233: My name is Huan Xier!

West of the city, Xu Sanyan narrowed her eyes, gazing at the massive pavilion outside the city.

Moyang City's buildings were appearing again; this was already the third one.

"The Fusion of the two Secret Realms is accelerating..."

Xu Sanyan gently rubbed her forehead.

Suddenly, the mother stone in her embrace warmed, and taking it out to check, Xiang Tan had sent another message:

"Senior Brother, I heard someone speaking."

Xu Sanyan frowned. Was she ill?

Why was she being so mysterious at a time like this?

"Speak."

A moment later, Xiang Tan sent a message, "I heard someone say... they want to activate the Formation."

Formation?

Xu Sanyan raised an eyebrow, "Are there Formation patterns in the room you are in?"

"Yes, but I don't recognize what kind of Formation it is."

"Wait, the Formation is lighting up!"

Xu Sanyan asked, "What's changing?"

There was no reply for a long time.

After a long while, a message finally came through:

"Senior Brother, that woman's figure... is gone."

...

At the same time, in the great hall outside the city,

Huan Xier stood in a spacious circular stone chamber. The surrounding walls were embedded with countless Spirit Stones, but they had mostly lost their Spiritual Qi and would turn to dust with a slight touch.

Looking down, large, complex patterns were carved into the ground, with curving lines converging towards the center, gathering on an ancient stone platform.

The stone platform rose gradually like a pyramid, with a large flag planted at its very top.

"Thankfully... the Formation is still here."

The old man in the sword breathed a sigh of relief. Earlier, when he saw the great hall destroyed, his heart had sunk, but fortunately, the Formation had not been damaged.

Lin Fan, holding Spirit Stones, placed them one by one onto the wall as instructed by the old man. Of course, he didn't have that many Spirit Stones; most of them belonged to Huan Xier.

At this moment, Huan Xier, gripping his long sword, stood atop the high platform. Even though he had made up his mind, he couldn't help but feel uneasy, muttering to himself,

"Senior, you must succeed..."

The old man ignored him. After Lin Fan finished placing the Spirit Stones, he retreated to the entrance and waited quietly.

The old man spoke, "Grasp that large flag."

Huan Xier took a deep breath and suddenly reached out to grab the flagstaff.

In an instant, the Spiritual Qi within his body surged out like a flood, completely absorbed in a single breath. Huan Xier's face paled, but he still gripped the large flag tightly, refusing to let go.

Nearly ten thousand Spirit Stones on the wall instantly lost their luster. Countless surging magical powers flowed along the ground patterns towards the stone platform, pouring into the large flag.

The Formation patterns carved into the ground emitted a dazzling white light, so bright that Lin Fan could barely open his eyes.

The old man in the sword tried to calm his inner tension. This was his first time doing something like this, and he had no confidence at all. His earlier claim of seventy percent certainty was purely to deceive the two of them.

He had no other choice. If he didn't find a solution soon, he would completely dissipate within three years. To survive, he could only take this gamble.

The old man silently comforted himself, "Chi Wangshu, don't be afraid, you are a Saint!"

Chi Wangshu was the old man's own name.

At this moment, inside the stone platform, Xiang Tan desperately covered her mouth, watching as the figure of the woman beside her became even more ethereal. A circle of Soul Crystals placed next to the woman emitted a warm white light.

Looking up, complex patterns lit up, illuminating the cramped space as if it were day. Countless lights surged upwards, though she didn't know what was happening above.

Xiang Tan trembled as she pulled out her sub-stone and sent a message to Xu Sanyan,

"Senior Brother, that woman's phantom... is gone."

...

The old man in the sword seized the opportunity, transforming into a wisp of black smoke and drilling into the large flag.

Huan Xier's face was alternately red and pale, his mind a chaotic mess as many memories that didn't belong to him flooded in.

At one moment, he saw himself as a young boy, climbing up a rugged mountain path. At the summit was a Daoist temple, from which the clear cry of cranes occasionally rang out.

At another moment, he saw himself as a middle-aged man, slowly flipping through a book, while a woman beside him chattered endlessly about household matters: which child had gotten into trouble again, which child had achieved a Breakthrough in cultivation...

The scene shattered, then reassembled. This time, he became an old Daoist, standing alone before a cave, looking up at the oppressive black clouds overhead, his eyes filled with despair and unwillingness.

The sky full of black clouds obscured the earth, allowing no light to penetrate. The overwhelming heavenly might made it almost impossible to breathe.

Lightning flashed intermittently within the black clouds. Huan Xier felt immense fear just by watching, let alone the old man facing the black clouds directly.

The moment the lightning flashed, the scene shattered.

This time, he became a... girl?

Huan Xier looked at the bronze mirror before him, slowly widening his eyes. The girl in the mirror was very beautiful, wearing a bright red floral padded jacket, trying to put on a serious expression, which was utterly adorable.

The scenes continued to flash by...

Huan Xier was in a daze, losing track of time. He only remembered seeing one scene after another, some of the old man, some of the girl, and some of himself.

The three sets of scenes intertwined, making him dizzy and almost unable to distinguish which one was himself.

"Ah...!"

Huan Xier suddenly roared to the sky. The large flag in his hand emitted a blazing light, making the light in the stone chamber even more dazzling.

Lin Fan squinted, trying his best to see clearly, but could only see blinding white light.

Huan Xier was in excruciating pain. The chaotic thoughts almost burst his brain. He could not distinguish who he was.

"Am I... Chi Wangshu?"

"...Or Zuoqiu Zhen?"

Unconsciously, Huan Xier released the large flag in his hand, painfully crouching down, covering his head, and whimpering softly. He seemed to be called Chi Wangshu, and also seemed to be called Zuoqiu Zhen.

But...

He always felt something was wrong.

Suddenly, a figure flashed through his mind. It was a woman in palace attire, her beautiful hair coiled at the back of her head, looking dignified and elegant.

The woman's lips curved slightly, revealing a kind smile, and she gently stroked Huan Xier's head from afar. Her gentle voice calmed the restlessness in his heart.

"You are Huan Xier, you are my child..."

"Yes, I am Huan Xier!"

"I am not Chi Wangshu, and certainly not Zuoqiu Zhen, I am—"

"Huan Xier!"

Huan Xier suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp glint shooting from his pupils. His piercing gaze cut through the air, silently meeting Lin Fan's eyes.

The light from the large flag gradually receded. The Formation patterns on the ground had long since returned to their original state. Only the Spirit Stones on the wall remained as empty shells, proving everything that had just happened.

"Brother Huan, congratulations."

Lin Fan had a smile on his lips, the kind of genuine joy exposed on his face.

He saw it, Huan Xier was still Huan Xier!

"Hahahahaha... Lin Fan!"

Huan Xier laughed wildly. Although various scenes still flashed through his mind occasionally, they could no longer affect him.

Moreover, that muddled feeling he used to have was gone forever. The clear thoughts he now possessed filled him with ecstasy; he was finally no longer a fool!

But he was now a triple-souled being. Huan Xier, who was originally missing one Spiritual Soul, now had an extra one.

"Lin Fan??"

Suddenly, a surprised voice came from below the high platform.