Yan Xu and Nian Qin exchanged looks once more. Yan Xu’s smile widened, a smile that indicated he was amused by Zhi Xuan’s courage and calculation. He had already suspected that this young cultivator must have created a small disturbance in the auction hall, a natural occurrence for a powerful Daoist who did not fear offending those in higher realms.

  "You do not like having rats tailing you?" Yan Xu replied, his tone relaxed. "Very well. We will ensure that the cultivator in the Five Element realm will no longer disturb you on your journey toward the Demon Fire Abyss. The Shi Clan will not allow anyone allied with the Heavenly Lotus Sect to be harassed in the Zhao State."

  Those words, the Shi Clan will not allow, carried immense weight. Although Yan Xu was an Elder of the Heavenly Lotus Sect, he used the influence of the Shi Clan, which managed the auction, as a guarantor. This was a complex network of sect intrigue, where political enemies sometimes cooperated for mutual benefit.

  Zhi Xuan nodded with satisfaction. This guarantee was far more valuable than those five hundred Spiritual Stones. Using the influence of the Heavenly Lotus Sect to clear the path of lingering troubles was the most efficient method, allowing him to avoid complications while turning the desperation of a Soul Transformation expert into a tool to eliminate threats.

  "Thank you for the assistance, Seniors," Zhi Xuan replied. He bowed slightly once more and then turned away. "I will begin my journey to the Demon Fire Abyss as soon as I settle a few matters at this auction."

  He stepped out of the private room, the silver dragon curtain closing smoothly behind him, isolating the conversation. Zhi Xuan did not wait for their response. Nor did he mention that he would first be heading toward the matter of the Heaven Mirror Lake.

  He had obtained the Azure Dragon Blood, the Spiritual Map of the Demon Fire Abyss, and a security guarantee from the Heavenly Lotus Sect. He walked down the silent corridor, returning toward the jade stairs. Inside his Sea of Consciousness, the Ancient Devil Monument vibrated slightly, responding to the fluctuations of the Azure Dragon Blood in the sandalwood box he held.

  "Old Fox," Zhi Xuan whispered in his sea of consciousness. "Azure Dragon Blood. It could be the perfect catalyst for Lin Mu. This is an unexpected Destiny."

  Ruo Xianxue, who had shifted her position to lean against the Ancient Devil Monument, snorted coldly. "Dragons always bring trouble. And they used the Azure Dragon Blood to lure you to the Demon Fire Abyss. They know your strength is immeasurable, but they want to use you as a blade to test that Ancient Spirit."

  "I know," Zhi Xuan replied indifferently. "But inside there is a thousand-year Fire Heart Fruit—a powerful Divine Herb. And perhaps other Divine Herbs that will quench your thirst. More importantly, the Demon Fire Abyss is the place of origin for the Bronze Cauldron and the Tattered Coffin. I will not let this opportunity pass."

  Zhi Xuan drifted the sandalwood box into his storage bag, sealing the emanating fluctuations so as not to attract attention. He descended the pure white jade stairs with silent steps, returning to the Minor Auction area.

  The low rumble of voices inside the hall immediately greeted him. He walked toward the dim back row, where Lin Mu sat stiffly, his eyes focused on the stage but his ears tense, waiting for his Senior's return while still holding a talisman in his hand.

  Lin Mu, seeing Zhi Xuan emerge from the darkness, immediately rose with grace. He felt Zhi Xuan’s aura, which was now shrouded in the aura of a great sect—an aura disguised from Soul Transformation—making his presence feel denser.

  Zhi Xuan nodded slightly, signaling Lin Mu to sit back down. He took his seat, sipping the spirit essence purifying tea that had already grown cold. He did not look at Lin Mu but instead observed the auction stage.

  "Senior," Lin Mu whispered, his tone tense but with a deep sense of relief. "They... they did nothing to you?"

  "They are Soul Transformation experts," Zhi Xuan replied coldly. "They prefer using money and intrigue over violence. I have accepted their request. Now, they will ensure that no more rats block my path. Focus on the auction."

