Chapter 953

Within the Abyssal Space.

After the True Person’s blood crystal of Spring Water True Person fell out, Lin Dapang suddenly froze, then knelt over Spring Water True Person’s white bones and burst into tears.

Xu Jin did not stop him, only watched as Lin Dapang wept there.

Lin Dapang wept for only a dozen breaths, then fell silent, slowly rose, and without a word took Spring Water True Person’s flesh and bones, plus many items from his own Numinous Space—clothing, ornaments, books, woven flower baskets, and more.

Most were gifts from Spring Water True Person.

Flame flickered between his fingers, instantly igniting a roaring fire.

Within the flames, everything belonging to Spring Water True Person began to vanish into smoke and ash.

The purity in Lin Dapang’s eyes also rapidly faded, gradually replaced by coldness.

The once plump, smiling face that had inspired instant warmth now bore a touch of malevolence.

Xu Jin knew that a boy had vanished from this world.

In his place stood a man named Lin Bowei.

He had grown.

Just later than others, that was all!

“Great Saint, this is yours—take her Numinous Space too.” Lin Bowei spoke softly, then scanned the Abyssal Space and Zhu Linxiao watching from afar, and suddenly understood.

In the next instant, Lin Bowei sat before Xu Jin, wiping away his tears.

He rose again, and beneath a veil of starlight, donned a new set of black attire, burning his previous green clothes to ashes.

“That outfit… was her gift.”

After speaking, Lin Bowei sat before Xu Jin, dissolving the star power from his body’s surface, and said softly, “Great Saint, I did wrong. If I did wrong, I must bear the consequence.

Do with me as you will.

No matter how you punish me, I accept it.”

He closed his eyes and waited silently for Xu Jin’s judgment.

His expression made it clear: even if Xu Jin killed him, he would feel no regret.

Xu Jin frowned slightly.

This was precisely why he had felt helpless before.

Originally, the cleanest, easiest solution would have been to kill both Lin Dapang and Spring Water True Person.

But now it had turned out like this.

Killing Lin Bowei now… Xu Jin found himself unable to bring himself to do it.

Yet letting Lin Bowei go was even less possible.

With Spring Water True Person missing, Lin Bowei would be the first person sought.

Moreover, Lin Bowei had seen his Abyssal Space—this was Xu Jin’s second-most important secret.

Most crucially, for now, Xu Jin felt Lin Bowei was unreliable.

Though he seemed transformed, his future conduct was unknown; based on past behavior, he was a fool.

Sometimes, fools are more dangerous than enemies!

“Release your Dao Embryo, then your Divine Soul origin.”

Lin Bowei spoke no word of protest; his Dao Embryo flew out, and a speck of divine light appeared, directly releasing his Divine Soul origin.

He did so because Xu Jin had previously discussed with his Master, Emperor Fenghua, how to control high-level cultivators.

According to Emperor Fenghua, controlling high-level cultivators posed two challenges.

First, one needed a control technique of matching rank.

Second, one’s Divine Soul cultivation must vastly surpass the target’s.

Otherwise, Tenth and Eleventh Realm True Persons, who could draw upon the Dao’s primordial source, could easily break free.

In terms of Divine Soul cultivation, Xu Jin now far surpassed Lin Bowei.

As for the control technique, it was one of Xu Jin’s own recent discoveries through studying Star Arts.

Benefiting from insights gained in fusing rule-based Dao techniques.

Xu Jin tentatively merged the Divine Art Black Concealment Sore Thread with the modified Wood-rule Dao technique Star Fungus Spore.

When combined, the Black Concealment Sore Thread could carry the Star Fungus Spore into the target’s Dao Embryo or Nascent Soul and implant it without detonating.

When needed, Xu Jin could instantly trigger the Star Fungus Spore rooted deep within the target’s Dao Embryo.

Since it was implanted directly at the core of the Dao Embryo, a single detonation could instantly drain massive amounts of Dao Embryo and Divine Soul origin power.

Because it drained Divine Soul origin power, the Star Fungus Spore—which normally could not harm the Dao Embryo—now could.

It effectively fused the strengths of both techniques.

The Black Concealment Sore Thread could only penetrate the target’s Dao Embryo, but would fade over time and could not harm the target.

The Star Fungus Spore could harm the target, but could not be implanted inside the Dao Embryo.

After modification and fusion, the problems were perfectly resolved.

Theoretically, if Xu Jin implanted enough Star Fungus Spore seeds, even a True Person’s Nascent Soul or an Emperor’s Nascent Soul could be instantly destroyed.

Today, Xu Jin would test it on Lin Dapang.

Later, when he had the chance, he’d test it on a prisoner.

Spring Water True Person had been the ideal test subject, but was killed by Da Pang.

After several breaths, Xu Jin’s eyes lit up with delight.

It worked!

The Black Concealment Sore Thread had successfully implanted over a hundred Star Fungus Spore seeds into Lin Bowei’s Dao Embryo, where they now lay dormant.

Moreover, the Star Fungus Spore seeds could continuously absorb minute amounts of the target’s Divine Soul power and feed it back to the Black Concealment Sore Thread.

Thus, the Black Concealment Sore Thread would not decay, nor vanish after half a year.

It would exist forever.

At any time, Xu Jin could know the target’s location and detonate the modified Star Fungus Spore.

It was a highly effective fused Dao technique for controlling captives.

Extremely practical.

The only drawback: it could not be forcibly implanted.