Exercise

The Principal along with the other faculty around her are startled. As my voice is emotionless, ambiguous, and penetrating.

The Principal gets her bearings and asks, "As the Principal of the Imperial Academy, I am responsible for upholding educational standards. I can't have my students being taught from someone that hasn't been vetted properly. Lest there be a risk of lower teaching standards. I had Mei call you here so you can be tested."

"Testing is unnecessary. You can't comprehend my ways, nor teachings. You are also far weaker then me. Mei Wu, wanted knowledge about the soul. I gave it freely as she was capable. All I use is in relation to the soul. If you still insist on testing me, I will prove my power to you without a shadow of doubt."

The Principal huffs with pride, "I do insist on testing, now..."

Before she could continue her annoying words. I sweep my hand and destroy the top half of the palace. Then I do a light flick on the Principal's body. She shoots back, and out of the building.

One of the teachers call out in worry, "Principal Hua Li!"

Everybody is in shock about what just happened.

I finally say to them all, "Let this be the proof of my standards. Do not disturb me for trivialities again."

I then pull myself through the world, back to where I was before I was summoned.

Now it was back to eating souls, and heading towards locations where strong ones reside. I was heading towards one such soul. I was too far to be sure of the tier, but it was the level of a human immortal. I was in no rush as I walked towards the soul.

Some weeks later, I was close enough to sense the tier. Tier 4 human immortal.

More weeks later, I was close to where the being resided. The location was a ravine. A deep ravine where the bottom could not be seen. I stepped to the edge and peered inside. Within the dark, I saw 6 eyes open and look up. The creature could not see me, but it knew it was being observed. My vision is not affected by light, so I could make out its shape. It was a black snake with 6 eyes that glowed purple.

I could just end the snake without it even knowing what happened. It has good instincts, but without arcane knowledge it will be able to affect me. While I am still able to affect it.

I jumped down and landed with ease.

The snake became even more more wary. As it knew that what observed it was very near. The snake was quite long. Long enough to wrap around me for sure.

Instead of killing it with no trouble, I decided to bring it into Limbo. I moved my finger, and it was brought into Limbo.

It was startled from the change, but soon gained bearing as it saw me. The snake was intelligent. As much as a human probably. I still didn't expect it to speak.

"You....why did you bring me into this foreign dimension?"

The snake was wary. As it knew nothing of my form and could feel that my power is threatening.

I answered, "I am here to eat your soul. Do not worry though, the soul will be just fine and make it to the afterlife without fail."

The snake tensed at my words, "Words have no purpose anymore then."

The snake then attacked with swiftness. It sprung at me with fangs bared. Now for the first time, I am truly rousing my power. My soul ignites and energy fills me. A flame-like white shield appears in front of me to block the incoming bite.

The bite is blocked and the snake recoils. A Javelin is now conjured. It is also a flame-like white. That must be the color of my soul power. I take the javelin in hand and manually throw it.

The snake was prepared to avoid the attack, or so it thought. The javelin did not travel according to physical laws. Once I threw it, it was there. The snake was pierced in the body. It was not a life-ending blow, but a damaging one nonetheless. As the javelin did not dissipate. It did not harm the body either, not physically.

It harmed the soul's connection to the body, and shocked the soul. A prime reason why the Soul Civilization was feared and destroyed. Virtually no one could learn how to defend against such attacks. All that could be done, was dodge.

I then pulled myself right in front of it. I grabbed it by the neck, then started to suck out its soul while it was alive. I paralyzed its body during this as a byproduct of soul sucking. At the end, the soul came out, not from the mouth, but the center of its forehead.

It was a pure soul. Which means the snake operated according to natural laws of nature and was not excessive.

Finally, I ate the soul. A rush of power filled me. Along with the memories of its long life. From when it hatched to when it died. Its life was fraught with difficulty and challenges.

I came upon its final feelings. Unwillingness, fear, and even awe.

Then I was finished, and the soul moved onto the afterlife. Past the intangible veil I could not see past.

I took stock of my gains. I was close now. One more soul of around the same quality, and I'll be in the Transition Realm.

Now, I was back to roaming until I find my next quality soul.

Months passed as I was roaming. When Mei Wu summoned me again. Curious, I answered.

I was transported and I saw her right outside her abode. I bring her into Limbo and ask, "Mei, what is it you have summoned me for?"

She had a difficult expression on her face, "Master Sturga, is it possible to resurrect someone using soul abilities?"

I answer, "Yes."

Her expression becomes less difficult, but more hopeful. She asks, "Can you teach me?"

I shale my head, "No, you are too ignorant to learn resurrection. I also don't recommend it."

"Why?", she asks with worry.

"Because you are a cultivator. You will have no protection against the ones that watch over the deceased. You will be subject to retaliation from the Reapers. Powerful beings with powerful authority. Unless you gain protection, make a pact, or are strong enough to resist them, do not attempt to resurrect.", I explained.

Mei Wu sighed, "Then it seems my friend will be gone for a long while."

I nod, "It seems that it will be the case. As not even I can protect you against the Reapers. Nor am I strong enough to successfully perform a resurrection. As it requires god-level power. While I am close, I am not close enough."

Mei Wu then perks up, "Well, not now doesn't mean not ever. Can you teach me a way to extract information from a soul then?"

"Yes. What you want to learn is Soul Search. While the concept isn't hard, it is difficult to put into practice. As you will be imposing your soul onto theirs. It only works if you have greater attainments in the ways of the soul than they do. Although there are exceptions.", I say.

Mei Wu decides to learn it, and I stay with her for a few days as she learns. I even let her know of some nuances. Like it is easier to do if the target is asleep, very recently dead or unconscious.

I even learned about the aftermath of my last summoning. The Principal Hua Li no longer had any skepticisms about me. Mei Wu was even treated with more respect and was catered to by the academy. Although Mei Wu disliked the fakeness of it all.

Mei Wu impressed me by only taking two weeks to learn Soul Search. Once she learned it, I once again left. Returning to where I was.

I continued to roam the planet. Until I came across a situation. A battle was going on right outside of some ruined temple. There seemed to be four factions of cultivators that were fighting each other. As for the reason? I will learn when I get one of their souls.

I get close and eat a lingering soul. I find out why they are fighting.

There is a good chance that there is a powerful artifact within the ruined temple. The factions all came for it. Which is why they are fighting. Only one faction can claim it.

Rather than a bunch of senseless bloodshed, I thought this could be settled in a more rational way. Such as through games, a tournament, or a debate. Cultivators resort to violence by default though. They never give any of these other options any thought.

At last, after days of battle, one faction stood victorious. They called themselves the Cosmic Stellar Stars. A rather redundant name in my opinion.

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thanks for reading.