Chapter 43 ·There Truly Is a Spirit Realm!

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Soul Search Technique was a spell that Nether Soul had already mastered to perfection.

Now, ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍when he used it, he could not only precisely extract the memories he needed, but also protect the target’s soul to the greatest extent, preventing them from becoming an idiot or dying on the spot.

A ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍vast amount of information surged into his mind, simultaneously transmitted to the consciousness of the original body, Gu Yan, within the cave abode on Longevity Peak.

This ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Liu Qingyun—he actually came from the Spirit Realm!

It ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was a true cultivation world, countless times more vast than this one. Its laws of heaven and earth were complete, its spiritual energy abundant, sects stood everywhere, and experts were as numerous as clouds.

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Azure Wave Sect was merely a mid-sized sect within the human territories of the Eastern Continent of the Spirit Realm.

The highest cultivators in the sect were two ancestors at the late Nascent Soul stage.

Among them, the granddaughter of one ancestor had, by a stroke of fortune, become the Dao companion of a true disciple of the top-tier force, the Tianyan Dao Sect, in the Spirit Realm.

Relying on this connection, the Azure Wave Sect was granted a mortal world as an affiliated resource land.

It was precisely this world where Gu Yan and Nether Soul resided.

In the eyes of great sects in the Spirit Realm, such small worlds—with thin spiritual energy and incomplete laws—held limited value.

Their uses generally fell into three categories.

First, to raise low-level demonic beasts or special lifeforms as sources of materials.

For instance, the half-demon races in the Endless Sea were descendants of experimental bloodlines released by the Azure Wave Sect several hundred years ago.

Second, to periodically inspect for individuals possessing spiritual roots, bringing them back to the Spirit Realm to serve as outer disciples or laborers.

Third, to act as coordinate anchor points for certain special secret realms or ancient ruins.

The Spirit Realm was vast beyond measure, and its major power structure could be divided into three great races: human, demon, and spirit.

The human race occupied the most fertile regions such as the Central Lands, Eastern Continent, and Southern Frontier.

Sects, dynasties, and clans intertwined, both righteous and demonic coexisting, with intense competition.

The top forces all had Great Ascension ancestors overseeing them, looking down upon the world.

The demon race dominated the Western Wastelands, Northern Plains, and countless demon territories within the vast star seas.

Demons revered bloodlines above all, where the strong preyed upon the weak.

Powerful demon kingdoms also controlled several small worlds.

In some of those worlds, the fate of humans was miserable—they could only be raised as livestock for harvesting.

The spirit race was more mysterious, referring to beings such as mountain and river essences, sentient ancient trees, and transformed anomalous energies.

They mostly resided in blessed lands or attached themselves to great forces. Individuals were powerful, but the race itself was relatively scattered.

The Tianyan Dao Sect, to which the Azure Wave Sect was affiliated, was one of the top human forces.

It was said that there was more than one Great Ascension ancestor within the sect, and the number of small worlds, secret realms, and resource stars under its control was beyond counting.

Granting this mortal world to the Azure Wave Sect was nothing more than a casual gift to the Tianyan Dao Sect.

As for Liu Qingyun’s descent this time, it was precisely under the orders of his sect—to conduct routine inspections and check for individuals with spiritual roots.

In his possession was a magical treasure called the Spirit Appraisal Mirror.

It could detect those with spiritual roots over a large range.

As for the half-demons on these deep islands of the Endless Sea…

In the eyes of the Azure Wave Sect, their bloodlines were impure and mixed, not even qualifying to serve as laborers, and thus were naturally excluded from inspection.

Liu Qingyun’s true objective this time was the larger islands or continents on the other side of the Endless Sea, where pure human populations resided.

After receiving all the information, within the cave abode on Longevity Peak, Gu Yan slowly opened his eyes.

“…Well, would you look at that. There really are people from above—and the kind that come down for regular inspections.”

He rubbed his brow, feeling a bit surreal, yet also a sense of inevitability settling into place.

With a shift of thought, he had already transmitted instructions to Nether Soul through their connection.

Understanding the original body’s intent, the faint glow at Nether Soul’s fingertips dissipated, and his figure flickered before vanishing without a trace.

……

Liu Qingyun’s eyelids trembled slightly as he slowly opened his eyes, a trace of dazed confusion lingering on his face as if he had just awakened.

He found himself standing beneath an ancient tree at the edge of Radiant Glow Island’s village. The surroundings were quiet, with only the rustling of sea wind through the leaves.

Just now… had he blanked out?

He frowned slightly, vaguely sensing that something had been off for an instant.

But when he carefully recalled, his memories were clear and coherent.

He had arrived on the island through a teleportation array, paused briefly, and swept the village with his divine sense… everything seemed normal.

Perhaps it was fatigue from traversing between worlds.

His master had once said that disciples at the Qi Refining stage often experienced disorientation when descending to a lower world for the first time. Although he was already at Foundation Establishment, the thin laws of this mortal world could still cause slight discomfort.

He did not dwell on it further and steadied his mind.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a Scale-Tail Clan girl sitting on a rock, hugging her knees, her gaze vacant.

Liu Qingyun indifferently withdrew his gaze.

Lowly half-demons, weak-minded—not worth attention.

He summoned his flying sword, transforming into a streak of azure light as he sped toward the distant islands and continents inhabited by humans.

About the time it took to drink half a cup of tea after Liu Qingyun left, the girl suddenly came back to her senses.

She looked around in panic.

The Mister Mo who had patiently listened to her story and given her a seashell was already gone.

She only vaguely remembered that after listening to her story, Mister Mo had smiled gently at her, and then… a very bright light had suddenly appeared?

After that, she could not remember anything at all—her mind was completely blank.

“Was it a dream?” the girl patted her cheeks and looked down at her palm.

The azure seashell with spiral patterns was still lying there intact.

She thought that perhaps… Mister Mo had urgent matters and already left?

Shaking her head, she picked up her basket filled with fire crystals and ran toward home.

Today’s events were too strange—she needed her grandmother to cook a bowl of hot shellfish soup to calm her nerves.

High above in the clouds, Nether Soul’s figure slowly emerged, his black robe unmoving in the sea wind.

He looked down at the small running figure below, then toward the direction where the azure sword light had vanished, his gaze calm.

Just now, he had cast a Memory Sealing Technique on both of them.

This technique was likewise obtained from the “Fortune-Blessed Immortal Lord” entry.

“Azure Wave Sect… Spirit Realm… descending to recruit disciples…”

Nether Soul murmured softly, his figure gradually fading, merging into the clouds.

RelatedRelatedRelated