"You're dead!" Ye Chuxiao's opening statement was so shocking that Duanmu Lin was momentarily stunned and speechless.

He didn't plan to tell Duanmu Lin the truth.

Compared to the complex explanation that she was originally fictional and had now been shaped into 'reality,' the simple sentence 'You're dead' was perhaps more convenient and efficient.

"Ah!?" Duanmu Lin was still a bit dazed. She looked around, then pinched her arm. It hurt… but the pain wasn't the same as when she had a physical body.

"We were attacked by evil cultivators. We were caught in the crossfire. The entire inn was destroyed. You died in the first wave of the attack. Judging by your condition, you probably didn't feel any pain before you died," Ye Chuxiao comforted her.

Duanmu Lin's eyes were glazed over as she listened to Ye Chuxiao's words, feeling that 'painless death' wasn't something to be particularly comforted about.

"Fortunately, I have a magical treasure that preserves souls, which is why I gathered your soul and temporarily placed it in this treasure," Ye Chuxiao explained further, giving Duanmu Lin a more complete account.

Duanmu Lin was somewhat dazed; she didn't doubt Ye Chuxiao.

After all, she was created as a friend, not as an enemy.

Her trust in Ye Chuxiao was innate.

Of course, Duanmu Lin was now an independent individual. Assuming her initial trust and goodwill towards Ye Chuxiao were at one hundred points, if Ye Chuxiao did too many things to hurt her and let her know, those one hundred points of trust and goodwill would continuously decrease.

Until they completely parted ways.

"Oh! Thank you! If it weren't for you, I might have really died…."

As she spoke, Duanmu Lin paused and added, "I mean, died completely, without even any awareness."

Ye Chuxiao said, "I know what you mean. Let's not talk about that. How do you feel now?"

"Because you weren't a Miaojing cultivator before, your soul is not very strong. I put in some effort to reunite your soul, but it's not without flaws. You'd better check yourself first."

After speaking, Ye Chuxiao looked at Duanmu Lin with bright eyes, waiting to collect more experimental data.

Duanmu Lin closed her eyes and pondered for a moment, then said, "I… I just feel very strange. I still have my memories from before, but most of them are blurry. I can't even remember my mom and brother's faces, but I remember the memories after meeting you very clearly. Also, I don't know if it's just my imagination, but I feel like I'm… I'm more free in this state, like I've broken free from something."

After speaking, Duanmu Lin smiled embarrassedly, hugging her chest somewhat insecurely.

"Sharp intuition and still has some relevance to the causal memories from when she was a completely fictional friend," Ye Chuxiao noted in his mind.

Then he comforted her, "Don't overthink it. You're in an adaptation period now. Once your soul is more condensed, those blurry memories will become clearer again."

"Oh right! Let's talk about something useful. You have two choices now."

Duanmu Lin subconsciously straightened her posture and listened carefully to Ye Chuxiao's next words.

As a 'newly deceased' ghost, her bewilderment and helplessness went without saying.

At this moment, she regarded Ye Chuxiao as her mainstay and lifeline. If Ye Chuxiao said it was important, then she would of course listen very carefully.

"First, I can find some spiritual medicines that are beneficial to the soul for you, so you can nurture your soul. After your soul is stronger, I'll find a recently deceased body for you to be reborn into."

"However, the risks are unknown. Because you weren't a Miaojing cultivator before, you didn't obtain many of the benefits that Miaojing cultivators have over their souls. With your realm, even the most basic rebirth has unpredictable aspects."

After speaking, Ye Chuxiao paused, then continued, "Second, I can try to find a ghost cultivation method and teach it to you. You might as well switch to ghost cultivation."

Under Ye Chuxiao's persuasive guidance, Duanmu Lin said as expected, "Then… I'll switch to ghost cultivation! It's not a big deal. I heard that when ghost cultivators reach the fourth realm, they can completely condense a physical body, and then they'll be no different from ordinary people."

Ye Chuxiao actually thought so too.

Duanmu Lin was the first real soul he created, and there were so many things worth researching and exploring.

If Duanmu Lin were to be reborn into another body, wouldn't it be inconvenient for him to study her?

But after all, she was already a real life. If he didn't give her a choice and just arranged it for her, he would worry that she would harbor resentment.

It was just a matter of saying a few more words, which wouldn't delay anything.

"Then… I'll go find one for you!"

"I'm not a rich man. If I find a ghost cultivation method for you, it won't be easy to switch to rebirth after that," Ye Chuxiao gave another preventive shot.

