"Yes, I found the method in his soul… a method to break the curse."Dan Mei's soul said, her voice as gentle as wind and as heavy as mountains.
Xiao Wei stood silent, his expression unreadable. The chamber, dim and still, felt as if time itself had paused to listen.
Dan Mei's eyes flickered with the pale light of memory.
"The method… it was simple in theory, yet impossible in practice. The only solution was to find someone whose Soul Power was far stronger than that of my descendant—while they were at the same Cultivation realm."Dan Mei soul said, before pausing, allowing the weight of those words to settle.
A bitter smile crossed her ethereal face.
"At first, I thought it was a cruel joke. In all my long years, I had never met anyone like that. Our Soul Race was revered across all the realms for our unique spiritual bloodline. Our soul foundations were unmatched in every realm. Even the elite geniuses of other races could only dream of possessing a soul half as refined. They can surpass our Soul Power only when there Cultivation is higher than us"Dan Mei soul said, her translucent hands curled into fists.
"But still… I didn't give up. I couldn't. Even if the path forward was hopeless, I had to keep walking."Dan Mei soul continued.
"I returned to my father. Even though he had cast me aside, he was still my father. And despite the weight of his responsibilities and the shame I had brought to our clan, I knew he still loved me."Dan Mei soul said, her voice lowering.
Xiao Wei's gaze softened slightly. He could hear the pain behind her words.
"When I explained the method to him, he was stunned. He, too, had never heard of anyone with such Soul Power. It seemed truly impossible. But then… he did something I never expected."Dan Mei continued, her voice catching as the memory surged within her.
"He used a Forbidden Divination Technique. It was a secret method, sealed in our clan's ancestral ground—used only in times of ultimate crisis. My father knew that divining the future carried terrible risks, especially with the curses of a god like the Sadistic Witch. But for me… he did it."Dan Mei soul added.
"His body had never fully healed after she attacked him. The injures she left behind were too bad. Using the forbidden technique only worsened his condition. His soul and body weakened. He coughed blood for days… but the divination was successful."Dan Mei soul said, a tremble ran through her voice..
"He whispered just four words to me: 'Mortal Realm. Kin City'."Dan Mei soul muttered.
Xiao Wei's expression finally shifted.
"At first, I had no idea what those words meant. But I believed in my father. I believed in the vision that cost him his thousands of years. So I gathered my remaining descendants—those who had not yet reached the limit of the Martial Ancestor Realm—and began my journey."Dan Mei soul said and let out a long, soul-wrenching sigh.
"We descended from the Immortal Realm to many Mortal Worlds. For countless years, we wandered from continent to continent, from desert kingdoms to forest empires, from ancient ruins to bustling cities… searching for this Kin City."Dan Mei soul said and paused, her eyes growing distant.
Xiao Wei could feel the weight of her centuries of failure pressing in the air.
""But the Kin City was not mentioned in any known records. Despite it all, I didn't stop. I couldn't stop. My descendants were dying—one by one—right before my eyes. Some grew resentful. Some despaired. Some abandoned the journey, choosing to live out their short lives in peace. But those who remained… followed me."Dan Mei soul said, her voice growing firmer.
"I buried too many of them. Some were talented children who become Martial Ancestor in a decade and some take centuries but they all reached their limit and died without breaking through. Their faces still haunt me."Dan Mai soul said, her voice trembled.
"Then, a thousand years ago, a rumor reached my ears. A city—newly formed in the far western territories—named Kin City. So we came. We migrated here, established roots, and created what would eventually become the Dan Clan of today. Over generations, we grew our influence while I quietly waited, hiding my soul deep in this secret room, guarding the last hope for my bloodline."Dan Mei soul continued.
She took a step forward, her gaze unwavering.
"I didn't know how the solution would appear. I didn't know who would be the one. But I knew… he would come here. Because my father saw it. Because fate had pointed to this place."Dan Mei soul added as her gaze bore into Xiao Wei.
