The wind howled through the dark ravines of the forbidden zone. The dense spiritual mist snaked as if it had a life of its own, concealing natural traps, ancient corpses, and silent beasts that watched from the shadows.
Tian Ling, a perfect replica of Jun Tian, walked as if he were part of the environment itself. He left no footprints. He made no sounds. His spiritual presence seemed nonexistent, nullified by a control that far surpassed what would be possible for a cultivator of the Spiritual Foundation realm.
His body moved with ethereal lightness as the barrier of ruins behind him diminished in his perception. Yet, the spiritual link that bound him to his main body remained firm—pulsing like a second heart.
Then the ground trembled.
From among the shadows, a colossal creature erupted: a Mist Bone Serpent. Its body was composed of spiritual fragments, almost transparent bones, and condensed Qi, gathered over eons within that forbidden domain.
It roared, spitting venom that dissolved massive stones like hot water on ice.
Tian Ling raised a hand.
— Technique: Ethereal Chains Seal.
Silver runes floated around his palm, weaving themselves like threads of liquid light. Spiritual chains emerged and enveloped the serpent's body, completely ignoring its corrosive mist.
The creature writhed, but its fate was already sealed.
Tian Ling moved two fingers, and the chains transformed into thin blades.
A single slash cut through the air—silent, precise, deadly.
The serpent's head separated from its body, dissolving into spiritual smoke.
A green glow emerged from the ethereal carcass: the Spiritual Mist Core.
Tian Ling held it for a moment.
"Useful for formations… and for strengthening the soul."
He placed the core in the spatial ring. The artifact glowed discreetly, and in an instant, the item was transferred by special runes to the ruins—directly into Jun Tian's hands.
The link pulsed in sync.
"Perfect," murmured Tian Ling. "The connection between us works even over long distances."
He raised his head.
Beyond the dense mist, the spiritual mountains of the Eastern Region awaited.
A new world.
New dangers.
New paths.
"Then… I'll start here."
His body dissolved into particles of light, disappearing into the silent darkness of the forbidden zone.
Deep within the ancient ruins, Jun Tian meditated upon a circular formation. Luminous lines pulsed beneath his feet, and the air around him seemed to reverberate in gentle waves.
A green glow emerged from the spatial ring he held.
The Misty Spiritual Core.
Jun Tian smiled slightly.
"—Tian Ling is moving efficiently."
Yue Lian floated nearby, observing the spiritual light with her tranquil gaze.
"—The rune between the souls is working better than I imagined. The flow traverses space as if bending the spiritual plane… it's almost like a natural bridge between their essences."
Jun Tian nodded.
He could feel Tian Ling—his perception, emotions, movements. It was like observing the external world through a living reflection.
But then…
A strange pulse ran through the link.
Small. Sudden.
Like a dissonant note in perfect music.
Jun Tian slowly opened his eyes.
— Yue Lian… did you feel it?
The Spiritual Lotus frowned slightly.
— Yes. Something reacted to the link. But it didn't come from the environment, nor from spirits, nor from formations. It was… internal. As if something within your own soul had responded to the division.
Jun Tian remained silent for a few moments.
That sensation…
It wasn't hostile.
It wasn't external.
It wasn't otherworldly.
It was an echo, something deeply buried in your own essence—a fragment of energy that moved only because now there were two consciousnesses sharing the same spiritual core.
— Probably—he said, with controlled calm—it was just the resonance caused by the separation of the soul. Nothing more than that.
Yue Lian observed him attentively.
She perceived nuances that others would never perceive, but decided not to press.
— As you wish—she replied softly. — Still… it means there are layers in your soul that even you don't fully understand.
Jun Tian took a deep breath. As he resumed his meditation, golden runes appeared around him, accompanied by a soft silvery light. Between these hues, an almost imperceptible shadow—discreet, like a sleeping beast—emerged and disappeared within his spirit.
Nothing aggressive.
Nothing dangerous.
Just… an ancient scar responding to the new flow of the divided soul.
Yue Lian clenched her hands, worried.
"Jun Tian… your soul is different. No matter how much you try to hide it. Something within you is beginning to awaken."
But he remained serene.
"When the time comes… I will understand."
And silence returned to the ruins.
The spiritual flow stabilized. The runes illuminated the cave with a soft glow.
And Jun Tian deepened his meditation—while Tian Ling advanced, alone, towards the vast continent.