It had been a long while since Yao Shen had to resort to sneaking around, especially within the confines of the Azlak Plains. The only person that he had informed of his whereabouts was Meili Zhu, as her assistance had been instrumental in conceiving this scheme. Even now, the depths of her intelligence gathering ability surprised him as he perused the map she had procured for him.

The direct path to the sealed cave systems was too exposed and well guarded for him to waltz through, so he was forced to take a more… imaginative route. Tunnelling through thick bedrock had proved to be more Qi intensive that he had initially estimated, draining even upon his vast reserves. Then, Yao Shen had to disassemble and reform a series of cave walls and do so while ensuring that the noise pollution was kept to a minimum, hopping from one passageway to the next until he reached his destination.

Two Core- Formation Guardians were stationed outside the main entrance to the cave systems, their expressions stoic and their body language conveying readiness, like an arrow pulled taut, waiting to be fired. Yao Shen felt like a mischievous Qi-Formation Disciple once again as he conceived a plan to sneak past the guards.

It all happened in a matter of seconds, as Yao Shen ‘zapped’ the guard on the left with a gentle burst of his Divine Sense, enough to discombobulate him without causing any lasting harm. Using his Shadow Qi, he swept past the guard’s side. The passageway was too narrow for him not to brush past the guard as he moved past him, but Yao Shen was hoping that he was too disoriented to notice.

He eavesdropped on the guard’s conversation with his Divine Sense, just to make sure that his cover wasn’t blown. The momentary lapse in concentration was written off as Qi exhaustion, much to his relief. Having his presence discovered would inevitably strain the relations with the Earth Division, an outcome that Yao Shen preferred to avoid.

The solitude of walking through the cave tunnels would be an intimidating and lonesome prospect for most, but with his Divine Sense stretching ahead and mapping the cave systems layout he didn’t expect any surprises. In fact, it was a welcome change from being the center of attention, as he found himself becoming more and more often these days.

He was surprised at the sheer breadth of the cave systems as he descended deeper into the recesses of the earth, past dead-ends, galleries and wide chambers that splintered into smaller tunnels and rifts. Even after an hour of racing down the passageways whilst simultaneously mapping more routes in his mind’s eye, there seemed to be no end in sight.

Yao Shen chose a small chamber for his purposes, specifically one that lead to a dead-end. Nothing besides solid rock lay on the other side and he could sense no living beings in the range of his Divine Sense. That was precaution enough.

He gingerly withdrew the bell artifact from within his soul lake, allowing it to rest upon the palm of his hand as he seated himself in a cross-legged, meditative posture. Next, he pinched the bell artifact between his index finger and thumb, cautiously observing its mottled surface.

He spent a whole minute visualizing his soul, sensing the nigh-imperceptible undulations that ran across its surface as he rapidly cycled through thoughts, an indication that the soul was not the static existence most Nascent Soul Elders considered it to be— they simply weren’t capable of perceiving it in its entirety.

Then, Yao Shen jerked his wrist with a rather sudden motion, causing the bell artifact to ring out.

A ripple blossomed outward with the bell artifact as its epicenter, striking directly at his soul without any forewarning. Yao Shen’s physical body slammed backwards onto the floor, only his soul form remaining seated, desperately hanging onto the bell artifact. Yao Shen felt trapped in the grasp of a titanic beast, an overwhelming force crushing at his soul from all directions. The sensation was akin to being trampled by dozens of elephants, the strength so immense that resistance was futile; one could only endure.

“You….,” Yao Shen roared, straining to keep the vulnerability out of his voice. Memories flashed through his mind one after the other, a blend of his experiences in Earth and Eliria. He had lived an entire mortal life, loved, sired children and left an entire world behind to come to the continent of Ionea. A cosmic accident or an invisible hand, mattered not— if there was no purpose behind his reincarnation, then he would make it. In fact, he already had.

“.... have not….,” Even now, he refused to let go of the bell artifact, instead planting his right foot onto the floor.

“... earned the right…,” Yao Shen’s body was shuddering at this point, the strain so immense that it appeared as if his soul was going to shatter in the next moment. Nevertheless, he slammed his left foot upon the ground, his eyes glimmering with intensity. This was the reason he had been appointed Patriarch— resolve was his anointed crucible, one that the heavens and he himself had spared no opportunity to push the limits of. Each time it got the opportunity, the heavenly tribulation tried to break his will and each time…..

“....to kill me!” Yao Shen let out a mighty, triumphant roar as he rose to his full height, the bell pinched between his fingers now seeming puny in front of his towering soul form.

In the next instant, the ripple refining his soul ceased.

Yao Shen’s soul form immediately snapped back to his body, the bell falling from his grasp and clattering onto the floor.

“Agh,” He groaned, clutching at his forehead. A splitting headache tore away at his mind, but Yao Shen ignored it, choosing to inspect his soul first.

His eyes widened in genuine surprise, the headache all but forgotten.

“This…,” he muttered aloud, pacing around in the chamber.

“Is this the power of soul cultivation?” Yao Shen asked himself, his expression looking a little lost for a change.

It had to be tested.