Chapter 600: Bai Zhi’s Possession, the Return of the Crimson Spirit Wings

By his estimate, in no more than 3 years, the Wind Cleaving Eagle would complete its transformation and become a pure-blood descendant of the Lüqiu Clan.

By then, its potential would soar, no weaker than Lüqiu Jinyuan’s in his prime.

After inspecting the eagle, Wei Tu swept his sleeve and entered a chamber in his cave residence, a place shaped like a dungeon.

Inside was a cold jade bed. Lying on it was a young woman, about twenty-something, with a stunning face.

But at this moment, she was like a corpse, barely a trace of life within her.

This was the body Wei Tu had chosen for Bai Zhi after coming to Yuanjun Island—a vessel for possession.

He respected Bai Zhi’s wish, as his spirit servant and friend in cultivation—to seize a body and live again.

Unlike demonic cultivators who were cruel enough to snatch any random person as a vessel, he took another path.

He openly posted a bounty among the lower ranks of cultivators, allowing them to volunteer of their own will.

In the cultivation world, there were always those burdened by incurable illnesses, crushed by poverty, or willing to sacrifice themselves for others.

The girl lying here was one such person.

Her name was Xu Yuqi. She had been born cursed by fire poison and wouldn’t live past thirty.

Now she was twenty-eight, with barely half a year left before she would be burned alive from within.

Xu Yuqi had a younger sister with good aptitude. Knowing the famed fourth-rank alchemist Wei Tu sought a vessel for possession, Xu Yuqi volunteered herself, hoping her sacrifice could earn her sister a bright future in cultivation.

There were many like her.

But since her appearance and age were suitable, Wei Tu selected her from the crowd as Bai Zhi’s body.

As for the fire poison inside her, curing it would be no more than a matter of days in Wei Tu’s hands.

"Fellow Daoist Bai, have you decided?" Wei Tu released Bai Zhi’s soul and asked solemnly.

"After this possession, you’ll last at most 30 years before your soul collapses and your body perishes."

Her case was different from ordinary possessors. Bai Zhi had cultivated ghostly Dao methods, already lingering at the edge of her lifespan. Even after possession, no cultivation could extend her years.

Her limit was bound by the life of her soul itself.

Simply put, her aged soul would forever be the weakest part of her new body, fixing her lifespan.

"I’ve made my choice," Bai Zhi nodded. She gazed at Xu Yuqi lying on the bed, walked over, and gently stroked her skin, feeling the warmth of life.

She understood why Wei Tu warned her. He wanted her to reconsider, to seek another way to extend her life, instead of becoming a short-lived shadow after possession.

"Thirty years isn’t short. Many mortals don’t even live to see thirty."

She smiled softly.

Hearing this, Wei Tu stopped trying to persuade her. Forming a hand seal, he began to aid her in the ritual of possession.

…

Several days later.

On the cold jade bed, “Xu Yuqi” stirred awake. She rose, bowed to Wei Tu, and said, "Fellow Daoist Wei."

Clearly, the possession was a success.

Yet Wei Tu noticed something strange. Within “Xu Yuqi,” besides Bai Zhi’s soul, the original soul still remained.

"As someone near the end of life, how could I drag this girl to death with me?" Bai Zhi’s face was gentle.

Wei Tu was stunned.

Others might not know Bai Zhi’s past, but as her master, he certainly did.

She had come from the Heavenly Maiden Sect, one of the five great demonic sects.

She was no saint. Those who had perished at her hands numbered not hundreds but thousands.

Now, suddenly she showed mercy to the one she possessed?

'Some fleeting kindness before death?' he wondered.

Thinking it over, he could only accept this explanation.

At death’s edge, people often made choices at odds with their nature. It wasn’t strange. She was still human, after all, and no single word like “temperament” could define a lifetime.

"Now that you’ve been reborn, Fellow Daoist Bai, for safety’s sake it’s best you stay inside my cave residence. Don’t go out needlessly," Wei Tu cautioned.

The safety he spoke of was not just hers, but his as well.

As his spirit servant, she knew too many of his secrets. Letting her roam free was impossible.

