The shop owner demanded fifty thousand silver taels, causing Zhang Chen’s eyelid to twitch, but ultimately he chose to buy it.
However, this fifty thousand taels emptied his savings once again, yet Zhang Chen had no other option. He needed a piece of jade, and it had to be a large one.
"I’ve now mastered the power of the Six Paths of Reincarnation. Theoretically, I can use this power to reunite Han Suzhen’s dispersed soul. If I can gather Han Suzhen’s soul and combine it with the Yama Authority I hold, perhaps I stand a chance to resurrect Han Suzhen." Zhang Chen, embracing the jade stone, used his Escape Technique to directly return to his own courtyard.
Mrs. Zhang was practicing martial arts in the courtyard, exercising her muscles and stimulating her Qi Blood. Zhang Chen did not disturb her, quietly returning to his courtyard. He unsheathed a small knife and began comparing it against the vibrant green jade stone.
Once he had determined the shape of the jade, Zhang Chen used the small knife to carve it. With fine fragments of jade flying, the friction between the knife and the stone emitted a scratching sound. Before long, a subtly blurred lamp appeared before Zhang Chen’s eyes.
It was a lamp entirely carved from jade, with countless intricate lines etched on its handle, and the inside walls adorned with arcane runes.
These runes and patterns connected, forming a mystically profound array.
"This lamp is fueled by Yellow Spring Water, adding oil once every month." Zhang Chen took out a jade bottle from the corner of the room. As he tilted it, Yellow Spring Water poured into the lamp, soon filling it to the brim.
Zhang Chen, after examining the entire lamp and pondering for a moment, carried the lamp to the adjacent chamber, where Han Suzhen’s lifelike stone sculpture sat.
Zhang Chen placed the lamp on top of the sculpture’s head. With a thought of material transformation, a few strands of the sculpture’s hair reversed into jet-black tresses. Zhang Chen pulled one down, carefully twisting it into a thread, then took out already prepared golden threads from his sleeve, entwining them with the hair to create a wick, which he placed into the lamp, forming a lamp wick.
As Reincarnation Power coursed through Zhang Chen’s body and he activated his Divine Techniques, a blue flame spontaneously emerged from the lamp wick, its reflection with the emerald green lamp making a striking, beautiful scene.
At the very moment the lamp lit, an invisible wave emanated from inside the lamp, sweeping through the heavens and earth, extending across the nine skies and ten lands, spreading toward the unknown space.
Zhang Chen retrieved a manuscript written by Han Suzhen in her lifetime from his sleeve and set it ablaze over the lamp. As the manuscript burned, strands of an unfathomable Qi Mechanism flowed down, captured by the lamp flame.
This Qi Mechanism then settled within the lamp, entering the handle, where the Power of the Array circulated, locking it in place.
Zhang Chen inscribed the array with the Power of Reincarnation, applying it to the lamp flame, and used Han Suzhen’s hair as the wick to lock onto Han Suzhen’s Qi Mechanism, connecting it to the entire Reincarnation Array.
As for burning the manuscript, it was written by Han Suzhen during her life, containing her Essence, Qi, and Spirit. Through the power of the Reincarnation Array, it could extract Han Suzhen’s Essence, Qi, and Spirit from the manuscript to serve as a foundational template.
Some might wonder, since Han Suzhen’s body is present, why not use it? It is because Han Suzhen’s body lacks a soul, meaning it has lost the power of "spirit," which causes her body to be ineffective as a medium for reassembling her soul.
The Soul-Forming Lamp consists of three parts: Heaven, Earth, and Human. The lamp itself represents the Earth and the power of the Six Paths of Reincarnation, but currently Zhang Chen only controls the Human Reincarnation, making his power incomplete and overall weak.
The lamp flame created by merging hair with golden thread represents the power of Human Dao, symbolizing Han Suzhen’s physical form.
The Essence, Qi, and Spirit of Han Suzhen collected after igniting the manuscript represent the Heavenly Dao, embodying the Power of Celestial Dao.
Using this piece of Essence, Qi, and Spirit as a guide, and employing the Reincarnation Array as a function, it seeks out numerous Soul Fragments across the Great Thousand Worlds, the Netherworld, and other dimensions to find Han Suzhen’s scattered soul.
"It’s done!" Zhang Chen gazed at the burning blue flame, a hint of joy appearing in his eyes.
As long as the lamp flame remains lit and the Reincarnation Array continues to operate, one day, Han Suzhen’s three souls and seven spirits can be reunited.
However, it has been so long, and Han Suzhen’s souls and spirits were once utterly obliterated. Whether they have shattered into fragments remains unknown. If Han Suzhen’s soul fragments are gathered, they still might not revive her soul fully.
Repairing Soul Fragments into a complete soul will be even more troublesome and complex.
Right now, using the Soul-Forming Lamp to gather the soul fragments is merely an appetizer.
If it were only Han Suzhen’s three souls and seven spirits scattered, that would be the best scenario, since they still maintain integrity; it would just require reassembling them. However, if every soul fragment exploded into countless pieces, then it would be a real headache.
