In the Yuan Clan's ancestral residence on Erlang Alley, Cui Chan was seated on his chair with his entire body drenched in blood, while his hands were locked in the Treasure Bottle Seal as he fought arduously to prevent his body from disintegrating. 

He was doing this not just because this body had been extremely difficult to come by, but even more so because this body was like a prison in which his soul was confined. In the near future, he would be unable to release his soul to go on long journeys as he had been able to back in the capital city of the Great Li Empire. 

Furthermore, if this body were to be destroyed, then he would be reduced to an incomplete entity with his souls and senses split apart, and that would permanently relegate him to the bottom of the Middle Five Tiers. If that were to happen, then all of the people who previously groveled in fear at his feet would've been able to kill him with ease.

Even though his body and mental state had both been dealt heavy blows, Cui Chan still forced himself to his feet after throwing up a mouthful of blood. He was grabbing onto the armrest of his chair and leaning heavily onto it for support, while his entire body trembled uncontrollably. 

He knew that the worse the state that he was in, the harder he had to cling onto what little he had left. He raised his head to look up at the sky, where Ruan Qiong's voice had rung out earlier, but at this point, he didn't even have the power to use the mystical ability through which he could communicate with Ruan Qiong in secret.

"Come...