Chen Kuang hadn't expected that "Shen Xingzhu" had, until just now, been putting on a pretty convincing act.
When they had first met and she'd heard the name "Chen Ruogu," she must have recognized his identity already, yet she restrained herself and didn't show too big of a reaction.
But now, all of a sudden, she lost control, completely.
She didn't even bother pretending anymore. She just laid all her cards on the table.
Still, it was understandable. If someone could remain calm and composed in this situation, then she wouldn't be Shen Meinan...
Chen Kuang lifted his hand and gently patted the back of the girl in his arms as a form of comfort.
But very quickly, his expression turned a bit strange. The feeling beneath his palm, it was oddly... hot to the touch, almost like an illusion.
This body... definitely wasn't Shen Meinan's.
Even though Shen Xingzhu and Shen Meinan were twins, due to the so-called "Shen Meinan Placenta Theory," the two differed by a full ten years. Shen Meinan was still a young girl, while Shen Xingzhu had long become a fully mature woman.
Their heights and figures might be close, but they were fundamentally different.
What's more, Chen Kuang had embraced Shen Meinan plenty of times before, and was quite familiar with her physique.
The body in his arms now, however, felt entirely unfamiliar.
The most critical point, well... the chest area felt empty.
That confirmed Chen Kuang's earlier suspicions. The woman in front of him, what he was holding now, was Shen Xingzhu's physical vessel, but with Shen Meinan's consciousness inside.
Chen Kuang had no idea how Shen Xingzhu had pulled this off. Normally speaking, the divine soul and the physical body were intrinsically bound.
One body, one divine soul, like a personal identification number, one-to-one, with no exceptions.
Even in the case of soul division, it merely involves splitting off a portion of one's original divine soul temporarily, it doesn't conjure a brand-new one out of thin air.
And possession? That was the equivalent of deleting another divine soul entirely to take its place.
This kind of mutual exchange, this seamless shift, felt like it transcended the world's established rules altogether.
Because Shen Meinan's own cultivation level hadn't even reached the Mid Third Rank.
Which meant she hadn't even developed her own Sea of Consciousness. Theoretically, she shouldn't be able to contain Shen Xingzhu's excessively powerful divine soul.
That might also explain why the Mysterious Divine Path Sect and the Shen Clan dared to let Shen Meinan act as Shen Xingzhu's stand-in, because the average person wouldn't even imagine something like this was possible.
Yet the truth lay plainly before him...
Although Chen Kuang was surprised, he quickly chose to accept it.
This revelation also provided a reasonable explanation for the inconsistency he'd sensed in that earlier report about Shen Meinan's sudden rise to fame, when she defeated Wisdom Sword with a single strike.
Because that hadn't been Shen Meinan at all, it was Shen Xingzhu.
And now, the strange request Shen Xingzhu had once made, that he not "lay a hand on Shen Meinan", which had puzzled Chen Kuang so deeply before... finally made sense.
If the two sisters could swap divine souls at will, then their bodies were essentially shared.
Under those circumstances, it was only natural that Shen Xingzhu wouldn't want her sister's body getting involved with some strange man.
Unfortunately, Chen Kuang hadn't honored that promise.
After all, back then he had already resolved to fake his own death.
He'd thought, if I don't kiss her now, when will I ever get the chance again? This silly girl was so adorable, and who knew how long it'd be until they saw each other again?
Naturally, he wanted to leave a mark that wouldn't be easily forgotten.
He just hadn't expected they'd reunite so soon.
With an outsider present, Shen Meinan quickly composed herself and stopped clinging to him, but her hand still held tightly to his robe.
She pretended like nothing had happened, putting on a calm façade as she said coolly:
"You're here. I've been waiting for a long time."
The way she was trying to cover things up was all too obvious... as if to say she had arrived at the Hall of Moral Virtue early on, only to find it completely deserted.
Not a single person was present, not even the gatekeeping disciples, they had all been killed.
So she'd waited here alone, small and helpless and afraid, until Chen Kuang finally arrived.
Chen Kuang found it funny, but looking at her current expression, he also felt a strange twinge inside.
This was Shen Xingzhu's body...
Those cold eyes, which had always hidden behind a mask of compassion while regarding people as mere ants, were now misted over, glistening with unshed tears.
Those hands that wielded the sword without mercy, commanding supreme power, were now gently gripping his sleeve, as though it were her only anchor.
The slender, soft body pressed against his side, separated only by that dark robe...
Perhaps, only at this moment did the name Shen Xingzhu cease to be the lofty, untouchable symbol of divine elegance and unreachable virtue, and instead became that of a real, tangible... woman.
If the other party could also feel what was happening and could swap back at any moment... that'd be a terrifying situation.
Chen Kuang turned his head toward Jiang Yunqing and coughed lightly:
"Brother Jiang... could I trouble you to keep this between us?"
Jiang Yunqing didn't seem too perturbed by the situation. He probably assumed the two of them were simply...
