Chapter 126: The Method of Soul Projection

This sword talisman was a life-saving item bestowed upon Ji Yao by Master Zhaoming before she entered the Lingyun Sect. Although it felt a bit of a pity to use it now that her status had changed, it did not sting as much as one might expect.

When released, the fire-attribute sword talisman of the Transformation God stage descended like a phoenix. The land it plowed through became scorched earth, charred black by the intense heat. Xuan Si realized from the moment the talisman was activated that its power was immense. Knowing he was in trouble, he transformed into black mist to escape, but he could not avoid being wounded. A pool of blood remained where he had stood; it was unclear whether it belonged to him or to Xuan Yi, who was with him, but someone had certainly been severely injured.

Only when the black mist had completely dissipated and Situ Jing informed her that no one else was nearby did Ji Yao’s tightly coiled nerves finally relax. The pain she had been ignoring began to resurface. A clot of blood, long stuck in her throat, was finally spat out. She had been avoiding making any sound earlier for this very reason—she feared that if she let out a single breath, she would lose the strength to carry on.

"Ling Ru, keep the flying boat safe. Find the nearest town and stay there for a while." Just as Ji Yao placed the core boat into Ling Ru’s hands, the numbness vanished entirely.

*Ugh...* Ji Yao clutched the collar of her robe as a wave of agonizing pain struck her. Her vision went dark, and she collapsed, losing consciousness.

When she awoke, Ji Yao found herself lying on a large bed. She turned her head to see doors, windows, and rafters; she was clearly in a proper room, not a cave dwelling carved into a mountainside.

Upon waking this time, Ji Yao noticed the pain in her heart had subsided slightly; it was no longer as unbearable as before. Was this a sign of improvement? She tried to clear her mind, following the sensation to peel back the layers and trace the origin of the pain. However, she could not help but notice that this connection had faded significantly compared to when it first began. No matter how much she concentrated, the sensation of pain kept withdrawing from her body.

If the sensation of pain disappeared, her plan to trace its source would become impossible. Perhaps this meant the summons was weakening.

"Senior Situ, are you still there? How long have I been unconscious?"

"Three days. How do you feel?" Situ Jing replied via telepathy without delay.

Ji Yao answered truthfully, "My physical condition is improving, and the heart pain is fading, but the connection you mentioned is not as strong as it was initially."

Situ Jing pondered for a moment, unsure whether to advise her to continue or to let it go. "What do you think? Do you want to continue pursuing this now, or wait until another opportunity arises?" Situ Jing left the decision to Ji Yao.

"Is there any other way?" Ji Yao reasoned that if this could be resolved sooner, she should not delay, lest another accident occur and they lose the good fortune they had this time.

"There is, but given your current situation and cultivation level, it would be easy, yet extremely dangerous!"

"What is the method?"

"Have that little girl, Ling Ru, seal your heart meridian to put your body in a state of deep unconsciousness, then force your soul to leave your body."

As soon as Ji Yao heard this, she understood the danger. To force a soul out of the body usually required at least a Golden Core stage cultivation, and even then, it was typically done only when the physical body was destroyed and the soul had to be separated for possession or to inhabit a soul-nourishing object. Only after reaching the Nascent Soul stage could the soul reside within the Nascent Soul and briefly leave the body. Truly separating the soul from the body could only be done after reaching the Transformation God stage. Ji Yao had only just reached the Foundation Establishment stage; her soul was not yet refined enough, and forcing it out could cause it to dissipate.

Most importantly, Ji Yao was not the original owner of this body. The soul and body were not yet fully merged; she would only truly possess this vessel once she reached the Nascent Soul stage. If she did this now, there would be variables when attempting to return to her body, as the bond between the soul and the vessel was not yet deep enough.

"If I succeed in forcing my soul out, will I be able to see the source of the problem as an observer?"

"Yes. The pain originates from the body, which implies that this body is merely a container. The fact that your soul has a connection to it, but not a deep one, is actually for the best. Once the soul detaches, it will no longer be affected by the body's condition."

Ji Yao weighed her options. Having been reborn into this body, she might not get another chance to change it. For that reason alone, she had to take responsibility for herself.

Before Ji Yao could voice her decision, Situ Jing added, "I can help you keep your soul from dissipating, but you must make your own effort to return to your body."

"Very well. I will prepare."

Ji Yao took out a high-grade transmission talisman and sent a message to Ling Ru. She then raised her hand to release the Heavenly Star Disk, tapped it a few times, and watched as it vanished into the room.

"Ling Ru, help me seal my heart meridian. I am going into seclusion." When Ji Yao said this, both Ling Ru and Gu Qiu looked at her in disbelief.

Ling Ru was the first to speak. "Ji Yao, this is no joke. If you do this, you might never wake up."

Gu Qiu did not stop her. Instead, he asked with a grave expression, "Have you found the key to the problem and intend to solve it? How confident are you?"

Ji Yao patted Ling Ru’s hand reassuringly before answering Gu Qiu. "Seventy percent."

"That is enough. Just be careful with your limits." In Gu Qiu’s view, if one had a fifty percent chance of success, it was worth a try—it was better than being controlled by others. "Junior Sister Ling and I will guard you. As soon as you have news, call us immediately."

Ji Yao nodded. "Very well. I will trouble you and Junior Sister Ling, Second Senior Brother."

Gu Qiu stood up and prepared to leave.

"Second Senior Brother, until I wake up, could you please refrain from sending word back to the sect or telling anyone else?" Ji Yao suddenly requested.

"Very well, I promise. But you must wake up as soon as possible." Gu Qiu did not turn back as he walked out.