external the soul

As soon as Li Yan recalled the storage bag that housed those three spiritual stones, he bowed slightly and asked with respectful curiosity, "Seventh Senior Brother, what exactly is this storage bag—and how is it used?"

Lin Da Qiao glanced at Li Yan, then extended his long arm to retrieve Li Yan's very own storage bag from the table. Pointing to it, he explained, "In our immortal world, a storage bag is one of the more common storage artifacts. Of course, there are many other kinds of storage devices or talismans. Some take the form of rings, others look like belts or bracelets—even wildly different shapes. However, these storage devices require far higher cultivation skills from their craftsmen, and their raw materials are extremely scarce. In contrast, the material for a storage bag is relatively easy to come by.

"Inside a storage device exists an independent space entirely separate from the area we currently occupy. In effect, whenever you carry one, you're carrying a pocket dimension with you. Only masters well versed in spatial immortal techniques—or those born from families specializing in artifact-making—can craft these devices. Such artifact masters remain rare on our continent; even in the Four Great Sects, a sect might have just three or four of them. Moreover, any storage device must be at least of talisman-grade. For instance, simple spiritual artifacts or spirit treasures are not nearly refined enough to serve storage purposes. Storage devices come in low, medium, and high grades, with the primary difference being the size of the internal space. The storage bag we're using is the most basic—it only offers about one to two zhang (roughly 10–20 feet) of space. Consequently, it cannot hold very large items, nor can it accommodate living creatures (since its interior lacks breathable air, living things placed there would suffocate)."

Lin Da Qiao spoke slowly and clearly. "You must understand, our low-grade storage bag has no intrinsic protective power. This means that, in the wrong hands, any cultivator might simply open it and take whatever is inside. You must guard yours with the utmost care. Now, there is one advantage: the internal space of these low-grade devices is not entirely detached. It is essentially a low-level spatial 'crack' very near our own space. Such cracks tend not to fragment further, and because of the ambient gravitational pull within our world, the connecting passage remains rather stable. Hence, if the storage bag were ever to be destroyed, what's stored inside would likely drop out near our world rather than being lost into chaotic space currents."

He continued, "On the other hand, medium- and high-grade storage devices contain vast spaces that are almost entirely separate from our own. Their immense interiors require rare materials to form a secure entrance. Moreover, users typically imprint their own divine sense—like leaving an identifying seal—to set up additional safeguards. If someone else manages to force the device open without safely removing that seal, the passage may collapse or even trigger a self-destruction mechanism, in which case the stored items would either be damaged beyond repair or scattered into random spatial flows."

Lin Da Qiao's tone softened as he added, "Even a basic storage bag is extremely precious. It is a talisman-grade tool, and not every cultivator will ever have even one decent spiritual artifact or even a proper talisman in their lifetime. In our sect, only official disciples are issued one; even though all disciples are still disciples, those relegated to menial tasks do not get one. In some second-tier sects, storage bags are allocated only to foundation-stage disciples—and in my old third-tier sect, the entire sect might have had only a dozen or so storage bags."

For a moment, Lin Da Qiao's expression darkened as memories surfaced. He recalled how some of his own uncles and senior mentors—who had spent their lives cultivating—had never enjoyed the same treatment as the Outer Gate disciples in the Four Great Sects. That was his birthplace, the very place where his own cultivation journey began, and where his first master and fellow disciples once studied. His eyes grew distant, and it was clear that the subject struck a personal, bittersweet note.

Not noticing Li Yan's puzzled look—or perhaps understanding that a new disciple might not yet grasp all the subtleties—Lin Da Qiao resumed his explanation. "The use of a low-grade storage bag is quite simple. When you wish to store something, you split your divine sense into two streams: one stream extends into the bag's opening, while the other locks onto the item you want to store. Once both strands merge, the object is drawn in. Conversely, when you want to retrieve an item, you project one strand of your divine sense into the bag, latch onto the desired item, and then retract your divine sense. It's an exceedingly simple process, though as with everything in cultivation, you'll get better at it with practice."

