Chen Nan reveals to Yun Ying that her elixir pills are harmful and that her master and senior brother have ill intentions, urging her to escape. Distrusting him and loyal to her sect, Yun Ying angrily breaks ties with Chen Nan. Chen Nan, realizing he needs to regain his strength, enters the Time Domain to train.
"Was my earlier speech too severe? I believe Chen Nan also intended well; he simply fails to comprehend the true nature of the Master and the other Elders."
"Perhaps I should overlook it and seek him out to offer an apology tomorrow. Surely, he wouldn't hold such a grudge as to completely disown me as his senior sister, would he?"
While these thoughts occupied her mind, Guo Qing, the Sect Leader of Moon River Valley, approached her.
"Yun Ying, come swiftly. Your Uncle-Master has successfully refined an elixir; you must take it without delay." He presented the freshly prepared Burning Vein Breaking Realm Pill.
Yun Ying hastened her steps, accepted the pill, and consumed it in a single gulp. "Thank you, Master."
"Hmph, Chen Nan actually had the audacity to claim that Master harbors malicious intent towards me. Yet, the pills he refines are always sent to me first, which clearly demonstrates that Master's affection for me is paramount."
"Oh, why do I feel such a strong wave of sleepiness washing over me, Master? I wish to rest..."
"Then by all means, sleep," Guo Qing chuckled softly. "Upon awakening, your cultivation base will undoubtedly have seen significant improvement."
"Mmm..."
Yun Ying surrendered to sleep almost instantly. Guo Qing gently carried her into the chamber, placing her on the bed. His gaze remained fixed upon the slumbering Yun Ying, his expression devoid of any discernible emotion, neither joy nor sorrow.
Ten days elapsed in the blink of an eye, and an aura of profound normalcy pervaded Moon River Valley. It seemed as though everyone had collectively forgotten about the recently inducted junior brother, Chen Nan.
Meanwhile, three months had unfurled for Chen Nan within the confines of the Time Domain. During this period, he had managed to purify two strands of Yin Qi Threads, leaving only a single one remaining.
His cultivation had consequently been restored to the First Layer of the Golden Core Realm, with all internal injuries completely healed.
"Phew, I never anticipated this endeavor would consume so much time, and yet I still haven't fully purified the Yin Qi Threads."
A shadow of regret flickered across Chen Nan's face, his heart burdened with concern for Yun Ying. After all, a full ten days had transpired in the external world, and his cultivation had only ascended back to the First Layer of the Golden Core Realm.
As his mind raced, his gaze inadvertently fell upon a considerable pile of Yin Qi Crystals situated in a corner of the Immortal Hall. His eyes lit up instantly as he reached out to seize one.
These Yin Qi Crystals had been obtained during his previous encounters with Yin Beasts amidst the horde, and they possessed the remarkable ability to temper one's Divine Soul.
Since swiftly recovering his cultivation was proving to be a challenge, he resolved to dedicate his efforts toward rapidly enhancing his Divine Soul. His ambition was to strengthen it to a level comparable to that of a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator, which would then grant him the ability to learn the coveted Divine Soul Techniques housed within the Immortal Hall!
Buoyed by a surge of elation, Chen Nan immediately commenced the process of absorbing the Yin Qi Crystals. He harbored no apprehension regarding the potential ingress of Yin Energy into his body, thus enabling him to absorb at an astonishingly rapid pace. The sizable pile of Yin Qi Crystals visibly dwindled before his eyes.
Within the hallowed confines of the Immortal Hall, time flowed with the swiftness of water. Chen Nan was encased in a formidable layer of ice, with swirling, surging Yin Energy pulsating around him.
The entire hoard of Yin Qi Crystals that had been stacked in the hall's corner had been completely depleted.
*Crack...*
Amidst the profound silence of the Immortal Hall, a distinct cracking sound suddenly reverberated. Cracks rapidly began to spiderweb across the ice that enshrouded Chen Nan, ultimately shattering with a resounding boom.
At the very instant the ice disintegrated, an intangible wave of Divine Soul Power emanated outward, immediately causing the Yin Energy that had been swirling around Chen Nan to recede like an ebbing tide. It transformed into myriad specks of black light, which then seamlessly merged into his very being.
His eyes blazed with an intense brilliance, exuding a subtle yet palpable aura of majesty, an attribute solely possessed by cultivators of the Nascent Soul Realm. All the items within the grand hall appeared to be suspended by unseen forces, levitating weightlessly in the mid-air.
"Could this be the Divine Soul of the Nascent Soul Realm?"
Upon releasing his Divine Sense, Chen Nan's awareness instantly encompassed the entirety of the Immortal Palace Space. Even at considerable distances, he felt an almost palpable connection, as if he could personally uproot the Xuanyuan Immortal Tree situated in the spirit field just outside the palace.
"No, it would be more accurate to say it merely surpasses the perfection attained by a Golden Core Realm cultivator's Divine Soul Power; it has not yet reached the pinnacle of the Nascent Soul Realm's level."
He mused to himself, possessing an acutely clear understanding of his Divine Soul's capabilities and limitations. He recognized that if his Divine Soul were to truly breach the boundaries of the Golden Core Realm at this juncture, it would inevitably result in a profound imbalance.
"I wonder if this current level will permit me to acquire the fifth-grade Divine Soul Technique."
Chen Nan whispered, extending his hand to grasp a Jade Scroll that lay amongst the collection within the Immortal Hall.
These Jade Scrolls were all of the fifth-grade caliber. While the prerequisite for their cultivation stipulated the attainment of the Nascent Soul Realm, he felt compelled to attempt it as a measure for his own self-preservation.
