The stolen magic is a bit magical

The vast expanse of heaven and earth, with its crystal-clear white snow, resembles a snow-capped mountain range stretching for thousands of miles.

Lin Xiaosu was like a solitary mountaineer, climbing step by step on the boundless snow-capped mountains.

Until a snow lotus bloomed on the mountain peak, just like the snow lotus of Tianshan.

Lin Xiaosu gazed quietly at the snow lotus flower.

Like looking at a long-lost lover.

His discerning eyes witnessed that the primordial spirit from last year remained here, sitting cross-legged. Spiritual energy surged beneath her, attaching itself to her primordial spirit, layer upon layer, slowly transforming into the snow lotus before him.

He gently extended his fingers to touch the snow lotus in front of him.

The snow lotus petals are like a light robe, separating layer by layer.

Each layer is divided, and the winds and clouds stir.

Two layers, changing with the seasons.

The three layers were separated, and a beautiful figure sat cross-legged in front of him. She was covered by a final layer of thin gauze, so thin that it revealed the boundless scenery beneath.

Lin Xiaosu was stunned.

He was completely stunned by just a side profile.

This body is no longer Catherine's.

With a beauty that could topple kingdoms and cities, yet possessing the transcendence of a goddess from the heavens, this is the true form of the Thousand Spirit Saintess who was famous throughout the world millions of years ago!
The Holy Maiden of a Thousand Spirits slowly turned around.

Her infinitely beautiful body was presented to him.

Her eyes slowly opened.

That one glance seemed to have weathered a thousand years of storms, but the instant she saw Lin Xiaosu, a spark of passion seemed to ignite in her eyes...

"You...you really came?" The voice was full of surprise.

When we parted in the desolate capital, I promised you that I would come to see you!

The Holy Maiden of Thousand Spirits murmured, "I also promised you that if you came, I would wash my hands and prepare a meal, and serve you while wearing a veil."

"I can imagine what a wonderful scene it will be when we meet again, but today you are pure and flawless, truly a goddess from the heavens, to be admired from afar but not to be trifled with."

A blush slowly rose on the fair face of the Thousand Spirit Saintess, a blush that was also so dreamlike.

She slowly approached Lin Xiaosu, gently raised her hand, and embraced his waist. Her cherry lips parted slightly, and she brought them to his lips, slowly pressing them together for a deep kiss. Then, they slowly parted. Her pure and ethereal eyes now held a touch of tenderness: "Husband, do you still think it's untouchable?"

Lin Xiaosu raised her hand and hugged her. The moment her lips touched her lips, time seemed to stand still.

It hasn't been released for a long time.

After a long, long time, they finally parted ways. The Holy Maiden of the Thousand Spirits had already turned her eyes to seductive allure, completely descending from a celestial being to the mortal realm.

"Being atop the sacred tree, I wanted to cook you a soup, but I can't. I wanted to make something else, but it's not suitable either. All I can do is talk to my husband," the Holy Maiden Qianling told him, looking up at him.

"You start!"

The Holy Maiden of the Thousand Spirits sighed softly: "When I left the desolate capital to return home, my mind was full of thoughts about saving my people. However, when I arrived at the Spirit Ruins, all the plans I had designed could not be implemented, simply because the conditions for implementation had been completely lost."

Lin Xiaosu understood completely.

On that day in the desolate capital, he learned of the demon race's plan to change species from the Xin Pavilion's top-secret documents. He told her about it, and she, concerned about her homeland, couldn't wait to embark on her journey home.

However, upon returning to Lingxu, the entire environment of Lingxu had changed.

Beauty is found in the fusion of the blood of spirits and demons.

People no longer fear demons; in fact, they are happy to be associated with them.

The plan, which was originally a conspiracy that would cause a huge uproar if it were mentioned, has now lost its characteristics as a conspiracy. You say that the pure holy spring has been defiled by the demon seed, and people will not be frightened or worried. You can put it on the table and tell your people: this defilement is an opportunity for the new generation of the Spirit Clan, a blessing.

The top-secret conspiracy has been turned into an open scheme.

That would mean there's absolutely no solution.

"So, you're planning to go back to being the Thousand Spirits Saintess for now?"

The Thousand Spirits Saintess said, "Yes, Catherine's physical body could not support my journey in the end. I had to return to being the Thousand Spirits Saintess. Unexpectedly, I have gained something unexpected."

At this point, she became somewhat mysterious.

"what?"

"Firstly, my physical body has become pure."

"Pure physical body? What does that mean?"

The Thousand Spirits Saintess offered an explanation...