  Lin Mu nodded quickly. He did not dare ask further, but he knew that his Senior had made a deal that might be even greater, making him feel calmer as he walked alongside his Senior. He refocused his eyes on the auction stage, his heart filled with overflowing hope. He did not yet know that the Azure Dragon Blood was now stored in Zhi Xuan’s hands.

  Zhi Xuan exhaled a long breath, letting the aroma of the cold spirit essence purifying tea calm his internal turmoil. His focus returned to the auction stage, where the old woman Auctioneer was displaying the next item—a Lantern that appeared to have no fluctuations whatsoever.

  The lantern was placed on a golden jade tray, radiating a strange contrast. The expensive and luxurious golden jade held a lantern that looked very simple, as if made by a mortal craftsman in a small village. The lantern was pitch black, made of frosted glass and a clay frame that appeared fragile.

  "Fellow Daoists," the Auctioneer said, her voice again filled with melodious enthusiasm. "The next item is... an Ancient Lantern rumored to be a Soul Lantern. This lantern was found in the ruins of an Ancient Monastery from the Huang Tu Plains, which is a different plain from the Xing Luo Plains. We could not find any spiritual fluctuations within it, and our Divine Sense cannot penetrate it to see what soul resides inside."

  The old woman smiled slightly, a smile indicating the item was true wreckage of the Minor Auction. "Our Elder, Elder Hui, who is at the Peak of Soul Transformation, said that inside this lantern are wandering souls capable of corroding both the physical body and cultivation. The one who carries it will experience a soul backlash every time they kill."

  Elder Hui, the mentioned Soul Transformation cultivator, appeared in an instant upon the stage. His face was filled with familiarity regarding the thousands of artifacts that had been auctioned at the Shi Clan. He was an Elder with unparalleled experience and knowledge in the value of artifacts.

  "Fellow Daoists," Elder Hui greeted with an old voice that carried the weight of thousands of artifact wills, as the Soul Lantern immediately floated above his open palm. "As the trusted Elder for every artifact in this auction, I have come specifically to this minor auction tonight. This Soul Lantern you see contains at least a thousand wandering souls. Anyone who carries this lantern is required to drip their spiritual blood to use it."

  Elder Hui nodded slowly to the old woman Auctioneer, then demonstrated the Soul Lantern by making it float upward. Elder Hui did not use his own spiritual blood. Instead, he brought out a jade bottle containing the spiritual blood of a deceased cultivator and shot that spiritual blood toward the floating Soul Lantern.

  As soon as the spiritual blood of the dead cultivator touched the Soul Lantern, a dark purple light immediately radiated from the frosted glass. The lantern vibrated violently, and silent whispers resembling wails spread throughout the hall. Thousands of blurred shadows flashed across the glass surface, as if the souls were trying to escape but were held back by ancient runes.

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  "Look," Elder Hui said, his tone calm and filled with caution. "This lantern, by its very nature, possesses a Law that absorbs souls. Every time this Soul Lantern is used, it will draw in the wandering souls in its vicinity. However, the thousand souls within make this lantern very unstable and dangerous. The soul backlash from every kill will corrode the Fellow Daoists' Sea of Consciousness."

  Elder Hui moved his hand and severed the spiritual blood from the Soul Lantern, placing a Rune Seal that immediately vanished the soul whispers from the lantern. This made it appear once again like an ordinary lantern without spiritual fluctuations, purely a vessel for hungry wandering souls.

  "These souls can be used as a weapon," Elder Hui said, drawing a wise smile that held many meanings. "These souls will recognize the spiritual blood that carries them, and they can be used to attack enemies. However, every time these souls are used to kill, the soul backlash can hinder cultivation or even collapse the foundation of one's cultivation. Our Divine Wheels could very well crumble because of these wandering souls."

  "That lantern is a double-edged sword!" shouted one of the Consciousness Transformation cultivators in the front, sparking whispers among the auction participants. "If we use the souls to kill, we get a backlash. Then, what is the point of this lantern if even the weapon devours its own master?"