He then eyed Li Yan kindly and said, "I wonder, little junior, are you currently able to project your divine sense externally? Normally, one must master divine sense to at least the third layer of Nascent Qi before it can leave the body. However, there are two exceptions. The first is if you are naturally blessed with a potent divine sense. In that case, even a bit of cultivated spiritual energy may suffice. The second is if you have practiced a technique that specifically enhances your divine sense, in which case you might be able to project it before reaching the third layer. If you find that you cannot presently do so, I will help you retrieve any items stored inside for now. But I know that since you've reached the second layer of Nascent Qi, it won't be long before you can release your divine sense successfully."

At that moment, Li Yan scratched the back of his head. "Seventh Senior Brother, I seem to have found that I am indeed capable of releasing my divine sense."

He explained that ever since Li Wu Yi first informed him this morning that he had reached the second layer of Nascent Qi, he had been so curious that he managed to sneak a brief trial while traveling with Lin Da Qiao. To his amazement, his divine sense actually separated from his body—extending to around two or three zhang. In that instant, he felt as though every blade of grass, every stalk of bamboo, every insect and leaf, even each whisper of wind or swirl of mist, was all within his grasp. The sensation was as if the world itself had unfolded before his eyes.

Lin Da Qiao paused, his face both curious and serious as he asked, "Is it truly the case that you can now let your divine sense roam free?"

Li Yan hesitated briefly. He recalled the murmurs and teachings about enhancing one's divine sense—the legends of cultivation methods passed down in secret manuals that were said to be so brutal that they would grind one's divine sense to a fraction of its strength. According to legend, thousands of years ago a foundation-stage cultivator accidentally discovered a partial secret manual for divine sense cultivation. The method was harsh indeed: one had to slowly, almost painfully, refine every inch of one's spiritual perception, much as a craftsman chipping away at a block of stone. Many who attempted it ended up succumbing to madness or reduced to a hollow shell of themselves. Yet that determined cultivator persevered. By enduring unimaginable torment, he managed to strengthen his divine sense by twenty to thirty percent over his peers. From that point onward, even in mid-stage Foundation battles his prowess was so greatly enhanced that he could hold his own against three or four cultivators of equal rank without suffering defeat—even when facing an opponent who had almost reached the threshold of Golden Core cultivation.

Over time, word of his achievement spread far and wide. Some said that the method was indeed as brutal as described, while others attributed any exaggeration to the envy of Golden Core cultivators who feared the method might be used to steal their advantage. In the end, however, that cultivator's fate was sealed in infamy: one tale recounts that when enemy cultivators attempted to uncover the secret, his soul exploded under the pressure of their soul-searching techniques. But whether those accounts are true is still debated. In any event, such is the power—and the temptation—of the divine sense cultivation method.

Li Yan, knowing that he now had a convenient excuse, resolved to use it as justification to activate his storage bag. For him, it mattered little what anyone might suspect; if questioned, he could always explain it as an effect of his "dismembered poison body" technique—which, as far as anyone currently understood, was more of a mysterious byproduct than a thoroughly understood method. In time, as long as doubts arose, he would simply point to that.

Noting the change in Li Yan's expression and the way his tone had lowered with regretful intensity—as if suddenly troubled by the implications—Lin Da Qiao's eyes softened with a tinge of envy as he looked at him. He knew that even if a Nascent Soul elder were aware of such a method, nothing could be done—the so-called "dismembered poison body" method was elusive, its origins lost to time. Previous practitioners had merely imitated traces of others' cultivation paths in vain; countless have tried over billions of years, and only thousands succeeded.

Finally, with a sigh, Lin Da Qiao said, "Little junior, why don't you try it for yourself? Follow my method and see if you can store this small sword on the table inside the storage bag."

Li Yan, looking at his Seventh Senior Brother's almost resigned countenance, felt a mixture of determination and trepidation. He was well aware of the sect's expectations and of his elder's hopes—even if the matters of the Gu Water Immortal Sect were something he dared not mention out loud. Deep inside, though anxious, he resolved not to be rash this time.

After a moment of quiet confirmation—a small nod from Li Yan—the atmosphere grew still. Lin Da Qiao, clearly satisfied by the silent agreement, then set out to demonstrate. He explained once more that using the storage bag was truly simple once mastered: when you wish to place an item inside, you simply divide your divine sense into two streams. One stream probes into the bag's opening while the other locks onto the object. When the two combine, the object is seamlessly drawn into the pocket space. To retrieve an item, you reverse the process—again, sending forth your divine sense to latch onto what you need before recalling it. This process, he assured, is one that becomes second nature with practice.

