Momentarily, Long Hua says—

"...Truth be told, that right now is probably my number one fear. My cultivation base at this time is equal to a Core Formation realm practitioner, but it would be worthless the moment I encounter an Immortal Sealing Chain..."

The only thing that Long Hua can somewhat reliably fall back on is the White Serpent King; however, would that thing really obey him when he's weakened?

Thinking of this, Long Hua can't help but change his thoughts about it being somewhat reliable; if anything, it's probably the most unreliable weapon in his possession.

"...Cultivating my physical body would make it possible to have another source of strength to fall back on, but how would I even go about doing that in this world?"

It's common knowledge that cultivating one's physical body is much more difficult than simply focusing on one's cultivation base.

Although, due to the Heaven Creation Mantra's unique properties, Long Hua can say for certain that his current physical body strength is definitely greater than average; but even then, it has its limits.

Major sects and long-standing practitioner households have specialized facilities that would aid with both forms of cultivation, but such facilities are a rarity. If they are so rare even in the outside world, then they might as well be completely nonexistent in the Leng Bing Realm.

"If I could step into the Life Manifestation realm, the Immortal Sealing Chain wouldn't be as great of a concern, but to do that, I need the power of the five elements, and I also need to reach perfect mastery of them to boot..."

.........

Within the dreamscape—

"The hell kind of cultivation method is he even using to have such a strict set of requirements to fulfill for a single breakthrough?"

Being reminded of this, the Tai Xuan Emperor can't help but question this aloud.

The power of the five elements is something that all practitioners will inevitably need to make contact with, but most of them do not ever reach perfect mastery.

At most, they would master one element, and be done with the matter.

That being said, anyone who goes through the effort of mastering two elements could be considered a peerless talent that is above standard.

As for all five elements, it's rarely ever been heard of.

.........

"..."

With a somewhat hesitant tone, Tian Cheng says—

"If it's impossible for master to raise your cultivation base further at this time, then how about using Spirit Armaments?"

Towards Tian Cheng's suggestion, Long Hua maintains silence for a full minute prior to answering—

"After my breakthrough into the Sea Manifestation realm, I remembered something."

"..."

Although her vessel doesn't show it, the Tai Xuan Emperor is feeling rather uncomfortable, due to the words that Long Hua had just said.

Paying no heed to Tian Cheng's silence, Long Hua goes on to say—

"In my previous life, I met someone who called herself the Tai Xuan Emperor."

As soon as Long Hua had said this, the Tai Xuan Emperor immediately begins to think of what she could say—should the former suspect her.

Rather quickly, the Tai Xuan Emperor asks through her vessel—

"...Does master suspect Qie to be the Tai Xuan Emperor?"

"...The odds are rather high. Why would she go through the effort of hiding her appearance behind that veil of light? In any case, that Tai Xuan Emperor openly stated that she wished for me to die, so that she could take over my body. From that point on, I never bothered to act friendly towards her. ...I kind of figured that there was something off about Qie the moment I met her—since my instincts told me to never trust anything she says. But..."

Recalling a certain matter, Long Hua opens his eyes with a frown, and says—

"...She has shizun's personal crest."

Biting onto this, Tian Cheng says—

"I do not believe master's shizun would send you someone who wishes to do you harm with his personal crest."

"True. But... It still doesn't dismiss the fact that this person is suspicious as all hell. And the fact that she isn't saying-"

Reading Long Hua's thoughts ahead of time, the Tai Xuan Emperor cuts the former off, and says—

(This is utter slander! I'm utterly appalled by how little trust you have in me, *-laoban!)

Maintaining silence while all this is going on would only serve to confirm Long Hua's guess.

"..."

Towards the Tai Xuan Emperor's words, Long Hua continues to maintain a look of extreme doubt.

.........

Within the dreamscape—

"Dammit... This is far too soon... Since he hasn't shown any hints of suspicion towards my vessel's face, he clearly doesn't remember my appearance. However, at this rate... Tch."

Gladder than ever that she had chosen to grant her vessel a separate identity, the Tai Xuan Emperor grinds her teeth together, as she says—

.........

