Chapter 644: Li Haoran's Nascent Soul

Originally, Mu Baiyi spared no thought as to who might be the reincarnation of Cult Master Qin. After all, given Qin Haoran’s abject destitution, what wealth could possibly remain in the inheritance he left behind?

Any item of value would have been sold off long ago; how could it have been preserved until now?

Furthermore, he could not bluntly disclose this state of affairs to the three Vice Cult Masters, for if they ever discovered the Nine Nether Cult was penniless, chaos would surely ensue.

Moreover, the three Vice Cult Masters possessed far deeper seniority than his own; if they wished to contend for Qin Haoran’s legacy, let them fight to their hearts' content, for whose hands it fell into had absolutely nothing to do with him.

Yet things were different now—the sheer, undeniable might of the Heavenly Court Cult stood manifest before them, meaning Qin Yanyan had to be the reincarnation, whether she truly was or not!

Gender posed no true obstacle, as no decree had ever ordained that one's sex must remain unchanged upon rebirth.

Besides, the Heavenly Court Cult commanded the Bean Heavenly Venerable and the Ancient Ancestor of the Phoenix Clan; such power far eclipsed that of the three Vice Cult Masters, ensuring that anyone they located would undoubtedly be the legitimate choice.

If they truly managed to discover the reincarnation of Cult Master Qin, nothing could be more splendid, as it would mark the very first instance confirming the absolute reality of samsara and rebirth!

For the Nine Nether Cult, no tidings could possibly be more auspicious.

The arduous toil they endured to construct Fengdu was precisely for the realization of this singular truth.

Seeing that no further useful information could be gleaned from Mu Baiyi, the Eldest Senior Sister voiced her farewell and straightway rose to depart.

"The actual purpose of the Nine Nether Cult diverges from our initial estimations."

"Very well."

The members of the Heavenly Court Cult took their leave one after another, allowing Mu Baiyi and his protectors to finally breathe a long sigh of relief.

"Initially, I presumed the objective behind founding the Nine Nether Cult mirrored that of the Immortal Cult, both established to condense the embryonic form of a Dao Fruit."

The Eldest Senior Sister acted with resolute swiftness, pursuing answers the moment they were sought, and immediately led the group toward the Fifth Peak.

Li Haoran stood as the most potent testament to the reality of 'samsara,' and possessing the memories of Qin Haoran, he boundly knew far more than Mu Baiyi ever could.

"Judging by the history of the Nine Nether Cult's founder, the 'Embryonic Reincarnation Dao Fruit' existed first, and the Nine Nether Cult was established only thereafter."

The stone doors of Li Haoran’s abode were tightly sealed, a layer of accumulated dust settling at the entrance, indicating he had been in secluded meditation for at least a month or more.

Cult Master Yun’s aura reigned so overwhelmingly potent that Mu Baiyi’s legs felt weak merely sitting across from her, to say nothing of the protectors standing arrayed behind him.

"He is preparing to break through to the Nascent Soul Stage," the Eldest Senior Sister remarked, her divine sense sweeping past to discern exactly what Li Haoran was engaged in within his chamber.

"That is well."

"We might as well question Junior Brother Li; as the ninth incarnation, his knowledge must surely surpass Mu Baiyi's," Lu Yang suggested.

From beginning to end, Mu Baiyi had scarce dared to breathe aloud, his heart perpetually suspended in trepidation, dreading that a single errant word might enrage these two ancient supreme beings.

A half-day’s span was but a fleeting instant to cultivators.

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou were already deeply entangled within the grand chessboard, so there was no harm in their knowing.

"Phew—they are finally gone."

The Eldest Senior Sister conjured a cloud, steering Lu Yang and the others back to the Dao-Seeking Sect, waiting until the four grand elders who had lent their imposing presence departed before beginning her analysis of the Nine Nether Cult's origins.

"In seclusion?"

Matters touching upon immortals carried grave peril; for the several elders to know would bring more harm than benefit, making ignorance the wiser path.

"Judging by the progression of his cultivation, he will break through to the Nascent Soul Stage in another half-day; we shall wait."

"Who was it, in the end, that managed to condense the 'Embryonic Reincarnation Dao Fruit'?"

"The breakthrough is imminent."

Perceiving a fluctuating aura emanating from the depths of the abode, alternating between strength and weakness, they recognized the unmistakable harbinger of entering the Nascent Soul Stage.

The aura of the dwelling rose and fell unpredictably, resembling a tempestuous, surging tsunami at one moment and a long-repressed volcano the next, awaiting only a single breach to violently erupt!

