Mother-and-Child Sha Destroyed the Flesh, the Nascent Soul's Possession Came to Nothing

----Half a day ago

On the frozen soil of the western foothills of the Mountain North Circuit, the cold wind swirled snowflakes, cutting across people's faces like knives.

The Kui Star Shuttle beneath Kang Dabao's feet had long lost its stability, caught between the fragments like a flickering candle in the wind, drifting dimly towards Joyful Sight Mountain.

Just as he rounded a mountain ridge, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his Dantian.

That was the malfunctioning Spirit Vein caused by the shock of True Person Cloud Trust Mystic Origin True Qi. His spiritual power suddenly became chaotic, and his escape light dissipated with a "poof," causing him to fall straight into the snow.

"Cough," he lay on the snow, unable to get up for a long time, his hands supporting him on the frozen ground, the bloodstains on his palms melting into the snow water, spreading into a small dark red patch.

The wounds on his body were still bleeding, soaking through his Daoist robe. The cold wind made it stiff and painful, and even the slightest movement caused it to ache, as if an ice thorn was stuck in his flesh.

"I haven't been this disheveled in years."

While lamenting the formidable power of Nascent Soul True Person cultivator, Sect Leader Kang Da was also grateful that he still possessed the Azure Smoke of Creation, which could still be used as a means of self-preservation.

"Cough," another gush of black blood surged up from his abdomen, soaking the flower buds beneath him, which had already deepened in color by three-tenths.

Kang Dabao carefully selected several medicinal pills and took them one by one, then activated his Primordial Ancient Body.

This Third-Tier Middle-Grade body-refining method was the greatest contributor to his ability to keep his physical body intact. It is conceivable that if Golden Core cultivator of the same tier were in a different situation, even with top-tier Law Treasure to protect him, he would have already been in grave danger.

The Sect Leader Kang Da was seriously injured, and at this moment, he was not sure if True Person Cloud Trust was not pursuing him from behind, so he dared not send a message to Joyful Sight Mountain.

All along the way, they hoped that Fei Tianqin and Chan Master Huiming, having received the news, could capture and kill True Person Cloud Trust as soon as possible and then come to rescue him.

However, after only a few breaths, and once the healing effect of the Primordial Ancient Body had slightly subsided the Mystic Origin True Qi, Sect Leader Kang Da did not remain in the same spot any longer.

He struggled to lift his head, his small eyes seeing black and white intermittently. He had never experienced anything like this since he attained the Delusion-Breaking Golden Eyes, which made him feel slightly uncomfortable.

Fortunately, his Divine Sense was not damaged, so even if he encountered one or two cultivators or Demon Beast who took advantage of him, he was still able to protect himself.

Kang Dabao maneuvered the Kui Star Shuttle slowly through the valley. The pale blue Spiritual Qi seeping from beneath the frozen soil grew increasingly dense, but gradually revealed a hint of disharmony.

Normally, the Spiritual Qi of the earth's veins should be scattered and flowing, but here the Spiritual Qi is as if it is being pulled by invisible threads, converging towards the depths of the valley along a fixed trajectory. Even the ice crystals that have frozen in the snow have grown into fine spiritual patterns following the trajectory of the Spiritual Qi, which is definitely not a natural formation.

A sudden surge of curiosity stirred within him. He saw that Sect Leader Kang Da was forcefully suppressing the excruciating pain in his Dantian and pushing his Delusion-Breaking Golden Eyes to their limit.

In the golden eyes' vision, a faint Spiritual Qi aura, wrapped in pale blue spiritual energy, extended eastward along the spiritual spring, eventually disappearing beneath the roots of the old pine tree.

The snow on the pine branches also had a strange quality. Despite the biting wind, most of the snow around the pine roots had melted, and on the exposed frozen soil, there were faint traces of ancient spiritual patterns, covered by a thin layer of frost, which could be mistaken for natural cracks if not looked closely.

"It's a hidden array set up by someone." Kang Dabao murmured, a wisp of spiritual light condensing at his fingertip as he probed the withered tree beside him.

The moment the light touched the tree trunk, it was repelled by a gentle spiritual force.

This withered tree had actually been reinforced with magical arts and deliberately left in the valley to conceal its presence.

He became increasingly vigilant, yet also somewhat hesitant: after all, for him now, returning to Joyful Sight Mountain to recover from his injuries was the most important thing.

