On the Dou Hun Continent, at the border between Haizhou and Tianzhou, lay a place called Yu Wu Mountain. Though not particularly vast, few ever ventured there. The reason was simple: the mountain was perpetually shrouded in rain and mist, a place where even the most familiar hunters would lose their way...

Furthermore, it harbored no rare flying beasts or exotic animals, nor any legendary elixirs. No one would foolishly seek death here...

At this moment, deep within the misty mountain slopes, lay a colossal cavern. Three large characters were carved above its entrance: Xian Yu Dong (Immortal Rain Grotto). Gray mist billowed near the entrance, suggesting some remarkable protective barrier...

Inside the cave, however, was absolute blackness. Only after walking several hundred zhang deep did a vast chamber illuminated by embedded night-luminescent pearls appear. Within this chamber lay a pool radiating a faint blue light. The pool was small, perhaps only a few zhang long, and within its waters grew a single lotus blossom, entirely blue...

A Daoist priest, clad in blue robes, sat cross-legged atop this lotus, an utterly bizarre sight...

Just then, a streak of light shot in from outside, landing beside the pool. It was an ethereal projection—an exact replica of the Daoist on the lotus. This projection held within its embrace a fading human figure...

This was none other than the escaped Mr. Yu and Xuanyuan Ruoxing...

Seeing the arrival of this spectral figure, the Daoist sitting on the lotus snapped his eyes open. His faint soul-form shot directly into the Daoist’s body, leaving behind only Xuanyuan Ruoxing’s soul, which flickered as if it might extinguish at any moment...

“Alas…” Observing the spirit on the verge of dissipation, the Daoist on the lotus sighed softly. He swiftly formed an arcane hand seal, then pointed a finger forward. A beam of azure light shot from his fingertip, plunging into Xuanyuan Ruoxing’s weakened soul. Immediately, Xuanyuan Ruoxing’s spirit began to clarify...

“Mr. Yu…” As Xuanyuan Ruoxing’s soul fully solidified, he saw Mr. Yu sitting before him. Realizing he had been saved, he was about to offer thanks when Mr. Yu’s words cut him off...

“Your Highness, you are currently but a wisp of soul. I expended immense effort merely to preserve your consciousness. You are not a Soul Immortal; your soul power is critically weak and could vanish at any second. My Azure Lotus Core can protect you for, at most, a quarter of an hour. After that time, even I cannot shield you again,” Mr. Yu sighed faintly, regarding the flickering spirit before him...

Hearing Mr. Yu’s words, Xuanyuan Ruoxing’s face changed drastically. Even as a mere fragment of a soul, the terror in his eyes was unmistakable...

“Mr. Yu, since you brought my soul back, you must have a way to save me, yes? Time is short, speak plainly,” Yet, in the span of a breath, composure returned to Xuanyuan Ruoxing’s gaze. A man ambitious enough to seek an imperial throne was hardly one to succumb to helpless fear?

“Indeed, I possess a method for your continued existence. However, from this day forward, you shall no longer be human,” Mr. Yu said, a flicker of appreciation crossing his eyes at Xuanyuan Ruoxing’s swift mental recovery, though his words carried a deep current of resignation...

“No longer human? Then what shall I be?” Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Ruoxing’s expression shifted once more...

“A Ghost Immortal…” Mr. Yu stated quietly...

“A ghost? Or an immortal? A Ghost Immortal?” Xuanyuan Ruoxing’s eyes were clouded with confusion. He had heard of Soul Immortals, True Immortals, and Divine Immortals, but never a Ghost Immortal...

“Correct. On our Dou Hun Continent, the primary paths are Martial Arts and Soul Mastery, both paths for the living. But now, you are only a spirit, and a profoundly weak one at that. You cannot cultivate soul techniques in this state. Logically, someone in your condition cannot persist; you should await the complete dissipation of your consciousness—perhaps achieving reincarnation if fortune smiles, or utter annihilation if not. However, thirty years ago, I discovered a scripture in an ancient tomb. It is a cultivation manual specifically for those whose souls cannot be destroyed. Even though your soul is weak now, cultivating it diligently will inevitably lead to increasing strength…”

“Mr. Yu means that if I follow this scripture, I can eventually become a Soul Immortal? Perhaps even a Divine Immortal?” Xuanyuan Ruoxing’s eyes lit up at this suggestion...

“No. Soul Immortals can achieve rebirth because their souls still retain traces of yang energy, allowing for high compatibility. You possess none of that now. Even if you cultivate your soul to the strength of a Soul Immortal, your spirit will be entirely composed of yin energy, making reintegration impossible. Therefore, you can never achieve the status of a Soul Immortal; you can only exist in this current form. I have studied this manual extensively; it has even benefited my own cultivation. As for the ultimate level one might reach, I cannot say. The only certainty is that it can, at the very least, ensure your soul’s persistence,” Mr. Yu replied calmly, sounding somewhat regretful...

Xuanyuan Ruoxing froze. To exist in this form forever? Would that not mean he was perpetually deceased? Would his existence hold any meaning then?

He was an ambitious prince, a prince full of aspirations. How could he accept existing forever as this mere phantom?

“You need not despair yet. If my deductions are correct, cultivating this technique to its conclusion will involve surviving a Heavenly Tribulation. At that point, you might be able to reconstruct a physical body, just as I did,” Seeing the dejection on Xuanyuan Ruoxing’s face, Mr. Yu spoke to offer comfort...

“Ah, I truly can reconstruct my body?” The prospect of physical restoration made Xuanyuan Ruoxing’s eyes gleam...

“Indeed. However, without a true human foundation, you might ultimately struggle to achieve the union of spirit and flesh required to reach the Divine Immortal realm,” Mr. Yu held nothing back, revealing every possibility he had deduced...

“That is fine. To achieve the status of Ghost Immortal is satisfaction enough. Mr. Yu, please grant me the cultivation method!” Xuanyuan Ruoxing no longer cared for the position of Divine Immortal. As long as he could cultivate and realize his ambitions, what did anything else matter?

Mr. Yu wasted no further words. He extended a finger, and an esoteric passage transmitted directly into Xuanyuan Ruoxing’s brow. Xuanyuan Ruoxing’s soul shuddered...

“This Azure Lotus Core was born from the Qi of the Nine Hells. Cultivating your soul here yields results thousands of times faster than elsewhere. I also possess three Soul-Nourishing Pills I refined over the years. Take these with you. It will not take long before you can fully manifest a form,” Seeing Xuanyuan Ruoxing slowly open his eyes, Mr. Yu spoke once more...