"Nightmare Demon Dragon, a spiritual-type soul beast…"
Jiang Jue frowned slightly as he muttered under his breath.
Compared to other soul beast types, spiritual beasts were already exceedingly rare. But a Nightmare Demon Dragon, bearing the bloodline of a true dragon, was even rarer.
Jiang Jue knew of it because he had once considered it for his future soul ring plan.Later, however, due to its scarcity and incompatibility with ring age, he had given up. He never expected to encounter it here.
"You've got some knowledge, boy. This was something I personally hunted down back then."
Du Bu Si nodded faintly, explaining the origin of this dragon bone with some sentiment.
It had originally been needed by a spiritual-type soul master of the Body Sect, who had reached the quasi-Titled Douluo level and required a spiritual ring to break through.
Du Bu Si had led the team to hunt, and by coincidence, ran into this unlucky Nightmare Demon Dragon. With a beast like this, he had never shown mercy.
The dragon was slain, and after absorbing its soul ring, the soul master discovered the dragon had produced a head soul bone. But since he already had a head soul bone, it was useless.Other body parts could be swapped, but once you replaced a head… there was no going back.
Later, Du Bu Si used this soul bone as the foundation, and the dragon's skeleton as the carrier, to construct this Hall of Comprehension.
"Senior, you brought me here… this opportunity you mentioned?"
Jiang Jue surveyed the hall with some doubt.
"The opportunity is here. Or rather—the entire hall is the opportunity!"
Du Bu Si raised his palm, and an ancient bronze token flew out, slotting perfectly into a missing groove on one of the bronze pillars.
Click! Click!
Two crisp mechanical sounds rang out. At the center of the hall, the floor slowly rose, revealing a white jade meditation cushion.
"Go on, sit. Comprehend it well."
Du Bu Si pointed toward the cushion, signaling for Jiang Jue to take his seat.
Jiang Jue's eyes flickered. Since he was already in the Body Sect, Du Bu Si likely bore him no harm. Still, he quietly summoned Elder Yi from the Spirit Gold within him.
He walked over and sat cross-legged upon the cushion.
As he settled in, Du Bu Si soared into the air, landing atop the Nightmare Demon Dragon's massive skull. His palm struck down upon a soul bone inlaid in its head that glowed with violet-black light.
In an instant, the dragon bones seemed to awaken. Deep, guttural roars echoed, and the once calm spiritual waves of the hall surged into madness.
Mental energy was drawn as if by command, flooding toward the hall's center—right where Jiang Jue sat.
The converging energies spiraled, glowing milky white—the manifestation of spiritual power condensed to an extreme.
"Elder Yi, is there anything wrong with this energy?"
Jiang Jue shielded himself with a layer of mental energy.
"No problem. That bald one isn't harming you. This will benefit you. Drop the barrier."
The old voice reassured him, and Jiang Jue let out a breath.
"Boy! Release the barrier!" Du Bu Si's low bark followed.
Jiang Jue complied, lowering his defenses as the raging tide of spiritual power crashed into him.
He felt like a lone rock amidst an endless ocean, battered yet unshaken.
As the waves struck, his awareness began sinking, as though descending into a strange, unknown space.
"Boy, remember—hold to your true self. Don't lose yourself!"
"And if you must—kill yourself!"
Du Bu Si's voice echoed as Jiang Jue's eyes slipped shut.
Drip… drip…
The sound of falling water filled the silence. Darkness. Nothing else.
"Where… am I?"
Jiang Jue opened his eyes, finding himself sitting atop still waters. Beneath the surface, nothing but bottomless black.
"Elder Yi? Elder Yi? Are you there?"
Only silence replied.
"Strange… is this my inner world? Or somewhere else? Why would even Elder Yi vanish?"
He rose cautiously, frowning. Since Elder Yi had entered the Spirit Gold, this was the first time he'd lost contact. That worried him.
His soul bones and martial spirit were gone too. The only thing left was the violet-black mark on his left hand.
Heh-heh-heh!
A strange laugh echoed all around, followed by splashes.
"Jiang Jue, give back our lives!"
The once calm water erupted. Black shadows rose one after another—human, beast—all beings Jiang Jue had slain and bound into the Soul-Refining Banner.
Hundreds, maybe over a thousand.
Each radiated hatred and bloodlust, their scarlet eyes locked on him.
"Mere remnant souls dare act unruly!"
Jiang Jue's eyes gleamed coldly, fists tightening.
"Jiang Jue, do you not know humility when facing your elder?"
A red-eyed figure stepped forth from the crowd, voice booming.
"Nangong Elder…" Jiang Jue sneered. "You dare speak of humility? Are you even worthy?"
On the cultivation path, there were only three titles: Senior, Daoist, Ant.
He grinned, baring his white teeth. Now, he understood where this was.
Woosh!
From his left hand, violet-black aura coiled upward, forming the Soul-Refining Banner, covered in writhing blood-patterns.
The souls flinched at its sight, instinctively fearing the terror within.
"If I killed you once, I'll kill you again!"
He brandished the banner, and with a thunderous crack, black chains shot forth like monstrous talons, shredding the shadows into splashes of dark water.
Screams echoed endlessly, yet none could harm him.
Time blurred.
"Jiang Jue, do you feel no justice in your heart? Have you not erred?"
One voice remained—Wang Gengyin.
"No. It was you who erred."
"What? Me?"
"In a world of survival, justice is meaningless. Only following one's heart matters."
"Then… could you spare me?"
Jiang Jue smirked. "Of course… not."
The icy chain pierced Wang Gengyin's chest, and he dissolved into black water.
"So this is my inner world? These souls—born of my heart's shadows? Or resentments?"
"All illusions?"
As calm returned, Jiang Jue pondered.
Thud… thud… thud…
A bent figure approached, cane tapping the water with each step. Slowly, an old man emerged from the darkness.
Seeing the familiar yet distant silhouette, Jiang Jue's pupils shrank.
"Grandpa Lake…"
(End of Chapter)