Chapter Seventeen: Sword Locks the Dragon Soul

In the Black Domain Realm, Land Yun concealed himself in the sea of fire, instantly disappearing into the raging flames. The surrounding high temperature was a weapon capable of destroying all living beings. Immersed in it, Land Yun's entire body became drenched with sweat, the moisture instantly evaporating into the unseen.

After a brief moment of panic, Land Yun regained his composure, carefully probing the surroundings with his psychic waves. Meanwhile, Dragon Soul was in the sky, arrogantly laughing, but Land Yun paid no attention. He rapidly considered how to proceed. Land Yun recalled his master's words from childhood, emphasizing the extreme danger and potential treasures found in places of extreme yin or yang. These locations could significantly accelerate cultivation but were perilous, especially for those lacking sufficient cultivation, as hastiness could lead to demonic entanglements and irreversible calamities.

At the moment, Land Yun found himself in such a place, prompting him to contemplate. Understanding that his current cultivation had reached a high stage, he realized that achieving a substantial breakthrough in a short time was implausible. The only opportunity for a rapid enhancement lay in discovering peculiar places with extraordinary opportunities. Therefore, Land Yun decided to give it a try and refrained from leaving immediately.

Land Yun's body emitted a shimmering seven-colored radiance, and the mystical technique "Limitless Heaven and Earth" began to operate. Layer by layer, true essence gathered around him, and the cultivation method "Unity of Myriad Origins" attracted the surrounding fire true essence towards him. Land Yun's entire body exuded a formidable aura as he rapidly absorbed the fiery true essence, fortifying his strength to the fullest.

Due to the intense flame radiance making it difficult to open his eyes, Dragon Soul remained unaware of Land Yun's actions. In its mental perception, Land Yun must have been consumed by the intense flames, his primordial spirit reduced to ashes, permanently vanishing from the world. Dragon Soul floated quietly in mid-air, elated at having finally slain a human after enduring years of grievances.

As Land Yun fervently absorbed the fire true essence, he simultaneously activated the Confucian "Grand Righteousness Celestial Might" technique. The gathered fire true essence flowed along the cultivation path outlined by the technique, gradually refining and swiftly merging with his own true essence. Land Yun, concentrating on both tasks, aimed to quickly elevate the "Grand Righteousness Celestial Might" technique to its pinnacle, achieving the highest realm of this technique.

Time swiftly passed, and Dragon Soul now fully believed that Land Yun had met his demise, preparing to depart. Dragon Soul's body ascended slowly, ready to return to its previous dwelling place and gradually enter a state of slumber. Yet, at this moment, Dragon Soul suddenly sensed a powerful aura emanating from below, startling it. Dragon Soul's massive eyes revealed a trace of disbelief as it turned its attention back to the disturbance below.

Land Yun, employing the miraculous technique "Unity of Myriad Origins," instantaneously gathered a substantial amount of fire true essence. This caused the "Grand Righteousness Celestial Might" technique, which was on the verge of a breakthrough, to advance rapidly, surmounting the final obstacle and entering the highest realm. This propelled his overall cultivation to another significant level, and the other cultivation methods also experienced improvements. Land Yun, who could no longer sense the scorching heat, appeared as if he were a spirit within the flames, appearing carefree and casual.

Land Yun's body gradually rose from the flames, and at this moment, he was no longer holding his sword. The intense heat had melted the sword, causing it to vanish. Land Yun's feet were supported by a lotus-like red flame platform, exuding a beautiful aura. He paid no attention to Dragon Soul, which was currently airborne and arrogantly laughing. Instead, he focused his gaze on the ancient sword embedded in the stone wall.

With a wave of his hand, Land Yun seized the sword, and a scorching sensation permeated his grip. Land Yun smiled faintly, realizing his negligence due to the sword being exposed to intense heat for thousands of years. Observing the three feet and three inches long sword with a flowing, radiant red light, Land Yun examined its mysterious engravings. On the hilt, an unusual pattern resembling a totem captivated his eyes. The other side of the hilt bore two small characters – "As You Wish." Land Yun decided to rename the sword the "Heart and Soul Sword" as he found the original name, "As You Wish Sword," somewhat awkward.

Land Yun mumbled to himself, "As You Wish Sword, As You Wish Sword, why does it feel a bit awkward? I'll change its name to the Heart and Soul Sword; that sounds better." As he finished speaking, the sword's brilliance surged, and it disappeared in an instant.

