The Forbidden Path to Immortality - Chapter 196

Episode 18, Mirror Clone, Chapter 6, Struggle

Li Xun’s first impression of Jade Wanderer was a smile.

Even though he’d already known Jade Wanderer’s true form from one of his puppets, he still couldn’t see him clearly. A single smile blurred the creature’s features.

To put it more simply, he was a man with a constant smile. His smile was unsettling. It might be charming, but it hid so much else.

Li Xun’s own experience revealed that comparing the three Wanderers revealed a surprising similarity: they all possessed a certain element of fear, though Yin Wanderer did so through her volatility, Xue Wanderer through his brutality, and Jade Wanderer through his smile.

Only two figures remained in the vast expanse of heaven and earth. Though knowing they were merely manifestations of divine consciousness, Li Xun couldn’t help but make the customary gestures. He bowed, “Gu Zhixuan, Yu Sanren… I’ve long heard of your great names.”

It wasn’t exactly a courtesy, but it was a greeting nonetheless. The figure opposite him was even more baffling, a long sigh rippling through the air. “Life is unpredictable. Over a hundred years, I never imagined you’d reach this point. Such complications!”

Li Xun deeply disliked Yu Sanren’s attitude. He spoke of “impermanence” but revealed an expression that said, “You should be under my control.”

Especially that look—of course, it was merely a manifestation of divine consciousness, but it was all the more direct. The look made Li Xun feel like this guy truly didn’t consider him an equal.

God knows where this remnant soul got its confidence from.

Li Xun was certain he hated this guy, and at the same time, his vigilance was heightened to the highest level.

He must be relying on something.

“Too much hostility is another layer of trouble.”

Yu San Ren was still criticizing him when a figure flashed, suddenly closing the distance between them.

From the perspective of their spiritual connection, the two were now only a few feet apart. For a cultivator, this distance can be oppressive and alarming.

However, Li Xun finally saw the other person’s face clearly.

It was no different from Yu San Ren’s puppet outside, except for that smile, which made the two feel completely different.

Li Xun didn’t want Yu San Ren to continue provoking him. He responded sharply, “I’m also very disappointed. I expected to see Zhong Yin’s grand legacy, but I didn’t expect to see only this little nest built by a green-headed turtle, and within it lived a lonely ghost that should have been reincarnated long ago…”

It had been a long time since Li Xun had engaged in such a purely verbal exchange as he did now. It was a bit childish, but his mindset was strange. Deep down, he had an urge to not let this person gain the upper hand.

“I need to correct the errors in your words.”

Yu Sanren’s attitude seemed similar. Li Xun met his gaze with a cold stare, finally discerning that amidst his dominance, there seemed to be an undisguised eagerness. These two powerful emotions intertwined, creating a sense of urgency before a storm.

“You lacked patience before, missing much crucial information, but the experiences of ‘Entrusting the Primordial Spirit’ and ‘Mirroring the Avatar’ should have been there. So you should know that even if I still lack the memories of my final few years, I’m not worthy of being called a wandering ghost!”

Entrusting the Primordial Spirit, Mirroring the Avatar?

Li Xun wanted to deny it outright, but only after hearing those eight words did he realize that the agonizing pain of his skull splitting and his soul being torn apart was etched in his memory, indelible.

Along with it, a surge of crisis arose.

Without reason to guide him, he instinctively began preparing to remove his spiritual projection.

At this moment, Jade Wanderer—let’s call him that—came closer. The smile on his face barely shifted, but the message it conveyed was heightened.

“Also, you should be able to deduce that I have indeed been reincarnated. Although that ‘me’ was born a few years later than this ‘me,’ I did so. Otherwise, how could you appear before me?”

Hearing this, Li Xun shuddered slightly again, his heartbeat quickening. Meanwhile, his entire sea of consciousness trembled, a howling storm instantly approaching.

Li Xun no longer even wanted to think, instead concentrating on severing the path of his divine consciousness’s projection, to escape the mounting danger.

At this moment, Yu San Ren pressed forward again. “Finally, while Zhong Yin may deserve the nickname ‘Green-Headed Turtle,’ this restriction wasn’t his work. Naturally, this little nest isn’t really a nest, but a lock—the ‘Dragon Lock’ I just put on!”