Duanmu Lin nodded vigorously, "Okay! Thank you, Dongjun! I will definitely, definitely repay you."

Ye Chuxiao smiled and scratched his head, "Don't say that. Aren't we friends?"

"Okay, you rest first. I'll go find a way."

After saying that, he temporarily closed the Ice Lotus's outward-facing visual channel, allowing Duanmu Lin to sink into the aurora-filled Ice Lotus to rest.

But Ye Chuxiao himself didn't really go out to find a ghost cultivation method.

He had mastered the cultivation experiences and memories of so many cultivators; a mere ghost cultivation method was nothing. He could gather eight or ninety of them, let alone one.

But although he had the methods, he couldn't give them immediately or directly.

If he didn't act a little difficult, how could Duanmu Lin remember his kindness?

"Although Duanmu Lin looks like an adult ghost on the surface, she should actually be considered a newborn infant ghost, so I can choose a 'Spiritual Ghost Mystic Method' for her. When cultivated to a high level, it can gather the pure yin body of a spiritual ghost, which naturally possesses the ability to gather yin and preserve the spirit," Ye Chuxiao selected the cultivation method for Duanmu Lin and continued to organize Duanmu Lin's file.

Currently, Duanmu Lin seemed to be adapting very well as a special artificial soul.

There were no signs of dissipation.

As for whether Duanmu Lin would also be affected by the Xin Dan due to the Xin Dan fragment being used as her soul core, Ye Chuxiao didn't have any relevant experimental evidence yet.

But seeing Duanmu Lin now, faintly resembling Ying Shu in some ways, she should also be involved in the game of the Xin Dan.

For Ye Chuxiao, it might not be a bad thing.

It could even be used as a special trump card.

After delaying for two days, Ye Chuxiao opened the Ice Lotus with a tired expression and passed the Spiritual Ghost Mystic Method to Duanmu Lin.

"This ghost cultivation method should be of the superior grade. Cultivate it diligently and you'll be able to condense a solid ghost body as soon as possible."

"Once you have the ability to protect yourself, I'll let you out."

Duanmu Lin looked at the tired Ye Chuxiao and didn't say much, but deeply imprinted his appearance in her heart.

Then she began to close her eyes and chant the incantation. After calming her mind, she began to try to cultivate.

Inside the Ice Lotus, the aurora filled the air.

When Duanmu Lin began to cultivate, the aurora was also affected, like colorful ribbons surrounding Duanmu Lin's body, and was slowly absorbed by her.

At the same time, Ye Chuxiao also felt a wonderful sensation.

He felt that he could actually share Duanmu Lin's feelings during cultivation, and see the mysteries of cultivation from Duanmu Lin's perspective.

Even Duanmu Lin's every moment of cultivation insights could be shared and understood by him at the same time.

"What is this?"

"Is this sharing and experience a remnant of the bond after the split, or is it a unique connection formed by the Xin Dan network?" Ye Chuxiao was slightly stunned.

Then he analyzed it.

This was both the remaining connection between himself and Duanmu Lin, and the unique sharing that existed between the Xin Dan network.

The demoness Ying Shu's transfer of the Xin Dan, its essential purpose, was to allow the cauldrons bearing the Xin Dan to cultivate, comprehend, and trigger connections with the world on her behalf.

Thereby turning one insight into multiple insights, and turning the originally smaller probability of crossing realms into a larger probability.

From this point of view, Ye Chuxiao's creation of a soul core for Duanmu Lin was actually almost the same as planting a Xin Dan, even more in-depth and thorough.

However, it was not just that. Duanmu Lin's source was Ye Chuxiao.

In other words, there was no rejection relationship between him and Duanmu Lin, and any of Duanmu Lin's insights and feelings could be received by Ye Chuxiao without any loss.

This efficiency was far from what Ying Shu, a demoness of the Original Purpose, and her cauldrons possessed.

"In that case, investing in cultivating Duanmu Lin is investing in cultivating myself."

"Every bit of her cultivation will be perfectly replicated and received by me in its entirety. Even ghost cultivation insights are not useless to me. So-called ghost cultivation is just abandoning the physical body and gradually tempering, purifying, and strengthening the soul as if it were a physical body. And when a cultivator cultivates to the Miaojing realm or higher, they have already stepped into the process of strengthening the soul, but in most cases, this process is passively carried out through physical cultivation and comprehension of the Great Dao." Ye Chuxiao happily digested those seemingly insignificant insights and had more expectations for Duanmu Lin's future.

