Having finally bought the Realm Stabilizer Token, Meng Lin was in a good mood. She got up, stretching her body.

Chirp chirp.

She turned to Xiao Jin and smiled. "You want to go out too."

The little golden silkworm wriggled on the table, its faintly luminescent body catching the morning light streaming through the window.

As a newly born spirit beast, it naturally wanted to go out and explore its surroundings.

"Fine," she said, tucking the jade token to her waist. "But stay close. This city has a Nascent Soul cultivator, and I don't want to draw attention."

Xiao Jin chirped indignantly, his tiny form pulsing with golden light as if offended by the implication that he couldn't handle himself.

***

Meng Lin walked through the streets of Heavenly Crossing City with Xiao Bai at her side. He steered her through the eastern market, occasionally glancing at the tiny golden figure perched on her shoulder.

Xiao Jin had wriggled his way there the moment they'd stepped outside, settling into the fold of her collar like it was a nest made just for him. 

Every time Xiao Bai's eyes drifted toward the faintly luminescent golden silkworm, his expression flickered with a mixture of awe and barely concealed fear.

"Stop staring," Meng Lin said. "You're going to make me self-conscious."

Xiao Bai jerked his gaze forward, cheeks flushing. "Apologies, Senior. It's just..." He lowered his voice to a whisper. "I've never seen a spirit beast like that."

He quickly focused on the task at hand, leading Meng Lin through the streets, toward a quieter section where older cultivators sold items.

He stopped before an establishment called Yu's Curios.

The shop sat quietly between two larger buildings, its wooden sign swaying gently in the breeze. Compared to the bustling stores lining the main streets, it looked almost forgotten.

Yet the moment Meng Lin's spiritual sense brushed against it, she felt several formation fluctuations hidden beneath the walls.

"This is the place?" Meng Lin asked.

Xiao Bai nodded enthusiastically. "One of the oldest shops in Heavenly Crossing City. Most visitors walk right past it because it doesn't look impressive, but the owner has a reputation for knowing almost everything."

"Chirp" 

Xiao Jin shifted slightly where it rested, its eyes wandered toward the shop entrance, as though it senses something.

Meng Lin noticed the subtle reaction and her gaze flickered toward the weathered building.

Without a word, she raised her hand and a thread of Void Qi wrapped itself around Xiao Jin and the silkworm's golden glow dimmed slowly.

A moment later, the dazzling spiritual light surrounding it gradually faded until even Xiao Bai, who was standing beside her, could no longer see it.

"Huh?"

Xiao Bai blinked but chose not to ask questions.

"Let's go inside."

Xiao Bai nodded and pushed open the wooden door.

The interior was larger than it appeared from outside.

Shelves stretched from floor to ceiling, packed with countless jade slips. 

Behind a long wooden counter sat an old woman whose face was a map of wrinkles. She appeared to be half asleep, leaning back in her chair with her eyes closed.

The old woman's gaze lifted casually toward the doorway.

It swept across Meng Lin and a trace of surprise flashed through her eyes before disappearing quickly.

As the old woman was scrutinizing her, Meng Lin was also doing the same. 'A Soul Wondering Cultivator '

Beside her, Xiao Bai leaned closer to Meng Lin.

"Grandmother Yu sells any and all information," he whispered.

The old woman looked up. Her eyes were sharp and clear. "What would you like to know," she asked.

Meng Lin stated her purpose. "The Heavenly Crossing Building. How do they operate and where do they send those that leave."

The old woman studied her for a long moment. Then she smiled, revealing teeth that were too white, too even, for her apparent age.

"Information regarding the Heavenly Crossing Building is not considered confidential," she said. "Many cultivators seek it before deciding whether to remain in this realm or venture elsewhere."

With a flick of her sleeve, a jade slip floated from a nearby shelf and landed softly on the table between them.

Meng Lin glanced at it but did not reach for it immediately.

The old woman's fingers traced a pattern across the tabletop. A faint projection emerged from the jade slip. Several glowing spheres with smaller spheres within them appeared above the table, connected by shimmering lines that resembled a celestial map.

"Most people think teleportation formations move a person instantly from one location to another," she said. "That is not entirely correct. What actually occurs is far more complicated, especially when you're traveling to different realms."

Meng Lin's gaze settled upon the floating projection. She instantly understood the spheres were the realms. Connecting the realms were thin and fragile-looking lines. Beyond them stretched endless darkness.

"The space between the realms is known as the Primeval Sea," the old woman said.