"And then… you appeared."Dan Mei soul said.
Xiao Wei felt a chill crawl up his spine. It was not fear—but the sensation of many invisible lines of destiny converging upon him.
Silence hung in the air, thick with destiny and expectation.
Dan Mei's soul shimmered faintly in the chamber, her presence exuding both solemnity and desperation.
"When I saw you in the forest for the first time, I felt something... different. Your soul—it radiated a power I have never seen in my countless years of wandering. I couldn't determine how deep it ran, but even a brief glance was enough to stir hope in my long-dead heart."Lady Li said softly, her eyes fixed on Xiao Wei.
"That's why I sent Old Ti to invite you to the Clan."Lady Li added.
Xiao Wei listened in silence. Though he tried to remain stoic, the subtle shift in his eyes showed he understood the implication.
"Boy… I doubt you even understand what Soul Power truly is. But let me tell you this—your Soul Power is unique. Not just strong… but abnormally strong, to the point that even we, of the Soul Race, cannot comprehend it. I do not know how and why your soul is so strong, but It's not just a blessing for you… but for all of us."Dan Mei soul said.
Xiao Wei exhaled slowly, his mind reeling with possibilities. His voice, however, remained calm and measured.
"So let's say you've found me. What do you want from me, Senior?"Xiao Wei said, meeting Dan Mei's gaze without flinching.
Dan Mei's soul did not hesitate.
"I want you to marry one of my descendants as your wife… and make a child with her."
Xiao Wei blinked.
"The curse binds our blood. But your child—your blood—will carry a soul strong enough to sever that bond. Once the child is born, we will use its blood to cleanse the curse that has haunted our family for millions of years."Dan Mei soul said.
Silence settled over the room like a heavy fog. Xiao Wei stood motionless, stunned not by the clarity of the request, but by the nature of it. He turned his gaze toward Lady Li, who had remained silent until now.
She met his stare and smiled lightly, shaking her head.
"Young Master Wei, please don't misunderstand. Although I, too, carry the curse, Ancestor is not speaking of me."Lady Li said with a soft chuckle as she stepped aside gracefully.
"She is referring to my daughter."Lady Li added.
Xiao Wei's expression faltered. Something unspoken surfaced in his mind. Pain flickered in his eyes before he turned away. A memory clawed its way to the front of his mind—Mira, her cold expression, the knife buried deep in his chest, the betrayal etched into every motion of that fateful night in the dungeon.
Marriage. Trust. Love. They all seemed like illusions now—dangerous ones.
His voice, when it finally emerged, was quiet but resolute.
"Senior… I'm sorry, but I've already decided. I will not marry anyone in this life."Xiao Wei said.
Dan Mei's soul hovered in the air, silent for a long time. Her ancient gaze studied him carefully. She could see the tightness in his shoulders, the storm behind his calm voice, and the pain buried so deep that only a soul like hers could perceive it.
"You carry a wound. Not of the body, but of the heart."Dan Mei said quietly.
Xiao Wei didn't respond.
"If there is any other method, any other way to help you or break the curse… I will do it, even at great personal cost. But I cannot—will not—bind myself to another again."Xiao Wei said slowly.
His voice cracked just slightly at the end. He quickly bowed, suppressing the tremble in his chest, and turned to leave.
Dan Mei's ghostly form dimmed for a moment, the light of her soul flickering like a candle nearing its end. She let out a long, quiet sigh.
"Then… it seems my descendant is fated to perish like the rest."Dan Mei soul said.
Her words were not bitter. There was no anger, no rebuke. Only quiet resignation.
Xiao Wei paused briefly at the chamber door. For a heartbeat, he considered turning back. But the shadow of Mira's betrayal still clung to him like frost, cold and suffocating. Without another word, he stepped out, the heavy stone door sliding shut behind him with a low, final rumble.
The secret chamber was left in silence, the atmosphere tinged with sorrow and unfulfilled hope.