Land Yun rejoiced, saying, "I didn't expect you to have your own consciousness. You truly deserve to be called a divine sword. Alright, from now on, you will accompany me. Together, we'll dominate the world." With a wave of his hand, Land Yun infused the sword with fire true essence, and a thunderous sword roar resonated, accompanied by a brilliant light that engulfed the surroundings.

Hearing the sword roar, Dragon Soul's body trembled slightly, and it felt a sense of trepidation. For three thousand years, it had maintained a cautious distance from the sword due to its inherent wariness. Today, not only did Land Yun survive, but he also obtained the sword, making the situation inexplicable. Land Yun appeared beside Dragon Soul, coldly laughing, "Dragon Soul, I haven't died yet. You were so eager to leave. How could this be good? Our matters are not finished; I told you, once you play tricks, I won't let you off easily. Now, prepare yourself. This time, I won't spare you."

With a wave of the divine sword, a hundred zhang high flames erupted, directly engulfing Dragon Soul's illusory body. Land Yun coldly smiled, and his psychic waves simultaneously attacked Dragon Soul's body. Dragon Soul's body flashed with red light, instantly turning into a three-foot-sized red light sphere, surrounded by a hundred and eight strands of dragon energy, firmly protecting itself. The entire light sphere spun rapidly, reflecting Land Yun's psychic waves.

Land Yun's eyes narrowed, and he appeared next to Dragon Soul. Observing the three-foot-sized light sphere, Land Yun smiled proudly, "Digging your own grave. I'll take your soul and see if you can escape death." Land Yun's right hand emitted a black radiance, and the Ghost Sect's "Soul Transformation Seal" was once again unleashed, enveloping the light sphere in a black glow. Suddenly, a red and a black true essence clashed, confronting each other with different colors and natures.

Hidden inside the light sphere, Dragon Soul shouted loudly, "Human, you cannot kill me. I am already immortal; you're just dreaming. Once your true essence is depleted, it will be your time of death. Although your mysterious attack is powerful and unpredictable, it's insufficient to destroy my immortal primordial spirit. You'll only end up futilely wasting your effort."

Land Yun sneered, "Then watch closely. See if my Soul Transformation Seal can refine your soul." Land Yun finished speaking and increased his power threefold. The black radiance between his hands completely swallowed the crimson light sphere

, rendering it invisible. Land Yun's body was rapidly moving away from the area, heading towards a dark place where his Ghost Sect technique could exert greater power.

The Ghost Sect's "Soul Transformation Seal" was renowned for being able to refine all Yin spirits and evil souls. No spiritual entities with souls were exempt from this technique's influence. In the cultivation world, the Ghost Sect's "Soul Transformation Seal" was highly formidable and malicious. It could vividly refine the soul of a living person, turning them instantly into an entity without a soul – an existence neither alive nor dead – a cruel fate.

Land Yun had practiced this technique for over a decade, reaching a high level. He was only a step away from the highest realm. Currently, Land Yun stood in the void, hands radiating black light, and within, occasional cries of Dragon Soul could be heard, along with occasional pleas for mercy. However, Land Yun remained unmoved. Gradually, the black radiance diminished, turning into a three-inch-sized red light sphere.

Land Yun stopped, quietly observing the red, flowing light sphere, and softly said, "Originally, I intended to refine your primordial spirit and let you perish. However, considering you've been trapped here for three thousand years and your cultivation is not easy, killing you seems a pity. So, I'll give you a chance. Those three experts from the past wanted to seal you in this sword as a sword spirit. Now, I'll finish what they left unfinished – sealing you in this divine sword. I believe it won't disgrace you. Do you have any objections? Are you willing to follow my decision, or do you accept the result of being refined by me?"

The voice of the Dragon Soul sounded extremely weak and somewhat helpless: "I hate it, unexpectedly encountering someone like you, possessing various unparalleled techniques. It's truly lamentable, perhaps it's destiny. Since it's something destined and unchangeable, I will follow your arrangements." In the low and regretful tone, there was a sense of bitterness and loss. Luyun smiled calmly, patting the divine sword in his left hand with his right hand. Suddenly, a red light flashed, and a gap appeared in the constant flow of light on the divine sword. A red light ball instantly emerged and merged into it, restoring the light to its original state. Luyun lightly touched the sword's edge with his right index finger, and a blood light appeared. The divine sword in his hand burst into brilliant light with a thunderous dragon roar echoing in the surroundings. The divine sword automatically rose into the air, and a crimson dragon shadow suddenly shot out from the sword, soaring in the air, roaring and spinning. After dancing for a while, the Dragon Soul automatically returned to the sword itself. The divine sword lost its radiance and slowly landed in Luyun's hand.

