"Boy, do you believe there are races other than humans?"the mature woman asked.
Xiao Wei nodded slowly.
"Yes, there are tales of other races in the Cultivation world."Xiao Wei said.
"Good. Then let me tell you the truth. The Dan Clan you see may appear human, but we doesn't belong to Human Race . We belong to the Soul Race."the mature woman said, her voice like a distant bell ringing through the ancient void.
Xiao Wei's brows furrowed slightly.
"Soul Race?"Xiao Wei muttered.
"The Soul Race is an ancient and noble lineage. Though Soul Race may not have the vast population of the human race, we are a people blessed by the heavens. When a child is born into the Soul Race, they carry a chance to be gifted with what we call the Heaven's Soul Spiritual Body."the mature woman said her gaze turned inward, as though reliving a memory long buried.
"Those born with this constitution possess immense Soul Power. Their Soul Power far surpasses others Cultivator who is on the same Realm. Not only can they Cultivate faster, but their ability to control Spiritual Energy, refine pills, construct formations and other things is beyond compare."the mature woman added.
Xiao Wei's eyes widened in astonishment. This wasn't just some talent. It was a divine gift. A Heaven's Soul Spiritual Body sounded like a sacred constitution bestowed directly by the heavens.
The woman's expression softened as she looked down at him.
"Over one hundred million years ago, I, Dan Mei, was born with such a constitution. I was a peerless genius of my race. My Cultivation rose faster than anyone else, and I became renowned throughout the realms not only for my talent, but also for my beauty."Dan Mei soul said as she gave a slight, elegant smile, gesturing toward her soul form.
Even now, in a state of soul, she was ethereal, almost too flawless for the mortal world.
Xiao Wei felt a ripple pass through him. A being that had lived more than a hundred million years ago... He couldn't even comprehend such a passage of time. In his past life, he had only lived for a few decades before tragedy struck him. This woman's lifetime spanned entire epochs.
"Wait... How is your soul still intact even after so many years? Souls can't survive that long, even high-level Cultivators eventually vanish after death."Xiao Wei said, his brows knitting in disbelief.
Lady Li stood up, speaking gently.
"Young Master Wei, you're correct. Normally, a Cultivator's Soul can't survive that long, especially without a special preservation method. But our ancestor is different because she's is from Immortal Realm"Lady Li said.
Xiao Wei's eyes widened in disbelief, a mix of awe and confusion flickering across his face. But it wasn't just him—deep within his shadow, hidden from plain sight, Shadow Ming stirred, equally stunned. Even in the safety of the darkness where he usually remained calm and composed, Shadow Ming's presence quivered, his sharp gaze narrowing with surprise.
"Young Master Wei, you must know how long a Cultivator can live, right?"Lady Li asked, her gaze was firm, her eyes locked on Xiao Wei as though testing him.
Xiao Wei nodded slowly, his face calm. Of course he knew. This was one of the first things every Cultivator learned about: the ladder of realms and the lifespan that came with each stage.
"A Martial Apprentice can live for about a hundred years. A Martial Master for two hundred, Martial Grandmaster for three hundred, and a Martial Saint for five hundred years. Martial Kings can live up to a thousand years. Then comes the Martial Ancestor realm, with five thousand years of life, and the Martial Monarch at ten thousand years."Xiao Wei said with quiet certainty as he took a brief pause as the the mature woman soul nodded approvingly.
"Martial Supremes can live for thirty thousand years, Martial Sages for fifty thousand years, and Martial Emperors… for a hundred thousand years"Xiao Wei concluded.
"So, boy, do you know what comes after the Martial Emperor Realm?"Dan Mei soul said slowly, her voice gentle but laced with power.
Xiao Wei didn't hesitate and answered.
"Yes. One becomes an immortal and ascends to a higher world, which we call Immortal Realm"Xiao Wei said.
A pause followed his answer. Then, Dan Mei soul let out a soft sigh that echoed through the room like the whisper of an ancient wind.
"You're not wrong, but things are far more complicated than they seem. Most people only understand the surface of it."Dan Mei soul said.
"When someone reaches the Ninth Layer of the Martial Emperor Realm, they can no longer rely on Cultivation alone to advance. Their Cultivation have reached the pinnacle of what this world can support. To ascend… they must face the Immortal Tribulations."Dan Mei soul said, her tone had shifted.
"These tribulations are sent by the heavens. The stronger your foundation, the more difficult the trials become. They do not just test your strength, but your will, your soul, your karmic fate. Many—far too many—have perished at this final step."Dan Mei soul said.
Xiao Wei listened closely, absorbing every word.
"And, even if someone succeeds… even if they survive the Immortal Tribulations and ascend to the higher realm… they are not truly 'immortal.' That word, 'immortal,' is just a name for the realm. True immortality, the kind that frees you from the cycle of death and rebirth, is something else entirely."Dan Mei soul added.
"In the Immortal Realm, you'll find beings far stronger than you can imagine. Martial Emperors are nothing more than mortals on a longer clock. If they do not continue Cultivating, they too will one day die."Dan Mei soul said, her gaze lifting to the swirling illusions.
Xiao Wei felt the weight of her words settle deep in his chest. He had always known that the path of Cultivation was a long and treacherous road, but hearing it from someone who had glimpsed the gates of eternity gave him a sense of just how far he still had to go.
Dan Mei's soul let out a faint sigh, her translucent figure flickering softly in the dim light.
"The reason my soul did not completely perish is due to several factors. First, my Cultivation at the time was extremely high—far beyond what most could hope to achieve. A soul of such strength does not easily fade. Second, the intricate formation inscribed into the very foundation of this chamber served to preserve what remained of my consciousness. And finally, the dense Spiritual Energy and herb accumulated in this sealed room has continued to nourish my soul over the years, preventing it from dissipating entirely."Dan Mei soul said slowly, her tone calm.
"You'll understand more in time. But first… let me continue my story."Dan Mei soul said.
"One day, when I was journeying through a remote and desolate region, I encountered a man. Unbeknownst to me, he was a very powerful Cultivator from the Witch Race. As soon as he saw me, he became enamored with my looks, seeing me as the perfect candidate to join his harem of concubines. However, I remained stubbornly resistant to his advances, refusing to submit to his desires. My defiance only served to fuel his determination. Without warning, he used his Martial Techniques to subdue me, ensnaring me in an inescapable magical net. Despite my struggles, I found myself at his mercy, helplessly transported to the heart of the Witch Race Domain."Dan Mei soul recounted.
"After a few agonizing days in captivity, word of my disappearance finally reached my father—the revered leader of the Soul Race. When he learned what had happened, fury consumed him. Without hesitation, he gathered our race strongest warriors and stormed the territory of the Witch Race, determined to rescue me and punish those responsible. The power of the Soul Race was unmatched in battle, and my father led the charge with unmatched ferocity. He struck down the man who had dared to abduct me, showing him no mercy. One by one, Witch Race members fell before him, their cries lost in the chaos. But just as it seemed he would bring me safely home, the Witch Race made a desperate move. In their madness, they performed a forbidden ritual—sacrificing a million living beings in a single horrifying moment. The earth trembled, the skies darkened, and from the depths of their ancient magic, they summoned the most terrifying being of their lineage, their ancestral deity, the Sadistic Witch."Dan Mai soul added, her voice heavy with the weight of the memory.
Xiao Wei stand in still silence, his expression calm and composed as he listened to the woman's tale. His eyes, dark and deep like a quiet sea, gave nothing away. But the moment her voice uttered the name 'Sadistic Witch', a storm surged beneath his calm facade.
His breath hitched subtly. His hands clenched.