You, a living person, are telling me I've served in the underworld for ten years?

Chen Yang steadied himself and began to slowly and steadily increase the number of guiding energy threads.

One, two, ten, a hundred... More and more gentle energy is falling into the sea of ​​consciousness like spring rain.

At first, the sea of ​​consciousness only expanded slightly and became brighter. But as energy continued to pour in, the changes began to intensify!
Chen Yang felt as if his "consciousness" was being stretched and broadened infinitely. Countless originally vague thoughts became clear, fragments of memory were reassembled and understood, and his insights into the cultivation technique, the world, and himself surged like a tide!

However, at the same time, intense swelling and tearing pain, as if being stretched to the point of bursting, also followed closely, affecting the depths of the soul more directly than the pain in the dantian!

"Ugh—!"

Chen Yang couldn't help but let out a suppressed growl, his forehead veins throbbing, and his face contorted.

This kind of pain far surpasses physical torture.

"Hold on! Concentrate your mind and focus on the image of Patriarch Qingwei!"

The woman's lingering spirit's voice carried a strange, calming power.

Chen Yang gritted his teeth, trying his best to visualize the portrait of the founder of the Qingwei School hanging in the council hall, guarding the last bit of clarity in his mind, letting the "spring rain" wash, nourish, and expand the boundaries of his sea of ​​consciousness.

Pain and enlightenment intertwined, destruction and rebirth coexisted. After countless near-collapses, Chen Yang's sea of ​​consciousness finally underwent a qualitative leap with a silent roar! Its range expanded by nearly half, becoming more stable and profound, and the strength of his divine sense, the speed of his thinking, and his perception all experienced a terrifying increase!

At this moment, his eyes flashed with a sharp light, and his temperament underwent a subtle change. He became less worldly and more insightful and detached.

When the last wisp of energy was absorbed and transformed by his sea of ​​consciousness, Chen Yang felt completely exhausted. He leaned against the edge of the pool, panting heavily, not even wanting to move a finger.

This baptism in the "Purifying Pool" has consumed far too much of his energy and mind, whether it's the transformation of his body, the strengthening and expansion of his dantian, or the enhancement and leap in his sea of ​​consciousness.

The woman's remnant spirit floated quietly to the side, silently adjusting her breathing to recover from the enormous energy she had expended.

After a long while, Chen Yang slowly regained some of his strength.

He felt the earth-shaking changes within his body, and a sense of power filled his heart. But at the same time, a question also began to entwine around him like vines, becoming clearer and clearer.

He turned his head and looked at the woman, Canling, who was meditating with her eyes closed beside him with a complicated expression. His voice was calm but carried a hint of coldness.

"You...did you already know about this place? From the very beginning, from the emergence of that teleportation array in the Sumeru Space, to your insistence on entering this underground passage, to the discovery of this 'Cleansing Pool,' and finally guiding me to strengthen my sea of ​​consciousness...all of this was part of your plan, wasn't it?"

The woman's remnant spirit paused slightly as she adjusted her breathing, and slowly opened her eyes.

She did not avoid Chen Yang's gaze; a hint of apology flashed in her eyes, but more than that, she showed openness and honesty.

She nodded, admitting it outright.

"Yes.

"My lord, you guessed correctly. From the moment that teleportation array spontaneously evolved and appeared within your Sumeru space, I knew it had a profound connection to this special immortal realm, especially to this island and this 'Cleansing Pool.' I did indeed... intentionally guide you here."

Chen Yang's gaze grew even colder.

"Although you ultimately didn't harm me, but instead helped me greatly, significantly increasing my strength, I don't like or agree with this feeling of being kept in the dark and gradually drawn into the situation. From the very beginning, you weren't telling me the truth. What exactly do you want? Or rather, what do you need me to do?"

The remnant spirit of the woman sighed softly, stood up from the pool, and solemnly bowed to Chen Yang.

"Please calm down, my lord. I did not mean to deceive you, but this matter is of great importance. Before I can ascertain your character and ability, I dare not tell you rashly, and I am also worried that you will back down because of the risks. I do need your help, but it is by no means anything to harm anyone."

"explain."

Chen Yang's tone remained calm.

"I would like to ask you, sir... to completely refine this entire floating island, and even this part of the Immortal Realm space connected to it! Not like you refined the World Spirit Pearl to obtain a blank seed, but to refine this already formed space with special rules and abundant resources into a part of your 'inner world'!"

The woman's remnant spirit uttered startling words.

"The inner world?"

Chen Yang frowned; this was the first time he had ever heard this term.

"What do you mean? Why do you want to do this? And why me of all people?"