Of course, if Han Suzhen’s soul were suppressed by someone or devoured by some ghostly creature, it would be even more troublesome.
Han Suzhen’s soul could be compared to a corn cob; if someone ate it, how difficult would it be to restore the corn cob to its original form?
It not only involves material recombination but also various complex laws and principles, which are not something ordinary people can handle.
"As long as the Soul-Forming Lamp doesn’t extinguish, one day I will be able to gather Han Suzhen’s soul fragments again, and as I collect more of the Six Paths of Reincarnation, the authority of reincarnation in my hand will grow larger, and the speed of gathering will increase," Zhang Chen sighed softly to himself.
"Actually, to collect Han Suzhen’s scattered souls more quickly, the best way is to visit the places she frequented in her lifetime, or where her obsessions lie, as these places may still retain her spirits," Zhang Chen sighed inwardly, regretting how far the Northern Land was; even with mastering the Escape Technique, a round trip would take months, and by then the grand enterprise in Jinling might fall apart.
While these thoughts flickered through Zhang Chen’s mind, suddenly the flame of the Soul-Forming Lamp flickered slightly, and a bit of soul light jumped out from the flame; in the lamp holder, amidst Han Suzhen’s Essence, Qi, and Spirit, one more soul fragment was added, and with its inclusion, Han Suzhen’s Essence, Qi, and Spirit became a little more solidified.
But at this moment, Zhang Chen looked at the collected soul fragment, and instead of a smile, his face was filled with a trace of seriousness: "This is a big problem! Master’s soul indeed shattered."
"This situation is just slightly better than if Master’s soul had been eaten, but only marginally better," Zhang Chen’s eyes showed a trace of solemnity.
After a careful look at the Soul-Forming Lamp, Zhang Chen carried the lamp to his study, carefully placed it on the desk, then hung the beehive he carried with him onto the lamp, and commanded the hornet: "Guard this lamp flame well."
The hornet, nurtured by the Emperor’s Liquid, had all transformed into demon beasts, their daily consumption of the Sun and Moon Essence was a colossal astronomical figure. If not for Zhang Chen’s means, he might not be able to sustain these hornets.
Although these hornets had a low realm, their sheer numbers were overwhelming, with a count of more than a hundred thousand within the hive. Accompanied by Zhang Chen’s continuous nurturing, the Bee King had also broken through to the fifth level.
Everyday sustained by Emperor’s Liquid, nourished by demon beast flesh, if the Bee King had not broken through, it would indeed be a disappointment.
Looking at the flame before him, Zhang Chen’s eyes revealed a trace of reminiscence.
"Master treated me well..." Zhang Chen recalled when Han Suzhen recommended him to join the Inner Academy, and now seeing Zhang Gaoqiu, the prodigy of the Zhang Family, rejected outside the academy, he understood the value of that recommendation.
One must know that at that time, Zhang Chen was merely a teenager just beginning to grasp the Mysterious Power, showing no noteworthy talents, but merely a struggling youth trying to survive in precarious situations.
"I, Zhang Chen, will repay kindness and seek revenge!" Zhang Chen glanced at the Soul-Forming Lamp and then closed his eyes to comprehend the laws of Heaven and Earth.
Time passed swiftly, and nothing happened overnight. The next day, when Zhang Chen arrived at the academy, he saw the pale-faced Zhang Gaoqiu standing in front of the gate, seemingly waiting for someone.
Seeing Zhang Chen approach, Zhang Gaoqiu suddenly stepped forward, blocking Zhang Chen’s path, with a ferocious expression, no longer the graceful demeanor of before: "Was it you! You’re the one who stole my Bloodline Power! Give me back my Bloodline Power!"
Zhang Gaoqiu shouted while reaching for Zhang Chen’s collar; seeing this, Zhang Chen took a step back, avoiding Zhang Gaoqiu’s grab: "Cousin, what are you saying? We are family; how could I harm you? We are brothers, what are you talking about? It would make your little brother very sad."
However, at this time, Zhang Gaoqiu’s face was ferocious, and he glared angrily at Zhang Chen: "You scoundrel! Don’t pretend. When it happened in the classroom, only you and I of the Zhang Family were present, and we share the same bloodline. Did you use some evil technique to steal my Bloodline Power? My Bloodline Power suddenly vanished; it must be your doing. I’ve heard there’s an evil technique in this world that allows the absorption of similar bloodlines to refine one’s own and help it revert its ancestry."
At this moment, Zhang Gaoqiu’s neat hair was disheveled, nowhere near the composed gentleman he once was.
"Cousin, don’t wrong an innocent person without knowing all the facts, how could I possess such abilities, and I’m certainly not that kind of person!" Zhang Chen evaded Zhang Gaoqiu’s grab and then extended his hand to push Zhang Gaoqiu, causing him to stagger back and fall to the ground.
"Zhang Chen! Tell me, was it you who did it, you despicable and shameless thief? I will report to the matriarch and ask her to judge and punish you," Shen Ling, in red attire, came running from afar, glaring angrily at Zhang Chen, quickly helping Zhang Gaoqiu up.