Chapter 1670: Forgotten Divine Ability

Li Yan’s investigation brought relief, but it had been a close call. At the end of the battle, he had only spoken a few words to Zi Kun, who was in a daze. He had assumed it was just grief. But the situation was dire. Qi Deviation could cause a realm drop to the Foundation Establishment stage, or cause him to lose his sanity and become a mindless, savage beast. He would be stuck just below the Spirit Transformation stage for life, eventually being hunted down as a monster.

Li Yan spent an hour straightening out Zi Kun’s violent magical power. Suppressing a late-stage Nascent Soul master’s power without using Spirit Transformation strength was harder than fighting; it required absolute precision. As Li Yan exhaled, sweat beaded on his forehead. The mental strain was immense. He lifted the restrictions. Zi Kun’s purple light vanished as he sat in the yard. He slowly opened his eyes.

“You had a breakthrough during the battle. That is a blessing, but also a mortal danger. The power of a Great Cultivator is not something you can handle recklessly. You used it without control, and your power wasn’t integrated. Your magical power was wild, leading to Qi Deviation. I have smoothed it out and condensed it back in your Dantian. You must release it slowly through your cycles. You will recover after some time in seclusion… we’ll talk about the rest later!”

The voice came from behind him. Li Yan looked at Zi Kun, his heart heavy as he thought of Qianji—the cunning mosquito who once tried to rebel… If only he had arrived a bit sooner. He would have to handle the sect’s affairs before he could leave for the upper realm. He had to find Ping Tu and save Bai Rou. Within three months, he would take everyone to the upper realm, including Zi Kun. He would tell him about the dragon-elephants in the Heaven-Slaying Prairie. And he would finally free Zi Kun from his contract.

“Master? Is it… truly you!” Zi Kun’s voice came as he turned around. He saw Li Yan smiling at him. Fragmented memories of their meeting earlier began to piece together.

“Recover well. We’ll talk in a few days,” Li Yan said, turning to leave. He didn’t want to say anything that might trigger Zi Kun’s emotions.

“Master, I was out of my mind before… did I tell you about Qianji…”

“I know. We’ll talk when you’re better. You must stabilize your realm, or I won’t be able to save you again!” Li Yan interrupted, his voice uncharacteristically soft. He knew their bond.

“Master, it’s not… I sucked a shred of Qianji’s soul into my body. I don’t know if Master can save him. I heard Master reached the Immortal Spirit Realm… is that true? Are there pills there that can bring back the dead…”

Li Yan spun around. He didn’t answer; he just stared at Zi Kun, his eyes glowing with a strange light.

“Master knows I was once a soul-body. I practiced by devouring souls, which gave me a special sensitivity and divine ability regarding souls. The moment Qianji was shattered, I managed to capture a fragment of his soul in that space and swallowed it to protect it. Then I lost my mind… I just checked, and he has one soul and two po remaining. The rest was scattered; I didn’t see anything else…”

“What? One soul and two po? Quick, release it and let me see!” Li Yan walked back, his voice thick with excitement and urgency. His usual calm was gone.

“But… that fragment is very weak. It’s fading. If I release it, it might drift away instantly. If it stays in me, as long as I don’t devour it, it can last seven or eight years!” Zi Kun stood up, looking hesitant. He had used his soul-body instincts to protect it, but if Master couldn’t do anything…

“There will be no problem!” Li Yan stared at him. He had forgotten Zi Kun’s origin. He was a soul-eater. If anyone could catch a soul in that split second, it was him.

Zi Kun didn’t hesitate anymore. He opened his mouth and spat out a faint shadow that even Divine Sense could barely detect. The shadow had dark red eyes and a black body, but it was as transparent as cicada wings. The moment it appeared, Li Yan raised a hand, and an invisible shield of soul power trapped the shadow. The shadow, which should have dispersed like smoke, was instantly condensed.

“Soul power?” The nervous Zi Kun was stunned. He was born from a soul-body and was most sensitive to such power. The light Li Yan produced wasn’t something others could even sense, but he felt a ring of incredibly pure soul power descend. He realized Master was far more mysterious than he imagined.

He was a Nascent Soul cultivator and had traveled across continents. He knew how terrifying soul arts were. He had been beaten by them in the subterranean long alley. Soul techniques were almost impossible to find. He wondered if Li Yan had gained new insights after his time in the alley. Li Yan had used the power with an effortless grace that Zi Kun could only dream of.

Li Yan ignored Zi Kun’s shock. He investigated the fragment. It was a tattered mess, lacking the support of other souls. It was a muddled, transparent shadow of a giant mosquito with dull red eyes. Li Yan probed it with soul power, ensuring no external forces were trapped within. He intended to use this fragment to resurrect Qianji.

Li Yan investigated for the time it took to burn a stick of incense. Finally, with a flicker of dark light on his palm, the shadow vanished.

“Master, Qianji…”

“Hahaha… Zi Kun, you did well. Very, very well!”