The woman's remnant spirit explained.

"The 'inner world' is a higher level of existence than the 'small world' or 'blessed land'."

It is not a space independent of the outside world, but is completely integrated with the cultivator's own Great Dao, soul, and body, becoming a part of the cultivator, like an organ, like a natal magic weapon that is always in operation.

In the inner world, the Refiner is like a creator god, able to create all things with a single thought, govern the rules by their own mind, and grow naturally as their cultivation level increases, possessing limitless potential.

This fragment of a celestial relic is ancient and unique; its core rules and vitality are relatively well-preserved, making it an excellent embryo for refining into an 'inner world'!

She looked at Chen Yang with a strange expectation in her eyes.

"As for why it is you... First of all, you possess the Core of the Realm Spirit and have successfully refined it, which proves that you have the potential and opportunity to control space."

Secondly, your character is upright yet not pedantic, decisive yet not reckless, and you value loyalty while also being aware of your own interests, making you the best candidate to take on such an opportunity.

If a greedy or wicked person were to obtain this space, they would only plunder it wantonly, destroy its foundation, and might even trigger unknown disasters.

And I... also need a stable and powerful inner world as a foundation to truly escape the fate of my soul drifting and gradually dissipating, and to find a glimmer of hope for rebirth.

Chen Yang remained silent for a moment, digesting this astonishing information. The inner world... refining a ready-made fragment of a celestial relic... the temptation was simply too great.

However, the risks are also obvious. With such a vast space, the refining process must be extremely difficult, and it may conflict with the will or unknown existence left behind by this immortal space itself.

"I'm too busy. The Qingwei Sect has many internal and external affairs, and is surrounded by powerful enemies. It's simply impossible for me to stay in seclusion for a long time to refine such a space."

Chen Yang pointed out the most practical difficulties.

The woman's remnant spirit seemed to have been prepared and immediately spoke.

"There's no need for you to personally oversee the entire process, sir. There's a compromise—I'll lead the refining process! I have a better understanding of the rules and ancient restrictions of this space, and my soul form can communicate and penetrate it more easily. However, refining such a space requires establishing the deepest connection and access to its origin."

This requires... Your Excellency to provide ten drops of 'soul blood' as a medium and proof!

"Ten drops of soul blood?!"

Chen Yang's pupils contracted, and his voice rose slightly.

"Do you know that soul blood is the essence of a cultivator's soul? Condensing even a single drop requires a great deal of mental effort and time, damaging the very essence! Ten drops? That price is too high!"

Moreover, giving you ten drops of soul blood is tantamount to handing over a portion of my divine soul's authority and my life-or-death weaknesses to you! How do I know that after you refine this space, you won't turn around and use the soul blood to control me, or do anything detrimental to me?

Faced with Chen Yang's questioning, the woman's remnant spirit was not angry, but her eyes became even more earnest. "My lord, how could I not know the importance of soul blood? But refining such a space is impossible without it."

This is the solution I can think of that places the least burden on adults.

Regarding your concerns about control or harm…

She smiled wryly.

"If I truly had such intentions, I would have had countless opportunities to act when your dantian and sea of ​​consciousness were most vulnerable, in the most pain, and least guarded against me. I could have even directly attempted to seize your body or planted more secret restrictions. Why would I wait until later to use your soul blood?"

"All this trouble, even sacrificing my own life force to strengthen you, is for nothing more than a safe haven and hope for the future. What good would it do me to harm you? It would only cost me my only support and opportunity."

Chen Yang fell silent again.

What she said makes a lot of sense.

If she had harbored any disloyal intentions during that perilous moment, she would probably have already perished.

Moreover, her help along the way was genuine and tangible.

"This matter is too important; I need time to consider it."

Chen Yang finally said.

"Give me a few days. I'll give you an answer after I've dealt with some urgent matters concerning the sect."

A hint of urgency flashed in the woman's remnant spirit eyes, but she quickly suppressed it and nodded.

"I see.

This matter certainly requires careful consideration. But, my lord, opportunities are fleeting. The activity of this space is slowly recovering, and its connection with the outside world may be detected by other beings. I urge you, my lord... to make a decision as soon as possible.”

Chen Yang looked at her, then suddenly changed the subject.

"It's not entirely impossible for me to agree immediately. But you must first tell me your true purpose—who exactly are you? What is your connection with this Immortal Realm space? Why are you so eager to refine it as your inner world? I need to know the whole truth before I can make a judgment and truly feel at ease. Otherwise, there's no point in discussing anything further."

The woman's remnant spirit trembled slightly, her eyes becoming extremely complex, filled with reminiscence, pain, and a hint of relief.

