Miss Yan's eyes were filled with disbelief, "You..."

Xu Guang smiled and glanced at Miss Yan, "It seems I can steal the power of those black hole cores from within. Miss Yan, what do you plan to exchange with me?"

Miss Yan: ...

Offense and defense are interchangeable.

Even though Miss Yan didn't know how Xu Guang did it, she could only collaborate with Xu Guang at this moment.

"I can help you discover the Black Soul Pool, you can steal the black hole core's power from it, and then we can share it and form the Black Soul Venerable Body together. How about that?"

Miss Yan thought for a moment and said through gritted teeth.

Setting up the Black Soul Pool was a method she had found by scouring ancient texts and consulting her master on how to utilize the Star Beast core. She initially intended to use this to gain a favor from Xu Guang.

Unexpectedly, stealing the Star Beast core's power was so difficult that she had to share it for free.

Xu Guang shook his head slightly, "It's not enough."

"Not enough? Do you think you can use the Star Beast core's power directly just because you managed to steal it? That's the power of a Saint Realm Star Beast. Do you think it's that easy to use? Even if I have a way, I also need to consume a part of the Holy Artifact's origin..."

Xu Guang's eyes lit up, "You have a Holy Artifact?"

Miss Yan: ...

"Give me the Holy Artifact, and we'll share. Otherwise, I might as well waste that power since I just need to get out of here."

Miss Yan secretly resented and coldly sneered at the thought of the Holy Artifact, "Fine."

Xu Guang reached into the blood-colored water cube, trying to absorb the power within the black hole, sealing it in a gourd provided by Miss Yan. He didn't know what treasure this gourd was, but it could withstand the impact of the Saint Realm Star Beast's origin.

After absorbing for half an hour, Xu Guang's heart pounded wildly as if something terrible was about to happen.

His face changed drastically, and he quickly withdrew his hand.

The black hole core appeared to come alive, slowly wriggling and engulfing the fox-eared woman who looked like a mermaid.

He dragged Miss Yan to rush out of the hall, and only then did the terrifying oppressive feeling completely disappear.

Xu Guang looked at the gourd and asked.

"How much is left?"

Miss Yan looked at the few cracks on the surface of the gourd, feeling heartbroken. This gourd was different from the previous Magical Treasures. It was the treasure she intended to later refine into a Five Realm Magical Treasure.

"Continue."

Xu Guang nodded and entered another hall.

This time, the absorption time was even shorter. Xu Guang withdrew his arm, sat cross-legged, and calmed his body, which was impacted by the Saint Realm's origin power.

"Continue."

"Wait."

Miss Yan paused, "What's wrong?"

"The impact of the Saint Realm's origin power injured me. I don't trust you. You may betray me, and I have no way to defend myself, so either you hurt yourself, or let me place a forbidden technique on you."

Xu Guang said seriously.

Miss Yan almost spat out a mouthful of old blood, "You..."

Letting Xu Guang place a forbidden technique was out of the question, so she struck her abdomen in front of Xu Guang. Xu Guang extended his hand and sent Source Qi into her body, confirming that she was truly injured before nodding.

"Alright, from now on, every time I take an origin, you have to hit yourself once."

Miss Yan: ...

"You're such a bastard!"

"Same to you."

Xu Guang retorted sharply.

Miss Yan no longer wanted to deal with Xu Guang, secretly vowing that once they were out, she would make Xu Guang pay.

Xu Guang was indifferent as long as he ensured that Miss Yan couldn't pose a threat to him when he was greatly expending energy.

He always treasured his life.

Approximately three days later.

The Saint Realm origin in the gourd was finally full, and Miss Yan and Xu Guang came to a spacious hall.

"Let's do it here."

Miss Yan suddenly spoke, "You're less injured than I am now. Setting up the Black Soul Pool will consume significantly from me. Either you hurt yourself, or let me place a forbidden technique on you."

The two stared at each other.

At that moment, it was like this very moment.

Xu Guang was at a loss for words.

"I... will protect you as the Dharma Protector, how about that?"

"You... forget it." Miss Yan snorted coldly, "You're even more indecisive than a woman, just consider this as my apology for the previous matter."

Her words made Xu Guang feel a bit embarrassed.

