Chapter 530: Methods to Save Rush

Ignoring everyone's shock, Zhang Xuan reached the roof and touched the mechanism. Then, his fingers moved like lightning, tapping the protruding rocks several times. Possessing this ability, he could easily spot flaws in mechanisms. Just like the crimson gold coffin, which was supposedly impenetrable, once its defects were found and exploited, breaking it open became very simple. This mechanism was no different.

A click! After several taps, a crisp sound echoed, and the rock slowly opened. Zhang Xuan moved and slipped inside.

It was a passage. Looking up, it was pitch black. There must have been another mechanism above, completely blocking the pool water from leaking down. He leaped forward, traveling several tens of meters, and sure enough, he saw a massive rock. He used the same method to open it, and the pool water immediately appeared before him. Just like when they arrived, there was a special mechanism here that allowed people to pass through, but prevented the pool water from flowing down.

"Amazing!" After a glance, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, realizing that this mechanism was no less intricate than a formation. As expected of a Heavenly Artificer, the techniques used in these mechanisms were truly profound enough that many people could study them for a lifetime and still not fully comprehend them.

After resting for a while, feeling that the energy consumed by his 'Red Dust Stepping on Heaven' technique had almost recovered, Zhang Xuan returned to the others. He found a rope from Luo Zhu and tied it inside the passage. With the rope as a guide, the others didn't hesitate and ascended one by one. They were all cultivators, unable to fly, but climbing ropes was simple for them. Following the pool water, they swam upwards and soon returned to the shore, feeling as if an eternity had passed, like waking from a dream. Although they hadn't been in the Witch Soul Tomb for long, they had experienced life and death, and despair. They never expected to emerge alive in the end.

"Thank you, Master Zhang!" After drying their clothes with true energy, Pavilion Master Sai and the others approached him, completely convinced and respectful. He truly was a Celestial Impartation Master. When encountering danger, he was indeed different from them, using his wisdom to forcibly reverse the situation and even take a Half-Saint Realm, 6-star Witch Soul Master as a servant. If they hadn't witnessed it themselves, they would never have believed it.

"You're too kind. Everyone has worked hard. Since we're not in a hurry to leave, why don't we rest here for the night and depart tomorrow?"

After the ordeal, night had fallen. Stars dotted the galaxy, bright and dazzling, and a crescent moon hung low over the mountain, giving a sense of peace and tranquility. A hazy autumn chill was in the air. The leaves on the trees were no longer as verdant as before, slowly turning yellow, and the mountain breeze carried a faint coolness.

"Alright!" Hearing that there was no rush to leave, everyone immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Although their time in the Witch Soul Tomb was short, they were mentally exhausted, more so than after a major battle. This was the lair of the Demonic Star Beast, so no foolish spirit beasts dared to cause trouble. The group lit a bonfire and brought out their prepared food. Before long, the aroma of roasted meat filled the air.

"Teacher, what's on your neck?" Zhang Xuan was also ravenous. He had just started eating when Wang Ying walked over, looking at him with a puzzled expression.

"My neck?" He paused, then saw her hand him a bronze mirror. He looked into it and saw a slightly grayish-blue mark near his chin.

"Oh, it's just from Little Mo's witch soul qi. Don't worry, it should fade away soon!" Back in the Witch Soul Tomb, to lure Mo Hun-sheng, he had used the Dragon Scale Amulet to injure him and willingly allowed himself to be captured. The mark must have been left then. It wasn't serious; if one didn't look closely, it wouldn't be noticeable at all. It was only due to Wang Ying's extreme meticulousness that she noticed it. Witch Soul Masters and humans are two different forms of life. It was perfectly normal for such a powerful being to leave a mark upon contact, and it should gradually disappear before long.

"That's good!" Seeing that it wasn't a major issue, Wang Ying breathed a sigh of relief.

"You and Zhao Ya bring Lu Chong over. I'm going to research some things!" Zhang Xuan instructed. Lu Chong hadn't been with the group; he had been placed on Zhao Feiwu's spirit beast's back. Now that the Demonic Star Beast had been subdued and posed no threat, it was time to bring him over.

"Yes!" Knowing her teacher's desire to save Lu Chong, Wang Ying nodded.

After arranging everything, Zhang Xuan walked into the Demonic Star Beast's cave. The cave was spacious and clean. Finding a quiet spot, he willed it, and the Nine-Heart Lotus appeared. He hadn't observed it carefully underground earlier, so now was the perfect time to study it and, while he was at it, interrogate Mo Hun-sheng about methods to revive Lu Chong.

"Master!" Upon leaving the storage ring, Mo Hun-sheng immediately realized he was no longer underground, and his voice was filled with excitement. After being trapped for tens of thousands of years, he could finally see the outside world again. His excitement was immense. Therefore, that 'Master' came out willingly, with no hint of embarrassment.

"I want to know if you have a way to awaken someone whose soul is in slumber!" Zhang Xuan looked at him with a serious expression.

"Someone whose soul is in slumber?" Mo Hun-sheng paused, then said, "For a soul in slumber, it's not complicated; you just need your soul to enter their body and awaken them!"

Zhang Xuan was stunned. He had heard of this method before, but as a martial artist, his soul couldn't leave his body, so he had to give up. However... things were different now. Having cultivated the Heaven's Path Soul Guiding Art, he could now make his soul leave his body and fully enter another's to awaken them.