Even if this place truly is a fortuitous opportunity, there's no need to rush.

The moment this thought crossed his mind, the pain in his Dantian struck again, as if the remaining Xuan Yuan Qi was about to break through the suppression of the Primordial Ancient Body. Kang Dabao gritted his teeth, touched the Kui Star Shuttle with his fingertip, and a pale golden spiritual light enveloped the Spirit Artifact. Just as he was about to turn around and head towards Joyful Sight Mountain, the spiritual spring beneath his feet suddenly rippled.

It wasn't the wind that moved, but rather a gentle Mystic Origin True Qi that welled up from the bottom of the spring, rising along the surface of the water and transforming into a wisp of fine, hair-like azure qi that silently wrapped around his sleeve.

This wisp of Qi was extremely light, yet it carried an irresistible pull, as if an invisible hand was gently drawing him towards the old pine tree.

Kang Dabao's heart tightened, and he hurriedly tried to break free by channeling his spiritual power. However, the pain in his Dantian suddenly intensified, and the remaining Xuan Yuan Qi took the opportunity to cause trouble. Most of the spiritual power he had just gathered dissipated instantly, and the green Qi strands instead seeped into his meridians along his sleeve.

"Who's tampering with it?!" he shouted, his Delusion-Breaking Golden Eyes gleaming again as he stared intently at the spirit spring.

The spiritual light at the bottom of the spring grew brighter, vaguely revealing a blurry figure bound to the stone wall by black iron chains. Although the Mystic Origin True Qi around him was weak, it was pure and orthodox, exactly the same as the aura of True Person Cloud Trust that Sect Leader Kang Da had just experienced.

The azure energy seemed to sense his wariness, suddenly slowing its pull and instead condensing into two dim seal characters in his palm:

"True Person Tiger Spring?" Kang Dabao's pupils contracted slightly. Could this be the place where True Person Cloud Trust imprisoned True Person Tiger Spring?

As Sect Leader Kang Da hesitated, the spiritual patterns beneath the pine roots suddenly lit up. A pale blue spiritual light spread along the patterns, condensing into a half-foot-wide channel on the frozen ground. A faint fluctuation of spiritual energy emanated from the depths of the channel, originating from the same source as the azure energy in his palm.

The pain in his Dantian eased slightly, and the azure qi even took the initiative to send over a wisp of gentle Mystic Origin True Qi to help suppress the restless qi, as if it were a gesture of goodwill.

"Could it be that Senior Tiger Spring is here?!" Kang Dabao asked tentatively, his voice slightly hoarse due to his injuries.

The spiritual energy fluctuations deep within the passage paused for a moment, then a very slight vibration came through, as if in response to him.

After thinking for a while, the Sect Leader Kang Da's eyes showed even more hesitation. "There's no rush. After I return to Joyful Sight Mountain and wait for the Zen Master and the Ancestor to return, I will come to offer my assistance."

Just as Kang Dabao's fingertip light propelled the Kui Star Shuttle half a foot off the ground, the frozen earth beneath his feet suddenly trembled violently.

The spiritual patterns beneath the pine roots suddenly surged, and pale blue spiritual light surged in like a tide, enveloping his entire body. The wisp of Qi wrapped around his sleeve instantly transformed into a tough rope of light, tightly binding his wrist and dragging him toward the passage.

"Not good!" He felt a chill and hurriedly activated his Primordial Ancient Body, causing a faint golden light to emanate from his skin as he tried to break free of the light rope. However, the residual Xuan Yuan Qi in his Dantian suddenly exploded, causing excruciating pain as if cut by a knife, and most of the body-refining spiritual power he had just condensed instantly dissipated.

The light rope tightened in the process, causing his wrist to ache. Even the Kui Star Shuttle was jolted out of his hand by the spiritual light, crashing into the frozen ground with a "clang" and rolling into the snowdrift.

The spiritual runes pulled him stronger and stronger, and Kang Dabao was pulled by the light rope, staggering and falling towards the entrance of the passage.

He reached out to grab the withered tree beside him, but the moment his fingertips touched the trunk, he was repelled by an invisible spiritual force.

The reinforced dead tree was actually part of the traction array, giving him no leverage whatsoever. The ice crystal spirit patterns in the snow also lit up, and countless tiny threads of light emerged from under the snow, wrapping around his ankles like countless cold hands, dragging him into the passage.