Luyun smiled calmly and said softly, "Dragon Soul, just stay inside peacefully. I've sealed you with my blood oath, and you cannot break free. I don't want to destroy your consciousness, so I've preserved your thoughts. I hope you take care of yourself. Now, I want to ask you, how can I leave this place? I believe you must know a lot about it, right?" Luyun's tone carried a hint of calmness and confidence.

The resentful voice of the Dragon Soul came, "Even if you seal me in here, you still won't be able to leave. In the past three thousand years, I've tried countless methods, but none have succeeded. Everything you're doing is in vain. I can survive in here, but your original body is here. Without eating, you won't live for long. Stay here and await your death." There was a hint of hatred in the tone.

Luyun chuckled, "Dragon Soul, I know you're not willing to be trapped in this sword. But let me tell you, with your current cultivation, even if you escape, you'll still die in the hands of other cultivators sooner or later. At that time, your death is inevitable, so it's better to stay in this divine sword. Just now, I refined nine layers of your spiritual power, causing significant damage to your vitality. With the help of this sword, you've already recovered four layers. Do you understand why?"

The Dragon Soul grumbled, "I know. This sword has absorbed the true essence of the Earth's core intense fire and possesses the aura of extreme yang and strength. Absorbing the aura from the sword will slowly restore the lost power."

Luyun smiled, "Indeed, that's true. But do you know that this sword already has its own consciousness? When you entered the sword, a part of your dragon aura was already absorbed by the sword and transformed into a part of it. At this point, the sword can influence your thoughts, and you cannot escape its control. While you absorb its intense fire true essence and aura, your own dragon aura is gradually diminishing, drawn by it. Now, if you tell me where the exit of this space is, I'll return the nine layers of power you lost just now. What do you think? It can save you a lot of time. Besides, even if you don't say anything, can't I use soul refinement again to completely refine you?" Luyun looked at the sword in his hand and couldn't help but inwardly laugh. Giving back that power to you is just increasing the strength of my divine sword. I won't lose anything.

Hearing this, the Dragon Soul was tempted, "If you really return all my power, I will tell you the exit of this place and cooperate with you wholeheartedly. When the day comes that I truly acknowledge you, I will submit to you willingly."

Luyun smiled, and a red light flashed in his right hand. The Sword of Heart and Soul burst into red light, and an incredibly powerful force instantly entered it. Luyun said, "I always speak seriously, I won't easily deceive anyone. Now that your power is restored, tell me where the exit is."

The Dragon Soul spoke, "You're true to your word. If you really return all my power, I'll tell you the exit of this place and fully cooperate with you. When I truly acknowledge you one day, I will submit to you willingly."

Luyun chuckled, and the Sword of Heart and Soul emitted a burst of red light. Luyun said, "I always speak seriously, I won't easily deceive anyone. Now that your power is restored, tell me where the exit is."

The Dragon Soul spoke, "You're true to your word. If you really return all my power, I'll tell you the exit of this place and fully cooperate with you. When I truly acknowledge you one day, I will submit to you willingly."

Luyun smiled, and a red light flashed in his right hand. The Sword of Heart and Soul burst into red light, and an incredibly powerful force instantly entered it. Luyun said, "I always speak seriously, I won't easily deceive anyone. Now that your power is restored, tell me where the exit is."

The Dragon Soul spoke, "You're true to your word. If you really return all my power, I'll tell you the exit of this place and fully cooperate with you. When I truly acknowledge you one day, I will submit to you willingly."

Luyun smiled, and the Sword of Heart and Soul emitted a burst of red light. Luyun said, "I always speak seriously, I won't easily deceive anyone. Now that your power is restored, tell me where the exit is."

The Dragon Soul spoke, "You're true to your word. If you really return all my power, I'll tell you the exit of this place and fully cooperate with you. When I truly acknowledge you one day, I will submit to you willingly."

Luyun smiled, and the Sword of Heart and Soul emitted a burst of red light. Luyun said, "I always speak seriously, I won't easily deceive anyone. Now that your power is restored, tell me where the exit is."

The Dragon Soul spoke, "You're true to your word. If you really return all my power, I'll tell you the exit of this place and fully cooperate with you. When I truly acknowledge you one day, I will submit to you willingly."

