Definition
A powerful tracking technique that scans the environment for specific spiritual auras; it is invasive and often used for locating hidden targets.
Soul
A powerful tracking technique that scans the environment for specific spiritual auras; it is invasive and often used for locating hidden targets.
Story context
The hunt for the Nine-Bend Spirit Ginseng begins in earnest in this chapter, but the real battle is fought long before any traps are sprung. Xuan Gu and his ghostly partner launch a search using the Soul Search Grand Art, while Han Li, with his usual paranoia, prepares layered countermeasures against the very formation flags Xuan Gu gave him. It’s a chapter of silent, tense maneuvering—both sides are setting their boards, adjusting their pieces, and waiting for the other to make the first move. And just when the trap seems ready, who steps into the crossfire but an unassuming white rabbit? The game is afoot, fellow daoists—and Han Li has already flipped the board before the opponent even realized they were playing.
Why it matters
This chapter is a masterclass in the Mortal Stream’s philosophy of layered preparation. Han Li accepts the presumably rigged formation flags from Xuan Gu, but then—without a word—deploys over a dozen additional flags of his own, altering the entire battlefield beneath the opponent’s nose. Meanwhile, Xuan Gu’s own paranoia leads him to “verify” the formation from a distance, confirming his trap is still in place. Both men are playing 3D chess, but Han Li has already placed a piece on the board that Xuan Gu hasn’t even seen yet.
Quick facts
Source novel
A Record Of A Mortal S Journey To Immortality
First appearance
The Lure is Set
Chapter references
1
Type hints
nine-bend spirit ginseng, soul search grand art, musk orchid beast
Guide tags
Mortal Stream, Formation Warfare, Spirit Beast Lore
Appears in chapters
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