300: How to return to Earth

A dark cave.

Countless insects and invertebrates lingered at the cave entrance; something inside the cave was attracting them, but the aura of a powerful creature within kept them from advancing.

Once they stepped into the cave, their brief and muddled lives might come to an end right then and there.

Inside the cave.

A faint halo emanated from between Xie Zhiyuan's brows, a condition that had persisted for an entire day.

"Hmph!~"

A muffled groan of pain was heard, followed by a faint flicker of thunder.

"Old Headmaster?"

"Old Headmaster?"

"Could he be gone? Has his consciousness dissipated?" Xiao Weiqing felt a bit uncertain.

"I say, kid, can't you think of something positive?"

Hearing Xie Zhiyuan's complaint, Xiao Weiqing let out a soft sigh of relief. "Old Headmaster, every time you let out a tragic cry like that, can you blame me?"

"You've already birthed a Divine Soul; at such a close distance, can't you sense my condition?"

"I can, but your Mental Energy is weak. If I don't investigate carefully, it's almost impossible to detect."

"Then that's enough."

Xiao Weiqing said weakly, "You were like this before when your Sea of Consciousness was in total chaos. Who knows if this is just a terminal lucidity?"

"You brat, you're just hoping I'll die, aren't you?"

"No way. You don't even have an inheritance, so why would I want you to die?"

"..."

"Don't get angry, don't get angry."

Xie Zhiyuan comforted himself, truly afraid that a fit of agitation would cause his newly repaired Sea of Consciousness to crack again.

"I felt pain because there were many memories within the primal divine light of the Xuanting Star Lord. My consciousness is currently weak, and those memories almost crushed it."

Xiao Weiqing's eyes lit up. "Is there any useful information? Like a peerless Cultivation Technique or a treasure map?"

"No, just some fragmented memories of childhood life. There's very little that's useful, though there is a trace of residual thunder power. It's quite interesting, but unfortunately, it doesn't suit me."

"Then can you use this primal divine light to Breakthrough to the Star Lord Realm?"

"The chances are slim."

Xiao Weiqing was puzzled. "Why?"

"Xuanting Star Lord was only at the Star Lord Realm himself. The primal divine light he left behind doesn't contain any Legacy Cultivation Techniques, making it very difficult for me to reach the Star Lord Realm."

"I see."

This was like a companion weapon. For an original companion weapon, once the owner died, the next owner would be unable to upgrade it to a higher Rank no matter what.

For example, with the thousand flame blade in Xiao Weiqing's hand, no matter how he nurtured it, he could only ever produce seven divine runes.

"Then Old Headmaster, breaking through to the Ninth Realm should be possible, right?"

"Yes. Once I restore my Sea of Consciousness and birth the embryonic form of a Divine Soul, entering the Ninth Realm will only be a matter of time."

"Then we need to return to Blue Star first. The current entrance to the Purple Forest Demon Realm cannot be passed by someone with Ninth Realm strength. Once you Breakthrough to the Ninth Realm, Old Headmaster, you really won't be able to go back."

"Even if I could pass, I wouldn't be able to go."

"Why?"

"You don't actually think that birthing a Divine Soul gives me Ninth Realm strength, do you?"

"Is it not?"

"Do you think I can exert much power when my divine body is in such a ruined state?"

"Aren't you a Spirit Cultivator?"

Xie Zhiyuan said, "The body is the foundation of cultivation. Without a body, the Divine Soul is like water without a source; it cannot exert much power unless one breaks through to the Star Lord Realm."

Xiao Weiqing's expression darkened, and his heart sank. The entrance from the Demon Realm to the Blue Star world would certainly be heavily guarded, and there would also be Yao Race demigods.

Thinking of this.

Xiao Weiqing took out the silver feather. "Old Headmaster, try communicating with this using your Mental Energy."

"A bird feather?"

"Old Headmaster, watch your words."

