153: Chapter 153 Unyielding to the Death? Sorry, you won't die!

The back mountains of Taiyi Holy Land, the underground palace of the Serene Valley.

Water droplets seeped from the dark black stone walls.

Four deep blue Soul-Attracting Lamps hung on stone pillars, their flames flickering, stretching the shadows of the three people into twisted, elongated shapes against the walls.

Su Yun sat leaning back in a large black wood armchair, silent, his fingertips rhythmically tapping the cold wooden armrest.

"Tap, tap."

The monotonous tapping became the only echo within the underground palace.

Qing Yuan was suspended in mid-air by nine dark-gold Star River Chains.

The barbs of the chains were buried deep into her collarbones, shoulders, and ankles.

The azure battle armor that once flowed with stellar runes was completely shattered. Dark golden immortal blood meandered down her pale, withered skin, dripping onto the black stone floor tiles with a faint ticking sound.

Her head hung low, strands of hair matted to her face with blood and water.

Her life force was severely depleted, but her foundation as a Nine Heavens Profound Immortal made it so she couldn't even fall unconscious.

"Kill me."

Qing Yuan's voice was hoarse, her chest heaving violently.

Lifting her eyelids, those eyes that still retained a trace of arrogance stared fixedly at Su Yun.

"Soul searching? You can try. As long as a sliver of external force forcibly enters the Sea of Consciousness in this body, it will detonate instantly."

A mocking sneer pulled at the corners of Qing Yuan's mouth, mixed with bloody froth.

"The Grand Elder of the Xiao Family left a brand in my Divine Soul. The moment that mark shatters will be the day you die. Lower Realm native, you will never understand the rules of the Nine Heavens."

Su Yun's movements paused. His gaze as he looked at Qing Yuan was calm, without any sign of being provoked.

He slightly raised his right index finger, and a wisp of dark red Supreme Soul Refining Fire formed at the tip.

Click.

A crisp sound of metal opening and closing interrupted Su Yun's movement.

Zi Yun walked to Qing Yuan with extremely light steps.

Holding those exquisite silver shears in her hand, the sharp blades pressed against Qing Yuan's blood-stained cheek, sliding all the way to the center of her brow.

"Husband, this little girl isn't lying."

Zi Yun tilted her head slightly to look at Su Yun. The blood-colored flower mark at the corner of her eye shimmered with an eerie red light under the dim glow, and she let out a light laugh.

"I just investigated a moment ago. Deep within her Sea of Consciousness, there is indeed a Divine Sense Restriction that far exceeds the Immortal King level."

"Once the Supreme Soul Refining Fire forcibly burns through the outer defenses, that Restriction will not only tear her Primordial Spirit to shreds but also forcibly open a realm channel."

"With our current strength, we cannot block a single killing intent from the true body of someone at the Immortal King level or above."

Hearing this, the mockery in Qing Yuan's eyes grew stronger, and she struggled to lift her chin.

"It's good that you know. Why haven't you let this seat down yet? If you bind your own hands now and follow me back to the Upper Realm to plead for forgiveness from the Young Miss, perhaps you can still leave a whole corpse."

Su Yun ignored Qing Yuan's barking and looked at Zi Yun.

"Do you have a way?"

Zi Yun spun the silver shears around her fingertip and tucked them back into her waist.

She walked to Su Yun's side and sat naturally on the armrest of the chair, wrapping her arms around Su Yun's neck and resting her chin on his shoulder.

"Naturally. When I devoured Blood Consort's Soul earlier, I found a very interesting little toy among those messy memories of the Aberrant Demon."

Zi Yun's red lips parted slightly, her breath carrying a strange sweet fragrance.

"A Half-step Immortal Monarch level forbidden secret technique—Formless Soul Seed."

Qing Yuan sneered: "What kind of low-class Demonic Path method thinks it can break the Xiao Family's Restriction? You are simply frogs at the bottom of a well..."

"It's not breaking, it's Fusion," Zi Yun interrupted her directly, a hair-raising excitement churning in her eyes.

She extended a lily-white finger, pointing at Qing Yuan hanging in mid-air.

"This secret technique doesn't need to breach the Sea of Consciousness's defenses. I will transform my own Origin true spirit into a 'Soul Seed'."

"This Soul Seed has no offensive power and won't touch that restricted brand. Like a parasite, it will slowly seep in along the edges of her subconscious."

The smile on Zi Yun's lips gradually widened.

"You won't become a mindless Puppet; you can retain all your cultivation memories, combat instincts, and even your original personality."

"Only..." Zi Yun paused, her voice becoming extremely soft, like a demon's whisper.

"Your underlying cognition will be completely reshaped. In your heart, the Xiao Family's Young Lord will no longer be the object of your loyalty, and the Xiao Family will no longer be your home."

"You will believe from the depths of your Soul that my husband and I are the people closest to you, worth risking your life to protect."

"You will willingly return to the Upper Realm, like the most loyal dog, digging out the Xiao Family's foundation, intelligence, and weaknesses bit by bit, and presenting them to my husband with both hands."

The temperature inside the underground palace plummeted.

Qing Yuan's originally mocking expression froze completely on her face, her pupils shrinking suddenly as she stared fixedly at the red-clothed woman leaning on Su Yun's shoulder with a flowery smile.

This kind of method.

Not killing you, not torturing your Physical Body.

But rather twisting the faith you uphold, the master you serve, and all your self-perception into a grotesque joke.

Making you consciously betray everything you were once willing to die for, and even take pride in it.