Luyun smiled, and the Sword of Heart and Soul emitted a burst of red light. Luyun said, "I always speak seriously, I won't easily deceive anyone. Now that your power is restored, tell me where the exit is."

The Dragon Soul spoke, "You're true to your word. If you really return all my power, I'll tell you the exit of this place and fully cooperate with you. When I truly acknowledge you one day, I will submit to you willingly."

Luyun smiled, and the Sword of Heart and Soul emitted a burst of red light. Luyun said, "I always speak seriously, I won't easily deceive anyone. Now that your power is restored, tell me where the exit is."

The Dragon Soul spoke, "You're true to your word. If you really return all my power, I'll tell you the exit of this place and fully cooperate with you. When I truly acknowledge you one day, I will submit to you willingly."

Luyun smiled, and the Sword of Heart and Soul emitted a burst of red light. Luyun said, "I always speak seriously, I won't easily deceive anyone. Now that your power is restored, tell me where the exit is."

The Dragon Soul spoke, "You're true to your word. If you really return all my power, I'll tell you the exit of this place and fully cooperate with you. When I truly acknowledge you one day, I will submit to you willingly."

Luyun smiled, and the Sword of Heart and Soul emitted a burst of red light. Luyun said, "I always speak seriously, I won't easily deceive anyone. Now that your power is restored, tell me where the exit is."

The Dragon Soul spoke, "You're true to your word. If you really return all my power, I'll tell you the exit of this place and fully cooperate with you. When I truly acknowledge you one day, I will submit to you willingly."

Luyun smiled, and the Sword of Heart and Soul emitted a burst of red light. Luyun said, "I always speak seriously, I won't easily deceive anyone. Now that your power is restored, tell me where the exit is."

The Dragon Soul spoke, "You're true to your word. If you really return all my power, I'll tell you the exit of this place and fully cooperate with you. When I truly acknowledge you one day, I will submit to you willingly."

Luyun smiled, and the Sword of Heart and Soul emitted a burst of red light. Luyun said, "I always speak seriously, I won't easily deceive anyone. Now that your power is restored, tell me where the exit is."

The Dragon Soul spoke, "You're true to your word. If you really return all my power, I'll tell you the exit of this place and fully cooperate with you. When I truly acknowledge you one day, I will submit to you willingly."

Luyun chuckled, "Alright, take me there." After that, the Sword of Heart and Soul automatically flew into the air, and Luyun stood quietly on the sword, controlling its flight.

After flying for a long time, Luyun arrived at a strange place. Feeling the vastness of this space, Luyun couldn't help but sigh, "This space is so vast. Those three individuals probably put a lot of effort into creating such a space. Unfortunately, they all failed, and it's me, an unintentional intruder, who took advantage of it. It's really wonderful! Dragon Soul, there seems to be something invisible here, like a restriction that separates us from that three-colored light."

The entire space, except for the bright light from the intense fire at the core, was pitch black. There was a unique radiance here, including three colors: blue, red, and gold, which looked extremely mysterious. Like a mirror, about one yard in size, it stood quietly in the void, emitting a faint glow. The three-colored radiance flowed silently, appearing beautiful.

The Dragon Soul whispered, "Indeed, there is an invisible barrier here that separates us from that three-colored light. I've tried many times over the years, but none have been successful. I've lost confidence in this place. Among the three individuals from back then, the two who escaped alive did so from here."

Luyun proudly smiled, "If you can't do it, it doesn't mean I can't. I'm going to try now." In fact, while speaking, Luyun had long used his mental waves to carefully explore this barrier. The result was that breaking through this barrier was not difficult at all. Luyun only needed to adjust the frequency of the fluctuation of the protective true essence outside his body to 4,948 times per instant, and he could easily pass through. For Luyun, this was a piece of cake.

Luyun easily passed through the invisible barrier, smiling and saying, "Dragon Soul, I've already gone through, right? Now you know, there's a gap between you and me. What you can't do, I can. Isn't that right? Take this three-colored light in front of us, for example. Do you understand what it represents?"

The Dragon Soul said in a deep voice, "Don't be too complacent. This can only be attributed to your good luck or perhaps because you are a human. As for this place, it contains the Daoist, Buddhist, and demonic sect techniques within these three radiances. I'm afraid you won't be able to pass through."

Luyun chuckled, "You're almost right. Indeed, this place contains three sets of techniques. However, you're not quite accurate in saying that the third set is demonic sect techniques. It's actually the mysterious techniques of the immortal sect in this world. The combination of these three sets forms the three-colored radiance, which is relatively easy to break. As long as the person attempting to pass through possesses any one of these three sets of techniques, they can penetrate this barrier. However, these techniques are not ordinary; otherwise, you wouldn't have been trapped here for so many years."

