Blood Sword Sect

After learning about the mysterious being residing within his body, Ye Qiang immediately began to think about how to use this being to help himself advance in cultivation in this new world.

Having lived two lives, he had come to deeply understand that power is the key to everything—a force that determines one's fate.

This was true in his previous world, and it was just as true in this new one. He believed that without power, there would be no future.

"Hmph!"

"You insignificant human, this deity never accepts disciples. However, I can help you improve your cultivation and assist you in becoming an immortal," the mysterious voice said.

"But the price..."

Upon hearing this, Ye Qiang's spirits were lifted. He quickly responded, "Senior, please tell me what is required."

"This deity requires a permanent fusion with your soul. Once our souls merge, your strength will undergo a dramatic transformation."

"However, the chance of success is less than thirty percent. If it fails, it could trigger a catastrophe powerful enough to destroy the entire continent of Qiankun."

"This will be a disaster for your human race."

Ye Qiang forcibly suppressed the shock in his heart and asked with great concern, "Senior, may I ask a question?"

Before Ye Qiang could finish, the loud voice interrupted him again: "Are you worried that after merging souls with me, you will lose all your consciousness?"

"This deity will tell you clearly: once our souls fuse, all my cultivation, memories, and everything about me will be passed on to you. You will become the true master of this soul."

"I have not seen the outside world in a long time. My lifespan is down to its last year. If you don't lift the second seal soon, my soul will be lost in eternal darkness," the being, hidden inside Ye Qiang, said, with a trace of sadness in its voice.

"Oh, so, in that case, senior, you owe me a favor!" Ye Qiang teased. "By the way, I still don't know how to address you, senior?"

"Call me Mandala," the voice replied.

"Then I am truly honored! Senior Mandala, may I ask how long I must wait before I can merge our souls?" Ye Qiang asked.

"Unless you can reach the Diamond Stage within a year and then lift the second seal, there will be a thirty percent chance that we can successfully merge our souls," Mandala responded.

"Then, Senior Mandala, how long will it take for me to reach the Diamond Stage in my current state?" Ye Qiang asked.

"At least 50 years..." Mandala replied bluntly.

"WHAT?!" Ye Qiang was nearly shaken to the point of fainting. "Don't scare me like that..."

Blood Sword Sect – Outer Sect

In the bamboo forest.

The fire from the seal that Ye Qiang had broken continued to burn for a whole day and night. Despite the combined efforts of several powerful elders of the outer sect, they were unable to extinguish it.

The incident quickly spread among the talkative outer disciples of the Blood Sword Sect.

Most believed that this fire was the result of an attack by disciples from other sects, such as the Shura Sword Sect or the Wuji Sword Sect, with whom they had deep enmities.

Others speculated that a mysterious beast had appeared nearby. According to rumors, an ancient Fire Qilin often appeared in the heart of human lands, bringing immense destruction wherever it went, leaving behind a sea of flames.

Eventually, the fire in the bamboo forest was extinguished after two full days of effort by the inner sect's Grand Elder, Chen Wenlin.

In truth, Chen Wenlin had no idea where the fire had come from, but he was certain of one thing: whoever could wield such fire must possess a cultivation level far superior to his own.

"This matter must be investigated thoroughly before the Sect Master returns from seclusion!" Chen Wenlin told the outer sect elders with great seriousness. He then disappeared in a flash, leaving no time for the elders to respond.

"How are we supposed to investigate this? The fire just started suddenly, and it spread so widely. None of our people even saw when it started. What are we supposed to investigate?" one of the older silver-haired elders complained to the others.

"Ah, well, we'll just have to investigate as best we can. This happened in our outer sect after all. If we can't find any clues, we'll just make up some excuse and move on," said a bald elder with a scruffy beard.

In a Vast Cave

A young man with delicate features, tall and slender, wearing a blood-red robe and with blue, curly hair neatly tucked behind his ears, was sitting cross-legged, deep in meditation. This was Ye Qiang.

Three days passed in a flash. During these three days, Ye Qiang had stayed in his cave, focusing solely on his cultivation until he had exhausted all the medicinal materials.

"Ha!" Ye Qiang let out a forceful shout as he steadied himself. His body shifted slightly, and he threw a powerful punch at a stone the size of a human head. There was a loud "boom," followed by the sound of the stone shattering as pieces fell to the ground.

The sheer force of the punch stunned Ye Qiang himself.

"So this is the Bronze Stage?"

"This power has exceeded my expectations. If I had a good sword, I believe my strength could increase by several levels," Ye Qiang marveled.

However, the speed of cultivation was too slow. Ye Qiang wondered if Senior Mandala had any methods to accelerate his training.

"Kid, what you need right now is to slowly accumulate experience and grasp the essence of martial arts through your cultivation. This phase is the most important in your cultivation journey. To become a truly accomplished practitioner, you must not only cultivate your body but also your mind. Cultivation is inherently tedious and slow; don't rush the process. Otherwise, you'll only end up going in the wrong direction," Mandala replied calmly.

Ye Qiang was speechless. It seemed that from now on, his cultivation would depend entirely on his own efforts, taking one step at a time and focusing on his studies. He honestly felt exhausted, bored, and even longed to find a woman for some intimate company.

"All outer disciples, immediately gather at the Outer Sect Policy Hall."

"I repeat, all outer disciples, immediately gather at the Outer Sect Policy Hall."

This was the Outer Sect Elder's summon, typically issued every 30 days or so, to gather all outer disciples. During the meeting, tasks would be assigned based on their cultivation level, and completing these tasks would yield large amounts of cultivation resources.

The previous owner of this body had received a sheepskin scroll 10 days ago, but there were still many tasks left unfinished. Why was the summon called so early? Could it be related to the fire in the bamboo forest?

"Never mind, it's bound to come eventually. Anyway, I was planning to get some fresh air. Staying cooped up in this cave is suffocating me," Ye Qiang mumbled.

Blood Sword Sect – Outer Sect, Policy Hall

Inside the Policy Hall, numerous young men, all dressed in blood-red robes and exuding an extraordinary aura, stood in two large groups, one on the left and one on the right.