The man's storage bag contained quite a few items, with spirit stones and magical treasures scattered everywhere. However, the object that most attracted Xu Yi's attention was a coffin in the corner.
Inside the coffin lay the dead body of a man. This corpse was ugly, with a narrow brow, slanted eyes, and dark green skin, yet it was remarkably well-preserved, without any external damage.
The man who died at Yue Hantian's hands and this corpse showed no facial resemblance. So why did Yue Hantian keep the man's body in his storage bag?
They must have had a special relationship.
Could it be...
Xu Yi's heart clenched, a guess flashing through her mind.
On the Kyushu Continent, many dark arts could aid in soul-possession, the prerequisite being the cultivation reaching the Out-of-Body stage, allowing the Nascent Soul to leave the body.
When she first met the man, she felt a strong sense of incongruity about him. Now that she thought about it, perhaps that physical body wasn't his own.
And the woman beside him was likely in the same situation.
Understanding all this, a look of deep disgust flashed in Xu Yi's eyes.
Continuing her search in the storage bag, she soon discovered a slightly yellowed jade slip.
The jade slip contained information about the Soul Nurturing Grass.
The Soul Nurturing Grass could help fragmented souls repair their divine souls and also had the effect of strengthening the divine soul. The two individuals were likely seeking the latter benefit.
Although they had occupied new bodies, if their divine souls could not completely merge with the bodies, the bodies would gradually decay.
Furthermore, each soul-possession was a significant drain on the divine soul, making the Soul Nurturing Grass extremely important to them.
The jade slip also mentioned that the Soul Nurturing Grass had special growth requirements, one of which was growing in a place where yin and yang intersected.
Xu Yi nodded silently. This point was consistent with what Yue Hantian had told her.
However, upon seeing the second condition, Xu Yi's expression froze. The jade slip recorded several important conditions for using the Soul Nurturing Grass to repair fragmented souls.
A crucial point was that after repairing the fragmented soul, it was imperative to quickly find a new body for the divine soul, otherwise the divine soul's power would dissipate at an extremely rapid pace, rendering all efforts futile.
Xu Yi was stunned, then a chill ran down her spine.
Yue Hantian, in order to save the woman he loved, had planned for seven hundred years. He couldn't possibly have been unaware of this. Yet, he hadn't revealed any of this information before.
Xu Yi suddenly remembered Yue Hantian's previous promise.
He had said he wouldn't allow any harm to come to her body.
At first glance, this statement seemed unremarkable, but upon closer reflection, it felt odd.
Therefore, Yue Hantian wasn't protecting her, but her body.
She was the new vessel Yue Hantian had prepared for his beloved.
It wasn't self-praise, but her body was impeccable in terms of talent and background.
If Yue Hantian's childhood sweetheart were to return to her senses within her body, it would be equivalent to being reborn into a favorable situation.
Xu Yi's gaze turned incredibly cold.
Not long ago, she had felt guilty about Yue Hantian protecting her from injury. Now, she realized how naive she had been.
Yue Hantian was truly a devoted lover, planning for hundreds of years for his childhood sweetheart, and finally luring her out of Kunlun Academy at great risk.
Xu Yi couldn't help but feel fortunate for the chance encounter with the two individuals today. It not only revealed the truth but also caused Yue Hantian to sustain serious injuries.
If Yue Hantian were still at his peak strength, she likely wouldn't have had the power to resist.
But now, it was uncertain who would emerge victorious.
Xu Yi suppressed the urge to ambush Yue Hantian and continued to search the storage bag. Half an hour later, she finally found what she was looking for, a slight smile gracing her lips.
"Senior Brother Yue, how are you feeling now?"
Xu Yi waited patiently through the night. The next day, as dawn broke, she woke Yue Hantian from his meditative state.
She couldn't allow Yue Hantian to continue recovering.
If she had known this would happen, she shouldn't have given him the medicinal pills in the first place, Xu Yi lamented inwardly.
Yue Hantian felt the blockages in his meridians, his expression grim. Nevertheless, he patiently replied, "Much better than yesterday."
"That's wonderful. Senior Brother Yue, let's go and gather the Soul Nurturing Grass now."
"Why the hurry?" Yue Hantian frowned instinctively.
His injuries had not even recovered by a tenth, and going to gather the Soul Nurturing Grass now was extremely risky.
"It's like this, I think the two people we encountered yesterday were also after the Soul Nurturing Grass. That means news of the Soul Nurturing Grass has already spread. If we don't act quickly, someone might snatch it away."
Xu Yi deliberately exaggerated the urgency of the situation.
As expected, Yue Hantian couldn't sit still upon hearing this.
Xu Yi's words were not unreasonable. He was only a step away from achieving his goal, and any further mishap must be avoided.
"Alright, Junior Sister Xu, we depart immediately!"
Yue Hantian endured the discomfort in his body and stood up, leading Xu Yi deeper into the forest.
Halfway up the slope, Yue Hantian pointed to a patch of grass bathed in sunlight and said to Xu Yi, "We've arrived."
Xu Yi looked puzzled. "This patch of grass looks very ordinary, except for being directly exposed to sunlight, there's nothing unusual."
"Junior Sister Xu, watch closely."
Yue Hantian stepped forward and stomped heavily. A crack spread rapidly outward from his foot, and when it reached the grass, the ground suddenly split open into a huge chasm.
This chasm appeared to be extremely deep, and sunlight could not penetrate it, as if an invisible barrier above the chasm blocked the sunlight.
"This grassland is extreme yang, and the area beneath the grassland is extreme yin. The Soul Nurturing Grass grows within that chasm."
Xu Yi looked on in amazement. So this was the place of extreme yin and yang.
"Junior Sister Xu, let's go down. Only by entering together can we break the barrier outside this chasm."
Yue Hantian stood at the edge of the chasm, his gaze towards Xu Yi filled with a faint fervor.
Xu Yi inwardly sneered, saying faintly, "Alright."
The two leaped forward, plunging into the chasm simultaneously.
As soon as she entered the chasm, Xu Yi felt as if she were sinking into a mire, her skin a sticky, cold sensation.
There was no light around, as if time itself had stopped.
After an unknown duration, Xu Yi heard a dull thud. She circulated her spiritual power to her feet, and the next moment her feet sank heavily into the ground. Only after dissipating all the force did she pull herself out of the pit.
Before jumping into the pit, Xu Yi had prepared herself for Yue Hantian's ambush. However, until she could move freely, Yue Hantian made no move.
"Junior Sister Xu."
Yue Hantian's voice suddenly sounded behind Xu Yi, startling her.
"Senior Brother Yue."
Xu Yi replied dryly.
"Junior Sister Xu, the Soul Nurturing Grass should be just ahead."
In the darkness, Yue Hantian's voice grew deeper.
Xu Yi steadied her mind. "Then I'll trouble Senior Brother Yue to lead the way."
If he wanted to take her body, he'd have to see if she agreed.
Yue Hantian took out a illuminating magical treasure, and the full view of the chasm floor was revealed to Xu Yi.
Faint black mist, black rocks emitting an ominous aura, dark soil, damp and gloomy.
The two walked through the silent crevice, their breathing barely audible.
Yue Hantian quietly curled his lips.
Seven hundred years.
He had finally waited for this day.
Zhu'er, you ultimately belong to me.