Kang Dabao tried to make a sound, but the light rope suddenly exerted force, pulling his feet off the ground and flying straight into the passage.

The spiritual light at the cave entrance was like a monstrous beast that devoured him in an instant.

The cave passage was dimly lit, with only the fluorite embedded in the stone walls emitting a faint bluish light. The light flickered, casting a mottled and distorted glow on the surrounding scenery.

As soon as he entered the passage, a damp, chilly air hit him, mixed with a faint smell of rust and decay, causing Kang Dabao to cough and black blood to spill from the corner of his mouth.

Even worse, the airflow inside the passage was extremely unstable, with sharp, malevolent winds occasionally blowing, carrying chaotic spiritual energy that scraped across his wounds like knives, causing him to tremble in pain.

He struggled to lift his head and saw faint traces of remaining spiritual herbs on the stone walls on both sides of the passage. However, they had long since withered and turned black, with the leaves curled up in a ball, as if they had been eroded by some evil force.

Occasionally, a few spiritual plants that still retained a hint of green were blown about by the fierce wind, their leaves riddled with tiny holes, their Spiritual Qi dissipating to nothing but remnants.

The light cable continued to pull forward, dragging Kang Dabao against the stone wall. The wound on his back scraped against the rough rock, and bloodstains instantly stained the stone wall black.

He gritted his teeth and looked into the depths of the passage, where the spiritual light grew brighter and brighter, but along with the light came a faint, sinister aura.

This aura was quite different from what the cultivators of Joyful Sight Mountain cultivated; it was more like the death energy accumulated deep within the earth's veins, mixed with spiritual energy, exuding an indescribable eeriness.

After being dragged for about several dozen steps, the passage suddenly opened up, and the entire cave scene was finally in full view.

The top was covered with dense stalagmites, dripping not spiritual liquid, but black water carrying a chill, which fell into the stone trough on the ground with a "drip-drip" sound. Although it had a somewhat eerie feel, it seemed to be quite valuable.

However, Sect Leader Kang Da knew the importance of things and would not take action to collect the items at this time.

Upon reaching the center of the cave, three thick black iron chains, each as thick as an arm, hung from the ceiling. The chains were rusty and entangled with dark, Sha Qi, their ends tightly binding the limbs of a middle-aged cultivator.

His gray robe was already soaked in blood, and even the orthodox Xuan Yuan around him was suppressed by the Sha Qi, leaving only a thin layer of spiritual light.

From the cracks in the corner of the cave, a biting wind kept pouring out, carrying stone chips and withered leaves that clattered against the black iron chains, adding to the desolate atmosphere.

The spiritual pool, which should have been nourishing cultivators, was now covered with thick black ice. A faint blue spiritual aura could be seen beneath the ice, but it was frozen solid and could not flow, like a living thing trapped in a cage, only able to futilely emit a weak warmth.

The spirit crystals by the pool had lost their luster, their surfaces covered with cracks, as if they might shatter into powder at any moment.

Kang Dabao was dragged by the light rope all the way to the middle-aged cultivator to complete the transfer before he could barely steady himself.

Just as he was about to speak, he saw the cultivator in front of him suddenly raise his head, his eyes filled with urgency, his lips trembling violently, yet he could hardly utter a sound.

Without much thought, Sect Leader Kang Da immediately realized that the cultivator before him must be True Person Tiger Spring, the Sect Leader of Joyful Sight Mountain. The fact that a dignified Nascent Soul had been reduced to such a pitiful state surprised Kang Dabao.

However, upon further reflection, he realized that even in True Person Tiger Spring's dire situation, he was still able to be enveloped by him, which made him realize even more that the power of the Nascent Soul was incomparable.

Having lured Kang Dabao over through various means, True Person Tiger Spring was clearly exhausted, as the black iron chains creaked as he struggled.

The Sha Qi emanating from the chain surged into his meridians, coursing through his body. In just a few breaths, his face paled even more.

"Senior Tiger Spring."

At this moment, both morally and logically, Sect Leader Kang Da should feel some concern. However, after True Person Tiger Spring had been pondering for a long time, he finally spoke:

"Marquis of Martial Peace?"

It's not surprising that True Person Tiger Spring recognizes Sect Leader Kang Da, after all, the latter was quite a prominent figure among the younger generation a few years ago.

Kang Dabao dared not be negligent and quickly bowed, saying, "This junior pays respects to the True Person."