The final syllable of Yu San Ren’s words shone into a piercing shriek, blending with the raging storm on the sea of consciousness. Amidst the surging wind and thunder, the figure representing Yu San Ren distorted, swirling around him like a constantly shifting mass of mist.

“Hah!”

Li Xun, prepared for this, remained calm. The demon-suppressing sound erupted from his sea of consciousness. Such profound secrets would undoubtedly inflict considerable damage on the mind. Li Xun no longer cared that Lin Wu You was the vessel bearing the brunt of the damage; he needed to seize this opportunity to disrupt the path of his divine consciousness’s projection.

But he never expected the projection path to continue… unceasingly!

Li Xun’s divine consciousness was frozen.

From the shadows, a massive force emerged from the air, locking him in place—not just the projection within his sea of consciousness, but tracing the path of his divine thought back upstream, instantly pinning his primordial spirit to the ground, preventing him from moving an inch.

“Locking the primordial spirit, seducing the soul, tracing back upstream… Guai Guai Yin’er, truly remarkable.”

Yu San Ren did not reappear, but simply chuckled softly in the surrounding void. The turmoil within his sea of consciousness continued, giving his laughter a particularly volatile chorus.

What “Guai Guai Yin’er”? Li Xun’s mind drifted for a moment.

At this moment, the place where the forbidden pattern structure had earlier dissipated once again shone with spiritual light, and countless ethereal lines slowly unfolded.

These lines, some straight and some curved, interwoven and flowed, forming a complete forbidden pattern structure, its intricacy far exceeding that of anything Li Xun had just witnessed.

Is this the truth?

Almost as he stepped off the cliff, Li Xun’s mind suddenly cleared up: this was the flying kite, pulled by the long line, and the final answer he had been searching for.

The previous one was just a trap set by Yu San Ren. It was simple, but it was effective.

Faced with the unexpected bad situation, Li Xun calmed down completely.

Whether it was a remnant soul or a mirror clone, Yu San Ren at this moment should not have the ability to imprison his soul. In other words, the power of imprisonment must come from the forbidden method in front of him.

So he tried to concentrate his energy, not to think about those fascinating but useless secrets, but to force his almost rigid thinking to focus on the changing lines in the sea of consciousness, hoping to find a glimmer of hope.

However, Yu San Ren was unwilling to give him this opportunity.

“I think that now, the communication between you and me is the most important.”

Yu Sanren’s mood seemed to have recovered, and his outward voice sounded calmer than ever. “You know, I’ve been here for a long time, feeling quite lonely. I finally waited for you to come. Why don’t we chat? Don’t you want to know the whole story?”

Li Xun remained silent, his entire attention focused on the endlessly moving lines, though Yu Sanren’s whispers lingered in his ears.

“You’re interested in this ‘Dragon Lock’? Okay, then, let’s see how it came to be…”

As he finished speaking, the world in his sea of consciousness shifted again, and countless forbidden patterns distorted and shifted. Li Xun was dazzled by this, when suddenly, a vibrant green appeared before his eyes, like a bud bursting through the earth in early spring, easily captivating his attention. The vibrant green

had already imprinted itself on his vision, slowly expanding, occasionally emitting a ray of light, pure and flawless.

But this wasn’t where he was supposed to be.

Where… was he supposed to be?

The answer seemed to flicker in his mind, but he couldn’t find it no matter how hard he tried. At that moment, a gentle voice reached his ears, like the twang of wind chimes in the gentle breeze, captivating his heart.

“Why are you sighing?”

The woman’s voice was like the sound of wind through the bamboo forest, low and melodious. He felt so comfortable that he almost didn’t want to open his eyes, but deep down, the poisonous fire burning in his heart was so intense.

He tilted his head, and the sunlight filtering through the gaps between the branches and leaves outside the window shone on the jade-like face in front of him, shining brightly and dazzlingly.

In the swaying light and shadow, the woman put down her brush and leaned back slightly, asking him for a kiss. The shadow of the bamboo leaves gently fell on her eyelids, deep and misty. He smiled and lowered his head, their lips touching. After a long pause, the woman spoke again, “Do you think my painting is bad?”

