Chapter 0023

Verack De Nunick felt as if his soul was ripped out of his body and grinded to dust, slowly dissipating inch by miserable inch at Aria Se Jivock’s word.

Her logic made sense. A soul practitioner did not need a soulmate to achieve immortality nor do they need their soulmate to progress their cultivation.

If Verack De Nunick gave up on his soulmate in this lifetime, then the cycle of death will end. The soulmate bond will slow repair itself and they will meet each other again in another lifetime. The misery of seeing a loved one die will not happen to them.

He will also be happy with a loving, dedicated woman beside him as he ascends towards immortality.

But he can not accept it! Verack De Nunick can not give up his soulmate when she is so near. He can not accept the knowledge that his soulmate will belong to someone else, will be someone else's wife.

Maybe he can give up his soulmate if he never sensed her. To have her so near, almost within his grasp if he is willing to take the chance, only told to back away because if he messes up this time, there will be irrevocable damage to their bond. He can not accept it. All that stand in his way is two weak Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Heavenly Mountains he can crush anytime.

“Those who do not learn from their mistakes are doomed to repeat it.” Another arrow struck his heart, another soul demon taking root in his soul.

Soul Bane as the name implies are the bane of soul practitioner. During the cultivation life a soul practitioner, they experience many things, friendship, love, hardship, betrayal and so forth. Some experiences are like the passing of the wind, present, invisible and has no impact whatsoever on the soul practitioner while other experiences might be minor in scope but lingers with the soul practitioner. If those lingering experiences happen to be good memories, then it spurs the cultivation of the soul practitioners to new heights while bad memories if remained unresolved becomes a demon, tormenting the soul practitioner and hindering the cultivation.

Verack De Nunick knew he can’t give up his soulmate.

Aria Se Jivock saw the resolve on his face and sighed internally. She should not meddle in the matter of the heart but the moron mess up so much that it almost become irreversible.

Xing Zhi Hui lament in her heart. Why can’t she receive such heaven’s blessing? She is a woman too, and like all women, they want to meet their destined partner, fall in love and live happily ever after. Instead, fate curses her with Aria Se Jivock, a scheming, mischievous know-it-all who attracts trouble like she is breathing.

“Soul Memories Nine Reincarnation Sutra.”

Everyone stiffen at Aria Se Jivock’s words. Everyone except Xing Zhi Hui.

“What is the Soul Memories Nine Reincarnation Sutra?”

Aria Se Jivock laments her fate. Her soul choked up by karma not of her own doing which forced her to take drastic measures among them is joining the Brilliant Yin Sect she can handle.

Being partnered with her old friend in one of her life is a torture in itself. Somehow, Aria Se Jivock get the feeling she died her in that lifetime trying to save her stupid friend beside her.

“The Soul Memories Nine Reincarnation Sutra is a rare cultivation technique that powers the soul by unlocking the memories of the soul’s previous life. If a soul practitioner had a powerful soul force in the previous life, then the soul force is transferred to the current life, enabling the soul practitioner to become an elite overnight.” Aria Se Jivock explained to her partner.

“No sane cultivator would be willing to cultivate the Soul Memories Nine Reincarnation Sutra. The requirements for it are too dangerous.” Cercicity De Auvent exclaimed with vehemence. This Aria Se Jivock is being completely unreasonable, bringing up the Soul Memories Nine Reincarnation Sutra as a solution to Verack De Nunick soulmate problems.

“The requirement to practise the Soul Memories Nine Reincarnation Sutra is to touch the line of reincarnation.”

“Yes, insane! Verack has to risk his life before he can practise the sutra and there is no guarantee the soul power he gained from delving into his previous life is large enough to offset the risk.” Cercicity De Auvent saw no reason why Verack De Nunick should practice the dangerous sutra just to appease these weak cultivators from the Heavenly Mountains. He already sensed his soulmate in the area. With their combined powers, they can crush these two cultivators and take Verack De Nunick soulmate back to the Ethereal Depths.

Aria Se Jivock is aware of the problems associated with the Soul Memories Nine Reincarnation Sutra. There is a chance the soul practitioners get overwhelmed by the memories in their previous life that they forget who they are and become the person they were. If memories and experience make us who we are and then if those memories get overwritten by another set of memories and experiences, does it means the original died?

Another problem with the Soul Memories Nine Reincarnation Sutra is the gain of soul power. If the cultivator was a mortal or barely cultivates the soul in their previous life, then there is little soul power to be gained from cultivating the Soul Memories Nine Reincarnation Sutra. A soul practitioner wasted years of their lives for nothing. They could have progress faster if they practice a different soul cultivation method.

Despite the problems associated with the Soul Memories Nine Reincarnation Sutra, many soul practitioners still cultivate the sutra. The experiences and memories from the previous life are invaluable. The soul practitioner literally cultivated for two lifetimes!

Also, the Soul Memories Nine Reincarnation Sutra isn’t a cultivation method of the soul. It is a technique used to pierce the cycle of reincarnation and regain what death took away. It is like a permanent one time boost to a cultivator soul power. Like its name implies, the Soul Memories Nine Reincarnation Sutra can be used nine times. The requirement must be met before a cultivator can use the Soul Memories Nine Reincarnation Sutra again.

Since it is a technique and not a cultivation method, the Soul Memories Nine Reincarnation Sutra can be practiced concurrently with a soul cultivation method.

“Little girl, you are mistaking the line between reincarnation for the line between life and death. The two are not the same. A cultivator touches the line between life and death when they have a near death experience while the line between reincarnations occurs when the residuals from the previous life cross over to the present life. The two lines exist alongside each other and sometimes intertwine, but they have different meanings.”

