Chapter 97: Grand Elder of the Black Soul Sect, Soul Transformation Late Stage Cultivator Zhou Yun

As this purple light enveloped that graceful body, Hong Die successfully achieved a Breakthrough to the Soul Transformation Early Stage Realm at this moment, and even elevated the strength of her Innate Five Spirits to the Soul Transformation Realm, which could be considered a significant improvement.

Hong Die slowly opened her eyes, which were like stars, and her slender, jade-like hand reached forward slightly to catch the red butterfly in front of her. At this moment, a trace of sorrow unexpectedly appeared on her exquisite face.

"So many years have passed… Master… is there still no news of him?"

A crystal-clear tear fell from the corner of Hong Die's eye without her realizing it. Her heart was filled with longing for her Master, Lin Che, and she wished she could throw herself into his arms right now.

"Senior Leiji."

Hong Die turned her body to look at Leiji not far away and asked, "Where exactly did Master go?"

The ancestor of the Demon Race, Leiji, stepped forward, cupped his hands toward Hong Die, and said softly, "When Master left, he instructed that he would only return to the Hengyue Sect after the Mistress achieved a Breakthrough to the Soul Transformation Realm… As for where he went, this old man does not know."

Hearing Senior Leiji's reply, Hong Die felt even more sorrowful in her heart. She could only turn around and walk toward the back mountain of the Hengyue Sect, seemingly not wanting to bring up this heartbreaking matter again.

Watching Hong Die's lonely figure, Leiji sighed and slowly said, "Hong Die's talent is comparable to Master's in the past. To be able to break through to the Soul Transformation Realm in just a few decades, she must surely be able to break through to the Nascent Transformation Realm before the age of one hundred."

…

Southern Kingdom, Capital.

Over these past few years, the Concept within Lin Che's body had begun to condense. It could fully condense at any moment, ultimately allowing him to comprehend the Mortal Realm and break through to the Ascendant Middle Stage Realm once again.

Lin Che slowly opened his eyes. The blood-red Immortal Qi within three feet of his body turned into light orbs and merged into his brow, thereby causing the energy within his body to sublimate once more.

"The Immortal Qi within the Suzaku Star is still too scarce. If I want to reach that Realm, I must obtain a large amount of Immortal Qi."

Lin Che clenched his fist, feeling the energy fluctuations within his body. He was also clear that after a Cultivator reaches the Ascendant Realm, wanting to break through to the Ascendant Middle Stage is as difficult as ascending to heaven.

Just like the three old monsters of the Ascendant Realm within the Vermilion Bird Kingdom, who knows how many years it will take for them to break through to the Ascendant Middle Stage Realm.

"Three hundred springs and autumns wasted in the world, tens of thousands of human desires for the ultimate spirit. Hearing a few words from Meng Po, the Incomplete Manual turns to dust, the winds and clouds fade."

Lin Che slowly stood up and withdrew his Immortal Qi. Just as he walked out of the room, he saw Cultivators from the Four Sects Alliance appearing in this place.

Ever since the Snow Region Kingdom arrived here, they had covered the entire land of the Southern Kingdom with heavy snow, resulting in no harvest at all within the Southern Kingdom. The common people were starving to death everywhere, creating a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.

The Four Sects Alliance also vaguely sensed that something was wrong. They felt majestic energy fluctuations within this snowfall; apart from a Cultivator, perhaps no one else could do such a thing.

The leader was an old man in a black robe wearing a demon mask. The old man stroked his pale goatee and said, "I am Zhou Yun of the Black Soul Sect. Your Excellency is surely not a Cultivator from within our Southern Kingdom, right?"

Lin Che glanced at Zhou Yun of the Black Soul Sect in front of him. After confirming that his arrival this time did not disturb Wan'er's Soul Transformation Breakthrough, he breathed a sigh of relief.

If the Concept were to be broken, one would either have to re-comprehend the Concept or lose all possibility of Soul Transformation in this lifetime.

Lin Che stood with one hand behind his back and said with a calm expression, "This place does not welcome any Cultivators. Leave."

Zhou Yun of the Black Soul Sect slightly raised his head, looking at the calm and composed Lin Che in front of him, and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. It was clear he had no way to see through the other party's Realm and cultivation level.

Not long ago, Zhou Yun had used a special forbidden technique to investigate and found that there was a Cultivator in the capital of the Southern Kingdom who could help the Four Sects Alliance resolve their crisis. Consequently, he immediately investigated, and after receiving the information, he came here in person.

"Since Your Excellency is not a Cultivator of our Southern Kingdom, you should leave this place quickly. Within thirty years, the Four Sects Alliance will be in chaos."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Yun turned around, wanting to leave this place.

Lin Che sat on a chair, poured a cup of tea, and glanced at the back of the Black Soul Sect Grand Elder, Zhou Yun. "With your Soul Transformation Late Stage cultivation, if a battle breaks out, you will undoubtedly die."

"This seat will give you a reminder: if you take the Cultivators here and leave, there might still be a glimmer of hope. Otherwise, the Four Sects Alliance will surely perish."

Zhou Yun smiled slightly, stroked his beard, and turned around to look meaningfully at Lin Che in front of him. "Fellow Daoist, although I do not know what Realm you are in, do you know that if this old man wanted to leave, I could completely just walk away?"

"Even if other Cultivators talk behind my back and call me, Zhou Yun, a coward who fears death, I could certainly still leave. But, do you know why I am not leaving?"

Lin Che glanced at Zhou Yun and continued to calmly taste his tea.

"This is my home! I was born here, and in death, I will also be here!" Zhou Yun stroked his beard again, turned around, and walked toward the doorway. "The Southern Kingdom is this old man's home. Even if this old man dies and my Dao dissipates, I will not leave this place even half a step."

Watching the back of the Black Soul Sect's Zhou Yun as he left, Lin Che did not speak; it seemed he had long since come to terms with such partings of life and death.

After all, what he was cultivating was the path of the God of Slaughter; naturally, it was impossible for him to feel sorrow because of the destruction of a nation. Moreover, he had no emotional ties to the Four Sects Alliance, so even if it were destroyed, what of it?

His coming here this time was simply to help Wan'er successfully achieve Soul Transformation. Once the Soul Transformation was over, he would take her away from the Four Sects Alliance. As for the outcome of the Four Sects Alliance, that would be up to their own fate.

Before long, Li Muwan walked in from outside the room carrying a bamboo basket. Seeing that her Senior Brother had already awakened, she happily ran over and threw herself into his arms.

The Concept that Li Muwan comprehended was the first "Love" in history. The moment the Concept appeared, Li Muwan's love for Lin Che in her heart became even more indescribable; it seemed that she wanted to stay by her Senior Brother's side at every moment and was unwilling to leave.

As long as one has feelings in their heart, they will be trapped within this type of Concept. If Wan'er steps into the Ascendant Realm in the future, this Concept will be incomparably terrifying, even surpassing the God of Slaughter Concept.

One must know that in the entire worldview of Xian Ni, Cultivators have always been decisive in killing and cruel; even female Cultivators are the same and would never stop their slaughter simply because of the issue of gender.

Therefore, there are almost no Cultivators who comprehend the "Love" Concept. After all, for them, the world of cultivation is one where the weak are prey to the strong; where would they have the time to comprehend such a Concept?

Even Zhou Yi only had the Obsession Concept.

The Love Concept requires one to engage in it together with a partner; only through constant contact can one truly comprehend it in the real sense.