The vortex did not weaken.
It continued to pour into Han Yu, feeding his transformation, pushing his cultivation toward its inevitable conclusion.
Within his Dantian…
The change began.
The Spirit Core, once stable and complete, began to crack. Lines formed across its surface, thin at first, then spreading rapidly as the accumulated energy reached a critical threshold.
The pressure built.
Contained.
Compressed.
Until—
It shattered.
KACHA!
Completely.
The fragments dissolved instantly, their essence merging into the surrounding Qi.
And from within that collapse…
Something new emerged.
A form.
Small.
Delicate.
A newborn infant.
The Nascent Soul.
It floated within the sea of Qi, its body glowing faintly as it took shape. Its features were soft, its expression peaceful, its existence radiating a quiet purity.
But…
There was something unusual.
If anyone had known Ju Fan as a child…
They would have noticed the difference.
This Nascent Soul did not resemble Ju Fan.
