Mortal: Fifteenth Realm Sword Cultivator

Originally, Yan Ruyan wanted to say a few tactful words.

I was carefully considering my words, hesitating on how to express myself without being impolite.

Lu Jianghe seemed to see through her thoughts and smiled calmly, saying, "It's alright, there's no need to be so formal in front of me."

Upon hearing this, Yan Ruyan felt a slight sense of relief, realizing that she truly regarded Lu Jianghe as a Nascent Soul cultivator.

She immediately lowered her head and gave a graceful and dignified "Wanfu" (a traditional Chinese greeting).

This is a form of respect that women show to those in higher positions in the cultivation world, due to the vast difference in cultivation levels.

"Since Senior Lu says so, then Ruyan would like to take a walk around and see what's going on. If there is any need or urgent matter, just send a message and I will return immediately."

Lu Jianghe nodded slightly.

Yan Ruyan moved slightly, her steps light, and walked away in the opposite direction from Han Li.

A late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, though female, resides on Kui Xing Island, which is under the jurisdiction of the Star Palace. On the island, one can see six-tiered hall patrolling cultivators on duty everywhere.

Ordinary scoundrels would not dare to act rashly.

Moreover, nearly half of the entire Kui Xing Island was under the coverage of his divine sense.

Therefore, Lu Jianghe was not worried that Yan Ruyan would encounter any danger.

Kui Xing Island is vast in area, the largest of the twenty-four alien islands.

The highest peak in the core area of ​​the island, Tianzhu Peak, is the location of the Six Linked Palaces, a commercial force directly under the Star Palace.

The remaining areas extend outwards from this core.

Lu Jianghe led Xin Ruyin on a casual tour of a few places before heading straight to Tiandu Street.

He intended to let Xin Ruyin see the trading activities of overseas cultivators, to see what rare and precious materials they bought and sold on a daily basis, and what kind of cultivation techniques they practiced.

It wasn't until dusk, when the sunset painted the sea, that Lu Jianghe led the still-wanting Xin Ruyin away from the market.

I found a quiet and elegant inn and rented several connected guest rooms.

Then, with a slight thought, he sent two telepathic messages across spatial distances to Han Li and Yan Ruyan, who were still active in various parts of the island.

The former saw that the shipowner who had helped him with his identity documents was quite influential in the area.

After Han Li left, he asked him to inquire about the matter of finding a cultivation cave.

After figuring out some of the procedures, he heard a voice transmission from Lu Jianghe in his mind, specifically asking him to bring Qu Hun with him.

Although Han Li had doubts, he dared not delay. He immediately summoned the Divine Wind Boat, which transformed into a streak of azure light and sped toward the inn.

About an incense stick later.

The Divine Wind Boat quickly arrived at the inn. As soon as it came to a stop, Han Li looked back and saw that Yan Ruyan had also flown over on her own vessel.

The two arrived almost one after the other.

Han Li withdrew his gaze, leaped off the Divine Wind Boat, jumped over the railing, and entered the private room.

Yan Ruyan landed gracefully from the air, her toes lightly touching the ground.

He casually put the magic weapon back into his storage bag and followed Han Li and Qu Hun into the room.

As soon as he entered the room, Lu Jianghe put down his teacup.

"Go find Ruyin. I have something to say to Han Xiaozi alone."

Yan Ruyan dared not ask any more questions. She immediately curtsied and replied, "Yes," before turning and going to the next room.

After she left, Lu Jianghe raised his hand and set up a cyan barrier that enveloped the entire room.

Seeing his serious demeanor, Han Li knew that this must be a secret that only the two of them could know.

Immediately afterwards, Lu Jianghe flicked his fingers, and all the disguises covering Qu Hun's body collapsed, revealing Zhang Tie's true appearance.

Han Li was startled by his sudden action.

Finally, Lu Jianghe raised his hand to gesture for him to sit down, his voice flat and emotionless.

"Tell me, what happened?"

The calmer things seemed, the more uneasy Han Li felt.

Then he cursed inwardly, "I didn't do it, so what's there to be ashamed of?!"

He composed himself and then recounted Zhang Tie's experiences at the Seven Mysteries Sect, how he cultivated the Elephant Armor Technique, and how he was turned into a puppet by Doctor Mo, in detail.

Knowing the outcome, Lu Jianghe still listened quietly as Han Li finished explaining everything.

He completely forgot about Zhang Tie.

Upon arriving in this world, I was solely focused on securing the Heavenly Bottle, and nothing else concerned me.

Furthermore, preoccupied with how to restore his cultivation level in the human realm, he completely forgot about the fact that Zhang Tie had been turned into a puppet by Mo Juren.

This was indeed his oversight.

Things didn't go as planned; fate played a cruel trick on us.

The regrettable event that could have been avoided still turned out the way it always did.

Han Li finished narrating.

Lu Jianghe slowly got up and walked to Qu Hun.

He examined the body, his eyes open but lifeless.

If one did not know his true nature beforehand, the warm aura emanating from his body would make him almost indistinguishable from a living person.

Is this a puppet?

Why does it look somewhat similar to Cui Chan's "Porcelain Figure"?

Lu Jianghe's heart stirred slightly, and he directly raised his hand and pressed it on the unresponsive head.

Han Li watched from the side, wondering what he intended to do.

"what?"

Lu Jianghe was somewhat surprised.

The three souls and seven spirits of Zhang Tie's body before them had not dissipated, but were imprisoned within the flesh and fused with the body.

This also explains why this body was able to be successfully possessed one after another.

Whether it was that Core Formation cultivator from the Spirit Control Sect back then, or the later Xuan Gu Old Demon, they could easily possess it because it was essentially a pure physical body that retained complete vitality, and was by no means a cold and stiff inanimate puppet in the ordinary sense.

It should be noted that, in the knowledge and practice of cultivators in the human realm, there has never been a precedent of successfully seizing a puppet's body.

Even a genius as extraordinary as the Great Evolution God, who devoted his entire life to studying puppetry, could only transform himself into a special existence somewhere between a primordial spirit and a puppet.

Not to mention the bizarre situation where, after being forcibly possessed by two different entities, not only was the body not destroyed, but the entity was able to "accept" the soul, which is an unprecedented wonder.

Furthermore, the three souls and seven spirits of a person are mysterious and unpredictable, involving the fundamental principles of the Great Dao.

Even Lu Jianghe, who had already entered the realm of immortals, dared not claim to have deciphered all its mysteries.

If we're talking about a true master who has mastered the art of the soul, then it would undoubtedly be his ancestor, Cui Chan.

It is utterly unbelievable that a mere mortal martial artist, Doctor Mo, could transform Zhang Tie, a cultivator with spiritual roots, into a living puppet while still in his mortal form.

The key to this may very well lie in Zhang Tie's special constitution, which is endowed with spiritual roots.

Ordinary martial artists can only create inanimate mechanisms when crafting puppets.

However, Zhang Tie possesses spiritual roots, and his physical body contains innate spiritual energy, making his vitality far surpass that of ordinary people. The connection between his soul and body is also more stable and mysterious.

The evil magic that Doctor Mo used by chance, combined with his cultivation of the Elephant Armor Technique, brought together a series of coincidences.

This allows the spiritual energy within Zhang Tie's body to remain intact, keeping his soul within his physical form.

This created the peculiar existence of "Qu Hun," which exists somewhere between a living person and a puppet.