Thinking about it, "Then consider it as me owing you... half a favor?"

Miss Yan rolled her eyes. How does half a favor count?

She didn't want to continue talking to Xu Guang, so she began to set up the Black Soul Pool.

Xu Guang, being quite tactful, went outside to assist in protecting.

Half a month later, Xu Guang looked at a massive black pool in the hall and said softly, "Is it done?"

"Yes, you can soak in it now. I'll use half of your favor. Will you help me take some more Star Beast origins?"

After a moment of silence, Xu Guang said, "Alright."

Looking at the Black Soul Pool emitting black energy, Xu Guang removed his outer clothing. On the other side, Miss Yan also did the same, revealing her graceful figure, looking captivating.

Xu Guang took a deep breath, activated a layer of Qi Force and Gang Qi to protect himself, and then stepped into the Black Soul Pool.

Once he was completely inside, he slowly withdrew his Gang Qi.

Sss! Sss! Sss!

The next moment, a peculiar sound was heard.

Streams of condensed black smoke easily broke through his skin, penetrating into the depths of his blood vessels and merging into the Spirit Palace, where a trace of strange black energy floated above, as if it was about to vanish into the darkness.

The refined Ghost Dragon Killing Talisman stood in the Spirit Palace, also beginning to undergo some peculiar changes.

Time passed by slowly.

Miss Yan opened her eyes several times, watching Xu Guang, who was close at hand, her eyes flickering, but eventually, she closed them again.

When she just closed her eyes, Xu Guang opened his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.

Thankfully, this woman didn't make a move.

With this thought in mind, he continued to absorb the substances in the Black Soul Pool that were altering his constitution.

The Black Soul Venerable Body is the constitution of a Qi Refiner. This transformation doesn't occur in the flesh but within the nine secret realms of the body.

For example, the body is the sea, and the nine secret realms are the boats in the sea. The Black Soul Venerable Body upgrades the original wooden boat to a sailing ship.

Each secret realm is strengthened due to the Black Soul Venerable Body, allowing more Source Qi to be accommodated.

However, this process is quite painful, akin to someone slicing open the Spirit Palace with a sharp sword and drilling into the numerous secret realms within. The rending pain throughout the body is unbearable.

A full half-month later.

The two opened their eyes simultaneously.

They didn't speak, instead sensing the changes within themselves.

The Black Soul Venerable Body is a remarkable constitution. Besides allowing the cultivator to comprehend the darkness rules during the Five Realms, the Daoist techniques they perform, and the talismans within their body, all carry the will of darkness.

Under such circumstances, Xu Guang felt that he could potentially vanish into the darkness at any moment. The Killing Dao of his Ghost Dragon Killing Talisman had also begun to give birth to annihilation methods accompanying the completion of the Black Soul Venerable Body.

Summoning the ghost dragon for a dark strike.

A very insidious technique.

Xu Guang touched his chin.

"Can you stop smiling so lewdly?"

Miss Yan snorted coldly and said.

Xu Guang restrained his smile and got dressed.

He kept his promise and helped Miss Yan retrieve several more strands of dark origin.

...

A shadow flickered.

Two figures appeared on Anan's body, and Miss Yan skillfully cast a spell on Xu Guang, concealing the aura of the Soul Blood Pursuing Soul Order on him.

"No one's here. It seems that after we took Anan's origin, the secret realm's exit has already opened. We'll part here, or rather, never meet again."

Miss Yan snorted coldly and turned away.

Xu Guang smiled and didn't say more.

This dark secret realm had indeed completely opened. There was hardly anyone inside anymore. In the distance, a glimmer of light could be seen, the exit of the secret realm.

Xu Guang didn't linger, transforming into a stream of light, rushing out.

In the final transaction with Miss Yan, it was probably due to the shared hardships at the last moment. Knowing Xu Guang intended to learn artifact refining techniques, she generously handed him several basic manuals on artifact refining.

The status of a blacksmith is indisputable, and even the most basic ones are invaluable. Miss Yan gave them to him without hesitation, showing remarkable generosity.

Especially after Xu Guang read through them and found many annotations.

'After going back, I should have another profession.'

Blacksmithing and artifact refining are two different professions. The former belongs to the Martial Dao system, while the latter is part of the Qi Refiner system.