Chen Yan's gaze fell on the ring on Qian Xun's index finger.
It was Ye Xiu's ring;
he would never mistake it.
Why was this ring now in Qian Xun's possession?
And then, there was the Jieyou Abyss before him, silent and still as stagnant water.
Suddenly, an electric shock-like sensation coursed through Chen Yan's meridians once more, spreading throughout his entire body.
An icy, suffocating feeling, as if drowning, flooded Chen Yan's entire consciousness.
"...Kill."
In his daze, he seemed to hear an ancient, hoarse voice utter a single, twisted and struggling, very brief syllable.
So cold.
Chen Yan seemed to be jolted awake, his gaze fixed on the vast, pitch-black, dead pool before him.
The Black Flood Dragon's Remnant Soul was within his body.
And its physical form lay beneath the dark waters before him.
But up until now, what concerned Chen Yan the most was undoubtedly—
"How did you know?"
Chen Yan's gaze directly fell upon Qian Xun beside him, and the ring on his hand.
"Senior Brother Chen, ever since I was severely injured two years ago and brought back to Yuanhua Mountain by Manager Li, I have been pondering one question."
Qian Xun did not answer Chen Yan's question, merely continuing on his own.
"What?"
Chen Yan asked.
"Who I truly am."
Qian Xun paused for a moment, then continued:
"From that day on, I would often feel conflicted due to various things that happened during cultivation or in daily life. I couldn't help but wonder, am I really Qian Xun, or am I someone else? Because... this sense of fragmentation. Often, I feel like a stranger to myself. Whether it's joy, sorrow, anger, or fear, all these emotions are amplified countless times over."
A severe mental illness.
If it were a psychologist from Chen Yan's previous life, they would probably give Qian Xun such a diagnosis.
"I originally thought I would muddle through my life in this confusion and fragmentation, completely wasting away whether it was cultivation or anything else. Even when Instructor Lu personally came to instruct me last time, I was just..."
As he spoke, Qian Xun violently shook his head:
"I don't know."
From the distant cliffs of Yuanhua Mountain, the faint sound of splashing water could be heard.
"Until a few days ago, I went to Taiyun City. There, I met a person."
Qian Xun lowered his head, then gently stroked the ring on his index finger twice:
"The moment I saw him, I understood many things, and my true identity... Then, that person gave me this ring."
True identity?
"Pleased to meet you, Chief Disciple Chen."
Qian Xun slowly spoke:
"I am Xiao Bo'an."
Unlike his usual surprise, when Chen Yan heard this news, not even a ripple of emotion stirred within his heart.
"Truly persistent as a haunting ghost."
Chen Yan laughed:
"Just how many Xiao Bo'ans are there in this world? Or rather, what exactly is 'Xiao Bo'an'?"
"I don't know."
Qian Xun shook his head:
"Even now, I still don't know whether I should be Qian Xun or Xiao Bo'an. However, if it's the illusion arts of the Weaving Dreams Tower that have turned me into this half-human, half-ghost state, that would at least make me feel a bit more at ease."
Damn Weaving Dreams Tower.
Chen Yan couldn't help but curse inwardly.
"There are forty-six days left, Chief Disciple Chen."
"I know."
"In forty-six days, no matter what, you, Chief Disciple Chen, will definitely die."
"I know."
This was an outcome Chen Yan had already experienced.
But at the same time, he was curious about one thing.
"What would happen if I died during these forty-six days?"
Chen Yan asked.
"Nothing would change."
Qian Xun shook his head:
"Right now, to Supreme Imperial Law Elder Huo, you are merely a container. If you die, Supreme Imperial Law Elder Huo can simply choose another container at any time."
As he spoke, Qian Xun gently tapped the ring on his index finger.
It was a Soul Artifact capable of containing the Black Flood Dragon's Remnant Soul.
The Outer Court Cataclysm forty-six days from now would happen no matter what.
Inevitable death?
Chen Yan silently repeated the words in his heart.
He knew, Chen Yan was very clear, that if the Outer Court Cataclysm was unavoidable, then this would be the consequence he would inevitably face.
"So, that Xiao Bo'an in Taiyun City sent me to Yuanhua Mountain to wait for you?"
Chen Yan asked.
"Probably, Chief Disciple Chen."
Qian Xun said.
"Do you know what will happen forty-six days from now?"
Chen Yan pressed further.
"A tragedy."
Qian Xun answered:
"Grand Elder Qi has now placed his final hope entirely on you, Chief Disciple Chen."
Qian Xun slowly removed the ring from the index finger of his right hand:
"This ring is the remnant of an immortal artifact from seven thousand years ago. It is currently the only known object in this world that can awaken the wisp of the Great Demon's Remnant Soul within you, Chief Disciple Chen."
"I don't understand those mysterious and profound so-called karmic connections, but Grand Elder Qi says this is also the only object that can intervene in the karmic events forty-six days from now."
"So?"
Chen Yan asked.
Qian Xun remained silent, merely tossing the ring in his hand into the air. Then, raising his hand, he aimed at the spinning ring and lightly flicked his fingertip—
Kongshan Finger.
The true qi bursting from his fingertip precisely struck the side of the ring, sending it flying into the pool's water.
"Grand Elder Qi says only in this way can we truly know whether Chief Disciple Chen has understood his true intentions."
Chen Yan's eyes narrowed. Without the slightest hesitation, he leaped forward, plunging into the Jieyou Abyss before him.
White splashes erupted on the surface of the pitch-black pool water.
The moment the pool water swallowed Chen Yan, a bone-chilling cold pierced through his nasal cavity, stabbing straight into the crown of his head.
The Jieyou Abyss was over a hundred zhang deep. For Chen Yan, at the peak of the Qi Sea Realm, although he inevitably felt some discomfort, it was not a major issue.
He only needed a few more breaths to adapt and become proficient.
Chen Yan channeled true qi into his eyes, straining to search for the ring that had been thrown into the dark waters amidst the pitch-black currents.
Vaguely, he could see a faint, dark glimmer slowly sinking towards the pool's bottom.
Chen Yan instinctively swam towards the direction of the ring, gradually descending.
Then, in an instant, the true qi in all the meridians throughout his body began to churn and grow restless.
A heavy, slow heartbeat echoed from the depths of the pool.
"...Kill."
The ancient, hoarse voice sounded in his ear once more.
Silence abruptly descended.
Then, the figure of the young man in pure white Daoist robes was completely swallowed by this pool of ink-black darkness.