The grand bronze bell swayed gently up and down, the ancient cauldron bobbed solemnly, and the golden divine pagoda blazed with radiance — the Ninth Treasure Hall was a dazzling sight to behold.

All manner of priceless rarities glittered within. At a single glance, one could tell none were ordinary objects; many had been personally refined by great figures, emanating terrifying fluctuations, shimmering brilliantly.

Yet none of this could capture Ye Fan’s attention. His eyes were fixed solely on that shriveled corpse — between the two of them, an inexplicable resonance of energy pulled at each other.

It was as though he were looking at another version of himself: blood vessels dried up, sitting in desolate meditation, having ultimately transformed into a cold corpse, passing away right here in seated transcendence.

This was an uncanny illusion born from the touch of kindred spirits. It stirred a strange sensation within him — his mind and soul seemed to pierce through time, entering this corpse and experiencing a certain emotion.

A long while passed before Ye Fan snapped back to awareness, stepping forward one pace at a time.

Who knew how many years had gone by, yet this corpse remained perfectly intact, sitting cross-legged amidst the pile of treasures. Though no divine radiance encircled it, it was more captivating than any of the precious objects around it.

Withered flesh, powerful bones — it carried an indestructible force that seemed to transcend time and space.

The figure had not aged at the moment of transcendence, preserved in a middle-aged state. Even the strands of hair were jet-black and thick, cascading down over the dried body.

The spine of this corpse stood ramrod straight, like a true dragon soaring through the sky, conveying a sense of undying strength. The head was not bowed — it held upright, gazing forward with unyielding dignity.

Boom!

When Ye Fan drew near, standing no more than three meters away, the ancient corpse’s remains suddenly trembled. The radiance of the surrounding treasures dimmed.

Those behind him were instantly startled, stumbling backward, expressions of disbelief spreading across their faces.

Only Ye Fan stood where he was, unmoving. He sensed no killing intent, no danger.

“What’s going on — Little Ye, don’t go any closer,” Tu Fei spoke up.

“It’s fine.” Ye Fan stepped forward, coming to stand before the ancient Sacred Physique’s remains and quietly examined it.

Boom!

The withered Sacred Physique’s remains shuddered once more. Some of the surrounding treasures shattered apart. This cold corpse was like an indestructible divine idol.

“Why is this happening — could he still be alive?” Tu Fei felt his scalp crawl.

Yan Ruyu shook her head and said, “Impossible that he’s alive. No one in this world can live that long. The Azure Flood Dragon King estimated that these skeletal remains have existed for at minimum tens of thousands of years.”

The Great Black Dog’s eyes flickered as it said, “This is not a fully realized ancient Sacred Physique. If it were, a single tremor from it would have reduced those treasures to dust just now.”

Boom!

The Sacred Physique’s remains shuddered again.

A flash of green light — a jade lotus materialized at Ye Fan’s side, bearing only three leaves, vaguely harmonizing with the principle of “the Dao births one, and three births all things.”

Whoosh!

The jade lotus stirred, vanishing in an instant — it had entered the ancient Sacred Physique’s remains, disappearing without a trace.

“What the— you absolute monster, is this corpse going to reanimate?! Little Ye, are you alright?!” Tu Fei shouted.

Yan Ruyu and Qin Yao also changed expressions. Could a cold corpse truly still harbor life? How was that possible? No one in this world could live for tens of thousands of years.

The Great Black Dog stared with wide copper-bell eyes, deeply alarmed, its bald tail standing on end.

“I’m fine — don’t come over!”

Ye Fan was shaken as well. The jade lotus that had been born alongside him within his Sea of Bitterness had actually rushed into this corpse.

In that moment, he sensed a frozen Sea of Bitterness — utterly desolate within. His jade lotus bloomed inside it, releasing a radiance of green light.

Likewise a golden sea of suffering, yet it had nearly run dry. What little golden brilliance remained had grown cold and rigid, no longer a true sea — it resembled parched, cracked earth instead.

“This corpse’s remains… truly have an indestructible body…” He was inwardly stunned. Not only did it appear immortal on the outside — within the flesh itself, it was the same.