Although her original physical body carried the purest inheritance of the Spirit Race, it was still a body of flesh and blood. She was seriously injured and on the verge of death in a great battle a million years ago, and was sealed in the Heavenly Coffin for a million years. Later, due to unforeseen circumstances, her original golden body was destroyed in the Blood Coffin, and she could only possess Catherine's body.

The physical quality of the body plummeted.

So much so that on that day she could climb to the ninth level of the rooftop, but later, even if she risked her life, she could only climb to the eighth level.

This physical body could not support her escape route. She used the attack of the Holy Son Du Ling to abandon this physical body, took great risks, and performed the forbidden technique of her ancestors. Using her primordial spirit as the foundation, she took the essence of the sacred tree and reshaped her golden body.

The golden body is no longer a physical body of flesh and blood in the ordinary sense, but rather the essence of the sacred tree.

This is the purest bloodline of the Spirit Race, exactly the same as the Spirit Race's progenitor.

"Congratulations! Today, you've surpassed even the former Thousand Spirit Saintess!" Lin Xiaosu hugged her tightly with joy. "And secondly?"

"Secondly... I have finally seen my family!" The Holy Goddess Qianling's expression was complex, seemingly both sorrowful and relieved.

A surge of emotion swept through Lin Xiaosu's heart.

Relatives...

It was a heart-wrenching matter that she would have to face after emerging from the Coffin of Absolute Heaven.

A grand dream unfolds within the coffin, while the world outside undergoes profound changes.

Over a span of millions of years, loved ones will eventually pass away.

For a long time, all he could do was comfort her, saying that if you could survive for millions of years, perhaps your loved ones could too.

Perhaps, that was what sustained her hope in this mortal world.

However, any normal person understands how slim that expectation is...

Now, she says in a sorrowful tone that she has seen her relatives, but they can only be the spirits of her deceased relatives.

For the Spirit Race, the most common practice is for their spirits to remain in the Sacred Tree after death.

"My dear, please accept my condolences!" Lin Xiaosu gently placed her lips on hers.

The Holy Maiden of a Thousand Spirits pressed her lips together deeply, then slowly parted them: "I saw the spirit of my brothers and sisters, and I can only grieve in silence. But my father's situation is different. He was much like me; he also voluntarily merged with me..."

Lin Xiaosu was greatly shocked...

The story of the Thousand Spirit Saintess begins here.

He explained the profound mysteries of the Sacred Tree's spiritual fusion to Lin Xiaosu in detail.

The two saints of the Spirit Clan: the sacred tree and the sacred spring.

The sacred spring continues the journey for the living, and the sacred tree preserves the spirit of the dead.

All spirits, upon death, have their spirits incorporated into the sacred tree, where they remain for eternity.

People say that the Spirit Race is an immortal race, which means that the dead are immortal.

However, this spirit has lost its human consciousness and is no different in essence from ghosts in the mortal world; it is, in fact, dead.

But the Holy Maiden of a Thousand Spirits is different.

She actively integrated.

What she entered into the Sacred Tree's undead space was not a true undead, but her primordial spirit.

She has a base point in the outside world, which is still active and has vitality. It absorbs the essence of the sacred tree to form a physical body, so she can come back to life.

Her father, the clan chief from millions of years ago, followed a path very similar to hers.

The similarity is that her father also actively merged with her.

The difference is that her father and she had different starting points for merging.

Her starting point for fusion was to regain the constitution of the Spirit Clan and return to the Thousand Spirit Saintess.

Her father's motivation for merging was... to take "that step"!
"Take that step?" Lin Xiaosu's heart skipped a beat: "The step after the Threefold Execution? The unspeakable realm?"

"Yes!" said the Holy Maiden of Thousand Spirits.

"How far is he from taking that step?" Lin Xiaosu's eyes gleamed.

The current Lingxu is completely under the control of the Lingxu Palace, headed by the Grand Elder.

The path to Lingxu Palace is completely off-center.

With Lin Xiaosu's power combined with the power of the Thousand Spirit Saintess, there is no way they can correct the situation.

Furthermore, after nine days, he will be expelled from the forbidden area and face a full-scale manhunt from top to bottom by the Spirit Ruins.

His original plan was to break into the Dao of Execution and use his various trump cards to make a desperate escape.

But that certainty was ultimately insufficient.

It should be noted that there are more than ten Masters of the Three Realms in Lingxu alone, and even if he breaks through to the Master Realm, he may not be able to defeat a Master of the Three Realms (the Masters of Lingxu Palace are all those who have comprehended the Wood Element Rules. Although the Wood Element Rules are not laws, they are still the Five Elements Rules and belong to the superior level of rules. Such a pseudo-Master is even better than a Master of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect).

