"No response?" Han Xuhan observed loudly. "Yeah...figures. You do understand that this makes me very, very suspicious towards you, right senior? I suppose if you don't really care about that at all, the implications are simple. Whatever plan you have for us is going to be purely reliant on force, huh?"

The dao tower remained silent as before, dragging his hopeful heart into icy waters.

What was this entity trying to do?

Would he even survive to see tomorrow's sun?

Han Xuhan spent a long time trying to soothe his nerves. Too many things were waiting on his wishlist, and now he was forced to consider that he'd never reach those goals. He couldn't see a bright, or long future ahead of himself. However, the memories of his past life came in handy as he prepared his heart for an inevitable, fast-approaching death. If he opened his eyes after breaking away from this session of meditation and still retained the control of his body, mind, and dao tower, Han Xuhan was ready to consider it a gift, a borrowed period of time to appreciate this rebirth, this interesting world.

Zhanxian looked like he was about to try to convince him to go along with the flow of this entity's scheme. But the oldest minion understood Han Xuhan's personality, especially his pettiness and spiteful nature, very well. So no such requests came from him in the end.

In the end, Han Xuhan decided to return to the original world as a test.

As he opened his eyes, conscious of his surroundings, Han Xuhan felt fully in control of himself. One minute passed, then two. Suddenly, he bolted outside, where Mu Ran was supposed to be performing his job as the temporary guard of the hut.

"What are you doing?!" Mu Ran yelped as soon as he set foot outside, looking alarmed.

"I-cough, cough...uh, nightmare," his voice answered. Then his body turned around and re-entered his room, sat down on the bed, and shook for a second. Once again, Han Xuhan had experienced what it felt like to be possessed.

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He got up again. This time, he walked out slowly, slouched and appearing dispirited. He made some small talk with Mu Ran and sat outside with him for a long, long time.

"Boss," he suddenly said, breaking the silence.

"Yeah?"

"What would you do...if you were suddenly possessed by something very powerful? " Han Xuhan shot his words swiftly, before he could be stopped.

"WHAT?" Mu Ran leaped up, his eyes narrowed and gait cautious. He had entered battle mode, almost instantly.

Han Xuhan felt like he was overreacting a bit, but considering the current situation, this was just perfect! But before he could continue-

"Ahaha! Boss, right now I'm possessed by a very powerful urge to go back inside and sleep! I don't think I can slog through tonight's shift. Could you...cover my shift for me?" His voice was robbed again.

"....Oh." Mu Ran nodded slowly, still looking wary.

Han Xuhan's legs carried him back inside his room, his hands closing the door on the way.

"Young man, that was a poor decision. My patience has its limits. If you think you can achieve a result by repeatedly forcing me to possess this body of yours...I would be disappointed."

"...I felt that we need to have a conversation. This seemed like a convenient message, alarming enough to summon you, senior." Han Xuhan's tone was cold. Unlike their first conversation, he was prepared now. This entity would not get the respect and fear he had gotten in their previous exchange. What he'd get is a rude, uncaring negotiator.

"....You know what, I'll let you in on a secret. The longer you expose me to this world, the higher the possibility of you being struck with an 'Erasure' level Heavenly Calamity will grow. So, I suggest that you listen to the next three sentences of mine carefully, and not force me out again.

"Firstly, you've done me a service I appreciate, so I'll not simply kill you and steal your body like you think.

"Secondly, I provided you with the fusion technique not only out of goodwill, but also to ensure that I have a foot in this world through you, and that's all there is to it.

"Thirdly, an 'Erasure' level Heavenly Calamity is something so far beyond your scope of comprehension that the very knowledge of it could get you in trouble; all you need to know is that it will spell both of our deaths.

"There you go, young man. I just handed you the most important trump card, the way to launch a suicide attack against me. Don't ask this old man to show more sincerity. You already have the higher ground now."

"Senior! Wait! One last question-- is it possible to shift your foothold in this world from my body to someone else's? You did say you wanted a healthy body! I'd love to know the process!" Han Xuhan anxiously shouted.

"Hahaha! I have some high requirements, I'll warn you!" the entity laughed incredulously.

"Get me someone beyond the Soul Reformation Realm, tied up and unable to retaliate in ANY way, physically or spiritually. I'll consider it!"