Chapter 346 - 341: Human World, Possession

In the Human World, within the Endless Desert Sea.

This was the legendary site where the Ancient Celestial Court had fallen, and it was also one of the most politically complex regions in the Human World.

Wanted Human Race Cultivators hid here to escape their grievances. Tireless Treasure Hunters scoured the sands for exotic treasures left behind by the Ancient Celestial Court. Clans of the Demon Race, fond of the arid environment, thrived and multiplied. And some lesser races, hunted by humans and despised by demons, eked out a meager existence here.

On this day, a blood-soaked man staggered out from the depths of the western Endless Desert Sea. Whether they were of the Human Race, the Demon Race, or merely the wild beasts of the Desert Sea, all who saw him gave him a wide berth.

This was because the man exuded the powerful pressure of a Golden Core Cultivator, yet that pressure was inexplicably unstable, reminiscent of a candle flickering in the wind.

It seemed his Golden Core might shatter at any moment, causing his body to perish and his Dao to be extinguished.

A Golden Core Master in such a state was naturally weak, but he was also at his most dangerous. He no longer cared for moral condemnation, nor was he bound by rules and conventions.

Sect, Inheritance, descendants... Some people might still consider such things. Others, however, lived by the principle: ’After me, the flood.’

The dying are the most frenzied.

Du Youqian’s chest heaved violently.

He clutched a Soul-Imbued Jade in his palm, which contained the soul of Master Wu Fei.

At the most critical moment, Master Wu Fei had stepped forward to block a fatal blow for him.

In truth, Master Wu Fei was neither his friend nor his kin.

He truly had no reason to sacrifice himself for him.

Although Master Wu Fei’s Celestial Lifespan had been nearing its end...

But for many, the chance to live just one more year, one more month, or even one more day, was a blessing.

Some would even sacrifice countless others just to prolong their own wretched lives for another hour.

’One can only say that Old Man Wu Fei lived a truly enlightened and carefree life.’

That was why Du Youqian was so determined to bring the old man’s soul out with him.

Originally, he had planned to set up an Array Formation to preserve Master Wu Fei’s soul for a time. He had hoped to wait until he recovered enough strength to escort the soul to its next life, ensuring it was reincarnated into a good family.

But now, Du Youqian knew his own condition all too well. That kind of Array was exceedingly complex, and he would never last long enough to finish setting it up.

’The only option is to let Master Wu Fei reincarnate now.’

A moment later, Du Youqian released Master Wu Fei’s soul.

The transparent soul, invisible to Mortals, gave Du Youqian a faint smile. It then cast a melancholy glance back at where they had come from before flying away from the Desert Sea at an incredible speed.

Even for a Golden Core Late Stage Cultivator, a soul could not remain outside its body for long, especially under the scorching sun.

Whether Master Wu Fei intended to attempt Possession or seek reincarnation was not for Du Youqian to know, nor could he do anything about it.

At this moment, he had his own problems to deal with.

It wasn’t that he had underestimated the dangers of the Death Channel. In fact, he had anticipated his current wretched state.

The crucial factor was that as he ventured deeper into the channel, moving farther from Momenan, the protection afforded to him by the Human Dao Fortune gradually weakened until it vanished completely. As a result, he had been severely injured during the latter half of his journey.

As the sole Golden Core Perfection Cultivator in Momenan, and having accomplished the heroic act of saving the world, he had received considerable tributes from all corners of the land.

So even though he was gravely injured, he still carried a number of precious Elixirs.

He only needed to find a place to cultivate in seclusion for a while to make a full recovery.

However, upon arriving in the Human World, he immediately suffered a backlash from losing the protection of the Human Dao Fortune, and his Golden Core began to disintegrate.

Had he not been so severely injured, he might have found a way to solve this problem, perhaps by immediately switching to a different Cultivation Technique to stabilize his Golden Core.

However, things rarely go as planned. Gravely injured and with an unstable Golden Core, he was like a sick Mortal who still had to drag his ailing body to do back-breaking labor to support his family. Eventually, the body was bound to collapse.