But now, a turning point seems to have appeared.

If it were the Holy Maiden of the Thousand Spirits' father, and yet another father-in-law of mine, who had taken that legendary step, would there still be a need to flee?
Wouldn't it be brilliant to directly rectify the Spirit Ruins and turn it into our own ally?

The Holy Maiden of Thousand Spirits said, "I've met my father. He said that after millions of years of enlightenment, that step is no longer a mystery to him; however, he dares not take it." "Dare not?" Lin Xiaosu's heart skipped a beat. "Because of divine punishment?"

Taking that step will inevitably bring divine punishment; this is the law of Heaven.

“Father didn’t elaborate, but I think this is the answer,” said Saintess Qianling.

Lin Xiaosu slowly raised her eyes: "Qianling, shall I go see him?"

“If you want to see him, that’s fine, I can take you there. But you must agree to one condition,” said the Holy Maiden of Thousand Spirits. “You must hold my hand tightly and never let go for a moment. Otherwise, your primordial spirit will be swept into the turbulent current of the dead and you will never be able to turn back.”

"No problem, if your dad doesn't break my legs, I can even hug you!"

The Thousand Spirit Saintess chuckled: "Come on!"

The two hugged very tightly in real life.

Their primordial spirits simultaneously left their bodies, hand in hand, merging into the earth beneath their feet.

The earth beneath our feet is itself a branch of the divine tree that reaches the heavens.

It is also a sacred tree.

As her primordial spirit entered the sacred tree, Lin Xiaosu noticed with keen sensitivity that a silver thread trailed behind the Thousand Spirit Saintess's primordial spirit. This silver thread was the connection between her and her original body.

He himself is actually connected to his original body, because at this moment he has two primordial spirits (originally he had three, one of which was released to the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect and was causing trouble).

Those who possess the ability to divide their minds never worry about their primordial spirit getting lost.

The Holy Maiden of a Thousand Spirits doesn't know.

She was very worried that the lover she had finally found would become a living dead, so she tried her best to hold on to his spirit.

A fierce wind arose, and huge waves surged. They crossed the endless whirlpool and arrived at a strange space.

Beyond that space, countless spirits drifted about, devoid of any consciousness.

But within that space, a primordial spirit suddenly turned around...

This primordial spirit was refined and elegant, yet there was a great majesty of ruling the world between its brows.

Upon seeing the Holy Maiden of the Thousand Spirits leading a young man and gracefully entering, the middle-aged man's dignified demeanor vanished, replaced by surprise.

“Father!” Saintess Qianling exclaimed, “He is the person I mentioned to you.”

The clan chief's gaze slowly shifted to Lin Xiaosu's face.

Lin Xiaosu bowed deeply: "Junior Lin Xiaosu greets the clan leader!"

"Clan Chief?" The clan chief frowned slightly. "Shouldn't you call him Father-in-law?"

The Holy Maiden of the Thousand Spirits blushed and almost shook her hand away, but she stopped halfway, afraid of losing her lover. This place was not a place for shy young lovers. The first priority was to keep their hands clasped together to prevent his spirit from drifting away.

Lin Xiaosu smiled: "Your son-in-law greets your father-in-law!"

The clan chief laughed heartily: "My son has lived for millions of years and has finally found his home in the mortal world. What a fortunate thing! However, this place is the abode of the dead. Since you and I are both spirits, we cannot drink a cup of spirit grain wine."

“Once Father-in-law takes that step, he will naturally have a physical body. It would be fine for us to have this drink together then.”

The patriarch's beaming face instantly turned gloomy...

The Holy Maiden of the Thousand Spirits felt a slight sinking feeling in her heart.

Did this sentence hit a nerve?
That step was actually... more difficult than what Father said last time?

After a long silence, the clan chief sighed softly: "We'll talk about this later. Let me ask you first: Ling'er told me that when she parted from you, you were in a secular dynasty plotting something big. How did things go?"

"Things in the capital have been settled," Lin Xiaosu said. "My son-in-law helped the new emperor ascend the throne, cleaned up the court, and was granted the title of 'Prince Ding.' He has also confessed his origins to the new emperor, who is grateful and has issued an imperial decree. The entire Great Wilderness Kingdom can now fully support my grand plan!"

The clan chief was utterly shocked, almost unable to believe his ears.

Even the Holy Maiden Qianling's eyes widened in surprise: "Husband, are you serious?"

"real!"

"We've only been apart for a year and a half. In that short time, you've already been made a king? And you've even helped a new emperor ascend the throne?"

