32: The living soul awakens

Ye Chen, that kid, finally moved away from the Myriad Realms Spirit Spring Eye. He was led away by Senior Sister Yun Qingyao and arranged into a single small courtyard rich in spiritual energy.

He still had that sullen, bamboo-pole-thin appearance, but his eyes weren't as lifeless; occasionally, he would stare blankly for a long time at the ordinary, dark iron sword Lin Xuan had casually given him.

The Silent Extinction Sword Soul within him was firmly suppressed by the Chaos Sword Bone's origin; although it was still a ticking time bomb, Lin Xuan had pinched its fuse, so it wouldn't explode for now.

His cultivation was also stable at the peak of the Golden Core stage, just a step away from forming his Nascent Soul.

Lin Xuan was busy digging a pit next to the Myriad Realms Spirit Spring Eye.

He held his newly accepted little disciple, Mu Ling Nannan, in his arms. The little girl's emerald green eyes curiously watched her Master wield an immortal jade hoe, likely pilfered from some unfortunate's storeroom, as he grunted and dug the earth.

“Nuan Nuan, watch closely! We're going to plant a big one!” Lin Xuan wiped away non-existent sweat and carefully pulled out the World Tree sapling from his system inventory.

The moment this thing was taken out, the air in the entire back mountain changed!

An indescribably vast and majestic life aura erupted!

The surrounding flowers, plants, and trees seemed to be injected with a stimulant, frantically sprouting branches and leaves, instantly growing a large section taller!

Even the thin spiritual energy in the air became active and viscous!

The originally somewhat languid Myriad Realms Spirit Spring Eye gurgled and bubbled with much more cheer.

Little Nuan Nuan gasped, her emerald green eyes full of little stars. She reached out her fair and tender little hand, wanting to touch the palm-sized sapling that glowed with a faint green light, its leaf veins resembling flowing stars: “So pretty! Tree-tree!”

“Be careful, it's very delicate,” Lin Xuan said with a smile, handing over the sapling.

Little Nuan Nuan carefully touched a leaf with her fingertip. The World Tree sapling actually trembled slightly, emitting an intimate aura, and actively rubbed against her small hand!

“It likes Nuan Nuan!” the little girl exclaimed in surprise.

“Of course! From now on, it's yours to take care of!” Lin Xuan placed the sapling into the freshly dug pit and filled it with spiritual soil mixed with Life Source Liquid.

“Come, water it and say hello.”

Little Nuan Nuan immediately extended her small hand, palm facing the sapling.

A pure, gentle, and vibrant emerald green Wood Spiritual Energy slowly infused into the sapling's roots.

The World Tree sapling visibly perked up, its leaves unfurled, and its green light intensified!

An even stronger life fluctuation spread out, even faintly forming a pale green halo that enveloped half of the back mountain!

Ding! The World Tree sapling has been successfully planted!

Host Mu Ling Nannan, a Child of Nature, has been automatically bound as the World Tree Guardian!

World Tree growth accelerated! Wood Spiritual Energy concentration increased! Sect-wide spiritual energy concentration doubled! Zerg evil energy suppression field has been generated!

It's done! Lin Xuan looked at the vibrant sapling, then at little Nuan Nuan, who was diligently channeling spiritual energy to the sapling as if caring for a baby. He felt delighted.

This logistics manager is set!

Just then—

“Senior! Senior Lin!” A cry, tinged with tears and full of fervent adoration, came from far away, growing closer.

It was Huang Yan, the Eldest Princess of the Divine Phoenix Realm, holding up the hem of her elaborate palace dress, rushing over like an idol-chasing fangirl.

Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were fixed on the World Tree sapling emanating vast vitality.

She was so excited she could barely speak: “Is this... the World Tree? The legendary World Tree? Oh my heavens! Senior, you... you can even find this? Yan'er... Yan'er can touch it? Just once! Just once is fine!”

As she spoke, she reached out to touch the translucent leaves.

“Roar! Hmph! You infatuated woman! Stay away from our precious tree!” Lie Tian Divine Tiger appeared out of nowhere, its massive tiger head blocking Huang Yan, its crimson-gold tiger eyes full of vigilance, a threatening growl rumbling in its throat.

