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Once we gathered all together, we began working, training together, and learning more than ever before as two Venerables started imparting upon us their wisdom and techniques. Not only were the two Venerables joined hands after their son arrived out of thin air, but also the immortals below their care.
The immortals that the Heavenly Empress was taking care of, which were healed with the herbs I had to go pick up in her first mission, had already fully recovered. They had been wounded and sick for many years, but after so long, they finally healed back.
Most of the remained outside protecting the city but would occasionally enter the Inner Realm of Master to meet us and talk, while also learning about what had happened and also about the two Venerables and their son.
This was a secret nobody knew, so they had to tell it to every Immortal that came inside. Because they were Venerables, much above the Immortals, they didn't face any kind of... well, attack or something, but it was clear most Immortals felt frustrated; they never knew about such a thing.
The Demonic Immortals below the Heavenly Demon also joined us one after another through the first week, talking with their master while learning the truth. They were much more aggressive than the orthodox faction, screaming angrily and trying to fight us.
Well, it didn't end well for them; they got beaten by the Heavenly Demon easily. As weakened as Master was, he was still unparalleled even against these Immortals who had not lost any power at all…
Over time, through the week, a lot of things happened. Aside from the immortals learning from us and everything else and beginning to train with us, we also started to explore everyone's abilities while they learned martial arts and cultivation.
Zero One started to learn more about her body capabilities and began to train her ability to control nanobots themselves, which she started trying through the many machines I had turned into Undead, researching ways to manipulate their internal nanobots directly.
The idea was for her to learn how to do it to free the Venerable from the nanobots infesting their bodies, though we might also need more tools and equipment, which we'll find in the mechanical tree once we go there as our first raid, pretty soonish.
Wai Tian continued her meditation training and has almost mastered most of her techniques. The Heavenly Empress said she was about to achieve what was called a "Zen" state, where one would be unmoved by anything external, with a clear mind at all times.
However, she still had a long way to go; her training continued while we helped her; we talked about her past; we cheered her up; and she also talked with us about our past. We grew stronger together, and our bonds also strengthened too.
Yin Sheng became less cold as well, and with the Heavenly Demon recognizing his strength and no longer looking down on him, he became more confident. He trained his shadow abilities and assassination techniques by sparring with other Immortals.
Although my friends weren't immortal realm yet, the Skills and Bonus Stats that I granted them through my Sponsorship seemed to be enough to make them almost equal to most of the immortals. It was insane what the System could do…
Oh, and lastly, with the help of the Heavenly Demon and the Heavenly Empress, with Fang Shuan and Song, we started learning more about the manipulation of souls and how to reach them and touch them. This was our third class through this week, which felt both very long and somehow short at the same time.
"You've already learned the Soul Detection, Soul Hand, and Soul Damage Techniques," he said. "Now, the next big step is learning how to directly grasp a Soul even if it belongs to a living body, through these combined techniques."
It wasn't that I didn't know how to get to a soul; I've done it plenty of times against my foes, the Demons from the Purgatory, a big example of that. And also when I fought and killed Uroboros by facing his soul directly.
However, to reach the soul of Song trapped within the Demon King body, we needed something stronger than even that. Why? Because first my encounter against Uroboros was made by him, he created a Soul Scape to trap me inside using Neberius Soul as the ingredient.
And about the Death Apostles, grasping their souls was easy when I had almost killed them, or when their entire physical bodies were torn to shreds, revealing me their souls directly.
But against a Demon King? It'll be a bit hard. First of all, this Demon King is in a berserk-like state, according to the Venerables. They won't invite us inside his soul or something; he'll attack and try to kill us.
Second, his body endlessly regenerates according to them, and it's incredibly tough, to the point both Venerables needed to combine their power to hurt him. We alone won't be able to do much unless we go all-out, which might, as a result, end up risking Song's soul.
Therefore, we need to learn ways to touch or reach a soul directly without having to hurt the physical body!
Fang Shuan, a master of Soul Manipulation, and Song, the other half of the Song from this world, someone intrinsically connected to his soul, were the keys.
However, just by themselves wouldn't do; we needed to learn more, and that's where this special Martial Arts was introduced.
A special technique that the heavenly demon created, a deadly technique that can shatter foes' souls and weaken them tremendously, even without having to weaken their physical bodies previously.
He called it…
[Soul-Shattering Demonic Fist Martial Arts]
Its primary Techniques were {Soul Detection}, {Soul Hand}, and {Soul Damage}. The first allowed to precisely detect a soul within a physical, living body; the second technique allowed your soul to shape into hands that can reach another person's soul; and the third, the technique that can directly damage them.
However, the thing is, we don't want to hurt Song's Soul, we want to directly pull it out of his body, which is already long lost.
The plan is simple: we'll let the Song here become the new vessel for his original soul, practically letting the two of them merge into one.
Becoming the True Divine Son of Providence.
But well, that's all just a plan; we don't know if it'll even work as we want to, hence we're learning as much as we can.