(There! I've made it so that your doll is able to hear me as well! Let's hear her input on what I'm going to say! If I wanted you dead, I wouldn't have ever bothered to grant you my services in the first place! I would have just left you to die without ever making contact with you in the first place! Although, I'll admit that my services can be somewhat of a rip-off; however, due to my contract with Dao He Tian Xue, it's the only way that I could think of—that would let you acquire some useful items, to make your miserable life in this world easier! You may not believe this, but my items are actually worth quite a bit in my homeland. Granting you a single quality of life item—for the price of 1,000 spirit stones, is considered a major loss for my business! And as the sole breadwinner of my household, I have a lot of weight on my shoulders! Also, even if you don't trust me, at least trust your shizun's judgment, you ungrateful brat!)

"..."

Waiting for Long Hua to absorb everything that she had said, the Tai Xuan Emperor goes on to use her vessel to say—

"Master, if she is the Tai Xuan Emperor, and her goal is to acquire your body as her vessel—doesn't that mean that so long as you do not die, you won't have anything to worry about? Or is it that you're not confident in yourself to remain alive?"

"I'm confident enough to keep myself alive. It's just... Keeping her around... It's similar to having a ticking time bomb near your heart, and not knowing when it'd go off."

(Surnamed *, do you have any idea how hurtful those words sound to my fragile heart? I've always thought of you as a prick, but you really are just one major prick, that is deserving of any divine retributions that befall you!)

"..."

Changing the pitch of her voice within the dreamscape, the Tai Xuan Emperor goes on to use her vessel to say—

"Master, your best approach is probably to just keep her around, and use her when it's convenient. Also... Judging by their name, the Tai Xuan Emperor is probably tied to the Divine Weapon of Tai Xuan. Suppose Qie is the Tai Xuan Emperor; getting rid of her—would require you to get rid of the Divine Weapon of Tai Xuan as well. Considering how useful that item is, it's best to keep it around for as long as possible."

"Hmm."

Closing his eyes in thought, Long Hua eventually raises a sigh, and presses his face into Tian Cheng's artificial chest, and replies—

"Fine."

(...)

Fuming in silence, the Tai Xuan Emperor has the urge to have her vessel shove Long Hua away for his shameless behavior. In fact, this urge is strong enough to the point that she has to disconnect herself from the vessel completely to avoid doing anything rash.

Just as the Tai Xuan Emperor thought to recompose herself, Long Hua says—

"...Although, I will warn you right now, Qie. Regardless of whether or not you're the Tai Xuan Emperor, the moment you cross me—you can expect some heavy punishment."

.........

"..."

Staring at the projection in rage, the Tai Xuan Emperor clenches her fists tightly.

"Slandering me, only to then use me as a source of comfort... Surnamed *, just you wait. My title as the Tai Xuan Emperor, one of the peak-level existences of the Earthborn Elementals' Realm—isn't just for show! I'll have you wrapped around my fingers for sure!"

Opening an interface, the Tai Xuan Emperor begins to update the gacha system.

.........

As drowsiness begins to overwhelm him, Long Hua thought—

(Did I guess wrong? Is she really not the Tai Xuan Emperor? Ai, whatever, it's just as Tian Cheng had said, so long as I don't die, there's nothing that she can do to me.)

Steading his pace of breathing, Long Hua thought back to the events that had occurred in the ruins.

(Mortals say, people should get along with one another peacefully. Yet with my attitude, I'm most certainly going to end up making enemies left and right, assuming I keep it up. In the first place, the people of the Leng Bing Realm, they're all weapon spirits, and yet, they live like ordinary humans... Objects acting like humans, they're surprisingly similar to me... No, they were originally ordinary people as well. I suppose, we're not really one and the same after all? ...Ai, if I do end up dying, maybe that would make things easier? Just simply forget everything, and live like an ordinary mortal? Or maybe... Die in the truest sense of having my soul wiped away, never to enter reincarnation? In a rush to die, in a rush to start a new life, in a rush to just let it all end, so that I can finally be at peace... Maybe, letting the Tai Xuan Emperor take over my body in my previous life—maybe, that would have been the wiser choice than to be here in this world, where there's no one for me to... Act as my true self around?)

Tightening his hold over the Tai Xuan Emperor's vessel, memories of a certain place that is filled with laughter appears in Long Hua's mind.

(...I miss the carefree days of my life in Dao He Palace. Even if it was only a dream, I'd wish to return to it, and never wake.........)