Chapter 514: They Are Both Men!

With the normal Soul-Commanding Art, once the soul leaves the body, the vitality of the flesh rapidly declines, becoming withered and feeble.

But this person before them was brimming with vitality, radiant all over, all acupoints singing in unison, spirit and flesh united. After the soul returned, not only did he appear no different from ordinary Mortal Transformation realm warriors, but his temperament was even superior, bringing an intense soul-crushing pressure!

With just one glance, Mo Huisheng knew that the Soul-Commanding Art the other practiced was absolutely different from his own—it had been completely improved, avoiding the Five Declines of Soul Power and reaching another level entirely.

Legend had it that the profession of Witch Soul was founded by the sect's founder, Liu Mozi, who stole the content regarding souls from the Heavenly Dao. Because the Heavenly Dao was incomplete, the stolen content was incomplete, leading to defects such as the Five Declines and the inability to fully unite the yin soul with the physical body.

Later generations of Witch Soul masters had tried countless methods but could not improve it in the slightest. This person before them, with just one glance, not only improved it but succeeded...

How could this not shock him?

How did he do it?

After the shock came intense excitement: "A teacher recognized by heaven, able to improve the Soul-Commanding Art... With such ability and insight, he can surely take me far..."

If before, being forced to acknowledge a master and even sign a soul contract was a last resort, now, seeing the other's ability and methods with his own eyes, he suddenly realized... perhaps this master was truly worth acknowledging!

Such a genius, an extraordinary figure, if he followed behind him diligently from now on, as long as he received careful guidance, breaking free from shackles and surpassing his former self was definitely a sure thing!

"These are the Witch Soul techniques I have learned and the secret methods I have researched over the years; they might be useful to Master!"

Thinking this, Mo Huisheng hesitated no longer. With a stir of his spirit, streams of information transmitted directly from his soul.

Witch Soul masters could transmit directly through the soul, a method far more convenient than speaking or reading.

Because of the contract, this transmission was even faster. Zhang Xuan felt his vision blur, and in an instant, a large mass of new knowledge appeared in his mind, all about Witch Soul.

Mo Huisheng was a six-star Witch Soul master who had survived from ancient times, when the inheritance had not yet been severed, covering almost all the knowledge of the entire profession.

"No wonder it's a profession feared by everyone in ancient times—truly profound and extensive..."

After a rough scan, Zhang Xuan's mouth fell open in shock.

No wonder this profession had been passed down for countless years, feared by so many, even more terrifying than poison masters—it was indeed not to be underestimated.

The previous Soul-Commanding Art was just the most basic entry-level technique compared to this.

"Did you create this Soul Splitting Technique?"

Suddenly, seeing a certain content, Zhang Xuan looked at the lotus before him.

This fellow had been trapped in the Nine-Heart Lotus for tens of thousands of years, desperate to escape, and had split off a part of his soul to succeed. This technique was probably the result of his many years of research.

"I figured it out..." Mo Huisheng nodded. "With this method, I can split off another self. Even if the original soul is destroyed in the future, I can rely on this clone to survive!"

"Clone?" Zhang Xuan was startled.

"Yes. This soul splitting can completely replicate oneself, including memories! In other words, it's equivalent to re-condensing a soul. If danger arises, it's quite good for preserving life!"

Mo Huisheng said.

Zhang Xuan nodded and quickly scanned the Soul Splitting Technique.

He had to admit, this method was indeed formidable—it could only be accomplished by someone who had mastered the soul to the extreme.

It seemed that if this fellow hadn't been trapped in the Nine-Heart Lotus, unable to absorb spiritual energy to cultivate, with his tens of thousands of years of accumulation and understanding of Witch Soul, breaking through to eight-star or even nine-star would not have been a problem.

True. Having lived so long, trapped all day, studying how to escape every day, if his understanding of the soul wasn't strong, he might as well have banged his head against a wall and died.

"Let's see how many flaws there are!"

His consciousness sank into the sea of consciousness, arriving at the Heavenly Dao Library. With a stir of his spirit, he copied all the vast knowledge transmitted by the other onto blank books.

Whoosh!

He casually took the book on soul splitting and opened it directly.

"Soul Splitting, created by Mo Huisheng. After cultivation, the soul can split into two... Flaws: ..."

The pages were densely covered with content.

"Only one hundred and twenty flaws—that's quite few!"

After reading the content, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but admire.

Creating a technique with only about a hundred flaws by individual effort—this Witch Soul master, though his experience might not be reliable, his strength and talent were solid.

True. Without talent, how could he have reached the peak of Mortal Transformation and become a six-star Witch Soul master before his life was even over?

"Correct!"

With a stir of his spirit, the many Witch Soul books merged together, regenerating the Soul Splitting Technique.

He opened it again.

Now, there were only a dozen or so flaws left.

"It seems I still have too few books on the soul. When I go to Ten Thousand Kingdoms City, I'll buy more!"

He was quite tempted by the technique of splitting the soul to preserve life.

