In one of the Three Danger Zones of the Tianhun Continent. The Lost Swamps.

Located deep within the swamps stood the Soul Refining School. Within the main peak of the school.

Space split up within the great halls before a torrent of energy flooded out from it. Reassembling itself in the hall, the energy soon took on the form of a giant figure.

This giant figure was Gu Lianhun!

No longer needed, the crack behind Gu Lianhun disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Gu Lianhun shot several bursts of energy out from him as if to summon people from throughout the schoolgrounds.

“Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh...”

Multiple figures shot through the skies moments later to appear in front of Gu Lianhun.

They were all dressed the same, more or less. Draped head to toe in black robes, they were all white-haired elders with unbelievable strength—Soul Emperors!

Five of them stood in front of Gu Lianhun, each with a surprised expression.

“An—ancestor?!” One of them cried out, “What happened?!”

Their ancestor had...used the Dark Guardian! And based off his appearance right now, he had used it to escape of all things—what in the world had happened?!

Each of these five elders were wise and hard to surprise, but this sight had done it. They were speechless.

Hadn’t their ancestor gone to destroy the Crafting School? If he had come back here in such a state...didn’t that mean he failed?!

The thought of their ancestor failing compounded everyone’s disbelief. This was the one plan they couldn’t afford to fail in!

“Mo Ni!!”

Then the elders realized there was a ‘youngster’ beside Gu Lianhun’s side. The one to realize who he was had cried his name out in shock and raced to pick up the unconscious youth!

It was better to describe this man as a ‘middle-aged person’ instead of an elder. He looked similar to Mo Ni, as he was the father of Mo Ni and the head of the Soul Refining School—Mo Nether!!

“He is fine, but tired. He couldn’t handle the teleportation we underwent and fell unconscious.”

Gu Lianhun spoke to those around him.

Nether’s face was like ice. Gazing from Gui Nu, to the Black Dragon King, and then to the black-robed elder, he spoke at last, “Ancestor, has the plan...”

“The plan has failed, the Crafting School was far more powerful than we calculated. I was only capable of bringing these few away from harm. I fear the rest may already be dead.”

“What?!”

The Soul Emperors gathered there blanched. It was news that was hard to take in.

“But...but how?” Nether asked, “Did Shen Pojun manage to become a Saint? But...”

“He did not.” Sighed Gu Lianhun, “But...alas...ask Mo Ni if you wish to know. I am not long to live...Jimie, to me!!”

“Ancestor! You—”

Alarmed again, the elders felt the earth beneath their feet tremble as a tremendous energy spiked from deep underneath.

Not even several moments later did a black beam of light appear in the air. “Master, you’ve...” The voice began to speak.

“There’s no time, follow me!!”

Gu Lianhun growled anxiously. Waving his hand, he took the other person with him high up into the heavens!

Nether and the others hadn’t even see Gu Jimie clearly before the man had been taken away by Gu Lianhun.

“....” No one said a word, they were still having a hard time digesting the situation.

Gu Jimie was Gu Lianhun’s disciple and Nether’s master. As the previous headmaster, he had done the same thing Shen Pojun had done and retreated into solitude so he could try and become a Saint. He didn’t even bother to come out when the Soul Refining School went to attack the Crafting School, but he came at once when summoned by Gu Lianhun. What reason had Gu Lianhun to waste dozens of years of meditation by calling Gu Jimie out?!

“Could it be...?”

Nether muttered to himself as he watched the two disappear from sight. He seemed to have came to a realization of some kind.

......

High up in the skies, in chaotic space above the Ninth Heaven.

Gu Jimie had been slightly groggy, having been awoken so suddenly from his meditation. He had snapped wide awake when he realized the state his master was in and stared around him, unsettled. “Master...”

There was a ‘bang’ before Gu Jimie could even finish his sentence. A gigantic ball of black light exploded out from Gu Lianhun, revealing his avatar to be nearly seventy percent transparent.

His face could hardly be seen now. Only his eyes retained their brightness as he stared at Gu Jimie, frustrated at himself.

“My avatar is close to dissipating, Jimie. I bequeath the rest of my energy to you. For my final contribution to the Soul Refining School—I will help you ascend!!”

“Master!!”

He had guessed it, but hearing Gu Lianhun confirm gave Gu Jimie a fright. Anxious and concerned, he wanted to say or do something, but Gu Lianhun held his hand up to stop him.

“This is the only matter I am capable of, now. Whether you succeed or fail is up to your own fortune. You who are close to Sainthood, take the last of my soul and ruminate on my understandings. Breakthrough, and ascend.” The edges of Gu Lianhun’s avatar bordered on being invisible now. Even his voice was getting fainter and fainter.

“Destroy the Crafting School when you become a Saint at once. Trouble will befall us if Shen Pojun is allowed to ascend. But most importantly is the one known as Bai Yunfei. He must not be allowed to live! Kill him sooner than later!!”

Gu Lianhun’s avatar faded away completely upon his last word. By that point, Gu Jimie could only watch as the energy from Gu Lianhun began to flow into his own body.

He trembled as the energy enter his body. Sinking to his feet, he clasped his hands together and began to meditate once again.

The last of Gu Lianhun’s energy formed a black cocoon around Gu Jimie. Wisps of energy circulated around him a whirlpool, gradually dragging chaotic energy alongside it for Gu Jimie to assimilate into his own body.

Gu Jimie was already blind and deaf to the outside world. Wholly concentrating on meditating, he took in Gu Lianhun’s energy in earnest and ruminated on what his master had experienced. Among those experiences was the battle between his master, Bai Yunfei, and Shen Pojun...

......

In an unknown land, far far away from the Lost Swamps. This place was filled with chaotic energy much like chaotic space.

It was impossible to see past a hundred meters within this place, as the chaotic energy made visibility seemingly impossible. A single person sat inside this place, surrounded by light so dark that it absorbed light itself so their face could not be seen. Like a statue, this person was so still that they could be mistaken for as being dead.

“Bzz....”

Then something changed. Something caused a reaction within the flow of energy in this room. A fissure suddenly opened up in the space in front of this person!

The dead-like person suddenly whipped both eyes open, a bright flash of light shooting out from them at once to stare at the fissure.

“Avatar!!”

A deep whisper. The voice was equally shocked, happy, and confused.

He raised his right hand to grasp at the fissure. A white ball of light shot out from his hand into the fissure and disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

As shocked as the person was, they hardly had any time to react before the fissure began to close in on itself and fade away.

“No!!”

The person roared. Like lightning, he reached up to his head and withdrew a wisp of gray light seemingly from within before he swung it.

It flew into the fissure before it could collapse and disappeared alongside the fissure.

Then all was calm in the room again. It was almost as if nothing had even happened to begin with...

......

In chaotic space above the Soul Refining School.

The black cocoon was for the most part gone. Gu Lianhun’s energy had been drained at last, and Gu Jimie was now absorbing the chaotic energy into his body. With each passing moment, his soulforce spiked to new and more powerful heights...

Deep within Gu Jimie’s soul, the portion of Gu Lianhun’s soul from his avatar had perfectly fused with his own. When the last of Gu Lianhun’s soul had fused together with him, Gu Jimie shuddered once before he opened his eyes.

Then, a few words escaped from his lips!

“The Saint’s Inheritance...the Fate School!!”