"Yes, but it's somewhat similar to soul possession. A slight mistake can easily lead to a 'possession decline'." With the soul contract, Mo Hun-sheng dared not hide anything. "A soul entering another's body is already similar to soul possession. If you can awaken them, that's good. But if you can't, it's easy to suffer a 'possession decline,' causing your own strength to plummet."

"The most crucial point is... if you fail to awaken them, and your soul enters their body, there's a risk their body might recognize you as its master. If that happens, it would be impossible for them to ever regain consciousness!" Mo Hun-sheng hesitated, saying, "After all, a soul capable of entering another's body must be incredibly powerful. The person whose soul is in slumber is definitely very weak, and their body, having been without soul nourishment for a long time, could easily mistake you as its master. If that happens, not only will you fail to save them, but you'll also end up killing them!"

A soul only falls into slumber after sustaining severe damage. In this state, the soul's power is extremely weak. If a powerful soul enters the body to awaken it, it's best if it succeeds. If not, it's easy for the powerful soul to usurp the body, making revival for the original owner virtually hopeless.

"Is there any way to avoid that?" Zhang Xuan's face darkened, and he clenched his fists. Since he was going to act, he naturally had to be 100% sure he could bring the person back to life. If he failed to cure them and instead caused their death, how could his conscience ever be at peace? After all, Lu Chong had died for him. If he couldn't cure him, he would be unworthy of being a teacher!

"Avoid it? Unless the other person's soul becomes resilient and powerful enough to control their physical body even if the awakening fails, preventing soul possession!" Mo Hun-sheng continued, "The best method is to use Awakening Soul Grass to refine it into Awakening Soul Incense, then light it in front of them and let them absorb it. At that point, the chances of a successful awakening will be much higher!"

"Awakening Soul Grass?" Zhang Xuan frowned. As an alchemist, he had read many books on medicinal ingredients, but he had never heard of this particular one.

"Awakening Soul Grass isn't a plant. It's a special item that can only be cultivated by Witch Soul Masters who nourish it with their souls!" Mo Hun-sheng explained.

"How long does it take to cultivate one?" Zhang Xuan asked. If it took too long, he might need to consider other methods.

"Not long, a month is enough! It's just... I'm currently trapped here, my soul can't leave, so I have no way to cultivate it..." Mo Hun-sheng said with a bitter smile. He was trapped within the Nine-Heart Lotus and couldn't escape. Even if he had the will, he lacked the ability.

"Any Witch Soul Master can cultivate it?" Zhang Xuan asked, not responding to his words.

"Yes, any Witch Soul Master who has successfully guided their soul can cultivate it. The method is very simple; I can tell you now!" Mo Hun-sheng replied.

"Alright, tell me the method!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand, his expression calm.

"Very well!" Mo Hun-sheng responded, then began to speak. He quickly explained the cultivation method for Awakening Soul Grass. As he had said, Awakening Soul Grass was not a specific plant but an item requiring soul cultivation. Only through this could it resonate with a soul and achieve the purpose of awakening it.

"You're not thinking of... cultivating the Soul Guiding Art yourself and becoming a Witch Soul Master to cultivate it, are you?" Seeing his master jot down the cultivation method, Mo Hun-sheng reacted, full of disbelief.

"Yes!" Zhang Xuan nodded. Since this item was useful for Lu Chong, he indeed wanted to cultivate it himself.

"But you're a Celestial Impartation Master..." Mo Hun-sheng was startled. This master was a Celestial Impartation Master. With such talent, if he were to cultivate as a Witch Soul Master, it would be akin to abandoning his identity... Wasn't that too reckless?

"Don't worry," Zhang Xuan said calmly, "I've already modified the Soul Guiding Art. Even if soul guidance is successful, it won't affect my physical body, allowing me to achieve perfect integration of spirit and flesh!"

"Modified? Perfect integration of spirit and flesh?" Mo Hun-sheng, still inside the lotus, stared wide-eyed, his lips trembling, filled with disbelief. The Soul Guiding Art was a cultivation technique that Witch Soul Masters had practiced for countless ages, undergoing modifications by innumerable experts. No one in history had been able to achieve this, yet this person could modify it in just a few breaths and even achieve perfect integration of spirit and flesh? How was that possible!

As he was wondering and finding it impossible, he saw his master sit down cross-legged. With a slight shimmer, a translucent shadow appeared above him.

"Soul leaving the body?" His voice trembled. As a 6-star Witch Soul Master, he could clearly see that his master's soul had already left his physical body.

"Do you see me now?" While still in shock, he heard the voice of the other's soul. Master Zhang stood quietly before the lotus.

"I... I see you..." Mo Hun-sheng stammered, trembling.

Zhang Xuan nodded with satisfaction. It seemed that the soul, after leaving the body through the Heaven's Path Soul Guiding Art, was just like Heaven's Path True Energy: as long as he wished it, even a Witch Soul Master stronger than him wouldn't be able to perceive it. It could only be seen if he willed it to be seen.

Whoosh! Having confirmed it, Zhang Xuan willed it, and his soul returned to his physical body.

"Soul returned to its place, perfectly integrated without leakage, acupoints resonating, spirit and flesh united... You, you really modified the Soul Guiding Art?" Seeing Zhang Xuan's soul return to his body without any adverse effects, and instead, numerous acupoints subtly vibrating like a dragon's low roar, Mo Hun-sheng shrieked, seemingly on the verge of fainting from shock.