Han Yi frowned, suddenly struck by a thought. "If a Grand Void Token Fragment has already been ingested and bonded to one's Divine Soul, can it still be extracted?"
Zuo Lie's expression stiffened. "Fellow Daoist Han, your ideas are truly novel. Why would anyone who has enhanced their Comprehension with a Grand Void Token Fragment ever want to spit it back out?"
"I hadn't actually considered that," Han Yi admitted, "but we can find out by consulting the Shaman."
That was precisely what Han Yi had been contemplating: extracting the Grand Void Token Fragment from his Divine Soul.
Comprehension?
What need did he have for Comprehension? His Proficiency Panel already allowed him to endlessly grind Proficiency, which directly boosted his Comprehension. In terms of sheer Comprehension, Han Yi was confident that, with the Proficiency Panel's aid, no one in the entire Cultivation World could rival him.
This was not arrogance, but unwavering confidence in his Proficiency Panel.
If extraction proved possible, he would absolutely proceed. He would then smuggle his Storage Pouch into the Grand Void Illusionary Realm, devise a way to seize more Grand Void Token Fragments, and purchase spiritual objects to enhance his Root Bone.
Furthermore, upon leaving the Grand Void Illusionary Realm, Han Yi could sell the True Ascension Mark. This single mark was undoubtedly priceless, or he could save it for his next visit to secure an additional entry slot.
In truth, Han Yi had considered selling the Grand Void Token Fragment directly to the Shaman if he could obtain it. He would then exchange it for a spiritual object to enhance his Root Bone and entrust it to someone he trusted to smuggle it out of the Cave Heaven.
For instance, there was An Xin from Azure Dragon Peak, whom he had encountered earlier in the Cang Seven Division. During their battle, Han Yi had noticed she had brought a Magic Artifact into the realm, leading him to suspect she had also smuggled in a Storage Pouch through some means.
If so, he could entrust the spiritual object to her for safekeeping. Once they exited the Cave Heaven World and returned to the Jade Balance Realm, he could retrieve it from her.
However, he dismissed this plan as quickly as it had entered his mind. Before such a heaven-defying spiritual treasure, human nature was bound to fail the test.
Ultimately, Han Yi faced only two real options: either use the Grand Void Token Fragment to enhance his Comprehension, or find a way to acquire a Storage Pouch, which would unlock further possibilities.
Since Comprehension held no value for him, he naturally chose the latter.
Observing the change in Han Yi's expression, Zuo Lie's gaze shifted instantly.
"Fellow Daoist Han, you didn't actually manage to snatch a Grand Void Token, did you?"
His expression wasn't threatening, but utterly astonished.
You're telling me you're at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refinement, your skills are strong, your agility is unmatched, and you can outrun me—fine, I'll accept that. But you're also claiming to have seized a Grand Void Token Fragment? Where's the justice in that?
"Let's go find the Shaman. You'll understand when we get there."
Without pausing, Han Yi hurried toward the Shaman's stone hut.
Upon reaching the hut, they found several cultivators waiting outside. Their expressions turned cold upon seeing Han Yi, but softened upon noticing Zuo Lie behind him, and they nodded in greeting.
Han Yi showed no reaction, found a spot, and sat cross-legged to wait.
A full half-hour passed. During this time, cultivators emerged from the hut—some elated, some regretful, and others agitated—but no violent incidents occurred.
"Fellow Daoist Zuo," Han Yi said, a dangerous glint flickering in his eyes, "what do you know about the Shaman's strength? Why hasn't anyone simply overpowered him and seized the token by force?"
If he could, Han Yi would have snatched the True Ascension Marks and the spiritual objects that enhanced Root Bone in an instant.
But observing the cultivators lining up to enter the stone hut, showing no intention of attacking, he realized that if such an act were possible, the shamans of these primitive tribes would have been wiped out long ago.
Zuo Lie's expression shifted abruptly at Han Yi's words. "Fellow Daoist Han, don't act rashly! You mustn't!"
"One of the fundamental rules of the True Dawn Grand Void Heaven is that Descenders can only trade with primitive tribes, not engage in conflict. If a conflict arises, a cultivator's True Ascension Mark will shatter immediately, their Divine Soul will return to the Grand Void Illusionary Realm, and their corresponding True Ascension Mark there will vanish without a trace."
"That would be courting your own destruction."
Han Yi had always felt a strange sense of familiarity with this Cave Heaven World.
The feeling had grown stronger over time, finally surfacing when Zuo Lie explained the prohibition against conflict with the shamans.
A sudden realization struck Han Yi.
The mechanics of this Cave Heaven World bore a striking resemblance to the online games he had played in his previous life.
The cultivators—the Descenders—were the players.
