Chapter 700: What I Say Is Set in Stone

Chapter 700: Chapter 700: What I Say Is Set in Stone

"With this treasure, you can mask your vitality and simulate the phenomenon of a True Spirit Returning Ruins. It might be enough to deceive the Sea of Suffering Law and open a path for you.

Then, you will take this treasure inside and search for any trace of the Taiyin Nether Dragon Fruit for me."

Wukong’s True Spirit heard this, and its ethereal form fluctuated violently once more. A light of sheer disbelief, mingled with a sense of utter absurdity, erupted from his Golden Eyes...

But just as he was about to speak, his gaze met Xu Yunfan’s completely placid eyes.

His heart gave an almost imperceptible flutter, and he quickly composed himself.

’I am, after all, just his clone. My life and death are not my own to decide. How could I possibly negotiate terms?’

"A Magical Treasure?"

Wukong’s mental voice was filled with skepticism and ridicule.

"What kind of Magical Treasure can withstand the Soul-Eroding Yin Wind and dissolve Profound Light?

Can it fool that blasted Nether Sect’s laws? Xu Yunfan, are you trying to trick me like I’m a three-year-old child! I think you just want this last shred of my True Spirit to be utterly destroyed in that hellhole!"

Xu Yunfan’s expression didn’t change in the slightest at Wukong’s skepticism.

He slowly raised his hand, palm facing upward. A wisp of pure Eight Sceneries Cloud Qi rose from it, embodying the Fiery Flame of Li Fire, the Kan Water’s Softness, the Violent Thunderstorm, and the Thick Earth of Kun...

The Eight Phases of Reincarnation cycled in a display of endless life.

"An ordinary Magical Treasure would not suffice, of course. You were formed from a splinter of my own Divine Soul, and the birth of your True Spirit was no easy feat. I would not let you perish so easily."

Xu Yunfan’s voice was steady and powerful.

"With my Profound Capital Eight Sceneries Refining Heaven Creation Cloud Scripture Perfect Realm, supplemented by the Attribute Panel’s ability to deduce the Ten Thousand Laws, and using a Reincarnation Stone, Soul Nourishing Wood, a Soul-Stabilizing Bead, and the wisp of Indestructible Golden Nature remaining from your Innate Stone Embryo as the core, I can surely refine a Soul-Protecting Profound Mirror."

’Whether or not it would succeed was another matter, but at the very least, he had to project an air of absolute confidence.’

’If he himself seemed uncertain, how could he expect anyone to work for him?’

’Although he could force Wukong to go, doing so willingly versus being forced were two entirely different experiences.’

’Some people in the Primordial Sect enjoyed being passive, but Xu Yunfan wasn’t like that. The moment someone resisted, he started to lose interest.’

’After all, resistance made it impossible to complete many actions and tasks.’

With a slight movement of his fingertips, several Spiritual Materials emitting strange fluctuations flew out from the pile of materials and hovered above his palm: a peculiar, jet-black stone covered in profound Reincarnation Patterns; a piece of grayish-white wood core that flowed with a gentle vitality; a deep-blue bead with what looked like a swirling nebula inside; and finally, a faint yet incredibly tenacious speck of dark golden light originating from Wukong’s original body.

"The shell of this mirror will be the Reincarnation Stone, inscribed with Returning Ruins Dao Patterns to mimic the Sea of Suffering and confuse the senses of the Celestial Secret. It will be inlaid with the Soul Nourishing Wood Heart to anchor your True Spirit Origin and prevent it from scattering. The Soul-Stabilizing Bead, placed in the center, will harmonize these elements, stabilize your Spirit Body, and protect it from the corrosive, chaotic currents of the Netherworld.

As for your Innate Indestructible Golden Nature..."

Xu Yunfan’s gaze fell upon the speck of dark golden light.

"This is the treasure’s true core—its key. It originates from the creation of heaven and earth and contains a trace of this world’s Origin imprint. Theoretically, entering and exiting the Qingming should be a trivial matter for it.

With this as the core, we may be able to minimize the Nether Sect’s rejection of foreign objects."

Xu Yunfan’s plan was both audacious and meticulous, pushing his mastery of the Artifact Refining Dao and his understanding of cause and effect to their absolute limits.

As for Reincarnation, while he didn’t cultivate a Reincarnation Technique, he had drawn parallels from his other studies and managed to grasp some of its principles over the years.

’Now was the perfect time to experiment on Wukong.’

As Wukong’s True Spirit listened, he saw that Xu Yunfan’s explanation was perfectly logical. Though the skepticism in his eyes hadn’t completely vanished, the feeling of absurdity lessened, replaced by a heavy gravity.

After a pause, Xu Yunfan said, "Once you’ve completed this task, how about I grant you your freedom?"