“I’m not qualified to say that about you. Not to mention me, how many people in the world are qualified to do that?”

He was so good at compliments that few in the world could compare to him.

The woman really laughed, threw down her pen, leaned back, and snuggled into his arms, but she said with a slight anger: “You must be the best in the world at talking about other things.”

After a pause, the woman’s voice sounded almost inaudible: “Still worried?”

These four short words changed the atmosphere in the room, and it seemed that even the greenery outside the window was covered with a layer of gray.

After a long while, he laughed: “How many people in the world can die with a smile? My dear niece really doesn’t want to give me a chance to live. But then again, she can put her mind to your senior brother, which means she thinks highly of me.”

The woman responded lightly: “It should be that senior brother thinks highly of her too much.”

“Respect? No, it should be that we share the same ideals. I thought Ayin’s ideas were unique in the world, but I didn’t expect that Zhong Yin seemed to be more radical. At least, what Ayin can’t do, he can do, and what Ayin can do well, he can do better!”

At this point, his mood improved for some reason. He put more force on the arm around the woman’s slender waist, leaned close to the woman’s ear, and smiled: “The only thing that is certain is that Zhong Yin can have such an idea because of my dear Yin’er. It’s a pity that no matter how much he does or how cruel he does, he can’t take you away from me!”

The woman seemed to be touched and snuggled deeper into his arms, but no longer spoke.

He hesitated for a moment, then whispered, “Perhaps you can talk it out with him…”

The woman interrupted him, “Since Senior Brother has already made his promise, it won’t change!”

“He’s always treated you differently.”

This was the truth in his heart, but it shouldn’t have been said out loud now. He regretted it the moment it left his mouth, yet the burning fire within him gave him a strange kind of pleasure.

He knew his own state of mind. If he could, he wanted to declare it loud and clear: Yes, no matter how much Zhong Yin loves you and cares for you, he can only watch you moan beneath my crotch… What else could he do?

He eventually controlled his impulse, but the woman’s mood was still affected. She pulled herself out of his arms and looked down at the drawing paper on the table. Finally, she picked up a pen and wrote the words “Trapped Dragon Lock” in the corner of the paper. Then, moving the pen, she drew a startling black cross across the dense, orderly lines.

“Why destroy it? What a pity.”

The woman said nothing. A flick of her hand, her true energy seeping through, instantly dissipated the paper into ash, which flew out the window. Then

, she turned back and smiled, “I told you, I drew this for you. Now that you’ve seen it, what’s the point of keeping it?” After a pause, the woman added, “If you truly cared about me, you would remember this forbidden pattern!”

He was stunned.

At that moment, he suddenly realized that the woman’s smile before him was strangely unfamiliar.

And this strange feeling spread, from her features to her features, her aura, everything…

Yes, he had never seen such a docile, docile Yin’er. He had only seen the arrogant, hypocritical, and cold Qing Yin!

Li Xun shuddered, waking from this long dream.

He seemed to have fallen into Yu Sanren’s trap once again. He listened to those incomprehensible words, yet he knew the hidden meaning clearly.

It didn’t seem like something Yu San Ren had instilled into him. Rather, it seemed to have risen from the depths of his heart, filling it in its proper place.

Yes, he knew what the adulterous couple was talking about, exactly, clearly!

At this moment, Yu San Ren’s low chuckle rang out.

“Yes, you’re a little more receptive than I thought. Now, do you understand the origins of the Dragon-Trapping Lock?”

Li Xun didn’t want to think about it, but the answer was etched in his mind: The Dragon-Trapping Lock was created by Qing Yin two hundred years ago, or more precisely, four months before the arrival of the Forty-Nine Tribulations.

That day was Yu San Ren’s last tryst with her.

Even before that, events had already deviated from common sense and entered a state of absurdity.

That day had been over four hundred years since Yu San Ren’s two consecutive failed attempts at “Xuanying Tribulations.”

The first time, Gu Yin, having conceived, resolved to overcome all odds and used the fetus, nurtured by Yu San Ren using the “Blood Fusion Technique,” to create a fetal cauldron for cultivating the magical art of creation.

