Meanwhile, Xue Yueliang's body had formed a large crater surrounding her. Her blood leaked from her body and created a small pool around her, and her Blood Moon Sword lay precariously on the edge of the crater.

The lightning continued to fizzle in Xue Yueliang's body, but it did not have much power left and didn't cause much damage to her corpse.

Her sword soon fell into the cater, landing hilt first on her chest, creating a channel for the lightning straight to her chest. This acted similarly to a defibrillator from her previous life.

Her lifelessly floating body was shocked a few times, and shortly after, her rhythmic heart beating was heard - bringing her back to life. Xue Yueliang took deep, heaving breaths as she was brought back from the dead. Though this was not her first time dying, it was a feeling she would never be able to get used to.

She slowly closed her eyes and observed her body's inner state. She found that most of her physical injuries were caused by the fall rather than the strike. The lightning bolt had directly stopped her heart and caused some injuries to her soul and a relatively few burns.

This was because, in the world, all matter was divided into Yin and Yang. They strengthened and restrained each other, being each other's support plus opposition.

And as the soul was considered Yin and lightning Yang, the lightning strike had a most significant effect on her soul than other parts of her being.

Xue Yueliang strained to get a bottle from her storage ring and dumped all the healing pills into her mouth. Though she was already passed the Qi Refinement Realm, meaning they were not as helpful, she hoped that quantity would overcome the lack of quality.

The healing energy gently moved around her body, trying to heal the many injuries that covered her body. But as soon as a patch was healed, the lightning energy in her body reinjured it, making it extremely hard for her to recover.

Xue Yueliang gritted her teeth as she tried to find a way to exit her predicament because if this continued, she would die again - this time from blood loss. She re-examined her body and saw that the lightning was mainly coursing through her meridians and was almost nonexistent in other parts of her body.

A crazy idea suddenly hit her. When she broke through to the foundation realm earlier, the Foundation Establishment Pill had calmed and controlled her berserk Qi. Perhaps it could have the same effect on this lightning energy. Xue Yueliang took the other two remaining pills simultaneously and watched as it tried to command the violent lightning energy in her body. Though she would prefer to control it herself, her weak soul energy did not allow her to do as she wished.

She thought for a moment and decided to release Hei Yu and instructed him to destroy any remnant bones he could find so she could restore her divine sense. Though having someone to guard her would be beneficial, the only people here already thought she was dead. It would be much better to work on recuperating her soul and body together.

Besides, Hei Yu could not defend against them even if they came. Because Hei Yu was her life artefact, she had not dared to use him to block her tribulation. So although he appeared a little weak, he did not suffer any real injuries and neither did he advance.

The effect of the pills did not disappoint her as she soon noticed the lightning energy become tame as it was directed toward her dantian.

The results proved that it was indeed worthy of being a top-grade pill. The lightning energy concentrated on her dantian, finally allowing the healing medicine to slowly work on her body, recuperating her. Xue Yueliang let out a sigh of relief, and her vision blurred, causing her to faint.

The mental and physical exhaustion she had felt during this time was not something she could easily ignore. She had only stayed awake through her willpower alone, but now that there was no more danger to her body, she couldn't help but relax.

Earning her much-needed rest. With the Foundation Establishment Pill improving her foundation, the healing pills recovering her injuries and Hei Yu working hard on replenishing her divine sense, Xue Yueliang went into a deep sleep. Her slumber lasted half a year.

When Xue Yueliang finally rose, she noticed Hei Yu staring into her eyes, appearing extremely worried as it squealed and nudged her. She flashed a small smile, but considering the dried blood that covered her body and the amount of dirt that had blown on her, that smile looked more terrifying than she anticipated. Despite that, it did not brother Hei Yu. He let out a delighted purr and rubbed his head onto her.

"I'm fine, Hei Yu, " she smiled before finally getting up.

Her body felt stiff from not being moved for so long, so she stretched a few times before settling down and doing what she feared - checking her foundation. Before she fell into her slumber, the lightning was guided into her dantian.

She knew that it would not end her life, but she had no idea how this would affect her hard-earned cultivation. To her delight, Xue Yueliang noticed that her meridians were vaster and firmer than before, seemingly able to handle the raging rivers if they swept through.

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Her dantian was undamaged, and a sight appeared that filled her with joy. In the middle of her dantian, there were two fully formed platforms and the base of the third. This meant that she was almost at the 3rd level of the Foundation Establishment Realm.

But that wasn't what elated her; the platforms were a colour of faint purple and not the gold she remembered. Though this did not mean she was in the legendary grade, she was much closer to it than most people had been.

Even the princess of this kingdom, the one who is known as the most talented genius of the Qinxia Kingdom, could only form faint purple lines on her platform. It seems like her misfortune was actually a blessing in disguise.

Xue Yueliang looked with disgust at her current state and washed up after taking off the scrap pieces of clothing that still clung to her body. After changing into some lady's robes, she took a mirror from her stolen loot and stared at her reflection. Her pupils seemed to have splashes of red, showing up and retreating, making her eyes appear mysterious.

