“It is you? So that’s how it is. Indeed, your Dao can never attain eternal life. Zong Shou, you must treat her well; she is also a pitiful soul!”

The melodious voice ceased, and Jing Yin could only stare, completely bewildered.

She looked closely at Lin Xuan Shuang, wondering why this person seemed so familiar to the other, yet she herself didn't recognize her at all.

Zong Shou was equally lost, though a dim realization was dawning in his heart.

As expected, this nun, Jing Yin, must be a powerful being reborn.

It stood to reason: how could an ordinary person possess the power of prophecy capable of interfering with karma and subsequently veiling all perception?

Yet, he felt no strangeness about it; instead, a faint, private chuckle resonated within him.

This was akin to a dragon trapped in shallow waters, a tiger grounded in the plains. The fact that even Lin Xuan Shuang was astonished suggested that the Jing Yin of the previous life must have been an extraordinarily significant figure. But here and now, she was utterly at the mercy of Zong Shou’s manipulation.

After uttering those words, Lin Xuan Shuang showed no inclination to clear up the confusion for Zong Shou and the others. With a single stride, she stepped directly into the Aurora Salvation Ark.

Zong Shou shook his head, leading the other two, along with a few guardian spirits, into the Aurora Ark as well.

Wielding this immortal treasure, a mere flicker transported them out of this world and into the Sea of Illusions.

Traveling through the void, Han Xi took control initially. Han Xi’s essence was light, and when controlling the vessel, she was slightly faster than Zong Shou.

However, after only half an hour, Lin Xuan Shuang declared the speed far too slow and forcibly took control of the flying boat with her Zenith-level will.

Immediately, the Aurora Ark's escape velocity surged by a full ten times.

Consequently, they spanned over ten worlds in just one day.

Yet, this immortal treasure began emitting creaking sounds from every joint, clearly strained beyond its absolute limit. The speed of its flight far exceeded its structural load capacity.

Zong Shou felt a tremor of doubt: would this flying ship simply disintegrate in the next moment?

Still, he didn't dwell on it, eager as he was to reach the Nine Nether Death Prison as quickly as possible.

After flying for two days, Lin Xuan Shuang grew bored again. She first wandered around Zong Shou’s Celestial Palace of the Heavens aimlessly.

Finally, she summoned Zong Shou directly before her. She stated that although he had formally entered her tutelage, she hadn’t taught him a single day, which felt like a failure of her duty as a master. Now that she had time, she could fulfill the obligations of a teacher.

Zong Shou saw no objection. Lin Xuan Shuang was, after all, a Zenith-level master; gaining guidance from such a person was an opportunity others could only dream of.

However, he noticed that because his Master had likely been trapped in that realm for so long—centuries without conversation—she was now restless and talkative, resembling a little girl afflicted with garrulousness.

Despite this, the Master’s voice was exquisitely beautiful, like a hidden orchid in an empty valley, truly celestial music.

Every day, she discoursed on the various difficulties Zong Shou might encounter on his cultivation path, as well as the myriad Great Daos she had delved into.

Zong Shou listened, not with annoyance, but with genuine enjoyment and pleasure.

Aware of the rarity of such fortune, he summoned his guardian spirit pets, along with Lu Wubing and Jing Yin, to sit nearby and listen.

Although Lin Xuan Shuang was instructing him, what she spoke of was equally crucial and infinitely beneficial to his divine beast spirit pets, let alone Lu Wubing and Jing Yin.

Perhaps it was an illusion, but Zong Shou clearly perceived a flicker of pride deep within Lin Xuan Shuang’s eyes when the three of them, along with his spirit pets, listened with solemn reverence and upward gaze.

He couldn't help but feel: was his own true Master this unreliable?

Zong Shou shook his head, forcing himself not to dwell on it. Regardless, the Dao she preached and the methods she explained daily were undeniably genuine.

His Dragon Shadow Master had cherished him, true, but in the years prior, he had been preoccupied with achieving a breakthrough before his lifespan expired. After reaching the Zenith realm, he entered seclusion to consolidate his power, leaving little time for detailed guidance.

Before reaching the Immortal Realm, it was manageable; he could follow the experience of his previous life, and the vast scriptures of the Dao of All Living Things offered guidance.

But upon entering the Immortal Realm, these were classics that even he, in his former identity as 'Tan Qiu' within the virtual world, had never attained.

Even with the multitude of scriptures in the Dao of All Living Things, he still needed time to understand, analyze, and comprehend them. Lin Xuan Shuang’s instruction saved him immense effort.

Currently, he wasn't the only one benefiting. His spirit pets, Wubing included, showed noticeably solidified Qi circulation, spiritual perception, and soul consciousness after several days of listening.

Jing Yin, with her low cultivation, sat cross-legged with closed eyes; it was unknown if she understood anything.

Lu Wubing, however, was intensely focused, his gaze fixed, unwilling to miss a single word.

It was on the fifteenth day that Lin Xuan Shuang dismissed Lu Wubing and the other two, along with Zong Shou’s spirit pets, keeping only Zong Shou behind.

“Though I bear the title of your Master, we lack the substance of a master-disciple relationship. I confess my shame; after these ten-plus days, I cannot discern the foundation of your origin or Dao. It seems mutable, hard to grasp—encompassing all things, yet also fleeting. Tell me, Zong Shou, are you willing to show your Master what the foundation of your Dao is after ascending to the Immortal Rank?”

Zong Shou smiled and felt no need to conceal anything from Lin Xuan Shuang. With a subtle movement of his divine sense, a black aperture and a white sphere of light instantly materialized behind his head.