The Primitive Tribes and Foreign Races were NPCs. The Grand Void Light Pillars were treasure chests. When a treasure chest appeared, everyone rushed to destroy it. When it shattered, it released treasures—specifically, Grand Void Token Fragments—which players scrambled to collect. These fragments could enhance their Comprehension or be traded with NPCs. Attacking an NPC resulted in a server-wide announcement and even account suspension.
This is unmistakably a netgame system, Han Yi thought.
He almost suspected that the Great Power who had reshaped Jade Capital Mountain within this Cave Heaven World might have been another transmigrator like himself.
Soon, it was Han Yi's turn. Zuo Lie followed him inside without hesitation.
When Han Yi saw the Shaman, he noticed that despite his aged face, the Shaman wore a smile—a smile Han Yi recognized instantly. It was identical to He Fangwei's at the Nine Dragons Merchant Guild: a merchant's smile.
Before Han Yi could speak, the Shaman stared intently at him, a flicker of fiery desire in his eyes quickly replaced by regret.
"What a pity... what a terrible waste! Such a vast reservoir of Primordial Qi, squandered so foolishly... utterly foolish!"
Han Yi remained unfazed. At that moment, he simply regarded the Shaman as an NPC.
"Shaman," Han Yi said, "I wish to exchange the Grand Void Token Fragment within my Divine Soul for a wisp of Primordial Qi."
Standing beside Han Yi, Zuo Lie couldn't hide the envy in his eyes. The moment Han Yi had rushed straight here, Zuo Lie knew he must have obtained a Grand Void Token Fragment.
Whether it was luck or skill, Zuo Lie mused, I suspect the latter. Han Yi's speed surpassed mine when he broke through to the core area. If he lacked the power, he would have been eliminated long ago. How else could he have snatched a fragment?
!
The more Zuo Lie observed this Fellow Daoist, the more perplexing he became.
A disciple from an ordinary Golden Core Stage Alchemy Sect in Shu Prefecture, with a mere Eighth Layer of Qi Refinement cultivation, utterly clueless about the rules of the Cave Heaven World, yet possessing speed surpassing even Peak Qi Refinement cultivators. His true strength remained unknown, but it was clearly no weaker than Zuo Lie's own. He showed little interest in Comprehension, focusing instead on spiritual objects that enhanced Root Bone.
Such contradictory traits, concentrated in one person, shrouded him in an enigmatic veil, making him utterly unfathomable.
The Shaman didn't immediately grant Han Yi's request. Instead, he formed a hand seal and began chanting incantations. Only after the time it took to brew a cup of tea did he abruptly open his eyes.
A flicker of golden light flashed in the Shaman's ancient eyes.
"The Shaman God says it is possible," he declared.
Han Yi's face lit up with joy.
Trembling, the Shaman rose to his feet, retrieved a round stone disc, and approached Han Yi. He pressed the disc against Han Yi's forehead. Han Yi felt no fear; he regarded the Shaman as merely an NPC in a game, and since he couldn't truly die, what was there to fear?
After another round of chanting, just as Han Yi began to expect some more elaborate ritual, the Shaman removed the stone disc, a triumphant smile spreading across his wrinkled face.
"Good, good," he murmured.
He carefully stowed the disc away, then retrieved a stone box from beneath his feet. Opening it with visible reluctance, he withdrew a grayish-white pebble the size of a goose egg and handed it to Han Yi.
"How do I use it?" Han Yi asked, accepting the stone. It felt weightless and devoid of temperature, so light that without seeing it, he wouldn't have been able to detect its existence through touch alone.
He glanced at the Shaman, who had closed his eyes as if unwilling to witness the use of his treasured artifact. Han Yi then turned to Zuo Lie, who shook his head, equally baffled by this unprecedented situation.
"Press it against your forehead," the Shaman instructed.
Without hesitation, Han Yi pressed the stone to his forehead. The solid stone vanished instantly, dissolving as seamlessly as a drop of water merging into a lake, leaving no ripple behind.
Han Yi lowered his hand, feeling no change.
"You may leave now. Next."
Han Yi felt no anger; what was the point of getting upset with an NPC?
He drew aside the curtain and stepped out of the stone hut, Zuo Lie following close behind.
"I understand now," Han Yi mused. "The True Ascension Mark is bound to my Divine Soul. In this Cave Heaven World, with my Qi Refining cultivation, I can't perceive the changes deep within my Divine Soul, so naturally, I can't retrieve it."
"I'll have to die once to return to the Grand Void Illusionary Realm and see the extra True Ascension Mark."
"Let's do it."
Before Zuo Lie could speak, Han Yi unslung his sword artifact and thrust it into Zuo Lie's hands. "Fellow Daoist Zuo, please safeguard this sword artifact for me temporarily."
Without waiting for Zuo Lie's objections, he struck the Hall of Impression point between his eyebrows with a palm strike.
Thwack!
His shattered corpse dissolved into nothingness, leaving Zuo Lie staring wide-eyed.
"What a ruthless bastard!" Zuo Lie muttered.