Although Wang Sheng had prepared thoroughly, he wasn't expecting the situation to be this dangerous. The surging tide of primal qi would have slammed him against the solid celestial crystals had he just been a moment slower. Even with his formidable Dao Body, he wasn't sure he could have withstood such an impact. Fortunately, Yaoyun was assisting him, and Spiritless—no longer what it once was—had become sharper than ever. Upon breaking through the seal, Wang Sheng immediately detected Flying Haze. Hence, using his Sword-Controlling Art, he stood on the celestial-grade flying sword, which had been dormant for more than ten years. He then poured his enchanted power into it, allowing him to easily escape the wave pursuing him. With cold air rushing toward his face, he couldn't help but tilt his head back and howl deeply. His long hair danced wildly, and his slightly loose celestial trousers fluttered softly. I've 'risen from the dead' again! I'm alive! Anyone who'd been told such claims would've had a hard time believing it. Wang Sheng burst into laughter. "Hahahahaha!" Quickly noticing Lady Meng, who was still struggling to hold back the surging primal qi in the sky, he promptly turned serious again. Looking down, he saw a vast field of multicolored celestial crystals. A mountain of crystals trembled ceaselessly at the center, sending massive crystal chunks crashing down. The enormous jade statue was now covered with countless cracks, within which more and more immortal light shone forth. "Yaoyun, is there anything else we can do?" Wang Sheng quickly asked. "With this much disturbance, are you sure it won't trigger tremors in the Small Nether Realm?" "No," Yaoyun answered telepathically. She sounded quite fatigued. "You've already done your part. Leave the rest to that immortal. Anyway, Hua Qing left the Small Nether Realm yesterday. I was so busy suppressing the seal that I didn't get the chance to tell you. Look for her when you're done here. "I've depleted a lot of my qi over the past few days. I need time to recover. Do not let this sword out of your hands, and do not allow anyone else to touch it." "Don't worry. Go ahead and rest," Wang Sheng replied softly. Finally, he got to closely examine Spiritless. Its shape and dimensions hadn't changed much, but its once cold, silver-white blade now seemed forged entirely of crystal. Moreover, it had become as pure as a naturally formed crystal. It didn't even have a single trace of artificial tampering. Its edge was so thin that it was nearly invisible to the naked eye. The center was slightly thicker and had immortal light flickering gently within, constantly radiating a subtle Dao Rhythm. Spiritless's original material had already been extraordinary. It was a marvel of modern technology. Though it contained not even the slightest trace of spirituality, it was incredibly sharp and could enhance both true essence and enchanted power. Still, he had not expected that it would save his life, receive Yaoyun's divine soul, and unleash her final immortal power to construct a second Earth Qi Seal. In that brief instant, Yaoyun also reforged Spiritless and chose it as the vessel for her spiritual entity. The sword had borne the Earth Qi Seal's full pressure for the past decade. With those years acting as a form of reforging, it had become even more exceptional. Moreover, to help Wang Sheng emerge early from seclusion, Yaoyun had also fully merged with the sword, completely becoming its sword spirit, so she could release most of the primal qi within the Earth Qi Seal. Now, the sword was not only incomparably sharp and had the highest grade, but it also possessed a complete sword spirit. He truly had no idea what its tier classification could be now. Most striking of all, it fully accepted and nearly doubled the enchanted power that he infused its blade with. Now that it was in his grip, Wang Sheng felt a profound connection between him and the sword. He had already sensed its remarkable nature when he had unleashed sword techniques earlier. Even among celestial treasures, it would be considered top-tier. Unfortunately, at his current realm, he couldn't fully draw out its power yet. Deep in his heart, he silently vowed to one day become strong enough to be worthy of this celestial sword. Flying Haze hummed softly, as if acknowledging and showing respect to the reforged Spiritless. Spiritless's sword spirit, who was already resting, paid no attention to Flying Haze. Among Wang Sheng's collection of swords, the status and rarity of Flying Haze had taken a dramatic plunge. Senior Sister left the Small Nether Realm yesterday? Wang Sheng could still feel the primal qi waves surging. Seeing the forest below bend and sway from the aftershock, his urgency actually lessened. She probably had important matters to attend to. I'll just ask Senior Sister Shen about it later. He looked at the small house nestled in the forest, swaying gently in the wind. For more chapters visit NoveI(F)ire.net Wang Sheng raised an eyebrow, made Flying Haze descend, and extended his left hand. He pointed his five fingers downward, enveloping the little house with a dark-golden sphere of light. Afterward, he pushed open the slightly ajar wooden door and stepped inside. Senior Sister probably lived here in solitude for over a decade… He sighed softly, a trace of guilt showing in his eyes. The room was cramped and simple. In one corner was a small