Helping Bai Zhi revive in the Yuan Yang treasure land and aiding her rebirth was his act of mercy, remembering their past bond.

But he hadn’t forgotten—he had destroyed her body and forced her into servitude back then.

Their bond was not simple friendship. He could never fully lower his guard.

"I understand," Bai Zhi nodded.

She had no acquaintances in the overseas cultivation world. Staying in Wei Tu’s cave made little difference to her, given her short remaining years.

Moreover, she had spared Xu Yuqi’s soul not just out of mercy, but so she would have someone to talk with, to ease the loneliness.

She had expected all along that Wei Tu would never allow her to stray from his watch.

…

Time passed.

Several years went by.

Bai Zhi grew familiar with her new body. Xu Yuqi, as a secondary soul, gradually learned more about Bai Zhi and her connection to Wei Tu, the fourth-rank alchemist.

"Though Fellow Daoist Wei acts decisively, he has principles. When my time comes, you should continue as his spirit servant. That way, you’ll survive," Bai Zhi said one day in the cave’s spirit herb garden, smiling as she breathed in the fragrance of flowers and glanced toward the closed cultivation chamber where Wei Tu sat.

"This too is a kind of fortune for you."

Being a spirit servant was indeed humiliating.

But that depended on whose servant you became.

Before this, Xu Yuqi had only been a Foundation Establishment cultivator from a small clan on Yuanjun Island. For her, becoming even the servant of an ordinary Golden Core True Lord would have been an extraordinary blessing, let alone serving a Nascent Soul powerhouse like Wei Tu.

After all, in any cultivation world, there was never a shortage of low-level cultivators.

But Wei Tu was already a top-tier expert in the cultivation world of the Guixu Sea.

If the position of his spirit servant were made public, tens of thousands of cultivators from the lower ranks would rush over, fighting desperately for the chance to become his servant.

"Alchemist Wei…"

Hearing this, the soul of Xu Yuqi within Bai Zhi’s sea of consciousness stirred, her beautiful eyes flashing with light as Wei Tu’s figure surfaced in her mind.

She felt no hatred or resentment toward Wei Tu, the man who had taken her life. Instead, her heart was filled with deep gratitude.

After all, with fire poison eating away at her, she had little time left. That she could, before death, give her life to aid her younger sister’s future was already a blessing.

Now, not only had she not died, but she even had the hope of becoming the servant of a fourth-rank alchemist like Wei Tu. How could she not be overjoyed? How could she not feel heartfelt gratitude toward both Wei Tu and Bai Zhi?

Yet just as Xu Yuqi was about to respond, she suddenly noticed that Bai Zhi had frozen in place.

Controlling her soul and borrowing what little control she had over her body, she also looked outward.

In that instant, a massive eagle appeared in the herb garden. Its body was green with a white crown, standing over ten feet tall, with wings stretching several tens of feet wide.

The next moment, with a flap of its wings, the eagle’s red light flashed and it suddenly appeared right in front of her, as if it had pierced through space itself.

"Spatial escape?" Bai Zhi was stunned. She never expected that the Wind Cleaving Eagle that had once accompanied her would now master such a terrifying ability.

As a former high-level figure of the Heavenly Maiden Sect, she knew a little about space techniques. They were profound escape arts that only cultivators beyond the Nascent Soul realm might touch upon. In the lower realms of cultivation, they were nearly unheard of.

And yet, in just 200 years, the Wind Cleaving Eagle had leapt from the Golden Core realm it once shared with her to the Nascent Soul realm, even mastering this kind of fearsome escape art.

The shock and envy in Bai Zhi’s heart were beyond words.

It wasn’t hard to guess that this was a fortune gained from Wei Tu. After all, the eagle’s bloodline was never especially strong. Its potential had already reached its limit when it first advanced to the third rank.

If she hadn’t been possessed by a demonic soul and lost those 200 years of cultivation, she too might now stand with a promising immortal path before her.

"Fellow Daoist Wei."

At this moment, Bai Zhi also noticed Wei Tu stepping out of his closed cultivation chamber. She hurried to rise and salute him.

