Plotting for an Immortal Husk, Achieving a Wondrous Fruit

Chen Lingxi's heart tightened suddenly, but he remained expressionless. He lowered his eyes, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly asked, "Emperor Daye, what if I were willing?"

The two golden flames in Emperor Daye's eyes slowly swirled, and after a few breaths of silence, he finally spoke.

He reached out his hand, and the ancient mirror flew into his palm as if it possessed a spirit.

"If you are willing to enter this mirror with your three souls and seven spirits, I will also enter it with my three souls and seven spirits."

The mirror has two sides, one for yin and one for yang, and can hold two souls simultaneously without interfering with each other.

He held the ancient mirror in his palm, raised his head, and looked out at the surging sea of clouds beyond the crater.

Those eyes, burning with golden flames, reflected the dazzling starry sky above, and also a glimmer of hope that was hard to conceal.

"Once our souls have both entered this mirror, I will throw this Spirit-Placement Treasure Mirror into the Void Turbulence."

Ordinary cultivators, let alone stepping into the Void Turbulence, would be torn to shreds by the terrifying power contained within the turbulence if they even stood on its edge for a moment.

However, this Spirit-Placement Treasure Mirror was originally Cauldron Artifact Fragment, so even in the Void Turbulence, it would not be damaged in the slightest.

"The Cauldron Vessel itself possesses an immortal quality; even fragments cannot be destroyed by the Void Turbulence."

Chen Lingxi listened quietly, the two pale golden lightning bolts in her eyes flickering slightly.

He pondered for a moment, then raised his head, his gaze falling on the dark golden ancient mirror in Emperor Daye's hand. He suddenly asked, "Does Emperor Daye have a method to allow the three souls and seven spirits within that mirror to control this Spirit-Placement Treasure Mirror, and to enable it to discern directions amidst the Void Turbulence?"

Emperor Daye shook his head slightly.

He remained as composed as ever, but Chen Lingxi could see a fleeting hint of helplessness in the faintly flickering golden flame in his eyes.

There is no such method.

Once a soul enters the mirror, it can only exist thereafter, and cannot control the mirror itself.

Once the Spirit-Placement Treasure Mirror enters the Void Turbulence, it can only drift with the current; whether it can find a way out depends entirely on fate.

Chen Lingxi listened, her breath catching slightly.

He remained silent for a few breaths before speaking again, "So, the Emperor Daye intends to abandon his physical body, allowing his three souls and seven spirits to reside in this Cauldron Artifact Fragment, and then let this Cauldron Artifact Fragment drift in the Void Turbulence?"

If the fortuitous opportunity arises, this Spirit-Placement Treasure Mirror may drift to some Cave Heaven paradise or even to the vast Great Xuanzhuo Realm.

"At that time, the soul in the mirror will be able to see the light of day again?"

"That's exactly right." Emperor Daye nodded slightly.

Chen Lingxi's eyes flickered. "The soul within remains... but is it eternal?"

He hit the nail on the head, asking the crucial question.

Emperor Daye slowly shook his head.

Chen Lingxi immediately understood.

This Spirit-Placement Treasure Mirror does indeed hold a glimmer of hope.

However, this glimmer of hope also harbors many unpredictable dangers.

Abandoning their physical bodies, their three souls and seven spirits entered the mirror, drifting aimlessly in the Void Turbulence.

If luck is on your side, the treasure mirror might drift to a hidden Cave Heaven or the Great Xuanzhuo Realm, where it might be picked up by someone with weak cultivation. Once the mirror is opened and the soul within is released, the Emperor Daye could seize the opportunity to possess the body and be reborn.

However, if one is unlucky, the precious mirror may drift to a deadly place or be trapped in a crevices of the Void Turbulence. As time passes, although the mirror is immortal, the soul within it cannot withstand such a long period of time.

One day, their three souls and seven spirits will dissipate completely in that endless wait.

There is indeed a glimmer of hope within this Spirit-Placement Treasure Mirror, but it is accompanied by immense danger.

