CHAPTER 233: CHAPTER 194 SENSING SOUL SHADOW, THE LAST 3 STEPS!

In the spring of the fourth year of Celebrating Prosperity.

Led by the Great Hui Court, Taiping City God Mansion, and Three Mountains Dharma Teachings—Mao Mountain, Mei Mountain, and Lushan—alongside the Four Great Sects—Green Cloud Sect, Medicine King Valley, Yin Mountain Sect, and Golden Flower Temple—various Central Plains factions and Loose Cultivators launched an attack on Nine Mountains.

’Nine Mountains King’ Qizhenzi spearheaded the Nine Mountains demons, charging at the forefront, engaging in martial arts battles and Daoist skills duels, winning repeatedly, shocking both righteous and demonic paths.

Chaos ensued.

The Four Great Sects surrounded Nine Mountains King, who unleashed his fists and feet, his Qi-Blood soaring like a grand sun in the sky, resembling a celestial demon, standing undefeated and unyielding amidst heaven and earth.

The battle was gruesome.

The war lasted for dozens of days, its devastation spanning Nine Mountains.

The righteous path suffered heavy casualties, with over half of its top experts perished.

However, the Nine Mountains demons faced an even more devastating fate. Seventy percent were slain, while the rest scattered in flight, their whereabouts unknown. From then on, Heaven Mountain was cleansed, and the root of calamity eradicated.

Nine Mountains King Qizhenzi fought to the death, single-handedly facing dozens of Peak Core Formation cultivators, enduring countless Daoist skills, until he ultimately fell, exhausted and lifeless.

His body was obliterated, reduced to ashes.

Thus, the curtain fell on this great battle, historically known as the ’First Sword Duel of Heaven Mountain.’

...

"It’s over."

In the reality of Panlong Mountain, inside Fire Dragon Cave, Chen Jichuan opened his eyes and let out a long sigh.

With this sigh.

He lamented the fleeting passage of time and the swiftness of life.

Three dynasties, six hundred years.

Two hundred and eighty-two years of arduous cultivation.

This lifetime ended amidst a flurry of battles.

After his reflection, a faint smile appeared at the corner of Chen Jichuan’s mouth.

"That final battle was exhilarating—I’ve finally made a breakthrough in my external skills!"

Chen Jichuan carefully savored the experience, his face radiating greater joy with each moment.

During the last battle on Heaven Mountain, he single-handedly fought against dozens of Core Formation masters, his Qi-Blood surging to the heavens. At last, he forced the long-sought ’soul shadow’ to emerge.

In the heat of battle, his spirit was highly focused.

His entire body—inside and out—every drop of blood, every bone, every tendon, revealed itself vividly in his perception. The pulse and vibration of muscles and tissues were grasped with clarity.

Ming Strength.

Dark Strength.

Transforming Strength.

Wave after wave of force resonated, eventually shaking the soul shadow into manifestation. Fifteen drops of Essence Blood in his heart chamber radiated like blazing suns, illuminating the form of the soul shadow.

A connection to the Seven Spirits!

This is the critical step from first-order to second-order, and from Core Formation to the Soul Refining stage.

Chen Jichuan, having lived through many lives in the Great Hui World, dedicated a lifetime to cultivation and plotting—personally orchestrating this grand battle between good and evil.

Heaven rewards diligence.

Finally, he glimpsed a broad and promising path.

"The human body has three souls and seven spirits; the soul governs intent, and the spirits govern the body. Together, they are called ’nature and life.’"

"My external skills and Daoist skills refine the body in the former and refine the soul in the latter. The external skills lead to second-order Soul Refining, while the Daoist skills create the spirit platform and condense the three souls at second order."

"Strictly speaking, these should be referred to as ’Life Cultivation’ and ’Spiritual Cultivation.’"

"External skills serve as ’Life Cultivation,’ focusing on the spirits."

"Daoist skills serve as ’Spiritual Cultivation,’ focusing on the soul."

Having touched upon the threshold of second order, Chen Jichuan gained deeper insights into external skills and Daoist skills, no longer confined by narrow perspectives.

Life Cultivation reaches Peak Core Formation; sensing the presence of a soul shadow grants eligibility for a higher realm.

This is a pivotal step.

