Chapter 20 Part 2

The ancestors had left the best technique; how descendants used it was their business, not the ancestors’.

Now, Xie Linlang planned to directly absorb the pure demonic qi overflowing in the air, circulate the Treasure Tree Scripture, and use the crane bone within the Nine Revolutions Return to Truth Pill as the foundation to reconstruct his true body!

In an instant, the Yellow Jade Gourd containing the Nine Revolutions Return to Truth Pill exploded. The crystalline pill gradually expanded, like an egg in gestation, madly absorbing the surrounding energies.

Though Xie Linlang primarily absorbed demonic qi, with demonic qi and spiritual energy intertwined around him, he inevitably took in some spiritual energy as well.

Fortunately, the Nine Revolutions Return to Truth Pill’s main ingredient was the bone of a Tribulation Transcendence Realm crane demon. The demon race could accommodate both spiritual and demonic qi, though to wield them freely, they had to convert them into bloodline demon power.

Of course, Xie Linlang had no time for such concerns now. As he frantically absorbed the surrounding forces, the black-and-white liquid fish were drawn in, swarming into his divine soul like swallows returning to the forest.

Xie Linlang felt his divine soul like materials in a pill furnace, scorched by blazing flames.

Resurrecting the dead, recasting a remnant soul—this was defying the heavens, naturally inviting tribulations and trials.

But for those waiting for him, for the truth, for fulfillment of his wishes.

He would live—no, he would succeed!

Clutching a belief as unyielding as bedrock, Xie Linlang fell into a semi-comatose state.

The Nine Revolutions Return to Truth Pill slowly expanded. Gradually, a faint, almost imperceptible heartbeat suddenly emerged, like that of a truly living egg.

The egg shimmered with black and white—mostly black, scant white—semi-transparent, flying straight ahead, drawn by an unknown force, like a weary bird returning to its millennium-abandoned nest, a wandering soul coming home.

Then, with a fierce leap, it vanished into the air.

…

The moment the egg’s heartbeat sounded, Shen He abruptly turned back, gazing toward the Eastern Ruins of the Secret Realm.

He subconsciously touched his chest, faintly sensing a pull.

…Perhaps Shizun had begun his resurrection?

Shen He mused randomly. He shared deep karma with the Shizun in the jade pendant; his resurrection affecting Shen He would explain the sensation.

But Shen He quickly reined in his thoughts.

With the ruins filled with restrictions and formations, after sending Xie Linlang off, Shen He had retreated some distance. No longer fixated on going deeper, he slowly searched within a limited range for possible materials and supplies.

During this, he did find some discarded jade slips, but time had eroded their stored spiritual energy, wiping the information. He could only reforge them later to sell as blank jade slips.

He also found cages for rearing demon beasts, spiritual fields, and expired pill bottles.

Wherever Shen He could reach, most other cultivators could too. The obvious items had long been looted; what remained was useless.

Shen He didn’t force himself to find anything specific. He treated it as broadening his horizons, seeing what lingered in a ruined sect.

At that moment, a fiery aura suddenly permeated the air.

Shen He paused, instinctively leaving the half-roofless room and looking toward the source of the flame aura.

Not just him—other cultivators noticed the anomaly too, flying up to observe from afar.

Ahead lay a square open ground like a beast-fighting arena, surrounded by formations etched with golden and black patterns. Currently, two people were trapped within the formation, facing a massive beast wreathed in flames.

Shen He drew a sharp breath. He couldn’t discern the Flame Giant Beast’s cultivation, but he recognized the two trapped in the formation.

It was Senior Sister Le Qingping and the fair-lipped, white-toothed youth by her side.

Shen He quickly scanned the surroundings. Numerous cultivators were slowly approaching the square. He faintly heard discussions.

“What is that giant beast?”

“Doesn’t seem alive—maybe some kind of spiritual entity?”

“Or the remnant soul of a demon beast that died in the arena last?”

“How was it triggered? Others explored the arena before without summoning the Flame Giant Beast.”

“Who’s that female cultivator? Anyone know her?”

“…”

Shen He looked closely and indeed spotted the clues: the Flame Giant Beast cast no shadow. It was truly just a remnant soul, or perhaps an old lingering shadow in the arena’s airspace.

Le Qingping’s face paled, seemingly at a loss. She produced a pink embroidered fan, erecting two barriers before her, then turned her beautiful eyes to the twelve- or thirteen-year-old youth beside her.

Unexpectedly, the youth seemed even more terrified. He shrank back, looking pitifully at Le Qingping. “Big Sister, what do we do?”

He retreated. “Are we going to die together?”

Le Qingping also fell back, slightly lowering her head. She closed her eyes, shedding a few tears. “Sister doesn’t know either.”

The surrounding cultivators sighed at the sight, lamenting these two inept weaklings had stumbled into misfortune. Only Shen He shuddered, revering the two performative seniors as he slowly backed away.

Once out of the crowd, he immediately activated the sect’s basic Night Sea Birthing Light Illusion Technique, slipped away like oil on his soles, and fled.