The moment he heard this, Wukong faltered. His resistance instantly weakened by more than half.

"Do you mean it?"

Xu Yunfan smiled faintly. "You can ask around. I have never gone back on my word."

"Hmph!"

Wukong’s True Spirit snorted. His mental presence was still forceful, but he no longer offered any fierce rebuttal.

"Easy for you to say. Even if you succeed in refining it, the depths of the Sea of Suffering are rife with danger. The legendary Bitter Sea Qiu Long is said to be monstrously fierce, and it lives alongside the Dao Fruit you seek.

With what little remains of my True Spirit, wouldn’t I just be committing suicide by going in there, even with a Magical Treasure for protection?"

"That is why you must act with caution. Rely on the Magical Treasure’s Concealment to hide your presence. Your primary mission is reconnaissance. Do not engage in a direct confrontation unless absolutely necessary."

Xu Yunfan continued, "Your Combat instincts and your sense for danger are the keys to this mission. Besides..."

He looked at Wukong with a profound gaze, upping the ante.

"Once you succeed and find a trace of the Taiyin Dao Fruit, I will personally come to retrieve you.

At that time, my promise to reforge your Innate Dao Body and set you back upon the path of cultivation will be no empty boast."

Reforge his Dao Body, and continue his path of cultivation!

Those words struck Wukong’s True Spirit like a Heavy Hammer.

The suffocating despair—from detonating his Golden Core, from his body’s destruction, from his True Spirit being trapped within the banner—suddenly felt as if a crack had been torn open.

’I can seek the Great Dao again!’

Although his hatred for Xu Yunfan had not faded, the lure of this promise was simply too great for a former Innate Spirit, a Fighting King.

Wukong’s True Spirit fell silent. His ethereal Golden Eyes stared intently at Xu Yunfan, as if trying to pierce through his outward appearance, discern the true meaning behind his words, and verify their truth.

But Xu Yunfan was a True Monarch. Wukong could neither see through him nor fathom the true meaning of his words.

The hall fell silent, the only movement being the residual spiritual aura of the Eight Sceneries Cloud Qi drifting through the air.

After a long while, Wukong’s mental voice, which carried the quality of molten gold, sounded once more, filled with a mixture of complexity and resolve.

"Fine! This Old Sun will trust you one more time! But mark my words, Xu Yunfan. If this is another one of your schemes, then even if my soul is scattered to the winds and my True Spirit is damned for eternity, I will fight you to the bitter end!"

Hearing this, Xu Yunfan inwardly pursed his lips, but his expression remained placid as he gave a slight nod.

"Agreed."

The agreement was struck, yet the formless pressure in the room seemed to grow even heavier.

Xu Yunfan said no more. With a wave of his sleeve, Wukong’s True Spirit entered the prepared Dharma Body.

The Dharma Body slowly opened its eyes, revealing a wild and defiant gaze.

Clone Wukong looked at Xu Yunfan, a complex expression in his eyes. As a being who had once attained the Fighting King Buddha Fruit Position, how could he not understand his current predicament?

Though his Fruit Position was now lost, his True Spirit was immortal, and the Immortal Golden Nature that protected it had not dissipated. This allowed him to feel that his life was not his own to control.

For now, he had no choice but to trust Xu Yunfan.

His gaze shifted to the mountain-like pile of Spiritual Materials and the newly formed Cloud Scripture Incarnation. It was time to refine the critical Protective Treasure that would determine the success or failure of the expedition into the Sea of Suffering Reincarnation: the Soul-Protecting Profound Mirror.

The Eight Sceneries Cloud Qi surged around the Cloud Scripture Incarnation once more. Mentally linked to the main body, it would serve as the primary force for controlling the flame during the Artifact Refining.

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「Three months later, inside the Divine Sky Palace.」

The Eight Sceneries Cloud Qi coiled like a living thing around the Soul-Protecting Profound Mirror, which was suspended in mid-air.

The mirror was shaped like an ancient Bronze mirror. Its frame, carved from a Reincarnation Stone, was inlaid with Returning Ruins Dao Patterns. The back of the mirror was made from the Soul Nourishing Wood Heart, and the Soul-Stabilizing Bead swirled like a deep-blue nebula at the mirror’s knob. At its very core, a speck of dark golden light flickered in and out of existence.

This was the very key condensed from Wukong’s Innate Indestructible Golden Nature.

The Cloud Scripture Incarnation’s hand seals shifted. The Xunfeng Cloud Qi meticulously carved the final rune, and then the Thunder Shocking Cloud Qi surged into it, bringing it to life.

"It is done."

With a sweep of his sleeve, Xu Yunfan’s main body caught the Soul-Protecting Profound Mirror in his palm.

The mirror’s surface reflected Wukong’s simian face.