Xie Zhiyuan's words gave Xiao Weiqing a fright. He didn't know who this feather belonged to, but their strength was undoubtedly incredibly powerful.

Or perhaps the person who refined it was incredibly powerful. Although it hadn't shown any offensive attributes yet, the fact that it could mask one's aura so that even a Star Lord couldn't detect it meant it was definitely no ordinary object.

He didn't want a single comment from Xie Zhiyuan to cause trouble.

"What's wrong?"

Xiao Weiqing briefly explained the origin of the feather.

"It's that miraculous? As long as you restrain your aura and stay still, even a god can't find you?"

"Yes."

Xiao Weiqing nodded and then demonstrated, his Mental Energy making contact with the silver feather.

Just like that.

Xiao Weiqing disappeared—disappeared in the truest sense, invisible and undetectable.

Xie Zhiyuan was also startled. He spread his Mental Energy to probe the surrounding three meters, but there was nothing.

Yet he knew that Xiao Weiqing was clearly right in front of him.

Xiao Weiqing's figure reappeared. "Old Headmaster, you try."

"Alright."

A trace of Mental Energy seeped from Xie Zhiyuan's Sea of Consciousness and touched the silver feather.

One second.

Ten seconds.

Half a minute passed without any reaction.

"It's no use. It seems to be bound; only you can use it."

Xiao Weiqing sighed. He had guessed as much; demigod Kolen must have planned this long ago.

"Can this thing only mask one person's aura? What if we go together?"

Xie Zhiyuan asked. Naturally, he hoped to return to Blue Star as soon as possible. His divine body was in tatters and required a vast amount of treasures to repair.

"It doesn't work. I tried it last time when I was carrying you while running; I couldn't mask your aura along with mine."

Xie Zhiyuan said, "That is a problem. We need to plan this carefully. If it doesn't work, you should return to Blue Star first. Once my Sea of Consciousness is restored, as long as I'm careful, I won't be in any life-threatening danger for a short while."

Xiao Weiqing thought for a moment and said:

"How about this: I'll find a small or medium-sized Yao Race tribe to slaughter and throw you into their Demon Refining Pool. That should speed up the recovery of your divine body, right?" Xiao Weiqing suggested.

Xie Zhiyuan shook his head. "Although the treasures for divine body recovery are essentially all Universe energy, have you forgotten? Every Yao Race Demon Refining Pool has demigod Bloodline mixed into it. I'm not like you; I would be tainted and demonized."

Xiao Weiqing frowned. Back then, it was indeed true that the Bloodline Power didn't dare approach him, and even if it did touch him, it would be instantly purified by the Samadhi True Fire.

"Old Headmaster, what about this? We'll get as close to the Demon Realm entrance as possible, then I'll head back, gather the experts of Great Xia, and fight our way into the Yao Race to rescue you."

"No."

Xie Zhiyuan refused immediately. "The risk is too great. There will definitely be a demigod stationed there. No matter how many Eighth Realms there are, it's very difficult to defeat a Ninth Realm."

"Once they are pinned down, not a single one of the Eighth Realm Experts who come in might be able to return. Not only would they fail to save me, but it would also cause immeasurable losses to Great Xia."

"Then what should we do?"

Xiao Weiqing was out of options. Ultimately, he just wasn't strong enough. If he were strong enough, he would simply slay the demigod directly instead of relying on the silver feather to launch sneak attacks on Yao Sovereigns.

"There's always a way when the time comes. Don't worry," Xie Zhiyuan comforted.

"I'm not worried. You're the one in danger, not me. If things become impossible, I'll just slip away. Once I've succeeded in my cultivation, I'll come back to avenge you."

Xie Zhiyuan: "..."

"Don't worry, I will make sure to publicize your heroic deeds of fighting the Yao Sovereigns and disrupting the enemy's rear. In the future, I'll have the chance to write them into the biographies of Luo Jiang Academy for the Trainees to admire."

"I really have to thank you, then."

Xie Zhiyuan said crossly.