Chapter 641

Chapter 641: Battle of Souls

"I’ll remind you: all supreme Immortal artifacts choose masters based on their spiritual affinities. Some artifacts crave their own elemental energy so fiercely that killing and devouring their masters becomes as natural as claiming ownership," the Ancestor of the Sword Path warned, his mental intent expanding as he observed Ye Yun’s relentless search. Though he’d expended considerable soul power earlier, the Ten Thousand Souls Mo Yu Fruit had nearly replenished his reserves.

"Does it retaliate against its master?" Ye Yun murmured, his pupils gleaming as Fire Spirit Qi surged within him.

Just as he prepared to release the Fire Spirit Qi stored in his Seven-leaf Fire Lotus, the Ancestor snapped, "Fool! That lotus is the companion of this supreme Immortal artifact. If the artifact has awakened intelligence and discovers you refined its partner into pure energy, do you imagine it’ll still accept you?"

"This…"

The Ancestor pressed, "Not only will it reject you as master—it’ll attack viciously. Mark my words."

"Enough. Whatever you say, the choice remains mine." Ye Yun shook his head wearily.

"I demand nothing. Merely warn you: if you truly wish to claim this artifact, steel your mind. Otherwise, shatter its intelligence now, harvest its materials, and sell them off."

Noting Ye Yun’s frown, the Ancestor added, "There’s another path—a gamble. With luck, suppression becomes possible. Without it, you’ll have to force submission and seek solutions later."

"What gamble?" Ye Yun eyed the Ancestor’s confident expression.

"Gamble on the artifact’s purity. If its Fire Spirit Qi remains untainted, I can suppress it easily. But if volcanic toxins corrupted it… complications arise."

Though uncertain of Ye Yun’s thoughts, the Ancestor laid out both paths: effortless suppression if pure, or enduring agonizing backlash if flawed.

"Then hope remains." Ye Yun’s Fire Spirit Qi swelled anew, fueled by a top-tier Immortal Spirit Stone until it peaked within the magma.

"Now I become bait." Flames scoured Ye Yun’s body, incinerating his clothes the instant his power climaxed. As his Fire Spirit Qi flooded the magma, danger lunged at him.

"It comes!" the Ancestor barked, all humor gone. His soul power lashed out, shredding heatwaves assaulting Ye Yun, who now resembled a mortal encircled by sharks—able to wield only Fire Spirit Qi without being melted by the magma.

This was no ordinary molten rock. Its blistering intensity could ignite even a Nascent Soul cultivator’s spiritual power. Remembering Jun Ruolan confronting it bare-handed, Ye Yun smirked bitterly.

"Should I too embrace physical cultivation? It has merits." He glanced at the Purple Shadow Divine Sword. Yet he knew—as long as sword Dao fascinated him, he’d never abandon weapons like Jun Ruolan, whose flesh alone dominated the Nascent Soul realm.

"But even her body would break against Earth Immortal realm foes." As this thought drifted, a dragon’s roar erupted. Ye Yun’s pupils dilated at the colossal fire python streaking toward him.

"What—?!" He barely conjured a Fire Spirit Qi shield as the serpent struck.

*Crash!*

The Ancestor’s soul power invaded the python moments before impact. The creature convulsed, revealing a crimson whip amid the magma.

The python’s flaming eyes blazed with authority, marshaling molten weapons—twenty-seven blades, arrows, and spears radiating lethal Fire Spirit Qi.

"So this is a supreme Immortal artifact’s might?" Ye Yun muttered, uneasy despite the Ancestor’s suppression.

"Surprised? Had this newborn intelligence matured, only Earth Immortal realm experts could withstand it," the Ancestor taunted while straining to contain the python.

Ye Yun’s ambition flared. Here lay true invincibility within the Xumi Treasure’s Nascent Soul limits. Twenty-seven top-quality Immortal artifacts glittered before him—enough to elevate any sect member’s status. With these and the Purple Shadow Divine Sword, his power would soar.

"Can we suppress it? If the Ancestor fails, I’ll have to try." Ye Yun watched the Ancestor’s ethereal figure pin the python like an invisible hand, his own calm fraying.

"Troublesome. Millennia of toxic corruption require soul-healing treasures to purge without draining me into dormancy." The Ancestor’s voice echoed in Ye Yun’s mind, urging forced submission and retreat if overwhelmed.

"Leave the rest to me. I’ll manage." Ye Yun smiled faintly.

"Don’t gamble recklessly. Without full confidence, remember the Stagnation Stone and other treasures we’ve gained."

Though trusting Ye Yun, the Ancestor dreaded failure—the python rampaging through the Xumi Treasure’s Nascent Soul cultivators, unstoppable in its fiery birthplace. Even the Ancestor might fall against it here.

"First, blood binding. Let’s test a Golden Core cultivator’s limits." Ye Yun bit his finger, shielding the blood droplet with spiritual energy before flicking it onto the python.

*Roar!*

The python’s triangular head bore tiny dragon horns. Contact sparked a mental tsunami. Ye Yun’s eyes snapped shut.

In his mindscape, a colossal dragon-python hybrid materialized, scarlet-gold eyes locking onto him. Ye Yun stepped forward, unflinching.

Mist clearing revealed the creature’s half-transformed body—the same python writhing in magma. *Subdue or destroy its soul,* Ye Yun resolved, gripping the Purple Shadow Divine Sword.

Born as a Sword erupted, infused with the Ancestor’s sword intent. The python recoiled, sensing unexpected threat from this "insect."

"Fear creeping in?" Ye Yun sneered as the beast hesitated.

The python roared, tail whipping force that demanded parrying. Though physically outmatched outside, here Ye Yun’s formidable soul held sway.

Blades of light clashed with fire in the mental realm. Each strike severed python qi into dissipating Fire Spirit Qi—damage Ye Yun could sustain.

When his sword sliced the tail, it disintegrated into harmless energy. *Not the true body—just qi.* Ye Yun adapted, probing weaknesses.