It had merely withered and collapsed, losing its life force, transforming into a dried husk.

Whoosh!

Part of Ye Fan’s consciousness seemed to leave his body, entering the jade lotus and sinking into this skeletal remains — as though his soul had departed his own form.

“How can this be — I’ve entered the other’s body…”

Ye Fan didn’t understand why this was happening. It shocked him considerably.

Throughout history, no one had known what would occur when two Sacred Physiques met, for such constitutions were far too rare. As the long ages passed, knowledge of them grew only more limited.

It was difficult to imagine that Ye Fan’s encounter with the skeletal remains of a Sacred Physique would give rise to such a strange circumstance.

Within the dried Sea of Bitterness, the jade lotus swayed, scattering flecks of green radiance, diffusing a thread of vitality. Ye Fan’s heart stirred — he felt as though he might be able to rouse this physical body.

Life energy permeated the desolate Sea of Bitterness. The dried golden sea seemed to have gained a trace of vitality — though of course, all of this was the jade lotus’s doing.

The golden sea had gained the faintest ripple, emanating a thread of divine power. This body’s secret realm no longer lay in darkness; it began to brighten.

“What is happening?” Ye Fan’s consciousness sank within the jade lotus, without impeding any of this — he simply observed as events unfolded.

At the same time, Ye Fan’s physical body back in the hall blazed with brilliant light from its Sea of Bitterness. The golden sea surged, lightning intertwined, and vitality boiled.

He clearly sensed the changes in himself, without losing connection to his physical form. His consciousness seemed to split in two, taking residence within both bodies simultaneously.

The jade lotus carried his divine power across, pouring it into these remains. The vitality within the dried Sea of Bitterness grew stronger and stronger — as though it were about to be revived.

At last, within the Sacred Physique remains’ Sea of Bitterness, waves appeared. Golden surging tides began to rise and fall.

Ye Fan was truly shocked. A corpse long gone cold — a Sacred Physique extinguished for who knew how many years — could still undergo such a change. It struck him as utterly inconceivable.

“How can this be? He’s already dead — how have I reactivated the golden sea?!”

In that moment, the group not far away was also astonished. Right then, they watched as the withered flesh sitting cross-legged among the treasures blazed with brilliant radiance.

The Sacred Physique’s remains were like a divine deity, blooming with dreamlike splendor. The indestructible golden body shimmered with radiant light, as though it was about to be reborn.

“Little Brother Ye, are you alright?” Yan Ruyu’s body gleamed like crystal. Her palm blazed with blinding light as she prepared to summon her extreme dao weapon.

“Little Ye, what’s happening to you — how do you feel? Come back quickly!” Tu Fei spoke up as well.

“Ye Fan, what’s wrong with you?” Qin Yao asked.

Part of Ye Fan’s consciousness was immersed within the jade lotus; part remained within his own body. He perceived all of this with perfect clarity.

“I’m fine. Whatever you do, don’t act — let me study this carefully.”

“So long as an ancient Sacred Physique has achieved some degree of cultivation, it becomes indestructible — capable of being refined into a supreme weapon. And beyond that, there are many other secrets,” the Great Black Dog muttered.

Without needing it to say so, everyone present was well aware: the ancient Sacred Physique could be refined into a peerless divine weapon.

The reason the Azure Flood Dragon King had not yet made his move was precisely because he wanted to understand other secrets — perhaps he hoped to uncover some unusual phenomena of the Sacred Physique as well.

Boom!

The ancient Sacred Physique’s remains trembled lightly. Within the Sea of Bitterness, radiance blazed. As the jade lotus swayed, the dried golden sea grew brighter and brighter, surging with towering waves.

Ye Fan truly couldn’t quite believe this — these were remains. He felt they were so similar to his own body. Why would this be?

Suddenly, he caught sight of something within the golden sea: a shattered bell, a broken battle halberd…

Ye Fan’s heart stirred. These were the weapons of the deceased, having crumbled away within the Sea of Bitterness.

A divine bell above the head, a battle halberd in hand, gazing down upon all under heaven — one could imagine the magnificent bearing with which this ancient Sacred Physique had wielded these two weapons!