"Ahem. Inviting Marquis of Martial Peace here in this way is rather abrupt, please forgive me!" True Person Tiger Spring clearly did not have the energy to say anything more, after a brief exchange of pleasantries, he spoke much more directly.

But then, True Person Tiger Spring pointed to a slightly dim red talisman at the top of the cave and said in a deep voice, "The spiritual patterns on this Blood-Dipped Xingtian Treasure Talisman have dissipated. It seems that my junior brother has already been defeated by the Immortal Dynasty's fellow cultivators, otherwise I, a turtle in a jar, wouldn't have been able to make the slightest move."

His self-deprecating tone was undisguised, clearly indicating his sadness over the falling out with his brothers. However, at this moment, he couldn't care less about anything else and simply asked for help:

"I humbly request your assistance, Marquis of Martial Peace."

True Person Tiger Spring spoke, he coughed violently again.

With each cough, his chest heaved violently, and drops of blood from the corner of his mouth fell onto the black iron chain. The Sha Qi wrapped around the chain instantly enveloped the blood, turning it into a wisp of black smoke and dissipating.

Following True Person Tiger Spring's pointing finger towards the top of the cave, Kang Dabao looked in that direction and saw the Blood-Dipped Xingtian Treasure Talisman hanging among the intersecting stalagmites, the talisman covered with twisted spiritual patterns like blood snakes.

At this moment, several fine cracks had appeared on the edge of the Blood-Dipped Xingtian Treasure Talisman, yet black Sha Qi still rose from the patterns, intertwining with the earth vein yin energy surging from the depths of the cave, condensing at the top into a thick fog as dark as ink.

From time to time, a few drops of black water dripped from the thick fog, landing on the rough surface of the stalagmite with a "sizzle" sound, burning out tiny pits, the bottom of which gleamed with a faint, eerie light.

"This Blood-Dipped Xingtian Treasure Talisman is a Fourth-Tier Lower-Grade talisman. My junior brother Cloud Trust used his natal profound essence mixed with the earth's yin energy to refine it, locking away ninety percent of my spiritual power."

True Person Tiger Spring was panting, his voice full of exhaustion, and even the movement of raising his hand was hesitant. "This black iron chain is no ordinary thing. The chain is wrapped with 'Heart-Corroding Sha,' which will drill into my meridians every hour and erode my source."

These past few days, I've been using the remaining ten percent of my spiritual power to gradually wear away the malevolent Sha Qi on the outer layer of the talisman. Now, I've worn away seventy or eighty percent of it, leaving only the core 'Sha Heart Pattern' unbroken.

Kang Dabao narrowed his eyes, Delusion-Breaking Golden Eyes slowly lit up. The Golden Light pierced through the Yin energy permeating the cave and landed directly on the crimson talisman.

Sure enough, a very fine red line was hidden in the center of the talisman, like a bloodline embedded in the talisman paper, surrounded by a last layer of thin but unusually stubborn Sha Qi.

This is the "Sha Heart Pattern," which is also the core of the entire talisman array.

Ordinary spiritual energy, upon contact, would trigger a backlash from the surrounding Yin energy. However, the True Person Tiger Spring's body would inject even more Heart-Corroding Sha into his body at this moment, making it impossible for him to gather spiritual energy.

"Since you led me here, why don't you break the seal yourself?"

Kang Dabao became more wary upon hearing this. After all, the power of True Person Tiger Spring's attack as a Nascent Soul Cultivator was no less than that of Hu Quan Zhenren. If Hu Quan Zhenren could so easily restrain him and prevent him from using his methods, there was no reason why he couldn't break through the last rune.

True Person Tiger Spring shook his head with a wry smile. With a slight exertion of force on his wrist, the black iron chain made a muffled "creaking" sound. The Heart-Corroding Sha on the chain instantly shone with a dark light, spreading from his wrist to his forearm. Visible faint black lines crawled across the cuffs of his gray robe.

"Look, this Heart-Corroding Sha has already seeped deep into my meridians. If I forcefully condense my original spiritual power to break the seal, the Sha Qi will rush into my Dantian along with the spiritual power, causing my spiritual power to become completely disordered."

"Bringing you in here used up all the spiritual energy I've accumulated these past few days. Once that's gone, I can't sustain it any longer. I can only use it for a hundred breaths before I can't continue. If I want to break this Blood-Dipped Xingtian Treasure Talisman, I'll need one or two hours, and I'll need Marquis of Martial Peace's help."

