In the Dream Realm.

Li Fei looked at the Lifebound Magic Item left by True Man Qingding–the Dragon Origin Pill Furnace.

The most critical point in upgrading from a Magic Artifact to a Lifebound Magic Item is to cultivate a True Spirit, giving the artifact spirituality.

That’s why the realm of a True Man is called the ‘True Spirit Realm’.

When the owner of a Lifebound Magic Item dies, its True Spirit dissipates, and the Magic Item reverts to an ordinary artifact.

Hence, when True Man Qingding died, his Dragon Origin Pill Furnace rapidly lost its ‘spirituality,’ and the elixirs within were affected.

Qingxu True Monarch considered this as well and thus immediately retrieved the Lifespan Extension Pills from the Pill Furnace.

But what he didn’t expect was that True Man Qingding had already integrated a wisp of his True Soul into the Lifespan Extension Pills.

This was a trial by True Man Qingding, and if successful, he could better steal the Emperor’s Dragon Qi.

He had originally planned to reveal this today to Qingxu True Monarch, but before he could, this unexpected event occurred.

Therefore, Qingxu True Monarch was unaware that True Man Qingding had fused a wisp of his True Soul into the Lifespan Extension Pill.

The so-called True Soul is something only a True Man possesses, a fusion of self-awareness and True Power, similar to a person’s soul.

Ordinarily, a person’s soul is an ethereal existence, and only a Mage who has cultivated Void Thought can retain their consciousness for a while after death.

Only after turning Void Thought into True Power can one condense a True Soul.

The True Spirit of a Lifebound Magic Item incorporates a part of a True Man’s True Soul.

After a True Man’s death, the True Soul can exist for up to seven days!

And if there is an item that can harbor a soul, the True Soul can persist even longer.

Of course, such items capable of harboring a soul are exceedingly rare.

The Lifespan Extension Pills refined by True Man Qingding were not suitable for harboring souls; he simply wished to use his True Soul as a ‘transportation tool’ to better pilfer the Emperor’s Dragon Qi.

Qingxu True Monarch, unknowingly, had struck down True Man Qingding, destroyed his True Body, annihilated his True Soul, thinking he had eradicated True Man Qingding completely.

Little did he expect that True Man Qingding had already merged a wisp of his True Soul into the Lifespan Extension Pill.

True Man Qingding dared to do so only by ensuring that the True Soul he had hidden wouldn’t be discovered, especially since there was also a True Monarch at the court named Yun Shu.

Thus, Qingxu True Monarch did not discover the wisp of True Soul hidden in the Lifespan Extension Pills and simply placed all the elixirs into a box.

Next, Qingxu True Monarch cast an Illusion Technique and transformed into the likeness of True Man Qingding.

He unleashed a burst of True Power, and minutes later, Ning Shi and another Taoist robed Tao Foundation Stage Martial Artist entered the Alchemy Room.

“Mentor.”

The two saluted to the figure of True Man Qingding, as transformed by Qingxu True Monarch.

Qingxu True Monarch didn’t speak but merely glanced at the two of them.

The next second, Ning Shi and the other Tao Foundation Stage Martial Artist were both stunned.

Purplish light flickered in the eyes of Qingxu True Monarch, and both Ning Shi and his senior brother Ning Qi stood there with blank expressions, their minds severely shaken.

Their memories were being altered!

This sight made Li Fei’s scalp tingle.

Could it be that Qingxu True Monarch’s Illusion Technique was so powerful that it could directly tamper with others’ memories?!

And the ones being tampered with were a Possession Stage Great Mage and a Tao Foundation Stage Martial Artist!

If that were the case, would they not become mere puppets in the hands of others?

Soon, Li Fei learned through the Dream Realm about this method of Qingxu True Monarch.

The stronger the Spiritual Power, the harder it is for memories to be altered, and any alteration must be logical, following a traceable path.

For instance, Ning Shi and Ning Qi had always been ordered by True Man Qingding in the past years under the pretense of refining the Elixir of Immortality, instructing them to secretly substitute materials delivered by the court.

Therefore, Qingxu True Monarch didn’t need to drastically alter their memories, he only needed to make ‘edits’ on several key parts, removing content related to himself, and then ‘convince’ the two to attack the person collecting the elixirs.

“Carry these two Talisman Papers on you, they can conceal fate.”

Inside the alchemy room, Qingxu True Monarch handed two talisman papers to the two individuals.

They took the talisman papers and then left the alchemy room.

Afterwards, the image of Qingxu True Monarch changed once again, transforming into the young Taoist Li Fei had seen in that hall.

