As the voice came, a figure wearing a blue robe with hair extending to his waist walked out from one of the blood rings. With just one step, he arrived before everyone. His robe was very large, so as he moved, it also began to move.
This personâs face was grey and he looked very old, but his eyes shined like the stars. He carefully looked at Wang Lin and then waved his hand.
âThe nine of you can leave!â
That wave contained a powerful pressure. The nine Soul Formation cultivators respectfully bowed and disappeared.
Wang Linâs eyes lit up and revealed an urge to battle. He couldnât see through the old manâs cultivation level, but he was sure that this old man was at the Soul Transformation stage.
âLittle friend Ceng Niu, this old man has waited two years for this day!â The old man looked at Wang Lin with a mysterious light in his eyes.
Wang Lin was immediately able to recognize these eyes as the same ones from yesterday. He was surprised that this old man knew him. If Liu Mei could find him, then it wasnât strange for the Soul Refining Sectâs Soul Transformation ancestor to know as well.
âFor our meeting today, Iâll first give little friend a small gift,â he said, before pointing toward the Soul Refining Mountain. His voice changed from the gentle tone it first had. It was now filled with pressure and killing intent. âJunior Liu Mei, you have ten breaths of time to get out of my Soul Refining Sect. If you donât, even if youâre the disciple of the current Suzaku, Iâll still kill you! Scram!â
Liu Meiâs exquisite figure appeared above the Soul Refining Mountain. She looked at the old man with a lovely expression and whispered, âSenior, junior has orders from my master and I didnât anger you. Why be like thisâ¦â
Wang Linâs expression remained normal, but he quickly began to analyze what was happening.
The old man calmly said, âSix breaths!â
Liu Mei sighed. She bit her lower lip and said, âSenior, if junior just leaves like this, master will punish me. If master asks what happened, Iâll have no choice but to tell him.â
âFour breaths!â Killing intent poured out of the old man. He reached out and the image of a 30-foot-long flag appeared in his hand.
Although this flag was only an image, a powerful pressure could be felt from it. For the first time, Liu Meiâs expression changed greatly.
âOne-billion-soul soul flagâ¦â She stared at the old man and clenched her teeth before disappearing and leaving the Soul Refining Sect.
The old man didnât even look at where Liu Mei had gone to. He then turned to Wang Lin with a mysterious light in his eyes. âLittle friend Ceng Niu, how was that small gift?â
Liu Meiâs existence was like a thorn at Wang Linâs side. When she was around, he felt like he was being targeted by a cobra. Now that Liu Mei left, this feeling suddenly disappeared.
Wang Lin bitterly smiled. âWhat kind of small gift is this? Senior is willing to offend Suzaku; rather than feeling happy, it makes me very afraid.â
âThis Soul Refining Sect ancestor is very interesting,â thought Wang Lin. He was sure that Liu Mei had the ancestorâs permission to enter the Soul Refining Sect, or else there would be no way for her to enter.
This old man didnât kick her out before; he chose to do it today before Wang Lin. This was to tell Wang Lin that the Soul Refining Sectâs relationship with Suzaku had broken down and that all of it was for him.
This was not a small gift!
The old man laughed and said, âThis is not enough to offend the country of Suzaku. The current Suzaku is old and canât make the entire planet listen to him.â
Wang Lin pondered a bit, then he looked at the old man and said, âWhat does senior want? You can just tell me.â
The old man revealed a look of appreciation in his eyes and said, âNo rush; that was only the first gift. Now this is the second. Ceng Niu, your origin soul has almost recovered. The reason you came to find me was to borrow my pressure to help you recover. My second gift is to help you recover your cultivation!â
After that, he didnât wait for Wang Lin to speak and his eyes lit up. A pressure several times more powerful than the spirit veinâs suddenly appeared around Wang Linâs body.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
âIs it enough?â
Wang Linâs body trembled. Under this pressure, he felt like there were countless mountains on top of him and crackling sounds came from his body. The gaps between the pieces of his origin soul were closing, but this speed was still too slow.
Wang Lin clenched his teeth and said, âNot enough!â
The old manâs eyes lit up. His hair began to move without any wind and his robe began to flap.
A pressure ten times more powerful than before came down. Small cracks in space began to appear and spread as a result.
âHow is this?â
Wang Linâs clothes were soaked by the blood that had been forced out of his pores, the vein on his forehead was bulging, and one of the two remaining tea marks disappeared.