Her fingers swept across the projection, causing the darkness between the realms to transform. Endless currents of silver, gold, and crimson energy surged through the space separating the worlds like vast celestial rivers.

"The Primeval Sea is not a realm, nor is it true space. It is the endless expanse that exists between all realms."

Meng Lin's eyes narrowed slightly as she studied the scene.

"It is filled with primal energy and chaotic power. The forces of creation and destruction constantly collide there, giving birth to countless wonders and disasters."

"Every realm has at least four different worlds, and they are like small islands floating upon the Primeval Sea. The Heavenly Crossing Building does not teleport cultivators instantly. Instead, it creates a temporary passage through the Sea, allowing travelers to sail from one realm's world to another with the protection of powerful formations."

The old woman paused before adding quietly:

"Even then, accidents occur. Although rare for the Heavenly Crossing, the Primeval Sea has swallowed countless cultivators throughout history. Some are even powerful cultivators of the Ascension Realm."

"The Heavenly Crossing Sect has coordinates for only four different realms," Grandmother Yu raised four fingers.

"The first is the Blood Realm. Controlled by the Luan family. It contains six worlds, one of which is the Blood World we are in."

Meng Lin did not react outwardly. Her expression remained calm, she already knew.

Grandmother Yu smiled faintly and lowered another finger.

"The second is the Azure Sky Realm. Controlled by the Wang family. It contains four worlds, some with endless oceans and some with floating islands. The spiritual qi there is about the same as here, but the sea beasts are plentiful and their cores are valuable."

"The third is the Crimson Forge Realm. Controlled by the Zhang family. It contains seven worlds of volcanic deserts and underground cities. They specialize in artifact refinement and fire-based cultivation methods."

"And the fourth. The Immortal Heaven Realm."

Meng Lin's attention sharpened.

"The Immortal Heaven Realm is not controlled by a single family," Grandmother Yu said. "It is a central sub realm of the immortal plane, a vast realm that exists independently from others."

"This sub realm is where these three families of Luan, Wang and Zhang maintain their main strongholds, along with several other families. Spiritual qi is very dense that ordinary mortals live for over a century without cultivating."

"It's the main place that people choose to take passage to," Grandmother Yu added. "It's vast and has way more opportunities than any other realm, although it's mainly controlled by those families and sects, it's a central hub for all cultivators."

Meng Lin's eyes flickered slightly. She thought of her master Li Ya's explanation in the Blood Realm. The representatives. The eight families from eight different realms. Is that where they reside.

"Do you know of the Void Star Alliance or the Upper Post Heaven Realm," she asked.

Grandmother Yu calmly lifted her teacup and took a sip.

"There are countless realm, sects, clans, and organizations spread across the realms. It is impossible to know them all."

Her voice remained steady.

Meng Lin noticed the faint pause before she answered. The way her eyes did not quite meet hers.

She smiled and paid with 20 mid-grade spirit stones before turning to leave the room.

However once they stepped out of the establishment, a vast spiritual consciousness spread over them, causing a dark light to flicker in Meng Lin's eye.

Faint bloodlust flickered in her eyes but she didn't say anything and gradually moved, reaching the eastern market which had begun to fill with crowds.

Xiao Bai walked beside her in silence.

"Senior," he said finally. "Which realm did you want to go..."

"Let's not speak of that for now" Meng Lin said, not in the mood to talk, afterwards they parted ways and Meng Lin headed back to the Still Water Inn, and the spiritual consciousness began fading.

Walking away, she couldn't help but show a cold expression, regardless of whether that old lady realized something about her. The mere act of probing her with her spiritual consciousness offended Meng Lin.

There were several moments where she wanted to act but decided against it, she didn't know if the dead skill was playing a part thus she decided to first wait.

Meng Lin returned to the inn, her thoughts still flickering with the earlier event.

Chirp.

Xiao Jin at her shoulder, nudged against her, showing worry for her.

Meng Lin gently stroked Xiao Jin's little head, her fingers warm against its trembling form. The little creature's concern softened the edges of her anger, though the coldness in her eyes remained.

"Don't worry," she murmured. "I'm not so easily provoked."

That was only partially true, the old woman had not attacked her and she had not threatened her so she should not have been provoked.

Yet the casual sweep of spiritual consciousness had still irritated her into wanting to kill her.

 Shifting her attention elsewhere, Meng Lin opened her system inventory and withdrew a jade bottle.

A few pale-gold pills rested inside.

Spirit Nourishing Pills.

One of the treasures she had obtained from the Super Grade System Packs, she took one pill between her fingers while reading the brief description the system showed.

