C7 Black Soul Seed

The woman's gaze swept over the three carriages, a cold sneer playing on her lips.

Finally, her focus settled on the carriage that housed Yuan Ling.

"The children in the other two carriages are your responsibility."

Upon the woman's command, several men clad in black masks vanished into the carriages without a second's hesitation. The woman's smile widened as she gracefully moved to the side of Yuan Ling's carriage.

Fear gripped Yuan Ling. He hadn't anticipated that the Village Chief, a practitioner of the Hidden Consciousness Stage, would fall so swiftly.

Yuan Ling was acutely aware that the woman had noticed his wakefulness, unlike the others. It was likely that he would be her first target.

Escape?

The thought barely formed before Yuan Ling dismissed it. He feared immediate capture should he step out of the carriage, and if the woman struck, he would have to fight for his life.

Suddenly, the curtains were yanked open, and a chill wind invaded the space.

Yuan Ling shuddered.

In a flash, a woman with her face obscured by a scarf materialized inside the carriage, and the air seemed to solidify.

Yuan Ling met the woman's gaze with calm defiance, showing no sign of fear.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

The woman's eyes lingered on Yuan Ling, a flicker of curiosity in her gaze.

"To remain conscious and unaffected in the Desire Realm is a feat, even for those at the Hidden Consciousness Stage. You, a mere youth, have managed it through a single meridian, indicating a unique constitution.

Under normal circumstances, I would undoubtedly take you as my disciple.

What a shame that bringing you with us could jeopardize our plans.

It seems we are destined to be master and disciple, yet not meant to be."

Yuan Ling's heart sank as he grasped the implication of her words.

"Do you intend to kill me?"

The woman's eyes softened as she regarded Yuan Ling, her voice gentle.

"You need not fear, little one. As I've said, I have no intention of killing anyone here. Stand still, and you shall remain unharmed."

Suddenly, a gleam sparked in her eyes.

Yuan Ling's mind wavered, and he felt enveloped in a haze, the woman's voice echoing in his ears like a distant lullaby, reminiscent of the warmth and comfort of his mother's soothing presence in his childhood.

Yuan Ling felt enveloped by a gentle force, all his discomfort and fear melting away. His body and mind basked in warmth, and he drifted into a deep slumber without realizing it.

The light in the woman's eyes faded as she contemplated the sleeping Yuan Ling, a thoughtful glint passing through her gaze.

With a swift gesture, she reached out her hand, and Yuan Ling tumbled into her arms.

As her Divine Sense merged with his body, she furrowed her brow. "Sword Body?" A spark of amusement lit her eyes, and she broke into a smile. "How fascinating. A descendant of the Sword Blood Clan. With proper guidance, you're destined to become a master. The Yuan family... who paid any attention to Yuan Yi back then? Yet, in a mere decade, he ascended to become a peerless expert at the Peak Stage."

A peculiar smile played on her lips as she watched the slumbering Yuan Ling, her heart stirring with intrigue. "What's your connection to Yuan Yi, I wonder?"

The night was eerily still, devoid of even the slightest breeze.

"What a waste to merely use you as a puppet," she mused. "Regardless of your ties to Yuan Yi, having you as my puppet could yield unexpected advantages in the future."

Resolved, the woman placed Yuan Ling back where he was, sat cross-legged, and formed a hand seal. Her body shimmered with a black glow as she took several deep breaths.

Her heart plunged inward, and a mysterious Acupoint within her pulsed with energy. Divine Sense flooded forth, unleashing a formidable presence that caused the carriage to sink slightly.

Inside, the Saintess sat with legs folded, the tremors within her Acupoints intensifying.

Her hands moved swiftly, weaving hand seals as the Divine Sense coalesced into a black ancient character.

Sweat beaded on her forehead like pearls, sliding down as her hand seals became increasingly rapid.

Black characters swirled together, creating a sphere of darkness. Within it, a black seed was taking form.

The Soul Seed!

This arcane spell was a peculiar form of magic, a branch of puppetry arts.

A sliver of soul would be cleaved from one's own, then cultivated into a seed using a secret technique. Once implanted into a person's body, this seed would parasitize the host's soul, drawing nourishment from it until it completely consumed the soul and emerged from its cocoon. The puppet created through this technique boasted the potential for limitless growth, akin to a clone of oneself.

After an hour had passed, the woman succeeded in nurturing a Soul Seed. Her complexion was deathly pale. She had reached the Hidden Consciousness Stage, yet the Divine Soul Stage was still out of reach. The act of separating a fragment of her soul had taken a significant toll on her. Despite the considerable loss, her eyes sparkled with irrepressible excitement.

She gazed at the slumbering Yuan Ling with the tenderness one might show a precious jewel. With her hands forming intricate seals and a murmur of incantations, she affixed the radiant seed to Yuan Ling's forehead. Once the task was complete, a look of relief washed over her face. Her eyes remained fixed on Yuan Ling, filled with anticipation for the Soul Seed's eventual fruition.