"Now that you've learned the three primary techniques, we're moving to the last stage," said the Heavenly Demon. "Soul Pulling and… Soul Destruction."
"But dad, we're not using the ones to hurt a soul, right?" wondered Song. "I think my other half would be hurt if that happened…"
"I know," nodded his father, smiling at his son. "However, it is still necessary you learn these. On the off chance, it's impossible to detach your other half's soul directly and grab it. We'll need to move to plan two; we'll shatter the surrounding area of the soul attached to the body and take the inside part, saving most of your other half's soul in the process. It might receive damage, but we can heal it."
"Oooh, I see!" nodded Song. "Like… taking the little seeds from peanuts?"
"Y-Yeah, I guess that's a fine… example," nodded his father with a giggle.
I've never seen him act so kind and nice with anybody else.
He really changes into a completely different person only with his son!
Huh! Well, good for him. At least he's not a bad father.
"But even then… we would be discarding a piece of his soul," Fang Shuan sighed. "I guess it cannot be helped at the end, huh?"
"Yeah," nodded the Heavenly Demon. "Souls are complete even when missing pieces. Once healed, even memories lost can be returned. It is more like losing a limb rather than a core part of your existence… Mostly."
"Hmm, well, at least the second method would be a guaranteed success if we can even manage to do it properly…" I said.
"I won't be able to help you once that time comes," said the Heavenly Demon. "I'll be busy fighting and trying to stop my son with his mother… It'll all be up to you. Therefore, you must learn everything I can teach you. And also, you'll be trying these abilities on souls directly."
"E-Eh? But isn't that a bit cruel?" wondered Song. "I don't want to hurt other souls… They should be left to go to the afterlife, right?"
"Ah… Well…"
"Hmm…"
Both Fang Shuan and I were left a bit speechless, mostly because the two of us consumed souls to heal our own so… We're not as nice as this boy in those terms.
In theory, I'm really evil, eating souls and all… The Urn of Souls is full of the souls of monsters and people; they can't be distinguished.
But if I don't use this wine, I can't recover my soul properly; it's selfish, and I know it.
It's something I just had to do…
Dammit, now I feel even more guilty.
"My son, you must grow strong of heart," said the Heavenly Demon. "We'll heal the souls we use to practice, but you must do this. To save your other half. We'll use souls of monstrous beasts. So there's nothing to worry about; they weren't people. And once we're done… we'll let them go."
"Hmm…" Song seemed a bit sad; he really didn't want to do something like that.
But…
He clenched his fists tightly.
"O-Okay! But promise me we won't destroy them, okay, daddy?"
"Fine, I promise. What a soft son I have… You're like your mother, ahaha!"
His father laughed, patting his son's head and caressing his white and black feathers.
Like that, we started our first on-field soul manipulation and pulling attempts.
We first began with shaping souls and also taking pieces from them.
The souls given to us belonged to Martial Beasts, so they were strong, big, and tough Martial Souls with a lot of Ki, which are rather different compared to the other souls I've touched.
Nonetheless, the process was the same; I practiced over and over as the hours went by. Fang Shuan and Song were with me too; we chatted as we tried our best.
Little Song had difficulties at first; he was quite timid though.
"Hmm, I hope this doesn't hurt…"
He just couldn't hurt the soul; it didn't come from him to harm it, even if he knew it would be healed afterwards.
At the end, I guided him.
"Song… Want big sis to help?"
"Ah… but…"
"Tell me something. What do you think a soul is?"
"Huh? Well, they are what's inside of us, right? And it's… also us, no?"
"Yes and no. A soul is indeed an intrinsic part of our existence. When we die, we are just a bare soul, but it is not entirely us. A large part of us is also our bodies. Our brains, everything that processes information. Even how we felt with our bodies, the senses we share, everything."
"Oooh… So souls aren't everything?"
"Nope, that Martial Beast is already dead. A soul is what's left behind; it is part of it, but it doesn't mean you're killing the beast."
"Would it be the same with my other half?"
"Yes, partially. But even then, saving a piece of your original soul would be enough to bring you back… Think like that; these beasts offer their souls for you to learn, so you can then save your other half. Grab the soul with your hands, think of it as clay, mold it, shape it, take pieces from it… Yeah, just like that!"
He understood quite quickly, beginning to rapidly mold and shape the soul with his little hands. His aura glowed brightly, as if, by understanding this, he had suddenly become a bit stronger.
"Oh, it doesn't hurt, mister beast? He doesn't look in pain… It's as if his soul is fluffy…"
And something we never expected happened.
He was seamlessly manipulating the soul with his hands, dividing it without force, separating it, then merging it back, healing it easily.
It was as if, indeed, the soul he held became clay.
No, it's more like…
"It's as if the soul itself is letting him shape it," said his father. "Willingly?"
We were left rather surprised.
This boy's potential is sure boundless…
Even souls bend before his tiny hands.
The success chance of this plan might have risen a lot just now.
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