The gray cauldron shimmered with a hazy spiritual glow.
Nine fire dragons, exuding an aura capable of swallowing everything, glared intently at a sealed compartment within the cauldron.
Furthermore, Luo Chen, seated cross-legged on the ground, was on high alert as if facing a mortal foe. His magic power was drawn up to its absolute peak, and a green flame enshrouded his right hand, poised to strike with cataclysmic force at any second.
Outside his sea of consciousness, a black weiqi stone emanated a misty, dark aura, wrapping his spiritual mind in an ironclad defense.
His eyes, fixed unblinkingly on the Hunyuan Cauldron, blazed with spiritual light. Flowers in mirrors and moons in water rose and fell in rapid succession, lights and shadows flickering unpredictably.
Though no wind blew, the hems of his robes billowed and snapped.
Such a spectacle truly lived up to the phrase "quite an array" that the aged voice inside the cauldron had uttered!
One could only imagine how terrifying it would be should Luo Chen suddenly unleash his fury.
Above all else!
His presumed enemy—Han Zhan—was trapped squarely within the spatial compartment of his own natal magic treasure.
Timing, terrain, and interpersonal harmony were all firmly held in Luo Chen's hands alone. Even though Han Zhan had once been an exalted Nascent Soul True Person, at this moment, he had no choice but to bow his head.
Hearing Han Zhan's wry chuckle, Luo Chen did not lower his guard in the slightest.
Or rather, when dealing with any Nascent Soul True Person, one could never afford to let down their guard.
He replied coolly, "It is not that Luo is making a mountain out of a molehill, but rather an act of sheer necessity. I ask for Senior Han's understanding."
A brief silence lingered within the cauldron.
Then came a helpless sigh.
"This old man can understand."
Indeed, their current situation was a complete reversal from the days of the Pioneering War.
Yet Luo Chen did not hold an absolute suppression in cultivation realm.
Under such circumstances, no amount of caution could be considered excessive.
Had Han Zhan been in his shoes, he would likely have done the same.
In fact, he felt a measure of admiration for the young man's meticulous prudence.
Han Zhan let out an emotional sigh, his tone seemingly turning frank and calm.
"This old man is now reduced to a mere remnant soul. Even if one cannot strictly call me helpless, my capabilities are truly limited. After escaping by the skin of your teeth, you did not slaughter me on the spot to eliminate future troubles; that alone reveals your true character.
"So then, how do you intend to dispose of this old man now?"
How to dispose of him?
This time, it was Luo Chen's turn to fall silent.
When it came to Han Zhan, Luo Chen's feelings were complicated.
Ever since he had transmigrated, this was a legendary figure whose name had constantly echoed in his ears.
The most outstanding genius in the history of the Jade Cauldron Domain, his cultivation speed was astonishing and his combat prowess so peerless that he surpassed even Ren Pingsheng, the foremost Golden Core cultivator of the Sword Sect.
At barely two hundred years old, relying on formidable might, he had compelled Cheng Yan of the Luoyun Sect to voluntarily step down and yield his position, thereby ascending to Supreme Elder of an entire sect!
Following that, at a little over three hundred years of age, he had quietly condensed his Nascent Soul, achieving the grand milestone of cultivators and stepping into the realm of a True Person.
Originally, there was no intersection between them.
Yet out of a fleeting spark of kindness, Luo Chen had rescued his grandson, Han Zheng, thereby catching the elder's eye.
During that period, although they had never met, Han Zhan had extended considerable goodwill toward him on account of that deed.
Whether it was the battle of Incense Valley that annihilated the Yan Alliance, or the time Qu Xibai of the Luoyun Sect took the initiative to unseal the spiritual vein restrictions of Tianlan Immortal City when Luo Chen formed his core, the goodwill shown by the other party was unmistakable.
After the Pioneering War broke out, there had even been an occasion where Han Zhan personally stepped in to rescue Luo Chen.
It was precisely because of such matters that, even if courtesies had been exchanged back and forth and Luo Chen felt he owed the man nothing, he still harbored an exceptionally good impression of Han Zhan.
That was why, when Han Zhan was drawing his last breaths, Luo Chen had not taken advantage of his peril or kicked him while he was down.
But now?
If the man were still an aloof Nascent Soul True Person, Luo Chen could have interacted with him smoothly and naturally, like a fish in water.
For no other reason than pure familiarity!
Throughout his life, Luo Chen had grown exceedingly adept at dealing with those in power.
