“HAHAHA! Done!” Yan Zaizen’s voice was filled with a thunderous jubilance. In chaotic space, Yan Zaizen floated about, but shockingly, there were two! One was seated in a lotus position, eyes closed, body radiating a vast and profound vital energy, and completely still in movement.

The other was laughing as he floated about, his body was not fleshy but ghostly as it shimmered with radiating light. Its skin was sky-blue, its eyes were completely black, at his glabella was a swirling black hole, and within his translucent form was various uniquely colored shapes.

A purple bow that radiated pure destructive force, a white flame, an inky, black orb, a sky-blue orb that emanated various spiritual auras, dark-grey gust of wind, and a silver miniature copy of Yan Zaizen floated about in peculiar patterns. A single dark-amber orb stood within the center of its torso as if it was the center of the soul itself!

They represented Yan Zaizen’s conceptual laws and Mortal Dao!

Unlike before, his soul no longer had an aurora within. Instead, there were thousands of stars staying stationary. They were either silver-blue and crimson-red. However, near his dao orb was two particularly large stars that looked like miniature suns. They were the Aurora Star and Hell Star Yan Zaizen had constructed.

“With these, I can exist outside of my physical body.” Yan Zaizen commented, looking at his silent body with an odd light. In truth, when he initially learned that a profound soul cultivation base could lead to the external projection of one’s soul, he felt it couldn’t be real. Yet, here he was. His body was still breathing, blood pumping, and lifeforce exceptionally abundant, but his soul simply wasn’t there.

“An Astral Soul can utilize Astral Projection. Unfortunately, it has its limitations.” Pinaka commented, standing beside Yan Zaizen’s physical body. She was inspecting how it functioned and its characteristics of functionality. In truth, this was the first time she saw an Astral Soul Cultivator project themselves.

Yan Zaizen lamented over the limitations. Firstly, staying outside for extended periods of time will cause your soul to degrade. Secondly, you have no mental connection with your physical body. You literally projected everything that is you outwards, therefore, your body could be possessed by others if you were to do so. At least, if they could. Thirdly, your soul has no defense outside of its soul energy. A body is like powerful skin, so it adds another layer of protection.

After all, a soul was insanely frail. In this form, if he took a direct blow from a Qi Unification Cultivator, he would instantly vanish into death.

Thinking up to here, he returned to his body quickly to avoid any unexpected occurrence. As he did, he felt a profound connection return as if two pieces of a whole was properly fit into a seamless whole. With a deep breath, his eyes opened. “Astral Projection…” He muttered, reminding himself to never do such a thing unless absolutely required. If he did so recklessly, he may not even know how he died.

He recalled the Phantasm from before. As Yan Zaizen struck a blow towards him, he stayed there complacent and willing to accept it all. Now, he died. Vanished like dust in the wind.

“Let’s continue.” At the moment, he achieved an Astral Soul, but in truth, it didn’t have many benefits. His current physical power already eclipsed what it could bring, and he wasn’t skilled enough in soul arts to bring out the maximum potential of his soul realm. Therefore, he’s decided to train in arts from henceforth. For the rest of this secluded cultivation, he’ll train only in arts!

-----

Ten days till the Xiantu Dao Trials, a myriad of skyships of various sizes shrouded the sky. In Xiantu Continent, at the planet’s outer orbit, several hundred thousand ships rested facing the Xiantu Continent.

These ships represented essentially every grand-tier or greater force in the realm. They even included Xiantu Continent’s own forces. Currently, the ships were waiting for something to occur with the utmost patience.

On a cerulean blue skyship, Yao Wuhen stood at the helm. Her eyes gazed at the vast amount of skyships that littered the space and her eyes revealed faint traces of vigilance while her brows were furrowed. Behind her were all the talented elites of her sect beneath the age of four hundred.

They were a bevy of beautiful and talented women and gave off a very charming sight. Within this group were Lin Feilin and Ya Qinqan. They stood out as exceptional among the group with the highest cultivation base at the late-Qi Unification Realm and the best physical appearance.

“Miss Wuhen,” a calm voice called out. The voice originated from a middle-aged woman dressed in white. On her robe was an insignia depicting a rainbow cloud that seemed to be soaring across the skies. She approached the skyship.

“Song Yu,” Yao Wuhen responded. Towards this Song Yu, she had a deep impression. This woman was originally an elder under her predecessor, the former Water Veil Sectmaster. After marrying up, she became the fourth wife of a True Essence elder of the Rainbow Cloud Palace. In her youth, she was most definitely beautiful to obtain his attention.

Song Yu swept her gaze across all the talents on the skyship. Her eyes lingered on Lin Feilin and Ya Qinqan before slightly nodding. “They’re sufficient.” She commented, carelessly throwing a token towards Yao Wuhen. After that, she departed.

Catching the token, Yao Wuhen’s eyes lit up with a malicious light. It was as if received incredibly distasteful news. It was well-known that the Rainbow Cloud Palace’s Young Palace Lord had a penchant for having talented female cultivators to dual cultivate with. The token held a message detailing to bring the top talents and top beauty to the Rainbow Cloud Palace’s skyship.

