Shi Lang was spent, and after Tsuu Ching announced that the trial has ended, he lost consciousness. The eternal sovereign himself carried him back to the resting place. He was worried, but also relieved that Shi Lang was not seriously injured. He was just exhausted from the usage of spiritual energy.
The output spike was draining on him, however, as he recovered it would be good for him. The flame seed in his Dantian was spinning so fast that if anyone was to check it would appear to be still. The Terran spent three days recovering, and only then did he open his eyes. He had closed his soul sea as well, even Raksha could not get in.
Hou Bing was the first to sense him waking up. She was resting beside the window in his room when he opened his eyes. She asked, "How do you feel?"
Shi Lang sat up and nodded to her. Hou Bing asked, "What are you thinking about? Did you gain something during the trial?"
The Terran knew he could not hide anything from her, so he nodded and took Raksha out of his space ring. The sword transformed into spirit form and the lady hovered in the void while smoking a pipe. She asked, "What did you call me for?"
Shi Lang waved his hand and said, "I locked my soul sea for a reason."
Raksha raised her eyebrow and asked, "What does that have to do with me?"
Shi Lang sighed and said, "Go and see it before you babble alright."
The sword spirit tilted her head as she complained, "First you lock me out and then you ask me to take a look? Do you think I am your servant?"
Shi Lang held his forehead and said, "I apologize, but I was not locking you out, but I did not want the other people to look inside my soul sea."
He said this sentence with his spiritual connection to Raksha. The sword spirit was surprised now. She realized that he did not trust anyone, and he locked her out to prevent any conflict from happening.
She sighed and remarked, "Call me soft-heart, and you pitiful. What would you do without me?"
She vanished from the void and appeared in his soul sea, and commented, "What's the fuss..."
She had not yet finished speaking, when she realized the difference and was shocked.
Outside, Shi Lang said, "Hou Bing, you can take a look as well."
Hou Bing was undoubtedly curious and nodded. She sent a wisp of her spirit conscious to Shi Lang, who let it inside his soul sea without any protest. Hou Bing was calmer than Raksha, she said, "You inscribed the laws of space here?"
Shi Lang nodded and said, "I had no idea what was going on, during the trial when I was being crushed, I recalled my time in the lower realm. There I learned interesting ways of how the Terrans saw and understood space. When I was casting the final attack, the laws of space became clear to me, and a shred of them channeled through my Dao armament."
Hou Bing nodded and commented, "No wonder you caused a space fissure and also suffered exhaustion. It all adds up. You do have space laws inscribed in the soul sea. But what I find even more curious is the fact that you managed to do this in three days."
Tsuu Ching shivered and shook his head like a rattle. He said, "Forgive me. Here, let me compensate you."
He took out five jade tokens from his pocket and said, "You can use these as a key to access this realm from anywhere in the immortal world. You can give them to your family members, but I hope you understand that there will be a oath ceremony before we trust them."
Shi Lang gave him a thumbs up and said, "Good, I understand. Now, I shall prepare to leave."
Tsuu Ching was taken aback, he asked, "Did you come here only because you wanted to get some herbs from me? Do you have no compassion to spend some time with me and relive the good old days?"
Shi Lang patted Tsuu Ching's shoulder and replied, "I want to stay here and take a vacation. However, my daughter is posted at the frontlines with Sister Moon Jade. I have come here for five days, but I can sense that time here is different than outside."
Tsuu Ching was surprised and said, "You noticed?"
Shi Lang nodded, and said, "One day here is five days outside, right?"
The latter nodded in confirmation. Shi Lang said, "So, it has been almost a month outside. My wife is unlike sister-in-law. She gets very anxious, so I should head back. However, do not worry, I would come by often."
Tsuu Ching nodded, and the two men walked outside. On the way to the gate way array, Shi Lang greeted all the elders and Tsuu Ching's wife accompanied them silently. She could understand that the atmosphere was getting heavy.
Tsuu Ching said, "Boss, when do you think you will step into the Immortal Sovereign realm?"
Shi Lang shrugged his shoulders and said, "I have yet to discover my Dao Path that far, so I have no idea. Why do you ask?"
Tsuu Ching thought of something and then said, "I will tell you when to reach that realm. Otherwise, there is no point in it."
Shi Lang sensed that someone was weighing down on Tsuu Ching, and he asked, "Xiao Ching, I will not force you to tell me anything unless you are willing to, but know this, that I would not make you wait too long."
Tsuu Ching smiled and said, "I will wait for you then, Boss."
The two men hugged each other tightly for a few moments, before Shi Lang leaped into the gateway. Tsuu Ching turned to face his wife, who asked him, "Why didn't you ask him?"
The expression on Tsuu Ching's face was unlike the happy and cheery person he was a moment ago. His aura turned gloomy and his smile vanished. He said, "He would give up his goals for this, and I do not wish that. He has already done a lot for me in his past life, and I am sure he would do it this time if I asked him too. However, I don't want him to get troubled.
It would be an easy thing once he becomes an Immortal Sovereign. Trust me, it will be fine then."
The lady nodded as the two people returned to the senate holding hands. What was the mystery Tsuu Ching held back? Who knows?