The second time, just as Yu Sanren and Yu Shi’s flesh and blood were born, Yin Sanren burst into Yemotian and forcibly seized them.

Yu Sanren knew full well that if the first time had been a struggle between the sect and his own self, turning a blind eye, then the second time, without Gu Yin’s covert cooperation, even with Yin Zhonghua’s abilities, it would have been impossible to accomplish things so smoothly.

Fast forward to the present time, and Gu Yin ascended Zuwang Peak alone, conversing with Zhong Yin for three months, discussing the world’s affairs. Thus, he merged his magical skills with the Miaohua Sect’s methods, advancing by leaps and bounds, reaching the realm of Chi Zi Zhen Yi and becoming one of the world’s most powerful masters.

Meanwhile, Yu Sanren could only assert his psychological superiority over Zhong Yin in the shadows, using Qing Yin as his sole channel. From that moment on, Gu Yin began to establish connections within the Tongxuan Realm, making connections and colluding with the world.

In terms of cultivation, Yu Sanren could only maintain a slight advantage over Gu Yin, but overall, he could hardly suppress Gu Yin’s ambitions. The hatred between the two deepened as their opposing ideologies clashed.

Fast forward fourteen years, to the most humiliating day in Tianzhi’s life. That incident was Yu Sanren’s last attempt to reconcile with Gu Yin.

He allowed Gu Yin to manipulate him, subduing Tianzhi. Then, feigning magnanimity, he took on Tianzhi’s resentment, implying that he had seen through Gu Yin’s schemes. However, all this only superficially eased the situation, and Gu Yin’s resolve remained unwavering.

From that moment on, Yu Sanren’s influence in Yama Heaven was completely at a disadvantage.

Li Xun felt utterly exhausted. He already knew most of this, but a small, more crucial piece of information had only just emerged, tying together his previously fragmented assumptions like a thread.

He felt no sense of sudden enlightenment; instead, the inexplicable oppression within him grew heavier. As the outer layers of confusion peeled away, the truth became clearer, and he absolutely disliked it!

Unfortunately, events unfolded against his will, or rather, he could no longer control the situation.

Countless fragments of events surged, yet, under some force, they formed a coherent, orderly whole.

He was forced to know the information.

That day was still the limit. Two days before that day, Gu Yin had once again ascended to Zuowang Peak, seeking Zhong Yin’s support. Although Zhong Yin politely declined his direct request, Gu Yin still secured considerable promises, including one that would determine Yu San Ren’s life or death.

Yu San Ren’s fate was already sealed.

Because of this, Yu Sanren, upon receiving the news from Qingyin, immediately rushed to Zuowang Peak overnight, begging Qingyin for help. Qingyin’s reply from Zhongyin was, “I’ll give him a chance to cleanse himself and start over!”

This meant that Yu Sanren would be allowed to reincarnate and cultivate anew, but before doing so, his primordial spirit would be shattered—a fate only slightly less bleak than the annihilation of both body and soul.

How was this any different from killing him?

It was at this time that Qingyin drew the “Dragon-Trapping Lock” and, in that manner, passed it to Yu Sanren.

“Everyone says that Guiguai Yin’er is incapable of anything, but I’m just a vassal of Zhong Yin. Who knew that she was not only a master of cultivation, but also a top-tier expert in forbidden techniques? This thing reminded me of the Dragon-Trapping Lock, a small restriction suitable only for placement within the Sea of Consciousness and the Niwan Palace. Qing Yin wouldn’t bring it up for no reason.”

Yu Sanren seemed no longer satisfied with his previous, cryptic communication methods. His voice seemed omnipresent, as if its source was directly within Li Xun’s mind.

“That method is brilliant! Aside from the excessive drain on the vitality of the mirror clone, there’s no flaw. So…”

Yu Sanren began collaborating with Gu Yin to plot against Yao Feng and Qing Luan. The two demons, desperate and drawn by Gu Yin’s promise, settled in Yama Heaven, enduring humiliation and waiting for Yu Sanren to unleash his secret technique to eliminate the threat of the Forty-Nine Tribulations for Yao Feng and her child.