She looked intently at Chen Yang, as if making an extremely difficult decision.

After a long silence, she sighed softly.

"My lord, the truth... I can tell you. But this matter involves a great deal of things, ancient secrets, and may even touch upon some unspeakable taboos."

Once you find out, there's no turning back; it may bring you unexpected trouble and attention.

She paused, her tone becoming extremely solemn.

"You must promise me, swear by your Dao heart, that everything I say today will not be revealed to anyone other than you! Otherwise, I would rather keep the secret forever, or even... vanish."

Chen Yang was shocked, realizing that the truth was probably far more astonishing than he had imagined.

Looking into the resolute and earnest eyes of the woman's remnant spirit, he knew that this was her final bottom line.

After a moment of contemplation, Chen Yang slowly raised his right hand, a wisp of pure and subtle magical power swirling around his fingertips, and solemnly said.

"Alright! I, Chen Yang, in the name of the Qingwei Sect Leader, swear by my own Dao heart."

Today, no matter what secrets I hear, I will never disclose them to any second person except when necessary to communicate with the person involved!
If I break this vow, may my foundation of cultivation crumble, and may I be eternally condemned to reincarnation, never to be reborn!

As the oath was made, an invisible constraint seemed to descend and entwine around Chen Yang's soul.

This is an extremely solemn vow of faith, which has a very strong binding force on practitioners.

Chen Yang's oath of Dao Heart echoed in the silent stone chamber, its lingering sound seemingly absorbed by the misty medicinal energy of the spiritual spring, bringing a strange sense of solemnity. The oath had been made, and an invisible constraint settled upon his soul; it was an extremely serious promise.

However, the remnant spirit of the woman, Yao Guang, did not speak immediately.

She looked at Chen Yang, a deeper resolve flashing in her eyes, and slowly shook her head.

“My lord, while the oath of the Dao Heart is indeed solemn, it involves such ancient secrets. Ordinary oaths may be circumvented or discovered by certain beings through secret methods. I need you to… use ‘soul blood’ as a catalyst to establish the ‘Origin Soul Oath’.”

"Soul Blood? Primal Soul Oath?"

Chen Yang frowned deeply. Soul blood is the essence of the soul's origin. To swear an oath with it is to directly imprint the oath into the deepest part of the soul. Once broken, the backlash will directly affect the origin. At best, it will cause permanent damage to the soul and ruin of cultivation; at worst, it will cause the soul to be scattered and the true spirit to be annihilated!

This is even more domineering and inviolable than the oath of the Dao Heart.

"The implications of this matter far exceed your imagination. I have no choice but to be so cautious."

Yao Guang's voice carried an undeniable insistence.

"If you truly wish to know, then please swear an oath by this method. Otherwise, I would rather remain here forever, bearing this secret."

Chen Yang gazed into Yao Guang's clear eyes, which seemed to bear the weight of countless ages, and weighed his options carefully.

The more cautious the other party is, the more astonishing this secret becomes.

As for himself, he had indeed been aroused with an irrepressible curiosity, which was also related to his future path and the fate of the Qingwei School.

"it is good!"

Without further hesitation, Chen Yang closed his eyes and sank his mind into the deepest part of his consciousness.

There, his illusory soul sat cross-legged, and with the movement of his thoughts, strands of the purest and most brilliant essence of his soul were slowly peeled away, condensed, and compressed... This process was painful and slow, like cutting into his soul.

A moment later, a drop of liquid light, more condensed than when he refined the World Spirit, resembling a solid ruby ​​with golden runes flowing inside, took shape at the fingertip of his illusory soul—this was the purest drop of soul blood!

Chen Yang opened his eyes, his face slightly pale. He forced the drop of soul blood out from between his eyebrows, where it floated in his palm, radiating a pure and powerful soul fluctuation.

He looked at Yao Guang and said in a deep voice.

"I, Chen Yang, use this soul blood as a guide to swear an primordial soul oath."

All the ancient secrets that I have heard from Yao Guang today will never be revealed to any other living being except through necessary communication with Yao Guang herself!

If violated, the soul and blood will backfire, the origin will crumble, the true spirit will be annihilated, and one will never be reborn!

As he solemnly spoke, the drop of soul blood suddenly shone brightly, transforming into a strange crimson rune that flashed and disappeared into Chen Yang's brow, deeply imprinting itself on the depths of his soul's origin. At the same time, Yao Guang flicked her finger, and a wisp of pale golden true spirit light merged into the crimson rune, forming a two-way confidentiality pact. (End of Chapter)