[Spirit Nourishing Pill] 

[A top tier pill capable of calming and strengthening the soul as well increasing the growth potential of one's spiritual consciousness.]

It seemed the system really knew the predicament she was facing.

Meng Lin stared at the pill for a moment before shaking her head. "Or maybe it's just a coincidence."

Opening her mouth, she swallowed the Spirit Nourishing Pill.

The medicinal pill melted the instant it touched her tongue, a cool sensation spread throughout her body.

It wasn't the rushing heat of a cultivation pill, nor the violent surge of spiritual qi common among breakthrough treasures, Instead, it felt like a stream of clear spring water flowing through her mind.

The lingering irritation from earlier gradually faded.

Her thoughts became sharper.

Calmer.

Even the memory of the old woman's spiritual probe no longer stirred the same immediate anger.

"Chirp?"

Xiao Jin tilted its head at her sudden aura change.

"I'm fine."

Meng Lin sat cross-legged on the bed and closed her eyes.

The calming energy drifted through her sea of consciousness rather than her spiritual veins.

Several hours later, the last traces of medicinal power disappeared and she slowly opened her eyes.

Her mind felt noticeably clearer than before, and the lingering irritation from earlier had largely faded.

At the same time, she could feel that her spiritual consciousness had grown stronger.

The increase wasn't dramatic, but it was significant.

Roughly five percent, perhaps a little more.

Perhaps a little more.

More importantly, her mind felt refreshed.

The faint pressure she had been carrying since the encounter with the old woman had lessened considerably.

After thinking for a moment she raised her hand.

A crescent-shaped item quickly materialized in her hand. Its smooth crystal body pulsing with gentle light.

It was the high grade Spiritual Body Analyzer, it's description stated that it was able to do in depth analysis of the soul structure, the spiritual consciousness and even her body.

Last time she used it, it was more so on the Spiritual consciousness as well as the mind palace, which enabled her to master the void reflection technique.

This time, she intends to analyze her soul, or more accurately her Narscent Soul Core, she had not forgotten the weird experience she had within the dead void space.

And if there truly were changes to her personality, Maybe she would glimpse it with the analyzer.

The crescent shaped item felt cool to the touch, and as Meng Lin injected Qi into it, the world around her seemed to blur, and her perception shifted.

A feeling of deep tranquility flooded her senses, as if a veil had been removed, revealing her body in minute detail.

She could see herself sitting cross-legged with Xiao Jin on her lap, as she looked she saw not just her physical body, but an intricate network of spiritual energy and structures within her body.

The flow of her blood, the spiritual veins that ran through her and also her jade glowing bones.

'even now I still don't know what the divine bone strengthening pill truly did to me' she thought.

Shifting her focus to the most important area, she turned her attention toward her dantian.

Immediately, the analyzer magnified the view.

The Nascent Soul Core floated peacefully within the center of her dantian. Countless streams of multicolored qi revolved around it like a miniature universe, while at its center sat the compressed Brute Qi, a dark sphere rotating endlessly.

Meng Lin observed quietly.

Everything appeared normal.

Her soul was stable. Her foundation was stable. Even the newly formed Nascent Soul showed no signs of damage.

Yet the uneasy feeling in her heart refused to fade.

Recalling the dead void and the second voice she had heard during her breakthrough, Meng Lin narrowed her eyes and focused entirely on the compressed Brute Qi.

The analyzer responded immediately as the image enlarged.

Layer after layer of swirling chaotic qi was stripped away as the item peered deeper into the center of the Brute Qi.

Meng Lin's expression gradually changed as she noticed something, hidden at the very center of the dark chaotic storm was a tiny black object no larger than a grain of sand.

At first she thought it was an orb, perhaps the source of the brute qi.

But as she looked, the object magnified under the Spiritual Body Analyzer and Meng Lin's pupils gradually contracted.

It was a tiny figure, a figure curled into itself like an unborn child sleeping within a womb.

The figure was pitch black and seemed to have no features,

Yet the moment Meng Lin saw it, an inexplicable chill ran through her body.

Her breathing slowed as memories of the dead void resurfaced.

The endless darkness, the crushing silence, the second voice that had spoken from nowhere.

Then a chill ran down her spine.

Suddenly, the tiny figure stirred.

Slowly, it lifted its head and its featureless face suddenly opened up two pairs of eyes.

For a single terrifying moment, Meng Lin felt as though she was no longer the one observing. The figure was looking back at her.

BOOM!