The rejection is just too high.

When those words came out of Shangguan Bing Xue's mouth, Chen He's already pale face turned even paler and a thin trickle of red blood silently slipped out of the corner of his mouth, dripping softly onto the ground.

Seeing this, Bai Zemin hurriedly used his own Blood Manipulation skill and sent a small but powerful flow of Mana and Magic into Chen He's body.

Just as Chen He instinctively tried to protect himself against the invading energy, Bai Zemin's voice stopped him:

"Do not resist! Let me help to calm your disturbed blood flow."

Chen He nodded silently and as Bai Zemin supported him to sit on another work table his mind was in chaos as he stared at a fixed point with lost eyes. Even as he felt the pain recede rapidly and his altered blood flow returned to normal, he failed to feel better at all.

Because just as Shangguan Bing Xue had just said: the rejection between both souls was too huge. 

In fact, Chen He clearly felt how it was Shangguan Bing Xue who restrained her own soul or else the damage his soul would have received when he tried to get closer would have been a lot greater.

Shangguan Bing Xue shook her head as if she were a bit dizzy and did not speak too much.

Only Wu Yijun's soft voice was heard as she moved between her two friends trying to check their conditions. 

However, since the problem was internal and not external, there was nothing anyone could do. Even if Kang Lan were here, her healing skill couldn't do much since it could barely heal physical injuries, not soul ones.

The soul was still a mystery to everyone on Earth despite now being aware of its existence, therefore, it was extremely dangerous to try to experiment with it. However, despite knowing what they were getting into, Bai Zemin's group took the risk.

Regardless of what their motives might be, romantic or other, they all knew in their hearts that the world in which they now lived was no longer the safe Earth of the past. Risks were necessary to become stronger, and knowing at least one of the secrets of the soul would undoubtedly make them more powerful since the reason why they became stronger every time they absorbed part of the Soul Power of another living being was precisely because their own souls were strengthened accordingly.

After several minutes, Shangguan Bing Xue finally seemed to feel better as she walked off the work table and stepped closer to Chen He. 

Seeing his bitter look, she sighed in her heart. 

How could Shangguan Bing Xue not be aware that the reason behind her friend's miserable appearance was none other than her soul's rejection of his? More than the actual pain experienced, Chen He's grief stemmed from Shangguan Bing Xue's own spirit and essence fiercely rejecting his.

If not for her restraining her soul, Chen He might have received real damage. That's how strong the rejection was.

"Chen He, are you fine?"

Chen He raised his head and looked at her for a moment, not immediately responding to her question. After a few moments, he smiled bitterly and nodded as he said softly:

"I'm fine. This small hurt will most likely heal after absorbing some Soul Power. It's not a big deal."

Bai Zemin frowned and asked, "Do you think you will be able to carry out the attack on the Baiquan Camp? If you think it will be a bit heavy while you are not at your peak condition, then just let another legion move."

However, Chen He shook his head and slowly stood up as he said:

"It is not necessary. I will let Fu Qigang prepare the soldiers. In the meantime, I will go hunt beasts and zombies to solve my problem."

"... If you say so." Bai Zemin shrugged his shoulders.

Wu Yijun looked at Chen He and asked worriedly, "Chen He, you... Are you really all right?"

"I'm all right." Chen He smiled slightly, not looking forced at all. He looked at Bai Zemin and asked, "Earlier, you said that this whole gist of the affinity between souls was just a theory, right?"

"That's right." Bai Zemin nodded indifferently. "Even though I have my basis for saying what I said, I am just a mote of dust in the midst of this great universe. It is impossible for me to know everything, let alone about something as mysterious and mystical as the soul."

"I see." Chen He nodded and didn't say much more. He just looked at Shangguan Bing Xue and walked towards the exit.

Shangguan Bing Xue shook her head while Wu Yijun looked at the two of them with complicated eyes. As two of the people who knew best about Chen He, both women knew perfectly well that he had used Bai Zemin's words to find an escape from what had just happened.

However, what Bai Zemin said was the truth. All this was just a theory with no real basis other than small coincidences based on events that could have unfolded by different coincidences of diverse magnitudes. Therefore, it was also acceptable for Chen He to do what he did.

Just as Chen He was leaving, he suddenly seemed to think about something and stopped.

"I almost forgot. It still needs to be tested if you two are successful in sharing soul records." Chen He said as he looked at Bai Zemin and Shangguan Bing Xue.

Shangguan Bing Xue looked at Bai Zemin. She also seemed to want to give it a try as her blue eyes seemed interested in the proposal despite the sickening discomfort she felt when that feeling of rejection enveloped her whenever her soul rejected others.

