Cultivation through Skin Making

Song Yan mused as he looked at the golden glow and asked, "Are you saying it's also controlled from the soul level? Just like the Changwang Spirit?"

Grandma Hu replied, "If that's truly the case, the Changwang Tiger Essence Blood wouldn't be so precious.

In fact, in the world as I know it, the Changwang Tiger Essence Blood is a unique existence among all creatures, and now only the master possesses it.

A creature like this human-faced giant insect is likely under a Divine Soul Restriction, and touching it would cause it to explode...

Or perhaps it's a technique I don't know.

After all, these Secret Realm Cultivators, or as they should now be called, Secret Realm Insect Cultivators.

The origin and purpose of these Secret Realm Insect Cultivators are extremely mysterious."

Song Yan squinted at the golden glow.

He carefully reached out to touch it, but his hand passed through it. Trying with his finger, black patterns spread to the fingertip, and lightly touched it...

Ping!

The golden glow was not restrained but was magically pushed away, as if despising and avoiding the black patterns.

Song Yan thought curiously, "It's something on the soul level."

If that's the case...

He immediately raised his hand, reaching out with five fingers toward the golden glow, with the black patterns spreading in his palm.

And with a grab, the golden glow was like falling into a cage of five fingers, crashing back and forth, yet unable to escape.

However, if Song Yan wanted to collect it, it was extremely difficult.

He tried to hide it within his Changwang Tiger black pattern, but the golden glow flickered like a "faulty light bulb" and couldn't be hidden.

He thought of putting it into his Storage Space, but the thing was too slippery, completely unable to be placed inside.

Looking back and forth, the golden glow seemed neither like a "wandering ghost" nor "Evil Qi," nor was it a "soul fragment," making him utterly confused about how to handle it.

Sweeping his gaze around, he saw that the soul insects, although having lost control, were so densely packed that they crashed towards him like moths to a flame, forcing him to gather Profound Qi for defense at all times.

Song Yan took out a Profound Crystal from his Storage Bag, absorbing the Profound Qi to prevent any mishaps or the consumption of Profound Qi from falling below the safety line.

Chi chi chi...

The soul insects kept flying towards him, burning up and reforming, continuing their assault.

With a thought, Song Yan opened a small gap in his Profound Qi shield, allowing the soul insects to hit his body.

With the impact, he felt his soul being slightly contacted, and the insects were instantly shattered, but... they rapidly reassembled in the night.

Song Yan was left dumbfounded at the sight.

It seemed that not only were their bodies hard to destroy, but even their souls were too.

Looking around, he realized this place was not one to linger in.

His mind was occupied with what the insect cultivator said about the "Blood Pool."

He had to admit, he craved the Essence Blood of these "Night Candle Soul Insects," even considering placing it in the "next Central Palace position."

This thing was terrifying at night and was soul-related, making it a perfect match with "Changwang Tiger Blood."

However...

He looked at the golden glow, troubled. Surely he couldn't just wear it and let it keep flashing all the time?

Or keep it grasped, imprisoning it with the Changwang Tiger's power? That would mean wasting a hand, wouldn't it?

...

Just then, the swarm of Night Candle Soul Insects parted, and a graceful figure approached through the swarm.

The figure walked up to Song Yan, bowed slightly, and called out, "Brother Song."

Song Yan turned to look at Hua Linglong and asked, "Brother Song?"

Hua Linglong replied earnestly, "Since Brother Song is unharmed, I would like to propose a transaction with you."

"A transaction?" Song Yan looked at her with a strange expression, yet he still asked, "What kind of transaction?"

Hua Linglong calmly said, "If you give this item to me, I will share all the information I receive with you and assist you in gaining the greatest benefits in this Secret Realm's Candle Land.

If you still feel that's not an equivalent exchange, we can negotiate further."

Song Yan asked curiously, "What is this?"

Hua Linglong looked intently at the golden glow and said, "It hasn't said, but I've been in contact with it for a long time, and I can barely guess what it is."

She paused slightly and said, "A thought."

"A thought?"

Song Yan was taken aback.

Hua Linglong said, "But this thought is just an object containing a certain will, equally tied to the Secret Realm. If I obtain this thought, I should... learn a lot of information.

At that time, I will convey all this information to you and use the power I gain to help you profit in this Secret Realm."

Song Yan said, "You... I..."

Hua Linglong smiled and said, "If you say you're willing to grow old with me, soar together like a pair of birds, then I will go with you, riding on a white horse, across the Jianghu. I shall heed only you, as a wife supporting her husband, raising children with you."

Song Yan said, "I have too many troubles, following me may not be a good thing. Like before, I barely escaped, hurriedly settled the people around me, and don't even know if she's alive or dead, or what's happened to her. Now... I may have even greater troubles."

Hua Linglong didn't seem surprised. She folded her hands slightly, raised her face, and looked at the mountain peaks engulfed by the black tide, speaking softly, "When my father died, I was at a loss. The rival forces of the Ghostly Cyan Robe Tower, even my father's subordinates, could have turned me into a plaything at their whim...

I cried alone for a long, long time in the dark, playing the same tune on my flute through sleepless nights. Then, I told myself to be ruthless.

Afterward, I used any means necessary, with bloody hands, finally gaining control of my father's forces, only to find things hadn't improved—I had to become the master of the Ghostly Cyan Robe Tower, had to compete for dominance and unite the Celestial Cloud.

In Jianghu, one must always swim against the current.

If you don't advance against the current... you can only be swept into the abyss by the vortex, lost forever."

"However, no matter how hard you try, achieving your goal is not guaranteed.

During the battle with the Lone Bamboo Gang, we had a traitor. I thought I was about to die, but then, someone suddenly appeared and took everything for me.

I was accustomed to fear, tried using drugs to control him, but he fed me the Fanatic Fans.

But this person was strange—he didn't take advantage of me or force me to do anything. Instead, he helped me accomplish what I wanted, and my restless and fearful heart finally found peace."

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and smiled sweetly, as if recalling those beautiful times.

"On the day we united Celestial Cloud, when the King of Shu came to congratulate, I gave myself to him.

He... is my husband.

Then, he left.

I know he won't come back; he's a cultivator, and the path he treads will never intersect with a mortal's."

Later, I went to the Snake Corpse Market, dared to enter the Demon Swamp Secret Realm, obtained what they called a Profound Root, and met it... this insect cultivator, who became my teacher.

She told me my Profound Root was excellent, the best she'd seen. I could become a great insect cultivator. I knew there was an issue with my Profound Root, but I was not afraid, instead, I was very happy."

Hua Linglong slowly opened her eyes, looking earnestly at Song Yan, and said, "My father is gone, my husband left... and now, I'm also on the path of a cultivator.

Instead of staying together amid worldly troubles, it's better to forget each other across the Jianghu.

Brother Song, nice to meet you for the first time.

I am... Lady Ling."

Song Yan glanced at the decaying insect corpse with a human face and asked, "Have you made up your mind?"

Hua Linglong smiled slightly and said, "This path is an arrow, once drawn, there's no turning back. Life and death are destined; if I give it my all and still die, I... will never regret it."