Chương 215: Chapter 104: Extreme Yin Earth-Fire, Essence of Myriad Bones

"Alright. Since you have formally recognized me as your master, I will let your previous hostility slide," Reyn said, his tone cool and even as he looked at the dimming cyan orb beside him. Yet, the subtle, mocking smirk lingering at the corner of his lips was enough to drive anyone mad.

"Since you will be following me from now on, I can't just keep calling you 'hey' or 'you.' From this day forth, your name shall be Little Divine Hall."

"Little Divine Hall?! What kind of trashy, lowbrow name is that?!" The cyan light vibrated violently, its voice shrieking in total outrage.

"How could a crude title like that possibly suit my grand and exalted existence? I am the Artifact Spirit of a supreme Dao Artifact! I refuse to accept such an uncultured name!" Reyn looked down at the hovering orb with a flat expression.

"I am your master."

"..."

"Fine! Little Divine Hall it is!" The Artifact Spirit of the Azure Jade Palace slouched in complete defeat, its light dimming into a sulky glow. Reyn's lips curved upward into a subtle smile. Although Little Divine Hall's current power was severely restricted, the moment it returned to its true physical vessel, its full strength as a Dao Artifact would instantly awaken. When that time came, it would become the most formidable trump card in Reyn's arsenal.

A Dao Artifact—a legendary treasure capable of driving even Nascent Soul cultivators into a bloody frenzy of slaughter—was now more than half within Reyn's grasp, despite his modest cultivation level.

"Fine, fine. So when are you going to merge my spiritual form back into my main body?" Having lost the battle over its name, Little Divine Hall quickly pivoted. Its flickering light puffed up again with renewed zeal. Inwardly, it was already scheming: Damn brat... Just wait until you see my full, unbridled might! Let's see if you dare look down on me then! Once I prove my worth, I'll force you to change this ridiculous name. With my noble origin, I should at least be called the Invincible Almighty Divine Hall!

Yes, that's it! The mere thought sent a surge of excitement through the orb.

"Master! My most beloved Master!" Little Divine Hall whined enthusiastically, spinning circles in midair.

"Let's go right now! Only by returning me to my main vessel can I unleash my peak power to fight for you! Rest assured, once I regain my strength, no one in this Mu Family will dare lay a finger on you—not even that old Nascent Soul monster!" Reyn glanced at the hyperactive orb coolly.

"Can you defeat a Nascent Soul cultivator?" The cyan light shrank slightly.

"... No."

"Then shut up."

"..." Reyn's brows furrowed slightly as he pondered the situation. After a moment, he shook his head slowly.

"There's no rush for that. First, I need your help with something else." Ignoring the resentful aura wafting off the cyan orb, Reyn tapped his storage bag and retrieved the remaining, shattered skull of the Shura Secret Bone. As the cracked, bone-white skull rested in his palm, Reyn's gaze darkened. A heavy weight of guilt pressed against his heart. If the Shura Secret Bone had not thrown itself into harm's way to protect him during that desperate battle, it never would have been reduced to such a tragic state.

Reyn took a deep breath, steadying his voice.

"You have existed for tens of thousands of years, so you must possess vast knowledge. Is there any way to restore its injuries?" Whoosh! Hearing that Reyn actually needed its help, Little Divine Hall immediately regained its spirit. It orbited the fractured skull several times, making clicking, appreciative noises.

"Where on earth did you pick up this thing?" Little Divine Hall asked. Its tone instantly shifted, dropping the groveling 'Master' act now that its immediate merge with the main body was off the table.

"Its skull has been split completely in half, yet its soul-fire hasn't been extinguished. Talk about tenacious vitality!" Reyn's brow locked down tight, his eyes turning cold and solemn. He fixed a heavy gaze on the floating light.

"Its name is Xiao Gu. It was reduced to this condition because it saved my life. I will not tolerate that disrespectful attitude toward it again." He paused, his tone unyielding.

"Furthermore, I only want to know one thing: how do I heal it? No matter what cost I must pay, I will do whatever it takes." Little Divine Hall fell quiet. Surprised by the sudden gravity in Reyn's voice, it drifted down and rested gently atop the cracked skull. After inspecting it for a long moment, the spirit finally spoke up again.

"It suffered a devastating physical and spiritual shock that shattered its soul-fire in an instant. Judging by the lingering residual energy, the bastard who attacked it must have had power equivalent to a Late-stage Golden Core cultivator at minimum. However, its soul-fire, which should have dissipated forever, somehow recombined. You must have used some rare, spirit-nourishing treasure to pull its scattered soul back together, didn't you?" The spirit rambled on, its analysis remarkably accurate.

On that day, the self-destruction of the Golden-Armored Sentinel leader had indeed matched the full-force strike of a Late-stage Golden Core expert.

"How do I save it?" Reyn pressed, his voice taut with urgency.