bed, with books filled with little cartoon figures stacked at its head and foot. More had been crammed under the bed and the large bookshelf that occupied nearly half the room. The scholarly aura here was overwhelming. Even in the Small Nether Realm, despite the lack of internet or electricity, his senior sister hadn't given up on "studying." Her perseverance made Wang Sheng completely speechless. Soon, Wang Sheng smiled. Behind a bookshelf, he spotted one of his old belongings: a framed Flowing Celestial Robe hanging on the wall. He gently moved the shelf aside, took the robe down, and slipped it over him. Noticing a dressing table, he floated over to it with his hands behind his back. He tied his hair, not bothering to insert a Daoist hairpin. As his fingers brushed over a stack of white paper, he saw characters that Mu Wanxuan had written with a brush. It seemed she had copied several Daoist scriptures and various writings on yin and yang. Flipping to the pages beneath, he found line after line of his name. His heart stirred deeply. Turning around, he saw that the wind outside had died down. Though the primal qi surge had been fierce, it had already dispersed and spread throughout the Small Nether Realm. He opened the door. Just as he was about to take flight, Lady Meng slowly descended from the sky and offered a respectful bow. Wang Sheng earnestly returned the courtesy. He remembered Yaoyun mentioning that Lady Meng was Shen Qianlin, yet not quite. Given enough time, she would one day truly become Shen Qianlin once more. "Righteous One, where is Yaoyun Her Majesty?" Wang Sheng lifted Spiritless. Lady Meng frowned slightly, then nodded faintly. "So that's how she ensured you two would survive." Wang Sheng nodded and smiled. "Yaoyun told me that if you keep cultivating, it won't be long before you break free from that state." Lady Meng's expression briefly brightened. She then sighed softly. "Have you seen my senior sister?" Wang Sheng asked proactively. "Do you know where she went?" Lady Meng replied, "The Small Nether Realm recently became unstable since the seal was on the verge of breaking. I was afraid that she would be harmed if she stayed here, so I found an excuse to send her away. She is now waiting at the Hidden Earth Sect. You need not worry." Wang Sheng's spirit was immediately lifted. Before he could say anything, Lady Meng politely offered, "Allow me to take you to her." Lady Meng's respect for Wang Sheng stemmed from his fearless leap earlier. Without hesitation, she enveloped him in immortal power. She flew swiftly through the Eighteen Levels of Hell and crossed the dim skies of the Small Nether Realm. "Senior Sister, is this realm located near Earth's crust?" Wang Sheng asked. "The Small Nether Realm exists within this world, yet remains hidden from it. Only the Nether Gate allows passage between the realms of the dead and the living," Lady Meng explained briefly. "Ziwei Emperor's might and wisdom are beyond our comprehension." Wang Sheng nodded. For some reason, he was beginning to feel nervous. They landed near the Nether Gate. Looking at the ancient stone archway before him, Wang Sheng sighed quietly. The past decade went by in a blink. Who knows what's waiting for me outside? Well, it doesn't really matter since Senior Sister's out there. As Lady Meng enveloped him with enchanted power, Wang Sheng turned and bowed to her. "Take care, Senior Sister. If anything comes up, have the Hidden Earth Sect contact me." He turned around and exited the Nether Gate. The moment he moved his foot into its portal, swirling lights and illusions flooded his vision. Is this some kind of Heaven-Earth Displacement Technique? Once his vision cleared, he found himself standing on the edge of a cliff. A gentle breeze brushed past, carrying with it a faint whisper of wind. Before him stood the people of the Hidden Earth Sect, gathered in alarm over the turmoil in the Small Nether Realm. Most of them now stared at Wang Sheng as if they had seen a ghost. Only three or four young disciples had no idea who he was. Wang Sheng scanned the crowd. Behind the others, he saw a graceful woman in a pale-white gown embroidered with lotus blossoms. He instinctively stepped forward, then abruptly stopped. Finally, he had reunited with Mu Wanxuan, the one he had longed for, dreamed of, and waited thirteen years to see. Mu Wanxuan's eyes widened. She bit her lower lip as her delicate eyebrows curved. Tears welled up in her eyes. Only by looking at you do I know the warmth and cold of my heart. Only by reuniting with you do I understand the sorrow of parting. In that moment, on the cliff beneath the heavens, the two locked gazes with each other as though no one else existed in their world. They remained completely silent, yet somehow, they knew exactly what each other wanted to say. Wang Sheng's gaze softened, the restlessness in his heart fading away. Mu Wanxuan tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as her eyes filled with quiet excitement. He wanted to walk up to her, stand in front of her, and tell her that he had returned and would never leave again. However, as soon as he took a step forward… "Oh shit! It's a ghost! Daoist Master Wang's spirit just burst out of the Nether Realm!" "Quick, bring the talismans! Get the ghost-collecting jar! Don't harm him!" "What nonsense are you idiots spouting?! That's Daoist Master Wang in the flesh! He's alive!"