The Transmigrated Male Lead Confessed to Me - Chapter 28 (Part 1)

Under normal circumstances, cultivators cannot directly utilize the spiritual energy within a spiritual artifact.

Even if the attributes match, because a cultivator’s primordial spirit and physical body are different from the medium of an artifact, the spiritual energy accumulated within that artifact over many years is extremely difficult for the cultivator to absorb, even if extracted.

Moreover, the energy within the artifact is tightly integrated with the artifact itself, making extraction difficult.

But none of these are a problem.

In the Secret Archive of the Thousand Chariots Sect, there are altars dedicated to several Great Demon Lords. Each has a distinct personality and preferences, and therefore demands different offerings.

Their areas of expertise differ, and so do the returns they can grant.

Take the one in front of her, for example.

Among the many Great Demons, Gui Jin is considered somewhat picky.

It is said to have a lifespan of two to three thousand years, is profoundly knowledgeable, versed in myriad techniques, and obsessively craves the unknown.

—For instance, a person proficient in some obscure spell, or one who has experienced some strange event, their memories can serve as sacrifices to Gui Jin.

Some people sacrifice themselves, while others bring offerings.

The two demon cultivators who just left clearly had no special memories in the mind of their captive, and so failed to attract the attention of the altar’s master.

Of course, the offering does not necessarily have to be a “human.”

Anything with sentience will suffice.

This altar is covered in secret incantations, with many spell formations embedded within, all related to the control, transformation, and extraction of spiritual energy. Extracting energy from an immortal sword is by no means a difficult task.

Moreover, the Great Demons possess many mysterious and wondrous powers. Righteous cultivators may label them as sinister or demonic arts, but Su Zhen had long realized that they each simply had their own strengths.

She took only what she needed. What did it matter how others judged her?

“You heartless beast!”

The sword spirit cursed hoarsely. “I was your master’s sword! You’re ungrateful and disloyal—”

As a sentient weapon spirit, its mind was not particularly mature. It had no gender, and its voice was neither male nor female, slightly rough to the ear.

Su Zhen had never liked it.

From their very first interaction, it had shown open rejection toward her. She had thought it was simply because she fell short compared to her master, and so the sword spirit looked down on her.

“The creator of Leng Xiang buried the immortal sword in the Huayu Plains, intending to use the underground spiritual veins to nurture a sword spirit. After hundreds of years, a sword spirit was indeed born, but then you devoured it.”

She spoke calmly and unhurriedly, “If I asked you why you devoured one of your own kind, you would likely say it was the law of the jungle. If so…”

Su Zhen curled her lips into a satisfied smile. “Then why criticize me? Just because you did it, doesn’t mean others cannot.”

The sword spirit was left speechless, but unwilling to admit defeat, it continued to curse, “You ultimately cultivate a human cultivation method, walking the orthodox path of the Dao. You simply cannot absorb my power—”

Its voice abruptly cut off.

Su Zhen raised her head to look at it. Her jade-green eyes shone with verdant light.

That radiant glow filled her eyes, then overflowed from their corners, flowing outward and weaving vine-like patterns of green light across her delicate, beautiful face.

She slowly raised her hand and pulled the emerald hairpin from the back of her head. Her raven-black hair cascaded like a waterfall.

“Then let’s try.”

Before the words had fully left her lips, the red light surrounding the sword’s body suddenly flared.

The sword spirit’s cursing grew faint and weak, while the green light filled the luminous locks that bound the immortal sword.

The core forces within the sword were the sap of the ten-thousand-year-old Fuyao Divine Tree and the refined power of flora nurtured over centuries by the spiritual veins.

Part of it was drawn from the sword’s body, and another part was forcefully extracted from the sword spirit itself.

These were the very powers that had allowed the spirit remnant of the sacred sword to survive, and that had elevated Leng Xiang to the status of an immortal artifact.

Thousands of years of accumulated spiritual energy were simply too much for the body and primordial spirit of a Soul Transformation cultivator to withstand.

But Gui Jin did not care about that. Such is the nature of the Great Demons. Once they promise something, they carry it out, regardless of the cost.

If you cannot bear to die, that’s your own problem.

In that moment, it felt as though a massive wave surged from the ocean into a small river. Her body and primordial spirit were filled with pain, swelling nearly to the point of explosion!

The pain was like being scorched by flames.

She plunged into a boundless sea of fire, the destructive heat engulfing her, devouring and breaking down every inch of her flesh, blood, and bone.

For a cultivator at the Soul Transformation realm, this act was nearly equivalent to suicide.

The body, at least, could be remade if destroyed. But if the primordial spirit were damaged beyond repair, it would be the end.

The lower the realm, the less time spent cultivating the primordial spirit, and the harder it is to control it when drawing in massive external energy.

Cultivators at higher realms could manage it, but for those above the Heavenly Immortal realm, absorbing this kind of energy would yield very little benefit.

Su Zhen collapsed to her knees on the filthy altar.

Pain.

—This is my advantage.

Su Zhen thought in a daze.

Any cultivator at the Golden Immortal realm could easily control their primordial spirit to draw in such power, even if, at present, her primordial spirit was only at the Soul Transformation realm strength.

She had to hold on.

The information in that book was fragmented and incomplete, with little of it truly useful. Her greatest advantage after rebirth was, in fact, the experience she had accumulated as a Golden Immortal realm powerhouse.

If she still had to proceed step by step as she had in her previous life, that would be far too pathetic.

Su Zhen’s resolve was firm.

Even though she was continually scorched and tormented by pain, it never caused her to waver.

Moreover, that pain meant her primordial spirit was being tempered.