Her long black hair was curled at its edges, and faint traces of purple seeped in through the black, and along with her naturally pretty features, she appeared to be enchanting. Xue Yueliang smiled at her reflection and headed back toward the ominous castle; she had not gotten her inheritance yet.

As soon as she entered the building, she was transported to her previous location. Xue Yueliang simply walked through the last stretch, and the pressure that posed so much difficulty to her was so easily surpassed now. She bitterly smiled and confirmed that power really was everything. When Xue Yuleliang finally opened the door, she felt slight dizziness as she was transported elsewhere. As soon as she landed, she saw three pairs of eyes staring at her in astonishment.

Qin Yundi was the first to open his mouth as he arrogantly said, "Qin Yao, it is good that you are not dead. You should head back home with me and explain to father why the heavens wish to smite you."

Xue Yueliang could not help but frown at his words, so she corrected, "My name is Xue Yueliang, and I'm much too weak to understand heavenly designs."

She did not know why that happened, and even if she did, why would she have to give an explanation to anyone?

Her fate was hers alone.

"You dare to betray our clan!" Qin Yundi yelled, seemingly in disbelief at her words. "It's not betrayal if I was never treated like a member. "

She mildly said before turning her attention to the princess.

"I wish to thank you for your earlier gift. If you ever need me for something within my ability, I will not hesitate to help."

She declared after bowing heavily in her direction. She owed her a life-saving grace, and although she wasn't usually someone to repay favours, being on the good side of someone so powerful was not a bad idea. Even after forming her purple foundation, she still felt a strong sense of threat from the princess.

"May I ask you a question?" The princess said gently and to which Xue Yueliang nodded. "Did you not die?" She curiously asked. Xue Yueliang mysteriously smiled and answered, "I did die, but then I survived. "

She then swept her gaze over the sadistic cultivator and then turned her attention to the mural, which shocked her. The ethereal man in the painting who held the flute was none other than the one who helped her reincarnate. She traced his figure, and her amazement could not help but double; there was no way she was mistaken. It was definitely him.

"It's a painting of demons and gods fighting in the human realm, and although I have no idea what the profundities behind it are, it's a great piece of art. " Yao Niang's voice sounded, clearing up the mist in Xue Yueliang's mind.

"I can, however, deduce one sentence," she smiled, "Demons and gods fight, aware but uncaring of the suffering of men. What can man do but pray and hope for their forgiveness?"

Xue Yueliang disagreed with the sentence, but her mind was focused on another piece of information. That being was a god, then it was no wonder he was so powerful. But why was it that he needed her help? She was a weak human. Xue Yueliang detracted her gaze and observed other parts of the drawing. Xue Yueliang felt that it perfectly portrayed the terror of demons, the indifference of gods and the helplessness of humanity. This painting was a genuine masterpiece.

Xue Yueliang sunk her divine sense into the mural, appearing at the scene. She almost instantaneously felt the immense pressure released by the beings in the drawing. She heard the wails of the people, the roars of the demon and the anger of the heavens.

The cacophony of noises overwhelmed Xue Yueliang's senses, but she soon saw a scene that was not entirely clear before. Within the raging oceans, a man stood there, using every part of his Qi to block it and allow the mortals to cross; while sacrificing himself.

By the burning forests, a woman was healing the injured and distributing food; her famished look, however, proved that she lacked some for herself. Besides the monstrous demon, a group of feeble-looking people attacked its hind legs with anything and everything they could muster.

They were hoping to at least slow it down so that others could escape. Forfeiting their very lives. Regardless of where she looked, small humane acts were present within the chaos, seemingly hoping for a better future but not despairing at their current reality. Seeing this scene, Xue Yueliang couldn't help but doubt her convictions.

"Could it be that Lei Jian was correct?" She couldn't help but ask aloud, "Is the path to the top reached by helping protect the weak."

She then shook her head at this thought; if that were true, the cultivation path would not be so bloody, nor would Lei Jian have been unable to reach this step. Even if it was the truth, that did not fit her current path, nor did it match her own beliefs. Marking it as a path; she could not cross.

She carefully scrutinised the scenes below her and tried to find another meaning. After carefully pondering, she managed to achieve a state of enlightenment, its keyword being willpower.

"When the heavens want to smite us, when the beings we worshipped ignored us and when what we relied upon for sustenance is destroyed, should we give in?" She asked with authority, her question seemingly entering the deepest recesses of the trio's souls.

"No, we should not. Being a part of mankind means never giving in, never despairing, to live on. If demons and gods appear in our path, we slay them! If the heavens wish to destroy us, we overturn them. We fight against death itself. This is what it means to be a human, a being on the path to immortality, a cultivator!"

Her words appeared to not only come from her but from the many people within the artwork. What made humanity powerful, what put them above all other races and what made them unique wasn't their superior ability but their perseverance.

They hurriedly began cultivating, consolidating their power and using these words to reach the next step on their path. A feeling of ardour overcame the trio, and they felt their spirits lighten and their power increase. Needless to say, the one who benefited the most wasn't them but Xue Yueliang.