He then casually remarked, "I wonder, little junior—since I mentioned that your divine sense should be strong enough by now to break free, are you able to project it externally?"

Recalling his earlier experiment on the way here, Li Yan softly replied, "Seventh Senior Brother, I believe my divine sense can indeed break free." He then recounted his brief trial: how, since being informed by Li Wu Yi that he'd reached the second layer of Nascent Qi that morning, he couldn't resist testing; and although only for a moment and over a distance of about two or three zhang, he truly experienced his divine sense extending outward, capturing every detail of the scenery—from individual blades of grass and bamboo to the flutter of an insect's wing and even the slight stir of a mist.

Lin Da Qiao's eyes lit with both surprise and a touch of admiration as he asked urgently, "So it is true—you can now let your divine sense completely depart from your body?"

Li Yan hesitated for a moment. He recalled how the subject of strengthening divine sense with specialized techniques was considered something almost mythical—a secret method so rare that only a handful of ancient texts even mentioned it. Such methods were known to elevate one's combat prowess dramatically, as a cultivator with an extraordinarily potent divine sense could train many times faster than his peers and even learn techniques that others found impossible. However, history also tells of the hardships: one such foundation-stage cultivator, after obtaining a partial secret manual, endured a torturous process where every fraction of his divine sense was honed relentlessly. Many ended up maddened or reduced to an empty shell. Yet that determined man not only survived the ordeal, but he also emerged with his divine sense strengthened by twenty to thirty percent over others—so much so that in subsequent battles, even mid-stage Foundation cultivators found themselves no match for him, and he eventually managed to hold his own even against half-formed Golden Core masters.

Listening intently, Li Yan admitted that he had taken that as a pretext. When he first saw the storage bag and remembered the so-called "dismembered poison body" story—a subject about which many in the sect still debated—he decided that it would serve as a perfect cover. In this way, even if anyone questioned him later, he could attribute his enhanced abilities to that method, which, after all, was still shrouded in mystery.

Lin Da Qiao paused as he absorbed Li Yan's words. "Little junior," he began, his tone softening with genuine curiosity, "are you truly capable of releasing your divine sense outside your body?"

After a moment of silence, Li Yan nodded. He confessed that when he attempted it earlier—almost imperceptibly while traveling—they did manage to project his divine sense a short distance. Although it was a brief glimpse of power, he confirmed that he could indeed sense external details beyond his immediate physical form.

Lin Da Qiao then offered a quiet smile, as though both relieved and impressed. "Very well," he said, "now use your method to try and place that small sword on the table into the storage bag." His voice held equal parts challenge and gentle instruction.

At that moment, Li Yan's heart pounded. He felt the weight of expectation and the unspoken understanding that this exercise was more than a test of a storage device—it was also a step in mastering his own emerging abilities. Swallowing his trepidation, he bent toward the table. His thoughts raced between the discipline required by the sect, the memory of his earlier trials, and the subtle pressure of what it meant to prove himself in front of his elder. Yet, he knew that if he was to secure his standing—and perhaps someday even hide the secret of his "dismembered poison body"—he had to succeed.

With trembling focus, Li Yan split his divine sense into two streams as instructed. One stream reached forward, hovering at the bag's entrance; the other latched onto the small sword. In that delicate moment, the two streams merged as if guided by an unseen hand, and the sword slowly vanished from the table and was absorbed within the storage bag's pocket dimension.

Lin Da Qiao watched intently, his expression shifting from cautious expectation to a spark of pride. "Well done, little junior," he said quietly. "This storage bag—though low-grade—may be simple, but it is a crucial tool. Treat it as you would any treasured talisman. Guard it well, for it is not given lightly. Even the simplest storage artifact is rare in our world, where many cultivators may go their entire lives without owning a worthy spiritual artifact."

Li Yan, heart still pounding from his success, could only nod silently. Even as he marveled at the practical simplicity of the storage bag—and the way his own divine sense had guided his actions—he also couldn't shake the feeling that he had taken a big step on a long journey. He understood that every new technique, every new tool in this rigid and demanding sect, was a stepping stone toward becoming a true cultivator. And in that moment, beneath the wise but wistful gaze of his Seventh Senior Brother, Li Yan vowed to continue on, however steep the cost.