If the other party had fallen into the dust while Luo Chen had risen, completely reversing their statuses, that would not have posed much of a problem either.
After all, over the years, Luo Chen's art of managing subordinates had been honed to great effect.
Yet right now, the situation was terribly awkward.
Control him?
Luo Chen believed that among Golden Core cultivators, his methods were by no means weak; even if a late Golden Core great cultivator moved against him in person, he had a shred of confidence in his ability to preserve his own life.
Yet before a Nascent Soul True Person, even one reduced to a mere remnant soul, he dared not grow complacent.
If he suffered a backlash, it would be a laughingstock.
Kill him?
Luo Chen could not bring his conscience to cross that hurdle.
Release him?
Luo Chen also felt it would be a pity—the man had dwelled inside the Hunyuan Cauldron for nearly four years without paying a speck of rent.
Over these past four years, he had contemplated how to handle Han Zhan more than once.
Yet no matter how many contingency plans he drafted in his mind, they all seemed pale and feeble once a Nascent Soul cultivator actually awoke.
The natural suppression of realms prevented Luo Chen from broaching those plans easily.
A heavy silence permeated the cultivation room.
The aged voice spoke up once more.
"Luo Chen, you are hesitating.
"Heh.
"From the looks of it, you truly possess a measure of the gentlemanly demeanor spoken of in rumors, refusing to strike someone when they are down."
Luo Chen lifted his eyelids and said calmly, "Why must Senior Han flatter me? If I were a true gentleman, I would have set you free long ago in an open and forthright manner."
"Heh..." Han Zhan gave a soft laugh. "A gentleman is judged by his deeds, not his private thoughts. Be it a hypocrite or a candid rogue, what matters in the end is always the outcome. If the outcome is that I am alive and free, then regardless of what you did along the way, when the tale spreads abroad, it will only be remembered as a heartwarming story of us supporting each other to escape Mount Cangwu. Little friend, what do you think?"
The final outcome!
Luo Chen's gaze sharpened, as though piercing through the thick barriers of the gray cauldron to see right through the small black wooden figure inside that spatial pocket.
"Senior wishes to live, and to live freely?"
Han Zhan offered a self-deprecating smile. "Between life and death lies great terror. Having barely survived that wisp of Nirvana Holy Fire, I cherish my life all the more. Forgive me for showing you such an unsightly side."
Luo Chen resonated deeply with those words.
Back when he was struggling under Mi Shuhua, had he not longed to live freely as well?
To that end, he had even secretly dug tunnels, constantly ready to run for his life.
Yet it was precisely because he understood that he grew even more cautious—a person who desperately wished to live freely was extraordinarily dangerous!
Seeing that Luo Chen fell silent again, Han Zhan seemed disinclined to beat around the bush any further and cut straight to the chase.
"Let us talk terms!
"What exactly will it take for you to let this old man out of the cauldron?"
The other party's choice to lay everything bare actually spared Luo Chen his internal hesitations.
His expression turned grave, and he confessed candidly, "Fellow Daoist surely understands best what Luo is wary of."
"Are you afraid this old man will secretly harm you?"
"Precisely. Senior's methods are mysterious and unpredictable, nearly impossible to guard against. You deceived even the Thunder Prison Divine Peng, faking your death to survive. I once believed you were completely helpless, yet beneath the Nirvana Holy Fire, you unleashed tremendous power. Though you appear to be nothing more than a remnant soul now, ancient legends say that when supreme figures perish, even a single drop of blood can taint the heavens. With a wisp of your soul intact, who is to say you cannot unleash the techniques of a True Person?"
"You are very prudent, which I can understand. However, this time, you truly worry too much."
"Planning ahead for all eventualities leaves no room for 'worrying too much.'"
"How about establishing a covenant? Luo Chen, you founded the Luotian Alliance before, so you should have spare talisman contracts. Alternatively, I possess a blood contract art that requires only the essence blood of us both to take effect."
"Not enough. Its binding power is far too weak."
"Then what do you want?"
"I want a Great Dao oath!" Luo Chen declared categorically.
Han Zhan seemed to have anticipated this, countering with a question: "Will you swear an equivalent Great Dao oath in return?"
Luo Chen refused. "I will not. Furthermore, your oath must stipulate that you may never attack me for the rest of your life, nor may you borrow another's blade to kill me, or anything of the sort."
