However, the changes within the Myriad Paths Sect and the cultivation world did not affect Yanlai Peak, which was heavily restricted by Ruan Qing'an. In a room within the cave, Shen Changlin sat cross-legged on the bed, his spiritual energy flowing into his body from the outside and circulating through his meridians.
However, spiritual energy should have flowed smoothly within the innate Dao body, but it was suppressed by invisible chains, with nearly half of it being absorbed by the chains.
Ke Shen Changlin remained oblivious, continuing to operate with his eyes closed.
Just a few days after Ruan Qing'an left, Shen Changlin had already drawn Qi into his body and even started circulating his spiritual power according to the "Ten Thousand Paths Return to One Technique". He was naturally gifted, so this step was not difficult for him.
When spiritual energy circulated, the black mist in the sea of consciousness subtly stirred.
For a moment, as the energy circulated within his body, it caused his spiritual power to begin flowing back on its own, and Shen Changlin even forgot about time while cultivating.
At some point, spiritual energy finally flowed into the sea of consciousness.
The next moment—the black mist in his sea of consciousness trembled, instantly dragging Shen Changlin's soul into a series of illusions!
...
The intense pain, like a bone-deep affliction, suddenly roused Shen Changlin from his meditative state. He continued to cultivate for a month without stopping. If it weren't for the black mist constantly providing the energy needed to sustain his body, Shen Changlin, who had not yet abstained from grains, might have starved to death!
Despite this, Shen Changlin showed no gratitude to the black mist, because—he had once again fallen into an illusion.
"Damn it..."
Shen Changlin murmured in a low voice, "What exactly is that thing?"
Before he could think it through, the pain struck again. Only then did Shen Changlin realize that he was in a giant cauldron, with endless blue flames burning his body and fire snakes crawling all over his face.
The raging blue flames seemed to want to burn him up completely, and he almost became a human torch.
Just then, the sound of footsteps came.
Amidst boundless suffering, Shen Changlin struggled to raise his eyes.
"Changlin, why struggle? As your master, how could I bear to see you like this? I will let you die a quick death."
As he spoke, "Ruan Qing'an" walked in from outside and stood in front of the giant cauldron. His crazy and vicious eyes were faintly filled with black demonic energy, just like the demonic possession described in the storybook!
Shen Changlin finally had a chance to ask, "Why, why?"
Ruan Qing'an tilted his head slightly, his eyes filled with murderous intent: "Don't you understand, Chang Lin? My mental state is damaged, making it difficult for me to break through to the Integration Stage. I've tried too many methods, but I've still failed. Now, my only hope lies with you."
"With a naturally formed Dao physique, even obtaining just a trace of its essence would be enough to unleash the full potential of my cultivation. Don't you understand?"
Ruan Qingan's voice suddenly turned icy, and he waved his hand.
The next moment, the blue flames suddenly intensified, seemingly capable of burning Shen Changlin's body and soul to ashes in an instant.
Before the agony of death arrived, he vaguely heard—
"Become my human pill, Changlin."
When the voice of "Ruan Qing'an" disappeared, Shen Changlin finally broke free from the illusion. He was panting heavily, propped up on the bed with one hand, his face pale and covered in cold sweat.
The pain was so deep it went to his very bones, it almost killed him!
Shen Changlin's face was icy cold: "Black mist, come out!"
Immediately afterwards, a magnetic and familiar voice resounded in his mind, seemingly with a helpless sigh: "Sigh..."
"What exactly do you want to do?"
He said in a deep, resonant voice.
Within the illusion, he would experience pain, but outside the illusion, nothing could harm him. In short, the black mist might not have intended to kill him; rather, it seemed to be using the power of the illusion to tell him something, which is why he had been in trouble time and time again.
The black mist in his mind surged, and he finally spoke after a long while.
I won't hurt you.
"Really? What's with those chains on the innate Dao body?"
Shen Changlin chuckled, and then the black mist said, "The growth rate of your innate Dao Body is too fast. If you continue to cultivate, you will soon attract the attention of those with ulterior motives."
"who?"
"Your master, Ruan Qing'an."
Then, the voice of the black mist suddenly turned sarcastic: "Do you think she's anything good? What a joke!"
Shen Changlin coldly replied, "Evidence."
The black mist remained silent for a long time, then suddenly said, "In the first illusion, she said you had a natural Dao physique, was that wrong?"
"You have examined my body, so you may know."
Yes, that's true.
The black mist paused for a moment: "Within one year, the sect competition will be held, and the first place will be Yang Lin; within two years, Yang Lin will go to Yanlai Peak, and I don't know who instructed him, but he will target you in every way; within three years, Ruan Qing'an will break through to the mid-stage of the Void Refinement Realm, and then the Hidden Dragon Competition will begin."
Shen Changlin's pupils contracted slightly: "What do you mean?!"
Upon hearing this, the black mist chuckled and said, "Since you don't believe me, why don't you see if I'm right or wrong?"
"...Who exactly are you?"
Shen Changlin exhaled a breath of stale air, his voice slightly hoarse.
As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere froze. The next moment, he was suddenly pulled into his sea of consciousness and saw the surging black mist again. But then the black mist gradually dissipated, and out of it emerged a figure he knew all too well.
—Is it him, who looks even older?!
However, the figure formed by the black mist only existed for a moment before it suddenly dissipated and turned back into black mist, looking much weaker.
The voice came again, and Shen Changlin finally realized that something was too familiar, because it was clearly his own voice speaking to him, otherwise how could it be so familiar!
“Shen Changlin, I am you, and I am also Shen Changlin.”
The black mist paused: "To be precise, I am your past life, coming from the underworld, unwilling to accept my fate in the previous life, and attempting to change my destiny in this life with my own power."
"You don't need to worry about me possessing someone's body, because the attack I made in the village after returning from the Netherworld was already my limit."
Upon hearing this, Shen Changlin was shocked: "You did it that time!"
The black mist said, "It is me. This is my regret from my past life. I am lucky to be able to make up for it in this life. My purpose in existing is only to make you wary of Ruan Qing'an, nothing more."
"In the future, she will kill you. In my past life, I was harmed by her and was just one step away from being refined into a human pill."
"I know you don't trust me yet. Just wait and see if my words come true. Even if the timing is wrong, these things will still happen. Ruan Qing'an is not worthy of your trust."
Shen Changlin closed his eyes, neither saying whether he believed it or not, but instead asked, "Will you affect my thoughts?"
"..."
The black mist did not answer. The next moment, it seemed to lose its power and sent Shen Changlin's soul out of his sea of consciousness. It did not reveal any killing intent from beginning to end, and it was indeed much weaker.
What Shen Changlin found most perplexing was that he did indeed feel a sense of familiarity—a familiarity stemming from the same source.
The black mist fell silent.
"Therefore, my past self still influences my present self."
"Is that so..."
Shen Changlin murmured softly, pressing his hand to his chest.
The long sword piercing his chest, the pain of being burned by the blue flames in the giant cauldron, and the heart-wrenching hatred after being betrayed—these lingered in his heart like a malignant tumor, impossible to erase.
In my memory, the figure that tried to touch me, as bright as the moon, began to be confused with the figure in front of the giant cauldron, filled with murderous intent.
He wanted to see clearly and understand things, but—
"Master, Master..."
"It hurts so much, Changlin, it hurts so much..."
Shen Changlin was almost lying on the bed, curled up, and it was unclear whether the voice coming from him now or from the one being burned in the giant cauldron.
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