Chapter 771: The Flesh Acts Foolishly

A Saint Domain powerhouse, by动用 power, can seal space, causing those trapped within to feel as if they have fallen into a quagmire, unable to move.

This is called True Qi Sealing Space. Unless one's strength also reaches the Saint Domain, they cannot break free; otherwise, both speed and power will be shackled, at most unleashing a tenth of their former might.

His face grim, Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth and continued to dart upward into the sky.

However, restricted by the other's True Qi Sealing Space, his speed was only a tenth of before, like a snail.

"Thinking you can escape from me? Dream on!"

With a light snort, the woman raised her delicate brows and flicked her fingers three times toward Zhang Xuan's position.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The air boiled with qi waves. Zhang Xuan immediately felt his chest tighten, his massive soul body trembling involuntarily, his head splitting with pain, as if he might lose control at any moment and fall from above.

"Soul attack..."

His face turned ashen.

This woman was definitely an elder or high-ranking member of Jinghong Academy, with soul attacks honed to perfection. Those three flicks, though simple in motion, had wounded him, leaving his body feeling as if struck by lightning.

"I must return to my physical body; otherwise, I might end up killed by this woman..."

A chill rose in his heart.

For other Saint Domain experts, even Dean Mi or Dean Zhao—top ten elders—it would be difficult to harm his soul.

The latter was formless and intangible; unless one mastered soul attack techniques, physical attacks were basically ineffective.

This woman before him, as a high-ranking member of Jinghong Academy, had a thorough understanding of the soul and could kill him with a single thought.

If the soul was killed, he would die, with no chance of survival.

His only chance was to return to his physical body.

This would expose his flesh, but at this point, he had no choice.

It was better than being beaten to death here.

Biting back the intense pain, he flew straight toward the large tree in the courtyard. Before he had gone far, he heard another light snort from below.

"Still trying to escape..."

Whoosh!

Then the woman flipped her palm and slapped the air a few times.

A tremendous impact force came through the air. Zhang Xuan felt as if he had been struck by a meteor; his soul tumbled several somersaults in the sky, on the verge of shattering.

Fortunately, his soul body exceeded ten meters in size, absorbing much of the attack, and he had cultivated the Heavenly Dao Soul, making his soul power pure; otherwise, he would have died from that blow.

Even so, his soul ached as if torn, severely injured.

Knowing that if she continued attacking, he would surely die, Zhang Xuan was about to endure the pain and continue darting toward the tree when a thought suddenly struck him, and he froze in place.

Given the intensity of her attacks, an ordinary soul would have died; it was only because his soul was powerful and tempered through countless trials that it had not been fatally damaged.

If he kept fleeing, she would surely be astonished and unleash even greater attacks. Under sustained assault, no matter how strong his defense, he would only end up dead.

But if... he made her believe she had killed him, he might escape this calamity.

Sure enough, as he stopped in midair, curled into a ball as if dissipating, with no further movement, the woman visibly relaxed.

"Soul masters betrayed humanity back then, becoming accomplices of the alien race. Now one pops up—could it be... related to that matter? Damn, I shouldn't have killed it outright..."

Sensing no more movement in the air, the woman suddenly recalled something and her face darkened.

Soul masters had been completely eradicated by humanity. If any legacy remained, it would likely be connected to the alien race.

Just as something happened at the academy, this thing appears—could there be a link?

If so... she shouldn't have killed it just now!

"No, if it were a soul, how would it dare to flee from the room? If not a soul, then what?"

As she pondered, a thought struck her.

Souls are yin-cold in nature; normally, they dare not come out during the day, or the scorching sun would easily burn them to death.

Even if they didn't die, the Yang Burn Decay among the Five Soul Decays would be enough to torment them.

The formless, intangible thing that had leaped out clearly did not fear the sun. Could it be... not a soul?

Then what was it?

As a Saint Domain expert, she knew the world was vast, with many special professions and techniques that were bizarre and unfathomable. Even with her extensive knowledge, she could not claim to know everything.

For instance, a sacred beast called the Weak-Scale Beast, when on land, was pitch black like ink, a behemoth wherever it went. But once it entered water, it instantly turned transparent, as if invisible.

Could this thing be a similar creature?

Possible!

Otherwise, human souls, though varying in strength, could not be over ten meters tall!

That clearly exceeded common knowledge.

"Damn, this thing must be playing dead..."

Her brows shot up.

The techniques she had used were all Jinghong's methods for attacking souls. If it were a soul, it would surely be unable to withstand them. But if it were a special sacred beast, with thick skin and tough flesh, it might not be affected.

In other words... this thing appeared motionless, but was actually feigning death.

"Trying to fool me? Get out here!"

Her face darkening, the woman lifted her foot and stomped hard on the ground.

Boom!

The earth shook violently, and surging true qi formed scorching air waves spreading in all directions.