"The rest of my life..." Han Zhan murmured softly, before giving a bitter laugh. "That is too long. You know very well that for us cultivators, the higher our realm, the closer we are to the Great Dao. The oaths we swear to the Great Dao take effect with far greater potency. The phrase 'for the rest of my life' is a shackle; I fear that once I swear such an oath, I will never be able to advance for the remainder of my days."
At this point, he paused, then remarked with deep emotion:
"Luo Chen, do not be fooled by me calling myself 'this old man' at every turn. In truth, I am barely four hundred years old right now, which counts as young and promising among Nascent Soul cultivators. That Soul Formation realm is something I yearn for dearly!"
Han Zhan had formed his Nascent Soul at three hundred years old. Between the Jade Cauldron Civil War and the Pioneering War, a little over a century had passed, making him around four hundred today.
He truly was very young!
However, Luo Chen caught a different piece of information embedded in those words.
"Senior Han is currently reduced to a single remnant soul, yet you still dream of the Soul Formation realm. Could it be that you possess a method to reshape your physical form, recall your soul, and resume cultivating the Great Dao?"
Han Zhan froze momentarily. He had not expected Luo Chen's senses to be so acute.
Yet being meat on the chopping block, there was no point in concealing it.
"Others might not be able to, but proficient as I am in the Dao of puppetry, I do indeed possess a corresponding secret art."
Having said that, he suddenly realized something as well.
"You will not kill me, nor will you release me. From the looks of it, Luo Chen, you harbor designs on me too!
"Let me think... What could this old man have that you covet?"
Without waiting for Luo Chen to object, Han Zhan rambled on:
"This old man's storage belt was confiscated by the beast cultivators of Mount Cangwu long ago, leaving me utterly destitute.
"This Yin-Polar puppet was quite extraordinary, but beneath the Nirvana Holy Fire, it was reduced to ashes, not even worth mentioning.
"Thinking about it this way, what you desire is nothing other than the things stored inside this old man's head.
"Cultivation methods, secret arts, puppet crafting techniques, pill recipes, formation diagrams... or perhaps, this very method of mine to reshape the physical form, recall the soul, and resume cultivating the Great Dao?
"Luo Chen, do you think my assessment is correct?"
Luo Chen blinked, not feeling awkward or irritated at having his thoughts laid bare.
Negotiating terms was precisely about gradually revealing each other's bottom lines.
He stated clearly, "Is Senior's four centuries of experience and insight not a treasure far more precious than any of the things you just listed?"
Han Zhan gave a hearty laugh. "In that case, why don't you and I each take a step back?"
"How shall we step back?"
"I can swear a Great Dao oath, but the duration must be capped within a certain timeframe—for instance, until you condense your Nascent Soul and ascend to become a True Person of your generation. By that time, you will surely possess ample means of self-preservation and will no longer fear me. In return, so long as it does not violate my personal principles, I will do everything in my power to assist you in forming your Nascent Soul. Naturally, throughout this process, you must assist me in gathering the necessary materials so that I may continue along my Great Dao in the future."
Having listened to this proposal, Luo Chen sank into deep contemplation.
He had to admit, this was the most ideal scenario!
Throughout his journey in this life, though he had been aided by good friends and supported by Dao companions, he had always lacked the guidance of a so-called "enlightened master."
If Han Zhan were willing to assist him whole-heartedly, the help would be immense.
And the price Luo Chen had to pay would not be too steep.
A Great Dao oath held ordinary binding power over low-level cultivators, but it was exceptionally potent for high-level cultivators.
In particular, Han Zhan's current state was akin to an unclothed child; the moment he breached the promise, the backlash of the oath would strike him dead on the spot.
Suddenly, Luo Chen spoke with resolute clarity.
"Deal!"
The moment those two words were uttered, the stifling air seemed to loosen slightly.
However, it was only "seemed."
After a long while, an amused curse finally drifted out from the cauldron.
"You slippery boy, to think you are cautious to such an extreme."
The corner of Luo Chen's mouth twitched. "I must ask Senior to swear the oath first; junior will release Senior immediately thereafter."
"Fine!
"I, the cultivator Han Zhan, hereby swear to assist Fellow Daoist Luo Chen with all my heart and might... This oath is witnessed by the Great Dao! Should I violate it, may five thunders strike me down, inner demons consume me, and my soul sink into the Avici hell, forever lost to the cycle of reincarnation!"
Word by word, sentence by sentence, it was delivered as solemnly as sealing a covenant.
