22: Chapter 22 for me?

Chi Song led everyone into the wooden house and poured them clear tea.

The simple wooden house was furnished in an orderly fashion, with a few landscape paintings hanging on the walls and an ancient zither placed in the corner.

"Back when Chu Yang was defeated by the Lord of the Dark Prison, he was severely injured, and his soul was nearly scattered," Chi Song said slowly. "When I found him, he was already at death's door."

The Enchantress gripped her teacup tightly, her knuckles turning white. "And then?"

"I used a secret technique to temporarily stabilize his soul, but his physical body could no longer bear the burden," Chi Song shook his head. "To preserve his last shred of life, he made a decision."

"What decision?" Daoist Wangchuan pressed.

Chi Song looked at Qing Luo. "He split his soul into three parts: one part was sealed within the soul bead, one part remained in his physical body, and another part... was hidden in another special place."

Qing Luo instinctively touched her chest. "So, the soul bead inside me is..."

"It is a part of his consciousness and memories," Chi Song explained. "The soul bead recognizing its master was not an accident, but an arrangement of fate."

Daoist Wangchuan looked thoughtful. "Qing Luo's Yin Yang harmonization constitution is also not a coincidence, right?"

Chi Song nodded. "The soul bead requires a host that is compatible with it, and Qing Luo happens to meet the requirements."

The Enchantress interrupted them. "You said Chu Yang's physical body still exists. Where is it?"

Chi Song was silent for a moment. "In an ice cave deep within this place. The cold air there can preserve his physical body and delay the dissipation of his soul."

"I want to see him!" the Enchantress said resolutely.

Chi Song shook his head. "Not now. He is in a state of deep slumber; any interference could cause his remaining soul to dissipate completely."

Daoist Wangchuan pondered for a moment. "You said his soul was split into three parts. Where is the third part?"

Chi Song's gaze became profound. "In the Samsara Space."

Everyone was shocked.

"What is the Samsara Space?" Qing Luo asked.

"It is a special space that exists between life and death," Daoist Wangchuan explained. "Legend says that only those who have mastered the Power of Reincarnation can enter."

Chi Song nodded. "Chu Yang sent his most powerful soul fragment into the Samsara Space in order to find a way to defeat the Lord of the Dark Prison."

The Enchantress asked urgently. "Is there a way for him to recover?"

"Theoretically, as long as the three parts of his soul are fused together again, he can be restored," Chi Song said. "But the difficulty is immense. The soul bead has already recognized Qing Luo as its master and cannot be easily separated; the soul fragment in the Samsara Space is even harder to retrieve."

Bi Luo spoke weakly. "The Lord of the Dark Prison seems to know this. They have been hunting for the soul bead for years just to prevent Chu Yang from recovering."

Chi Song's expression was grave. "Not only that, the Lord of the Dark Prison also wants to obtain Chu Yang's Power of Reincarnation. If he were to master both the power of the Samsara and the Dark Prison, the consequences would be unthinkable."

"Wait," Qing Luo asked suddenly. "If the soul bead has fused with me, does that mean I now possess some of Chu Yang's memories and abilities?"

Chi Song smiled. "Smart. The soul bead indeed contains some of Chu Yang's memories and cultivation techniques, but it takes time to awaken them slowly."

"So, that's why I could unlock Chu Yang's power earlier at the Yin Yang Platform?" Qing Luo suddenly realized.

"Not just that," Chi Song said meaningfully. "As you master the power of the soul bead, you will be able to do much more."

Daoist Wangchuan asked the critical question. "The people from the Dark Prison have tracked us here. What should we do?"

Chi Song calmly took a sip of tea. "They cannot enter. This valley has a barrier set up by Chu Yang; only those recognized by the soul bead can find the entrance."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"But we cannot hide here forever," the Enchantress said. "The Dark Prison has already begun to act. If they succeed—"

"You are right," Chi Song set down his teacup. "There is not much time left. The Lord of the Dark Prison has already begun preparing for the 'Styx Return to Shore' ritual."

"Styx Return to Shore?" Daoist Wangchuan frowned. "What is that?"

"An ancient forbidden art," Chi Song explained. "It can open the boundary between life and death and allow the deceased to return to the mortal world."

Bi Luo said in surprise. "Isn't that just an application of the Power of Reincarnation?"

Chi Song shook his head. "The Power of Reincarnation respects the laws of nature, while the Styx Return to Shore forcibly breaks the boundaries, which will cause chaos between life and death."

"Why would the Lord of the Dark Prison do this?" Qing Luo asked, confused.

"To resurrect someone," Chi Song sighed. "His lover."

The room fell silent.

"His lover?" the Enchantress said, finding it hard to believe. "For this, he wants to overturn the order of life and death?"

Chi Song smiled bitterly. "When people are trapped by love, they often lose their reason. He is deeply convinced that this is the only way to bring his lover back to life."

Daoist Wangchuan pondered for a moment. "So he covets Chu Yang's Power of Reincarnation to increase the success rate of the Styx Return to Shore?"

"Exactly," Chi Song said. "And the ritual must be completed at a specific time—seven days from now, during the 'Dark Star Descends upon the Sun'."

"Seven days is not much time," the Enchantress stood up. "We must stop him."

Chi Song raised his hand to signal her to calm down. "Do not be hasty. The Lord of the Dark Prison is powerful; acting rashly will only lead to death."

"Then what should we do?" the Enchantress asked anxiously.

Chi Song looked at Qing Luo. "The answer lies with her. The soul bead contains a portion of Chu Yang's power. If she can fully master it, she will have a chance to confront the Lord of the Dark Prison."

Qing Luo pointed at herself in surprise. "Me? But I am just an ordinary girl, and I have only just begun my cultivation journey."

"You are not ordinary," Chi Song said gently. "You have a Yin Yang harmonization constitution, which is an extraordinary gift. Coupled with the power of the soul bead, your potential is limitless."

"But is it possible to master this power within seven days?" Daoist Wangchuan questioned.

Chi Song smiled mysteriously. "In this valley, the flow of time is different from the outside world. Seven days outside can be seventy days here."

Everyone was shocked.

"Is this also Chu Yang's handiwork?" Daoist Wangchuan exclaimed.

Chi Song nodded. "When he set up this barrier, it was for the sake of cultivating a successor one day."

The Enchantress looked at Qing Luo, complex emotions flashing in her eyes. "So, Chu Yang chose her."

Qing Luo felt a bit overwhelmed. "I don't know if I can shoulder this responsibility."

Chi Song comforted her. "Do not worry, I will teach you. Chu Yang's soul bead has already recognized you as its master, which means you have this potential."

Daoist Wangchuan asked. "What should the rest of us do?"

"You and Bi Luo can stay here to recover, while assisting with Qing Luo's training," Chi Song turned to the Enchantress. "As for you, Enchantress, Chu Yang left something for you."

The Enchantress looked at him in surprise. "For me?"

Chi Song walked to a simple wooden chest in the corner of the room, took a small key from his bosom, and opened the chest. Inside lay a uniquely shaped dagger.

"This is 'Forget Love', the weapon Chu Yang used when he was young," Chi Song handed the dagger to the Enchantress. "He said that if one day he were no longer here, this dagger would be yours."

The Enchantress took the dagger, her hands trembling slightly. The dagger was deep blue in its entirety, with tiny runes carved onto the blade, emanating a cold aura.