation's eyes gleamed with amusement.

"I see!" Ling Feng nodded quickly. "Only someone who carries the Primordial Locks can wield this bow!"

"Correct!"

Tianbai Emperor's spiritual manifestation stroked his beard. "From this moment on, you are the sole master of the Bow of Yi. No one else will ever claim it!"

Ling Feng lifted the bow. It was so tall that even with his height, the tip nearly touched the ground. But for martial practitioners who fought in the skies, its size would never be a hindrance.

"Now I will teach you how to use it."

Tianbai Emperor's spiritual manifestation's tone turned calm and steady. "This bow is bound to the Qi-Refining Primordial Lock within your body. To use it, you must merge the power of the locks with it. Its bowstring was refined from the tendon of the Zhulong dragon. When you open your locks, the resonance of the Zhulong tendon creates arrows of dragon essence."

"When those arrows reach mastery, they can fly a thousand li, shatter mountains, and destroy worlds. With a single shot, you could topple an empire!"

His voice remained even, as though he were speaking of something ordinary. "At its level, the Bow of Yi will remain useful to you until the Ancestral Realm. Moreover, if you rely on your sword techniques in battle and suddenly draw this bow, the surprise alone could crush your opponent."

𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Ling Feng's eyes shone. A celestial artifact that could be used even in the Ancestral Realm!

This was fortune beyond measure!

"Just as sword techniques are guided by sword will, so too does archery require bow will. Since you were able to comprehend the Reincarnated Sword Will, bow will should not be beyond you."

He extended a finger and sent a surge of knowledge directly into Ling Feng's mind.

"This is the archery art I created for the Bow of Yi. I named it the Three Forms of Yi, Falling Stars, Chasing the Moon, and Piercing the Sun. Before you leave the Misty Ghost Forest, take your time to comprehend them. If you succeed, they will serve you well."

"There is also a set of insights from when I grasped the Swift Wind Bow Will. They should help guide you in forging your own bow will."

"Many thanks, Senior!"

Clutching the Bow of Yi, Ling Feng's heart surged with emotion. All the agony he had endured from implanting the Primordial Locks had not been in vain. At last, he had been rewarded!

1. 羿 (Yì) - just a surname with no special meaning on its own.

In Chinese mythology, Hou Yi (后羿) was a famous archer who shot down nine of the ten suns that were burning the earth, saving mankind. ☜