When I woke up, the entire cultivation world was talking about my master.

Xiao Huandu pondered for a few seconds, then crossed his arms and said, "It's hard to say. I don't think he's entirely innocent."

It's impossible for the Southern Cang royal family to be completely unaware of such a major event as changing spiritual roots.

Perhaps the royal family orchestrated all of this back then.

Perhaps Ji Ran had no choice when he was born, but after so many years, could he really not have noticed anything at all? At least, judging from Ji Ran's performance during the Tianyuan Society, he has completely regarded the Heavenly Spiritual Root as his own possession.

In the past, the outside world only knew that the Crown Prince was frail and sickly, but did not know the real reason for his poor health.

Looking back now, it was partly due to the backlash.

"Now that the Crown Prince is willing to use forbidden techniques to protect the Heavenly Spirit Root, doesn't that mean he doesn't want to return it at all?" Xiao Huandu gave a cool smirk. "If he really had no choice, anyone with a conscience would feel guilty."

The witch doctor sighed, "After all, no one wants to suffer the cost of losing all their cultivation."

Wei Jin let out a disdainful snort from his nose.

Such is human nature, such is greed.

To claim someone else's spiritual roots as one's own is utterly shameful.

However, no one in the cultivation world, unless they are a saint who is detached from worldly affairs, would willingly return their Heavenly Spiritual Root.

However, speculation is still speculation. The truth has not yet been found. They have no evidence, and there are still many unsolved mysteries.

After a round of debate, everyone held their own opinion. Chu Xianlan remained silent, sitting next to Yi Chen with her eyes lowered, seemingly lost in thought.

This matter involves too many people, and the person involved remained silent, while everyone else tacitly kept quiet.

They dared not urge him, already worried that the boy might develop inner demons as a result. They could only frantically pour and drink tea to calm themselves down, while secretly observing Chu Xianlan's expression.

Chu Xianlan's eyelashes trembled slightly as her fingertips were suddenly touched. She felt Yi Chen's palm slowly cover her hand, turning it over so that his fingers intertwined silently between her fingers under the table.

The silence over the past few days was neither deliberate indifference nor apathy.

However, Yi Chen always understood that even as a teacher, he had no right to make decisions for Chu Xianlan.

Yi Chen still remembered that Chu Xianlan was only seven years old when he realized his "spiritual root defect" and could not use a sword. At that time, Yi Chen wiped away his disciple's tears and said to him, "Don't worry. If the way of the sword is not working, your master will find another way for you."

Actually, there's a second part to this story that hasn't been told yet.

Overwhelmed with grief, the young Chu Xianlan broke down in tears, embracing Yi Chen to vent her emotions. However, she neither agreed nor disagreed with Yi Chen's suggestion at the time.

The next day, Chu Xianlan rushed to Yi Chen early in the morning, her eyes swollen, and promised, "I want to become a weapon cultivator."

That confident tone suggested that she had already made up her mind without needing anyone's approval.

Those who cultivate themselves speak words that become law.

You see, he always has the ability to save himself. He can pick up the broken pieces of the jar and put them back together, giving them a new life.

As for the cultivation method of transforming golden spirits into objects, that's a story for another time.

Therefore, Yi Chen will accompany his disciple on whichever path the witch doctor chooses.

Yi Chen is willing to be Chu Xianlan's sword, helping him to achieve his wish.

Where the sword points, the heart follows.

It all depends on a young man's single thought.

After a long while, Chu Xianlan raised his eyes, looked at everyone, and then at the person who had been holding his hand the whole time. His almost azure pupils reflected bright sparks, as if something was burning fiercely inside them:

"I want to rebuild my spiritual roots."

The witch doctor seemed to finally breathe a sigh of relief and quickly nodded in agreement, "Okay, that's fine too."

From the perspective of medical cultivation, Linlang also felt that reshaping the spiritual root was a more prudent approach.

The so-called spiritual root is the foundation that a cultivator forms after reaching a certain age, condensing from their own spiritual energy and coexisting with their flesh and blood. Separating the spiritual root from the body is an extremely risky act; if there is the slightest mistake, both sides will be injured.

As for transplanting a celestial spiritual root... that's absurd. There are hardly any medical practitioners in the world who are confident they can accomplish this.