"Or I should increase my investment in her. Once she condenses a ghost body, she can also cultivate the Tower Ascent Secret Technique. The Tower Ascent Secret Technique explained from the perspective of ghost cultivation will definitely be a huge supplement to me. My Tower Ascent layers will also quickly climb again. The most important thing is that Duanmu Lin is one of my own. She doesn't need to be killed for her eggs, but can be raised and always help stack the tower."

"If I had ten assistants like that, then in a few years… at most a few decades, I could push the Tower Ascent Secret Technique to hundreds of layers." Thinking of this, Ye Chuxiao, who had already tasted the wonders of Tower Ascent, couldn't help but feel his heart beat faster.

Next, Ye Chuxiao sold all the items he didn't need on the Creation Boat's hall trading market.

Including a large number of treasures taken from the Northern Qin treasure trove, even the seemingly extraordinary sword, as well as the dragon blood, dragon scales, and dragon skin seized from Tan Gongjia. https:/

After exchanging for a massive amount of Destiny Values, Ye Chuxiao first swept the market for materials beneficial to ghost cultivation.

Then he directly exchanged for a batch on the Creation Boat.

With Ye Chuxiao's heavy investment.

Duanmu Lin's cultivation in the Ice Lotus could be described as rapid.

Moreover, when she absorbed the aurora for cultivation, she gradually mastered two ghost cultivation talents with great potential: commanding ghosts and annihilating living souls.

These two talents were naturally replicated to Ye Chuxiao. Not only did he possess the same abilities as Duanmu Lin, but with the blessing of her realm, these two abilities became even more terrifying and powerful.

While cultivating Duanmu Lin.

Ye Chuxiao also tried to create new 'friends' like Duanmu Lin again.

But unfortunately, the more deliberate the creation, the more difficult it was for new 'friends' to appear.

It seemed that this hobby had mostly become out of control and was no longer completely controlled by Ye Chuxiao.

As for the previously created Xiong Mao Mao and the Clown, they lacked 'independence' and could not be integrated with the blank souls Ye Chuxiao took out, let alone inserting soul cores.

After staying on the Creation Boat for two months, Ye Chuxiao returned to the Desolate Battle Realm again.

Cultivation was very fast in this realm.

Moreover, after Duanmu Lin obtained two talents, Ye Chuxiao had a new idea.

If this idea could be fully implemented, then his personal strength, and even his power, would rapidly expand and increase.

Of course, the primary condition for implementing this idea was that both Ye Chuxiao's and Duanmu Lin's hard power had to rise.

Otherwise, even if it was launched, he would worry about not being able to control it.

Desolate Battle Realm, Aurora Land.

Duanmu Lin, who had already reached the third realm of ghost cultivation with Ye Chuxiao's help, was sitting cross-legged on the Ice Lotus, freely absorbing the vast and abundant aurora around her.

Under the illumination of the aurora, she seemed no longer a female ghost, but a goddess.

Those fragments of past strongmen's memories that melted and dissipated in the aurora were also shattered with the flow of the aurora, turning into unique nutrients, stuffed into Duanmu Lin's body, turning into her cognition and even instinct.

Ye Chuxiao was also feeling Duanmu Lin's feelings.

He could perceive this feeling of rapid progress every minute and every second.

This was too addictive.

Although Ye Chuxiao's realm had not improved, his personal combat thinking, combat style, combat habits, etc., were being further integrated and improved, and the strength of his soul was also being passively and rapidly enhanced.

With the aurora circling around and around, Duanmu Lin became extremely holy and divine.

At this time, Ye Chuxiao didn't know that for the Desolate Battle Realm, Duanmu Lin was the first ghost to truly exist.

Her appearance and existence made up for the deficiencies of the Desolate Battle Realm, and at the same time, she was greatly rejected and favored by the rules of this realm.

Blessings and tribulations were inherently complementary and came together.

Just like a person's improvement was inherently accompanied by pain and gain.

The world's improvement and completeness was also the same.

In the past, even if there were ghost cultivators who arrived in the Desolate Battle Realm, they would be annihilated by the unique rules of the Desolate Battle Realm, transformed into the aurora, and become a reserve of thoughtless and imageless information.

Only Duanmu Lin, who had absorbed the aurora early, and whose form of existence was extremely special, both real and unreal, neither true nor false, tied to living people, but also a ghost body, had exploited the loopholes, passed through the Desolate Battle Realm's ghost cultivator death pass, and obtained this rare opportunity.

And Ye Chuxiao was like a hanger-on clinging to a thigh, following Duanmu Lin and enjoying this Desolate Battle Realm's accumulation and benefits for thousands of years.