Upon sensing the shadow hidden in his flesh and blood, the next step is to capture that shadow, infuse it with Qi-Blood, vitality, and intent—and thus achieve a breakthrough, entering the second order of Life Cultivation: the ’Soul Refining Realm.’

"Sensing."

"Capturing."

"Refining."

From Peak Core Formation to the Soul Refining Realm, these three steps form the critical bridge. Easy yet difficult—simple but profound.

Take Chen Jichuan, for example.

Through painstaking effort, countless battles, and Qi-Blood refined to the ’Fifteen Blood’ level—and only after fighting against dozens of Core Formation masters at the peak of his power—did he finally push his potential to the limit and perceive the elusive soul shadow.

Sensing the soul shadow may sound simple, but consider that after exhausting an entire lifetime, as evidenced by countless Core Formation martial artists trapped in the tenth layer within Qinling and Great Hui Worlds across millennia—unable to advance—it becomes clear how difficult this step truly is.

Yet fortunately.

Reaching this point makes the next two steps significantly easier.

Of course.

This ’ease’ applies only to someone like Chen Jichuan.

"After sensing the soul shadow, the next step is to capture it. The shadow—hidden within flesh and blood—is extraordinarily elusive. Successfully refining it requires first capturing it."

"Block it, seize it."

This demands an exceptionally solid foundation and meticulous control over force and Qi-Blood.

One must observe the flow of Qi-Blood resolutely, leaving no detail unnoticed, and use successive waves of power to encircle the soul shadow, cutting off all its paths and avenues. Only then can it be caught.

A slight deficiency in force comprehension—an inability to fully master strength—leaving even the tiniest gap, would render the task impossible.

Looking through the ages.

Many Life Dao cultivators rely on Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures to enhance their power, blindly rushing forward without thorough reflection—ultimately sensing the soul shadow but failing to capture it. Forced to retrace their steps and carefully deepen their understanding of Ming, Dark, and Transforming Strength, they often find it too late.

In the end, many remained stuck at this juncture, regretful for life.

Chen Jichuan does not share these concerns.

After extensive cultivation, his foundation is exceptionally robust. Once he senses it, capturing comes effortlessly.

After capturing.

Comes refining.

This is the final step to entering Soul Refining—a step no less critical than sensing the shadow. However, unlike sensing the shadow, success in refining can often be foretold.

"The so-called refining of the soul shadow involves using Qi-Blood, vitality, force, and other elements as fuel to ignite potential and etch intent into the shadow. From that point onward, the Seven Spirits are ruled by intent, no longer scattered and uncontrolled. One becomes an extension of the self, wielded as easily as a limb, and the resulting power is unimaginable. The strength of Life Dao cultivators in the Soul Refining stage speaks for itself."

But whether this step succeeds depends not on the present but the past.

Refining the shadow requires abundant Qi-Blood and vitality—these form not only the driving force and fuel but also the medium.

For instance, those in Mid Core Formation or even Core Formation Eighth and Ninth Layers—while sensing and capturing the soul shadow—lacks adequate Qi-Blood for refining.

Similarly.

Should vitality dwindle with age, even at Peak Core Formation or at levels like ’Five Blood’ or ’Ten Blood,’ success becomes unattainable.

Moreover, intent plays a role.

With age, one’s willpower inevitably weakens.

Or, after suffering blows, if one’s will collapses, it is equally challenging to imprint intent into the shadow.

In conclusion.

Refining the soul shadow demands robust strength and a vigorous life force. Younger breakthroughs yield higher chances; older ones grow increasingly improbable.

Consider Chen Jichuan of Great Hui World.

Even with an astonishing ’Fifteen Blood’ level and Qi-Blood akin to a furnace, he approached the end of his lifespan. Vitality waned, and willpower faded.

Breaking through was extraordinarily difficult.

Unless he discovered miraculous objects to enrich vitality—such as the Undying Grass.

And paired this with life-and-death combat to inspire resolute intent, only then could he seize the slim hope to ascend through Soul Refining.

But how rare is the ’Undying Grass’?

Chen Jichuan searched Great Hui World extensively but failed to find comparable spiritual objects.

His vitality ultimately fell short.

This explains why, after finally sensing the soul shadow, he chose not to flee for survival but instead immersed himself in understanding its subtleties and flows during his final moments.