Having figured this out, Chen Lingxi raised her head, looked directly at Emperor Daye, and asked frankly, "If that's the case, why did Emperor Daye reveal the glimmer of hope within this treasure to me?"

"This precious mirror is just the right size to hold two souls and seven spirits, isn't that perfect? I learned this from the illusion of the Great Sage Luo Yuan's Long River..."

Chen Lingxi's gaze fell on Xiao Changlü, who was standing to the side. "Even within this avatar of Emperor Daye, there are three souls and seven spirits."

Emperor Daye remained expressionless, shook his head, and said, "Since both souls and spirits originate from the same source, only one can be accommodated."

"These two souls and seven spirits are both my own Ying Xian."

Just like the three souls and seven spirits created by the Myriad-Nurturing Dao Lotus Qi, although they cultivate and grow independently, they are ultimately a part of myself.

That is why I have granted you the qualification to contain your soul within this Cauldron Vessel.

Chen Lingxi gazed intently at Emperor Daye.

Emperor Daye wanted to place his three souls and seven spirits into the Spirit-Placement Treasure Mirror, so that he could drift in the Void Turbulence with the mirror.

The other three souls and seven spirits remained in this Weiji Grotto-Heaven to see if there was any other chance of survival.

"How is it?" Emperor Daye asked when he saw Chen Lingxi deep in thought.

Chen Lingxi pondered for a moment, then suddenly looked up and asked, "But I wonder why the Sage would bestow such a life force upon me?"

Emperor Daye slowly turned around, his eyes, burning with golden flames, staring directly at Chen Lingxi: "Chen Lingxi, you and I are both native inhabitants of this Weiji Grotto-Heaven."

Once you embark on the path of cultivation, everything from the past becomes commonplace. Kinship and blood ties, past friendships—all vanish like dreams, decaying in an instant.

But you are different... You have also stepped into the Dao Foundation Realm, and are now my fellow Daoist.

If we are fortunate enough to reach the Great Xuanzhuo Realm, we can verify what we have learned and climb to even greater heights together!

That is why I have shared this glimmer of hope within the Spirit-Placement Treasure Mirror with you."

Emperor Daye spoke with extreme candor, his gaze fixed directly on Chen Lingxi.

Chen Lingxi seemed unmoved. He raised his head and looked directly at Emperor Daye: "But I wonder... what price I will have to pay to enter that Spirit-Placement Treasure Mirror?"

Their eyes met.

Emperor Daye smiled slightly, "With such vitality, there is naturally a price to pay."

"The price is..."

If this Spirit-Placement Treasure Mirror can safely drift to other hidden Cave Heaven, and we can both be reborn, then you won't need to pay anything.

But if this Spirit-Placement Treasure Mirror flows through the Void Turbulence and cannot find a way out, my soul will devour yours, allowing my own soul to breathe."

Emperor Daye's tone remained as calm as ever. "If you wish to seize this opportunity, you must sign the Dao Foundation Jade Law Document with me."

He stretched out his hand, and with a flick of his wrist, a Jade Law Document appeared in his palm.

That Jade Law Document was completely different from the Qi-Walking Jade Law Book he had seen before; the ancient and profound Daoist charm contained within it was even more profound and ancient.

Emperor Daye looked calm and composed as he held the Jade Law Document in his hand and gazed at Chen Lingxi.

He was certain that Chen Lingxi would agree.

Because Chen Lingxi, like him, was someone who was struggling in this Weiji Grotto-Heaven.

People like them will not let go of any glimmer of hope.

Chen Lingxi was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly. "Since Emperor Daye has this intention, Chen Lingxi will naturally not refuse. However... I also have a request."

Emperor Daye raised an eyebrow slightly. "Tell me."

"I am ranked eleventh on the Immortal Ranking. Although I have already stepped into the Dao Foundation Realm, my Dao Platform is still in its early stages and my Profound Root is still tender. My soul is far less solid than yours, fellow Daoist."

If I can take advantage of this opportunity of Immortal Husk to improve my cultivation, I hope that my three souls and seven spirits can survive for a longer time in that Spirit-Placement Treasure Mirror... lest my three souls and seven spirits wither and decay along the way!