Unexpectedly, on their first day, they were smitten.

Yu Sanren injected his own fragmented primordial spirit into the newly formed fetus. The implantation of the Soul-Confusing Song was a minor detail. Because the fetus’s intelligence was still immature, his fragmented primordial spirit—the one before him—easily hid deep within the Niwan Palace, entwined with the fetus’s burgeoning consciousness, concealing it from Yao Feng and the others for the next two hundred years.

This is truly…

Li Xun suddenly felt a sense of emotion. During that time, Yu Sanren’s fate was in the hands of Zhong Yin, Gu Yin, and even Qing Yin. The only one lacking control was Yu Sanren.

This was so similar to his past!

However, he had long since had enough of this life. Now, no one could control him, and he would never give anyone the chance!

The dawn of his feelings was like the first burst of spring thunder, shaking the heart. His unwavering will manifested through his spiritual consciousness, unleashing an unprecedented storm within the boundless sea of consciousness. In an instant, the entire world seemed to turn upside down!

Jade Wanderer seemed to be sending another message, but it was quickly dispelled by the howling storm.

The storm’s impact didn’t stop there. Li Xun clearly felt the “Dragon Chain” that bound his spirit loosen slightly.

Li Xun hadn’t anticipated the consequences of externalizing his will, but he wouldn’t waste the opportunity. He immediately mobilized his spirit with all his might, even at the risk of self-inflicted injury, to sever the path of his spiritual projection, completely isolating himself from the Jade Wanderer’s spirit.

Lin Wuyou’s sea of consciousness was instantly cut off, and Li Xun’s entire body shook. His spirit, trapped by the Dragon Chain, reunited with his physical energy, blending seamlessly.

However, the shock to his spirit couldn’t be easily dissipated, affecting the flow of his vital energy. This immediately damaged his internal organs, causing him to choke on a mouthful of blood.

He opened his eyes sharply, taking in the entire outside world. Both Shui Dielan and Yin Wanderer stared at him with astonishment. He gave a wry smile and was about to speak when something felt wrong. The vibrations of his throat and the opening and closing of his lips, things that usually seemed so natural, suddenly became difficult.

He felt as if he had been thrown into the depths of the ocean. Under immense pressure, every movement required a hundred times more effort than usual. After a sudden jolt, the murky water obscured everything, and his ears, eyes, mouth, nose, and tongue all lost their function…

With a loud bang, he was back in the vast, chaotic sea of consciousness.

However, this time, it was his own.

Jade Wanderer’s spirit, which had previously dissipated into mist, now coalesced into a single entity, hovering in the void with a smile, still finding the leisure to answer his questions: “You and I are one, and this body is the perfect match for us. After our encounter within the little girl’s sea of consciousness, our spiritual consciousnesses have connected, and we’ve long been inseparable. Wherever you go, I will naturally follow.”

Needless to say, the renewed storm within his sea of consciousness revealed Li Xun’s deepest rejection of this notion of “oneness.” Yet, here, Jade Wanderer’s magical powers had increased, and the storm sweeping through his sea of consciousness couldn’t even shake him.

“I’ve been waiting for so long…” Yu Sanren said with a smile, “Please let me end this long day.”

With that, a chant erupted, and thunder and wind roared within Li Xun’s sea of consciousness. Yu Sanren’s soul once again vanished into thin air, but the muffled thundering sound swept across his sea of consciousness, reaching its highest point, its surging shockwaves reaching every corner. This violent oscillation, almost irresistible, once again severed the connection between Li Xun’s soul and his vital energy.

In reality, Li Xun’s six senses were now isolated, so the sound wouldn’t have reached him. The thundering sound was actually Yu Sanren’s divine power seeping in, contaminating his soul and obscuring his true nature, a prelude to a possession attempt.

Li Xun, startled but unperturbed, chanted the same incantation, and within his shaky sea of consciousness, over a dozen pale golden talismans ignited. He employed a somewhat unfamiliar Xuanmen meditation technique to temporarily control the tremors of his soul.