...

"In Great Hui World, I perceived the shadow before death, yet lacked vitality to break through."

"In the reality of this world, my Life Dao cultivation is shallow, Qi-Blood insufficient—breaking through remains impossible."

"But in Qinling World, I am in my prime, my vitality at its peak; my Life Dao cultivation has reached Core Formation Tenth Layer, refining ten drops of Essence Blood—"

With vitality and Qi-Blood meeting the requirements.

And willpower sharp as a blade.

Breaking through Core Formation and entering Soul Refining is within reach.

"Indeed, it is thanks to ’Dao Fruit’ that I am afforded recurring opportunities."

"In Great Hui World, martial artists, even sensing the soul shadow before their final moments, still succumb to frail vitality, dying with regret."

Chen Jichuan felt a mixture of gratitude and relief.

If not for ’Dao Fruit,’ he too would have fallen into such helpless, despairing situations.

As these thoughts passed fleetingly.

He set them aside temporarily.

Confident of his impending breakthrough, Chen Jichuan resisted rushing into Qinling World to begin the process. Instead, he used this interim to address pressing matters in the real world.

...

Four hundred and sixty years passed in Qinling World.

Six hundred years in Great Hui World.

A total of one thousand and sixty years. In the real world, Chen Jichuan had stayed in Panlong Mountain for two and a half years, establishing himself fairly well.

Next.

He intended to return to Great Chu to visit Chen Shaohu and impart the enhanced ’Sword Map’ to him.

"Two and a half years."

"In an environment like Great Chu, that boy should have reached Innate level by now."

Hundreds of years may pass in Dao Fruit World, but in there, Chen Jichuan truly spent five hundred years.

After five centuries apart.

In his memories, Chen Shaohu’s figure and facial features were somewhat blurred and distant.

Only the longing grew deeper.

He was impatient to reunite.

"In Dao Fruit World, life cycles again and again. Everyone—be it teachers, friends, disciples, or juniors—are like fleeting flowers."

"Elusive, unholdable."

"After enduring repeated separations of life and death, one may grow indifferent, or else trapped in obsession."

Precisely because he’d seen too much of life’s transience and separation, Chen Jichuan treasured his kin all the more.

And Chen Shaohu was his sole relative in this life.

Chen Jichuan had pondered deeply: why commit to endless cultivation like an ascetic monk?

Eternal life?

Invincibility?

Both appealing but superficial motives at best.

Chen Jichuan clearly understood that his diligent cultivation stemmed from a simple desire: to protect those he cherished.

The pursuit of eternal life was to avoid separation by death.

The quest for invincibility was to gain sufficient power to shield his loved ones.

Once he achieved immortality or unmatched strength, and no longer faced separation or oppression—he imagined himself traveling mountains and oceans with his family and friends, feasting and reveling without restraint. That was his ideal life.

Exploring the mysteries of heaven and earth was just secondary.

At least for now, Chen Jichuan bore no grand ambition.

His thoughts wandered with myriad images.

Shaking his head, Chen Jichuan banished his sentimental mood, refocusing on practical matters: "The teleportation formation from Great Chu to Panlong Mountain only accommodates cultivators below Qi Refinement. As a Qi Refinement cultivator now, I can no longer use that formation to return to Great Chu."

Panlong Mountain and Great Chu were separated by countless miles.

Traversing such distance posed a huge challenge.

Without the teleportation formation, attempting to return from Panlong Mountain to Great Chu would take Chen Jichuan an unknown number of years.

The journey would be fraught with hardships and dangers.

It would squander time and risk life.

Absolutely impractical.

Fortunately, Chen Jichuan was well-prepared.

Upon arriving at Panlong Mountain, he used ’Creation·Insight’ to decipher the teleportation formation at Lishui Water Mansion.

He then diligently researched teleportation arrays during his time in Qinling and Great Hui Worlds.

Finally, in his final moments, he invested his cultivation into reinforcing that teleportation formation.

"The reinforced teleportation formation should allow the transport of Qi Refinement cultivators without issue."

"But knowing the method is just the beginning."

"Next, I need to gather materials and adjust the formation thoroughly to ensure its effectiveness."

Deep in thought, Chen Jichuan stepped out of the cave mansion.

...