However, Yao Wuhen simply clenched her hands turning the token to dust. She directly ignored this. In truth, she had already received thirteen total orders similar to this. Some of the forces they originated from were known for their malicious means towards females. In truth, this happened quite often.

Even for a sect like White Crane Sect, various heavenly-tier powers would engage in an attempt to obtain a wife or dual cultivation partner. Unlike her force which was rather weak, the White Crane Sect could decline and they could only suck it up.

However, they were far more brazen and threatening towards forces like hers. There were many powers that originated from the Fallen Stars Continent which had taken similar action.

“Ignore them.” Yao Wuhen directly informed her disciples. Her eyes were looking about as if searching for something. She wished Yan Zaizen would show up already. All she needed to do was a single action and from then to the death of Yan Zaizen, no power would dare have other thoughts.

Not too far away, Tao, Bai Lufeng, and Wu Yuanxu were located on the Heretical Lightning Skyship. They weren’t noticeable amongst the crowd due to the Heretical Lightning Skyship average worth in comparison to the other Skyships.

“Thirty-nine years…” Tao had an odd look in his eyes. Bai Lufeng’s gaze flickered at Tao’s words. Indeed, it’s been nearly forty years since Yan Zaizen secluded meditation and the last time they saw him.

At the moment, Tao had a mid-Origin Core cultivation base while Bai Lufeng had a peak mid-Origin Core cultivation, very close to late. To them, even with top quality resources and immense wealth in hand, it still took them forty years to refine it to this extent. They even had decent bodily talent yet it still required so long.

“He said he’ll be here, I believe he will.” Wu Yuanxu was a lot more relaxed than Bai Lufeng and Tao. After all, Yan Zaizen could face the heavens and win. How many could say such things?

In truth, the duo wasn't worried about Yan Zaizen. They were worried about how much he progressed. After all, not counting accelerated time in chaotic space, Yan Zaizen reached his current level at 22 years old, if you added the present, he was 61 years old. If he only needed a few years to reach his current level, imagine nearly forty-years!

While they were lost in their own thoughts, a young man radiating a terrifyingly oppressive aura. He moved through the skyship with a group of middle-aged and elderly members.

He seemed to have a destination as he approached the Water Veil Sect’s skyship. This caused all the girls onboard to frown and their eyebrows to twitch. As if his existence is to announce their most vulnerable thoughts, “Yao Wuhen, no? Well, regardless, send your top ten members to my ship.”

Just as he said this…

BOOM!!!

A grand explosion erupted, drawing everyone gazes, but what they saw was brutal. Despite being above the Xiantu Realm, apemen crushed a small skyship. They were quick, slaughtering all the males on the skyship and grabbing all females. They then returned to their ship with wide smiles.

“...” Yao Wuhen felt deep hatred for this shitty environment. This was the first preliminary test for the Xiantu Dao Trials. Essentially, if you don’t have the ability to defend yourself, then that was your life.

To be weeded out in such a manner was heavily favored towards females and not males. Mainly because, while men were immediately killed, women are given chances. It was a very unfortunate double-standard but many would likely argue that women have it worse.

“You have three minutes.” The young man spoke casually, as if giving them the choice of their own life or death. The young man glanced at Yao Wuhen and Ya Qinqan. They were extraordinary beauties. He made a mental note to obtain these two no matter what.

Yao Wuhen looked at the young man and had a warm smile on her face. This caused the men in their group to feel startled. The young man regained his bearings quicker than others, directly taking that reaction as an expression of submission.

“Good. Since you’re obedient, I’ll take her first.” He pointed directly at Lin Feilin with a smile. However, Ya Qinqan and Lin Feilin were shocked. Not only them but the other elites as well.

As if happy about their reaction, he inwardly nodded, “After I’m done, I’ll return her safely. After, I’ll choose another.” He kindly smiled, casually saying as if his words were imperial decrees.

“Choose.” A voice suddenly sounded from behind the young man. He was shocked that an unfamiliar voice spoke behind him. Suddenly, he felt a chill run down his spine. He slowly, very slowly, turned his head to see an unimaginably handsome face with a pair of brilliant amber-gold eyes that seemed to contain his life and death.

The elders behind him were floating unconscious within space. They were all naked, their clothes were taken along with their spatial possessions.

“You!!” Shocked, the young man felt his world chaotically spin. This face was something embedded into his soul flame and it brought forth all sorts of emotions.

“Choose: To accept crippling or death.” Yan Zaizen said.

“I...I...wa-wait!” The young man stuttered his words, incapable of processing what was happening. However, Yan Zaizen gave him enough time. As always, if someone is unwilling to respond, Yan Zaizen would choose for them.

He pointed his finger towards space and tapped. Suddenly, the young man lost consciousness. His dantian, pathways, and meridians were completely severed. The man’s origin core was turned into dust.

With another tap, his clothes vanished and he floated in space. After handling that matter, Yan Zaizen finally turned towards Lin Feilin. “We meet again.” His expression was filled with warmth. To him, this was his Sixth Sister. He recalled what she did for him before. She was the reason he didn’t give up the Immortal Herculean Method.

How could he let anyone profane her as long as he exists?