Soul Devouring Technique
"Young Master, please don't despair." Liang Shanshan's voice was soft, calming. She'd watched Xing Jue's face crumple with grief, heard his heartbroken cries. She wasn't sure what to make of the situation – to call a woman who looked ancient 'Xiao Qian'… - but she understood that this 'Xiao Qian', whoever she was, meant the world to him.
"My grandfather says that she's merely sleeping," she continued, "That she'll be alright… in time."
Xing Jue turned to her, his expression grateful. "Thank you, Miss Liang," he said, his voice raw with emotion. "Thank you for saving us…" He paused, then added, "Would it… Would it be alright if I had some time… alone with her? "
Liang Shanshan nodded understandingly. She quietly exited the room, gently closing the door behind her, and led her curious maid away.
"Miss," Xiao Qing whispered, unable to contain her curiosity, "Why does he call that old woman, 'Xiao Qian'? It's so strange…"
Liang Shanshan shook her head. "She must be someone very important to him, don't you think? "
Inside the room, Xing Jue sat beside Xiao Qian's bed. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he was about to do… He bit down hard on his index finger, ignoring the sharp pang of pain…
As his blood welled, he brought his finger to her lips, letting the drops fall onto her tongue….
It had worked before, hadn't it? When she'd been wracked with pain, vulnerable to the light… His blood had soothed her, calmed the curse that wracked her body….
Maybe… maybe it could work again.
And it did…
Color returned to her face, driving away the deathly pallor… The wrinkles that marred her skin seemed to… fade…
He didn't dare to hope… but…
Encouraged, he took a shallower, but longer cut along his wrist this time... As more of his blood entered her mouth, a remarkable transformation began…
The years seemed to melt away. Her skin became smooth, the wrinkles vanishing… Her stark white hair darkened, regaining its lustrous black sheen... Within moments, the frail old woman was gone… replaced by the Xiao Qian he knew…
Beautiful.
Ethereal.
But still… unconscious.
Xing Jue leaned back, his vision swimming. He'd lost a lot of blood…
He vaguely registered the sound of footsteps approaching ...someone calling his name… then everything went black.
….
"Young Master! Young Master, can you hear me?"
Xing Jue blinked, his vision blurry at first. Liang Shanshan's concerned face swam into view.
"What…. What happened?" he muttered, putting a hand to his pounding head.
"What happened?!" A high-pitched voice, filled with exasperation, cut through Xing Jue's confusion. It was Xiao Qing, the maid.
"Playing with knives in your room, that's what happened, you idiot! Trying to scare the living daylights out of us all! If Mistress hadn't gotten to you when she did…"
"Xiao Qing!" Liang Shanshan silenced the irate girl with a look. "That's enough. Please…" She waited until the fuming maid had left, then turned back to Xing Jue, her expression a mixture of concern and … something else…curiosity?
"How is… How is Xiao Qian? Is she…" He couldn't bring himself to say the words….
"She's still unconscious," Liang Shanshan said, her voice gentle. But the way she was looking at him… She knew. She'd seen Xiao Qian's transformation …
"Young Master…" she began, her voice hesitant, "How did… How did Xiao Qian just…? When we found you she was… elderly. And… now…"
He forced a reassuring smile. "Ah, yes… My friend…Xiao Qian… she … suffers from a… a rare ailment. One of the symptoms is… rapid aging. But…the effects can be reversed …with the right medicine… "
Even to his own ears, it sounded lame.
Liang Shanshan's expression told him she didn't believe him for a second…
"I see," she said politely. Her tone, however, said otherwise…
Nice try, though
He cleared his throat, desperately needing to change the subject.
"If you don't mind my asking, Miss Liang…your name?"
And just like that… the awkward moment passed…
….
Xing Jue spent the next few days recuperating at the Liang Clan manor.
He learned that he was no longer in the Yu Feng Empire, but in its neighboring empire, the You Ming Empire… a land both familiar and strange. He and Xiao Qian had been lucky, washed up near Liang Shanshan's favorite riverside walking path. Fate, it seemed, had a strange sense of humor…
Liang Shanshan, despite Xing Jue's attempts to politely decline her hospitality, insisted they stay put until Xiao Qian regained consciousness…and until he himself had recovered his strength.
He couldn't very well refuse… not without seeming ungrateful….
….
Night fell upon the Liang manor.
While everyone else slept, Xing Jue sat alone in his room, the Soul Devouring Codex in his hands…
After all he'd been through... after everything Xiao Qian had sacrificed… it was finally his…
But why did victory taste so bittersweet?
He didn't know when—or if— Xiao Qian would awaken…
"Soon", he promised her silently, tracing the worn cover of the book. "Soon…"
Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and focused his will. Just like Xiao Qian had taught him…
He poured his soul into the Soul Devouring Codex.
He saw…
Worlds within worlds.
Knowledge, ancient and terrifying…unfolded within his mind. The Soul Devouring Codex, he realized was far more than he'd ever imagined…
This was no ordinary cultivation technique.
It was a path…
A way to reshape the very fabric of existence…
He devoured knowledge, hungry for more…
He saw how to heal… how to enhance… how to control…
He learned the true nature of the soul… and the terrible, beautiful power it held… there for the taking….