“What difference does it make?! Touching or crossing either lines requires the soul practitioner to be in a near death state.” Cercicity De Auvent worry over risk associated with the Soul Memories Nine Reincarnation Sutra cause her lash at Aria Se Jivock.

Who cares if she offended the second most powerful Soul Liner of the Se clan! Her soul has been choked up with karma that she’d never get far as a soul practitioner. She had to run to the Heavenly Mountains and train her body instead of her soul. She will fail her tribulation when she tries to break into the Nascent Soul stage.

For a cultivator with limited potential, Cercicity De Auvent is sure the Se clan will not pursue the matter if Aria Se Jivock was killed by a cultivator from the Ethereal Depths. Before the Se clan discovered Aria Se Jivock soul choked with karma transferred to her from her previous life, they will go to great lengths to protect her, but now that her potential is limited, no one from the Se clan will fight with the De clan for a pathetic ex-soul liner.

“There is a difference. Verack De Nunick might never have touched the line between life and death, but due to his circumstances the line between reincarnations has already been blurred so he can practise the Soul Memories Nine Reincarnation Sutra without entering a near death state.”

Everyone stiffen at the implication of Aria Se Jivock words. Verack De Nunick soulmate bond has been damaged through the death of his soulmate for several lifetimes, with each death blurring the lines between reincarnation further and further so he can easily meet the requirement for the Soul Memories Nine Reincarnation Sutra.

“The him in his previous life can still overpower the current him and takeover his body!”

“Hey Aria, why is this girl protesting more than the slag? She not the one undertaking the risk nor is she the one going to suffer if the guy fails his soulmate in this lifetime, so why does she have a say in his choices? Is she his wife? Cause she definitely sounds like his wife. Meeting a prospective dao companion with another dao companion in tow isn’t going to endear himself to his prospective dao companion. If he’s like this in all of his lifetime, no wonder his dao companion ultimately dies. The concubine killing the wife to gain her position happens a lot. In fact, this is the second motive behind the death of the wife. The first one is the husband killing his wife and the third one is-”

“Enough.” Verack De Nunick interrupted the tirade. He can not allow outsiders to malign his honor and interfere with his soulmate bond. “Your words are quite harsh for a Foundation Establishment cultivator.”

Seeing Verack De Nunick’s arrogant attitude combined with his protective stance towards Cercicity De Auvent, Aria Se Jivock knew he will make the same mistake he did in his previous lifetimes.

“The reincarnation process took away their memories, but it didn’t wipe away the stupid tendencies towards self-destruction. Why oh why can’t people learn from their mistake.” Aria Se Jivock thought in her heart.

The powerful Soul Liner did not want to meddle in the affairs of the heart between two destined souls, but she can’t stand by and do nothing while the idiot messes up his soulmate bond again. If it was just his soul then Aria Se Jivock wouldn’t care about the outcome, but his actions also affect his soulmate, which she can’t stand. Hopefully, the other soul is sensible this lifetime.

“Regardless of our cultivation level, your soulmate is taking the test for the Brilliant Yin Sect. I have no interest in what she does after the test. If she passes the test, then it is her choice to join the Brilliant Yin Sect or go with you. If she fails, you can take her away. I don’t care. However, I ask you not to interfere with the test.”

The duo from the Ethereal Depths knew this was the best concession they were going to get from Aria Se Jivock. Verack De Nunick have been waiting for over three hundred years, waiting another week is nothing. Besides, if he interfered with the test right now, it might anger his soulmate. He already has marks against him, and they haven’t even met yet. Prudence dictate he back off right now.

With a “I will wait until the end of your test,” Verack De Nunick left the area. Cercicity De Auvent hesitated then followed her cousin.

Base Avon-Ying watches the confrontation between the cultivators from Heavenly Mountains and Ethereal Depths with an air of a bystander seeing a good show, however inside he was panicking.

How hard was it to find a life companion? Throughout the 12 million-year history of the Mysterious Wasteland, there are 36432 recorded instances of life companion meeting each other, with 2462 couples successfully forming their life companion bond.

It was already hard enough to see one pair life companion. To have two life companion meeting each other in the same group, taking the same test while their counterparts come to the same location to try and woo them, the chances of that happening naturally is incalculable.

There are instances of two, three or even four cultivators pursuing their life companions separately but meeting each other at a common point in time, however each instance is the result of powerful soul liners manipulating the lines of karma to draw the couples together.

And a powerful Soul Liner happens to be here.

The second most powerful Soul Liner from the most powerful Soul Liner clan in the Ethereal Depths.

Base Avon-Ying gave Aria Se Jivock a knowing glance.

Aria Se Jivock understood the implication of the glance, however she was not interested in clarifying the issue, yet considering the man silently questioning her is one of the couples searching for their soulmate, or life companion as it is called in the Mysterious Wasteland, she deigns him important in the overall scheme of things to give him a word of warning.

“Heaven Defyer.”

Base Avon-Ying liked to deal with intelligent people. Being one himself, he understood the warning and all of its implications.

What kind of existence is a Heaven Defyer? They are beings that the heavens sought to subjugate, yet they rise above the obstacles to become beings that can destroy the very heaven itself.

A Heaven Defyer isn’t someone Base Avon-Ying wanted to mess with.

Aria Se Jivock’s words also explain how the impossible becomes possible.

“Thanks for your understanding. I’ll owe you a minor favor if you take care of Emery Avant in my stead.”

“Thank you. A karma line to the Mysterious Wasteland is quite beneficial.”

With a look of complete understanding between the two, Base Avon-Ying left the Heavenly Mountain cultivators to their own thoughts.