It remembered the way this woman looked at its master, like a hungry wolf spotting meat!

“Ah!” Huang Yan was startled by the sudden appearance of the giant tiger, her small face turning pale. She took two steps back, but her eyes remained glued to the World Tree. “Tiger... Lord Tiger... I'm just looking... not touching...”

Lin Xuan rubbed his temples, a headache brewing. This fangirl... truly impossible to shake off.

He was about to send Huang Yan to help Yun Qingyao inventory supplies when a sudden change occurred!

Buzz—!

A pure white light, far more intense, purer, and imbued with the power to cleanse all filth and unleash endless vitality than the World Tree sapling, suddenly erupted from the nearby Myriad Realms Spirit Spring Eye!

The light was so brilliant that it instantly overshadowed the World Tree's green glow, illuminating the entire back mountain as if it were daytime!

A warm, peaceful aura, as if capable of purifying one's very soul, permeated the air!

In the center of the spring eye, the massive light cocoon, which had enveloped the Netherworld's nascent soul and slept for an unknown duration, was now violently fluctuating!

Cracks appeared on its surface!

Brilliant pure white light was radiating through the fissures!

“It's waking up?” Lin Xuan's eyes narrowed. He instantly cast Huang Yan and the World Tree out of his mind and strode to the spring's edge.

Lie Tian Divine Tiger no longer bothered to block Huang Yan, its tiger eyes vigilantly fixed on the light cocoon.

Little Nuan Nuan tilted her small head curiously to look.

Huang Yan, even more astonished, covered her mouth, her eyes wide with shock.

Crack... crackle...

The cracks on the surface of the light cocoon grew more numerous and dense!

Finally—

Splash!

The entire light cocoon, like a shattered eggshell, instantly transformed into specks of pure white light dust, dissipating into the air!

In the center of the spring eye, a figure floated serenely in the clear spring water.

It was a woman. She appeared to be around twenty years old, with a slender and graceful figure.

Her skin was snow-white, almost translucent, as if carved from the finest white jade.

A cascade of soft, silvery-white long hair, like a waterfall woven from moonlight, draped over her shoulders and reached her waist.

She wore a simple, ancient-style, pure white long dress, her feet bare, floating peacefully.

Her features were exquisitely refined, unlike those of a mortal: eyebrows like distant mountains, a delicate nose bridge, and lips the color of faint cherry blossoms.

At this moment, her tightly closed eyelids trembled slightly, and her long, silvery-white eyelashes, like butterfly wings, slowly lifted.

A pair of pure, flawless silver eyes, like the clearest crystals, slowly opened.

At first, those silver eyes held a trace of bewilderment and etherealness, like a newborn infant, curiously observing this unfamiliar world.

Her gaze swept over Lin Xuan, over Lie Tian Divine Tiger, over the curious little Nuan Nuan, over the stunned Huang Yan, and finally settled on Leng Yuechan and Zombie Princess Yu Lin, who were still submerged in the adjacent spring water.

When her gaze met the lingering, Black Coffin-derived Silent Extinction Cold Qi on Leng Yuechan, a cold light, imbued with an absolute will to purify, suddenly flashed within those pure silver eyes!

Buzz!

An invisible wave of purification instantly spread!

“Ugh...” The unconscious Leng Yuechan let out a painful groan!

Her body was instantly covered with a thin layer of grayish-white ice crystals!

This was the Silent Extinction Cold Qi remaining in her body, stimulated by this purifying force, instinctively erupting in resistance!

“Not good!” Lin Xuan's expression changed!

This nascent soul had just awakened, and her power control was unstable; this purifying force was like adding fuel to the fire for the cold qi within Leng Yuechan!

Just as he was about to intervene—

“Purify.”

An ethereal, clear, and seemingly untouched-by-mortal-dust voice gently emerged from the silver-haired woman's lips.

No elaborate incantations, no complex spell formations.

Just one word!

Words became law!

As this single word fell, an even purer, gentler, yet undeniably powerful purifying force, like spring rain nourishing the earth, instantly enveloped Leng Yuechan!

