The reason Fellow Daoist Lih Shang tirelessly followed Lu Ye back to the Nine Provinces was because of the promise they made to each other. Lu Ye gave her freedom, and she was to help Lu Ye's group of friends find a way out.
Long ago, she accidentally exposed her whereabouts and was captured by a Sun Blaze cultivator, eventually being sent to the All Phenona rchants Guild for auction. Lu Ye spent a considerable amount of money to snatch her from another bidder.
For Lih Shang, Lu Ye even missed out on the Phoenix Sky Blue Crystal.
In hindsight, missing out was a good thing because he got the barghest, making the Phoenix Sky Blue Crystal unnecessary.
When Lih Shang first t Lu Ye, she was on high alert, because no one understands the Soul Race's value to other race's cultivators better than the Soul Race themselves. So, for quite a long ti, Lih Shang didn't even bother talking to Lu Ye. No matter how sincerely and genuinely Lu Ye behaved, she felt it was just a ploy to gain her trust, so she'd willingly serve him.
It wasn't until Lu Ye received the Reincarnation Tree's call that Lih Shang realized Lu Ye's terrifying potential. It was from this mont that Lih Shang gradually changed her perception of Lu Ye.
Being chosen by the Reincarnation Tree and given the Imprinter, his character was beyond question, and it was unlikely that he was a villain.
Slowly, through interaction, and slowly getting familiar, they've now reached a level of mutual understanding.
Back in this domain for a month, Lu Ye was nowhere to be seen. Until today, when he suddenly appeared, Lih Shang naturally understood his intentions.
As Lu Ye's words fell, a ripple suddenly appeared in the void before them, followed by a portal manifesting out of thin air.
Lih Shang was amazed because she hadn't perceived any sign of Lu Ye channeling spirit force or taking any action. Despite her sharp eyesight, she couldn't discern how the portal opened.
How could she know that the Nine Provinces had Heaven's Augury, and Lu Ye only needed to notify Number Nine in advance? Under Number Nine's operations, the portal could open whenever desired.
"Fellow Daoist, please!" Lu Ye gestured with his hand.
Though puzzled, Lih Shang did not probe further and stepped into the portal.
Lu Ye lifted Yaya from beside him and followed inside.
The familiar sight of Xianyuan City imdiately ca into view, with Lu Ye and Lih Shang positioned beside the soul pool at the City Lord's Residence. At this mont, a middle-aged man stood quietly nearby, gazing in their direction.
Lu Ye turned and bowed: "Senior!"
This middle-aged man was none other than Zhang Zishan, the City Lord of Xianyuan City.
Zhang Zishan smiled in return: "Yiye has co." Then, he glanced at the child Lu Ye held, displaying a puzzled expression, not knowing why Lu Ye brought a child here.
Zhang Zishan only had peak Divine Sea cultivation, and with his eyesight, he naturally couldn't see the peculiarity of Yaya.
But when he looked at Lih Shang, he couldn't help but show a look of surprise, because he sensed a peculiar aura from her, which gave him an inexplicable sense of warmth.
This feeling was clearly very abnormal.
"Who is this..."
"This is Fellow Daoist Lih Shang!" Lu Ye introduced, "Senior, Number Nine should have inford you, right?"
Zhang Zishan said, "Number Nine only ntioned you'd bring a friend over but didn't specify the matter."
Lu Ye understood and explained: "Senior, Fellow Daoist Lih Shang is not from the human race; she is from the Soul Race..."
As he spoke, the soul pool beside him suddenly surged, and several Xianyuan Guards jumped out from it, cursing as they rushed off.
Lu Ye watched, dumbfounded.
Zhang Zishan explained: "The secret realm of Xianyuan City has opened, and now there are so younglings training here."
Lu Ye unfolded his ntal Consciousness and indeed sensed many Spirit Stream cultivators scattered throughout the city. Many cultivators were competing fiercely with the Xianyuan Guards, fighting desperately. There was also a battlefield where over a hundred Spirit Stream cultivators were divided into two groups, attacking each other.
This reminded him of his first ti entering Xianyuan City, which seed not much different from the scene before him.
Although the Nine Provinces had upgraded to a large domain, within the Spirit Stream battlefield and Cloud River battlefield, the conflict between the Haotian Alliance and Ten Thousand Demons Ridge continued. Although such conflicts inevitably resulted in many casualties, the Constellations of the Nine Provinces have walked this path step by step, and everyone knows that flowers nurtured in a greenhouse will never grow large. Therefore, internal conflicts and opposition are needed in the Nine Provinces. If the world truly becos peaceful, cultivators will also lose the opportunity to sharpen themselves.
Only cultivators who grow up amidst blood and rain have the ability to face greater dangers in the outside world; otherwise, even with successful cultivation, leaving the Nine Provinces ans having a weak spine.
The true strength of the Xianyuan Guard is naturally not as simple as the Spirit Stream level; they possess power up to the Cloud River-True Lake and even Peak Divine Sea. However, when the secret realm of Xianyuan City is opened, the Xianyuan Guard will only use the strength of the Spirit Stream Realm, hence they inevitably get killed by cultivators. But within Xianyuan City, the Xianyuan Guard possesses Undying Bodies, and even if killed, they will resurrect from the soul pool. Those few Xianyuan Guard who were cursing earlier might be the ones who were killed and resurrected.
