Chapter Five: Escape

  Finally, the number froze at "two thousand eight hundred forty-four", a full ten million less. A clear light enveloped Xu Xianquan's entire body, his spirit undergoing an unprecedented transformation.

  That main star was slowly melting, flowing through the entire soul, and as yin and yang turned, the original soul was gradually filled with this light. The original soul seemed to be wrapped in a golden divine soul like a fetal membrane. Xu Xian felt a stuffy air for no reason and struggled. As if breaking out of a cocoon and becoming a butterfly, Xu Xian finally broke through that layer of fetal membrane, and the golden divine soul inside began to dominate everything. Metamorphosis was not enough to describe his transformation at this moment.

  Xu Xian's body suddenly fell onto the bed, and then he found himself looking at himself. His own body was like a wooden puppet without strings, lying on the bed, while his current self was emitting golden light and floating in mid-air.

  "Yang Shen Chu Kong", if there is a cultivator here, he can call out the current state of Xu Xian with one mouth, and then admire it endlessly.

  The greatest difficulty in transforming the spirit is the transformation of the soul from yin to yang, where one thought can separate heaven and earth. If Xu Xian relied on slow cultivation, it would probably take tens or even hundreds of years to reach this step, but under a coincidence, relying on that small jade token, spending 100,000 merits, he actually took a step across the heavenly chasm.

  Even if he had refined himself into a Yang Spirit, it would still take many days of accumulation to "break through", but relying on the pure Yang power of the sun, he actually took one step and couldn't help but make people marvel at the wonders of creation.

  Xu Xian floated in mid-air, quietly surveying his surroundings with a heart that was neither sorrowful nor joyful. The despair from earlier seemed to belong to someone else. He should have been astonished by his current state, but he didn't even feel a hint of surprise. His heart was like a serene lake of light, calm and unruffled.

  If it were self-cultivated, it should have come with its original heart nature, but relying on external forces to facilitate it, the Yang Shen that Xu Xian cultivated seemed to only have Dao nature.

  In psychology, there is what is called an extreme experience, where one feels a sense of unity with the world or an inner peace that is hard to put into words. This kind of experience can be had but not sought, just like when Xu Xian was pointing at the stars on a small bridge and suddenly enlightened, in that moment he was closest to what is called "the Way", which Buddhists call "enlightenment".

  But that state was destined to be unsustainable, because people always have to return to real life and cannot stay in a state of "enlightenment" at all times. Xu Xian later on, when practicing in his sleep or using his powers, was the closest to this state, so he would often become exceptionally indifferent. Now that Xu Xian has forcibly cultivated his Yang Shen, however, he can maintain this state of "enlightenment" at all times when his Yang Shen is out, but whether this state is a blessing or a curse remains unpredictable.

  But no matter how ruthless he was, he still hadn't forgotten his goal. He gently closed his eyes, as if feeling a wonderful opportunity between heaven and earth, and in an instant, he opened his eyes, golden light flashing, and with a wave of his hand, the Qinghong sword on the bedside table fell into his hands, then he flew towards a direction.

  Xu Xian was originally not proficient in any flying techniques, but at this time his Yang Shen had reached a high level of completion. When concentrated, it formed a shape; when dispersed, it became energy, moving faster than birds. He simply intentionally concealed his form, so ordinary people couldn't see him.

  Pan Yu's soul was drifting aimlessly, her mind dull and confused. It seemed as if some invisible force was pulling her in a certain direction. Until she reached the West Lake, where a boat drifted. She saw two familiar people, and her heart had a glimmer of understanding, but she couldn't control herself.

  Hu Ke stared blankly at the approaching soul, his eyes still resembling Pan Yu's, with only slight changes in subtle places. What Wind Liu Gongzi, it was clearly a peerless beauty. Wang Shouyi applied the ointment given by Hu Ke to his eyelids and could also see the yin soul, and he was also extremely surprised at this moment.

  Hú Kè's mind was filled with evil intentions, and he couldn't help but regret letting Wáng Shǒu Yì see it. He looked at Wáng Shǒu Yì, who indeed had a greedy expression on his face, and asked Hú Kè: "Don't you have a way to touch the soul?"

  "Huk hesitated: 'When humans and ghosts interact, yin energy enters the body, I'm afraid it will be harmful.'"

  Wang Shouyi glared at him: "Let you speak and you will speak." Pan Yu looked on in horror and helplessness, but was powerless to do anything.

  Hooke stared blankly at the sky, and on the quiet lake surface, a golden light suddenly flew over, arriving in an instant, standing at the bow of the boat, in front of Pan Yu. In the golden light, a figure appeared, it was Xu Xian who had been seen at the banquet. At this moment, he still looked like his usual self, but his eyes were empty and distant, scanning around. Although he looked at Hooke and the others, he seemed to have seen nothing, only when he looked at Pan Yu did a slight ripple appear in his eyes. The ordinary appearance of the golden light was majestic and divine at this moment.