Both rotated slowly like vortices, causing the light and space within the chamber to instantly shift, dividing into black and white halves.

Lin Xuan Shuang peered closely, and her expression shifted violently in that instant; she drew a sharp, cold breath.

“Is this perhaps, Zong Shou, your Dharma Manifestation?”

Zong Shou nodded, and then revealed his Primordial Spirit True Form.

It stood behind him, life-sized, each hand supporting one of the black and white apertures. Beneath it rested a nine-petaled, seven-colored lotus pedestal, and between its brows was an incomplete inscription of the character ‘Dao.’

“Dao? This is your root, no wonder—”

Lin Xuan Shuang raised an eyebrow again, then mused thoughtfully, “The Dao of the Three Thousand Great Daos, the Dao of Principle. No wonder your foundation is so solid, so inscrutable. It reaches toward the very roots of Heaven and Earth. Should you ascend to the Zenith realm one day and walk the path of Great Unity, it will surely be much easier for you than for Xi Zi. Before my own tribulation, I met countless heroes; few, perhaps only three or five, possessed talents comparable to yours. However, beneath this True Form, what is this lotus pedestal?”

“Roughly a few years ago, the Buddhist Sect issued decrees across all realms, proclaiming their intention to designate this disciple as the Boundless and Limitless Buddha of Origin and End—”

Zong Shou explained lightly, “I encountered peril while undergoing the Immortal Realm tribulation some days ago and was forced to utilize the Buddhist Votive Power. As a result, this lotus pedestal formed. Whether it is a blessing or a curse, I cannot say.”

The detailed specifics were unnecessary; Lin Xuan Shuang wouldn't concern herself with such matters.

“Boundless Origin and End? Infinite Light, Immeasurable Light, the Origin and the Termination—so that is it! Your Dharma Manifestation is truly extraordinary, utterly marvelous. I wonder how you conceived of it. In this world, it should be entirely unique. No wonder the Buddhist Sect acts this way. To create their Pure Land, they would undoubtedly need you. A Future Buddha—what grand ambition! It is also no wonder that woman chose to stay by your side. Though her Dao is overwhelmingly potent, to the extent that even Zenith masters are wary of it, stepping across that final threshold is a hundred times more arduous for her than it was for me.”

Whether the latter sentences referred to Jing Yin was unclear. Lin Xuan Shuang chuckled, “The lotus pedestal is of no consequence; feel free to use it. However, in the future, you must exercise extreme caution when deploying Buddhist power. As for your Dao foundation, I perceive you are traversing the path from complexity to simplicity. It seems related to the Shadow of Stars you exhibited that day. Show me that as well—”

Zong Shou nodded slightly in contemplation. Since Lin Xuan Shuang said so, he needn't worry excessively.

He materialized all seventy-nine stars within his Sea of Consciousness.

The number of stars hadn't increased these past few days, but the points of light were noticeably brighter.

“Refining Star Dao Seeds using the Instant Space Dragon Elixir? Is this created based on the Daoist secret technique, the Grand Cycle of Celestial Stars Falling Decree? Seventy-nine Great Daos in total. This method is also exceptionally potent, sufficient to be categorized among the Twelve-Grade World-Ending Divine Secrets. It’s amazing you managed to procure so many Instant Space Dragon Elixirs from everywhere—”

Lin Xuan Shuang’s gaze flickered, then she shook her head again. “However, now, your Master truly does not know how to teach you, nor where to begin. Speaking too much might actually impede your future cultivation—”

Just as Zong Shou felt a pang of disappointment, Lin Xuan Shuang casually flicked her wrist, sending a pill soaring toward him.

“Swallow this!”

The pill was pinkish, exuding a faint, fishy fragrance, its spiritual light dim and obscure.

Zong Shou eyed it suspiciously. The pill looked remarkably extraordinary, but where did it come from? Lin Xuan Shuang had clearly been stripped of everything upon her resurrection.

No matter how he looked at it, the pill’s origin seemed highly questionable.

Lin Xuan Shuang seemed to read his mind, letting out a cold snort. “The divine abilities of the Saint Realm are not something you can comprehend. Don't they all possess their own independent pocket spaces? Did you truly believe your Master’s personal effects were all destroyed? They were merely hidden. This is my accumulated treasure from many years, refined personally by Xi Zi. Its value far surpasses that Heaven Origin Life Creation Pill. I would not have brought it out were it not for seeing how compliant you are as a disciple, and the life-saving grace you showed me; I cannot bear to watch you court death. This pill will not only significantly boost your cultivation but will also be greatly beneficial for your entry into the Nine Nether Death Prison.”

Zong Shou had been about to retort that if she still possessed such treasures, why hadn't she compensated him for his losses first.

But upon hearing the latter parts—personally refined by Xi Zi, the sole Half-Step Great Unity being in all the realms, capable of greatly increasing cultivation and immensely helpful for entering the Nine Nether Death Prison—he immediately felt tempted. A pill refined by such a figure was no small matter!

Judging by Lin Xuan Shuang’s expression, she was certainly not speaking carelessly, and deceiving him would serve her no purpose.

However, immediately after, Zong Shou heard Lin Xuan Shuang’s expression turn strange: “But this object will also stimulate your Celestial Fox bloodline and innate nature, potentially leading to unforeseen consequences. You must think carefully before taking it—”

Celestial Fox bloodline and innate nature?

Zong Shou frowned, sensing something amiss from her tone. But if it was only the Celestial Fox bloodline, it didn't seem like a huge matter. Such spiritual medicines often came with side effects; that was normal.

Without much further thought, he swallowed it in one gulp.