A World Worth Protecting

Hmm? It seems like another idiot to me. One that got hooked so easily. Wang Baole’s eyelids twitched. He opened his eyes, revealing an icy glimmer deep within. His lips twitched upwards into a cold smile.

Wang Baole had multiple ways to soothe his exhausted mind. He was, after all, a master of Dharmic Armaments. Refining Dharmic Armaments required great mental strength and focus. He might not be able to fully utilize the fruit he had obtained from the Hyacinthus Tree on the ancient sword or his many other mystic techniques in battle, but using them to speed up the recovery of his mind and spirit outside battle was still something within his means.

He hadn’t done so earlier and had concentrated purely on healing his physical body because he had wanted to test the consciousness that he had discovered hidden within the Demonic Eye Art!

He hadn’t had time to examine it earlier during the chaos of battle and their escape. That didn’t mean that he didn’t care. He had been keeping a close eye on it all along.

That was why he had left the healing of his exhausted mind to last and why he had pretended to relax. He wanted to know if this consciousness would show any signs of movement or change. Upon sensing its sudden eruption, Wang Baole pulled out the dried Hyacinthus Tree fruit with a wave of his hand, as well as a few pills that he swallowed immediately. With his other hand, he formed a series of hand seals and initiated a few tricks he remembered. They helped soothe his mental exhaustion and stabilize his mind, transforming it into a mental stronghold.

Then, with bright, curious eyes, he extended his senses deep into himself, towards the frenzied consciousness of the Demonic Eye Art that was unleashing mad spikes of power!

The mode of its appearance seems to indicate that it’s a spiritual companion of sorts. It didn’t surface during my fight with the gigantic black hand. That means this consciousness possesses a certain degree of intelligence. It knew that if I were endangered due to its sudden interference, it would also face the risk of destruction.

“But a simple bait managed to lure it out. It seems like it’s not that smart, after all. Maybe it relies on pure instinct?” Wang Baole muttered to himself. The look in his eyes sharpened, and a black, mist-like entity began to cloud the sharpness in his eyes, threatening to color his eyes fully black.

Or maybe it only has one trick up its sleeve, which is to cloud my mind with blood lust and a hunger for death during battle? Wang Baole was slightly disappointed. He dissected the agitation that was rising within him currently, and the thoughts of murder that had started to surface in his mind. The sensation was akin to a drug addict suffering a relapse. If he didn’t obey those instincts to kill, those impulses would consume him.

Is that all it’s got? What a waste of my efforts. Wang Baole shook his head. Black mist clouded his eyes, giving him an almost supernatural appearance. But he was extremely clear-headed. His mind seemed separated from his body, his observations neutral and devoid of emotion.

He observed for a while longer, realized that this consciousness that had risen from the Demonic Eye Art had no other tricks up its sleeve, and then lost interest completely. He was about to silence it when this companion consciousness appeared to be dissatisfied with only spreading murderous thoughts in Wang Baole’s head. It began to reach for his Nascent Soul.

That was a pleasant surprise for Wang Baole. He paused in the middle of his hand seals and continued his observation.

The companion consciousness was like thin black strands that gathered inside Wang Baole’s body, unaware that he was awake and watching. It crept further inward, like a serpent, as it headed for his Nascent Soul.

So its target is the Nascent Soul? Or maybe after it extends to the Nascent Soul, it’s going to infect or devour my spirit, which is housed inside the Nascent Soul? The look on Wang Baole’s face turned serious when he realized where the consciousness was headed. When a cultivator achieved the Nascent Soul realm, his spirit would transform into a Divine Soul that would then be housed within his Nascent Soul. Once he reached the Soul Conduit realm, the Divine Soul would transform into a God Soul!

The Divine Soul held incredible importance to a Nascent Soul realm cultivator and required the latter’s careful protection. Wang Baole’s eyes flashed as he studied his Nascent Soul. Within hid his scabbard as well as the Dark Fire. The latter had formed when he had become a Dark Child and was proof that he was from the Dark Sect. Within the Dark Fire was his Divine Soul.

Just to be safe… Wang Baole quietly activated the Dark Art and released a sliver of dark energy through the Dark Fire housed inside his Nascent Soul. He intended to direct the dark energy towards the consciousness and test the latter’s strength.

It was but a mere wisp of dark energy. As soon as it appeared, the black strands of consciousness that had been trying to approach Wang Baole’s Nascent Soul shuddered violently. It was as if it had suddenly discovered the presence of a terrifying entity. It shook and cowered, appearing on the verge of disintegration.