  Hu Ke was shocked, how did Xu Xian have such a high level of Taoist practice? But he had been practicing since childhood and followed one of the top Taoist masters in Nanyang, so he had some skills. At this moment, although surprised, he didn't panic and quickly took out the small head from the silk bag to bite towards Xu Xian. Wang Shouyi on the side also knew that the matter was exposed, whether it was a person or a ghost, if they couldn't silence them, the revenge of the Pan family wouldn't be trivial. He swiftly drew his long sword and pounced towards Xu Xian. Hu Ke's spell still needed time to take effect, but Wang Shouyi's sword arrived even faster.

  Sword light flashes.

  Wang Shouyi's sword flew out of his hand along with his right hand. Xu Xian had used the Monkey King Sword Technique, which he had only flipped through once and then discarded in his wardrobe. At this moment, his mind was clear and bright, and he casually made a move, but Wang Shouyi, who knew some martial arts, was not his match for even one move. Wang Shouyi clutched at his wrist and lay on the ground wailing; his wonderful brushwork, his grand ambitions all went with that one sword.

  A small child connected to the intestines wailed and flew towards Xu Xian, the voice extremely venomous, hurting people's souls. There were also seven or eight ghostly spirits with bared teeth and claws pouncing over. The boat was narrow, and Xu Xian stood at the bow of the boat, while behind him was Pan Yu. And Hu Ke, who manipulated all this, suddenly flew high into the air, just like the small child he controlled, connected to the intestines.

  The Flying Head Technique is a lifesaving method for the Taoist priest, Hu Ke. He flew high into the air and if this strike succeeded, he would naturally come down to clean up the remaining mess. If it failed, he would fly far away in retreat, and even Xu Xian wouldn't be able to catch him.

  At the critical moment, Xu Xian abandoned his sword and raised his hands, palms facing forward. Although they were just ordinary human hands, they seemed to be about to envelop everything in front of him.

  The dark water surface suddenly burst out a large piece of golden yellow flames, illuminating everything.

  Xu Xian's comprehension of the absorption and ignition method in Ning Cai Chen's house was now being used at 100%. Unlike absorbing the power of the sun into his body and then releasing it, he absorbed the surrounding solar energy into a small area in front of him and instantly ignited it. The golden flames, although not as powerful as the true fire of the sun, burned like a sea of fire over a large area.

  The ghost was evaporated in an instant, and the child's head at the center of the flames only persisted for a moment. Hook's head in mid-air had its guts burned out, another skull fell onto the ship, and was stepped on by Xu Xian.

  It's a long story, but from Xu Xian flying in, cutting off hands and setting fires, it was all done in the blink of an eye.

  The head under his foot was still trembling, its mouth open as if wanting to bite someone. Xu Xian picked up the Qinghong sword from the ground with one hand and made a gentle thrust, piercing the top of the skull and pinning it to the deck, only then did the head finally come to rest. Xu Xian added two more slashes before kicking it into the water, producing a "splash" sound in the darkness.

  At this time, Wang Shouyi endured the severe pain and barely stood up. The flames earlier mainly burned into the air, and he was unscathed. He had already figured out the situation and forced himself to calm down, saying: "Pan Yu is already dead. If you let me go, I'll ensure that you have no worries for the rest of your life. I can also provide the gold and silver needed for cultivation. Today's matter I will never mention to anyone."

  But he thought that at least 50% of the time, he could persuade Xu Xian, but he didn't notice that from start to finish, Xu Xian's eyes were a vast and empty expanse, without anger, without murderous intent, not even with the satisfaction of having killed. Eyes as quiet as the sky gazed down at the earth for all eternity, where all things are nothing more than dogs to be slaughtered.

  The sword flashed, and the head flew. Xu Xian turned back to gaze at Pan Yu, his eyes finally showing some human emotions, but with a hint of confusion. He didn't know whether he was confused by the emotional or unemotional state of the moment.

  Pan Yuxu shrank back, opening her mouth as if to speak. But Xu Xian slightly shook his head and gently picked her up, flying towards the academy.

  Unlike when she came, Pan Yu was much more awake now. She watched as many familiar scenes slipped away from her feet. She raised her head and looked at the man holding her. In the night wind, his long hair fluttered, sometimes entwining with hers before separating again.

  A golden light shone on Xu Xian's body, but it was not visible to ordinary people. However, in the darkness, countless eyes were watching him as he left a trail across the sky, revealing a contemplative expression.

  "Please stay right there." A green-faced, fang-toothed, nearly ten-foot-tall evil spirit suddenly rose into the air and blocked Xu Xian's path.

  Xu Xian's face was expressionless, his hand placed on the Qinghong Sword at his waist, and the light on his body also flared up.

  The ghost's expression changed, and he hastily said: "My master invites the immortal to our mansion for a visit." Seeing that Xu Xian was unmoved, he added: "If you want to save the woman in your womb, you will need my master's help."

  "Lead the way."

  The ghost soldier hastily led the way in front, and both of them flew over, arriving at their destination in an instant. Pan Yu looked out from Xu Xian's arms and saw that it was the Chenghuang Temple in Hangzhou. Upon closer inspection, the ghost soldier who had led the way was also one of the four clay sculptures in the temple.

  Entering the City God Temple, there were indeed three ghostly guards standing by, and the one sitting on the platform was none other than the City God himself.

  A red-faced and fiery-haired ghostly soldier shouted loudly: "You dare to be so presumptuous, seeing the City God yet not paying homage."