Hiss—!

The layer of grayish-white ice crystals on Leng Yuechan's body, as if encountering its nemesis, instantly melted and disintegrated!

The Silent Extinction Cold Qi that had been stimulated and erupted within her body, in the face of this gentle yet domineering purifying force, was like ice and snow under the scorching sun, rapidly dissolving, purifying, and transforming into the purest life energy, feeding back into Leng Yuechan herself!

Leng Yuechan's tightly furrowed brows instantly relaxed, and her pale complexion visibly became rosy!

Her Chaos Sword Bone, which had been eroded by the cold qi and always somewhat sluggish, now erupted with an unprecedentedly clear sword cry!

A sharp Sword Intent soared into the sky!

Mid-stage Soul Transformation → Peak Soul Transformation! Half-step Void Refinement!

The hidden danger of cold qi that had plagued her for so long was completely eradicated by a single, light word from this nascent soul!

And it even helped her break through to the peak of Soul Transformation!

Lin Xuan: “!!!” Holy crap! This effect is too immediate, isn't it? Even more potent than a Nine Revolutions Golden Elixir!

Lie Tian Divine Tiger: “Roar? Master... this newcomer seems even stronger than Lord Tiger?” It shrank its neck.

Little Nuan Nuan: “Wow! Pretty sister is so amazing!”

Huang Yan was completely petrified, her eyes darting back and forth between the silver-haired woman and Leng Yuechan, her worldview greatly impacted.

Just then, the silver-haired woman's pure silver eyes slowly turned to Lin Xuan.

Her gaze was still ethereal, but with a hint of inquiry.

Lin Xuan cleared his throat, trying to appear like a proper Master, even though he had just been digging a pit to plant a tree: “Ahem, you're awake? How do you feel? Do you remember who you are? Where you're from?”

The silver-haired woman tilted her head slightly, her silver hair cascading over her shoulders, her movements carrying an innocent, naive charm.

She seemed to be trying hard to think; a trace of confusion flashed in her silver eyes, then turned to pain, her brows gently furrowing.

“Who am I?” Her ethereal voice was filled with confusion.

Her gaze swept around, finally settling on Lin Xuan's face. “You saved me? Where is this?” Her memory seemed blank, leaving only the most fundamental sense of affinity for life and purification.

Lin Xuan's heart skipped a beat. Amnesia? He was familiar with this script! Nine out of ten treasures he picked up were like this!

“This is the All Heavens Star Palace, this seat is Lin Xuan, and I am your Master.” Lin Xuan began to bluff without a blush or a racing heart. “You were severely injured before and slept for a long time. It was this seat who rescued you from the Netherworld.”

“Netherworld?” Hearing this name, a trace of instinctive disgust and repulsion flashed in the silver-haired woman's silver eyes, as if recalling something unpleasant, but she couldn't remember the specifics.

She looked at Lin Xuan, his reflection mirrored in her pure eyes, with a hint of fledgling-like dependence. “Master?”

“Yes! Master!” Lin Xuan quickly nodded, striking while the iron was hot. “From now on, this is your home! Follow Master, and you'll eat well and live well! We'll specialize in fighting bugs! And those bad guys from the Asura Clan!”

“Bugs... Asura...” The silver-haired woman murmured these two words. In the depths of her silver eyes, that cold purifying light flashed again and then disappeared!

A deep-seated hatred and desire for purification, stemming from instinct, made her entire aura become sharp!

Although her memory was gone, that absolute will to purify filth was already imprinted deep in her soul!

“Yes! Purify them!” Her voice was still ethereal, but it carried a decisive chill.

It's done! Lin Xuan's heart bloomed with joy!

Although she had amnesia, her “insecticide” instinct was still there! And she seemed very easy to trick... er, very obedient!

Ding! Unnamed Nascent Soul detected awakening and initial recognition of Host's identity!

Can officially accept as a disciple! Bind as a direct disciple?

“Bind! Immediately! Now!” Lin Xuan did not hesitate.

Ding! Binding successful!

Disciple acceptance successful! Direct disciple count +1!

