He wouldn't allow himself to act like this.

He wasn't alone! Behind him was his entire clan, countless resources poured into him, various renowned mentors and elders guiding him, paving the way for him, showering him with all the love and favor, even the gods favored him.

He bore too much responsibility; he couldn't let himself act recklessly!

Not to mention sacrificing his wife or daughter, even sacrificing himself, he wouldn't utter a word of refusal.

He thought he could push through according to his own will.

But it wasn't until he failed at the Divine Transformation stage and entered the Heart Observing Formation that he understood everything.

Yu Huang reached out, intending to touch the woman's cheek.

Suddenly, his hand froze midway.

He realized the woman's gaze had lost focus, her breath vanished in an instant, and the last trace of obsession in her eyes quickly dissipated.

No! Perhaps she had already left three years ago. It was only that last bit of obsession that sustained her until now.

Xu Hei said nothing, quietly leaving. Behind him, a wail of grief echoed.

It was the mournful cry of a sea demon.

Xu Hei's blue left eye began to lose control, a single crystalline tear falling from it.

As this tear appeared, the last trace of obsession in Xu Hei's eyes completely vanished.

The tear fell into his hand, forming a droplet-shaped crystal.

The blue in Xu Hei's left eye quickly faded, turning into a common black.

He knew, at this moment, Yu Shiyu had left forever!

She had no regrets after seeing her parents for the last time.

Only this teardrop-shaped crystal was evidence of her existence.

Xu Hei looked at the tear in his hand, his heart filled with mixed emotions. After pondering for a long time, he placed it into the small world within the Demon God Cauldron, alongside Yu Shiyu's remnant soul.

"This item shall be named Merfolk Tear."

"Hopefully, one day, in my world, you can reincarnate," Xu Hei thought to himself.

War is cruel; for the continuation of the clan, everyone is forced to abandon emotions. Only the cold and ruthless can survive better.

In the dark forest, to be the light, one must burn oneself, paying a painful price.

Xu Hei didn't know which choice was correct, but everyone makes mistakes, don't they?

Hai Teng, Yu Huang, including himself, who can always remain rational and make the most beneficial choice?

…………

Divine Continent Star.

After returning, Xu Hei went straight into seclusion. Night Owl and Qin Xuanji stayed on Moon Star to investigate Guanghan Palace. Daoist Sparrow returned to the sect to oversee the situation.

Three days later, Luo Gang delivered a ceasefire agreement.

This was within everyone's expectations. Daoist Sparrow took the agreement, neither agreeing nor refusing.

The Sea Star Demon Clan wants to declare war whenever they please and stop whenever they want; it's not that simple.

Unless they surrender and pay a large compensation, otherwise, it's out of the question.

Although Xu Hei was quite willing to cease the war, since the higher-ups had decided, he said nothing and focused on his cultivation.

In fact, Xu Hei now held significant influence within the Divine Puppet Sect.

Most of the Divine Transformation stage fallen from Sea Star were killed by him; two were taken down by Night Owl, but Xu Hei was greatly involved.

The final Elemental Infant stage battle was also won by the allies Xu Hei brought, earning great merit.

It's no exaggeration to say that Xu Hei deserved the highest honor in this war.

Night Owl's Night Demon Wings were never requested back from Xu Hei, seemingly given as a reward.

With Xu Hei's contributions, whether it be Supreme Spirit Stones or secret divine abilities, as long as he asked, the sect would basically satisfy him.

That day, Xu Hei found Daoist Sparrow and asked directly, "Does the sect have the Soul Searching Technique?"

"Soul Searching Technique?" Daoist Sparrow immediately understood Xu Hei's intention and said, "You want to soul search Zhao Nanqi?"

"Exactly! This person has too many secrets. Instead of waking him up, it's better to directly perform a soul search," Xu Hei replied.

Daoist Sparrow frowned, falling silent.

He slowly said, "Xu Hei, the Soul Searching Technique is effective on lower-level cultivators! But the primordial spirit of someone at the Divine Transformation stage is not easy to search. Even if I do it, the success rate is less than thirty percent, and it could backfire, causing more harm than good."

"No worries! I've made up my mind!" Xu Hei was resolute.

Zhao Nanqi was cunning; even if he woke up, he might not tell the truth. For such a person, Xu Hei planned to use unconventional methods.

Daoist Sparrow said no more, handing Xu Hei a jade slip.

This jade slip not only recorded the Soul Searching Technique but also detailed its side effects, various hidden dangers, and Daoist Sparrow's own annotations, very thoroughly.

"Thank you."

Xu Hei returned to the forbidden area in the back mountain, spending three days mastering the Soul Searching Technique, then extracted Zhao Nanqi's primordial spirit.

Zhao Nanqi's primordial spirit was only a small fraction left, eyes tightly shut, completely transparent, seemingly dispersible with a gust of wind.

The Soul Searching Technique involves using the power of one's primordial spirit to merge into the other's primordial spirit, forcibly extracting memories, causing the two primordial spirits to collide.

Only when a stronger individual performs it on a weaker one does it work!

The clash between primordial spirits is extremely dangerous.

If the two have equal or similar primordial spirit strength, it could result in severe backlash, at worst causing the primordial spirit to be injured, leading to madness, or at worst being devoured, soul scattered.

Even at mid-Divine Transformation stage, performing it on an early Divine Transformation stage has only about a thirty percent success rate.

Moreover, even if successful, obtaining the other's chaotic memories may not be beneficial and could affect one's state of mind. The one being soul-searched often ends up in a pitiful state, becoming a fool or worse.

Without a word, Xu Hei pointed his finger, pressing it against Zhao Nanqi's forehead.

"Soul Search!"

With a thought, Xu Hei concentrated his vast primordial spirit power at his brow, transforming it into a sharp sword, ready to pierce Zhao Nanqi without hesitation, decisively.

And at that moment, an unexpected event occurred.

Zhao Nanqi, who had been in a deep sleep, suddenly opened his eyes, shouting, "Brother Xu, stop, stop!"

"Too late!"

Seeing Zhao Nanqi awaken, Xu Hei was not surprised; instead, a knowing cold smile appeared, and his primordial spirit shot out, piercing Zhao Nanqi's forehead.

"Stop, I'll talk, I'll tell you everything!" Zhao Nanqi screamed hysterically.

He was utterly panicked.

He never expected Xu Hei to dare use the Soul Searching Technique so decisively, was he not afraid of death?

One madman like Hai Teng was enough, but Xu Hei was also a madman!

Unbelievable, completely unbelievable.

Xu Hei's actions slowed slightly, coldly saying, "What do you want to say?"

"What do you want to know! I'll tell you everything!" Zhao Nanqi said in terror.

Xu Hei sneered, "But I don't want to know anything; I just want to soul search."

With that, the divine sense sword was about to continue piercing.

At this moment, Zhao Nanqi was in complete disarray. He finally realized Xu Hei and Hai Teng were the same kind of people, playing by no rules, disregarding benefits, ignoring personal safety, utterly irrational, utterly illogical, pure madmen!

Such unreasonable actions, they really could do!

"Guanghan Palace is at the North Pole of Moon Star! I found it by tracking Jiang Nine Phoenix! I also stole the crescent key!" Zhao Nanqi's sharp voice echoed through the forbidden area.

With a simple sentence, he revealed three crucial pieces of information, leaving Xu Hei stunned on the spot.