Boom—!

The very instant the aura reached its critical threshold, the latent power concealed within the Golden Core burst forth entirely, akin to a volcanic eruption, yet that dense, terrifying fiery energy failed to breach even the confines of the chamber!

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The abodes provided by the Dao-Seeking Sect to its disciples were of an exceedingly superior grade, naturally capable of containing the aura of shattering the core to form the soul.

Meng Jingzhou was an anomaly, for his display had been entirely intentional.

The terrifying fiery energy recoiled back into its master’s body, and with a thunderous rumble, the stone doors of the abode swung wide, bearing forth Li Haoran’s hearty laughter: "Hahaha, I have finally attained the Nascent Soul Stage!"

Then his gaze fell upon the Eldest Senior Sister and the others seated at his threshold, and his laughter ceased abruptly.

"G-Greetings, Eldest Senior Sister."

"Yes, greetings to you as well."

Caught entirely off guard by the Eldest Senior Sister’s sudden presence, Li Haoran found himself at a temporary loss for words.

"Stabilize your aura first; the period immediately following a breakthrough forbids excessive joy or grief."

"Oh, right, of course."

Li Haoran hastily sat cross-legged on the spot, silently reciting the Heart-Calming Incantation to steady his breath and regulate his internal humors.

When he opened his eyes once more, he was met squarely by the massive face of Meng Jingzhou, which gave him a tremendous fright.

"Senior Brother Meng, what are you doing? You scared the life out of me."

"Observing what manner of Nascent Soul you have condensed, to see if I might borrow it for my own use."

"And did your observations yield anything?"

"No."

The corner of Li Haoran’s mouth twitched; was this truly something that could be discerned merely by peering closer? He pushed Meng Jingzhou’s large face aside: "Step back a bit then, and I shall demonstrate it for you."

With the Eldest Senior Sister present, it was the perfect occasion to display his prowess.

Li Haoran summoned forth his Nascent Soul, its hue distinct from all ordinary souls, appearing as a crimson entity forged entirely of blazing fire.

"A Nascent Soul that has absorbed two distinct types of True Fire?" Both the Eldest Senior Sister and Jiang Lianyi had witnessed countless Nascent Souls; Jiang Lianyi especially, hailing from an ancient era teeming with geniuses, had seen every variety imaginable.

Excluding those of Lu Yang, Meng Jingzhou, and Man Gu.

"When a cultivator of the Fire Spiritual Root condenses a Nascent Soul, there is a probability it transforms into such an entity; because its entire form is composed of flame yet retains the likeness of an infant, the cultivation world commonly refers to it as..."

Lu Yang blurted out instinctively: "The Red Boy?"

The Eldest Senior Sister cast a sidelong glance at Lu Yang: "A Fire Infant."

"However, that is merely a matter of nomenclature; just as Junior Brother Meng’s Single Spiritual Root carries the alias of the Pure Yang Root, you may well style the Fire Infant as the Red Boy if it pleases you."

"Ignite!"

Li Haoran bellowed, and under the influence of the Fire Infant, his body erupted into raging True Fire, deterring any adversary from drawing near.

"Does this Nascent Soul of yours possess any other utility?" Meng Jingzhou inquired further.

Li Haoran laughed heartily, drawing the True Fire back into himself: "Naturally it does."

"Though it remains largely theoretical for now; grant me a moment to gather my strength."

Li Haoran furrowed his brows and fell into a long silence, drawing the Nascent Soul back into his frame while gritting his teeth to suppress a sound of intense agony.

With a sharp bang, Li Haoran’s body exploded, bursting into ragged fragments as limbs, torso, and head flew in disparate directions, startling Meng Jingzhou severely.

Had Junior Brother Li finally succumbed to the misery of living off a woman, choosing to end his life in despair?

At this moment, Li Haoran flew freely through the air, even somersaulting and rolling about, as he explained with a smile, "Brother Meng, do not panic, this is precisely the capability of my Nascent Soul."

As he spoke, Li Haoran's limbs and torso began to move, adopting various postures, clearly under deliberate control.

"Rebirthing the Golden Core allowed me to regrow severed limbs, and this ability has only enhanced since reaching the Nascent Soul stage; even if my body is dismembered like this, I can still control and restore it just the same."

"However, regenerating a head consumes far too much energy, which is why I decided on this approach."

The limbs and torso coalesced into a new whole to execute various techniques, while Li Haoran's head remained hidden far away, his expression brimming with smug satisfaction.

"This way, my head will never come to harm."

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