  Unease spread throughout the auction hall. The Consciousness Transformation and even the Five Element cultivators present began to whisper with skeptical and worried tones. They were cautious cultivators, prioritizing their Dao foundations above all else. Selling one's life for a moment of power was a foolish act that contradicted the long path of cultivation.

  "Soul backlash? Collapsing the Divine Wheel?" hissed a purple-robed cultivator. "I would rather use an ordinary Spirit Artifact than carry a calamity that could destroy my Dao."

  "True. Although a thousand souls are a terrifying power for a mental attack, the risk of using them is too great," his companion chimed in. "Perhaps Elder Hui does not know how to stabilize it, or this lantern is indeed a deadly Failed Artifact."

  Elder Hui, seeing the lack of interest among the auction participants, exhaled with a wise smile. He knew this lantern was a terrifying treasure, but he also knew that no low-realm cultivator would dare take such a risk with their Dao.

  Zhi Xuan, on the other hand, weighed the matter silently. He knew this was a very risky artifact, one that could collapse the Dao, especially since he already possessed a Devil Seed, his own soul seed resulting from Ruo Xianxue. However, he also weighed the usefulness of this Soul Lantern, specifically in relation to the Ancient Nirvana Puppet Technique. A technique capable of creating puppets solely for one's will.

  "This might be as powerful as the Ancient Nirvana Puppet Technique," Zhi Xuan murmured in his sea of consciousness. He closed his eyes for a moment to examine the Ancient Nirvana Puppet Technique Scroll in his storage bag, right next to the Fifteen Ancient Devil Purifications Scroll. "A puppet filled with Wandering Souls, or I could have both in different vessels."

  Zhi Xuan opened his eyes again, a cold flash passing through them. This was a risk standing right before him. Moreover, with the demands of the Heaven Mirror Lake and the Demon Fire Abyss, accompanied now by the youth with the Golden Dragon Bloodline, this Soul Lantern could cause him to fall further into the endless darkness that would let the Devil Seed take over his Primary Soul. He had to ask for consideration from the two figures accompanying him.

  "Great Saint, Xiao Die," Zhi Xuan called out within his sea of consciousness. He looked at Ruo Xianxue, who was still sitting near the Ancient Devil Monument, while Xiao Die, who was no longer inside his robe but staying in the Sea of Consciousness, was flying joyfully near the Tree of Life. "What do you two think about that Soul Lantern?"

  Instead, the Devil Seed, which was now more like a dark round pearl with eclipse accents residing at the bottom of the Sea of Consciousness, right next to where the Kun Peng Fetus was sealed, surged up to the surface. The dark purple-haired figure reappeared, having the same face as Zhi Xuan but with glowing red eyes that represented the Devil Thought.

  "My soul," the dark purple figure whispered, looking up at the sky of Zhi Xuan’s Sea of Consciousness, which was orange with surrounding nebulae. "Just take it. Why are you afraid of mere wandering souls?"

  Zhi Xuan was startled; he hissed low, causing his Sea of Consciousness to churn. With just those words, his head throbbed due to the intrusive will of the Devil Thought. "You are not worthy to speak here. Return inside that Devil Seed! Did I not already tell you that you cannot control my soul? I only accepted you; it does not mean you control me."

  The Devil Thought, with a smile exactly like Zhi Xuan’s cold smirk, only laughed softly. The laugh sounded like falling spiritual ice, cold and full of malice. "Souls are food. And that lantern is a perfect vessel for our Devil Dao. Do not be foolish. In the face of the destruction you will encounter, you need a tool that can help you step into the eternal darkness."

  He glanced toward the leaning Ruo Xianxue, then toward the sealed Kun Peng Fetus, his smirk widening. "You have sealed too many Primordial Destinies, Zhi Xuan. Do not fear mortal souls. Let me lead you to the true Devil Dao."

  Zhi Xuan frowned. This Devil Thought was a Devil Seed that did not want to submit; it was the incarnation of his Soul Dao Seed. He knew this Devil Thought could not be fully controlled, but he would not let it take over his thinking process.