The Dragon Soul deliberately poured cold water, "Even if you know all this, it doesn't mean you can leave. If you have the ability, pass through this barrier and reach the outside, then I'll acknowledge your capability. Otherwise, it's all just empty talk."

Luyun confidently smiled, "Is that so? Well, let's take a closer look. Watch how I get out of here." Luyun said as golden radiance enveloped him. He activated the Buddhist technique called the "Heart Zen Immortal Technique," turning into a beam of golden light. With his divine sword, he directly shot towards the flowing three-colored radiance, instantly merging into it and disappearing in the blink of an eye.

A rapid spin made Luyun feel like he entered a chaotic space of swirling time and space. It was an uncomfortable sensation, but it lasted only an instant. When he regained his senses, he found himself inside a dark cave, back in the normal cultivation world, inside the Absolute Yin Cave.

Luyun smiled faintly, whispering, "Dragon Soul, I've come out. Whether you accept it or not, it's up to you. Now, just stay quiet in there. I'll check on you when I have time. Your words won't be heard by anyone else, only me. Now, I have important matters to attend to, and I don't have time for you. Rest well." With that, Luyun's divine sword emitted a flash of light, and he flew outwards.

Passing through several caves, Luyun arrived at a dark cave filled with numerous demonic creatures, the demonic aura heavy in the air. Luyun's body emitted a red light, isolating all the demonic aura within a yard, preventing them from approaching. He used his mental waves to explore the surroundings. Soon, a spatial map of the cave system, including ninety-six caves and sixteen intersections, appeared in his mind.

Luyun muttered to himself, "I've been here for several days, but I can't detect the presence of those three individuals. Perhaps they are too far away. This cave system is like a maze, seemingly infinite and mysterious. Among the heavy demonic aura, there's one place without any demonic energy but contains spiritual energy. What's the secret behind this? Maybe I should take a look; I might discover something."

Luyun finished speaking and his eyes glowed. His body turned into a streak of red light, and the Sword of Heart and Soul emitted a burst of red brilliance. The intense light frightened the demonic creatures in the cave, causing them to scatter in fear.

In the dark cave, a crimson light, like a raging dragon, roared and thundered. Accompanied by an overwhelming aura, it passed through numerous caves, disappearing in an instant. Where the red light passed, the demonic aura vanished, making everything eerie.

Luyun halted at the entrance of a small cave. The demonic energy around was extremely weak, almost nonexistent. In contrast to the rest of the caves filled with demonic aura, this place seemed peculiar. Luyun cautiously entered, observing every detail. It was a small cave, only a few yards in size, with nothing inside. However, strangely, the cave emitted a faint light, which was quite unusual.

Luyun examined the area for a long time but couldn't understand why there was light. Suddenly, he felt a shift in the surroundings. A voice echoed, "What person is this? Come out." At the same time, a golden radiance enveloped Luyun's body, and the Sword of Heart and Soul released a burst of red light, creating a strong barrier.

Luyun turned around, asking, "Who are you? Why not show yourself? And what is this place? Why shouldn't I be here?"

The voice chuckled, "Young man, I mean no harm. I'm just lonely and wanted someone to talk to. Would you be willing to accompany me in a conversation? This is the most mysterious place in the Absolute Yin Valley. There are two layers, inner and outer. Normally, people can't enter the inner layer because there's a strong barrier separating them. You entering here is quite strange. If you're willing to chat, I'll reveal myself; if not, you can leave. I've been lonely for so many years."

Luyun, using his mental waves, had already located the person, but the exploration results surprised him. This person wasn't in the same space; he was in another one. His voice was transmitted using a special method. The person's cultivation level was extremely high, something Luyun had never encountered before.

Luyun softly said, "If you're lonely, come out. I also have many unanswered questions and would like to seek your advice. As long as you mean no harm, I'm not the kind to attack others without reason."

The voice chuckled, "Good. It's rare to have a human come here after so many years. It's like fate. I'll show myself. I hope my appearance won't frighten you."

As the voice finished speaking, Luyun felt the surroundings fluctuate. A crack in space appeared, and a figure emanating a silvery light walked out from it, smiling gently at Luyun.

Luyun was astonished. The instantaneous spatial transfer from another space and the high level of cultivation made this person incredibly mysterious.