Transforming Xianyuan City into a secret realm for Nine Provinces cultivators to train is also a way for the Xianyuan Guard to maintain their sanity. Because most of the ti, they are sleeping in the soul pool. If the ti spent asleep is too long, even with nourishnt from the soul pool, their ntal faculties might still falter. Allowing cultivators into this place for training adds vitality to Xianyuan City, enabling the Xianyuan Guard to keep their sanity for longer periods.
Previously, there were occasional invasions by the Insect Race in Xianyuan City. But since the Nine Provinces cultivators occupied the Insect Race's Great Secret Realm, the Insect Race has disappeared. Now, allowing Nine Provinces cultivators to co in for training is the only thod left.
Such training, Lu Ye naturally disdains. When he risked his life honing his skills here in the past, it now seems like child's play.
Beside the soul pool, Zhang Zishan looked at Lih Shang: "May I ask, Fellow Daoist, what kind of race is the Soul Race?"
Lih Shang smiled slightly and didn't explain; instead, she slightly activated her own power. Visibly, Lih Shang's figure beca ethereal.
Zhang Zishan's expression turned extrely shocked because, with the activation of Lih Shang's power, he realized that the nature of this woman's existence was quite similar to his own and that of the Xianyuan Guard.
Lih Shang then began to speak: "Strictly speaking, you also count as the Soul Race; however, you aren't naturally born soul race individuals. Instead, you were derived due to losing physical bodies, fundantally different from true soul race individuals but with similar nature."
Lu Ye's expression was slightly invigorated; he always suspected this but found it difficult to confirm until Lih Shang now verified it, setting his mind at ease.
He said, "Senior, I brought Fellow Daoist Lih Shang over because I want her to find a way out for you. Now that the crisis in the Nine Provinces has been resolved and the Insect Race's Great Secret Realm has been cleared out, the senior mbers of Xianyuan City can't remain trapped within this soul pool forever."
Zhang Zishan nodded: "You're considerate."
Xianyuan City exists primarily as a governor over a breach in the Insect Race's Great Secret Realm. Now that the crisis there has been resolved, Xianyuan City's significance is greatly diminished. The Xianyuan Guard shouldn't have to suppress their strength, playing gas with Spirit Stream Realm young ones, barely eking out a life.
The sacrifice and righteousness of the seniors should not be forgotten, nor should their contributions to the Nine Provinces be ignored. But how to save them becos a worrying issue for Lu Ye until he saw Lih Shang at the auction.
Lu Ye then turned and solemnly saluted Lih Shang: "Fellow Daoist, please guide Xianyuan City to a way out."
Lih Shang pondered briefly and looked at Zhang Zishan: "May I enter the soul pool for a look?"
Zhang Zishan gestured with his hand: "Please!"
Lih Shang swiftly entered the soul pool.
Yaya also ran to the edge of the soul pool and curiously peeked in, then leapt forward intending to jump down, but was caught mid-air by Lu Ye who held her by the collar, causing her to flail her arms and legs.
After waiting for a while, Lih Shang erged from the soul pool and said: "The reason you've survived for so many years seems to be, firstly relying on nourishnt from the Soul Cleansing Water within the soul pool, and secondly by leaving your Soul Seal within the soul pool, thus, as long as the soul pool isn't dry, you remain immortal!"
Zhang Zishan nodded: "Fellow Daoist has a keen insight; it was indeed like this. When our domain faced catastrophe, we tried many thods before finding this path."
Lih Shang showed a faint look of sorrow: "Immortality sounds good, but it's not necessarily truly beneficial, and all of it relies on the soul pool. Should this soul pool dry up soday, all of you would dissipate entirely. Furthermore, due to the limitations of the soul pool, your cultivation can't grow, always remaining at the mont of your demise."
Lu Ye asked after listening: "Is there a way to resolve it?"
Lih Shang, having deduced so much and spoken so far, should have an idea.
Lih Shang replied: "There is only one solution: let take them to the ancestral land of the Soul Race. Only there can they be transford into true soul race, freeing them from their current shackles."
The location of the ancestral land of the Soul Race remains a mystery across the entire stellar space, impossible for ordinary individuals to find or enter. The Xianyuan City cultivators can barely be considered part of the Soul Race, with a prior agreent with Lu Ye. Therefore, Lih Shang thought of such a solution. Otherwise, she could never bring outsiders to the Soul Race's ancestral land.
Lu Ye bowed deeply: "Please, Fellow Daoist, extend your help, whatever the cost, the entire domain is willing to accept!"
Lih Shang shook her head: "You saved from suffering; I truly have no way to repay you. Besides, they can be considered part of my race, so it's right for to save them. Bringing them to the ancestral land is no problem, but there is a difficult issue at hand."
Zhang Zishan's expression tensed: "Please, Fellow Daoist, speak."
Lih Shang said: "You've left your Soul Seals in this soul pool, so unless the entire soul pool is moved, there's just no way to bring you along."
Lu Ye asked: "Can the Soul Seals be detached?"
Lih Shang replied: "Detachnt is not difficult, but once detached, they are like rootless wood, source-less water, unable to survive long in this world."
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