We stood frozen, two souls from another world staring down at a treasure that felt far too real. The soft, verdant glow of the leaf pulsed like a tiny, sleeping heart, filling the quiet hall with an aura of pure life.
Zhao Ming was the first to speak, his voice a low, reverent whisper. "Qing-er… what is that thing? The energy coming off it is… it's not like Dou Qi. It's purer. It feels like a soul."
His Six Eyes were giving him a raw, unfiltered look at its essence, but my mind, filled with the lore of a world we now inhabited, provided the name.
"It's a leaf from a Seven-Phantom Valeflora," I said, my voice barely audible. "It's a spiritual herb of the highest grade. It only grows in places with incredibly dense spiritual energy, often where powerful experts have fallen. It's one of the main ingredients for a Tier 6 medicinal pill… the Spiritual Recovery Pill."
"A pill that can restore a damaged soul," Zhao Ming finished, instantly understanding the implication. He looked from the leaf to me, his blindfolded face conveying a sudden, heavy comprehension. "A pill that an ancient, powerful soul trapped in a ring might desperately need."
The reality of our find crashed down on us. This wasn't just a treasure; it was a plot voucher. A critical piece of Xiao Yan's destiny, sitting right here on our table. The urge to simply throw it in a river and run was surprisingly strong.
"So, what do we do?" Zhao Ming asked, running a hand through his white hair. "We can't sell it. An item this rare would bring every powerhouse in the Jia Ma Empire down on our heads. Do we… just try to give it to him?"
"And how would we do that?" I countered, my mind racing. "Leave it on his doorstep with a note that says, 'For the old man in your ring'? We can't. Not yet. It's too dangerous." I shook my head, trying to clear the fog of panic. "Let's look at the other item first. One problem at a time."
My gaze fell upon the yellowed scroll. It felt less significant than the glowing leaf, but it was part of the same treasure hoard. It had to be important. With careful, steady hands, I untied the leather cord and unrolled the scroll on the table.
The script was elegant and archaic, written with a steady hand. It was filled with complex diagrams of molecular structures, notes on heat control, and observations on the fusion of different medicinal energies. It wasn't a cultivation method or a Dou Technique, not in the traditional sense.
It was a journal. The personal journal of a traveling alchemist.
We spent the next hour poring over the text. The alchemist, a man named Feng Moyuan, had lived about two hundred years ago. He was a Tier 5 Alchemist who had spent his life wandering the continent, seeking knowledge and rare ingredients. The journal was a fascinating chronicle of his life, filled with fragmented pill formulas, musings on the nature of soul energy, and his frustrations with the limitations of his own talent.
Then, about halfway through, we found it. A section titled, "A Small, Unorthodox Creation."
I have long been troubled by the volatile nature of spiritual herbs, the text read. The Seven-Phantom Valeflora, in particular, possesses a spirited will that resists refinement. To handle such ingredients, one needs more than just powerful Soul Perception. One needs a gentle hand, a way to guide and soothe the energy, not just dominate it. Traditional Dou Techniques are too crude, too focused on destruction or defense. Thus, I have endeavored to create my own.
My eyes widened. He had created his own Dou Technique.
I call it the "Soul-Guiding Hand" (引魂手 - Yǐn Hún Shǒu). It is a mere Xuan Class, Low-Grade technique, and possesses no combat ability whatsoever. Its purpose is singular: to allow the user to perceive, touch, and gently guide spiritual energy. With it, one can feel the texture of a soul, soothe the agitation of a spiritual ingredient, or even detect the faintest trace of a lingering spirit. It is a tool for the scholar and the alchemist, not the warrior. It is my life's most humble, yet proudest, achievement.
I stared at the words, my heart hammering in my chest. A technique for interacting with souls. A gentle, precise, and supportive skill. It was… perfect. It was as if this long-dead alchemist had created a technique specifically for me, for the unique combination of templates I possessed.
As if on cue, a cascade of notifications filled my vision.
[New Dou Technique Discovered: "Soul-Guiding Hand"]
[Analyzing synergy with currently equipped Templates...]
[ANALYSIS COMPLETE]
[High Synergy Detected!]
[This technique's focus on soul manipulation and perception strongly complements the abilities of [Taigong Wang - God-Executing Immortal] and [Tang Sanzang - Teachings of the Buddha].]
[Learning this technique will provide a significant boost to future synchronization rates for these templates.]
This was it. This was my path forward. Zhao Ming had the raw power and sensory perfection of Gojo Satoru. I would have the precision and esoteric knowledge of a soul-tamer. We weren't just two different people; we were becoming two different types of powerhouse.
The discovery shifted the entire context of our situation. We now had a legendary spiritual herb and the perfect technique to practice with it.