"Found out?"

Zhang Xuan, motionless in the air, had thought he had fooled her. Hearing this, he knew he had failed and was about to dart toward the nearby tree when he saw the massive trunk shake...

Thud!

A figure like a corpse fell straight down from above, headfirst into the ground, creating a large pit.

Zhang Xuan's vision went dark; he nearly fainted.

Who else could that figure be but his own physical body!

It had been hidden securely in the tree branches, but the woman's true qi impact shook the tree, causing it to fall.

He had thought that even if his soul was discovered, as long as his physical body remained hidden, he would be safe. After all, the former was formless and invisible; without the Eye of Insight, one could not see its features. If he could escape this courtyard, the sea would be wide and the sky high for fish to leap and birds to fly.

But now, his body had fallen headfirst, clearly seen by the woman—no escape!

"Who are you?"

He was so frustrated he could vomit blood. The woman was even more startled; she roared and raised her palm, striking straight at him.

Boom!

Violent true qi, carrying an overwhelming aura, bore down on him.

"Seize the chance to return to my body..."

Knowing this was his only opportunity, Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth and was about to dive into his body when he saw the body, with its head buried in the ground, slap the earth with its hand and shoot straight forward!

Its speed was like an arrow.

Heavenly Dao Movement Technique!

"It's... No-Thought No-Intention..."

His vision went black; Zhang Xuan's body swayed.

His physical body had comprehended No-Thought No-Intention; even without a soul inside, it would actively respond to danger.

The woman's palm strike was formidable; sensing it was outmatched, the body fled to avoid harm.

Watching the retreating figure, Zhang Xuan felt like crying but had no tears.

Damn it!

If you had waited half a breath, I would have gotten in! Now you dart off like you've seen a ghost, leaving me so embarrassed...

Most importantly, you run so fast—how am I supposed to catch up?

His soul was only at the peak of the Harmonious Spirit Realm, while his physical body had the strength of the Bridge Heaven Realm, plus Heavenly Dao Movement Technique and the Dust-Treading Heaven Step... Once it sprinted, the distance would only grow!

What kind of mess is this!

"Damn you, where do you think you're going!"

Seeing the young man who had fallen from the tree turn and flee, the woman was so angry she nearly exploded. She stomped on the ground, leaped into the air, and gave chase.

The physical body, using Heavenly Dao Movement Technique, was extremely fast; even she had to sprint at full speed to close the distance.

"Catch it quickly..."

Seeing the woman act, Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. But as he finished cheering inwardly, his expression turned strange.

What kind of situation is this!

Cheering for someone else to catch himself... the thought made him dizzy.

If it weren't for this 'foolish' body, how could he be so embarrassed!

"No, if she catches it, I'll never get in..."

After his frustration, he quickly leaped up and followed close behind, only to see his body crash into a wall, smashing a hole, and continue forward.

"Take it easy, will you..."

Wincing, Zhang Xuan nearly cursed aloud.

This No-Thought No-Intention could only defend against danger; it couldn't dodge like a real person. Even so, ramming straight into a wall was a bit much!

It was supposed to avoid harm and evade attacks, not smash the body to pieces!

Even if it escaped with its life, if it was all battered, how could he get back in?

"Stop right there!"

As he fumed, he saw the woman in the air catch up. With a sweep of her hand, the space around the body was sealed with true qi, forming a cage.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Sensing danger, the body continued with No-Thought No-Intention, unleashing Heavenly Dao Fist Techniques to break the cage. But with Bridge Heaven true qi and physical strength—16 million cauldrons of force—it was far from enough to break through a Saint Domain expert's power, which exceeded 100 million cauldrons.

"Who are you? Why were you hiding in the courtyard of Jinghong Academy's library?"

Knowing the creature couldn't break the cage, the woman did not attack again but stared intently at it.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The body naturally did not answer; it frantically attacked the cage, producing a series of booms.

"You're asking for death!"

Seeing that her question was completely ignored, as if she didn't exist, the woman's face flushed with anger. She flipped her wrist, and a world-destroying power gathered in her palm.

From her demeanor, if it didn't answer, she might strike it dead with one palm.

No-Thought No-Intention was an extreme state of a soul master's physical body. Since soul master traditions had vanished, even a Saint like this woman would not know this was just a soulless body, incapable of answering.

"If the body is destroyed, returning would be useless..."

Zhang Xuan finally rushed over as well. Seeing her about to attack at any moment, he was terrified out of his wits. No longer hesitating, he leaped into the cage and drilled into the body's brow.

The cage was a physical defense; it could not stop a soul.

As soon as his soul entered the body, he sensed the power in the woman's palm about to fall. Hastily controlling the body to stop, he cupped his fists and said in a clear voice: "Thank you, senior, for helping me suppress my inner demon and avert the calamity of qi deviation..."