As he spoke, he coughed up another mouthful of blood, this time with a trace of black mist. The blood fell into the cracks in the rocks, instantly causing the few sparsely growing spiritual herbs around him to turn completely black and wither.

Kang Dabao's gaze swept across the cave: stalagmites hung down densely, and the black water dripping from their tips accumulated in the stone troughs on the ground, forming small pools half a foot deep. The surface of the pools shimmered with a sinister light, and even the air seemed to become heavy.

"Then what should this junior do?" Kang Dabao asked, his tone tinged with caution.

Seeing Kang Dabao take a half step back, his eyes filled with barely concealed wariness, True Person Tiger Spring felt a surge of anxiety, but he knew he couldn't force the issue at this moment.

With ninety percent of his spiritual power locked and his bones corroded by Sha Qi, it wouldn't matter whether Kang Dabao lived or died if he really made a move, but he himself would have a hard time escaping.

Originally, it would have been one way to ask the latter to find help, but compared to having True Person from the Duke's mansion or an old bird like Fei Tianqin come in person, it would have been easier to handle a mere early-stage upper cultivator with a deep foundation.

After all, his injuries were quite severe, so he needed to be careful.

Upon reading this, True Person Tiger Spring suppressed the surging murderous Sha Qi within him, his tone softening slightly, but the unyielding air of Nascent Soul True Person remained:

"Marquis of Martial Peace may not know, but I and Brother Tianqin once shared a bond of brotherhood. I now need your help, and I will repay you tenfold."

He reached out and pulled out a bag, saying, "There is a cluster of Centaur Ganoderma in that bag. Marquis of Martial Peace's Spirit Vein were injured by my junior brother's Mystic Origin True Qi. Ordinary elixirs would not be able to heal him for ten years."

However, after the Centaur Ganoderma Condensation Elixir is used, it can nourish the essence of your Spirit Vein, allowing you to recover within a month, and even has the effect of strengthening your foundation and cultivating your vital energy.

Kang Dabao remained unmoved, his tone becoming even more cautious. "This junior is of limited talent and learning, and dares not delay your important matters. I should first go out and invite Ancestor Tianqin and Chan Master Huiming to come in person, so that the True Person can be freed from his predicament as soon as possible."

"Huiming? When did another Zen master emerge from the Original Buddha Sect?" True Person Tiger Spring sighed inwardly, then turned his head and muttered, "Dare not? Or do you not believe?"

At this point, True Person Tiger Spring chuckled softly, his tone now carrying a hint of sternness:

"Marquis of Martial Peace, True Person Tiger Spring needs someone to save me. He may not have time to wait for the perfect solution. I urge you, Marquis of Martial Peace, to heed my words and act swiftly."

These words caused Kang Dabao's expression to change slightly, and his gaze towards True Person Tiger Spring became more solemn.

However, after a few breaths, he was able to understand. After all, the person in front of him was a high and mighty Nascent Soul True Person. Even though he was in a predicament, he could hardly give up his habit of making his words law.

Seeing the change in Sect Leader Kang Da's expression, True Person Tiger Spring immediately pressed his advantage:

"Once Marquis of Martial Peace helps me escape this predicament, Joyful Sight Mountain and the Ying Prefecture Fei Household will be sworn brothers, and the Ancient Mystic First Circuit will also be able to freely enter and leave the entire Chongming Sect."

"After I return to the mountain, Joyful Sight Mountain treasury, which Marquis of Martial Peace may choose from at will. I will certainly not be stingy with a single bit."

If Kang Dabao were in his prime, he might have been able to muster some courage to face True Person Tiger Spring, who was also in a bad situation. But at this moment, he truly had no chance of escaping from the latter's grasp.

Since that is the case, we shall proceed according to his words for the time being.

When True Person Tiger Spring saw Kang Dabao nod in agreement, he was immediately pleased and personally taught Sect Leader Kang Da how to break the talisman.

Because of True Person Cloud Trust injuries, the Blood-Dipped Xingtian Treasure Talisman, which was closely related to him, had already had much of its power worn away by True Person Tiger Spring using his most secret methods.

Indeed, what True Person Tiger Spring said was true. If his injuries had healed slightly and his spiritual power had not been depleted, he would not have needed a junior like Kang Dabao to intervene. He could have stopped the methods left behind by True Person Cloud Trust with a flick of his finger.