  "Silence, and return to your form!" Zhi Xuan hissed. He already felt his mind shaking from the Devil Seed's will. He could not allow this seed to appear for long. "Return, or I will suppress you with the Ancient Devil Monument."

  The Devil Thought, that dark purple figure, snorted. He glanced at the sturdy Ancient Devil Monument, realizing Zhi Xuan’s threat was not empty. His cold smirk vanished, replaced by a quick indifferent expression.

  "Your choice," whispered the Devil Thought, his voice now returning to a distant and cold murmur. He turned, and in an instant, his figure shrank, becoming once again a dark pearl with eclipse accents that sank slowly to the bottom of Zhi Xuan’s Sea of Consciousness.

  Zhi Xuan took a long breath within his sea of consciousness, feeling the mental upheaval that had just occurred. The Devil Thought was right—souls were food for the Devil Dao, and that Soul Lantern was a perfect vessel. However, he would not let the Devil essence take over. He was a Daoist who used Devil Laws, not a Devil who submitted to madness.

  Zhi Xuan calmed himself, and the Sea of Consciousness that had briefly churned returned to stillness. Then, he looked at Ruo Xianxue and Xiao Die near his Tree of Life.

  "Ruo, Xiao Die, what do you think?" Zhi Xuan asked this time, truly torn between wanting to take the Soul Lantern or not, considering the threat of Dao collapse and cultivation hindrance. "Great karma will hinder cultivation, but these souls are not karma; they are evil essences that will hinder my cultivation."

  Ruo Xianxue, who had been observing the battle of wills between Zhi Xuan and the Devil Thought, opened her double eyes. She appeared relaxed, leaning against the sturdy surface of the Ancient Devil Monument, but her eyes radiated cold wisdom.

  "Zhi Xuan, the Dao is a cruel path, and karma is unavoidable for those who defy the Heavens," Ruo Xianxue replied, her voice calm and carrying profound weight. "That Soul Lantern is a disaster for ordinary cultivators because their Soul Foundations are weak, vulnerable to the disturbance of thousands of wails that have long been sealed. Those souls, though not pure karma, are a collection of collected malice that will be fatal for a fragile Divine Wheel."

  Ruo Xianxue looked at the floating Sky Samsara Wheel, the silvery wheel radiating a stable aura of the Four Seasons Law. "However, you possess the foundation of the Sky Samsara Wheel, a resilient Devil Tree of Life, and Divine Organs tempered by Heavenly Calamity. You should be able to withstand the backlash of those souls over time. Naturally, I will not let you die a foolish death because of wandering souls."

  Xiao Die, the Thousand Feathered Moth emitting soft rainbow powder, flew slowly from the Tree of Life and landed on Zhi Xuan’s spiritual shoulder. She radiated a warmth that contrasted with Ruo Xianxue’s cold aura.

  "Master," Xiao Die’s soft hum felt soothing, bringing warmth as she touched Zhi Xuan’s spiritual cheek with her antennae. "Wandering souls are indeed very strong; even for us, who are Ancient Insects, we have no way to neutralize those wandering souls. They have been locked in there for too long. But Xiao Die can help Master to heal every time a backlash occurs."

  Zhi Xuan closed his eyes for a moment, letting Ruo Xianxue’s cold advice and Xiao Die’s sincere warmth seep into his Sea of Consciousness. The Devil Thought was right about the potential for darkness, but Ruo Xianxue and Xiao Die gave him a stable path—a path that combined extreme risk with a spiritual safety net. He possessed the Sky Samsara Wheel and Divine Organs tempered by Heavenly Calamity; his cultivation foundation was far beyond that of ordinary low-realm cultivators.

  Zhi Xuan opened his physical eyes again, a flash of calculation and decision now filling them. He looked coldly up at the stage, where around him, cultivators were still whispering about the Soul Lantern. Zhi Xuan only had to wait to see how many spiritual stones were needed for that lantern.