"Ming," I said, my voice firm with newfound conviction. I looked at him, and the silly pet name I had tried to use earlier felt wrong, like an ill-fitting garment. It was an attempt to cling to a past that was gone. We weren't college bros anymore. We were partners in a dangerous, new reality. I needed to treat him as such. "We're keeping the leaf."
He raised an eyebrow. "Keeping it? Qing-er, you just said it was a hot potato."
"It is," I agreed. "But it's also the perfect training tool. This technique, the 'Soul-Guiding Hand,' is my key to getting stronger. But I can't practice on thin air. I need something to practice on. The leaf is perfect. Its spiritual energy is powerful but stable and pure. It's the safest 'training dummy' for soul manipulation I could ever ask for."
He was quiet for a moment, considering my words. He was pragmatic, always focused on the most direct path to power or safety. He saw the danger of holding onto the leaf.
"My path is different from yours," I continued, pressing my advantage. "You need to practice controlling the Infinity, to feel out the edges of your power. I need to study, to learn these delicate, precise arts. This journal, this technique, this leaf… they are my foundation. Giving them up now would be like you giving up your Six Eyes. It's too great a sacrifice. Our number one goal is to get stronger, and this is my fastest way."
Zhao Ming leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. He was silent for a long time. I could feel the debate raging within him—the risk versus the reward. Finally, he gave a slow nod.
"Alright," he said. "You're right. Getting stronger is the priority. We keep the leaf, and you learn the soul-petting technique." He smirked. "But if a Dou Ancestor shows up at our door asking about it, I'm blaming you."
"Fair enough," I smiled, a wave of relief washing over me.
Our new plan was set. We would liquidate our other, less conspicuous finds—the Star Iron and the herbs—to fund our entry into the auction world. While I dedicated myself to deciphering the journal and learning the "Soul-Guiding Hand," Zhao Ming would act as our guardian, refining his own control over his abilities.
That evening, as twilight painted the sky in shades of orange and purple, I began my first lesson. The main hall of the pavilion was quiet, the servants having been dismissed for the night. Zhao Ming stood near the entrance, a silent, unmoving sentinel. His presence was a comfort, a solid wall of security that allowed me to focus completely.
I sat on a silk cushion on the floor, the ancient journal open before me and the glowing Valeflora leaf resting on the low table. I read the instructions for the "Soul-Guiding Hand" over and over, memorizing the intricate Dou Qi pathways and the specific mental state of calm focus required to perform it.
Then, I took a deep breath and began.
I drew a thread of Dou Qi from the air, guiding it through my body. It wasn't like creating the flame, which was an act of outward expression. This was an act of inner circulation, a complex and delicate dance of energy. The pathways were bizarre, unlike any standard cultivation method, twisting and turning through meridians I barely knew I had. It was difficult, like trying to solve a complex puzzle in the dark.
After several failed attempts, I finally managed to complete a single, full circulation. A strange, tingling warmth spread from my chest to my fingertips. According to the journal, this was the sign that the technique was active.
Now for the true test.
I raised my right hand, palm facing the glowing leaf on the table. I didn't try to touch it physically. Instead, I focused on the feeling of the technique, trying to extend my senses beyond my fingertips. I tried to 'feel' the leaf not with my skin, but with my spirit.
For a moment, there was nothing. Then, a new sensation bloomed in my perception. It was like dipping my hand into a pool of warm, liquid light. I could feel the gentle, rhythmic pulse of the life force within the leaf, the serene, ancient energy that composed it. It was a feeling of pure, untainted life, and it responded to my probing touch not with resistance, but with a faint, welcoming hum.
I had made a connection.
A series of chimes, louder and more significant than any before, echoed in my mind.
[Learning "Soul-Guiding Hand"... Mastery 1%]
[Synergistic Practice Detected! Your understanding of soul manipulation resonates deeply with your equipped Templates!]
[Synchronization with [Taigong Wang] has increased by 0.1%!]
[Current Sync Rate: 1.11%]
[Synchronization with [Tang Sanzang] has increased by 0.1%!]
[Current Sync Rate: 1.32%]
I opened my eyes, a gasp escaping my lips. The feeling faded, but the sense of accomplishment was immense. The synchronization gain was ten times what I had achieved through my simple flame practice.
This was it. This was the key.
I looked up at Zhao Ming. He hadn't moved, but I could tell he had felt the shift in the room's energy. His blindfolded face was turned towards me, a small, genuine smile on his lips.
"Not bad, Qing-er," he said softly. "Not bad at all."
For the first time since arriving in this impossible world, the fear was overshadowed by a flicker of genuine hope. I had my own path now, a unique power that was all my own. The future was still a terrifying, unknown expanse, but now, at least, I had a candle to light the way. And it was a candle I had lit myself.