As for Ning Chen—
A flicker of guilt flashed through Liu Ruyan's eyes, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared.
She would never let him go.
Apart from stripping his freedom and crippling his cultivation, she had never mistreated him. Rare spiritual treasures to nourish his body and prolong his lifespan were lavished upon him without restraint. After all, he was her greatest asset in cultivation—one she could not afford to lose.
To prevent him from harming himself, she had even placed a seal on his body, rendering him incapable of self-destruction. Her path to immortality hinged entirely on Ning Chen.
He was her ultimate stepping stone.
Suppressing her turbulent thoughts, Liu Ruyan staggered to an open area in the stone prison. She retrieved a meditation cushion from her spatial ring and sat cross-legged, beginning her assault on the Spirit Transformation Realm.
She consumed no elixirs to aid her breakthrough. Drugs carried impurities, and her belly was already filled with the purest spiritual essence—Ning Chen's Supreme Yang Holy Body's energy, which not only enhanced her aptitude but carried no side effects.
Moreover, cultivating beside Ning Chen granted her the heavens' favor, allowing her to bypass tribulations and absorb divine blessings effortlessly. This was why she always retreated to the prison for critical breakthroughs—the reason she had reached the Nascent Soul peak in mere centuries. Even the famed Pure Yin Body, revered for boosting male cultivators, paled in comparison to Ning Chen's utility.
Soon, spiritual energy saturated the prison chamber as Liu Ruyan's cultivation method whirred to life.
Bound to the bed, Ning Chen lay motionless, his face devoid of emotion. The energy consciously avoided him, sparing his mortal-like body from discomfort.
A century of torment had drained him of self-pity. He had resisted, raged, and vowed defiance—but the Supreme Yang Holy Body's overwhelming vitality betrayed him. Desire could not shatter his will, but it shattered his flesh.
Perhaps this is my fate, he thought bitterly.
Then—
A glimmer of light flickered before his eyes, followed by a voice resonating in his mind:
[Mother Blue Star deems you a disgrace to transmigrators and grants you the Replication Talent—along with a system.]
[Ding! Based on your current predicament, the Seclusion System has activated.]
…What?
Ning Chen froze. When clarity returned, hope surged through his deadened heart.
A turning point—at last!
Suppressing his excitement, he immediately probed the system's functions. If this could free him, even partially—
But after reviewing its mechanics, he nearly choked.
Seclusion System: By remaining in one location, the host passively accumulates "seclusion experience." Upon exiting seclusion, all stored experience converts into cultivation progress—tenfold amplified, potentially vaulting him to immortality overnight.
A slow-burn golden finger.
Useless!
He needed to escape, not hibernate! What good was power if his seal remained?
[Detected cultivation seal. Restrictions lifted.]
His first instinct was to glance fearfully at Liu Ruyan, still deep in meditation.
[The system dismantled the seal's core without altering its structure. No one will notice.]
[All cultivation will activate upon exiting seclusion.]
Relief washed over him. If Liu Ruyan discovered his restored power, she'd only tighten her chains.
This system… might actually work.
He checked his status:
[Host: Ning Chen]
[Cultivation: Sealed (Foundation Establishment Layer 1 – 11/1000)]
[Seclusion Accumulation: 0 (Settled nightly at midnight)]
[Talent: Replication (Copy others' talents, physiques, or divine abilities via 15+ minutes of physical contact. Active only during seclusion.)]
[Physique: Supreme Yang Holy Body (Red Tier – +10,000 experience/day)]
[Divine Abilities: None]
(Note: Acquiring new talents/physiques boosts daily experience caps. Each seclusion exit triggers a 1,000-year system dormancy.)
With 10,000 daily experience, reaching Foundation Establishment Layer 2 (1,000 exp) would take mere hours. Exiting seclusion now could propel him to Golden Core Realm overnight.
But exiting cost 1,000 years of system dormancy—a waste for one day's gains.
This system practically chains me here!
Yet objectively, the prison was ideal for seclusion. Despite Liu Ruyan's cruelty, she had force-fed him priceless resources, ensuring his health and safety. Outside, survival alone would drain him.
As he pondered, the system chimed again:
[Detected replicable talent – "Indomitable Will" – from nearby target. Conditions met. Replicate?]