"However..."
Wuhun spoke, but his face showed his misgivings.
"What is it, Fellow Daoist? Is there some difficulty?" Situ Yuelan asked, tightening her grip on the Bronze Mirror, afraid Wuhun might suddenly go back on his word.
Wuhun said, "Take a look at the Profound Yin Cold Stone first. I don't know what's going on, but it's difficult to move. If you have a way to do it, that would be best!"
"I'm worried you won't be able to take it either, and I won't get to trade it for a treasure!"
Only then did Situ Yuelan calmly lower the Bronze Mirror. "Let's take a look first, then."
"Please, follow me!"
With that, Wuhun let out a series of harsh cries. The Soul Hooking Wind whipping wildly over the mountain slowly died down.
Wuhun turned into a gust of Yin Wind and drifted ahead at an unhurried pace.
Chen Ming and Situ Yuelan followed close behind. Before long, they reached the entrance to Soul Hook Cave in the mountain.
The entrance to Soul Hook Cave was a cluster of oddly shaped rocks.
The Yin Wind Wuhun had become circled above the rocks a few times, then a doorway opened. He slipped inside.
Chen Ming and Situ Yuelan exchanged a glance, then entered through the doorway as well.
Inside Soul Hook Cave, it looked much like the outside. Strange rocks were everywhere.
Holes riddled the rocks of all sizes. When the Yin Wind blew through them, they gave off peculiar sounds that hooked the soul and seized the spirit.
"No wonder it's called Soul Hook Cave. It's a naturally formed maze that bewitched the mind. If you're not careful, those sounds will hook your soul away!" Chen Ming exclaimed.
Hearing Chen Ming's praise, Wuhun still feared his Demon Water Thunder and didn't dare get cocky. "It may be a little strange, but it's useless against Contemplation Realm cultivators who have cultivated a Divine Soul!"
"At most, it makes people feel uncomfortable when they hear it. There's no way it could actually hook out someone's Divine Soul!"
Chen Ming smiled. "If it could hook out the Divine Souls of Contemplation Realm cultivators, how could Soul Hook Cave have fallen to Fellow Daoist Wuhun? It would've changed hands long ago!"
Wuhun gave a dry laugh. "Fellow Daoists, the spot where the Yin Qi gathers up ahead is where the Profound Yin Cold Stone is."
The two followed the direction Wuhun indicated. Sure enough, a stone radiating Yin Cold Qi sat there.
"Fellow Daoist Xuan Mingzi, please stand guard for me!"
After speaking, Situ Yuelan brought out the Bronze Mirror in her hand and flew toward the stone.
Chen Ming could see how important the Profound Yin Cold Stone was to her. He swept his branch across, blocking Wuhun. "Fellow Daoist Wuhun, the scenery in your Soul Hook Cave is quite unusual. Why don't you tell me more about it?"
Wuhun sensed that Situ Yuelan's aura was deep and powerful, while Chen Ming—who had cultivated Yin Lightning—was blocking his way.
These two are powerful. That business about trading a treasure for the Profound Yin Cold Stone was probably just sweet talk to string me along!
Forget it, forget it. I've already died once. It took everything I had to become a Ghost Cultivator and reach the Contemplation Realm. All I can do is stay alive, keeping my head down. If that lightning kills me again, I won't get another chance to live!
I'd better send these two Plague Gods on their way quickly, refine more Soul Hooking Wind, and cover the mountain with it. Whatever happens after that has nothing to do with me. I'm never leaving the cave again!
As Wuhun thought this, he smiled bitterly and made small talk with Chen Ming.
Meanwhile, Situ Yuelan flew to the Profound Yin Cold Stone.
She carefully sensed its aura, and excitement surged through her heart.
Just as she'd thought, this Profound Yin Cold Stone was the Spiritual Item that had become her body—and it was formed from a part of her Supernatural Ability's Dharma Body.
Back then, Situ Yuelan had relied on a Spirit Condensation Realm Supernatural Ability called Profound Yin Cold Sky Light, which had gained sentience.