Following True Person Tiger Spring's instructions, Kang Dabao focused his mind and concentrated the Golden Light of his Delusion-Breaking Golden Eyes of Truth into a single point, locking onto the Sha Heart Pattern in the center of the Blood-Dipped Xingtian Treasure Talisman. A wisp of pale golden light condensed at his fingertips and slowly drifted away along the Golden Light's trajectory.

"This young man's pupil technique is truly remarkable."

Just as True Person Tiger Spring had said, the outer layer of Sha Qi on the talisman had long been worn thin. When the spiritual light passed through the thick fog, it was not hindered in the slightest and landed steadily on the Xuan Yuan mark on the left side of the talisman.

"Now!" True Person Tiger Spring shouted urgently, and the remaining Xuan Yuan surged along the mark, intertwining with Kang Dabao's pale golden spiritual light, transforming into a thin beam of light that drilled into the Sha Heart Pattern.

With a soft "crack," a thin crack appeared in the Sha Heart Pattern, the spiritual patterns on the talisman instantly dimmed, and the black mist at the top began to dissipate.

Just as Kang Dabao breathed a sigh of relief, a sudden change occurred! The cracked Sha Heart Pattern suddenly burst forth with dark Sha Qi, not ordinary yin evil, but "Body-Eroding Sha" with corrosive spiritual power. Like a venomous snake, it coiled around the Xuan Yuan that True Person Tiger Spring was surging towards, and rushed wildly into his body along the Xuan Yuan!

"Not good! As expected, that brat Cloud Trust had a backup plan!!" True Person Tiger Spring's expression changed drastically, and he tried to withdraw his Xuan Yuan, but it was too late.

The Body-Eroding Sha surged wildly through his meridians, instantly spreading to his limbs and bones. His gray robe was instantly stained black by the Sha Qi, and fine cracks appeared on his skin. He let out a painful roar.

"It's the 'Mother-and-Child Body-Eroding Sha'! Where did he get such skills? Is it from the Supreme Unity Temple?! He predicted I would break the seal."

Before he finished speaking, True Person Tiger Spring's body suddenly withered away at a visible speed. The profound energy in his meridians was completely devoured by the Body-Eroding Sha, and even his bones began to glow with a dark light.

Kang Dabao was dumbfounded. Just as he was about to back away, he saw a glimmer of light suddenly appear between the eyebrows of True Person Tiger Spring.

That was his Nascent Soul! The moment the Nascent Soul left his body, True Person Tiger Spring's physical body completely turned into a pool of black ash, which was then swept away by the Sha Qi and vanished as a wisp of green smoke.

His Nascent Soul hovered in mid-air. Although it was an illusory form, it still carried the pressure of Nascent Soul Cultivator. His gaze was fixed on Kang Dabao. His previous sincerity and politeness had vanished, leaving only naked greed and ruthlessness.

Despite his efforts falling short and all his calculations coming to naught, the True Person showed no sign of discouragement; instead, he displayed remarkable perseverance.

"Marquis of Martial Peace, thank you for helping me break the talisman! It's a pity my physical body is destroyed, so I can only borrow your body for now! My junior brother had expected that I would break the talisman, but perhaps he didn't expect that I still had a backup plan."

Kang Dabao's heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly activated his Primordial Ancient Body, a faint golden light emanating from his skin. At the same time, he retreated rapidly, his Delusion-Breaking Golden Eyes of Truth blazing with Golden Light, piercing directly at True Person Tiger Spring Nascent Soul: "Senior Tiger Spring! How can you go back on your word!"

"Going back on your word?" True Person Tiger Spring Nascent Soul, his figure flashing as he appeared before Kang Dabao. His Nascent Soul power transformed into an invisible hand, reaching for Kang Dabao's head.

"Cultivators defy the heavens and should stop at nothing to achieve their goals! If you know what's good for you and obediently let me possess your body, I might spare a wisp of your soul; if you dare to resist, I will make your soul vanish!"

"Very well, I underestimated you. Your physical body is truly remarkable; even within the Ancient Mysterious Circuit, it's unlikely you could find a second one. It's a blessing that you can continue my Dao Path today."

The True Person Tiger Spring's deliberate shouts and cold laughs, however, failed to shake Kang Dabao's resolve as he had hoped.

When faced with a desperate situation, the latter remained remarkably calm, contrary to his usual demeanor. "Alas, I ultimately failed to preserve this Creation Spirit Smoke."