"Saintess!" A frigid voice pierced the silence of the carriage, interrupting the woman's reverie. An expression of annoyance crossed her face.

"Just a moment longer," she replied.

"Saintess, we are not far from Yuan Village. The Peerless Experts will soon be upon us. Should our actions be discovered, even you, Saintess, may not be able to shoulder the consequences."

With a disdainful snort, the woman held back any further comment. She cast a final glance at the sleeping Yuan Ling and then stepped out of the carriage.

"What's the status?" inquired a woman cloaked in black, her voice barely above a whisper.

"It's all done. We're just awaiting the Saintess's command," came the reply.

The woman gave the carriage one last look and, without another word, vanished into the forest.

...

The sea of consciousness within humans is initially sealed shut, only to be unlocked upon reaching the Hidden Consciousness Stage. A warrior at the Physical Body Stage would be utterly incapable of withstanding an assault from the Divine Sense. Yuan Ling's case, however, was extraordinarily unique; he had inadvertently opened an Acupoint, granting him access to the Divine Sense. Yet, his level was too low to wield this power effectively.

He was no match for the black Soul Seed; his only option was to lure it into the Acupoint and counter it with the enigmatic Sword Tomb Stele.

Yuan Ling didn't know the true nature of the Sword Tomb Stele, but he was certain of its formidable power and mystery. He seized the opportunity to delve into its secrets.

The black Soul Seed lunged at Yuan Ling's Acupoint with overwhelming force, its dark radiance threatening to dispel the mists within.

Boom!

Inside the Acupoint, the black Soul Seed pulsed, its emanating darkness flaring like flames.

A beautiful apparition emerged, her allure nearly indiscernible, yet potent enough to captivate all beings.

Her smile was evident, her eyes twinkling with mirth, as if she had stumbled upon a delightful secret.

The Soul Seed's vibrations brought forth the sound of her clear laughter...

"To think it's a Divine Aperture! What an unexpected bounty. If I can fully refine this body and make it my puppet, I'll be able to step into the Divine Ability Stage ahead of others!"

Fortune truly smiled upon her!

The beautiful phantom struggled to contain her amusement.

She watched the black Soul Seed quiver before her, radiating darkness.

She stilled her mind and formed intricate, mysterious hand seals.

From the fiery black glow, enigmatic ancient characters began to coalesce.

The Acupoint was shrouded in mystery, its activation unique to each individual.

Yet, to open an Acupoint within the Hidden Consciousness was exceedingly rare.

Such an advantage would prove invaluable for one aspiring to reach the Divine Soul Stage, doubling their efforts.

"Alas, it's a shame this young fellow is male; otherwise, taking his body would have been ideal."

The inherent differences between male and female physiques meant their cultivated souls varied significantly.

A possession across genders would not only disrupt the natural affinity for the host body but also severely impact future cultivation.

The tremors of the black Soul Seed grew fiercer, and the ancient runes began to shimmer intensely.

With the final hand seal completed, the beautiful phantom and all the runes dissolved into the black Soul Seed.

The black Soul Seed was fully activated, emitting a sinister, devilish cackle.

It then surged towards Yuan Ling's Divine Sense at the heart of the Acupoint.

Driven by instinct, it knew that it had to devour this Divine Sense to take over the body completely.

Suddenly, the mist within the Acupoint cleared, revealing a vague stone silhouette.

The surrounding purple haze was thick and obscure, making it difficult to discern anything.

What was this?

The Soul Seed instinctively shuddered to a halt.

A primal unease began to spread within it.

To the Soul Seed, the indistinct stone tablet shrouded in the purple haze was like a savage beast that could shred it to pieces at any moment.

The feeling of dread spread rapidly, and it instinctively wanted to flee.

Clang!

The sound of a sword rang out!

A beam of purple sword light shot out from the stone tablet enveloped in the purple fog.

The sword light was as fine as silk, the sword qi as deep as an abyss.

The black Soul Seed immediately sensed impending peril.

Black ancient characters materialized around the Soul Seed, wrapping it in layers, forming a barrier to fend off the purple sword light.

Yet, despite its hair-like thinness, the sword light seemed to contain an overwhelming sword qi.

Crack!

The seemingly sturdy barrier shattered in an instant, leaving the Soul Seed vulnerable to the sword qi's onslaught.

Buzz...

The black Soul Seed vibrated, emitting a soundless wail.

Run!

The Soul Seed, terrified by the previous sword strike, erupted in a burst of black light, forming a shield against the sword qi as it seized the chance to flee.

Bang!

The black shield was effortlessly penetrated, shattered by the relentless sword intent.

It then targeted the fleeing black Soul Seed with unstoppable force.

The terror was extreme!

The black Soul Seed's only thought was to escape, no longer concerned with possession.

The speed of the purple sword qi was inconceivable.

Almost instantly, it caught up and cleaved through the Soul Seed, shattering the Saintess's Divine Sense within.

Transformed into pure soul power, it slowly assimilated into Yuan Ling's body.