“Even the weapons were destroyed, yet the remains are undamaged. This physical body truly is extraordinary!” Ye Fan was deeply astonished.

Clearly, the battle halberd and bell could not have been extreme dao weapons — otherwise they would have endured alongside the ages.

He searched carefully, hoping to discover something of value within the Sea of Bitterness.

Rumble!

The ancient Sacred Physique’s remains shuddered. Within the Sea of Bitterness, the tides grew even more violent.

Not far away, the group was greatly shaken and involuntarily stepped back several paces.

In that moment, vitality flowed through this skeletal frame — it was as though life had returned. Even the withered flesh took on a few traces of crystalline luminescence. Encircled by rings of light, it appeared incomparably sacred — sitting cross-legged there, solemn and magnificent, like an undying god!

Rumble, rumble, rumble!

Within the Sacred Physique remains’ Sea of Bitterness, a few threads of lightning intertwined, and the golden sea grew ever more dazzling.

Whoosh!

A flash of light — the jade lotus sank into the sea, swaying and gleaming, as though it intended to take root here. Ye Fan’s heart tightened. This was the mysterious divine lotus he had cultivated. If it took root within this body, what would that make him?

Boom!

All at once, the divine power gathering within the Sea of Bitterness surged outward into every limb and bone of this physical body, rushing like a tide.

Ye Fan immediately experienced a strange illusion — this body felt exactly like his own, as though he could control it completely.

The jade lotus swayed, green light flickered, and with a single thought, one finger moved ever so slightly!

It was not his own finger — it was this corpse’s — yet it had moved according to his intent.

The jade lotus swayed, taking root within the Sea of Bitterness. Green light scattered forth, shaking loose even more divine power. With a thought from Ye Fan, one arm suddenly lifted with a swift motion.

Not far away, the group — the Great Black Dog included — was startled. The Sacred Physique, silent for countless years, had actually moved!

Boom!

Even more divine power was shaken loose from the Sea of Bitterness. In a flash of thought from Ye Fan, the figure shot to its feet — raising its hands and moving its body, without any hindrance whatsoever.

“This is… good heavens, what just happened?” Tu Fei’s jaw hung open.

Yan Ruyu’s palm blazed with light as the might of an extreme dao weapon surged forward.

“Don’t act — I can’t explain exactly what’s happening, but there’s no danger!” Ye Fan’s real body hurriedly spoke, blocking the group’s advance.

At the same time, the part of his consciousness residing within the remains felt entirely natural — as though it truly were within his own body, without any discomfort.

Under the pressure of the extreme dao’s might, with a single thought, the Sea of Bitterness rang out with clear resonance. The shattered golden divine bell flew out, hovering above the figure’s head, drifting up and down.

At the same time, a snapped jade-gold battle halberd appeared in its hand — immeasurably heavy, emanating terrifying fluctuations.

“Ye Fan, what exactly did you do — how did this corpse come to life?!” Tu Fei stumbled backward in shock.

Even the Great Black Dog’s eyes revealed deep uncertainty as it said, “Damn it — the ancient Sacred Physique is the most mysterious thing there is. Even a mere corpse is this bizarre.”

Yan Ruyu, though she had withdrawn the might of her extreme dao weapon, had not extinguished the radiance on her palm — she remained on full alert at every moment.

Ye Fan’s real body and the remains stood facing each other. They looked at one another — a profoundly strange sensation, for in that moment, both were himself.

Suddenly, his heart trembled. The divine power that had welled up within the ancient Sacred Physique remains’ Sea of Bitterness began to flow along a certain mysterious route!

With the ruined golden divine bell above its head and the snapped jade-gold battle halberd in its hand, Ye Fan tasted a breath of the Great Dao, as battle power surged and crashed like waves.

This dried, withered body — indestructible and imperishable, preserved to this day — channeled divine power along its pathways without any impediment, flowing with remarkable smoothness.

“This is a Great Dao cultivation method — I may be on the verge of receiving some manner of inheritance…”

Ye Fan’s heart shook. If the Sea of Bitterness secret realm was like this, could the other body’s secret realms be the same? This set of remains was very likely a priceless treasure without measure.