Su Qianqian’s seclusion had gone smoothly at first, but as for what lay ahead, she couldn’t predict at all.
After all, her current “Golden Core” was far too unusual.
Normally, one would condense their own Yuan Ying avatar from their Golden Core.
Once the Yuan Ying avatar took initial shape, it would break out of the core, using the shattered remains as its earliest nourishment.
But… right now, she had too many “Golden Cores.”
Was she supposed to create a Yuan Ying from each one? Or would there be even stranger situations?
Su Qianqian didn’t know, and could only let nature take its course.
Carefully sensing the slow changes in the Lotus Immortal Medicine and the lotus seeds within it that served as her Golden Core substitutes, Su Qianqian focused intently.
After all, her two younger sisters and daughter were in the same situation as her. As their elder, she had to forge the way ahead for them!
Unbeknownst to her, three months passed just like that.
Within the lotus flower, an illusory lotus platform began to rise, and atop the lotus platform, a seated, cross-legged phantom took shape.
The face of the figure sitting cross-legged was still a blur, indistinct and chaotic, but judging by the outline, it seemed to be a miniature version of Su Qianqian herself.
All around the phantom, countless lotus seeds formed a complicated pattern, resembling a complex array formation, with each lotus seed as a node.
The many lotus seeds continually transferred spiritual energy—and some unknown, even more crucial powers—to the phantom, helping it gradually grow more substantial…
Su Qianqian let out a breath of relief. She was glad there hadn’t been any bizarre incidents.
Now, all that was left was to keep moving step by step until the phantom became fully solid, right?
During breaks in her cultivation, Su Qianqian checked the passage of time and found that three months had already gone by. Had Luo Wuhen come to pick up little Siqian yet?
Her biggest worry outside was Luo Siqian. If Luo Wuhen still hadn’t come to get her, Siqian must be very anxious by now.
And at such a time, with Su Qianqian herself away, little Siqian would be even more insecure.
“Before I went into seclusion, Luo Wuhen said she was nearly finished with her affairs. She should be wrapping up by now, and nothing unexpected should happen. She’s probably already back. Once I come out, I can have Siqian come visit again.”
With this thought, Su Qianqian returned to her focused cultivation. No matter how she felt about Luo Wuhen now, she never doubted her abilities.
What Su Qianqian hadn’t expected was that, outside, Luo Wuhen hadn’t sent any word for a whole month.
It had been a month since anyone could reach Luo Wuhen.
Shun and Ying wanted to return to check on things, but they remembered Her Majesty’s very first instructions: “If you lose contact with me, don’t return to confirm what happened. You’ll be of no help, and you might end up getting trapped yourselves. What you should do is help keep this from Siqian, until I reach out again—or until you can confirm I won’t be contacting you anymore…”
As the only two people authorized to contact Luo Wuhen, it wasn’t difficult for Shun and Ying to “pass on imperial edicts.”
They were very familiar with the way Luo Wuhen and Luo Siqian communicated, so nothing had seemed amiss yet. But if this continued for much longer…
Shun and Ying were both extremely worried. Just what had happened?
Half a month later, Su Qianqian felt the phantom growing ever more tangible.
Its face was now almost clear—sure enough, it was her own face, though for some reason, it looked far more sacred than hers usually did.
Even though it was the same face, Su Qianqian seemed like a child in comparison, while this avatar, sitting cross-legged, looked otherworldly, like an immortal descending to the mortal world.
Su Qianqian knew she didn’t have such a bearing. This avatar’s aura was just like when she’d first seen Lin Muxue using Su Qianqian’s own body.
As Su Qianqian watched curiously, the “Yuan Ying” slowly opened its eyes!
With a cold look, it gazed toward where Su Qianqian’s consciousness was focused, making her blurt out an apology, “Sorry, I…”
“Wait, why am I apologizing to my own Yuan Ying?” Su Qianqian stopped mid-sentence, suddenly realizing what she’d said.
The “Divine Su Qianqian” did not move after opening its eyes, but its gaze locked unwaveringly onto where Su Qianqian’s consciousness was watching.
Su Qianqian felt confused. What was going on?
While she was still puzzling, the phantom slowly stretched out a finger and pointed right toward her!
Before Su Qianqian could react, she suddenly felt her consciousness being powerfully dragged!
In an instant, it was as if her soul had left her body, passing through some unknown tunnel, and arrived somewhere unimaginably distant!
When her senses returned, Su Qianqian looked around in confusion, discovering she was surrounded by endless “white”…
“Is this… the Yin Moon Lin Muxue once spoke of, the place that’s supposedly closely connected to me?” Su Qianqian did not panic.
Calmly surveying her surroundings, she recalled what Lin Muxue had said—the inside of the Yin Moon looked much like this.
Because of their connection, Lin Muxue had told her about these things without reservation, saying that people with a strong link to her would receive the Yin Moon’s protection, almost imperceptibly.
Yet Su Qianqian had tried many times, even performing some Moon Rituals, but there had never been any response. Eventually, she stopped paying it much mind.
Now, why had she suddenly arrived here out of nowhere? Wasn’t she still in the middle of breaking through? Would something go wrong?!