He nodded, then thought for a moment and added, "You'd best improve your cultivation quickly. Otherwise, the Mysterious Divine Path Sect likely won't permit your relationship. As far as I know, the Daoist sects are especially strict about choosing Dao-companions."
Chen Kuang knew that Jiang Yunqing was actually putting it mildly.
Given the Mysterious Divine Path Sect's standing, and the fact that he himself was a fugitive wanted by the Martial Saint Pavilion, and still only at the Tower Ascension Realm, they would likely kick him out on the spot.
But it didn't matter. He didn't really have those kinds of thoughts about Shen Xingzhu anyway... Unless, of course, you counted that time he wanted to shove a sack over her head and beat her senseless.
Chen Kuang had just opened his mouth to reply when he suddenly felt an abnormal surge of Spiritual Energy within his body.
Pop.
He faintly heard a quiet sound, like a tiny obstacle had just been broken through.
His pupils contracted sharply as realization dawned.
He had broken through the Ninth Layer of the Tower Ascension Realm!
Jiang Yunqing, standing across from him, obviously sensed the change as well. After a moment of silence, he said:
"...You really didn't have to be that fast."
Chen Kuang gave an awkward laugh and chuckled:
"Ah... I just so happened to be at a bottleneck. This Ancient Battlefield of Meditation truly is extraordinary. I've barely been here any time at all, and I've already broken through."
Previously, after experiencing Destruction and Rebirth under the hand of a Saint, Chen Kuang had reached the Eighth Layer of Tower Ascension Realm.
After entering the Ancient Battlefield of Meditation, his Spiritual Energy had remained constantly active, and even the passive effect of the Fetal Breathing Technique had grown more efficient.
This rapid progress led to his breakthrough into the Ninth Layer.
Yet at this moment, Chen Kuang sensed something was off.
In the illusory palace within his spiritual consciousness, where once thick clouds had obscured the many steps, now, the nine steps leading up to the palace had become clearly visible, connecting directly to the palace platform ahead.
In his heart, he felt a vague premonition, if he ascended those steps, he could enter the palace.
In other words, he would be stepping into the Sea-Cleaving Realm.
But ordinarily, the Tower Ascension Realm should require twelve steps... For a regular cultivator, there were twelve complete sub-stages within the Tower Ascension Realm.
Ascending from the mortal world to the immortal was most difficult precisely because of those final three steps. Without sufficient talent, those short steps became an insurmountable chasm!
That's why so many people lingered endlessly in the late Tower Ascension Realm, unable to progress.
But for Chen Kuang... those final three steps had vanished.
No, not vanished.
Chen Kuang's expression turned stunned as he carefully probed further. He discovered that the final three steps weren't missing, they had been... flattened.
That's right. Instead of stairs, those three levels had fused seamlessly with the platform before the palace, forming a tiled floor.
Chen Kuang had a faint sense, if he could break through to the Ninth Layer, then for him, those final three levels would be as level ground.
"What the hell is this? My talent's already off the charts, and now even celestial immortals are going to roll out the red carpet for me?"
Chen Kuang muttered inwardly.
This was something truly unheard of.
Even Shen Xingzhu, although she had encountered no obstacles, had apparently still ascended all twelve steps properly.
Then again, when Chen Kuang thought about it, it did make a certain amount of sense.
From the moment he transmigrated, it had only been about a month, and before that, his original body had genuinely been a mere mortal who had never cultivated at all.
From a mere mortal to the peak of Seventh-Rank Tower Ascension Realm in just one month.
Such talent truly defies all known limits!
It was only now that Chen Kuang realized, this so-called passive ability, the Fetal Breathing Technique, might very well be the true "cheat" in his entire cultivation system.
To be cultivating at all times meant that he would never experience stagnation in his cultivation.
After all, if a container is already full, nothing more can be added.
But with the Fetal Breathing Technique, as long as Chen Kuang was alive, so long as he continued breathing, he was constantly refining and absorbing Spiritual Energy. If one exhales, one must also inhale.
No wonder he had felt as though there had never been any obstacles in his cultivation path.
Seeing his odd expression, Jiang Yunqing asked, "Did you discover something unusual?"
Chen Kuang shook his head. "Just adjusting to my new cultivation base."
Then he turned to Shen Meinan and asked softly, "What happened here?"
Shen Meinan glanced at the vast, empty Hall of Moral Virtue. "Nothing happened... When I arrived, there was already no one here. Not a single trace of presence remained."
Chen Kuang took a deep breath.
Nothing happened, that was the most ominous part!
With Mysterious Divine Path Sect under siege by Bitian people, with countless disciples slain and the situation hanging by a thread, how could the upper echelons remain unmoved?
Even more terrifying than a fierce battle was the complete and utter absence of everyone!
Clearly, something had gone wrong... but what kind of event could lead to the total disappearance of the entire leadership of the Mysterious Divine Path Sect?
