Chapter 381: River God Takes His Sister to Grind the Dungeon, Beast God's True Self

At the summit of Lingyun West Mountain, towering into the clouds, just as expected.

When Fan Tian and the others were about to reach the Mountain top, they looked down! The group couldn't help but be slightly startled!

It could fully be said: to stand atop the lofty peak and view all Mountains as small!

The group felt as if they were drifting on the clouds!

At the summit of Lingyun West Mountain, there stood a resplendent golden‑and‑emerald house! It happened to be dusk, the setting sun radiant. From afar, the house shone brilliantly with golden light!

"What is that...," Fan Tian and Ling Er said, puzzled as they saw the dazzling golden house.

"That is the Smoke Rain Pavilion!" the Lord of Liuyun Valley said.

"Smoke Rain Pavilion?" Fan Tian asked.

"Indeed, at the summit of Lingyun West Mountain there is the Smoke Rain Pavilion, and its pavilion master is Zi Qing Zunlao." the Lord of Liuyun Valley explained.

"That place is where Zi Qing Zunlao lives? That seems too luxurious!" Fan Tian and Ling Er exclaimed in surprise.

"Indeed, Zunlao has lived here for over a thousand years, and no one knows exactly what he is that appears on the summit of Lingyun West Mountain. It is said that this Smoke Rain Pavilion was also built a thousand years ago." the Lord of Liuyun Valley said.

"What kind of person is Zunlao really?" Fan Tian asked, truly curious about this Zi Qing Zunlao!

"When you meet him later, you'll know what kind of person he is." the Lord of Liuyun Valley finished, then leapt toward the Smoke Rain Pavilion.

The three landed before the doors of the Smoke Rain Pavilion, vaguely sensing a strong aura flowing around.

The Lord of Liuyun Valley stepped forward, saying: "Liuyun of Happy Valley, bringing two juniors to pay respects to Zi Qing Zunlao, also bearing a handwritten recommendation letter from the Purple Cloud Divine Physician."

After a while, a resonant voice sounded from within the Smoke Rain Pavilion: "True Self has not left the summit of Lingyun West Mountain for two hundred years, and has had no contact with anyone on the Qi Continent; no matter who recommends, True Self will not see them!"

The group furrowed their brows: two hundred years without leaving the Smoke Rain Pavilion?

"Zunlao, the recommendation letter from the Purple Cloud Divine Physician states that the Ancient God Seal has recognized a master; this child is not an ordinary person, hoping Zunlao can meet them!" the Lord of Liuyun Valley said.

"You say the Ancient God Seal has recognized this child as master?" Suddenly, a white silhouette flashed, and an elder appeared before the Lord of Liuyun Valley!

A terrifying aura instantly spread through all the surrounding space!

The elder wore a white robe, his head full of white hair and a foot‑long beard, his complexion rosy, revealing no hint of his true age, and he cradled an exotic beast in his arms.

The exotic beast had a bizarre shape; its fur was as snow‑white as the elder's hair, resembling a rabbit yet lacking rabbit ears, resembling a mouse yet lacking a mouse's tail—truly odd!

This elder is Zi Qing Zunlao!

"Zunlao, not seen for seven hundred years, still unchanged in character!" the Lord of Liuyun Valley said, seemingly unperturbed.

"Hahaha… a kingdom can change, but one's nature is hard to shift!" Zi Qing Zunlao laughed heartily.

"Zunlao, you have long sought the whereabouts of the Ancient God Seal; now the Ancient God Seal is before you, what do you think should be done?" the Lord of Liuyun Valley asked.

Fan Tian and Ling Er, hearing the Lord of Liuyun Valley's words, were instantly shocked!

"Did I fall for a trap? Been deceived into coming here? Are they after the Ancient God Seal?" Fan Tian thought.

"Hahaha… since the Ancient God Seal has recognized a master, True Self can only obey destiny." Zi Qing Zunlao said.

"Junior Fan Tian, paying respects to the senior!" Fan Tian, after hearing Zi Qing Zunlao's words, breathed a sigh of relief and bowed.

"Hmm, good, he is a prodigy; no wonder the Purple Cloud old man recommended him to True Self! Hahaha…" Zi Qing Zunlao sized up Fan Tian, smiling as he spoke.

Fan Tian still does not know what the Purple Cloud Divine Physician actually wrote in that secret letter. Why, when they were in Happy Valley, did the Lord of Liuyun Valley say the Purple Cloud Divine Physician recommended him and Ling Er to him, yet here at the Smoke Rain Pavilion, Respected Elder Zi Qing says the Purple Cloud Divine Physician recommended himself to him?

This left Fan Tian and Ling Er utterly baffled!

"Young hero, do not doubt; True Self will tell you everything you wish to know and have been puzzled about."

"Elder knows what doubts the junior has in his heart?" Fan Tian asked.

"True Self certainly knows. True Self not only knows all the doubts in your heart, but also knows everything about you." Respected Elder Zi Qing said.

Fan Tian was even more astonished!

"The Reverse Spirit sent you to the summit of Lingyun West Mountain, precisely to have you find me." Respected Elder Zi Qing said again.

"Senior, even the Reverse Spirit called me to Lingyun West Mountain, and you knew?" Fan Tian was completely astonished!