Li Xun struggled to think for a moment. How could his own sea of consciousness be completely suppressed by the rootless Jade Wanderer’s primordial spirit? He could only focus his mind and concentrate on the Niwan Palace! While cultivators saw a distinction between the sea of consciousness and the Niwan Palace, in practice, the distinction wasn’t clearly defined. It was simply that the two different systems of Buddhist and Xuan cultivation yielded different results.

Every cultivator had their own understanding of this, whether right or wrong. Li Xun, who practiced multiple techniques, naturally had his own perspective.

In his view, the “sea of consciousness” in Buddhism was a manifestation of the primordial spirit, unconnected to the physical body. The Niwan Palace, on the other hand, was the primordial spirit’s abode, connected to the physical body and linked to its qi.

Li Xun’s spiritual cultivation used the Niwan Palace as the foundation for the primordial spirit’s storage, and the sea of consciousness as the gateway to its manifestation. If the sea of consciousness were a sea, the primordial spirit would be its source, and the Niwan Palace would be the eye of the sea, where the water was stored.

Thus, trapped in the Niwan Palace, Li Xun seemed at a disadvantage. However, as long as the “Sea Eye” remained open, fresh water would flow.

This move indeed had some effect, and Yu Sanren’s thunderous incantation suddenly weakened considerably. At this moment, his spirit leaped, and he felt a stream of clear water flowing in. A subtle coolness circulated around the Niwan Palace, cleansing his mind and refreshing his spirits.

He immediately knew that it was his guardians, Shui Dielan and Yin Sanren, who had sensed something was amiss and were coming to his aid.

This was Li Xun’s greatest support. With the aid of two masters, he doubted Yu Sanren could pull off any more tricks!

He concentrated his mind, not rushing to use his strength to drive Yu Sanren’s spirit away. Instead, he adhered to the principle of emptiness and tranquility, guarding the key points and using the natural process of transformation to repel external evil, ensuring that Yu Sanren had no opportunity to exploit.

His thinking was entirely correct. Jade Wanderer’s incantations gradually lost their hold, and with his mind clear, he could even vaguely sense the location of Jade Wanderer’s spirit.

At this moment, Shui Dielan unleashed her new power. Her “Dream-Transforming Butterfly” technique, designed to attack the mind and the spirit, was perfectly suited for this purpose. As her power penetrated Li Xun’s body, a faint wisp of smoke and a strange fragrance suddenly filled his Niwan Palace.

Shui Dielan’s illusions were particularly adept at using telepathy to penetrate the mind’s defenses. By the time the recipient realized something was amiss, the magic had already seeped in, unnoticed. Li Xun, in tune with her, remained unfazed, while Yu Wanderer suffered the effects of the psychedelic power.

Li Xun had no idea what damage had been done to Jade Wanderer’s spirit, but the instant the pressure receded, like a tide, was good news.

“Amazing!”

Li Xun couldn’t help but admire Shui Die Lan’s mastery of illusion. However, just as he began to think, Yu San Ren’s consciousness somehow penetrated through, transforming into a cold laugh: “Recite the ritual prayer, sever the illusions, and go!”

Accompanied by this incantation, a cool air suddenly rose from Li Xun’s heart, passing through the gates and acupoints, reaching the top of his head. Caught off guard, Shui Die Lan’s magical power was completely swept away. The remaining force shone brightly between the acupoints in Li Xun’s skull.

This light was righteous, not evil, bright but not dazzling. It was the most refined Xuanmen pure light. Yu San Ren, through some unknown method, was able to command this radiance with ease.

He enveloped his soul in the clear light, and with a flash, like a breeze in the forest, silently seeping in. Li Xun’s soul suddenly leaped, as if unable to defend the Niwan Palace. The key spiritual orifice was unstable, and the energy throughout his body was instantly in chaos.

“Damn Jade Repellent!”

Li Xun already knew where the trouble was. He wasn’t surprised, only amused. Could the Jade Repellent dispel illusions? For all these years, he’d never known this!

He was even more curious about how many other tricks Qingyin had used on Yu Sanren to ensure his return.