Chen Kuang looked up toward the Observatory Platform, and asked solemnly, "Where is the Heavenly Saint Dao Sovereign?"
Shen Meinan shook her head. "Gone... But before I arrived, I asked a few core disciples. He had already left earlier, destination unknown."
"Also, Master is currently behind Bitian Mansion, locked in fierce combat with their Mansion Lord, Ji Chenzi."
Chen Kuang's heart sank.
That meant that of the entire high command of the Mysterious Divine Path Sect, only the half-step Saint, Earthly Spirit Dao Sovereign, and the one currently above the battlefield, Southern Dao Sovereign Li Huai, remained.
And that "Master" of Shen Xingzhu, that is, Qingpingzi, Lu Zhezhuan.
Though at this point in time, she wouldn't yet recognize Shen Xingzhu as her disciple.
Chen Kuang walked swiftly through the great hall. As expected, not a single trace of residual aura remained.
The Dao Sovereigns who should have been presiding over the Hall of Moral Virtue, all gone without a trace...
"It seems we'll have to wait until Earthly Spirit Dao Sovereign, Qingpingzi returns to make any further plans."
The three of them approached the edge of the hall, where large windows had been opened. From here, they could clearly overlook the entire battlefield.
Jiang Yunqing stood beside Chen Kuang, then suddenly lowered his voice and said,
"Even if your cultivation base is sufficient, you'll still need to be cautious of passing Earthly Spirit Dao Sovereign's scrutiny. Word is, she suffered a heartbreak in her youth and has since harbored deep resentment toward men. She has never taken a male disciple."
You even know this kind of gossip?
That's very uncharacteristic... for a sword cultivator.
Chen Kuang shot Jiang Yunqing a helpless look. If it weren't for the latter's serious tone, he'd have assumed this was just baseless rumor.
He was just about to speak when he saw Jiang Yunqing's expression suddenly tighten. He appeared to have seen something, his face turned grave with shock and fear.
Chen Kuang's head snapped up and what he saw was a scene so terrifying it defied all understanding.
His pupils contracted. "What is that?!"
"Canliao! That must be a Canliao-level powerhouse!"
Jiang Yunqing took a deep breath, eyes fixed on the white-robed man in ceremonial robes. He declared with certainty, "That man is Wen Yao. He's using his Pupils to summon an Ancestor!"
He explained, "Wen Yao possesses Double Pupils, and was born with a Divine Ability called Ancestor Summoning. It is said to allow him to trace his own bloodline backward and summon an ancestor to descend and possess him. The furthest possible reach... goes back to the Ancient Era."
"If he unleashes it to its full potential, his power is immeasurable."
"Because during the Ancient Era... the Celestial Vastness Realm had not yet gone extinct. It's said that the Wen Clan's lineage traces back to a Canliao Ancestor. There's a chance he could summon that one to descend."
"But based on his current cultivation base, he should only be able to reach back two thousand years. How could he possibly reach the Ancient Era..."
Thoughts rushed through Chen Kuang's mind like a tidal wave, until they landed squarely on that lingering wisp of the Martial Saint's Dao Resonance.
Why... had the Martial Saint arranged for the first inevitable battlefield to be this one?
Two thousand years ago... Yes, the battle between the Mysterious Divine Path Sect and Bitian fell within that very time frame.
And Wen Yao, he must have activated his Ancestor Summoning Divine Ability the instant he entered the battlefield.
That golden light Chen Kuang had seen earlier, was the phenomenon caused by the activation of that Divine Ability.
In other words, Wen Yao had been in the "Ancestor-Summoned State" from the very start of his entry into the Ancient Battlefield of Meditation.
There must be a reason he had to do that.
Chen Kuang suddenly recalled the events in the Great Void Illusion Realm, when, because of his identity as a transmigrator, the illusion couldn't properly simulate him, resulting in a scenario where his past and present selves coexisted.
Could the Ancient Battlefield of Meditation, being another illusion-like world, contain a similar mechanism?
Like a bolt of lightning splitting his mind open, a far more terrifying possibility suddenly leapt out:
"What if... Wen Yao, by summoning an ancestor who also possessed Double Pupils..."
"...used that ancestor's identity and cultivation base as a stepping stone to once again summon an even more ancient ancestor?!"
Chen Kuang turned abruptly and asked, "Has there only ever been one person with Double Pupils in all of history?"
Jiang Yunqing was briefly stunned, then instantly understood. He shook his head. "No, there've been others!"
His expression shifted in shock. "In fact, there was once such a person... from the Bitian faction itself!"
Holy hell..
He's stacking Divine Abilities like breaking a video game!
Chen Kuang looked at Jiang Yunqing and asked, "What if that person's surname was Wen?"
Jiang Yunqing fell silent for a moment, then said, "With stacked Double Pupils, combined with the support of the Ancient Battlefield of Meditation... it would indeed be possible to summon one!"