“Hmm?” Wang Baole received a fright. He hurriedly weakened the wisp of dark energy to a tenth of its original power. That saved the Demonic Eye Art’s consciousness from annihilation and gave it a fighting chance as it clashed with the dark energy.

Wang Baole released a breath of relief at the sight of the fight. He continued observing, at first curiously, then with an increasingly odd expression on his face. The fight between the two entities had grown intense. The consciousness seemed to have used its full force in order to hold its own against Wang Baole’s dark energy. Then, having realized the tenacity of its current host, it slowed down its encroachment of Wang Baole’s Nascent Soul, retreating rapidly and hiding. It even silenced its murderous desires.

“That’s amazing!” Wang Baole coughed. There was no way he was going to admit that he was blowing things out of proportion.

He started consoling himself as he muttered with a serious look on his face, “It seems to harbor some form of strong will, a kind of madness. It’s as if it were emperor of this heaven and earth. It possesses a degree of intelligence and resembles a virus, or at least, a kind of possession that’s been recorded in the Dao Palace archives!”

Wang Baole thought long and hard about what he had just seen. It was the embodiment of the devil. Wang Baole found the term extremely appropriate.

What a terrifying devil. To think that it’s able to stand its ground against a tiny sliver of my dark energy, one that’s been weakened ten times, and hold its own. Not a simple feat at all! Wang Baole rubbed his chin. He gazed inward, at his Nascent Soul, and tried to put himself in the shoes of this terrifying devil. He considered how difficult it must be to infect his soul.

Hmm, if I were that devil, I’d have to first defend myself against the power of the Dark Art. I’d start from one-thousandth of its full power, then gradually advance to being able to hold my own against the full power of the Dark Art. Then, I’d be able to approach the Nascent Soul… I’d be able to see a Stellar Nascent Soul, which is unique and completely different from all other Nascent Souls. At that point, I’d have to work very hard to become more powerful, trying again and again to infiltrate the Stellar Nascent Soul. If I was unlucky, I might cross paths with a strange scabbard. Then, that would likely be the end of me…

Of course, maybe luck would be on my side. I’d manage to avoid the scabbard and enter the Nascent Soul. I could relax then and ready myself for a sumptuous meal. When I’m just about to possess and infect the soul, I would see a ball of fire. The Dark Fire. The spirit energy that it exudes is the exact same as the creature that I’d first encountered while outside the Nascent Soul!

Then… I’d have to work very, very hard, grit my teeth, and fight the Dark Fire. When I finally see the host’s soul, I would realize that it possesses the unique traits of a Dark Child and power many times stronger than that of a Dark Fire…

So, I’d have to work like mad. If luck was on my side, I’d overcome the Dark Child. Finally, just as I think I could finally possess and infect the host’s soul… I would discover, my god, a devouring seed lurking in a corner, watching and waiting greedily for its turn. Wang Baole coughed again at that thought. He decided he should stop trying to pretend to be the devil. He turned his thoughts towards the origin of this entity.

There’s something very strange about this. I don’t doubt the power of the Demonic Eye Art. It’s an extremely evil mystic art. So why isn’t this devil as strong? Wang Baole fell into a contemplative silence. After a long while, he finally arrived at two possible conclusions. The first possibility was that the cultivation technique and the consciousness might seem to be one and the same, but they were, in fact, completely separate entities. The second possibility was that his very presence was many times more evil and more perverse than the Demonic Eye Art…

The second possibility is out of the question! Wang Baole tapped his nose lightly. He extended his senses and felt for the devil hidden inside the Demonic Eye Art. He thought for a bit and decided not to destroy it immediately. Instead, a wild idea popped into his head.

Should I… rear another devil for kicks? Wang Baole itched with temptation at that thought. It was then that he realized that he seemed to have forgotten something.

“What did I forget?” Wang Baole muttered to himself and wondered. His eyes widened suddenly.

“The donkey!” Wang Baole smacked his forehead. He hurriedly pulled open his storage bracelet and rummaged inside. He finally found the donkey he had forgotten. It was skin and bones and barely breathing.

The donkey kicked its four feeble legs subconsciously after being pulled out of storage. It had been starved to the point where even breathing was becoming a chore. It remained in a daze for some time. Then, tears started to stream from its half-opened eyes, which glimmered with an intense, almost unbearable resentment…

“Son…”