"Struggles for imperial power have existed since ancient times. As long as one is good at adapting to circumstances, it is not particularly difficult to support a new emperor."

"In that realm, I already knew you were adept at turning the impossible into the possible, and I had also imagined that your entry into the dynasty would surely stir up boundless waves, but I never expected it to be so fast, so fierce." The Thousand Spirit Saintess took a deep breath: "The new emperor is the seventh prince, Hong Yun, is that right?"

This prince was the only down-on-his-luck prince he mentioned when she left him.

"Yes!"

Saintess Qianling's heart pounded wildly; it was indeed true!

She had a premonition that he would use the Seventh Prince against her. She knew the Seventh Prince back then and was well aware of how unimaginable this matter was. However, a year and a half passed quietly outside her consciousness, and when they reunited, the impossible had become a reality.

This is her husband!
In that world, there is a hidden dragon, the "uncrowned king," whose every action is accomplished.

The clan chief let out a soft sigh: "Son-in-law, your methods are unprecedented, even to this old man. Therefore, I might as well frankly tell you about the 'step' I am facing!"

The Holy Maiden of the Thousand Spirits felt a sudden thought. When her father faced "that step," he didn't answer him directly. Instead, he asked him how his business was going. It seemed that his father was quite accomplished. He needed to determine whether the Holy Maiden of the Thousand Spirits was qualified to talk about "that step." If the Holy Maiden of the Thousand Spirits was an ordinary person, her father would not have discussed it with him at all. Only after he learned that the Holy Maiden of the Thousand Spirits was a peerless genius who could turn the world upside down with a wave of his hand could they talk about "that step."

"Please speak, Father-in-law!" Lin Xiaosu said.

The clan chief said, "That step is the unspeakable realm after the Three Grasp. The rules for entering the Grasp differ, and the 'unspeakable realm' that follows also varies. The Spirit Race is descended from Heaven and deeply rooted in Earth, with long lifespans and free natures. Even below the Three Grasp, they can live as long as ancient trees, reaching ten thousand years. If one breaks through the Three Grasp and enters the 'unspeakable' realm, their spirit merges with plants and trees, growing and regenerating at will, endlessly repeating, almost like 'immortality' in the mortal world..."

Lin Xiaosu was greatly alarmed...

He knew how terrifying the Eldar were.

He once shared a reflection with Lin Weiyang about the "strength" and "weakness" of plants: Plants may appear delicate, but in the long river of time, countless heroes have vanished into thin air, and countless glorious dynasties have turned into the dust of history. Yet, plants persist. Can you say they are strong or weak?

Those are just plants, not people!
However, there is a race that is human, but possesses the characteristics of plants.

Eldar!

Ordinary spirit race members control plants and trees to roam freely in the mountains and fields. They have incredibly long lifespans, their injuries can be healed at any time, and their deaths are exceptionally difficult.

This is just an ordinary Elven race.

If it's the "step" the Spirit Race takes after breaking through the Three Obediences...

Wouldn't that mean truly escaping the cycle of life and death?
How could Heaven tolerate this?

The clan chief seemed to see through his thoughts and sighed softly: "Therefore, the Heavenly Dao will not tolerate the Spirit Clan's 'step'. The heavenly punishment that will befall them will be exceptionally fierce. My death is not a pity, but the entire Spirit Clan suffering collateral damage is something I cannot accept."

The Holy Maiden of a Thousand Spirits understood completely.

Just as she and her lover analyzed, her father dared not take this step because of divine punishment.

Not only will divine punishment kill her father, but it will also affect innocent bystanders.

"Father, is there any way to avert divine punishment?"

The clan leader slowly raised his gaze: "Under the punishment of heaven, there have always been only two methods: one is the demonic method of deceiving heaven, and the other is the Buddhist method of mending heaven. The former goes against my path, while only the latter may have a glimmer of hope. I did not want to tell you this before because you would not be able to succeed with this method. Now that my son-in-law has come from thousands of miles away and has such means, perhaps you can really find this Buddhist destiny for me."

The Holy Maiden Qianling was greatly shocked: "Father, please tell me clearly, how can Buddhism and Taoism mend the heavens!"

The clan chief said, “If we travel ten thousand miles westward, there will be a temple called Puji Temple, which is the residence of the Buddha. If we can obtain the Buddha’s treasure made by his own hand, it will greatly reduce the severity of the heavenly punishment. As long as I am spared from the heavenly punishment, even if the clan suffers collateral damage, I can make them turn back from the brink of death.”

