âIs it you?! Are you the one that woke me? You really do have the power to strengthen me, just like Core said!â
The eyes of the tiger looked a little foggy, as if it wasnât completely awake yet. It blinked several more times as it waited for Bai Yunfei to respond.
âErâŠâ
Unsure of what to think, Bai Yunfei asked⊠âAre youâŠthe spirit of the Soul Sealing Mandate?!â
âI am, canât you tell?â The tiger batted a paw. âI am the spirit of the Regalia Soul Sealing Mandate.â
This spirit seemed vastly different to the spirit of the Core Stone by far, much to Bai Yunfeiâs surprise. He blinked a few times as well. âDid you say âjust like Core saidâ? Do you know anything about Xiao Fang?â
âHeâsâŠâ The small tiger scratched at its jaw âcontemplativelyâ. âHeâs hibernating. Breaking open the void isnât easy, you know. He used up a lot of energy doing that.â
âBreaking open the void? Whatâs that mean? What happened?â
âWhatâs with all the questions? Hold on, let me take a look at youâŠâ The tiger didnât even bother to answer any of Bai Yunfeiâs questions. It took an additional second to comb what non-existent hair it had on its body before looking Bai Yunfei all over. Bai Yunfei felt a warm glow emanate from the Soul Sealing Mandate when the tiger made eye-contact.
âOh?!!! Our synchronization is perfect?! Did you make me into your lifebound armament?! Howâd you do that!? I feel a little stronger too! Maybe twenty percent stronger? WowâŠIs this the âUpgrade Techniqueâ Core talked about? So it really was as amazing as he said?â
âOh? Xiao Fang told you about the Upgrade Technique?â An eyebrow was raised on Bai Yunfeiâs face. âCould you tell me what happened now? Iâd like to know.â
âFine then, since youâre my âmasterâ and everything. Iâll allow it. You can take a look for yourself to see what happened.â
Speaking as though âresignedâ to its fate, the tiger suddenly leapt up from the ground to dive into Bai Yunfeiâs forehead!
âWha?!â Bai Yunfei nearly leaped back from surprise but the tiger was already right about to crash into him! ButâŠthen it melted into his head!
âBzzzâŠâ
Bai Yunfei felt his vision grew hazy before it went darkâŠÂ
âCrap! Yunfeiâs soul is super weak, heâs dying!â
Inside the Core World, a deathly-pale Bai Yunfei was laid there on the ground with the Fire-tipped Spear, Cataclysmic Seal, and even the Soul Sealing Mandate resting there with him. Lao Sha was hopping left and right around Bai Yunfei as it stared in great concern at him.
The figure of Xiao Fang was floating above Bai Yunfei and seemingly inspecting Bai Yunfeiâs health.
âWhat kind of soul skill was that? Yunfeiâs soul isâŠregressing?!â The last word was practically yelped. âNo no no. His soulâs going to die at this rate! What do I do? What do I do?!â
Like an ant on a hot wok, Xiao Fangâs hologram was hopping about as it tried to think of a solution.
âOh!! Soul Sealer!!â
It whirled around to stare at the Soul Sealing Mandate on the ground. âSoul Sealer!â Xiao Fang hollered, âCome on out now! Hurry up!!â
âBzzâŠâÂ
There was a flash of white as a small white tiger appeared in front of Xiao Fang.
âHey there Core, long time no seeâa thousand years maybe?â Stretching its back, the tiger spoke to Xiao Fang like a friend.
âYunfeiâs not doing well, use your energy and save him!â
âHm?â Looking down, Soul Sealer glanced at the resting Bai Yunfei. âIs this your current master?â It looked interested. âTsk tskâŠhe doesnât look very strongâŠâ
âQuit your yapping and save him!â Xiao Fang exploded anxiously.
But Soul Sealer still didnât see the rush. âWhy should I? Heâs not my masterâŠBesides, itâs not looking good for him. I doubt Iâll be able to save him unless I accept him as my master. Sealing his soul so he wonât die will use up a lot of my energy too. Going into hibernation doesnât sound fun, so Iâll pass.â
âYou!!â
Xiao Fang was speechless. It was infuriated by the cavalier attitude of the other Regalia. âAre you really not going to save him?â
âNope.â
âFine if you donât then, but be prepared to accompany me into the void for the next several thousand years!â
âHold on, what?! The void?!â
âYou heard me, weâre in the void right now.â A vision of the outside worldâcurrently a voidâappeared in a spatial window. It was entirely black outside with all sorts of color mixing with one another and flowing in random directions. It was a very strange sight to see.
A surprised look appeared on the tigerâs face. âWeâre really in the void!â
It rounded on Xiao Fang in exasperation. âYouâŠof all places, why did you run into the void?!â
Xiao Fang ignored the tiger. âIf youâre not going to save him, then itâll be a trip into the void for the both of us.â
âNo!!â The tiger roared with anger âAre you really threatening me, Core? What does it matter if I save him? Weâd still be stuck here in the void wouldnât we?!â
âYou donât need to worry about that. Iâm much stronger than I was before. Iâll be able to break free from the void on my own.â
âReally?!â Though still a little suspicious, the tiger grew excited. âYou can break out from the void by yourself? Youâre lying!â
âIâm not lying.â Xiao Fang seemed to be calming down a bit now. âAnd do you know why Iâm stronger now? Itâs because of him. He has a strange power called the âUpgrade Techniqueâ. It can strengthen the power of a soul armament! If you can save him and accept him as your master, heâll be able to make you stronger too.â
âReally?!â The tigerâs eyes grew wide with disbelief.
âReally!â Replied Xiao Fang, âBut thereâs no time! Hurry up and save him! Youâll only hibernate for a few dozen years at most if you seal his soul, but if he recovers and upgrades the Soul Sealing Mandate, youâll awake right away!â
âFineâŠIâll save himâŠâ Resigned to its fate, the tiger accepted. Living in the void for several thousand years was a scary thought for the tiger. If he listened to Xiao Fang though, then it was possible such a horrid fate could be avoidedâŠÂ
âHis soulâs extremely damaged. I can only seal it and stop the regression. HeâllâŠprobably lose his memories and probably become an imbecileâŠâ
âShut up already! It beats him dying! If thereâs a chance to save him, then save him!â
âFine fineâŠeh?! A soul fragmentâs lodged in his soul?! Itâs not hisâŠwhatâs it doing here? Well whateverâŠat least he wonât become an imbecile this wayâŠâ
âLao Sha, Iâll have to go into hibernation after I break us out from the void. I donât know when Iâll be able to wake up. Yunfei will most likely lose his memories, youâre the only one that can protect him until he recovers!â