"Hahaha… listen as True Self tells you slowly!" Respected Elder Zi Qing finished, cleared his throat, and continued: "……just like that, your Fan family has been residing in the Luo Shen Kingdom!"

"What? So that mysterious powerful figure is you, senior? Senior, your great kindness to the Fan family is something we can hardly repay…" Fan Tian exclaimed!

"Alas… talk of repayment. Your ancestor Fan Haotian was a life‑and‑death companion of True Self! Yet the Fan family was ultimately blood‑washed by the Demon Clan! Because of that, True Self feels deep remorse, returned to the summit of Lingyun West Mountain, and has not left since!" Respected Elder Zi Qing sighed.

"This matter does not involve you, senior; why blame yourself? Moreover, you have already secretly helped our Fan family Purge disasters time after time, doing your best!" Fan said.

"The Reverse Spirit can be said to be the only one who, after the downfall of the Ancient Divine Emperor, knows the secrets of the four great relics of the Ancient Gods, but unfortunately has been continuously sealed within the Ancient God Seal, unable to appear. Since the last time you sent the millennium Ice Soul into your dream, the Reverse Spirit was liberated; its body remains sealed, yet its soul has regained freedom. Therefore, when you were injured that time, it was the Reverse Spirit that saved you!" Respected Elder Zi Qing said.

"The Reverse Spirit is free?" Fan Tian exclaimed in shock.

"Indeed, but although it is free, it must still reside within your Ancient God Seal, because it is a soul and cannot appear for long periods!" Respected Elder Zi Qing said.

"Then why does it never come out to see me? That's strange!" Fan said.

Since the Reverse Spirit is free, it cannot always stay hidden!

"It's not that it avoids you; for many reasons it cannot appear! Thus, it sent you to the summit of Lingyun West Mountain to find me." Respected Elder Zi Qing said.

"Senior, do you have a way to make it appear normally?" Fan Tian asked excitedly.

"Not exactly; a soul‑body cannot persist on the Qi Continent, lest it turn to ash or be captured! For example, toxin alchemists and Demon Clan members love to capture the soul‑bodies of strong beings. Hence, a soul‑body appearing on the continent is extremely dangerous!" Respected Elder Zi Qing said.

Fan Tian hurriedly took the crystal containment bottle from his assistant, and upon seeing the bottle, Respected Elder Zi Qing and the Lord of Liuyun Valley were startled!

"Fan Tian, damn it, you haven't taken me out for years! Do you intend to suffocate me to death?" Yin the Protector roared.

"Demon Clan's Protector Yin?" the Lord of Liuyun Valley asked, looking at the person inside the crystal containment bottle.

"Liuyun Valley Lord of Happy Valley? Who is this…?" Protector Yin asked, looking at Respected Elder Zi Qing beside the Lord of Liuyun Valley.

"True Self, summit of Lingyun West Mountain, Smoke Rain Pavilion master Zi Qing." Respected Elder Zi Qing said.

"So it's Respected Elder Zi Qing! To see you here, Senior, is truly my honor…" Protector Yin exclaimed.

"Yin the Protector, I ask you, have you always tried to capture me just to kill me and then claim my soul?" Fan Tian asked.

"Why bring this up now?" Yin the Protector asked.

"I'm asking if that's the case?" Fan Tian asked again.

"Not bad, our master's Divine‑Demon Devour Diagram is specifically designed to Devour the souls of some strongmen and alchemists! Each time it Devours a strongman, the diagram's power increases!" Protector Yin said.

"Then how do you subdue souls?" Fan Tian asked again.

"To subdue souls, we of the demon race have a unique supreme skill—Soul Capture*! However, this Soul Capture*, among our demon race's strongmen, only the elders of the Grand Altar can wield it, because it relies on spiritual energy!" Protector Yin replied.

"Then how can we break this Soul Capture*?" Ling'er, who had been shocked for a long time beside them, hurriedly asked.

"The only way to break Soul Capture* is to kill the one who casts it! Otherwise it cannot be broken!" Protector Yin said.

"..." The crowd furrowed their brows! Is the demon race's Soul Capture* really that powerful?

"Senior elder, since the demon race's Soul Capture* cannot be broken, does that mean the Rebel Spirit dares not appear?" Fan Tian asked.

"There is a method that can allow the Rebel Spirit to appear on the Qi Continent just like a normal person! But that method seems too difficult!" Elder Ziqing shook his head and said.

"What is the method? No matter how hard, I can try!" Fan Tian hurriedly asked.

The Rebel Spirit had been trapped inside the Seal of the Ancient God for two thousand years, and Fan Tian could not bear to let it remain trapped any longer!

Although the Dragon‑taming Sword can shatter the seal within the Seal of the Ancient God, I don't even know what is required to obtain the Pan‑Realm Diagram! Let alone the Dragon‑taming Sword!

Even a gate‑keeper in the Black Tortoise Gate can be defeated, let alone the myriad strongmen there?

"Soul Possession!" Elder Ziqing said.

"Soul Possession?" The crowd was startled!

"Indeed! Soul Possession allows a soul to live on the Qi Continent just like a normal person!" Protector Yin hurriedly said.

"You know?" Fan Tian asked.

"Of course, since I know how to subdue souls, I also know how to revive a soul!" Protector Yin said.