Saintess Qianling was overjoyed: "Since there is such a way out, I will leave the mountain immediately."

The clan chief gently waved his hand to interrupt: "Don't rush! Seeking a Buddhist treasure is no ordinary matter. If he uses the Buddhist treasure to help me overcome this great calamity, it will also harm his own karma and implicate him in being punished by the Heavenly Dao. Therefore, he will never agree to ask empty-handed. You might as well tell him that if he is willing to help me overcome the calamity, my Spirit Clan will grant him a 'sacred tree sapling'."

The Holy Maiden of Thousand Spirits' expression stiffened: "Father, since the beginning of time, only three Holy Tree saplings have been born. Their functions are incomparably powerful. If they were to fall into the outside world, I'm afraid..."

The clan chief said, "The sacred tree sapling is a wonder of heaven and earth. If used for evil purposes, it will bring calamity to all the heavens; if used for righteous purposes, it will bring immeasurable blessings. The Buddha, in his name, saves all living beings. If the sacred tree sapling falls into his hands and he uses it to convert evil spirits, it is in line with the great merit of 'Buddha and Tao mending the heavens,' so there is no harm in it!"

The Thousand Spirits Saintess slowly raised her gaze, looking at Lin Xiaosu: "Husband, what do you think..."

Although she was once a powerful figure in the Spirit Clan, and was considered knowledgeable and opinionated, she was ultimately no match for her father. She could only accept his words, but a lingering unease remained in her heart. The sacred tree sapling was of utmost importance…

Lin Xiaosu raised her eyes and looked at the clan leader: "Father-in-law, this method... is inappropriate."

"Is this inappropriate?" The clan leader was slightly taken aback.

"Father-in-law's method depends on one fundamental principle: the Buddha himself must be a righteous and powerful being!"

“He is naturally a great power of the righteous path. How could I entrust such an important task to someone who is not a great power of the righteous path?” The clan chief said, “Does my son-in-law doubt that the Buddha is not a righteous one?”

Lin Xiaosu said, "Father-in-law probably can't imagine that this Buddha once attempted to assassinate me, but failed!"

"What?" The clan leader and the Holy Maiden of the Thousand Spirits were both shocked.

They wouldn't be surprised if anyone in the world assassinated someone else, but only the Buddha would surprise them.

Who is Buddha?

A person who uses Buddha's name or honorific title!
Did Buddhist monks carry out an assassination?

How utterly unbelievable!
Furthermore, what is the identity of the Buddha? He is a person who has already entered the "unspeakable realm" ten thousand years ago. He is one of the top pillars of this world, and can discuss the Dao with the Lord of Cangyuan, the Lord of Tiandu, the Lord of the Underworld, and the Lord of Xuanhuang Sect!
Would he assassinate me?

And the assassination attempt failed?
"That incident occurred during the war between the Great Wilderness and the Yan Kingdom. An old monk was ordered by the Buddha to participate in the war between the Great Wilderness and the Yan Kingdom and carry out a targeted attack on my son-in-law. His ultimate killing move was a Bodhi seed with the Buddha's will inside it..." Lin Xiaosu recounted the battle that day.

The patriarch and the Holy Maiden of the Thousand Spirits both changed their expressions.

Lin Xiaosu said, "People have a thousand faces; you can know a person's face but not their heart. The fact that Puji Temple is involved in a battle dominated by the Heart Path is itself unusual. If such a sacred object as the Sacred Tree Sapling falls into his hands, the consequences would be unimaginable. Even if he voluntarily gives away the Buddhist treasure to help my father-in-law overcome his tribulation, it is very likely a desperate measure to wipe out his family. This person is absolutely not to be trusted!"

The Holy Maiden of Thousand Spirits' heart pounded: "Yes, Father, if he left a backdoor in the Buddhist treasure, then... then Father..."

The clan chief's eyelids twitched slightly: "People have a thousand faces, you can know a person's face but not their heart... In the Buddhist holy temple in the far west, there is an unparalleled master in the Buddhist world. Am I really being misled by rumors?"

"Father-in-law, you are misled by rumors, but I don't know how these rumors reached your ears?" Lin Xiaosu said.

"For millions of years, although I haven't been able to leave the Sacred Tree even a step, I have occasionally heard my clansmen speak of this Buddhist monk, a top-tier powerhouse..."

“That’s the problem!” Lin Xiaosu said, “The winds have shifted throughout the entire Spirit Clan. What they call good may not be good, and what they call evil may not be evil.”

The clan chief was completely stunned.

The people have changed too!
The soil has changed!
Over a span of millions of years, everything has changed… (End of Chapter)