"Don't rush me! Can't you see I'm racking my brilliant mind over here?" Little Divine Hall huffed. But when it noticed that Reyn didn't snap back and simply kept silent to let it think, a strange warmth touched the artifact spirit. It muttered inwardly, Well, at least this kid has a conscience. You big skeleton, you didn't pick a bad master after all. Nearly half an hour passed. Reyn stood motionless, showing not a single trace of impatience on his face, though anxiety gnawed at his heart.

Yu Meiren was still unconscious, leaving Little Divine Hall as his only source of knowledge. Finally, the cyan orb vibrated with excitement.

"Aha! Found it! Heh, I knew it! As an exalted Dao Artifact Spirit, how could such a trivial matter stump me? That would be far too embarrassing! Bwahaha!"

"What is the method?" Reyn demanded, a spark of hope igniting in his dark eyes. Ignoring the spirit's self-aggrandizing laughter, he leaned in, ready to do whatever was required to restore Xiao Gu to health. Little Divine Hall paused for a brief moment before its voice resonated with deep, solemn gravitas: "Draw the subterranean ghost-fire of extreme Yin to nourish and expand its soul flame, and extract the refined essence of ten thousand ancient bones to coalesce a physical vessel.

In a realm of supreme, absolute Yin, bring both into perfect, harmonious union. Only then can its true form be restored." The heavy tone in its voice made it unmistakably clear that accomplishing such a feat was anything but simple. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

"Draw the ghost-fire of extreme Yin, extract the essence of ten thousand bones..." Reyn repeated the conditions softly under his breath, committing every single word to memory. A look of unbreakable resolve gradually settled deep within his dark eyes. No matter how treacherous or agonizing the path ahead might prove to be, nothing in this world would ever stay his hand.

"With your current level of cultivation, accomplishing this is an absolute impossibility! Even if all my divine power were completely restored to its peak, our chances of succeeding would still be less than thirty percent!" Noticing the unwavering determination in Reyn's eyes and fearing the headstrong mortal might recklessly charge into peril right this second, Little Divine Hall blurted out in a flustered flurry.

"However, if you help me recover my original power first, your own strength will skyrocket alongside mine! While we might not be able to clash directly with Nascent Soul This Seats just yet, cultivators at the Golden Core stage won't pose the slightest threat to you anymore! So how about it? My most beloved, dearest master, have you changed your mind? Will you help me merge with my main body right now?"

That shameless spirit simply could not abandon its obsession, nimbly twisting the conversation right back to its own agenda in the span of a single breath. Reyn cast a calm, indifferent glance at the floating spirit. With a subtle flick of his wrist, a soft pulse of spiritual power enveloped the skull of the Shura Secret Bone, drawing it safely into a separate compartment within his storage bag. His expression remained utterly inscrutable, giving away not a single trace of his inner thoughts.

A moment passed in heavy silence. Just as Little Divine Hall slumped in defeat, drooping its head in total despair like a thoroughly beaten hound, Reyn suddenly raised his eyes and spoke a single, calm word: "Fine." Stunned into silence for a fleeting breath, Little Divine Hall suddenly erupted into a theatrical display of sheer ecstasy.

"My most beloved, most precious master! You are truly the greatest, kindest master in the entire cosmos! From this day forward, I will obey your every command without question! Throw me into boiling water, plunge me into raging fires—wherever you point, I shall go! Say the word, and I will thrash whoever crosses you without a second thought!" Overwhelmed by excitement, Little Divine Hall abandoned every last shred of dignity expected of an ancient Dao Artifact spirit.

Servile flattery and shameless sycophancy spilled from its mouth effortlessly. For a brief second, even Reyn was stunned into a rare moment of blank surprise. A deep seed of doubt couldn't help but sprout in his mind—*Is this shameless creature truly the lofty Artifact Spirit of the Azure Jade Palace, a genuine Dao Artifact? Could it be that some bored ancient eccentric created the trial of nine Mu Jade Swords only to seal a bootlicking useless creature at the end of it?

* Reyn shook his head to dispel the absurd thought, a sharp, calculating gleam flickering deep within his eyes. Naturally, Reyn had his own calculated reasons for agreeing to help Little Divine Hall fuse with its main body so quickly. Although everything currently appeared peaceful and harmonious within the Mu Family estate—and he was treated with immense reverence and hospitality due to the favor of the Mu Family Ancestor—an inexplicable sense of foreboding weighed heavily on his chest.

It felt as though a vast, invisible net was slowly tightening around him from all directions, gradually constricting the air until breathing became difficult. This sense of impending crisis was faint, yet it clung to his heart like a persistent shadow day and night.

Allowing Little Divine Hall to re-integrate with the Azure Jade Palace and recover its ancient power was the fastest way to bolster his own strength, ensuring that even if an unforeseen catastrophe broke out, he would possess a lethal trump card to fight his way out.

