"You’ve set up the Taixuan Sacrifice Array before?"
Yang Chan looked at the Black Dragon and asked.
’Only those with practical experience have a say.’
"No. By the time I obtained the Cultivation Technique for the Taiyuan Soul Sword, I had already broken through to the Divine Acupoint. My Soul Body was strong enough to step directly into the Taixuan Realm, cleanse myself with the Taiyuan Qi there, and condense the Taiyuan Sword."
"However, according to the records I received, the process doesn’t create a huge disturbance. Beings without a Soul Body can’t even perceive it!"
"The Taixuan Realm is very special. It’s a world only Soul Bodies can enter. The physical body can’t see it!"
"To the average person, it’s completely invisible!"
The Black Dragon continued.
He hadn’t set up the Magic Array because he simply didn’t need to. Why bother with something so tedious when he could just enter directly?
But for Yang Chan, it was an excellent method.
In the Black Dragon’s view, Yang Chan’s current Cultivation wasn’t strong, so entering the Taixuan Realm would be very dangerous. In contrast, setting up the Magic Array to absorb a portion of the power was an excellent alternative.
"Is the Taiyuan Qi dangerous?"
Yang Chan didn’t see the point in discussing something neither of them knew anything about.
Besides, based on what the Black Dragon had said, an idea was already forming in his mind, so he was in no rush.
The question of whether the Taiyuan Qi within the Taixuan Realm had any hidden dangers or risks was far more important. He had no intention of getting himself killed.
"If you enter the Taixuan Realm itself, there are indeed dangers. After all, the Taixuan Realm is home to many powerful Soul Bodies, and some will even devour other Soul Bodies that enter."
"The first time I entered the Taixuan Realm, I encountered a Soul Body that tried to devour me. But I was stronger, so I devoured it instead and used it as nourishment."
"However, the Taiyuan Qi by itself is completely harmless. It’s a special type of energy, similar to Spiritual Qi. But unlike Spiritual Qi, Taiyuan Qi is an essence that can help enhance one’s Soul Body."
"Master, even if you fail to condense the Taiyuan Sword, there will be no repercussions. At worst, you’ll just lose the Taiyuan Qi you’ve gathered and the sacrificial materials."
"If you succeed in condensing the Taiyuan Sword, your Soul Body will have a chance to grow, and you’ll even gain powerful Slaughter Techniques. That’s far stronger than those Hidden Weapons you use, Master!"
"The Taiyuan Sword is the ultimate expression of a Soul Body’s power—an exceptionally potent Slaughter Technique. And because it’s a form of Soul Body Power, conventional defensive measures are completely useless against it!"
"Only Spiritual Power can resist it!"
"As long as you successfully condense the Taiyuan Sword, Master, you’ll be able to kill even an expert at the Bone Marrow Cleansing Realm of the Body Tempering Stage!"
"The Spiritual Power of someone in the Bone Marrow Cleansing Realm isn’t all that strong!"
The Black Dragon listed the many benefits of condensing the Taiyuan Soul Sword, hoping to persuade Yang Chan to undertake its Cultivation. Otherwise, if Yang Chan gained nothing from him, he would likely be very displeased.
And if Yang Chan was displeased, he would likely take it out on the dragon.
Misery is simply passed from one being to another.
He had no desire to be the final recipient, as that was never a good position to be in.
The suffering would only push him one step closer to annihilation.
"You’ve only mentioned the benefits. Aren’t there any downsides?"
Yang Chan’s expression didn’t change at the Black Dragon’s words.
’He knew that everything in the world had a downside.’
’Things that offered only benefits with no drawbacks were exceedingly rare. Even Martial Arts Cultivation was no exception.’
"After condensing the Taiyuan Sword, it becomes heavily reliant on the Soul Body, causing it to consume a great deal of energy. You’ll need to replenish it with Taiyuan Qi periodically."
"However, if you successfully set up the Taixuan Sacrifice Array, Master, you can take advantage of the moment the Taiyuan Qi emerges. Besides the portion used to condense the Taiyuan Sword, you can store the rest in the Profound Yin Hanging Bead for later use."
"One successful setup, given your current Martial Arts Cultivation and Soul Body strength, would be enough to last you several years. During this process, the enhancement of your Soul Body will also feed back to you, Master, which can speed up your Martial Arts Cultivation progress!"
"The cost of a few cultivation materials is nothing in comparison!"
The Black Dragon explained the drawbacks of condensing the Taiyuan Sword.
"And?"
Yang Chan prompted, still looking at the Black Dragon.
"If you fail to condense the Taiyuan Sword, your Soul Body will need some time to recuperate. With your current Soul Body strength, Master, you’d recover in ten days at most. If the failure isn’t severe, it might not even affect you for a full day."
"The damage is on a spiritual level; it won’t affect your physical body. So during that time, you just need to rest more to recover!"
"It’s really nothing."
In the Black Dragon’s eyes, this was hardly a drawback. The Dragon Race itself slumbered for long periods; a few days was merely the length of a nap.
They would wake up back at their peak, completely unaffected.
Furthermore, the Soul Bodies condensed by the Dragon Race are exceptionally powerful, so they naturally wouldn’t be concerned with such a minor issue. They could basically recover in the span of a few breaths.
He was only saying this because he took into account that Yang Chan’s current Soul Body wasn’t particularly strong.
"Mm."
Yang Chan nodded.
"That’s it?"
He pressed.
"I can’t think of anything else at the moment. There are significant differences between the Human Race and the Dragon Race, even our Soul Bodies are different. So for now, that’s all I can come up with."
"But I can confirm one thing: you will definitely have no problem condensing the Taiyuan Sword!"
"With your current Soul Body strength, Master, you’re bound to succeed in condensing the Taiyuan Sword. A few failures at most are nothing to worry about!"
The Black Dragon thought for a moment, then shook his head.
"Taiyuan Qi can enhance Soul Body strength. Does it work on you?"
Yang Chan asked, looking at the Black Dragon’s Soul Body with a faint, knowing smile.
’He had always believed that everyone acted with a purpose. No matter how well it was hidden, that purpose would always reveal itself in the end.’
’Some people concealed their motives better, revealing them later, while others were more obvious, their intentions clear at a glance.’
’The Black Dragon’s eagerness naturally made Yang Chan suspicious.’
’It wasn’t that the dragon intended him harm, but rather that it wanted to use this opportunity to gain some benefits for itself.’
Yang Chan had suspected as much when the Black Dragon mentioned storing the excess qi in the Profound Yin Hanging Bead.
’Though the Black Dragon was now an Artifact Spirit, he was still a Soul Body.’
’Based on what he’d said, he must have condensed a Taiyuan Sword before to be this knowledgeable. By having Yang Chan set up the Taixuan Sacrifice Array to obtain Taiyuan Qi, his primary goal was probably not just for Yang Chan to condense a Taiyuan Sword. He could also use the opportunity to absorb some Taiyuan Qi and restore his own Soul Body.’
"Your perception is truly sharp, Master. The Taiyuan Qi is indeed effective for me as well."
"Ever since I was refined into an Artifact Spirit, my Soul Body’s power has been slowly weakening. If I absorb some Taiyuan Qi, I can recover some of my strength and be of greater service to you, Master!"
"If you run into trouble, I’ll be able to intervene and help you for a much longer duration."
The Black Dragon’s expression flickered for a moment before he composed himself.
He wasn’t particularly surprised that Yang Chan had seen through him. He figured that with Yang Chan’s level of caution, it was bound to happen sooner or later. He just hadn’t expected it to be quite so soon.