After reaching the Nascent Soul realm, virtually all cultivation revolves around the primordial spirit, and the tempering of the primordial spirit through spiritual energy is originally a slow, gradual process.

Now, that process has been shortened by hundreds or even thousands of times. It was naturally impossible for it to be painless.

On the inner wall of the altar, smeared with blood, a distorted, inhuman face and twisted figure faintly reflected back.

Su Zhen glanced at it only once before casting it from her mind.

She shook off all distractions and focused completely on controlling her primordial spirit, ensuring it neither rejected the spiritual energy nor absorbed it too quickly. She maintained it at a stable threshold.

Su Zhen controlled the absorption rate with precision, remaining unaffected no matter how intense the pain.

“……”

A long time later.

Su Zhen extended her hand, watching the green light surging through her blood vessels. Then, she slowly curled her fingers into a fist.

“Many thanks, Your Excellency. I wonder if this one’s memories suit your taste?”

The sword spirit’s presence had vanished.

The massive black figure suspended in the air remained motionless. Its eerie golden eyes remained fixed on her.

“Since there remains lingering will, all that you request shall be granted.”

“Good,” Su Zhen murmured.

That meant it was satisfied.

This was not her first interaction with it, so Su Zhen naturally understood what those words implied.

“As for the second matter… might Your Excellency share its memories with me?”

“Yes.” It replied.

A chaotic stream of images flooded into her mind.

Su Zhen couldn’t help but raise her hand to her forehead.

The memories were disordered, but among them were several fragments concerning the sword spirit’s past movements that could be discerned.

There was an ancient battlefield, thick with the smoke of war and quaking with spiritual energy, as roars echoed across the sky.

Corpses littered the vast plains. Several figures flashed by, their faces indistinct and unfamiliar.

They stood atop great heights, yet from the memory’s perspective, it kept plummeting downward—

The distance between them grew ever greater.

Those people conversed, but their words dispersed on the wind, barely audible before they scattered and left.

One of them transformed into a soaring azure dragon, its body immense like a mountain. Another became a phoenix rising into the heavens, its feathers radiant like flowing flame.

The others departed one by one, leaving only a few scattered silhouettes behind.

The central figure looked down from above, expression indifferent, as if gazing at ants.

“……”

Su Zhen suddenly regained full clarity.

The dust around the altar had settled, and the floating bones in the air had returned to their places. The projection of the Great Demon’s will had vanished, and the grand hall was once again silent.

She stood up from the altar, picked up the embroidered pouch at her feet, retrieved a new outer robe from her qiankun bag, and with a wave of her hand, destroyed the tattered remains of her previous garments.

She turned and descended the steps, but paused mid-step.

A green light fell from the sky.

Ding!

A sword clattered to the ground.

Su Zhen lowered her gaze to the immortal sword discarded like trash.

It was still as dainty and exquisite as ever, but the glow around the blade had dimmed considerably.

Su Zhen blinked. “It seems Your Excellency is quite satisfied.”

After a brief silence, a voice suddenly echoed in the quiet hall.

“I have never seen a Soul Transformation cultivator control their primordial spirit like you. Do you carry someone else’s memories?”

Su Zhen gave a vague nod. “Something like that.”

The phantom on the altar earlier had only been a projection of Gui Jin’s will.

But the one speaking to her now was the true body.

“…This is no ordinary memory inheritance. How did you manage it? If you are willing to offer this process, I can personally guide your cultivation.”

“I appreciate Your Excellency’s generous offer, but no.”

“Why?” It asked curiously.

Su Zhen: “……”

Obviously, because it had already guided her in her previous life.

“You have yet to commune with the Divine Lord. Your knowledge remains limited.”

It continued, “As far as I know, cultivators like you often find it difficult to advance further after reaching the Golden Immortal realm.”

Su Zhen replied, “That is not something I am presently concerned with.”

“Is that so?” It asked in return.

“No cultivator in the Human Realm has ever advanced two major realms in such a short time. Perhaps even the Golden Immortal realm is not far off for you.”

Su Zhen was momentarily speechless.

Back when she had reached the Heavenly Immortal realm, it had offered her nearly the same assessment.

Now, having lived again, with everything changed, it still spoke the same words.

Su Zhen sighed, bent down to pick up the immortal sword from the ground, and said, “If I truly have need, I’ll return and seek help from Your Excellency.”

It seemed to accept this response. “When that time comes, seek me at Mount Yusu.”

Su Zhen nodded. “Then, until we meet again.”

With that, she quickly ran out of the hall.

According to the sect’s few established rules, those who seek knowledge within the Secret Archive are theoretically under the protection of the Demon God of Decrees, and the Great Demons are not to coerce them.

However, they were demons after all. One could not rely too much on them to follow the rules.

If Gui Jin had forcibly browsed through her memories, it could still be framed as an act of “seeking knowledge.” That would be a murky matter.

She had seen similar incidents in her previous life and knew better than to argue principles with demons—humans were no different. When there was a benefit, people followed the rules; otherwise, they would look for loopholes. Such cases were common.

“What’s going on?”

A few demon cultivators stood at the entrance, clearly having waited for a long time, their faces full of impatience.

One of them grumbled, “This is my third time coming. You’ve been in there every time.”

Su Zhen calmly apologized.

The man gave her a glance but couldn’t be bothered to say more. He and his companions entered the hall, then waved their hands, summoning a gust of wind. The heavy doors slammed shut with a resounding bang.

Su Zhen paid them no mind.

At this moment, she was in high spirits, her entire body feeling light and at ease. Even the miasma around her couldn’t dampen her mood.

Her cultivation level was still far from what it had been in her previous life, but the speed of her advancement had improved by more than a hundred years!