Chapter 90: Soul Loss, Brain Damage

“Initially, I planned to use gentler methods to obtain the information, but now it’s no longer possible.” 

Lin Fanyun thought of the ascenders captured by Chonglang and Jinghun, knowing that they would resort to extreme measures to extract the coordinates.

With a grasp in the air, he lifted Wang Luo and descended ten thousand meters underground, casually creating a small cave. Lin Fanyun placed his hand on Wang Luo’s head.

Divine Technique: Body Manipulation.

At the True Core stage, merely by touching someone, Zhang Shen could clearly understand their physical condition. Now, having reached the Law Manifestation stage, this ability had become even more formidable.

He effortlessly breached the protective mechanisms of Wang Luo’s brain, extracting his entire life’s memories from his mind.

However, much like the soul-searching techniques commonly used by martial cultivators which had side effects, this forceful method of memory extraction also had its repercussions.

The former resulted in soul loss, while the latter caused brain damage.

If he could have obtained the information in a gentler manner, Lin Fanyun wouldn’t have used this method.

Unfortunately, time was pressing.

Wang Luo, still unconscious, convulsed, his limbs twisted, and he foamed at the mouth. Eventually, as Lin Fanyun extracted a ball of light from his head, he calmed down, though his aura weakened significantly. It was uncertain whether the brain damage would render him an idiot in the future.

Lin Fanyun played with the memory orb in his hand and reviewed Wang Luo’s life.

Naturally, he wasn’t interested in watching the entire memory. He directly sought out the point when Wang Luo arrived at the True Martial Continent.

“This place is… Mount Wanqiu.”

Lin Fanyun carefully identified the location and cross-referenced it with the True Martial Continent’s map.

“However, Wang Luo and his group arrived over two months ago. Given the drifting speed of these blessed lands and heavenly grottos, their precise location must have shifted, but it shouldn’t be too far.”

At this moment, Lin Fanyun noticed something.

“Who are these people?”

In Wang Luo’s memories, he saw a few individuals who hadn’t appeared at the recent ascender gathering.

His eyes narrowed, and he continued to investigate. He found no information about their deaths in Wang Luo’s memories.

“Could there be other ascenders still alive out there? Were they cautious enough not to attend the ascender gathering? Maybe they’ve abandoned all ways to be contacted and are hiding carefully. Or perhaps they’ve already been captured by the martial artists of the True Martial Continent?”

The latter possibility didn’t concern him, but if it were the former, things could get interesting.

Lin Fanyun pondered silently and then, carrying the unconscious Wang Luo, returned to his temporary cave in the Luofeng Sect.

In the following days, Lin Fanyun continued to monitor the activities of the Luofeng Sect, and everything seemed calm. Clearly, the Luofeng Sect was still unaware of the ascenders’ presence. It was evident that Chonglang and Jinghun intended to keep the secret to themselves.

But then, a piece of news spread like wildfire.

“What? Ascenders have appeared?”

“A new world has emerged?”

“Someone already has control over the ascenders?”

“Someone’s trying to hog all the benefits?”

“Damn, the coordinates of the ascenders have been exposed?”

Suddenly, what was once a secret was now known to everyone. The entire population of the True Martial Continent was in an uproar. The three nations and seven sects took this matter very seriously, especially upon hearing that someone had already captured the ascenders. They immediately turned their attention to the other nine major forces.

Upon investigation, they discovered that the Langtao Sect and Jianyue Sect had been quietly gathering their forces recently. There were even signs of activity from these two sects near Mount Wanqiu.

In an instant, the other eight major forces were filled with resentment. 

So, it was you two betraying the collective, trying to hog everything? Are we not still brothers in arms?

No words needed, the patriarchs of the eight major forces all took action, demanding a share from the Langtao Sect and Jianyue Sect. Although the coordinates of the passage had already been exposed and it was only a matter of time before it was found, no one knew what the world beyond the passage was like. 

At this moment, the two sects with control over the ascenders were valuable sources of information.

Knowing a little more could mean gaining a significant advantage.

Unable to withstand the pressure from the other eight sects, the Langtao Sect and Jianyue Sect reluctantly shared the information they had obtained. They did this after suffering losses.

“A world with only up to the True Core stage?”

“The territory is vast, much larger than the True Martial Continent, with abundant resources, but its heritage is far inferior to the True Martial Continent.”

“A great place, indeed!”

“In that case, let’s act quickly.”

“When the time comes, everyone will divide the territory and not interfere with each other. How much you can get before the passage drifts into the mist depends on your own abilities.”

The ten major forces reached a consensus and jointly sealed off the Mount Wanqiu area, preventing other forces and rogue cultivators from joining in. Only the two Law Manifestation stage rogue cultivators managed to squeeze in through sheer strength. Everyone else was excluded.

Complaints and grievances boiled over throughout the True Martial Continent, but no one had the power to oppose the united ten major forces. Even the two Law Manifestation stage rogue cultivators, after securing a piece of the pie, did not consider bringing others along.

While the feathered race was engulfed in excitement, actively preparing for the impending plunder, Lin Fanyun fell into deep thought.

“A small blessed land with a maximum of only True Core and a broken heritage?”