Cultivators could never guarantee what dangers they might face. If this technique could be successfully cultivated, his level of danger would definitely be greatly reduced.

However, with too many flaws, he wasn't very interested for now. Even if he wanted to cultivate it, he would first gather more books to fully supplement it.

"Let's look at the Nine-Heart Lotus!"

After studying the transmitted knowledge for a while, knowing he couldn't learn it in a day or two, Zhang Xuan wasn't anxious. He opened his eyes and looked at the black lotus before him.

This thing was called a divine object; he also wanted to know what effects it had.

His finger touched it, and in his mind, he softly called out "flaws."

Whoosh!

A book appeared before him.

"Nine Heavens Lotus Embryo, fell from beyond the heavens, obtained by Mo Huisheng. Requires the purest power to nourish. When fully mature, can be refined into a perfect physical body. Flaws: 1. Not yet mature; when fully mature, it turns completely white..."

"So it's not called Nine-Heart Lotus, but Nine Heavens Lotus Embryo! Refining a body is indeed correct!"

After reading the first page, Zhang Xuan nodded.

He had originally thought it was called Nine-Heart Lotus, but now it seemed that even Mo Huisheng, trapped for tens of thousands of years, hadn't recognized it.

Nine Heavens Lotus Embryo... though the book didn't specify its exact level, it seemed to be quite high.

"Only five flaws!"

Opening the second page, about to continue reading, Zhang Xuan suddenly froze.

The record of flaws was only two pages, five in total.

Since obtaining the library, this was definitely the first time he had seen a treasure with so few flaws.

"No wonder it's a divine object..."

His eyes burned, and a thought suddenly emerged: "If I learn soul splitting, split off a clone, and refine this thing as a physical body, wouldn't that be like having an extra life?"

The more he thought, the more excited he became.

This was a divine object with only five flaws. Refining it into a clone would surely make it extremely powerful.

"But... I'm afraid I won't live to see this thing mature..."

The first flaw recorded in the book was that this Nine Heavens Lotus Embryo was not yet mature.

A fully mature Nine Heavens Lotus Embryo was completely white, not the pitch-black appearance before him.

Having devoured all of Mo Huisheng's assets and lived for tens of thousands of years, still in this state, with his lifespan of a few hundred years, he definitely wouldn't live to see it mature.

If it wasn't mature, it couldn't be refined. Forcing it would likely result in being trapped like Mo Huisheng, unable to die even if he wanted to.

"Hmm? This thing requires the purest power to nourish to mature. My Heavenly Dao true qi is extremely pure—could it be used as nourishment?"

A thought struck him.

The description of this Nine Heavens Lotus Embryo began with the need for the purest power to nourish. He couldn't find enough spirit stones now, but his Heavenly Dao true qi was extremely pure; perhaps he could try.

He pinched the root of the lotus embryo and channeled a stream of true qi into it.

"Ah..."

As soon as the true qi entered, he heard a pig-like scream.

"I've said everything I know, don't kill me..."

Mo Huisheng was going crazy. He had just transmitted all the Witch Soul knowledge, and the other party immediately channeled true qi into him—anyone would think he wanted to kill him.

"Uh..."

Zhang Xuan quickly stopped.

He had only thought about nourishing with true qi, forgetting that this fellow was still inside.

Witch Souls had a natural fear of Heavenly Dao true qi, and this fellow, already half-dead from the Dragon Scale Talisman, couldn't withstand the attack of true qi.

It was already fortunate that he hadn't been directly obliterated.

Stopping the true qi infusion, Zhang Xuan was about to put the lotus into his storage ring to study later, when he suddenly noticed that the root he had just infused had turned white.

"Turned white? Could Heavenly Dao true qi really work?"

His eyes lit up. In disbelief, he picked up another root and infused another stream of true qi.

"Ah..."

Immediately, another heart-wrenching scream came from the lotus.

After a moment, he picked up the lotus.

"It turned white again. Heavenly Dao true qi can indeed make this thing mature faster..."

Seeing another root turn white, Zhang Xuan was filled with excitement and couldn't help but console: "I'm not trying to kill you, just testing this Nine-Heart Lotus. Don't be nervous. I'll try once more, just once..."

"No, ah..." Mo Huisheng wept.

I'll behave obediently from now on, okay? If you try a few more times, I'll probably be dead before you even get me out...

...

Outside the cave.

"What's happening? Should we go in and take a look?"

"It sounds like Mo Huisheng's screams. Could something have happened to Teacher Zhang?"

Hearing the screams, everyone who had been eating stood up.

"Teacher Zhang said he had something to study and we'd better not disturb him. I think... let's first listen to what's going on before deciding!"

Zhao Feiwu, being more steady, calmed the others.

"Alright."

Everyone nodded, pricked up their ears, and listened toward the cave. Soon, faint voices came through.

"...Don't be nervous. I'll try once more, just once..."

"No, ah..."

...

"Try once more? Just once? And don't be nervous?"

They looked at each other, eyes wide.

Zhao Feiwu's face turned red. After a long pause, he finally spoke.

"They... are both men!"