The current Wang Lin could clearly feel the gaps between the pieces close, meaning his origin soul was quickly being repaired. A small portion of it had already fused back together.
A sense of comfort came from within his body and eased the pressure.
Wang Lin took a deep breath and said, âNot enough!â
âOh, really? Okay, Ceng Niu; it has been 200 years since I last used my celestial spiritual energy. Iâm spending a lot on this second gift!â The old man laughed and used the celestial spiritual energy in his body without any hesitation. A pressure very different from spiritual pressure descended.
This pressure contained celestial spiritual energy. This reminded Wang Lin of the power from a celestial fragment collapsing. His body trembled and his origin soul reconnected at an amazing speed.
After five breaths, the final tea mark on his face was gone!
At this moment, a laugh came from Wang Lin and his eyes lit up like the sun during dawn. His spiritual energy suddenly filled his body and his origin soul reached every corner of his being. He felt a soreness from all over his body that soon turn into a comfortable feeling like he had been limited for far too long.
Wang Lin let out a laugh and then Sun Taiâs seal collapsed as well.
His cultivation recovered to the mid stage of Soul Formation. In fact, it was even stronger than before.
Wang Lin clasped his hands and said, âThank you!â
The old man looked at Wang Lin. The praise in his eyes deepened and he said, âIt is a bit too early to thank me; I have prepared a third gift for you. Do you dare to receive it?â
Wang Lin took a deep breath. Now that he had recovered his cultivation, he gave off a dominating aura and faintly smiled. âWhy would I not dare!?â
He understood that if the Soul Transformation ancestor was willing to expend so much, there had to be something that he wanted him to do, but he just didnât understand what a Soul Transformation ancestor would need his help for.
âGood! Ceng Niu, this old manâs last gift is to help raise you cultivation level to the peak of the late stage of Soul Formation. As for your domain, you are on your own; I canât help you there.â With that, the old man flew toward the blood ring.
Wang Lin pondered a bit and then followed without a word.
Outside the blood ring, the old man reached out and the 30-foot-long soul flag appeared once more. This time, it was still only an illusion.
âThis is the Soul Refining Sectâs main treasure: the one-billion-soul soul flag. It is because of this treasure that even though Iâm only at the late stage of Soul Transformation, I dare to fight against an Ascendant cultivator. Iâll tell you the reason later, but as long as this treasure exists, my Soul Refining Sect will never die. However, if this treasure breaks, then my Soul Refining Sect is finished. Now Iâll use the soul force inside this soul flag to raise your cultivation level to the peak of the late stage of Soul Formation.â The old man looked at Wang Lin with a sharp gaze and shouted, âSit down in the lotus position!â
Wang Lin looked at the old man and did what he was told without any hesitation. If the old man wanted to attack him, there was really no need for someone this powerful to do all of this.
However, Wang Linâs caution never dropped. If he detected anything wrong, he would escape with the star compass.
The old man shook the 30-foot-flag in his hand and waves of roars came from within it. Ten soul fragments quickly flew out and surrounded Wang Lin.
These ten soul fragments all released purple and gold auras and were filled with arrogance. Wang Linâs pupils shrank. Each of of these soul fragments had the power of a Soul Transformation cultivator.
âNo wonder he can fight Ascendant cultivators with this soul flagâ¦â Wang Lin felt like he understood a bit more.
The old man whispered, âLittle friend Ceng Niu, all of the Soul Transformation souls inside this soul flag are ancestors of the Soul Refining Sect. When a Soul Transformation ancestor is about to die, they give up their body and become a soul fragment to be added to the soul flag. You have to remember that when I die, you must add my soul fragment into the flag as wellâ¦â
The last sentence from the old man was out of nowhere, causing Wang Linâs heart to tremble. He gained some more understanding of what was going on.
Just at this moment, the ten Soul Transformation soul fragments emitted a powerful gold and purple light that seemed to cover the entire land.
A thick source of spirit energy from the ten soul fragments entered Wang Linâs body. He didnât even have to absorb it, as it all rushed into his body.
A strange scene appeared in the sky. There were ten soul fragments connected with gold and purple light, and at the center was Wang Lin.
The spiritual energy inside Wang Linâs body increased at a speed he had never felt before. In an instant, it had increased one fold, but it continued to raise without even pausing.
Two fold, three fold, four fold⦠all the way until eight fold and it was still growing.
âCeng Niu, remember this old manâs name: Du Tian! Absorb as much as you can; this old man isnât stingy!â