NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 239 Are You Surprised?
“Alright, let me explain it to you properly.”
“What you’re seeing now is the last remnant of my soul power that still retains some normal consciousness. Though, calling it ‘normal’ might be a stretch; it’s just that the demonic energy can’t invade my mind.”
“Inside this coffin lies my true soul power. It’s immensely powerful, but it’s been eroded by the demonic energy. If I were to release it, even though it’s just a soul body, its destructive power would make even a Celestial King shiver and run.”
“Well, at least there’s still a part that’s not been corroded, right?” Qin Bei nodded in agreement.
“Indeed, but do you know? At the beginning, I could control myself without needing these formations to trap me. However, as time passed, the demonic energy never faded, and the erosion intensified. Even I lost control in the end and had no choice but to split my soul, imprisoning the completely hopeless parts within this coffin. And here we are, years later.”
“My soul power is growing weaker while the suppressed soul power becomes stronger. If the day comes when I can’t even hold onto this little bit of soul power, it’ll be time for me to vanish. Because once this formation activates, the soul energy inside will start to slowly dissolve, and the purest form of soul power will seep into this world to be gobbled up by controllers like Shou Ming for their own survival.”
Qin Bei now understood.
At first, he didn’t grasp what the so-called ‘nutrients’ were.
Now, the light bulb had clicked on.
It turns out these ‘nutrients’ are merely the souls of these poor souls around.
Those who absorb these nutrients could extend their own soul’s lifespan for several years, or even hundreds of them.
Using other people’s souls to sustain oneself is a harsh reality.
Yet, no one dares to utter a word against it.
Because that’s the law of survival in this world.
And this is just one of the unsavory things Great Xia does for its own benefit.
Of course, no one dares complain about it.
Qin Bei wouldn’t see anything wrong with it either.
“So, your soul power was initially supposed to last six years, meaning you could have endured two more Imperial Tomb Trials. But, thanks to my reckless actions, you’re down to just three years now?”
Qin Bei finally connected the dots and realized why Shou Ming had looked like he wanted to throttle him earlier.
If he were in that situation, Qin Bei was sure he would think the same way.
After all, here’s a guy who had almost given up on entering the core area just because of his impulsive behavior—what a way to disrupt someone’s plans!
Even if everyone thought the outcome would be unchanged whether this mishap happened or not, feeling a bit queasy about it was inevitable.
“Well, you could say that. But honestly, it’s no biggie. Whether I wait for one more trial or miss one, the end result is the same. I don’t have high hopes anymore. Honestly, fading away doesn’t sound too bad.”
Qin Zhengji spoke with a nonchalant attitude.
Qin Bei believed him; it was clear Qin Zhengji had come to terms with things.
But if he could keep going, who would want to just disappear like that?
Wouldn’t it be better to stick around until next year’s flower season?
“You might be in for a disappointment. This could very well be the last Imperial Tomb Trial you get to wait for.”
Qin Bei shook his head dismissively.
“What do you mean?”
Qin Zhengji looked a bit puzzled about Qin Bei’s statement.
“It means I’ve already swept away over a hundred thousand soul beads from the outer area. If you want to open the Imperial Tomb again, it’ll take some time. At least looking at it now, three years definitely won’t cut it.”
Qin Bei stated bluntly.
Qin Zhengji: ….
He was utterly flabbergasted. He felt like Qin Bei was a divine messenger sent to punish him.
But upon second thought, it seemed there wasn’t much difference anymore.
“Hai~ It’s whatever, honestly. One more chance or one less chance, it’s the same old story. Who knows how many of these chances I’ve had at this point; it doesn’t matter anymore.”
Qin Zhengji chuckled casually, unfazed by Qin Bei’s words.
After all, the final outcome would still be the same, so what was the point of getting all twisted up about it?
“Sigh, but don’t be so sad. It’s not completely hopeless, right? Isn’t there still one chance left? Plenty of people come here; maybe, if luck is on your side, someone might lend a hand.”
Qin Bei consoled him.
“Ah~ Luck? I feel like I haven’t had any in my two lifetimes! Plus, those who can help me aren’t going to be swayed just by luck. Removing the demonic energy from my soul and restoring my mind— even someone as powerful as I once was couldn’t manage that.”
“Then what are you waiting for? Do you really believe anyone’s stronger than you were back then?” Qin Bei teased with a smirk.
“No, the only real chance lies in finding someone who has the soul power of two lives and can suppress the demonic energy. Finding one of those two conditions is tough enough, let alone both.”
Qin Zhengji shook his head, having abandoned any hope regarding the matter.
“Huh? Soul power of two lives and someone who can suppress demonic energy? Hiss~ Why do I feel like you’re describing me?” Qin Bei said with a strange expression.
He realized he seemed to fit those conditions perfectly.
A two-life soul? How is that not him, having lived two lifetimes?
And as for suppressing demonic energy?
His Undying Phoenix Body is a natural nemesis of demonic energy; it veers off in fright upon seeing him!
So he could say he had flawlessly met those criteria.
When Qin Zhengji heard this, he blinked in disbelief. Then, as he thought it over, something seemed off.
“Come on! You already tried when your soul power entered the formation earlier, and it didn’t work. Your soul power is average at best; how can you claim to have the soul of two lives?”
Qin Zhengji waved dismissively, convinced that Qin Bei was just messing with him.
“Ahem~ Well… What if I told you that little bit of soul power earlier was actually not mine? Would you hit me?” Qin Bei asked awkwardly.
In reality, that tiny fragment of soul power was merely leftover energy from the soul beads Qin Bei had absorbed earlier, not fully digested yet.
Although Qin Bei could use it to probe the situation in the coffin, those remnants were hardly his true soul power.
At best, they could be labeled as an auxiliary member.
Qin Bei’s actual soul power was a different league altogether.
So even Qingmian hadn’t noticed the discrepancy before.
Qin Zhengji: …???