Du Youqian estimated that his body could only hold out for a short while longer. Before it gave out, he had to find a way to temporarily hide his valuables, including the Soul-Imbued Jade containing Xi Mengran’s ghost, and then find a body to perform Possession on.

’During Possession, the Spirit Root can’t be transferred. That means I have to find a body that already has a Spirit Root, even if it’s the Lowerest Grade. Otherwise, I won’t be able to practice Cultivation at all, and I’ll never be able to restore my Cultivation level.’

’If I’m unlucky and can only find a body with a Lowerest Grade Spirit Root, it won’t actually be a problem.’

’I can already feel the abundant Spiritual Qi here, and this is just a mundane part of the Human World. If I were to go to a Pocket World Blessed Land, even with a Lowerest Grade Spirit Root, my Cultivation speed wouldn’t be too slow. It might even be comparable to having a Middle Grade Spirit Root back in Momenan.’

’Besides, my essence is already at the level of Golden Core Perfection. I won’t face a single bottleneck on my path back up.’

’The other option is to forgo Possession and reincarnate immediately.’

But after some consideration, Du Youqian decided to attempt Possession first. This would allow him to learn about the Human World’s power structures, the global situation, and the various Cultivation Sects before he eventually reincarnated.

’Jie Yu did give me information about all this, but that data is more than eight thousand years old...’

’I’ve read enough stories about outdated maps leading people to their deaths and old game guides getting players killed. I absolutely refuse to make that kind of mistake.’

’If I reincarnate and end up in a dangerous place without realizing it, it’ll be a disaster.’

’I may have a Secret Technique that can instantly burn away my lifespan, but the Human World is filled with Great Powers. Someone might be able to counter my trump card. It’s better not to take the risk.’

’As for why I need to deal with my treasures first... right after Possession, when my Cultivation hasn’t recovered, carrying around a Fourth Grade Treasure, a Top Grade Storage Treasure Pouch, and all those Top Grade Elixirs, Spiritual Jades, and Spiritual Diamonds... wouldn’t that just be openly courting disaster?’

’I might as well hang a sign on my neck that says, "Limited-Time Event Boss! Kill me for 100x loot drop rate!"’

’If you have the strength to back it up, provoking trouble is called baiting the hook.’

’If you don’t have the strength and you still provoke trouble, that’s just a damn death wish.’

With his plan settled, Du Youqian no longer hesitated.

To the naked eye, the Endless Desert Sea looked the same in every direction. But under the scan of Du Youqian’s Divine Sense—the sense of a Golden Core Perfect Cultivator—he could still detect many differences beneath the ground.

He found a spot that appeared completely normal on the surface, but several meters beneath the sand lay a natural cave.

He quickly dove underground, cleared out the cave, and set up a simple concealment Array. Even a Core Formation Master would overlook it unless they were deliberately scanning the area back and forth with their Divine Sense.

For an ordinary person, this would have been a monumental undertaking.

But for a Core Formation Master, moving mountains and parting seas was a simple matter. Although Du Youqian’s Cultivation was unstable and his body was on the verge of collapse, he could still accomplish such tasks with ease.

He had no time for any further preparations. He left all of his Treasures behind, keeping only a few Elixirs that could be used by someone in the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Then, he released Xi Mengran’s ghost. Covered in blood, he instructed her, "I can’t take care of you right now. Stay here and cultivate in seclusion. Don’t go outside, and don’t interact with anyone. Wait for me to come find you. If things go smoothly, I should be able to restore my Cultivation in thirty to fifty years and come back for you. If not... it still won’t be too long. In short, don’t go anywhere, understand?"

Xi Mengran’s ghost nodded fearfully.

Du Youqian had no time to say more. He estimated he had less than half an hour left, so he departed at once, searching for a suitable vessel for Possession.

But in the vast Endless Desert Sea, life was scarce, and humans suitable for Possession were even rarer.

Du Youqian’s heart grew anxious.

Perhaps it was his own fortune looking out for him, for just as he reached his wit’s end and was about to resign himself to reincarnation, he spotted a young Cultivator on the brink of death not far away.