However, if one could slay a Nascent Soul, it wouldn't be a complete loss.

The moment Kang Dabao had this thought, he immediately realized something was wrong.

"Why isn't it responding?!"

The once composed Sect Leader Kang Da suddenly changed color. In the instant that he was filled with great fear, the jet-black stream of light transformed from Tiger Spring's Nascent Soul had already crashed into his Dantian.

Kang Dabao immediately felt his dantian churning like boiling water, with ripples spreading across the center of the surging golden liquid. Blood and foam were seeping from his teeth, and his mouthful of silver teeth were almost crushed.

The Star-Patterned Golden Core was trembling violently in the center of the Qi Sea. Its body was covered with spider web patterns and was emitting a fine, crisp "crackling" sound, as if it was about to collapse under the shock of the Nascent Soul Sha Qi contained by the Nascent Soul.

"Oh no!! Why isn't Grandpa Gourd responding again?!"

"A mere Golden Core dares to block my Nascent Soul's possession!" Tiger Spring Nascent Soul's arrogant laughter exploded within his Dantian, his Sha Qi condensing into a ten-foot-long spiritual palm, grabbing at the pill in the center of his dantian.

He thought he could crush the Golden Core with a single palm strike, but as soon as his palm touched the surface of the pill, the star patterns on the pill suddenly shone brightly. The star patterns moved like living things, freezing the Sha Qi into ice crystals.

With a crisp "crack," the nimble palm shattered inch by inch.

Tiger Spring Nascent Soul's pupils suddenly contracted, only then realizing something was wrong.

Ordinary Golden Core have such resilience. He stared intently at it and saw that the golden liquid surrounding the pill was so pure that it contained not a trace of impurity, and the barrier of his Qi Sea was even gleaming with a glassy luster. The word "disbelief" suddenly burst into his mind.

"You... you're actually Upper-Upper-Grade Golden Core?!"

The dark stream of light that Tiger Spring's Nascent Soul had transformed into was thrown back by an overwhelming spiritual light. He hovered in the center of the churning sea of qi, his pupils shrinking to needle size.

Only then did he see the complete picture of Kang Dabao's Golden Core Elixir.

The pill gleamed with an amber-colored, glassy luster. Golden liquid surrounded the thumb-sized Golden Core like a tide. The pill was covered with star-like patterns resembling frost flowers, each star exuding a clear and cool spiritual light, forcing the Sha Qi around him to retreat step by step, dissolving like ink meeting clear water.

"Upper-Upper-Grade Golden Core?!"

Tiger Spring Nascent Soul uttered the words again, his roar filled with disbelief.

He had lived for hundreds of years and had seen at least eighty or a hundred Golden Core cultivators, but he had never seen such a vibrant and dazzling Upper-Grade Golden Core.

For ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators, possessing Golden Core cultivator is as easy as taking candy from a baby, but faced with this Golden Core that exudes "Dao Rhyme," he felt an instinctive fear.

"The Great Wei Immortal Dynasty has actually produced a second Upper-Grade Golden Core in this era (1080)?!"

"Good dog!" Sect Leader Kang Da had calmed down by this time. It turned out that it wasn't that the gourd had lost its effect, but that it knew that even a Nascent Soul couldn't take away Kang Dabao's Upper-Grade Golden Core.

Even so, the impact of the Nascent Soul's intrusion still made him feel unwell.

His jaw was soaked in blood and foam, his teeth were almost crushed, his dantian was violently churning due to the Sha Qi, and his meridians were aching from the clash of the two forces.

At the same time, the star-patterned spiritual light of the Upper-Grade Golden Core flowed along the meridians, purifying the Nascent Soul light that had invaded the body.

These words aroused Tiger Spring's Nascent Soul. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes, but he suppressed his regret. Now, there was only one path left to take, and he could not back down!

He suddenly activated his Nascent Soul Origin, Sha Qi surged like an ink tide towards the Upper-Grade Golden Core. It actually condensed into a spiritual palm about ten feet in size in the center of his Qi Sea, with the tips of the claws gleaming with a black, bone-corroding cold light, directly grabbing the core.

Kang Dabao was prepared. With a thought, the golden liquid in his dantian instantly boiled and condensed into a glassy light shield along with the star-patterned spiritual light, blocking in front of the Golden Core.