However, Bai Zemin shook his head and said calmly, "We'd better leave it as it is. Although I have yet to check if I can share my records with you and Bing Xue, both of you are clearly not in optimal condition. Let's forget all this soul affinity stuff for now and rather focus on absorbing as much Soul Power of the highest quality as possible to become more powerful. I think we may be getting too far ahead of ourselves by trying to experiment with our souls.... I'm afraid if something goes wrong there could be major problems that no one wants to see."

".... I see." Chen He nodded after thinking about it for a moment and was secretly surprised to feel relieved.

Was he scared of the possible outcome? Of course, he was afraid. 

What if Bai Zemin and Shangguan Bing Xue managed to unite part of their souls while holding hands? Chen He was not willing to see such a thing happening. Even if he had decided to think that the theory put forward by Bai Zemin was fruitless and riddled with defects, unconsciously he did not want his childhood crush to succeed in doing with another man what he could not do with her.

Therefore, when he heard that Bai Zemin did not want to continue the matter temporarily, Chen He felt a little relieved even though he really wanted to see the final outcome. 

Without saying anything else, he quietly walked away.

On the other hand, Shangguan Bing Xue pursed her pink lips a little at Bai Zemin's words. Her beautiful blue eyes flashed with a glint of deception, however, she did not say anything about it as she was fully aware that what he had just said was completely valid and rational.

It was just that Shangguan Bing Xue really wanted to know what the outcome would be when Bai Zemin's soul tried to embrace hers or vice versa. Oddly enough, she was really looking forward to that moment.

The beautiful ice princess was a bit surprised to realize that she felt as if she were a little girl anxiously waiting for the Christmas present under the little tree. In fact, even though mostly Shangguan Bing Xue's expression did not change too much, Wu Yijun noticed the clear deception in her eyes.

However, Wu Yijun did not think too much of what she saw and Shangguan Bing Xue did not think too much of what she felt either. Therefore, despite and regardless of how complicated both women might feel about what had just happened or what did not happen, none of them mentioned the matter of soul affinity.

At least not regarding the experiments as Shangguan Bing Xue couldn't get something out of her head.

"Hey, Bai Zemin." She said as she watched him set everything up to start working.

"Mm?" He looked at her with questioning eyes.

"About Lili but...." Shangguan Bing Xue asked calmly and neutrally indifferent as always, "You really were able to share your records with her even though she's just a normal human?"

"Ah, that?" Bai Zemin's eyes flashed as if he understood something and nodded calmly, "In fact. When I shared my records with her, her soul didn't feel the slightest rejection towards mine and my soul seemed to feel very comfortable with hers. That was precisely why I mistakenly assumed that everyone could share their records with different existences since when I did it with Lili in the past I never felt any kind of anomaly. Only now I know that nothing is as simple as I thought. Perhaps, this theory of mine is wrong after all."

"... I see." Shangguan Bing Xue nodded after a moment of silence. When she looked to the side, she was surprised to see Wu Yijun staring at her.

Although Wu Yijun felt it was somewhat strange for Shangguan Bing Xue to ask such a question, she soon seemed to realize that her friend was doing this for her. After all, it was no secret that she was in love with Bai Zemin. 

Wu Yijun thought it was most likely that her good sister was trying to ask the question in her place and thus prevent Wu Yijun herself from being embarrassed or ashamed by asking such a question. After all, the meaning of that question would change if it was Wu Yijun who asked it because of her feelings.

Therefore, after thinking about this, Wu Yijun gave Shangguan Bing Xue a look of thanks.

However, Shangguan Bing Xue was extremely confused in her heart as she noticed Wu Yijun's look of thanks. 

Why was she silently thanking her? Shangguan Bing Xue was dumbfounded about it.

Just as the three people inside Bai Zemin's workshop were silently recapping what had happened, hurried footsteps from outside caused the guard of the three to rise unconsciously. Even if this was a forbidden area for most, nothing was 100% safe.

"Bai Zemin, are you inside?" 

A sweet voice sounded from outside.

Wu Yijun and Shangguan Bing Xue immediately recognized Cai Jingyi's voice. However, both women noticed the close manner in which she referred to him, shocking them. After all, this was the first time both women were present to hear Cai Jingyi calling him by name and not 'Leader' or 'King'.

The two girls looked at each other silently, noticing the peculiar glint in each other's eyes. They silently grasped that apparently Cai Jingyi and Bai Zemin were closer than they really seemed. At least, they were close enough that she could completely ignore the power scale and address him by his full name.

"Come in." Bai Zemin replied calmly.

Cai Jingyi wore leather armor that hugged her petite body perfectly, giving her figure the grace and seduction that belonged to her by nature but that normal clothing could not do justice to. She looked truly beautiful and the small but distinct curves of her silhouette gave her a charm that from a certain point of view was even higher than that of a woman with an explosive body like Nangong Lingxin.

However, her beautiful face enhanced by evolution was tinged with anxiety as she stepped into the workshop.

It was obvious that she did not bring particularly good news.

* * * * * * *

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