Yan Ling was inherently vengeful, and felt that the second method wouldn't make Ji Ran pay the price. She pounded her fists loudly, demanding, "What about the Crown Prince? Are we just going to let him go like this?"

A glint flashed in Chu Xianlan's eyes: "I will settle accounts after I have investigated the whole truth."

"Actually, reshaping your spiritual root is quite good," Hua Ling suddenly said from a unique perspective. "I think it's disgusting to have your secondhand spiritual root, which has been used by someone else, swapped around like that~"

Everyone was taken aback.

Hua Ling shrugged, leisurely flying around, "That's right~ What Xian Lan didn't want was used by Ji Ran for nineteen years, so it's no longer clean. Instead of taking it back, let's make a brand new one that belongs only to Xian Lan."

Xue Ling, unusually agreeing with her opinion, nodded.

Wei Jin turned and asked, "After the spiritual root is successfully reshaped, will there be two Heavenly Spiritual Roots in the cultivation world at the same time?"

"Theoretically, that's true. But the Celestial Spirit is a rare thing in the world, and there has never been such a precedent before... Perhaps something unusual will happen," the witch doctor pondered for a moment, then said, "There's no time to lose, so you should pack your things and set off as soon as possible."

"Where are we going?!" Yanling instantly perked up, transforming into a wild horse and frantically pawing the ground.

The shaman stood up and looked out the window. "The other side of Mount Buzhou. That is the territory of the demon race—Beiming."

Xiao Huandu's pupils contracted slightly. He quickly glanced at Wei Jin and blurted out, "Why go to Beiming? Wouldn't it be safer to reshape one's spiritual root in Peach Blossom Spring?"

"To rebuild your spiritual root, we must completely sever the connection between Fellow Daoist Chu and the Crown Prince." Linlang looked at Chu Xianlan. "As long as the forbidden technique is involved, the state of spiritual power leakage will continue. If it is not resolved as soon as possible, it will be completely suppressed sooner or later."

Linlang took out a map and spread it out on the table. She pointed to the map of the Southern Cang Continent and the Northern Underworld at the top, and circled the Buzhou Divine Mountain, which stretched for thousands of miles in the very center.

"The human and demon races are separated by a sacred mountain, and both sides of the territory are protected by powerful barriers set up by ancient beings to maintain the independence of the two races and prevent them from interfering with each other."

"Once we enter the territory of Beiming and use the power of the Great Barrier to forcibly isolate the forbidden technique from pursuing us, Fellow Daoist Chu's situation will stabilize, and the subsequent reconstruction of his spiritual root can proceed smoothly."

-

That evening, a gentle glow bathed the earth, making the entire valley feel warm and inviting.

The night in Peach Blossom Spring is extremely lively.

Upon hearing that the kind strangers were leaving, the half-demons of Peach Blossom Spring set up a long table for a night banquet, drinking, making merry, and admiring the moon and stars.

Niu Shi and Ma Mian, clutching wine jars, drank until their faces were flushed, tears streaming down their faces, and stuffed many vegetarian snacks into Chu Xianlan's storage bag.

Chu Xianlan accepted their good intentions, but didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

The half-demon weapon cultivators were even more enthusiastic.

"This is a magical artifact that can completely conceal your aura. Take a good look!" A magical artifact cultivator mysteriously pulled out a magical artifact from his robes and handed it to Chu Xianlan. "It can save your life in critical moments, but it can only last for the time it takes to brew a cup of tea. Once that time is up, you have to run. Don't expect it to last too long."

"Thank you." Chu Xianlan didn't refuse and smiled.

"Reciprocity is key!"

Yi Chen never liked overly lively occasions, so he didn't participate in the farewell banquet organized by the half-demons. On his way back to the courtyard under the moonlight, Chu Xianlan casually tested the magic artifact that concealed its aura.

Just as I was about to step into the courtyard, I heard voices coming from inside.

Chu Xianlan was stunned. It was actually her master and Linlang?

"Immortal Lord Jixue, this is the method to remove the transfer curse," the shaman hesitated for a moment before asking, "Regarding this matter... are you really not going to tell Fellow Daoist Chu?"