"Fellow Daoist Bai."

Wei Tu nodded slightly in return, then raised his right hand and beckoned the eagle over.

After stroking its head, he gestured for it to display the technique once more.

"Li-li!" The eagle let out a piercing cry, spread its wings, and instantly vanished from sight.

When it reappeared, it was already a hundred feet away.

"Crimson Spirit Wings! It’s the Crimson Spirit Wings!"

Wei Tu’s face lit with joy.

The [Crimson Spirit Wings] had been Lüqiu Jinyuan’s trump card. Back when Wei Tu, Cao Mi, and the Second Mountain Lord surrounded and killed him, he had personally witnessed the terrifying dominance of this space technique.

If not for his deeper foundation and careful preparations, that battle would never have ended in Lüqiu Jinyuan’s death.

After killing him, seizing the purple-blue tree branch, and using it to alter the Wind Cleaving Eagle’s bloodline, Wei Tu had hoped the bird might one day inherit that ability.

Fortunately, his expectations had not been in vain.

With its bloodline elevated to that of a pure-blooded descendant of the Lüqiu Clan, the eagle had indeed awakened this space ability.

"Fellow Daoist Bai, enjoy the view here. I still have matters to attend to." Wei Tu recalled the eagle, gave Bai Zhi a casual word, and then returned to his closed chamber.

Watching this, Bai Zhi sighed quietly, her heart filled with a faint regret for the decision she had made more than twenty years ago in the Yuanyang treasure land.

The carefree path of immortality was never something easily abandoned.

…

Seven years slipped by.

Soon, it was the day for the Lüqiu Clan to journey into the Inner Ruins Sea to pay respects to the Divine Transformation experts.

"There are six Divine Transformation experts in the Inner Ruins Sea. Among them, two have close ties with our Lüqiu Clan…"

In the grand hall, Lüqiu Yeming, the clan lord seated at the head, swept his gaze across the envoys standing before him. His expression was solemn as he spoke slowly.

Foreign relations were never to be taken lightly.

All the more so when those two Divine Transformation experts were the clan’s backing, the very source of its protection.

To outsiders, the Lüqiu Clan seemed immensely powerful. But only those like Lüqiu Yeming, who truly held authority, knew how fragile they would be without that protection.

With just one word from a Divine Transformation expert, the Lüqiu Clan could be wiped out, their nation destroyed, their bloodline erased.

Of course, the chances of that were low.

The clan still shared bloodline ties and sect connections with those two experts. As long as they avoided touching upon their reverse scales, they would remain safe even if minor offenses occurred.

"Qingfeng, as chief envoy, everything rests with you. Be cautious in all matters," Lüqiu Yeming instructed carefully.

"Yes, Clan Lord." Lüqiu Qingfeng stood in the hall dressed in golden phoenix robes, her beautiful face lit with a radiant smile as she nodded in acknowledgment.

By appointing her as chief envoy for this pilgrimage into the Inner Ruins, the Lüqiu Clan was openly declaring to the two Divine Transformation experts that she was the heir apparent to Lüqiu Yeming’s position as clan lord.

After this journey, even if another Lüqiu Jinyuan arose in the future to challenge her claim, her status as heir would be unshakable, secure beyond question.

Nothing else compared—the recognition of a Divine Transformation expert outweighed any treasure. Within the Lüqiu Clan, it meant absolute authority.

After finishing his instructions about the pilgrimage to the Inner Ruins, Lüqiu Yeming’s gaze shifted to Wei Tu, who stood behind Lüqiu Qingfeng among the envoys.

Most of those selected for this mission were princes and princesses of the Lüqiu Clan, or loyal ministers of the Donghua Demon Kingdom. For a “newcomer” like Wei Tu, who hadn’t even made contributions yet, his presence was conspicuous.

Still, Lüqiu Yeming didn’t think Wei Tu was unqualified. From what he knew, Wei Tu’s mastery of alchemy already rivaled everyone except Alchemist Le of the Offering Hall. In a few hundred years, he might even surpass him and claim the top spot.

