"However, the dangers of the Soul Star are unknown, and I need not commit my entire soul to it," Chu Xuan pondered. "Perhaps I should sever a portion of my spiritual sense and send it to the Soul Star. In this way, I can explore the Soul Star while continuing my cultivation."

A light bulb went off in Chu Xuan's mind. This was a viable solution. Yet, this solution brought with it a cascade of new challenges: how to sever part of his soul and, once on the Soul Star, how to capture the vengeful spirits and ghosts.

"I do have a secret technique for severing the soul!"

Chu Xuan suddenly recalled that after slaying Cao Zijin, a genius from the Heaven Burning Sect, he had found a treasure trove of techniques and scrolls in his storage bag. At the time, he had set them aside as they were of little use to him.

Now, revisiting these treasures, he indeed found a suitable method.

The "Soul Division Technique"! This technique, essential for puppeteering, allowed a cultivator to divide their soul, a skill almost all puppeteers used to multitask and control their puppets.

As for a method to bind vengeful spirits and ghosts with the soul, he found none. He wondered if the soul techniques on the Soul Star might offer similar capabilities.

"First, I will cultivate the Soul Division Technique. Just mastering the first level should allow me to sever a strand of my soul. If it's just to assess the dangers of the Soul Star, that should suffice."

Chu Xuan then settled down to diligently cultivate the Soul Division Technique. Having previously condensed the Nether Soul Core, his spiritual soul was exceptionally strong, making his cultivation of the Soul Division Technique even more effective.

Within just a month by Blue Star's reckoning, he had cultivated the Soul Division Technique to the first level. That very day, he severed a strand of his soul. Subsequently, he activated the soul teleportation matrix of the Psionic Cube using five small spiritual stones.

Chu Xuan took another look at the Psionic Cube. Since Ma Nanshan's departure for the Soul Star, there had been a long silence, a stark contrast to his previous verbosity.

Chu Xuan had his suspicions but still wished to see for himself what lay on the other side.

"Let's see what this Soul Star is really like," Chu Xuan muttered as he cast the severed strand of his soul into the matrix.

Buzz!

In an instant, the world spun wildly. His senses were bombarded by bizarre and chaotic visions. When his vision cleared, he found himself standing under a night sky. Looking around, the landscape was desolate and dark, hardly a place fit for human habitation.

On closer inspection, the sky was not dark. It was actually teeming with writhing, wailing vengeful spirits and ghosts! Their numbers were so vast that they blotted out the sky, which had led Chu Xuan to believe he was under a night sky.

"So many?!" Chu Xuan was momentarily speechless. His Myriad Souls Banner, merely a high-grade magic tool, would struggle to contain such an enormous number of vengeful spirits and ghosts.

Just then, Chu Xuan felt a sudden headache. A vision of a shattered, blood-red mirror piece flashed through his mind.

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"The Blood Mirror fragment!"

Chu Xuan exclaimed, both shocked and elated.

"Another fool has come," a voice sounded from behind him.

Before Chu Xuan could turn around, a massive hand grasped at him. In an instant, it crushed the strand of his soul and tossed it into a gaping mouth, chewing casually.

"Mmm... this soul is weak but delicious..." That was the last thing Chu Xuan heard before intense pain overtook him.

Hisss...

Rubbing his temples, Chu Xuan noted the connection with that strand of his soul had been severed.

"It seems my suspicions were correct," he mused. "That was no invitation from the Hall of Rectitude, but a trap. A dreadful trap designed to lure the strongest beings from other planets to offer up their souls!"

Chu Xuan shook his head. Poor Ma Nanshan from Pegasus Star, he thought, probably already dead. His soul likely now served as sustenance for a more formidable being.

"The soul strength of that creature from the Soul Star seems to be comparable to a Foundation Building cultivator. For me, slicing off about one-tenth of my soul to send to the Soul Star should suffice to easily manipulate it."

Chu Xuan smiled faintly. "However, why did my soul suddenly encounter the vision of the mirror fragment upon reaching the Soul Star? Could it be that the fragment is indeed on the Soul Star? Quite possible!"

It seemed a journey to the Soul Star was inevitable. However, he planned to make thorough preparations before departing.

First, he needed to master the second level of the Soul Division Technique. Second, he needed to acquire a better Myriad Souls Banner, at least a mid-grade magic treasure, to capture more stray spirits and ghosts.

"It seems I need to blast those Nether Crocodiles first, then head to a gathering place of cultivators to acquire a better Myriad Souls Banner," Chu Xuan resolved, settling down to continue condensing Yin Thunder Seeds.

Three more years passed on Blue Star. The number of Yin Thunder Seeds in Chu Xuan's spiritual sea had reached ten thousand. He suddenly stood up, his eyes filled with a chilling resolve.

Time to bomb them all...

...

In the western battlefield, the diminutive Nether Crocodiles were ubiquitous. Thousands lay resting on the ground, indistinguishable from slender stones.

Yet, only cultivators who had witnessed their ferocity knew that these stone-like creatures could transform into frenzied beasts at the slightest disturbance, mercilessly pursuing their prey.

Suddenly, a streak of light burst forth from a hidden cave.

In an instant, the Nether Crocodiles, like people jolted from deep sleep, woke with a start, irritable and disturbed. Their fearsome, sharp maws swayed as they swarmed toward the fleeing light.

"Obstruct my path, and you court death!" Chu Xuan sneered, his mouth spewing forth beads of Yin Thunder.

Boom, boom, boom!

Wherever he went, the Nether Crocodiles were blasted into pieces. Black limbs and red flesh littered the ground, covering it completely.

A hundred Yin Thunder Seeds were not enough; then he would use two hundred. If two hundred were insufficient, then four hundred, eight hundred, even sixteen hundred—as long as he had enough Yin Thunder.

Boom, boom, boom!

With Yin Thunder clearing the way, Chu Xuan advanced relentlessly.

"Hmm? That woman's storage bag?" His keen eyes and quick hands spotted a storage bag on the ground.

Several months ago, he had been transported here via a battlefield token and had encountered a woman claiming to be a disciple of the Majestic Sword Sect. Chu Xuan casually took the storage bag and continued forward.

"Aren't some Nether Crocodiles supposed to burst into blood crystals upon death? Why haven't I seen any?" Chu Xuan mused internally.

The physical bodies of Nether Crocodiles were extremely formidable. In some particularly powerful specimens, the vital essence could condense into blood crystals, a nourishing delicacy for body cultivators.

Chu Xuan wondered if these blood crystals could compare to the zombie flesh crafted from the Psionic Cube.

Wait... Could it be that the overwhelming power of the Yin Thunder had shattered even the blood crystals?

After some time, Chu Xuan finally discovered a blood crystal. With a sweep of his spiritual sense and a gesture, he drew it into his storage bag from afar. He collected six more as he proceeded.

The number of Nether Crocodiles ahead began to dwindle, perhaps sensing the deadly threat of the Yin Thunder and choosing to avoid its edge.

In any case, Chu Xuan felt the pressure rapidly diminishing. Eventually, he blasted his way out of the Nether Crocodile encirclement.

There were no more obstacles around!