This sort of thing wasn’t uncommon. When martial artists died, their blessed lands and heavenly grottos drifted through space. If no new strong individuals were born within these realms, they suffered damage from calamities over the long years. Their area shrunk, and their spiritual energy concentration decreased.

Moreover, these blessed lands and heavenly grottos were the private domains of powerful individuals. They stored their inheritances and resources there. However, they didn’t necessarily pass on their knowledge to the inhabitants.

Therefore, the fact that the people within these blessed lands didn’t have high cultivation levels didn’t mean there weren’t powerful inheritances hidden there. It might simply be that they hadn’t received them.

But there was a problem.

“I didn’t disclose the existence of the ascenders, and Chonglang and Jinghun definitely wouldn’t. That leaves only those few ascenders who escaped. But why would they publicize this news? Having a few people from their world causing trouble is one thing, but the entire True Martial Continent’s powerhouses causing trouble is a completely different level of destruction. Don’t they have family and friends in their original world? Do they not care about their survival? Most importantly, what benefit do they gain by making this widely known?”

Lin Fanyun was deeply puzzled, sensing a huge conspiracy behind it all.

Some within the ten major forces had similar doubts, but having never seen a Law Manifestation stage expert, they believed that their strength could overcome any plot or scheme.

However, Lin Fanyun, with his complete inheritance and understanding of these worlds’ true nature, felt a strong sense of foreboding.

No matter how weak these worlds might appear, they were still created by at least demi-god experts, so they could contain any number of unknown dangers.

“If the purpose of those still-free ascenders is to lure them into that world, then it becomes very intriguing.” 

A gleam of insight flashed in Lin Fanyun’s eyes.

There was no relevant information in Wang Luo’s memory, but just because Wang Luo didn’t have it didn’t mean the other ascenders didn’t.

And as for Wang Luo? Unfortunately, the brain damage had turned him into an idiot, an idiot with the cultivation of a True Core stage fourth layer.

Lin Fanyun didn’t kill him.

A True Core stage fourth-layer expert was still valuable, even if he became an idiot. Killing him would be a waste.

Better to enslave him.

Moreover, while the chances of Wang Luo recovering on his own were slim, Lin Fanyun could easily restore him. But that would come after he was fully subjugated.

Deciding to act immediately, Lin Fanyun grabbed the dazed Wang Luo and pulled out his soul. He stripped off a strand and sealed it in a Soul Nourishing Wood.

With this strand of his soul, Wang Luo’s life and death would be under Lin Fanyun’s control. But with his already damaged brain now further harmed, Wang Luo became even more of an idiot, drooling uncontrollably.

With a flick, Lin Fanyun shot a pill into Wang Luo’s mouth.

The moment the pill touched his tongue, it melted and turned into a sweet stream that flowed into his stomach. The medicinal power activated, repairing Wang Luo’s injuries.

“In about half a month, his injuries should be fully healed. I hope he’s sensible enough to serve me obediently. If not, I’ll have to dispose of him.”

Lin Fanyun popped a Law Manifestation-grade spiritual fruit into his mouth, chewing and swallowing it. Now that he was aware of the potential risks behind the portal, he aimed to strengthen himself as much as possible before venturing through.

“I’m only 5% away from reaching Law Manifestation third layer. A little more effort should do it.”

Seeing his experience bar at 115%/120%, Lin Fanyun felt motivated. With both his and his true body’s efforts, he believed it was achievable.

However, something unexpected happened.

Outside Luofeng Sect, a middle-aged man hesitated before making a determined decision to approach the sect’s barrier.

“Ye Xiaoshu, I didn’t expect you to come here.”

The rugged man was startled. He didn’t recognize the voice, but the speaker knew his real name. Instinctively, he wanted to flee, but he forced himself to stay, realizing that someone who could approach him undetected wasn’t someone he could easily escape from.

Following the voice, Ye Xiaoshu saw a weathered-looking man watching him with amusement.

Lin Fanyun was genuinely surprised. He hadn’t expected one of the ascenders from Wang Luo’s memories to show up at Luofeng Sect, practically walking into his hands.

Despite his rugged appearance, Lin Fanyun saw through Ye Xiaoshu’s disguise, recognizing him as a handsome young man who looked eighteen but was actually thirty. With a cultivation level of the fifth layer Innate Stage, he was quite talented, especially in Wang Luo’s world, where inheritance seemed lacking.

“Ye Xiaoshu, one of the two most intriguing individuals in Wang Luo’s memories.”

Lin Fanyun’s eyes gleamed. By now, Ye Xiaoshu had composed himself. He saw Lin Fanyun had no intention of attacking him. He quickly cupped his hands in respect.

“Junior Ye Xiaoshu greets Senior.”

Ye Xiaoshu shed his disguise. He was cautious, sensing Lin Fanyun’s overwhelming presence. Though he could see Lin Fanyun, his senses detected nothing, yet he felt an instinctive fear, a testament to Lin Fanyun’s power. 

This ability to sense danger was Ye Xiaoshu’s innate talent, his survival skill from his original world.

Sweat dripped from his forehead as he stood there, anxious. This feeling of dread was second only to his experience in a hidden land, confirming that the person before him was an extraordinary powerhouse. Adopting a respectful and compliant demeanor, Ye Xiaoshu showed his understanding of the situation.