He carefully placed the Jade Scroll against his brow, instantly absorbing a torrent of information that flooded his consciousness, coalescing into a formidable Divine Soul Technique known as the "Ten Thousand Ghosts Suppressing Soul Spell."
This technique, drawing upon the power of a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator's Divine Soul, involved the visualization of a Soul Suppressing Seal. Its primary function was to suppress souls, operating formlessly and shapelessly, thus qualifying it as a top-grade Divine Soul Technique.
Chen Nan commenced his practice at once, a spectral visualization of the Great Seal unfurling within his consciousness. It appeared immense and awe-inspiring, possessing an aura so potent that it seemed capable of subjugating all realities under the heavens – the very Soul Suppressing Seal he aimed to manifest.
The glyphs inscribed upon the Soul Suppressing Seal depicted legions of spectral figures and binding chains, projecting an appearance that was simultaneously macabre and majestic, radiating a profoundly dichotomous energy.
He meticulously imprinted the envisioned form of the Soul Suppressing Seal deep within the core of his Divine Soul, ensuring its irretrievable presence.
Moments dissolved into more than ten days. Chen Nan’s eyes gradually unsealed, and with a fleeting thought, an intangible Soul Suppressing Seal coalesced swiftly before him.
Its ethereal nature rendered it imperceptible to ordinary vision, detectable only by one’s Divine Sense. Deploying it as an ambush strike virtually guaranteed its efficacy.
The aggregation of a considerable reservoir of Divine Soul Power gave rise to a diminutive Soul Suppressing Seal hovering in Chen Nan's presence. However, his countenance abruptly grew ashen as the seal rapidly fragmented and vanished.
A sheen of cold perspiration beaded on his brow. He emitted a sigh, shaking his head. "Indeed, it remains too strenuous to manifest. Not unless I truly attain the Nascent Soul Realm. Nevertheless, at present, I can scarcely employ the Soul Suppressing Seal, which still constitutes a viable tactic."
After all, a fifth-grade Divine Soul technique was the sort of treasure that could incite a bloody conflict in the outside world, merely for the chance to obtain it.
"It is time for me to depart."
Having somewhat recuperated his depleted Divine Soul Power, Chen Nan egressed the Immortal Palace Space, reappearing within the tranquil confines of Moon River Valley.
His primary concern was Yun Ying's safety, prompting his immediate intention to seek her out. Yet, scarcely had he taken a few steps when Yun Ying's figure materialized within his field of vision.
"Female Knight?"
Yun Ying had initially kept her gaze lowered. Upon detecting his voice, however, her head snapped up, her expression radiating the profound joy of rediscovering something precious and thought lost. "Junior Brother, you did not abscond?"
Chen Nan swiftly advanced, inquiring, "Abscond? Under what circumstances would I flee?"
"I had surmised that following my admonishment of you previously, you would have taken flight..." The more Yun Ying spoke, the softer her voice became, a testament to the considerable intensity of their last disagreement.
Chen Nan responded with a shake of his head, his expression sober and grave. "If any individual is to depart, it should be you... Have you ascended to the Fourth Layer of the Golden Core Realm? No, you must leave this place immediately!"
Yun Ying's cultivation had unexpectedly advanced to the fourth layer of the Golden Core Realm, placing her merely a single step away from satisfying the expectations of the sect's leaders.
"You still harbor the notion that Master would inflict harm upon me? How could such a thing transpire? He is my Master!"
"Chen Nan, I find myself profoundly disappointed in your words. My Master and the other esteemed seniors are all benevolent individuals. I shall not permit you to defame them! Should you utter such sentiments again, I shall certainly petition Master to expel you!"
Concluding her declaration, Yun Ying turned abruptly and departed, silent tears of burgeoning disappointment tracing paths down her cheeks, without so much as a backward glance.
She perceived Moon River Valley as her true home, regarding her Master, her martial uncles, and the Elders as her own kin. To be told that the very kindness of one's family was, in fact, detrimental would provoke far more than mere verbal protest in most circumstances.
This was precisely Yun Ying's entrenched perspective, completely disregarding the validity of Chen Nan's warnings.
Realizing the futility of convincing Yun Ying within such a limited timeframe, Chen Nan resolved to forcibly escort her away, at least for the interim. Her continued presence in Moon River Valley was untenable; the resultant misunderstanding held little significance compared to the imminent danger.
Just as he prepared to act, a formidable wave of Divine Sense abruptly ensnared him, causing his heart to plummet and halting his pursuit mid-stride.
"Have my actions been detected?"
Chen Nan let out a faint sigh. After all, his cultivation had not yet been fully restored. Even if it had been, it would only amount to the Fifth Layer of the Golden Core Realm. Yet, Moon River Valley was purported to house four Great Cultivators at the Perfection stage of the Golden Core Realm.
Judging by their seasoned demeanor, it was evident they had remained at this pinnacle of cultivation for a considerable duration, each possessing a profound and deeply rooted foundation.
Consequently, orchestrating his own solitary escape from Moon River Valley was an endeavor fraught with difficulty; attempting to do so with Yun Ying in tow seemed an insurmountable challenge.
Thus, with a sense of helpless resignation, he watched Yun Ying recede from his view, slowly turning himself around.
At the terminus of the path, a man and a woman advanced at a measured pace, both bearing identical treasure swords. The man was none other than the eldest senior brother, Lin Qingfeng, whom Chen Nan had previously encountered.
There was little need for introduction to identify the woman as Yun Ying's second senior sister, Jiang Caixian, her countenance as frigid as ingrained frost.
The pair proceeded directly towards Chen Nan, their gazes fixed upon him with an icy intensity.
"It appears you are not quite as astute as one might have presumed."