"Devil... you lunatic!"

Qing Yuan's voice changed pitch, no longer a high-and-mighty rebuke, but a shudder originating from the depths of her Soul.

She twisted her body frantically, causing the Star River Chains to clatter loudly. Large patches of flesh at her collarbones tore, yet she seemed unable to feel the pain.

"Impossible! The Xiao Family Restriction will definitely find it!" Qing Yuan roared.

"That's why it's called 'Formless'."

Zi Yun gave a light sigh.

"After the Soul Seed fuses, it shares the same breath and fate as your Origin. Even if the person who placed that Restriction personally investigates, they will only see an Qing Yuan who is absolutely 'loyal' to the Xiao Family. It's just that the ultimate target of this loyalty has been given a different name by me."

Su Yun listened quietly, then reached out to pinch Zi Yun's chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.

"The risks," Su Yun's tone was cold.

There was no perfect secret technique in the world. The more Heaven-Defying it was, the greater the price.

Zi Yun's eyes flickered, not shying away from Su Yun's oppressive gaze.

"First, by splitting my Origin true spirit, I will fall into a period of weakness."

"Second, if our luck is extremely poor and we encounter an old monster at the Immortal Emperor level with nothing better to do who carefully searches a maidservant's Sea of Consciousness, there is a one-in-ten-thousand chance it will be seen through. Once the Soul Seed is crushed, I will be heavily injured if not dead."

"A one-in-ten-thousand chance is still a chance."

Su Yun let go, his gaze sweeping over Qing Yuan.

"To hand over your life's weakness for the sake of a pathfinding stone is not worth it. We'll find another way. Even if I have to directly slaughter my way into the Xiao Family after the entire realm ascends, I can handle it."

This was an extremely protective form of rationality.

Su Yun could treat the creatures of the world as chess pieces, but his own people had to be within a range of absolute safety.

Zi Yun was stunned for a moment, and then a brilliant light flared in those peach blossom eyes.

She turned abruptly, her hands pressing firmly against the sides of Su Yun's chair, bringing her face to within an inch of Su Yun's nose.

"Husband."

Zi Yun's voice carried a hint of frantic stubbornness.

"In an era of great conflict, how can there be a steady chance of victory? The Xiao Family is an overlord of the Upper Realm, with unfathomable foundations."

"We are going to make the entire realm ascend. We will face not just the Xiao Family, but also those countless old monsters hiding behind the scenes setting the rules."

"We need a blade that can stab through their hearts from the inside."

Zi Yun turned her head and gave a cold look to Qing Yuan, who was still struggling in mid-air.

"She is the best vessel. She is the personal maidservant of the Xiao Family's Young Lord, with very high authority. Other than an Immortal Emperor, who would be bored enough to repeatedly check a maidservant's Sea of Consciousness?"

"To pave this first step for my husband to reign over the Nine Heavens, Yun'er is willing to be this blade."

Zi Yun turned back, her forehead resting against Su Yun's, her breath warm. "Husband only needs to nod."

Su Yun looked into those eyes so close to his. There was no fear in them, only absolute fanaticism for power and for him.

Ten breaths later.

Su Yun raised his hand and gently patted Zi Yun's back.

"Don't die. When we reach the Upper Realm, I still need you to manage the forces under me."

This was permission.

"Yun'er obeys."

Zi Yun stood straight, smoothed out her slightly messy red dress, and turned toward Qing Yuan.

"Don't come over! Don't come over!"

Qing Yuan had completely broken down.

Even when facing the breaking of her Myriad Tribulations Indestructible Body or the destruction of her Physical Body, she had never been this terrified.

It was a shudder from the thought of being completely erased from this world.

"Su Yun! Kill me! You devil! If you have the guts, just kill me!"

Qing Yuan's eyes were nearly splitting. She suddenly bit her tongue, trying to sever it to commit suicide.

At the same time, she mobilized the last sliver of power in her body, wanting to reverse her Meridians and shatter her own heart.

"Want to die? Too late."

Zi Yun's hands quickly formed seals, moving so fast they left afterimages.

Buzz!

The Spiritual Qi of the entire underground palace surged inward violently.

At the center of Zi Yun's brow, a dark red blood shadow the size of a fingernail emerged from her body.

The moment the blood shadow left her, Zi Yun's face turned visibly pale, and her body swayed slightly.

That blood shadow radiated an aura that was extremely evil and twisted, making one feel nauseous just by looking at it.

"Freeze."

Su Yun sat in his chair and gave a casual wave. The Star River Chains instantly tightened, forcibly suppressing Qing Yuan's attempt at suicide.

The Spiritual Qi flowing backward in her Meridians was violently dispersed.

The blood shadow traced a strange, dark red trajectory through the air, coming to a precise halt directly in front of Qing Yuan's brow.

"No... don't..."

Qing Yuan stared fixedly at that mass of blood shadow, tears mixing with blood as they flowed down, her voice carrying endless despair and pleading.

"Shh." Zi Yun held a finger to her lips, her smile like a flower.

"Go to sleep. When you wake up, you will know who your true master is."

The next instant.

The dark red blood shadow merged into Qing Yuan's brow without any resistance, like a drop of water into the ocean.

Qing Yuan's shrill scream cut off abruptly in the underground palace. Her eyes rolled up sharply, and after a few violent spasms, she lost all movement, her head drooping heavily.

In the deep blue firelight, a tiny, faint red glow flashed and vanished deep within Qing Yuan's eyes.