Chapter 49 ·Wu Nian

“Ling ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Wuchen of the Mystic Sword Sect…” Nether Soul murmured softly, then shook his head.

“Quite ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍famous. As for strength… just average.”

He ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍glanced in the direction of the Azure Wave Sect’s mountain gate, then looked at the patch of empty space where Ling Wuchen had vanished.

“Looks ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍like for a while, it’s better to go out less.”

“I ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍should stay in seclusion within the sect for some time, avoid the limelight, and wait until this wave of potential investigation passes.”

As ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍for whether the Mystic Sword Sect would cause a great stir over the disappearance of a Nascent Soul True Lord, or trace the matter to the Azure Wave Sect… Nether Soul was not too worried.

Ling Wuchen had been traveling and challenging others on his own, with an uncertain trail. The last place he appeared was also far from the Azure Wave Sect.

As long as he himself revealed no flaws, the possibility of being traced was extremely small.

Even taking ten thousand steps back—if they truly traced it here… by then, the strength of both his main body and himself would likely be completely different from before.

Dealing with a few late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators would naturally pose no threat.

Without lingering further, Nether Soul’s figure flickered, quietly merging into the mountain forest mist as he headed back toward the Azure Wave Sect’s mountain gate.

……

Spirit Realm, Northern Border of the Eastern Continent, River Yu City.

River Yu City was a mortal town with a population of less than one hundred thousand.

The largest force in the city was the Wu Family, a cultivation clan that had lived here for generations.

The Wu Family’s ancestor was at the mid-stage Foundation Establishment, already considered top-tier in this area.

The family controlled nearly half of the city’s medicinal herbs and mining business, barely squeezing into the lowest tier of the cultivation world.

Western Courtyard of the Wu Family, inside a rather remote and desolate side room.

On the bed, a youth of about sixteen or seventeen suddenly opened his eyes!

His face was pale as paper, his forehead covered in fine cold sweat, as if he had just experienced some extreme pain and terror.

It took a full half-incense stick of time before the fear and confusion in his eyes gradually faded.

What replaced it was a depth utterly mismatched with his age, along with a trace… of relief at surviving a calamity.

“I didn’t expect… the Soul-Splitting Incubation Technique would truly have a day to be used.”

The youth—or rather, the remnant soul of Ling Wuchen that had occupied this young body—murmured to himself.

The Soul-Splitting Incubation Technique was an ancient secret art he had obtained from a fortuitous encounter in his early years.

The cost was enormous. One had to actively sever a portion of one’s Nascent Soul origin, sealing and nurturing it within a bodily vessel whose birth data matched one’s own.

Once the main soul’s Nascent Soul perished, this sealed remnant soul would automatically awaken and take over the vessel body.

This was essentially an alternative form of body possession and rebirth.

However, the vessel’s cultivation could not be inherited and had to be rebuilt from scratch.

Back when Ling Wuchen obtained this method, it was merely as a precaution. He had secretly set up this backup plan.

The one he chose was an inconspicuous collateral disciple of the Wu Family in River Yu City—Wu Nian.

Wu Nian possessed pseudo five-element spiritual roots, his cultivation aptitude considered extremely poor.

Within the Wu Family, his status was low. He lived with his widowed mother in the most remote western courtyard, suffering cold looks and bullying daily.

Ling Wuchen struggled to prop himself up, feeling the meager spiritual power of only Qi Refining Second Layer in this frail body. A bitter smile unconsciously appeared on his lips.

Once, he—Ling Wuchen—was a heaven’s favored son of the Mystic Sword Sect, a Nascent Soul True Lord not yet three hundred years old.

Now, he had fallen to such a state—his cultivation entirely lost, trapped within this mortal body in a remote small city.

But soon, that bitterness was replaced by rationality.

To have survived was already a blessing from the heavens.

He closed his eyes, and the scene of that final battle involuntarily surfaced in his mind.

The terrifying Nascent Soul pressure that had suddenly erupted from that Azure Wave Sect disciple named Lin You.

That incomparably strange five-colored wheel of light, that primordial magnetic force field that twisted yin and yang and suppressed Nascent Soul teleportation…

“Little Five Elements Yin-Yang Primordial Magnetic Divine Light…” Ling Wuchen murmured the name, his heart still tightening with lingering fear.

That was definitely not a divine ability that could originate from the Azure Wave Sect.

Its level was far beyond his understanding.

For the other party to lurk within the Azure Wave Sect, his ambitions must be enormous.

“His strength is absolutely not ordinary late-stage Nascent Soul… perhaps even Transformation Spirit…”

Ling Wuchen analyzed calmly, his fear deepening further.

Shaking his head, he suppressed the many speculations.

He did not want to know the other party’s purpose, nor did he dare to investigate it.

The most urgent matter was to completely hide himself, absolutely not revealing even the slightest trace that he was still alive.

Fortunately, River Yu City was located in the northern border of the Eastern Continent, separated from the Azure Wave Sect in the Southern Sea region by countless miles.

Between them lay several major regions and countless sect forces.

As long as he remained cautious, the chance of being discovered by the other party was extremely small.

“Wu Nian… pseudo five-element spiritual roots…”

Feeling the aptitude of this body, Ling Wuchen frowned slightly.

With such aptitude, re-cultivating back to the Nascent Soul Realm would likely be ten times harder than his first cultivation.

But his Dao heart and insight remained, along with hundreds of years of cultivation experience and the foundation of the Mystic Sword Sect’s core inheritance.

Poor aptitude only meant spending more time and resources.

He was confident that, relying on his past life experience, even with this inferior aptitude, condensing a Nascent Soul again was not impossible.

“First, familiarize myself with this body, gather some resources, and quickly raise my cultivation…”

As he was thinking, suddenly, a burst of noisy footsteps and unrestrained laughter came from outside the courtyard.

“Oh? Isn’t this the courtyard of our great genius Wu?”

“Heard you nearly went into qi deviation while cultivating a few days ago and have been lying down for days?”

“What, not dead yet?”

A slick and frivolous voice rang out.

Ling Wuchen’s gaze turned cold as fragments of Wu Nian’s memories surfaced.

The person was named Wu Jun, the direct grandson of the family’s Great Elder’s lineage. He had three spiritual roots and was at Qi Refining Sixth Layer.

He was usually well-regarded within the family and was one of those who bullied the original Wu Nian the most.

At this moment, he brought along two lackeys, swaggering into the small courtyard—clearly here to cause trouble.

“Wu Nian! Get out here! Time to pay your monthly spirit stones to your big brothers!”

Wu Jun walked to the door and kicked it without courtesy.

The door was kicked open.

Wu Jun and his two companions saw Wu Nian standing inside with a pale face and were momentarily stunned.

Usually at times like this, Wu Nian would already be trembling in fear or hiding inside without daring to make a sound.

“What are you staring at? Hand over the spirit stones!” Wu Jun felt somewhat uncomfortable under that strangely calm gaze.

But thinking of the other party’s trash aptitude and low cultivation, his courage rose again.

Ling Wuchen quietly looked at the three youths before him, none higher than Qi Refining Sixth Layer, his heart completely unmoved.

In his previous life, he had roamed the Eastern Continent, challenging late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators—what grandeur that had been?

Now, a tiger fallen to the plains, being kicked at the door by such ant-like trash for a mere few low-grade spirit stones?

After the absurdity came a trace of cold anger at being offended.

He couldn’t defeat that mysterious and terrifying Lin You—

but did that mean he couldn’t deal with a few Qi Refining brats?

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