“Now!” when the timing was right, Alice then signaled. The energy she released then merged into the lump of meat that already human-like form. Not only her but there were Wang Yu, Hou Fei and Wu Qing to help.

Then with that kind of support, the lump of meat developed further into an adult-sized body.

“Even though we control it with more people but the development process was not easy after all.” Said Wang Yu evaluating the process. He felt that this method was much cheaper but needed more effort in order to make it works.

“That’s true. I can’t do this alone in the future.” Alice also agreed. No matter what they did if only one person did all of this then the process would end in vain, a failure.

To proceed further, they had to perform their part well and cooperate for at least a few moment before the completion.

-

“No, I don’t want this.” Manstein rejected the offer from Ye Shui. Ye Shui wanted to leave a soul seed that he produced during the failed ascension.

“Why? Now the only person I have to deal with is only you and you alone.” Said Ye Shui slowly.

“I’m not worthy of your kindness. Besides, you started to see it from my soul, right? The other part of me.” Manstein just wanted to bury this other side of him from the outside light ever again. But the patriarch stared at him without letting go.

“Listen here, I’m just leaving behind what was originally belonged to the family. I’m afraid that when I leave this world, this soul seed will also end up like me so instead of letting it become a waste, I give it to you.”

No matter what Ye Shui said, Manstein would reject it.

“I understand why you give me this soul seed but for me, this is completely useless.” After Manstein ordered Intelligence Assistance Device to check the capabilities and usage of this soul seed to his soul, he found out that the Tribulation and Retribution seal prevented him from receiving the soul seed.

“No, it’s because of the seal. This seal only prevented the person to give or receive something from another seal bearer. That’s why...”

Ye Shui then locked the soul seed which appeared like a tiny plant seed with his own energy before giving it to Manstein.

“I’m insisted that you should receive it. Otherwise, I will not leave this world in peace because my family still owe something from her. Is that fine to call her the goddess like that?” Ye Shui spoke slower.

“It’s fine, Patriarch. She’s my colleague after all but how about your family? Are you give them something that can ease your worry?” Manstein really wanted to said this. Rather than him, Ye family was more worthy to receive this.

“I don’t give any material for them. Instead, I leave them with all the wisdom and knowledge I have..”

Then Manstein saw something that he would not even forget for the rest o his life. The Patriarch of Ye family, Ye Shui started to fade slow but steady.

-Detecting the weakening of the soul power. The soul was taken by an unknown entity!-

This baffled Manstein because he originally thought that when someone died, their soul would be gone somewhere but who would believe him if he could see that the soul was taken by something!

‘What is that!?’ Manstein then saw the figure that almost invisible. This figure then grabbed something from Ye Shui’s soul, which was the soul connector to the body.

-Unknown! Unable to receive any data. All the function of the device now focused on the unknown entity-

Manstein thought that this was the last chance to save someone. He then used his soul to interfere with the entities doing, disrupt it from retrieving Ye Shui’s soul.

“No....kid....it’s....pointless.” the voice from Ye Shui now grew quite and undiscernable.

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

‘Pointless!? What do you mean!?’ Manstein could accept if Ye Shui’s soul just fades away but then a strange entity suddenly appeared, tried to take Ye Shui’s soul. But Ye Shui looked at Manstein one last time.

“This....is....death.” this words from Ye Shui made Manstein unable to do anything anymore. He had a thought that the soul of every living being did not disappear and instead was placed somewhere that any mortals could not touch.

“Don’t tell me that, the entity that trying to take your soul now is...” Manstein really felt helpless about it. After all, Manstein created Soul Transfer method but in the end when someone died their souls were taken by this unknown entity.

Ye Shui showed his agreement with a slight nod. The entity then suddenly looked at Manstein right in the front of his face.

“Interesting...” said the entity. “..and this man’s soul has this world’s ruler seal. But his deeds really good overall. And as for you....”

The entity purposely showed its finger. It was directly pointed towards Manstein.

“...if not the grace and permission as well as the fate that the creator of the beings has for you, you will not hear what this man had said and will not see me take this man’s soul.”

This entity was what Manstein and we usually called Grim Reaper. Of course what Manstein had seen there clearly indicated that the death was more than just appear in his perspective.

“Look closely, young man as I will try my best to slowly remove this man’s soul from his body and locked him before I sent him to that realm.”

‘Then what use is my Soul Transfer method!?’ Manstein felt like he had been done for good without a chance to retaliate.

Ye Shui’s soul then slowly separated from his body, only leaving a large lump of non-living meat outside. Then the entity kept the soul somewhere that even Manstein could not see.

“I will only appear when someone already reached the end of their lifespan. If there is a case where someone died due to accident or any other factor than that, I will give them a chance to return to their body if their body is still suitable for sustaining the soul.”

