Yet, he now found himself in a desperate bind. Despite all his careful calculations, he had never once imagined that Jiang Yingji would forcibly manipulate him into a direct confrontation with Luo Shaowen.
Clearly, the Queen of Shanghai had grown suspicious of him.
In truth, the old servant was well aware that his actions had betrayed a flaw—but the closer he drew to success, the more he succumbed to the gambler's mentality, banking on sheer luck to see him through. He had assumed that, given the circumstances, Jiang Yingji wouldn't dare to easily abandon him. In reality, however, Jiang Yingji viewed the "Old Servant" as nothing more than a tool—and a tool that develops its own consciousness is one that cannot be allowed to remain.
The Old Servant desperately wanted to turn the tables—to seize Jiang Yingji and make his escape—but the curse controlling him had grown even more potent. It was clear that he wasn't the only one who had gained an advantage from their encounter; the "Pure Yang Essence" had also provided a massive boost to Jiang Yingji's own strength.
Meanwhile, Luo Shaowen concluded that he would have to deal with the Old Servant first before he could free himself to capture Jiang Yingji.
Although the pocket dimension offered protection to Jiang Yingji, her stamina was not infinite. Since he held the authority to control access to that space, he could afford to take his time and toy with them.
Facing Luo Shaowen's onslaught, the Old Servant had no retreat left; he had no choice but to brace himself and meet the attack head-on. *Boom!*
The two figures collided in mid-air and instantly parted. The Old Servant plummeted to the ground like a meteor, smashing a massive crater into the earth—he appeared to be no match for Luo Shaowen, unable to withstand even a single exchange.
*Whoosh!*
Yet, the very next instant, a streak of milky-white energy—like a brilliant rainbow—erupted from the crater, launching a sudden assault toward Luo Shaowen. Sensing the danger, Luo Shaowen deftly sidestepped the brunt of the strike.
But the milky-white energy seemed to possess a will of its own; it swerved sharply in mid-air and lunged toward Luo Shaowen once more.
"Heh—mere parlor tricks!"
Luo Shaowen sneered. Choosing not to dodge, he channeled his "Pure Yang True Energy," condensing it into the shape of a hand seal, and reached out to seize the incoming streak of energy. With a sharp *crack*, the milky-white aura was crushed and dissipated on the spot.
Yet, the scattered, milky mist began to coalesce once more, gradually taking on the vague shape of a human figure.
The figure then began to solidify, transitioning from an ethereal state into something tangible. A head, a torso, limbs, and even garments—all manifested, though they were clearly not of this reality.
It was a colossal entity, standing several zhang tall, with a cyan-hued face and protruding fangs. Clad in the attire of an ancient nobleman, it possessed six arms, each brandishing a different weapon.
There were seals, a judge's brush, shackles, a hooked scythe, and more—resembling a living Yama, a judge of the underworld.
"Prepare to meet your doom, you monstrous wretch...!"
The judge's eyes, wide as brass bells, fixed upon Luo Shaowen as he bellowed a pronouncement.
"Playing tricks, are you?" Luo Shaowen charged forward, his body wreathed in golden light. A single punch shattered the judge, but the entity promptly re-formed, its six arms flailing in a relentless assault against Luo Shaowen.
Meanwhile, the old servant stumbled his way out of the massive crater. His face was even more bloodless than before, his entire being withered and sallow.
His posture was grotesque; it was clear that many of his bones had been broken. The foundation of his body was simply too frail—even the nourishing essence provided by Jiang Yingji could not restore him to a functional state.
In such a condition, he stood no chance in a close-quarters brawl against Luo Shaowen, who possessed a "pseudo-pure-yang" physique. Realizing he could no longer afford to hold anything back, the old servant finally resorted to his ultimate, hidden trump card. This is the unique capability of the "Inner Landscape" (Neijing) school of Alchemy: the transmutation of the human soul into a divine state.
The path of Alchemy is divided into two branches—the "Inner Landscape" and the "Outer Landscape" (Waijing)—while terms like "Forming the Elixir" (Chengdan) and "True Unity" (Zhenyi) denote the varying levels of mastery within these paths.
The reason I—this old servant—dismiss Jiang Hua's methods as "unorthodox" (or "wild/amateurish") is that his approach is a hodgepodge, lacking true refinement. He mixes Inner and Outer Landscape techniques, yet fails to reach the pinnacle of either.
He possesses neither the "Outer Landscape Celestial Circuit" nor the "Transmutation of the Soul."
Instead, he has delved deep into the heterodox path of shamanic sorcery—even leading Jiang Yingji astray. Had she followed the proper, orthodox path—given her status as the peerless "Mystical Maiden of the Nine Heavens" (Jiutian Xuannü)—I would never have dared to harbor any designs upon her.
However, this ultimate, hidden technique was beyond my reach until now. A human possesses three souls: the Celestial, the Terrestrial, and the Human soul.
When these three souls merge and integrate into the "Inner Elixir," one attains the realm of "True Unity." Only upon reaching this stage can one continue to exist in the form of a spirit or ghost.
Yet, beyond the souls, there are the *po* (corporeal spirits/anima)—aspects inextricably linked to the physical body, which cannot be detached.
These *po* serve as the source of the souls; in modern terms, one might liken them to the subconscious currents within the brain, while the souls represent the conscious mind.
Without the subconscious, the conscious mind is like a tree without roots. Even if one attains the realm of "True Unity"—standing just a single step away from "becoming an immortal"—without a physical body, one remains nothing more than a wandering, forlorn ghost.
The reason a person in a persistent vegetative state could serve as a cage to imprison me is precisely because their *po* (the seven corporeal spirits) are incomplete. Even if I were to inhabit such a vessel, I would still be a mere wandering ghost, left entirely at the mercy of others. It was by absorbing the "pure yin essence"—harvested from Jiang Yingji's breast milk—that this old servant managed to restore vitality to his otherwise vegetative body, effectively reviving his *po* (corporeal soul) and granting him the capacity to manifest his spirit.
However, his current vessel is fundamentally too weak; unleashing his spirit has all but exhausted his remaining reserves. Had it not been a matter of survival, he would never have resorted to such a measure now.
He had intended to save it for a surprise attack on the Queen of Shanghai...
Moreover, the power is severely lacking—perhaps only a fraction of what he once commanded. It will likely suffice only to stall Luo Shaowen for a short while; he must devise another plan.
Suddenly, the corners of the old servant's mouth curled into a ruthless, sinister grin.
He had hit upon a way to escape—one that might even resolve the issue of him being under Jiang Yingji's control!