Assessment begins... Disciple Talent: SSS+ level Life Reshaping Awakening! SSS+ level Absolute Purification.

Discipleship Process: Host's life-saving grace rescued the nascent soul, provided a place for recuperation, and guided her life's direction! Process rating: S-rank!

Overall Assessment: SSS+ rank! Triggering a ten-thousand-fold return critical hit!

Ding! Congratulations to the Host for receiving the ten-thousand-fold return reward: Life Divinity Fragment (Purification) x1!

Effect: Greatly enhances Host's life source strength and recovery ability! Gains 'Primary Life Purification' authority! Damage bonus against Zergs and Asuras can grant others a temporary, weakened version of purification power.

Ding! Congratulations to the Host for receiving an additional reward: Sect Luck +100,000 points! Permanent Spring Eye of Life Water x1! All Heavens Mall Refresh Voucher x1!

Life Divinity Fragment? Primary Life Purification Authority? One hundred thousand luck points? And a permanent spring eye?

Lin Xuan felt his heart almost stop! This wave of return instantly sent him soaring!

Before he could even process this immense fortune, the system prompt sounded again!

Ding! Detected Host successfully accepted the tenth direct disciple, Nascent Soul - Unnamed! Sect Luck is flourishing!

Triggering Sect-wide Advancement Event: Luck Feedback!

All direct disciples: Yun Qingyao, Chu Xinghe, Leng Yuechan, Su Yuan, Linglong, Kong Ming, Xue Li, Feng Qiqi, Mu Ling Nannan, Ye Chen, and Unnamed, receive luck infusion! Bottlenecks loosened! About to collectively break through!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

As if to confirm the system's words, from various parts of the main peak, eleven distinct light pillars, each of different colors and strengths, shot into the sky like fireworks, stirring up the winds and clouds!

Yun Qingyao's Moonlight! Chu Xinghe's Star Array! Leng Yuechan's freshly broken-through Sword Qi! Su Yuan's Deduction! Linglong's Demonic Qi! Kong Ming's Buddha's Light! Xue Li's Threads of Emotion! Feng Qiqi's Nirvana True Flame! Mu Ling Nannan's Wood Spiritual Energy! Ye Chen's Silent Extinction Sword Qi! And that silver-haired nascent soul's pure white light!

Eleven direct disciples, under the infusion of the sect's immense luck and the feedback from Lin Xuan's continuous acceptance of disciples, collectively ushered in a breakthrough frenzy!

Mid-stage Soul Transformation → Late-stage Soul Transformation! Late-stage Soul Transformation → Peak Soul Transformation! Peak Soul Transformation → Half-step Void Refinement! Peak Golden Core → Early-stage Nascent Soul!

Especially the newly awakened nascent soul and the recently healed Leng Yuechan, their aura improvements were the most terrifying!

One was enveloped in holy white light, radiating purifying power; the other's Sword Qi soared to the sky, her Chaos Sword Bone resonating!

Both stood firmly on the threshold of Half-step Void Refinement!

The entire All Heavens Star Palace, spiritual energy surged like a tsunami!

The immortal mountain rumbled! Ten thousand rays of light illuminated the sky!

Even the newly planted World Tree sapling excitedly swayed its branches and leaves, absorbing massive amounts of spiritual energy!

“Roar—!” Lie Tian Divine Tiger, bathed in this spiritual energy frenzy, roared to the sky in comfort!

It felt itself a big step closer to its mature form!

Lin Xuan stood by the spring, holding little Nuan Nuan, who had shrunk into his arms, startled by the light pillars.

Beside him stood his new silver-haired nascent soul disciple with her sharp aura.

He looked at the eleven light pillars piercing the heavens and earth, felt the Life Divinity Fragment radiating warm life energy within him, and then looked at the frighteningly long string of luck points on the system panel...

He grinned, laughing silently.

Eleven now! A full eleven monstrous disciples!

One ticking time bomb at home defused!

Super healer Nuan Nuan and ultimate bug killer nascent soul are in place!

The World Tree is planted!

And he even got a Divinity Fragment for free!

“This wave... I've won too much!”