She saw the frown on his face. She had expected it. Sarina was no fool. She had grasped the fact that this youth was from the good alignment. Like she had been while alive. However, he wouldn't have a choice if he survived anyways. He wore the element of corruption as part of him, what kind of faction from the good alignment would ever accept him? None! He would be a pariah, maybe even to the nefarious factions. Even wandering cultivators might try to hunt him down if they held justice inside their hearts... So, yes, to help her, he would have to agree to sacrificing other lives. It was not something 'good' and was easily labelled 'bad' but so what?

She teased him: "Are you going to preach about the value of a life now?"

He snickered at her. As if he would do so. He didn't have the luxury or the rights to. He killed. He was a murderer. And a cold blooded one that didn't regret his actions. But so what? It was still something worth considering. What she was asking him to do was harming innocents, not opponents. It was different fundamentally. He told her: "I would never do so. I erased a life moments ago myself. But there is a difference between murdering innocents and other sinners"

She asked him: "So? Will you reject my demand?"

He shook his head sideways and admitted: "No. I will do it"

She snickered: "And here you said all that and acted like a good guy"

He laughed: "There's always a price to pay. If this is what it costs me to survive, fair enough, I will pay the price"

A life for a life. This was an iron rule of the world since it was created. In order to survive, another life had to end. Every single day. It was a truth. As for Jin, it was true that he wouldn't go against innocents. He was human and shallow like anyone else. He was fine with killing but not everyone and without reasons. She needed him to help in killing an innocent life... But that was the price she asked in exchange for her help and he needed that. In the end, in front of death, he could only make one decision. True, he killed himself in his previous life. But that was because he didn't want to live in that world any longer. Here, however, he wanted to live. He didn't want things to end so soon. He had yet to truly reach the end of his path.

He asked her to explain further and she did: "You will find the woman giving birth, call my remnant through the ritual and I will go inside the newborn's soul sea, making it my own. From there, I will need you to nurture me"

He frowned. He stated: "Helping you revive is one thing. Taking care of you beyond that is another"

She nodded and added: "Which is why we will make a second deal. I believe that you will agree. First, in exchange for a way to survive and all the help I can give you in the remaining years left inside this dome, you will revive me. Second, after I'm reborn, you will take care of me and once I have reached a certain age, I will tell you of some of my secret realms where I kept treasures and we will share those"

He pondered for a moment. The first deal was obviously something he agreed to. As for the second one, he wasn't certain of its worth. What treasure did she leave behind? Were there even still some left after all this time? Couldn't her real self have taken those things out with her after creating the remnant? It would be a gamble. A bet where years of his life were at stake.

But then again, it was unlikely that she would agree to the first part of the deal if he didn't agree to the second as well. What would be the point of reviving if only to die mere days later? He had no other option but to agree, whether or not he made a loss later. He needed to survive first anyways and this was his priority. Promise? Sure! Giving his word? Sure! Those were as empty as the void.

He nodded: "Alright, I agree"

She smiled and said: "I would have asked you to take an oath but considering that I, myself, can't as a remnant, you wouldn't agree to it, right?"

"Yeah, I would not"

She sighed and stated: "I made many bets on you already and gave you my trust. I have no choice but to do so. I will do it once more and trust in your character"

"Don't you fear that I won't honor my part of the deal?"

She chuckled: "You will have to. Once you're out alive, you will understand that you will need my help"

He wondered what she meant. But not for long. There were more pressing matters. He would think of the future in the future after he was certain to survive. There was no point doing so right now. He asked her: "Well then, how shall we start?"

She smiled and stated: "I will create the channel and teach you how to use it as well as the ritual. Then, I will train you until you have mastered the power in your right arm"

Jin nodded and the duo began to work.

It didn't take long for the soul channel to be built. Sarina was a remnant but an expert and she had more than enough knowledge to craft it. As she did so, she empathized on the fact that he could only call her while the baby was being born. As a remnant, she wouldn't be able to maintain herself long outside of this statue. The statue was her jail but also a treasured item of grade 6 that enabled her remnant to continue its 'existence'. Without it, she would only be able to maintain herself for a week at best and that was pushing it.

She stressed the importance of this many times. Jin wouldn't forget.