Furthermore, while Little Divine Hall had been forcefully subjugated and compelled to acknowledge Reyn as its master through the terrifying intervention of the Mysterious Golden Seal, fostering a genuine, harmonious bond with it was far more advantageous in the long run. Helping it reunite with its main body presented a perfect opportunity to bestow a grand favor upon it. However, as the spirit of a Dao Artifact, the entity possessed an innate, bone-deep arrogance.

Despite being bound to Reyn, it had never truly viewed a young cultivator as its rightful superior. This was precisely why Reyn had deliberately suppressed its ego earlier—first by imposing the belittling name 'Little Divine Hall' upon it, and then by coldly rejecting its initial pleas. He needed to crush its arrogance and make it unmistakably clear who held ultimate authority. Otherwise, governing such a proud, ancient creature in the future would prove exceedingly difficult.

Fortunately, the spirit was clever enough to catch the drift; sensing Reyn's quiet dominance, it had promptly softened its attitude and submitted. Reyn naturally took advantage of the situation to grant its wish, subtly signaling that as long as it remained obedient, boundless rewards would follow. Naturally, none of this power dynamic was openly stated, yet both master and artifact understood the tacit, unspoken rules perfectly in their hearts.

"Let's go, Master! Let's set off right away!" Little Divine Hall buzzed frantically around Reyn, swooping up and down in an eager blur. It was genuinely anxious now; once a majestic spirit governing a Dao Artifact, it had been reduced to a mere remnant phantom. The burning desire to reclaim its lost divine authority consumed its entire consciousness.

"The sooner I merge with my main body, the sooner you gain an absolute means of self-preservation!" Reyn glanced at the fluttering spirit with an unreadable expression before slowly shaking his head.

"Not today. I have just publicly announced that I am suffering from severe internal injuries and going into secluded cultivation. If I emerge completely healed the very next morning, it will inevitably arouse the suspicions of watchful eyes in the estate. That would invite endless, unnecessary complications." Pausing briefly, he added in a calm, decisive tone, "We wait three days. In three days, I will take you to reunite with your main body."

Upon hearing those words, Little Divine Hall immediately deflated, drooping like an eggplant withered by a harsh frost. Yet seeing the firm, uncompromising expression on Reyn's face, the spirit knew full well that no amount of coaxing would alter his mind. With a swift flutter, it hovered closer and landed softly on Reyn's shoulder, bouncing up and down in a servile show of sycophancy.

"Master, you must be exhausted from your grueling cultivation! Let your humble servant give your shoulders a gentle massage! We aren't in a hurry at all—everything shall proceed exactly according to your brilliant plan!" Yet while spewing these pleasantries, the spirit gnashed its teeth in secret fury, inwardly cursing: Just wait until this Divine Spirit reclaims its full power! I'll give you a shoulder massage all right—one weighing nine hundred and ninety-nine thousand catties—to thoroughly tenderize your bones!

Reyn cast a fleeting glance back at Little Divine Hall. His gaze was piercingly brilliant, razor-sharp like a cold blade capable of seeing through every deception in the heavens and earth. Sensing that sharp look, the spirit's energetic bouncing instantly froze. Shivering under the weight of his gaze, it let out a series of awkward, overly cheerful laughs before slinking sheepishly off to a corner.

Reyn shook his head with a silent, wry chuckle, shooting the spirit one final warning glance before turning his attention back to his own cultivation. Reaching into his storage bag, he retrieved a single grain of White Jade Dragon-Whiskers Rice—glistening like refined ivory and pulsating with pure, primordial spiritual aura—and swallowed it whole. Closing his eyes, he channeled his internal mana to refine the miraculous grain.

Although his raw cultivation stage remained bounded, every single grain he refined infused his Primordial Soul with an indescribable clarity, making the fundamental laws of the world appear sharper, clearer, and more vivid in his mind's eye. What was even more extraordinary was the transformation of his physical vessel: under the nourishment of the dragon energy, his flesh and bones had been tempered into an absurd degree of toughness, officially entering the realm of a Top-grade Spirit Tool!

"White Jade Dragon-Whiskers Rice!!!" Recognizing the glistening grain Reyn had just consumed, Little Divine Hall shrieked as if its neck had been squeezed by a giant vise. Erupting into a high-pitched scream, it bounded off the ground as though its tail were on fire, rushing frantically back to Reyn's side.

Hovering, bouncing, and spiraling in sheer panic, if the entity had possessed a pair of physical hands, it would have pried open Reyn's jaws that very instant and clawed the precious grain back out of his throat!

"That is White Jade Dragon-Whiskers Rice! Dammit, that's priceless White Jade Dragon-Whiskers Rice! How could you just swallow it down like an ordinary snack?!" The tearful light orb whined, looking at Reyn with an expression of heartbreaking, agonizing despair. Reyn opened his eyes slightly, casting an icy glance at the hysterical spirit.

"Shut your mouth," he said calmly, "or there won't be a single grain saved for you in the future." The dramatic wailing instantly vanished into thin air without a sound.