Luo Chen listened intently, ensuring there were no excessive loopholes or word games within.
Gradually... as the four words "witnessed by the Great Dao" left Han Zhan's lips, an ethereal connection was established between Luo Chen and Han Zhan.
To Luo Chen, it felt like a gentle breeze brushing against his face, barely perceptible.
To Han Zhan, however, it was like golden locks intertwining and a wooden cangue clamping down upon his neck.
With that, the oath was forged.
Luo Chen exhaled a long breath of relief.
The spiritual radiance in his eyes faded, and the green flame in his hand vanished.
Inhaling deeply, the nine fire dragons flew back into his mouth.
Finally, with a flourish of his broad sleeve, the cauldron hummed, and a streak of black light shot out.
Before any pleasantries could be exchanged, the black light wobbled and crashed straight to the floor.
*Crack, snap...*
Luo Chen focused his gaze. The black wood forming the puppet figure had already charred like charcoal and shattered into pieces, leaving behind only a faintly translucent phantom figure looking at Luo Chen with a wry smile.
"Little friend, it seems you will have to trouble yourself to find a lodging for me first."
Luo Chen was rendered speechless.
After all this fuss, that had been the real reason why the man had rested inside the cauldron for four years and was ultimately forced to wake up!
Observing his state, Luo Chen's heart stirred.
Reaching out, he summoned a long banner into his hand.
"Senior, please enter this banner!"
Seeing the banner, Han Zhan was both shocked and enraged.
"We just settled our terms, and now you want to refine me into the demon fiend of a soul banner? Luo Chen, you go too far!"
No wonder he was so furious.
When it came to entering a demonic banner, there was a crucial distinction.
The distinction lay between living souls and dead souls!
Those who died unjustly harbored dense resentment that did not dissipate after death, leaving their divine souls lingering in the mortal world—these were dead souls. If refined, such entities became bona fide treasures of the demonic path, unpredictable in combat, endlessly mutable, and exceedingly practical.
A living soul, on the other hand, belonged to a cultivator of achieved attainment; even if their physical body was destroyed, they retained full consciousness and could even possess another body to resume cultivation.
If such an existence entered a demonic banner filled with accumulated death energy, ghostly qi, grievances, and yin energy, then even a living soul would gradually turn into a dead soul over time, completely cutting off any hope of returning to the orthodox path of cultivation.
Han Zhan's current state was precisely that of a living soul whose physical form had unfortunately been destroyed despite his accomplished attainment.
Facing his fury, Luo Chen chuckled.
"Senior, do not be angry. I have a method here; please listen to the details."
While Han Zhan remained half-doubting and half-believing, Luo Chen recited, word by word, a cultivation manual he had obtained in his early years.
*Secret Records of Ghosts and Spirits*.
Though it was a ghost cultivation manual, it encompassed the paths of both living souls and dead souls.
Not only that, it also contained Ghost Spirit Valley's understanding of utilizing spell formations to nurture and refine yin souls.
Back then, the reason Bai Meiling had been able to advance to a Rank 2 ghost general in just a few short years was precisely because she cultivated the *Secret Records of Ghosts and Spirits* and was aided by a Soul Nourishing Banner.
Luo Chen did not possess a Soul Nourishing Banner, but he had a Soul Refining Banner!
Given Han Zhan's prowess in spirit refinement, if he combined it with the *Secret Records of Ghosts and Spirits* to modify the banner slightly, would it not serve as an exceptional dwelling place?
Nurturing, employing, and refining were fundamentally one and the same!
After listening to Luo Chen's explanation, Han Zhan showed a look of hesitation.
"It does indeed hold some feasibility, though this old man will have to study it carefully."
As he spoke, he leaped forward and dove directly into the long banner.
Seeing this, the corners of Luo Chen's mouth curved upward uncontrollably.
This Ten Thousand Souls Banner had now welcomed a remnant soul at the Nascent Soul realm. If filled with lower-ranking souls, it would not only replicate the former might of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, but might even rival the legendary Hundred Thousand Fierce Souls Banner.
Most importantly!
It required no distraction on Luo Chen's part to control.
In this way, during battle, Luo Chen effectively gained a formidable helper out of thin air.
With Han Zhan's abilities, even if he could not unleash the full might of his peak Nascent Soul days, he would certainly surpass ordinary Golden Core cultivators.
"With this, I finally possess a shred of confidence to roam the Demon Sea!"
Chapter 536