Immortal Qi drifted over the island at the center of the Vermilion Bird Great Lake.
The young man carried a food box as he walked slowly through the island's mountain forest. At last, he arrived before a pool at the island's center.
A White-Clad Youth was sitting cross-legged on a rock at the edge of the pool, meditating.
Puxian looked at the youth, lowered his head slightly, and called softly, "Master, I brought you breakfast."
The White-Clad Youth took small bites of the pastries in the food box. He ate very slowly, chewing each bite thirty times.
"...That's how everything happened." Puxian slowly exhaled. "The incident at the Cage base was entirely due to my negligence in supervision. I'm willing to take full responsibility."
The youth said, "From the first Experimental Subject's escape, I sent my Dharma Body down the mountain. Today happens to be the sixth day... You're saying Xiao Yan has only one day left?"
Puxian nodded. "It seems so."
The youth mused, "There was once a saying about the First Seven Days. It said that after a person died, their soul would return on the seventh day. The seventh night was also called the Night of Returning Souls. Yet he truly died only on the seventh day."
Puxian froze for a moment and said in astonishment, "You mean that what I saw wasn't Xiao Yan's true resurrection... He actually died six days ago?"
The White-Clad Youth shook his head. "Xiao Yan's matter ends here. However, the Cage base must not be abandoned. Leave the rebuilding to you."
Puxian nodded. He had already anticipated this outcome, so he wasn't surprised. "Then, regarding the Nether Great Holy Land, which was involved in this incident... Oh, right. I executed the two wandering deities on the spot, but they were