But Su Qianqian now found herself in a mysterious state.
She could sense that her body was still proceeding step by step through its breakthrough, and at the same time, she was aware her consciousness hovered above this distant Yin Moon.
Instinctively, Su Qianqian tried to scratch her head—but couldn’t find her head at all, not even physically!
That was when she realized something was off. She stretched her hand forward, and saw a pair of pure white hands—her fingers could move exactly as she willed, rubbing them together with tactile sensation.
But when she reached for her head, there was only empty space…
With a thought, Su Qianqian tried to cast the Water Mirror Technique.
She felt a force within her—far stronger than spiritual energy—surge, and a pure white, full-length mirror appeared before her, reflecting a body of pure white, with a gaping hole in its chest and no head at all!
“What, what, what!” Startled, Su Qianqian saw the headless giant in the mirror mimic her panicked actions.
After a long moment, she gradually calmed down. This must be the “Lunar Divine” Lin Muxue spoke of, right? But why could she control this body?
Could it be that she truly had some special connection with this giant? But in both her lives, she’d never had any dealings with the Yin Moon…
No answer came to her after much pondering. Deciding not to dwell on it, she thought her priority now was finding a way for her spirit to return to her body!
She began experimenting with the powers of this “Divine Body.” Guided by instinct, she quickly discovered countless Karmic Threads connecting her to others…
She sensed these connections. Though she had little mastery over the Cause and Effect Path, she found this quite amusing.
Among all these links, some Karmic Threads were especially strong.
Su Qianqian calmed her mind to sense them… The strongest bonds, without a doubt, were with her parents and Lingling, then Lin Muxue, Nuonuo, Luo Siqian, and then Chu Youtong, Shun, and Ying…
Of course, her Karmic Thread with Luo Wuhen was inescapable.
Even though they’d both tried hard to stay away from each other, the connection remained close—probably just behind Lin Muxue and Chu Youtong.
But…
“Why is Luo Wuhen’s Karmic Thread…?” Su Qianqian stared at the flickering, faintly blackened thread tied to Luo Wuhen, puzzled. Was it because of their ill-fated relationship?
She examined it more closely, and sensed that the aura at the end of the thread was all wrong!
It was tinged with an unpleasant, revolting feeling—familiar, yet deeply repulsive. What on earth was it…
As Su Qianqian continued to investigate, the thread connecting her to Luo Wuhen suddenly shuddered violently! She felt another forceful tug!
Once again, Su Qianqian’s consciousness was pulled far away!
Crossing vast distances, she suddenly found herself in a pitch-black space, filled with an abominable, corrosive black aura.
Sacred white energy swirled around her, shielding her from the corruption. Scanning the area, she caught sight of a familiar figure!
Right before her, Luo Wuhen’s soul was being relentlessly corroded.
Marks of decay covered her spirit, and though she struggled weakly to resist, it was clear she couldn’t last much longer.
“This is… Luo Wuhen’s Soul Sea?! How did it end up like this?!”
Sensing Su Qianqian’s familiar aura entering her Soul Sea, Luo Wuhen’s nearly lost soul regained a sliver of clarity. Her weak and bewildered spirit reached out with a phantom hand: “Su Qianqian…”
Seeing Luo Wuhen in such a wretched state, Su Qianqian drew closer. What exactly had happened here?
After a moment’s hesitation, Su Qianqian also reached out her hand. Looking at Luo Wuhen’s pitiful condition, Su Qianqian really couldn’t just leave her behind and turn away…
……
The moment their fingertips touched, a sacred power of the Yin Moon erupted from Su Qianqian!
Pure white aura tangled with the black mist, and in an instant, the corrupting force was repelled, forming a sanctuary of pure white!
Before Su Qianqian could react, the frail soul clung tightly to her!
“Qianqian, please… Don’t leave me.”
Su Qianqian could only sigh as she looked at the now confused and dazed Luo Wuhen’s soul, deeply bewildered as to what had happened.
But the corruption eating away at the soul clinging to her continued.
Under the influence of the black mist—symbolizing desire and corruption—yearning and regret flickered incessantly in Luo Wuhen’s spirit…
“If… I had been the first one to find you… would things… have turned out differently?” Luo Wuhen’s soul murmured.
Su Qianqian felt helpless. Was this really the time to be thinking about such things? Right now, the priority was figuring out how to cleanse this corruption!
But Luo Wuhen continued muttering, “Would things have been different…? Would they… have been different…?”
Amidst her muttering, Luo Wuhen’s Soul Sea began to change. The Yin Moon’s power and the aura of the Abyss intertwined, gradually giving rise to a reaction quite different from mere “resistance”…
The two forces intertwined, responding to the Soul Sea master’s desires and wishes!
Suddenly, Su Qianqian’s vision blurred. When it cleared again, she found herself back in the familiar Palace!
As Su Qianqian gaped in astonishment, a gentle voice called out from behind her, “Qianqian, I’ve settled your sisters and parents for you. Is there anything else you need?”
She whirled around, only to see Luo Wuhen gazing at her with gentle eyes…