(MC POV)

My consciousness drifted in a space completely devoid of light.

In order to exploit the fact that Abaddon weakens after using his disintegration eyes to dust a fairly large target, I had placed my body in his way as a sacrificial target.

First, anchor my soul using the Immortal Projection Cultivation Technique with Space, Astral and Spirit quarks that I've thought of way back in the first chapter.

Then, swallowing a pill that was similar to the Rage pill I had seen back at the Sect Showcase Festival, I expanded my body to two hundred times its size, making sure to place myself in between the demon and the rest of the Sect.

Just for experimentation purposes, I covered myself with a layer of Divine Light Armour. It should be able to negate most types of attacks but I don't really expect such a thing to hold up against this demon's unique skill.

The armour covered my entire body, radiating a visible layer of light that surrounded me.

As soon as Abaddon's eyes opened, I felt the full brunt of the skill hit me.

As expected, the armour was useless against the skill. My body had already stiffened up and the glow from the armour had dimmed away upon first contact.

My body slowly disintegrated into dust, a surprisingly painless process I had to admit.

Once my body fully disintegrated, I found myself waking up within a dark space, my body completely unscathed albeit in an ethereal state that was glowing with a bluish hue. A single translucent line sprouted out from my chest, linking me towards something in the far distance which I surmised to be my anchor to the living.

It was a rather bizarre feeling, but since this felt identical to the time when I had first been killed, it kind of proves my initial hypothesis on the soul side of things. 

Self-five.

Now, all I have to do is to use another Technique to regrow a new body to get out of here I suppose.

But before I carry out my plan, another spirit wandered up to me with the same ethereal hue. It had the look of an aged old man wearing the robes of a Sect Master of Heaven Sect.

"Hoh? Quite an unusual sight this is. You are a soul that still has his consciousness right?" The spirit asked me.

I raised an eyebrow at him, "Who are you then?"

That old spirit actually tutted at me, "Tsk, tsk. Young people these days... Do you even call yourself a disciple of Heaven Sect? Don't you know it is common courtesy to introduce yourself first to your seniors?"

Hmmm… This guy might be some powerful Practitioner in the past or maybe a malicious spirit seeking revenge on someone who wronged him? If it's the latter, I have to be careful in case he decides to try and possess me for that reason.

You can never be too sure about these things after all. Some spirit might look like some friendly grandpa and the next thing you know, he's already possessed your body and cucked your harem.

I cupped my hands together in greeting, "My apologies senior, I must still be disorientated after my body's death. I am Master Lin of Heaven Sect, well met."

"Oh ho? A Master? Ahahahaha! It seems like you are quite the interesting one! How old are you?"

"Fort-- I mean twenty-two," I replied.

The spirit stroked his beard, "Ah… To die at such a young age, what a shame. Well, at least you seem special enough to still retain your consciousness I suppose, though that might very well be a bad thing for you in a way."

"I'm sorry, I still don't know who you are, senior," I reminded him.

The spirit gasped, "You mean you don't even know who I am and yet you claim yourself to be a Master of Heaven Sect?"

"Should I?"

The spirit scoffed, "I am the founder of Heaven Sect himself! Shang Di!"

Kind of explains your arrogant attitude I suppose, but who am I to judge?

"Ok… And?"

The old spirit looked at me as though I had grown a second head, "And? And?! Aren't you going to pay respects to me?"

Pay respects? To a dead spirit? Oh, I guess must be a thing spirits do. Well, they do say when in Jin city, do as the Jin people do.

I cupped my hands together once more, "My condolences to you, Shang Di."

He frowned at me, "What are you even talking about? First you lie about being a Master and then you can't even pay your founder the respect he deserves? Are you perhaps a new disciple?"

I tilted my head at him, confusion clear on my face, "I did not lie about me being a Master though?"

"Ahahaha! A little twenty year old brat like you who's still wet behind the ears couldn't possibly be a Master! Even a heaven sent genius wouldn't reach there at such a young age! If you want to lie, young one, perhaps saying you are an Inner Core disciple would be a little bit more believable!"

Ah, he's one of those people. I kind of feel sorry that our Sect has this kind of ancestor in that case.

He continued his ranting, "Also, since I  suspect you to be a newly inducted disciple, you should always pay respects to your betters! Do you not greet your teachers in the Sect at all?"

Honestly? Not really.

I mean, I was given the green light for self study before I was even fully familiar with everyone in my class after all. But something tells me if I had told him that, he wouldn't believe me anyway.

Anyway, I'm not going to spend the time and effort to try and convince someone about this when I'm probably only going to meet them once anyway.

I guess I'll just go along with it to make him leave me alone, then I'll just form my new body and be out of here.

With the entire Heaven Sect and all the other visitors for the New Year festival to back my disciples up in subduing the demon, he shouldn't really pose a problem in his weakened state. Those two Dark Sect members shouldn't be able to stand up against so many experts as well so the situation should be resolved.

I doubt Masters Leizhui and Taoyan would be able to handle that many enemies by themselves so I'm expecting to return without any issues.

Sighing to myself to get this done as soon as possible, I cupped my fist for the third time, "Disciple Lin of Heaven Sect greets Founder Shang Di."