After waiting for about ten minutes, Qingxu True Monarch stood up, walked out of the alchemy room, and came to the main hall in front where he met Ai Liangshan, who had come to receive the Lifespan Extension Pill.

This scene was all too familiar for Li Fei.

Qingxu True Monarch handed the box to Ai Liangshan.

The reason he handed over the real Lifespan Extension Pill was that he did not want any complications.

In case something unexpected happened when Ning Shi and Ning Qi attempted to ambush Ai Liangshan, at least the elixir would be blameless.

After that, Ai Liangshan took the box containing the Lifespan Extension Pill and left True Man Qingding’s Taoist temple.

During this process, True Man Qingding’s true soul absorbed all the medicinal power of the Lifespan Extension Pill, using it to strengthen his own true soul.

Hence, without Ai Liangshan noticing, the elixir inside the box vanished completely.

That’s why the box Li Fei got in the dream realm contained the elixir, while in Ai Liangshan’s memory, the box was empty.

After absorbing the Lifespan Extension Pill, True Man Qingding’s true soul immediately chose to attach itself to Ai Liangshan.

He did not have a better choice, for a strand of true soul without a host body dissipates very quickly, and he did not know if he would have another opportunity to come so closely in contact with a Daluo Sect disciple of low cultivation realm.

After all, Daluo Sect was filled with prohibitions, and for True Man Qingding, who was left with only a strand of true soul, these were incredibly dangerous!

Under Li Fei’s ‘watch,’ True Man Qingding’s strand of true soul thus attached itself to Ai Liangshan.

What followed was Ai Liangshan being attacked by Ning Shi and Ning Qi…

That was something True Man Qingding had not anticipated; his experience in struggle was not extensive, and he never expected Qingxu True Monarch to use the loss of the Lifespan Extension Pill as a trap.

Ai Liangshan was a mere Qi Change Stage peak Refining Strength Martial Master, and when attacked by a Possession Stage Great Mage and a Tao Foundation Stage Martial Artist, he naturally stood no chance of fighting back.

Because True Man Qingding’s true soul had quietly attached itself to Ai Liangshan’s ego consciousness, when Ai Liangshan died, his true soul carried away a part of Ai Liangshan’s ego consciousness and wandered free.

In this situation, True Man Qingding was no longer able to find another host to ‘dwell’ in.

Firstly, the power of his true soul was almost exhausted, leaving him incapable of performing such an operation again.

Secondly, his true soul had already been tainted with a part of Ai Liangshan’s ego consciousness, and attempting to ‘dwell’ in another would cause conflicts.

One of the most suitable objects for the true soul’s sustenance in this world is the Lifebound Magic Items.

Such Lifebound Magic Items were not in short supply in Daluo Sect, but the problem was that they all had owners.

It was as if every house already had someone living in it, and there were no empty houses for True Man Qingding’s strand of true soul to inhabit.

Besides Lifebound Magic Items, another type of Magic Artifact that was very suitable for true souls to inhabit was the True One Magical Artifact.

True One Magical Artifacts were what remained when magic treasures lost their foundation; their True Spirits perished along with their owner’s demise, leaving behind only the shell of the treasure, which became a True One Magical Artifact.

This was like a naturally unoccupied, empty house, and even better, one that was extremely luxuriously furnished!

However, True One Magical Artifacts were very rare; those belonging to Daluo Sect were either in the hands of Qingxu True Monarch or had already been reforged into Lifebound Magic Items by other True Masters.

The only unclaimed True One Magical Artifact was the Wendao Bell, which was always guarded by experts, leaving no opportunity for True Man Qingding to occupy it.

Even if he managed to, he would quickly be discovered and then eliminated.

Therefore, True Man Qingding’s strand of true soul could only drift endlessly within Daluo Sect, not even daring to stray elsewhere, for if it encountered certain prohibitions, it would instantly be reduced to ashes!

Just when True Man Qingding thought his strand of true soul would slowly fade away, representatives from the thirteen universities arrived at Daluo Peak to discuss the Martial Arts Exchange Competition.

Li Fei was there too, carrying the Dream Command with him.

For True Man Qingding, the Dream Command, a True One Magical Artifact, was an exceedingly rare ‘vacant house’ that exerted a natural and intense attraction on him!

So upon sensing the presence of Dream Command, his true soul entered it straightaway.

Li Fei observed the entire process in the dream realm.

Only then did he realize that on his very first night on Daluo Peak, an extra strand of true soul had entered the Dream Command!

PS: Today, I went house hunting with my girlfriend. We hadn’t planned on buying immediately, but then we stumbled upon a landlord who had just reduced the price by a sizable amount, allowing us to score an incredible deal, so we immediately signed and paid the deposit tonight. I’ve been busy until now, and I can only manage one update today.