The moment the spirit palm touched the light shield, a crisp "sizzle" was heard, and the Sha Qi rose up like boiling oil meeting water, emitting wisps of smoke. The cold light on the spirit palm dimmed at a visible speed.

Tiger Spring's Nascent Soul felt a surge of cool spiritual energy backlashing from his spiritual palm, causing fine cracks to appear on his Nascent Soul's body, making him roar in pain.

"The spiritual light of Upper-Grade Golden Core can actually purify the spiritual light of my Nascent Soul?"

Tiger Spring Nascent Soul panicked completely. He knew that if he dragged it out any longer, his Nascent Soul essence would eventually be exhausted by the spiritual light.

"Senior Tiger Spring, you are a true successor of Joyful Sight Mountain, why would you commit such a destructive act as possession?"

"If you would allow me to possess your body and return to life, I will repay you with the full power of the Joyful Sight Mountain sect!"

"Senior, your Xuan Yuan is orthodox; why let despair cloud your Dao heart?" Kang Dabao's voice rang out again, and the golden liquid in his Qi Sea gradually calmed down.

"I am willing to protect your remnant soul with the spiritual light of Upper-Grade Golden Core. Once a suitable object to nourish your soul is found, it may not be impossible for your physical body to be restored."

Tiger Spring's Nascent Soul stood frozen in place, looking at the pale blue spiritual light wrapped around his body, feeling the unhurried yet inescapable force, and then looking at the Upper-Grade Golden Core in the center of his Qi Sea that always exuded "balance and tranquility." The despair and anxiety in his heart gradually faded away.

He has lived for hundreds of years and cultivated the Dao of "Xuanyuan Shouzheng". If he were to actually attempt to seize another's body, even if he succeeded, his Dao heart would be left with an eternal crack, making it difficult for him to make any further progress.

"But..." What does it matter if he can't make any further progress? If he can't find a physical body, where can his nascent Nascent Soul find a place to rest? Even his junior brother, whom he raised with his own hands, is going to harm him. Can he really place his hopes on the kindness of an outsider like Kang Dabao?!

As soon as True Person Tiger Spring understood, he activated the last bit of his original power, causing his Nascent Soul to swell to a height of over ten feet. The Nascent Soul light around him condensed into countless tiny spiritual needles, which shot towards Kang Dabao's Qi Sea barrier like a rainstorm.

He wanted to tear apart his Qi Sea, making it appear as if they were going to die together, so that Sect Leader Kang Da would make a mistake.

Just as the spiritual needles were about to touch the barrier of the Qi Sea, the Upper-Grade Golden Core suddenly bloomed with nine layers of lotus shadows. The star patterns on the core moved like living things, and the golden liquid condensed into a cage along the lotus shadows, trapping all the spiritual needles.

At the same time, a wisp of pale blue spiritual light escaped from the depths of the core—that was the residual protective power left after the Jade Leaf Dao Foundation merged into the Golden Core.

The spiritual light, like a ribbon, wrapped around Tiger Spring's Nascent Soul, seeping into the cracks in his spiritual body. Wherever it passed, the Nascent Soul light was completely stripped away, leaving only a faint remnant of the Nascent Soul.

"No, I'm not reconciled!" The last bit of Tiger Spring's Nascent Soul struggled in the spiritual light, but could no longer stir up the slightest ripple. The Upper-Grade Golden Core slowly rotated, and a small crack opened in its body. A suction force came from the crack, forcibly pulling the wisp of remnant soul into it.

The crack closed instantly, and the star-patterned spiritual light once again covered the pill body, leaving only a very faint black shadow in the center of the core, like a sealed mark, without any further movement.

The turmoil in the dantian gradually subsided, the golden liquid resumed its steady flow, and the amber-colored spiritual light spread through the meridians, slowly soothing the pain caused by the Sha Qi.

Kang Dabao slowly opened his eyes, raised his hand to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth, and when he looked inward at his Dantian, his eyes were filled with relief and shock at surviving the ordeal.

The Upper-Grade Golden Core floated quietly in the center of the dantian, the remnant soul of the Nascent Soul within the core was firmly locked, and not even a trace of spiritual energy could leak out.

This battle of wits, though seemingly lengthy, actually took only a moment.

However, Kang Dabao dared not be negligent. After picking up the True Person's storage ring and the remaining inscription, he immediately concealed himself and fled to a secluded place to examine his gains.