"Umu, umu. Good, good. Since you show potential, I shall accept you as my personal servant in this Spirit Realm. Feel honored! Your first task shall be to--"

I held up a palm to stop him from continuing, "Apologies founder Shang Di, but I have no intentions of staying here. I have people I need to return to."

"Hahaha! Don't we all? If the spirits of the dead can just return however they liked, the whole world will be thrown into chaos! If you haven't realised yet young one, you are dead."

I shook my head, "I sent my spirit here voluntarily, so technically I'm not dead."

He sighed, "Such a stubborn boy. You should start learning the hierarchy of this place if you don't wish to suffer eternal torment."

This guy is really annoying…

"Come," He gestured to me. "Since you're going to be my servant, I shall teach you some godly Cultivation Techniques! Don't say that I'm not good to you!"

He passed several books to me that had appeared out of thin air.

I glanced at the titles of the books.

"Profound Killing Lightning, Phoenix Sky Bolt, Spirit Bomb…"

"Yes, they're all very profound techniques," Shang Di nodded to himself.

"I er… I already know them though?" I informed him, these weren't even that good of Techniques.

"Hmph! How preposterous! I had only managed to gain these Techniques because of my good relations with the various other Sect Masters! Not anyone can learn them you know?!"

"Ok… Remind me how long you've been gone from the Sect? Because I don't recall our Sect being chummy enough with those Sects to freely exchange Techniques like that. For all I know, these might be outdated."

"Ungrateful brat! If you don't want them, then give them back to me!"

I made no move to stop him from swiping the books away from me.

"To think the only Heaven Sect member who managed to come here without losing their sense of self after so long is a brat like you, I fear for my Sect's future," He sighed dramatically. "Now, this doesn't change your situation, you should follow me to my place, I will teach you what you need to do as my servant."

I rolled my eyes at him, "I already told you Founder Shang Di, I am not staying here."

He  shook his head, "Young people… Really, really stubborn. Fine, I guess you leave me no choice but to beat some sense into yo--"

A loud crack of thunder interrupted him as a giant ball of fire exploded into existence behind me.

I turned just in time to see the giant form of Abaddon appear from within the flames.

Ah, it seems like they've successfully dealt with him.

"Ab… Abaddon of the Abyss?!" Shang Di yelled in fear.

He grabbed my wrist, "We must run! He's not someone we can deal with on our own!"

He tried to pull me away but I stood rooted to the spot, my eyes scanning the demon. I noticed a very thin, translucent line that was linking his chest to somewhere else in the distance, a line very similar to what I have as well.

"He was killed, but I can still see a Soul Link that is stretching out from him…" I murmured. That Soul Link was proof that both of us were still anchored amongst the living and not truly dead, thus allowing us to return should we wish to as long as we had a body to possess.

"Ugh… Damn that dragon… I will repay that favour when I return, I swear on it," The demon cursed.

He noticed Shang Di trying and failing to pull me away, "Oh? What a nice find, I'm just in the mood to devour some souls."

"Hieeeee!" Shang Di screeched, collapsing on the floor in fear.

I, on the other hand, was calmly pondering over what had him anchored in the living world.

I smacked my palm with a fist "Ah… That elf girl of course. She's your anchor to the living isn't it?"

He growled at me, "So you were there? Those stupid mortals dare bind me to her! I will return and possess her after regaining my strength! Then the world will be mine to devour for putting me there!"

I shook my head, "Yep, can't have that. Sorry but I'm sending you back there and getting rid of you from possessing her, my disciples seem quite close to the elf after all."

"You arrogant little--"

I snapped my fingers, causing the entire area to rumble.

The dark area around us was lit up from above with a blinding orange light.

Both Abaddon and Shang Di looked up to see a huge meteorite twice of Abaddon's falling straight towards him.

Abaddon only had time to gape before he raised all four of his arms to catch it, barely stopping its descent with his inhuman strength.

The demon laughed, "Kuhahaha! You… You are definitely not normal! But if you think this is enough to get rid of me, you're in for a surprise!"

I nodded, "Mmm… that is quite impressive, but what are you going to do about the second one?"

A second meteor similar in size to the first crashed on top of him, instantly flattening the demon into paste. His form dispersed into light particles before travelling along the Soul Link out of the Spirit Realm.

Now that that was done, I should return back soon, I wasted enough time here already.

I snapped my fingers and my soul was pulled along my own Soul Link, my body having already formed a few moments ago in the living world.

Only when I disappeared from the Realm did I remember about the Shang Di I had left behind.

Shame I didn't managed to see his expression when I left.

Now I have a slight nudging feeling that it won't be the last time I will meet him.

It took a moment before I felt myself entering a solid body, all my senses returning all at once.

I jerked awake, finding myself resting on something soft.

In front of me were four pairs of eyes belonging to Lian Li, Eris, Cai Hong and Diao Chan.

A pair of arms were wrapped proactively around me alongside several fox tails that made up a bed of fluff for me to lie on. I guess Manami should be behind me then.

"Master/Papa!" All of them called out at the same time.

"Umu… I'm back," I reassured them.

I stretched out my hand to pat them, but…

Why is my hand so small?

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