Fellow Daoist, would you be willing to grant my request?

Emperor Daye lowered his head in thought.

"Now that things have come to this, my three souls and seven spirits have fallen into the Spirit-Placement Treasure Mirror. Apart from the complete Cauldron Vessel the Weaving Delusion Golden Eyes, I can take nothing with me."

"The stronger Chen Lingxi's cultivation, the better it is for me."

"If my three souls and seven spirits were to truly devour Chen Lingxi's three souls and seven spirits at that time, I could obtain even purer and more solidified power."

Thinking of this, he raised his head and said, "It's not impossible, but... Fellow Daoist has many methods, but you still need to sign the Jade Law Document with me in advance."

The matter of Immortal Husk must also be listed in the Jade Law Document.

Chen Lingxi was secretly delighted, but her face remained expressionless.

He lowered his head, pretending to think, while two bolts of lightning slowly flickered in his eyes.

After a long while, he raised his head, a perfectly measured look of hesitation on his face, and slowly said, "Fellow Daoist, I still have a few worldly ties to settle in this Weiji Grotto-Heaven."

Once I've settled those trivial matters, I'll return here to find you and sign the Jade Law Document with you...

After that, I never left this volcano again, cultivating myself through Immortal Husk."

As he finished speaking, his gaze fell back on the Spirit-Placement Treasure Mirror, a glimmer of just the right amount of hope flashing in his eyes.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Daye remained silent for a moment before finally nodding slowly.

"Very well. You may go now. I will wait for you in this Volcano Immortal Pivot."

Just don't forget, time waits for no one.

Chen Lingxi said no more, bowed slightly to Emperor Daye, then turned around. The azure clouds beneath his feet, interspersed with pale golden lightning, silently propelled him into the sky, breaking through the surging smoke and lava, and soaring straight into the heavens.

He soared through the clouds, flying swiftly towards Yuan River Prefecture.

The mountains and rivers rushed past beneath my feet, and the wind howled in my ears.

He sat cross-legged on the cloud, his face calm and revealing no emotion.

As night falls, the majestic outline of Inlaid Gold Mountain comes into view in the distance.

Chen Lingxi descended from the clouds before the Eastern King Palace and stepped into the spacious hall. He sat cross-legged on the sandalwood throne, closed his eyes, and sank a wisp of his Divine Sense into his Divine Chamber.

The Divine Chamber Void, and the thick fog churned as usual.

The golden tadpole-shaped characters suspended high in the Void were slowly flowing, emitting a warm and bright radiance.

One line of text clearly read: [Progress of Total Perception Essence Replenishment: 93%]

"Including the Abyssal Heaven Spirit Sword, I have acquired twelve new Spirit Artifact and treasures."

However, only four of these treasures provided me with a significant amount of progress in replenishing my Total Perception Essence Replenishment.

"That is the ancient pill, the Cloud-Compiled Heavenly Tome, the Tide-Calling Horn, and the Ancient Sword Frost Remnant."

"Even the Abyssal Heaven Spirit Sword didn't provide me with any progress in Essence Replenishment..."

Chen Lingxi's eyes flickered.

"The progress of Total Perception Essence Replenishment has exceeded 90%, and only 7 points remain."

"It seems that these seven parts will have to be made up through cultivation... but in that case, it will take at least several more months of hard work."

Chen Lingxi's mind was racing.

Although a few months is not a long time, every day is precious when the Weiji Grotto-Heaven is on the verge of collapse.

Chen Lingxi raised her head and looked up at the majestic purple qi Immortal Ranking standing in the sky.

On that Immortal Ranking, his name still hung at number eleven, shimmering with purple light.

"With the help of the Immortal Ranking, we can make up for seven-tenths of the progress!"

"Next time Total Perception, I will attempt to Immortal Husk and achieve the Wondrous Fruit. Then I will see if the Luo Yuan River Water Mark the four Immortal Pivot will attract the true form of the Great Sage Luo Yuan!"