"The Mist of Bewitching Spirit? I can't believe that kid, Celestial Poison, actually managed to create it."
Yang Xiao gazed at the mist before him.
His heart was a tangle of emotions.
If he wasn't mistaken, this mist was merely a concept of his from a million years ago. Back then, he had posed a question to the two children under his tutelage.
The question was how to transform the medicinal properties of Spirit Medicines into a substance that could nourish the Divine Soul.
One must understand that even a million years ago, in an era when Spirit Medicines were abundant, those that could be used directly on the Divine Soul were exceedingly rare.
Otherwise, Yang Xiao wouldn't have been so overjoyed when he obtained the Divine Communication Grass from the Earth Fire Qilin Beast back then.
This was because Divine Communication Grass was one of the very few Spirit Medicines capable of nourishing the Divine Soul.
Although it was of the lowest grade among this type of Spirit Medicine, it was still exceptionally precious.
Therefore, to solve the problem of these Spirit Medicines being too scarce, the primary focus of Yang Xiao's research during his second life was how to make them act directly on the spiritual plane—that is, on the Divine Soul.
'I remember Celestial Medicine, that little girl, had the idea of transforming the properties of Spirit Medicines, similar to the attribute conversions I've performed before.'
'But that boy, Celestial Poison, took an unconventional approach. He thought of using illusion-type Spirit Medicines, fusing them with others to stimulate and strengthen the Divine Soul.'
In theory, neither path was superior to the other.
But at the time, Yang Xiao had favored Celestial Medicine's approach.
As for Celestial Poison's path, he had also researched it to some extent, but only proposed a concept: using a spiritual mist infused with an illusionary effect to strengthen the Divine Soul.
Unfortunately, back then, both converting the properties of Spirit Medicines and using illusion-type ones to stimulate the Divine Soul's evolution were incredibly difficult paths to tread.
Moreover, since Yang Xiao had the Nine Revolutions Concentration Spirit Technique to refine his spirit, he didn't pay these methods much mind.
As a result, both lines of research were later abandoned.
Only today did Yang Xiao realize that the child, Celestial Poison, had never given up on this idea.
'Perhaps because I favored Celestial Medicine's idea back then, he was all the more determined to achieve something to prove himself to me.'
Knowing the boy's thoughts all too well, Yang Xiao sighed with a touch of sorrow.
'If I had known sooner... I should have been better to him. At the very least, I wouldn't have let him walk such a desperate path for my sake.'
"Celestial Poison... It was your master who failed you..."
A slight sting pricked Yang Xiao's eyes.
It was as if sand had gotten into them.
Just then, he heard footsteps. Wiping his eyes lightly, he spun around.
Before him was Xue Yi's face, as pale as a corpse.
"You came in?"
Yang Xiao's tone was cool.
Before, his Spiritual Level had not yet reached the Void Observation Realm, so he couldn't see through Xue Yi.
Furthermore, he had never come into contact with the power of time.
As a result, he had found Xue Yi to be quite enigmatic, exuding a powerful and mysterious aura.
But now, Yang Xiao saw through Xue Yi completely, for he had gained a considerable understanding of the power of the Time Secret Pattern.
"The Desolate Divine Fruit preserves the physical body, seemingly extending life. However, because the Divine Soul can no longer receive nourishment from the body's Essence Qi, it grows more and more independent. If you remain conscious for too long, your Divine Soul and your body will no longer be able to merge. In other words, your Divine Soul will become a Ghost Soul."
"So what?"
Xue Yi's expression was indifferent.
As if she didn't mind at all.
But with his Spiritual Power, Yang Xiao keenly sensed the fluctuations in her spirit.
Clearly, the woman's heart was not as calm as she appeared.
Seeing her like this, Yang Xiao couldn't help but be reminded of Celestial Poison, who had just been on his mind.
'When I first met him, he also acted as if he didn't care about anything. In reality, he was a child who cared more than anyone.'
Although Xue Yi appeared older, the feeling she gave off gradually overlapped with the image of Celestial Poison in his mind.
For reasons he couldn't quite explain, Yang Xiao suddenly said, "Actually, if you're willing to leave the Profound Celestial Sect, I can help you. Besides, you should know that with your current strength, you're no longer my match."
"You're telling the truth. Unfortunately, I promised Xuan Tianxin I would act on Xuan Tianzhan's behalf once. Now that I'm here, I won't change my mind. Make your move. I'd also like to witness your strength for myself."
The two had met several times and had even clashed indirectly, but they had never truly fought.
Xue Yi was very interested in Yang Xiao.
A strange light now shone in her deathly still eyes.
Seeing her like this, Yang Xiao could only sigh. "If that's the case, then I have no choice but to suppress you!"
The moment he finished speaking,
a brilliant Golden Light flared from between Yang Xiao's brows.
He gave Xue Yi no chance, directly unleashing the Heaven-Fighting Divine Palace.
It wasn't that he thought Xue Yi was too strong. Rather, he had seen through her. Xue Yi's power was not her own, and if she used too much of it, her life force would drain away, and she would die.
Yang Xiao wanted to help her.
So, naturally, he wouldn't truly fight her.
That only left suppression.
And once the Heaven-Fighting Divine Palace appeared, the battle was over in an instant.
Although Xue Yi's strength was comparable to that of Xuan Tianxin or even Pure Yang Ancestor, her cultivation level was, after all, only at the First Level of the Small Divine Power Realm.
In the past, she would have posed a threat to Yang Xiao.
But now, she was no threat at all.
After he deployed the Heaven-Fighting Divine Palace, suppressing her was effortless.
He directly pulled her into the Divine Palace and imprisoned her.
This, of course, was a technique from Hanx Ziye.
After imprisoning Xue Yi, Yang Xiao breathed a sigh of relief, his gaze once again falling upon the mist before him.
'If I'm not mistaken, this Mist of Bewitching Spirit is a poisonous fog that can trap a person's Heart Spirit and injure their Divine Soul. But at the same time, it's also the best tonic for the Divine Soul, created by Celestial Poison. As it happens, I've sealed all the Essence Qi of the Heaven and Earth Origin Fire in my Sea of Consciousness. I'll use this method of yours to refine that Essence Qi and help my Spiritual Level ascend to the next stage.'
With a flicker of intent, Yang Xiao stepped into the mist.
Meanwhile, outside, Xuan Tianzhan and the others had witnessed Yang Xiao's actions.
He had suppressed the woman, Xue Yi, with utter ease.
Although he had been mentally prepared for it, Xuan Tianzhan's expression still darkened, and he went mad with jealousy.
'In his eyes, all the opportunities in the Northern Wilderness Sword Mansion should have been his. He was the destined master of the Northern Wilderness Sword Mansion! But now, the benefits Yang Xiao had obtained were far greater than his own.'
Instantly, his heart felt as if it were being gnawed on by ten thousand insects.
"Golden Wing Roc King, here is a Desolate Divine Fruit! Take it! I want you to slay that brat in one fell swoop!"
At that moment, without any further hesitation, he handed over a Desolate Divine Fruit.
The Golden-winged Roc accepted it, a cold glint flashing in its eyes.
"Rest assured. When I make a move, his death is certain."
As its voice fell,
the golden figure had already vanished from its spot.
The Golden-winged Roc had made its move.