The entity then finished the deeds. Then he moved to...Manstein!

‘A body...a vessel! Damn!’ Manstein now understood what the entity meant. It could take his soul as well after all Manstein had no body and thus qualified for the entity to do that.

“Oh, you worry about your safety. Don’t worry about it too much. Your body is still intact!” this revelation made Manstein confused. He wanted to ask but the entity already had gone.

-

Then a cried could be heard within the entire residence. Several figures stood beside the body that now lied peacefully within the room. The figures apparently circled around and their eyes now reddened.

“It’s okay to cry. It’s not a sin to cry over something that important to us.” Said, Alice, before she shifted her sight to a man that wore a white coat with his half black and half red hair.

The man sighed and beside the man with the coat, a boy and a young man on his left and right side of him cried and sobbed to their heart's content. The man then placed his hands on both their shoulders.

This man was the new incarnation body that Manstein now used. Now he had his physical form but at the day of his body creation, Ye Shui also passed away.

“You’re really Elder Brother, right?” Ye Yingyuan comforted himself. He felt glad that Manstein finally gained his body but at the same time, one of their family members died.

“So from today, I will become your younger brother?” this time, Ye Xiaobai also loudly cried as well. Although Manstein thought that the fault lies not with this young man but the existence that placed the Tribulation and Retribution seal.

‘That Physical Restriction soon will come down.It's better to prepare myself.’

This situation was not good for Manstein as he was the only witness of the patriarch death himself.

“I pray that Father’s soul will have a good rest. Now, we need to properly bury Father as someone who was worthy.” This was said by Ye Canghai. His jaw trembled but he could only say that much and more than that would make him unable to hold himself.

Then, they told the servants to prepare for the funeral. While they waited, Manstein walked to the yard where he could see the view with his new body and with his own will!

The blue sky that mixed with golden luster, the clouds that drifted far above his head. The chilling sensation when the wind blew up to his direction.

“I don’t feel any difference with my new body.” Manstein compared it with his own perception when he normally moved. But he still remembered what that entity had said, his body was still intact.

“What are you thinking, Senior?” Alice asked with curiosity. She often saw Manstein looked far into the distance for some reason after the Body Creation process and Body Incarnation process.

“Don’t you feel sad?” Manstein instead asked back.

“Truthfully, I started to feel numb towards such feelings. The cultivators did not sever their feeling but become numb to it instead.” This what Alice had experienced herself.

Manstein could only sigh when he heard that. Perhaps his grandfather also felt the same and secluded himself from outside world?

Then Manstein felt something on his hands. It felt cold and he obviously knew what it was. Alice then smiled when she looked up.

“Snow, so this season has come again.” She said with her own sigh. Her sigh was filled with the passage of time and sadness in it. Manstein then saw that the first snow to fall with his own eyes.

“Once mortal, forever mortal. By origin, we pursue eternity but only suffer in eternity. No matter how many years had passed, every living being that has a soul will have the taste of death.” Manstein then recited the same line over and over again.

Then a footstep was heard and Manstein looked back with his entire body turned around. Then he saw the figure of Ye Xiaobai with a had never been seen determination in his eyes. Now, his stare was like some martyr that prepared to sacrifice themselves.

“Elder Brother, please teach me all you know!” Ye Xiaobai then kneeled down. This made Manstein remember the deal that he had promised.

“You stop kneeling!” shouted Manstein. Even if he knew for what reason did Ye Xiaobai kneel down but he still disliked it especially when Ye Xiaobai plead.

“Of course I will, after all, I’m your brother from now on understood?” Manstein then looked to another direction.

“Thank you, thank you.” There was nothing that better than this for Ye Xiaobai. He wanted to know more about his new elder brother and also the knowledge that he possessed as well as his story with the Goddess of Artifact.

“Of course if it was Senior then he will help you.” Alice giggled. Even if she were live here for a little longer, she would act like her self.

This made all of them laughed and Manstein really promised to teach him everything that he knew.

The next day was another day and another big news for the entire Xuan City. Because the topic was about the death of Ye family’s Patriarch and this happened too sudden for the citizen to accept.

“Why is it always the kind and good people that died early?” lamented someone. Another person also expressed their feeling by saying that the sudden event was not acceptable.

‘Hmm? Strange, I don’t feel anything about that. It is said that this Ye family was a family of strange but unique cultivators. But no one can confirm this until now, is there something more?’

There was a man that walked among the sea of people, went together to the Ye Residence to pay a visit.

This man was the same person who had arrived in the city when he encountered a caravan with a sick girl there. Currently, his interest was piqued by the news that someone from Ye family had died just recently.

‘But why I did not feel any kinds of energy being released?’ the man did not know about it and he also looked for something in this city.

There was also the mayor and also a young girl and a man who walked beside the mayor himself. They went directly to the same place as those people.