That alone was reason enough for the Lüqiu Clan to win him over. Everyone in the cultivation world knew how vital spirit pills were.

"Alchemist Wei, when this mission ends, if there is a princess you fancy, this Clan Lord will grant you marriage."

Lüqiu Yeming spoke with a faint smile.

The words fell, and the hall erupted in murmurs. Ministers turned toward Wei Tu, their eyes full of envy.

The princesses of the Lüqiu Clan were all extraordinary in beauty and carried the bloodline of a true spirit family. To marry any of them was both a blessing and a leap in status.

Yet at the same time, confusion rose among the ministers.

If the clan lord wanted to grant marriage, why not simply designate a princess directly? Why say it would only happen if Wei Tu himself took a liking to one?

It sounded more like Wei Tu already had ties with a princess, but out of respect for her status, had not dared to request marriage openly.

'Which princess?'

'Could it be the Ninth Princess?'

Their thoughts churned as they cast looks between Wei Tu and Lüqiu Qingfeng. Everyone knew she was the closest to him. She was the one who had brought him into the Offering Hall.

Wei Tu himself also felt a flicker of doubt.

Though his relationship with Lüqiu Qingfeng was good, he was certain she held no such feelings toward him. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have deliberately introduced the Seventeenth Princess to him.

But now was not the time to dwell on it. Stepping forward from the envoy ranks, he bowed respectfully toward Lüqiu Yeming.

"Your servant Wei Tu thanks the Clan Lord for his favor."

After all, this “granting of marriage” was not a forced engagement. It only meant that if he desired a princess, he could later request it through Lüqiu Yeming.

For him, there was no downside.

After expressing thanks, Wei Tu returned to the envoy group. Using his divine sense, he carefully observed the faces of those present, trying to discern Lüqiu Yeming’s intent.

'Her?'

Soon he noticed that Lüqiu Qing, standing behind Lüqiu Qingfeng, showed a rare trace of disappointment.

"It’s Lüqiu Qing," Qingfeng’s cold voice entered his ear. "I just received word… a few days ago, the only princess to meet with the Clan Lord was her. I suspect she wanted him to grant you marriage with her directly. For some reason, though, he left it as an open promise instead."

Hearing this, Wei Tu understood. He guessed at Lüqiu Qing’s thinking.

She didn’t know about his cooperation with Lüqiu Qingfeng, but she had clearly seen his unusual position in her eyes.

Otherwise, why would Qingfeng go so far as to groom a younger sister for marriage, to strengthen their ties?

When Wei Tu rejected her outright, Lüqiu Qing had lost her chance to rise overnight. Naturally, she would not give up easily.

This was her counter.

On the surface, she was more than qualified to marry him, a clan offering. As long as no one knew it was she who begged Lüqiu Yeming to arrange the marriage, time itself would cover the truth, and he would become the foundation of her rise in status.

But sadly for her, Lüqiu Yeming had not gone along. Instead of granting her wish outright, he gave only a flexible promise.

'This girl is scheming, but her tricks are clumsy. She’s not even on Qingfeng’s level.'

Wei Tu shook his head inwardly.

If Lüqiu Jinyuan’s ability was “excellent,” and Lüqiu Qingfeng’s was “mediocre,” then Lüqiu Qing’s was nothing but “poor.”

She had the strength of a Nascent Soul, but none of the qualities a Nascent Soul should carry.

"Rest assured, Princess. Wei has no ill will toward the Lüqiu Clan because of this. The Clan Lord’s promise is itself a sign of his regard."

Wei Tu smiled faintly.

In theory, Lüqiu Yeming’s words meant he could marry any princess of the clan, even Lüqiu Qingfeng herself, the heir apparent.

It was a mark of recognition.

Though he wasn’t overjoyed, he was still pleased.

After all, when he first joined the Lüqiu Clan, becoming an offering was not just to clear suspicion for killing Lüqiu Jinyuan. It was also to use the clan as a stepping stone to reach the Divine Transformation realm.

The Lüqiu Clan was his crucial bridge to the Divine Transformation experts of the Guixu Sea.