She had also used the Profound Yin Cold Stone to suppress the Profound Yin Cold Sky Light, transforming it into the image of the Profound Yin Cold Maiden. That was how she had reached the Spirit Condensation Realm.
The Profound Yin Cold Maiden was the manifestation of her Spirit Condensation Realm Supernatural Ability, much like the Colorful Feather Luan Bird of the Colorful Garment Fairy.
This Profound Yin Cold Stone was one of the Profound Yin Cold Maiden's cores.
Wuhun hadn't been able to move it because Situ Yuelan had refined the Profound Yin Cold Stone before, inscribing it with numerous Secret Methods and incantations.
To move it, one had to use the corresponding Magic Art and incantation, or forcibly transport and refine it with magic power far beyond that of the Spirit Condensation Realm.
But cultivators far beyond the Spirit Condensation Realm wouldn't be interested in a Profound Yin Cold Stone that had already been refined.
Magic power surged through Situ Yuelan as she formed hand seals and chanted an incantation.
The Profound Yin Cold Stone released pure Yin Cold Qi and began to tremble in response to Situ Yuelan's movements.
Rumble!
The Profound Yin Cold Stone tore free from the ground and softened, stretching like dough until it became a thin layer of skin that settled over Situ Yuelan.
At once, Situ Yuelan's aura grew denser, radiating a sense of pressure.
The Bronze Mirror in her hand shimmered as a vast amount of Yin Cold Qi poured from it and seeped into the skin formed from the Profound Yin Cold Stone.
This continued for a full seven days.
The skin slowly took on Situ Yuelan's appearance, and the Bronze Mirror stopped releasing Yin Cold Qi.
Situ Yuelan drew in her aura, took the Bronze Mirror, and went to Chen Ming.
"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist, on breaking free from the Bronze Mirror!" Chen Ming said, sensing her aura.
Before, Situ Yuelan had resided inside the Bronze Mirror, without a physical form.
Now that she had obtained the Profound Yin Cold Stone, she had regained the body of the Profound Yin Cold Maiden and no longer needed to rely on the Bronze Mirror to exist. She was finally free of her confinement.
From now on, the Bronze Mirror in her hands was simply a Magic Tool.
However, the Profound Yin Cold Stone Situ Yuelan had obtained was incomplete. It had only restored the outer skin of her body; the inside was still filled with Yin Cold Qi. To fully recover, she would have to find the other pieces of Profound Yin Cold Stone.
Even so, Situ Yuelan had already regained a great deal of her strength.
The Profound Yin Cold Maiden was a body of Supernatural Ability. The wonders she could unleash were on a completely different level from before.
"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist! I had a feeling from the start that you were the one destined to find the Profound Yin Cold Stone. I was right—the stone ended up in your hands!"
"No matter how I tried to refine it before, I couldn't move it. The moment you arrived, Fellow Daoist, it could be moved and refined!"
Wuhun chimed in with his flattery. Though he had been far away, he had watched Situ Yuelan refine the Profound Yin Cold Stone with his own eyes.
He had already guessed that Situ Yuelan was the one who had fought against the Buddha Light that day.
She was a Great Cultivator of the Spirit Condensation Realm! Wuhun didn't dare bring up the treasure anymore.
Instead, Situ Yuelan took the initiative. "I said earlier that I would trade a treasure with you for the Profound Yin Cold Stone. Is there any treasure you want?"
Wuhun was startled. He hadn't expected Situ Yuelan to ask him outright, and for a moment, he didn't dare answer.
Chen Ming smiled. "There's no rush. Fellow Daoist Wuhun can decide what treasure he wants, then tell Fellow Daoist Situ."
"Right, right. I haven't decided yet. I'll ask you for it once I've thought it through!" Wuhun hurriedly replied.
By now, Wuhun understood. A treasure was just a thing. Though rare, once he took it, he and Situ Yuelan would be even.
What was one treasure compared to a favor from a Spirit Condensation Realm Great Cultivator?
A Great Cultivator of the Spirit Condensation Realm could do so much!
Before you continue