Chen Lin did not care whether he was a "true" life-form.
At least, not for now.
If he could not resolve crises such as the ascension trial, even the highest level of existence would be useless.
Besides, since he began cultivating, he had encountered so-called limitations on his level of existence several times. He knew such limits were not absolute. Wherever rules existed, something capable of breaking them existed too.
He simply had not encountered it yet.
However.
He could not afford to disregard the method of wielding forbidden power.
It was the fastest way to improve his strength, bar none. Everything else was too slow; distant water could not quench his immediate thirst.
Especially after experiencing her "Lotus Leaf" just now, he had gained a visceral understanding of how powerful this energy was. That feeling of doing whatever he pleased was utterly intoxicating.
If he could master it.
Not only would he have some means of dealing with the Lake-Fishing Old Man, his chances of surviving the ascension trial would also increase greatly. Whatever the cost, he had to do his utmost to master it.
"It's not as though there's no way at all."
After a moment's thought, Xiao He gave an answer that delighted Chen Lin.
Then she mused, "As a soul smuggler, the forbidden power you possess comes from your soul, so your only option is to find a way to change your soul."
"Nothing else seems to work. At least, I don't know of anything."
Chen Lin's heart stirred at her words.
"Do you mean soul dissolution could let me master this energy?"
"Possibly."
Xiao He nodded slightly.
"But soul dissolution is very dangerous. What it removes is the seal on your own soul origin essence. This seal is innate and exists in every life-form. No