"The most impressive thing," Xing Jue realized as he delved further into the Soul Devouring Codex, "is the Soul Burst."
It was an incredibly powerful technique, allowing the user to temporarily amplify their strength by unleashing a surge of concentrated soul power. This Soul Burst excited him – with enough mastery, it could catapult him from a High-Rank Martial King to an Early-Rank Martial Lord in an instant! Such a thing was unheard of in the Yu Feng Empire, a true game-changer.
Of course, such incredible power came with limitations. The boost was temporary, and the strain on both body and soul was significant. Burning one's soul, as he'd seen Xiao Qian do, was similar, but the Soul Burst, though slightly less potent, was far more sustainable and placed less burden on the body. It could be cultivated!
The more Xing Jue explored the codex, the more he realized it wasn't just a cultivation technique—it was a masterpiece, a perfect fusion of cultivation and martial skill. Mastery of the soul techniques would grant him an unparalleled edge in battle.
With renewed determination, he began to cultivate the Soul Devouring Codex, his heart thrumming with excitement. The unique nature of his own soul allowed him to easily tap into the codex's power, something utterly impossible for others. It was like wielding a weapon forged specifically for him.
His progress, though slower than he initially hoped, was still remarkable – the speed at which he absorbed martial qi was astonishing – ten times faster than his old Earth-Rank technique! At this rate, he could reach the Martial Lord realm within a year. It was an incredible pace, even amongst the most gifted disciples of the Yu Feng Sect!
He thought of Li Xiaohan, his heart clenching painfully at the memory of her fiery spirit…and her unparalleled talent. She was the only disciple under eighteen to achieve the rank of Martial Lord, a feat that made her a legend within the sect… And soon, very soon… he, Xing Jue, would be joining her in the annals of the Yu Feng Sect!
He continued his cultivation, diligently practicing the techniques outlined in the Soul Devouring Codex, all while keeping a watchful eye on Xiao Qian. She remained unconscious, her condition baffling both the Liang Clan's healers and Xing Jue himself.
The only explanation he could conjure was that she'd simply exhausted her soul force, leaving her in this vulnerable state. He poured his own soul essence into her, hoping to replenish her depleted reserves.
It yielded no immediate results, yet he persisted, clinging to the belief that he could somehow will her back to life…
Time blurred, one day indistinguishable from the next…
…
A month passed…
…
During this time, Liang Shanshan found herself drawn to the stoic young man, his unwavering devotion to Xiao Qian stirring something deep within her. She sought his company, each conversation a gentle dance between concern and a budding affection that she could no longer deny… He accepted her attention graciously, careful not to give her false hope while also acknowledging the debt he owed her family.
And then one afternoon, a storm brewed in the form of a hapless suitor…
Xing Jue and Liang Shanshan were enjoying a peaceful game of Go in the garden when Xiao Qing, her face flushed and voice breathless, came barreling towards them.
"Mistress! Mistress! He's here! Master requests your presence!"
Liang Shanshan's face blanched. "He…He's here? Already? Go back and inform my father that I'm… I'm indisposed!"
The 'he' in question was Young Master Zhu, an Early-Rank Martial King from a prominent martial family within the city. His family, through both wealth and strength, held considerable sway – smaller clans like the Liangs trembled at his name.
Two months ago, Young Master Zhu, emboldened by his position and infatuated by Liang Shanshan's beauty, had made his intentions clear – he would return to formally request her hand in marriage. The Liangs had dismissed it as an empty boast…
They'd been wrong.
Xiao Qing wrung her hands. "But … but…Mistress … " She was terrified of disobeying a direct order, particularly from Young Master Zhu. He was not a man to be trifled with.
"What's going on?" Xing Jue asked, sensing their distress. Although he'd only caught snippets of the frantic conversation, it wasn't hard to piece together. Sounds like a certain young master was about to find his carefully laid plans … interrupted…
Liang Shanshan hesitated, then explained the situation.
Xing Jue smiled, and for a moment, his usual stoicism faltered, replaced with a boyish gleam…
"Xiao Qing, there's no need to go back. Just stay here and wait. He'll be here soon enough, looking for Miss Liang… I'll take care of this."
Xiao Qing gaped at him, then scoffed. This arrogant, good-for-nothing… daring to interfere in something so important? Ever since she'd seen him doting on that old woman—who was now, inexplicably, young and beautiful, further fueling her resentment— she'd labeled him an opportunist… and worse… a two-timing liar….
"You?! " She snorted. "Don't make me laugh!"
"Xiao Qing! " Liang Shanshan snapped, glaring at her maid for daring to speak to Xing Jue so disrespectfully. Turning back to Xing Jue, she said, "Please… Xing Jue… He's dangerous. Let me handle this..."
Xing Jue chuckled, touched by her concern. They had no idea, did they? What he was capable of…?
An Early-Rank Martial King? In their world perhaps that was something to fear… but not to him.
Not anymore…
Not after the Soul Devouring Codex… Not after tapping into the power of the Soul Burst…
An Early-Rank Martial Lord… that would be a challenge. But even then….
He looked at Liang Shanshan, her eyes wide with worry, then at Xiao Qing, her gaze filled with a mixture of fear and disdain…
He had a feeling things were about to get… interesting.