Soul

As Gu Tian activated the experimental device, Shen Ya immediately lost consciousness. Her body entered a state of near-death, her breathing so faint that it seemed as if she would perish at any moment.

Gu Tian's gaze swept across the device's screen as Shen Ya's memories began to play out like a film. Scene after scene unfolded her life in a wealthy family, her upbringing, her experiences. He scrolled through the information casually, scanning for anything of interest.

Until...

A memory from when Shen Ya was 18 years old surfaced.

Gu Tian focused on it, delving deeper into her recollections. But suddenly, an overwhelming surge of hostile energy erupted from within the memory, accompanied by a voice filled with fury.

"Who dares touch my daughter?!"

BOOM!

The memory-reading device exploded instantly. Gu Tian leaped back just in time as a powerful shockwave surged through the room.

Meanwhile, Shen Ya's body slowly began to rise. But something was wrong. Her demeanor had changed completely. Her once-fearful expression was gone, replaced by an arrogant and commanding presence.

Her wounds which should have been grievous began to heal at an alarming rate.

Gu Tian narrowed his eyes, observing the drastic shift before him. Before he could react, Shen Ya—or rather, the entity now controlling her spoke, her voice dripping with malice.

"Hurting my daughter wasn't enough, and now you dare pry into my past as well?"

At that moment, new information flashed before Gu Tian's eyes.

[Name: Fragmented Soul of Sa Ying]

[Status: Critically Injured]

[Power Level: ???]

Even with his enhanced perception, Gu Tian could not fully analyze the being standing before him. But one thing was clear—this was not Shen Ya anymore.

Gu Tian wasted no time. He reached into his spatial ring and swiftly drew a custom-built pistol, immediately pulling the trigger.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Dark bullets tore through the air, their speed surpassing human limitations.

Sa Ying who was controlling Shen Ya's body initially prepared to block the attack. However, the moment she sensed the energy from the bullets, her instincts screamed at her.

These aren't ordinary bullets... They can harm my soul directly!

Instead of trying to block them, she chose to evade. But what she didn't realize was that Gu Tian had already anticipated her movements.

He had fired not at her current position, but at every possible path she could dodge to.

Sa Ying's eyes widened in realization.

A split second before impact, she summoned a defensive barrier, one so powerful that even an Emperor-tier Beast Tamer would struggle to break it.

However…

SCHLICK!

One bullet pierced through her barrier. Though she managed to dodge in time, the bullet still grazed her arm, leaving a deep, smoking wound.

Sa Ying quickly stabilized herself, using an unknown soul-based ability to heal her injury in an instant. She turned to Gu Tian with a smirk.

"Not bad…"

But before she could finish speaking

THUD.

Shen Ya's body collapsed onto the ground with a heavy thud. Sa Ying immediately sensed something was wrong. A strange weakness spread through her, and her power was being corroded slowly but surely.

"Poison?" Sa Ying gritted her teeth. "But... what kind of poison is this? Why can't I detect it at all?"

Gu Tian smirked coldly and raised his gun, aiming it directly at Shen Ya's head to finish the job.

But before he could pull the trigger

SCHLKK!

A dark energy pierced straight through his heart.

Gu Tian's pupils constricted, blood gushed from his mouth, and his body went limp instantly.

Despite her weakened state, Sa Ying's gaze held nothing but a mocking smirk.

"It seems you weren't careful enough, were you?"

She let out a relieved sigh before muttering to herself, "Phew... That was close. But what exactly was that weapon he used? Why does it feel so"

BANG!

The gun fired again.

But this time, it wasn't aimed at her head it buried itself deep into her abdomen.

Sa Ying flinched slightly as pain shot through her body. She tried to maintain a calm expression, but the searing heat from the wound and the corrosive energy eating away at Shen Ya's body made her realize…

Her daughter was on the brink of death.

At that moment, Sa Ying became acutely aware of the two dark figures standing behind her. She now understood saving her daughter was no longer an option. If she used her full power through Shen Ya's body, her daughter's body would explode instantly. And with those two standing there, she wouldn't have the chance to recover.

"Can you let my daughter go?" Sa Ying's voice was low yet firm.

Gu Tian smirked slightly and slowly pulled the dark energy blade out of his chest. Guang Yue stepped forward, immediately using her healing powers to mend his wounds.

Gu Tian remained still, letting her light energy restore his body as he thought to himself:

"The bullets I used were crafted from the fangs of a Black Shark Emperor and infused with deadly poisons. Even an Emperor-tier Beast Tamer wouldn't survive if caught off guard. But this Sa Ying… even after being hit, she hasn't weakened at all. In fact… she's healing Shen Ya as we speak."

"She's stalling for time. But then again… so am I."

Time passed in silence.

Once both Gu Tian and Shen Ya were fully healed, Gu Tian finally spoke.

"And what do you have to offer in exchange for your daughter's life?"

Sa Ying let out a small chuckle before replying with a teasing undertone.

"My daughter, of course. Don't you think she's beautiful?"

Gu Tian raised an eyebrow, confused for a moment before responding.

"She is, I suppose. But I'm more worried about being stabbed in the back."

Sa Ying chuckled softly.

"You remind me of my husband. Though… he was eventually stabbed in the back himself."

Gu Tian tilted his head slightly.

"You mean Emperor Shen Kang?"

Sa Ying laughed.

"No. That man was merely someone I entrusted with protecting Shen Ya. If she had stayed with me… it would have been far too dangerous."

Gu Tian fell silent for a moment before replying.

"You're being oddly open about all of this. Are you lying to me?"

Sa Ying laughed again, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"A good lie is always mixed with a little bit of truth. So tell me can you figure out which parts are real and which are false?"

Gu Tian frowned slightly. This woman… was difficult to read.

Sa Ying's grin widened.

"I'm starting to like you. If my husband had met you, he would have liked you too."

Gu Tian stood in silence for a moment before asking in a calm, unreadable tone.

"You're not from this world, are you?"

Sai Ying smiled faintly. and replied in a voice full of mystery, "Of course. In this vast, infinite universe, Do you think you are the only human race in the universe?"