"Now that you pointed it out… she really has two souls in one, and it's almost impossible to notice without looking into the depth of her soul. Even I missed it, after all." The Primordial Phoenix muttered in a slightly surprised voice, as she had never seen such a phenomenon before.
Yuan recalled what Xiao Hua revealed to him and said, "She said there was another personality sealed within her. Can a soul be sealed inside another soul?"
"I don't know too much about humans, so I cannot tell you with certainty." Primal Monarch said.
The Primordial Phoenix then said, "This little human… I can sense the power of reincarnation from her, but it's not the natural kind."
Yuan looked at her with raised eyebrows and asked, "What does that mean?"
"For us phoenixes, we can reincarnate naturally without any external help, and we'll always remain as phoenixes no matter how many times we reincarnate. While humans also reincarnate naturally when they die, they will not reincarnate with the same identity, so they won't have the same bloodline or innate talents. However, this could still be achieved with the help of techniques and treasures."
"As for this little human… her reincarnation was forced, meaning she forcefully went through the process of reincarnation before her soul reached the River of Rebirth, where all souls must enter before they can be reincarnated."
"Is that a bad thing?" Yuan asked.
"The process itself may be unnatural, but there's nothing inherently negative about it. However, the same cannot be said about the techniques or treasures involved with her reincarnation. Such powerful treasures and techniques tend to have negative effects that could affect the individual in the future. Of course, I am not saying that this little human experienced something like that. I am just speaking in general."
"I see… Then, is there a way to stop them from fighting each other?" The Primal Monarch then spoke, "There are two ways. Since both souls are active, you can seal or completely destroy one of them. If there's only one soul, there won't be any fighting."
"No, that's out of the question." Yuan instantly refused that proposal.
"Then you can only separate the two souls and replicate what the Dragon God did."
"That sounds good. Do you know how I can separate their souls?"
"That is that tricky part. Their souls are so intertwined with each other that it'll be incredibly difficult to separate them perfectly, and any mistakes could lead to the destruction of one or both souls."
Yuan frowned. "I can't accept such risks."
"I have another option. If you find the source of her reincarnation, you might find some clues. If you cannot figure it out alone, you can bring her back here, and I might be able to do something about it." The Primordial Phoenix said.
"The source of her reincarnation… the Asura Clan… Primordial Realm…" Yuan muttered to himself.
He already planned on visiting the Primordial Realm, but Xiao Hua's condition made it a little more urgent.
Yuan placed Xiao Hua back inside his Dantian shortly later.
"Even if I want to bring her back here, it might be difficult for me to return." Yuan then said. "I came to the Primal Expanse by accident, after all."
"In that case, I might be able to help," Yingzi suddenly spoke.
"Really?" Yuan looked at her with intrigue.
"As a Shadow Dweller, I have the ability to 'mark' shadows, allowing me to move from any shadow to them no matter the distance. However, I can only have one mark active at a time, and I currently have the Hollowed Expanse marked."
"I see… but in that case, you'll need to—"
"Yes, I will need to be with you if I want to bring you back to the Primal Expanse."
In other words, Yingzi needed to follow Yuan to the Nine Heavens in order to bring him back to the Primal Expanse.
"Are you sure?" Yuan asked her.
She nodded, "I can come back whenever I want, and I want to see the human world. Also, I still have lots to learn about humans."
"That world lacks chaotic essence, so you won't be able to cultivate or replenish the energy you exhaust."
"I don't mind. It's not like I am going to stay there forever," she said.
"Is that so… If that's your decision, I won't say anything else." Yuan nodded.
Without saying another word, Yingzi turned into a black silhouette and entered Yuan's shadow, temporarily joining his team.
"Now that I have a method of returning to the Primal Expanse, I need to visit the Primordial Realm." Yuan clenched his fists with determination.
"Are you ready to return to your world?" The Primal Monarch asked him.
Yuan looked at Feng Yuxiang, who turned to look at the Primordial Phoenix.
"Let's have a proper conversation next time… mother." Feng Yuxiang said to her.
The Primordial Phoenix calmly nodded, but her eyes flickered with joy.
Feng Yuxiang entered Yuan's body the next moment.
"I am ready to return now," Yuan said a moment later.
The Primal Monarch nodded and created a rift.
"Before you leave." The Primal Monarch stopped him as he took a step forward.
"…"
However, the Primal Monarch didn't continue speaking, seemingly pondering about something.
"What is it?" Yuan asked.
"Never mind. I will tell you when you return next time. It's still too early for you to know now," he eventually said.
Yuan narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"Alright. Then, until next time, Father."
Yuan stepped into the rift and disappeared from the Primal Expanse.
"What were you trying to tell him?" The Primordial Phoenix asked afterward.
The Primal Monarch merely gave her a cold glance before disappearing without uttering a word.
"Hmph. Finally, back to his usual self, huh?" The Primordial Phoenix shook her head, not minding the Primal Monarch.
After returning to the Nine Heavens, Yuan found himself in an unfamiliar scenery. However, with the abundance of spiritual energy, he was, without doubt, back in the Nine Heavens.