Without a firm Niwan Palace, the intrusion of Yu Sanren’s spiritual consciousness could no longer be contained. These strands of consciousness seeped in, manifesting as resounding clamors, shaking Li Xun’s soul and making it impossible for him to control his mind.

Furthermore, Yu Sanren became more interested in conversation: “A vessel must be aware of its own limitations. You are the incarnation of my spirit, born to serve me. With the Dragon-Binding Lock to strengthen my foundation and the Jade Repellent to purify my energy, I can say victory is assured. You, however, have no chance. What’s the point of your desperate struggle?”

Although Li Xun already understood the key points, the gloom and oppression he felt when he spoke out was beyond words. He forced himself to adapt to the feeling, sneering through gritted teeth.

“Chance? What chance do you have? This immortal body is the product of my own cultivation. Every bit of essence, blood, and vital energy within it bears my imprint, flowing and transforming according to my will. The three treasures of essence, energy, and spirit are seamlessly integrated, leaving not a single gap. How can a remnant of you, relying on a Dragon Binding Chain, attempt to seize another’s body? Isn’t that ridiculous?”

“You said you cultivated this body yourself?” Yu Sanren scoffed. “Then how did you acquire this Yuantai Dao body? This body is nourished by my Yuanshen, manifested by my essence and blood. It has been imbued with innate pure energy since birth, which is what allows you to refine your Taoism and improve your spirit.

“In the final analysis, your acquired cultivation is merely icing on the cake. Unless you can completely shed those innate imprints, this body will still be the perfect match for me! Besides… when did I ever mention possession?”

Jade Wanderer’s consciousness grew increasingly erratic, but Li Xun could sense its pervasive penetration, permeating his entire body. He had to admit, he couldn’t find a way to resist it anytime soon.

Across from him, Jade Wanderer maintained his haughty demeanor: “You fool! Don’t you realize that possession is just a third-rate trick, a resurrection trick, completely different from my supreme secret method for transcending tribulations? Furthermore, there’s a key point here that you still haven’t grasped!”

What key point?

Li Xun knew Jade Wanderer was attacking his defenses with words, but at a moment like this, even the slightest confusion would ripple into an unstable, vulnerable zone, leaving him trembling with uncertainty.

“You said your essence, energy, and spirit were seamlessly integrated. Then, I should be helpless now, with the only option left to confront your spirit head-on. Unlike now, where I’ve trapped you in the Niwan Palace, severing the source of your essence and energy, leaving you vulnerable and vulnerable, ready to die? In my eyes, you’re nothing but cracks and flaws. Hey, do you still remember the power of the Zuowang Stone?”

“Zuowang Stone!”

Li Xun couldn’t contain his trembling this time. His thoughts raced back, retreating uncontrollably to faded memories.

He remembered the moment the Zuowang Stone shone brightly in Qingyin’s hand, the bone-chilling cold that penetrated his skull, and the vague, empty fragments of memory that followed.

Thinking about it now, each of these things confirmed Yu Sanren’s words, but what had happened?

Outside the defense line, Yu Sanren easily passed the information in without any effort: “It can be seen that you should not have progressed to the stage of manifesting your primordial spirit at that time! Your conscious mind was not calm at that time, and your primordial spirit was not out. The strange power of the Zuowang Stone can indeed make a person forget the three lives and it is extremely beneficial for comprehending the great way. But after all, it overturns the sea of consciousness, stirs the conscious mind and shocks the primordial spirit, which will definitely leave traces on your primordial spirit.

“No matter what realm you cultivate to in the future, that trace will be timeless and cannot be concealed. For me, that is…”

Before Yu Sanren finished speaking, Li Xun sneered: “You can even count that I took a Zuowang Stone up the mountain?”

“Go up the mountain?”

Yu Sanren was also stunned. Obviously, Li Xun’s experience was somewhat different from what he thought.

But at this time, Li Xun also reacted: Yes, there is a Zuwang Stone, in the drawer of Qingyin’s hut. He had seen Sister Qi Bi use it to illuminate, and a few days ago he even saw it shattered into pieces…

It turned out that it was also prepared for him! Thinking of the shattered stone, Li Xun couldn’t help but smile bitterly

: It turns out that I really helped them save some money!