Amidst the towering, emerald bamboo stalks, Gu Zong and Han Wuang Shi walked, maintaining a deliberate distance from one another. Wuang Shi moved with his characteristic grace steady, silent, and composed. In stark contrast, Gu Zong moved as if walking in a straight line were a death sentence. He strolled with a tender bamboo twig clamped between his teeth, his eyes darting everywhere; one moment he was peering into the canopy, the next crouching by a wildflower, or lunging to catch the wild rabbits darting through the underbrush.

  Strange as it was, not a single rabbit would let him near. Yet, when Wuang Shi reached out, a rabbit allowed itself to be caught without resistance. Wuang Shi lifted the creature into his arms, carrying it along as they walked. Unbeknownst to them, the small black rabbit followed stealthily in their shadows, trailing them like a devoted guardian.

  Meanwhile, within the hallowed halls of Zishi Temple, a figure of immense stature arrived. He was Grandmaster Gongzhang Duan, a legendary teacher who had received direct instruction from the great Grandmaster Hung Zai. His arrival was no mere coincidence; he had been summoned by his brother, Master Shung Gong.

  Inside a secluded chamber where the silk curtains danced in a light breeze, Grandmaster Gongzhang sat in profound silence. His calm eyes were narrowed, focused on the pages of a book the very same tome Yan Yu had recovered from Gu Zong’s room. Master Shung Gong sat opposite him, his expression grave.

  "Elder Brother," Master Shung Gong began, his voice heavy with concern. "Forgive me. A rule has been broken under my watch, though I only learned of it after the deed was done. It seems the youth who possessed this book did not fully comprehend the gravity of the spell he used to escape our bounds. As you can see, this is the Soul-Partitioning Mantra."

  He paused, the weight of the words hanging in the air. "It splits the soul into two halves, forever altering its true essence. We both know that a partitioned soul cannot coexist peacefully within a single vessel. Either the stronger half will eventually annihilate the other, or one half will warp into something demonic a creature of pure shadow. This young man claimed to be a disciple of Fukun Xueyuan, a sect known for its orthodox cultivation. Master, we must act before his soul assumes a truly terrifying form."

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  Grandmaster Gongzhang listened without interruption, his gaze never leaving the ancient text. Finally, he closed the book with a slow, deliberate motion and exhaled a long, measured breath. When he spoke, his voice carried such a weight of wisdom that the very air seemed to grow still.

  "Every hardship arrives with its own solution," he said calmly. "Just as a tiny seed contains the blueprint of an entire tree, every calamity carries within it a hidden purpose."

  Master Shung Gong frowned, struggling to grasp the depth of his brother's words. "Brother... I fail to understand. What 'solution' could possibly exist for a shattered soul?"

  The Grandmaster rose and began to walk toward the exit, Master Shung Gong following closely. As they entered the main courtyard of Zishi Temple, Gongzhang spoke again:

  "Whether by accident or destiny, the moment we have long awaited has arrived. The time for a great cycle of renunciation is near. I was investigating this even before I arrived here."

  "Investigating what, Brother?" Shung Gong asked, his curiosity piqued.

  Grandmaster Gongzhang turned toward the center of the courtyard, his eyes fixing on the Seven Pillars of Zhangwu. The pillars glowed with distinct spiritual energies, their peaks shimmering as if crowned with radiant diamonds.

  "The bond of the current Zhangwu Pillars is reaching its end," Gongzhang revealed. "We must begin the training of the new Pillars before the old ones fade. And I believe... we have already found the Pillar of Death."

  Master Shung Gong gasped, realizing his brother was referring to the youth from the library. "But Brother! He has split his own soul! He is essentially 'soul-less' even if the soul remains in his body, he cannot utilize his inner essence effectively. How can he be a Pillar?"

  Grandmaster Gongzhang looked at him with a knowing gaze. "Brother, you underestimate the spell he used. Think if a soul is weak, even a minor mantra would shatter it beyond repair. For two forces to clash and survive, they must both be immense. If fire hits wood, the wood turns to ash. But if that same fire hits iron, it changes the very essence of the metal, tempering it into a weapon. Had that boy's soul been weak, he would have perished instantly. The fact that he lives is proof that his soul was more powerful than the Partitioning Mantra itself."

  He turned back toward the other Zhi Zhu disciples. "Brother, we must find this youth immediately."

  Master Shung Gong stood frozen, awestruck by his brother's foresight. He had seen a catastrophe; Grandmaster Gongzhang had seen a legendary weapon in the making.