Chapter 131: A Great Undertaking

The tomb was initially dim, but as they pressed forward, a faint green glow appeared in the distance. Moments later, the three thieves were met with an astonishing sight.

Within the tomb lay a vast plaza, and upon a slightly elevated platform stood a lifelike jade statue. Its beauty was so transcendent it seemed to lift the spirit into the celestial realm. Her form was as graceful as a startled swan and as fluid as a swimming dragon. She possessed the elegance of autumn chrysanthemums and the vibrancy of spring pines. She seemed like a light cloud veiling the moon, or snow swirling in a gentle breeze. She held a verdant bone-jade staff, her deep gaze fixed ahead, resembling a goddess filled with compassion for all living things. This was the legendary Ruler of the Spirit Realm, Xiruo, whose name once shook the four corners of the world. Seeing the statue, Qin Chuan finally understood that Xiang Tianya’s earlier fervor contained at least a kernel of truth.

At that moment, the dragon patterns on Qin Chuan’s sword flared, and a soft sigh escaped from within: "Xiruo." Even the haughty dragon spirit could not control his emotions upon beholding the Ruler of the Spirit Realm.

Qin Chuan could not help but sigh inwardly: "The Ruler of the Spirit Realm was truly peerless; it is a profound tragedy that she has fallen."

These words seemed to touch the dragon spirit, who spoke again: "Of all in this world, she is the only one I have ever admired. It is a pity that when we meet again, we are both reduced to such states. Since ancient times, winners are kings and losers are villains; neither of us could escape the fate of the defeated." His words were not merely a response to Qin Chuan, but a lament to himself.

"You speak as if there is a long history here."

"In this world, who does not have a story?" With that, the dragon spirit fell silent once more.

Zizi stared, wide-eyed, and exclaimed, "My god, is this the Ruler of the Spirit Realm? She is simply too beautiful!"

The sleepy-headed creature’s adorable eyes welled with tears, and he whispered, "I... I feel like crying."

The three thieves, having lost all desire to plunder, slowly approached the jade statue. Below the platform, a pool of emerald water rippled at the statue's feet. In the center, a broken bone-jade staff had been meticulously reassembled, gently cradled by the surrounding waves.

Qin Chuan sighed softly: "So this is the true form of the Ruler of the Spirit Realm—the Longevity Bone-Jade Staff."

Zizi shook her head and sighed, "What a pity, such a great pity."

Only the sleepy creature remained transfixed by the staff, tears streaming uncontrollably from his blue eyes. Being a true spirit creature himself, his connection was the most profound. Suddenly, a faint glimmer of light emanated from the broken staff. It was incredibly subtle, but Qin Chuan noticed it instantly.

"Could it be...?"

"Save her! Quickly, save her at any cost!" The dragon spirit was beside himself with anxiety.

"Save her? How?" Qin Chuan wanted to help, but he did not know where to begin.

"Source! Give her your source essence! Only with source essence can she be restored. Hurry, or it will be too late! You are the only one here who can save her. If you bring her back to life, I swear I will follow you forever and pledge my loyalty to you as my master."

To save the Ruler of the Spirit Realm, the dragon spirit had cast aside all pride, even offering his eternal allegiance to Qin Chuan. Qin Chuan had not realized the dragon spirit was such a sentimental soul.

"Very well, I will try." Qin Chuan turned to the others. "Zizi, Little Brother, stand back. I am going to attempt to revive the Ruler of the Spirit Realm."

Though they were bewildered, Zizi and the little creature obeyed. Qin Chuan guided his sword to lightly touch the Longevity Bone-Jade Staff. Absorbing source essence was his specialty, but channeling it into another was a first. With a cautious heart, he sent a command to the system: "Transfer source essence."

As the command executed, Qin Chuan felt a faint suction from the staff, much like an infant nursing.

"Ding! Source essence transfer in progress; reserves are being consumed."

As time passed, the suction grew stronger, and more essence was drained. Simultaneously, the staff began to radiate a soft light. The fractures began to fuse until the surface was smooth and lustrous once more. Zizi and the little creature watched in stunned silence.

"Ding! Restoration successful."

"Ding! The subject is condensing a spirit core. Does the host wish to assist in its formation?"

"Yes, assist." Qin Chuan was decisive; having come this far, he would see it through to the end.

Soon, he saw the inner workings: within a transparent core, a mass of emerald light was struggling to take shape.

"Ding! Please input source essence to assist in physical manifestation."

"Input!"

"Ding! Input successful. Host may now shape the manifestation as desired."

"What?" After a moment of shock, Qin Chuan understood. "Very well, I shall restore your former appearance and form."

He poured a continuous stream of source essence into the core. Without realizing it, Qin Chuan had performed a monumental feat. In the Spirit Realm, spirits condensed their cores based on their original forms, but Qin Chuan had defied these laws by crafting a perfect human form for the Ruler of the Spirit Realm. This meant her new spirit core possessed the same fundamental nature as his own—a truly groundbreaking achievement.

After consuming vast amounts of essence, Qin Chuan completed the process, feeling deeply satisfied. The figure within the core was identical to the jade statue, perhaps even more radiant. The Ruler of the Spirit Realm slowly opened her eyes and smiled at Qin Chuan: "Thank you."

That smile was like a spring breeze, causing the world to bloom, leaving one feeling immeasurably at peace.

"I am very happy to meet you. Let me introduce myself: I am Qin Chuan."

"I... I am... Xiruo."

Having been revived, the Ruler of the Spirit Realm had lost many memories, recalling only her name. Her power had also diminished significantly, resting at level 30. This state was different from that of the dragon spirit, yet superior in that she now possessed both a physical form and a unique spirit core.

At that moment, the voice of the dragon spirit reached them: "Qin Chuan, I, Long Ao, pledge my loyalty to you from this day forward. I speak no falsehoods."

"Very well, that is settled."

Long Ao attempted to converse with Xiruo, but she could no longer remember him. Yet, Long Ao was overjoyed; seeing his beloved revived was a joy beyond words. This rebirth marked a perfect transformation for the Ruler of the Spirit Realm, one that would have immense implications for the future.

Qin Chuan checked his status panel and noted his rank had dropped to Fourth Order, Low Grade. However, it was clearly worth it. He had revived the Ruler of the Spirit Realm and gained the allegiance of Long Ao—a very profitable trade indeed.