Chapter 540: Soul Dividing
Soul Dividing Technique...
It was a secret technique of the experts in the antiquity time. This technique would divide the host soul into parts. When they forged the puppet, they would put a part of their host soul into it. This would make the puppet have the soul and memory imprints of the owner, which would help it to perform as marvelously as its master.
The secret weapons of a great blacksmith or a warrior required a part of the soul pouring in to be opened.
As long as he had his soul enter the tools and the books, he could officially control the tools and read the books. It wasn’t hard to learn how to divide the host soul. However, most of the techniques were lost. Only some members of the old factions knew how to do that.
The Ice Cold Flame showed itself and then lectured Shi Yan about the subtle features of the Soul Dividing technique, then continued, "This book should come from the Antiquity Era too. If you want to access it, you have to divide your soul and put your part into the book. Otherwise, you can’t see the miraculous contents inside."
Shi Yan was surprised. He pondered, then smiled. "Do you know the Soul Dividing Technique?"
"A little bit."
"Tell me."
"Well, I just know the surface of the technique, which can’t help you refine a clone. But to open this old book, it’s not too difficult."
"Then don’t babble more."
"Alright."
The Ice Cold Flame regarded him. It thought for a while, then connected its soul to Shi Yan’s. Then, the flame found the secret techniques related to the Soul Dividing method, turning them into the memory fluctuations and transmitting them into Shi Yan’s head.
To practice the Soul Dividing technique, at first, he needed to train his host soul, making it disappear and then reorganize.
During the time the host soul got mutated, he would use a special method to draw a beam of the soul. That beam then would be nurtured in the Sea of Consciousness, using the power of the Soul Consciousness to keep it warm. After a while, it would grow into a feeble hollow soul.
The hollow soul wasn’t the host soul, as it was just a projection of the latter. So, it didn’t have the attainments of the host soul. When the hollow soul was destroyed, it didn’t affect the host soul. However, it had a connection with the host soul. No matter how far the hollow soul was, the host soul would always know its position and everything it had experienced.
There were some other ways to strengthen the hollow soul. For example, he could collect the murderous aura, the Yin Qi, or other bizarre energy in heaven and earth.
If the hollow soul could grow nonstop to a certain level, when it stayed in the puppet or the clone, it could urge the power of the host soul. When the hollow soul reached the highest level, it could even replace the host soul.
The Ice Cold Flame knew how to divide the soul and train the hollow soul. However, its knowledge in cultivating the hollow soul wasn’t enough to practice.
To Shi Yan, at this moment, he just needed to create the hollow soul.
He didn’t hurry, using the method to start to cultivate his host soul step by step. Firstly, he would nurture his soul with the nutrients from the Soul Consciousness, which would promote the change of the host soul. When his host soul was strong enough, he could divide it.
In the gravitational room, he stopped training his body and started to sink into the cultivation of dividing his soul.
...
The Spirit Potion Valley...
Recently, many experts from the Pure Land, the Radiant God Cult, the Devil Valley showed up in the area. They were rushing with gloomy faces.
In the Precious Potion Valley, some famous alchemists of the Divine Great Land were affected. They often walked back and forth in the valley. Sometimes, they sighed begrudgingly.
Although many low-level warriors in the Dead Soul Mountain range didn’t know what was happening, they vaguely felt the danger like a breeze before a big storm.
People who knew the secret told their disciples and friends silently. Some warriors who had regularly visited the Spirit Potion Valley and the Precious Tool Valley left the area without leaving any trace. They didn’t dare to stay in the Dead Soul Mountain range for any longer.
For the time being, while so many low-level warriors left the Spirit Potion Valley, many big characters whom they had rarely seen in daily life came to the place.
More and more people recognized that the Dead Soul Mountain range was about to face a big event.
Inside the Spirit Hall, five people, including Li Zhang Rong, Zhang Mu, Kun Xi, Gai Jie, and Mike, all wore a glum countenance. As the five Sacred Level alchemists behind the Spirit Hall, among them, Li Zhang Rong was the focus of the public attention. He was the person who had the real power of the Dead Soul Mountain range. All alchemists had to admire and bow to him.
"Old Li, still nothing?" Zhang Mu turned the ring on his finger, staring at the other agitatedly.
It had been half a month. Many experts had search and raked through all the areas which had the dead souls’ evil lairs in the Dead Soul Mountain range. They were trying to find the gathering spot of the dead souls and destroy that chunk of meat before it gave birth to the body of the dead soul.
However, half a month had passed, but the dead souls which often appeared everywhere in the mountain range seemed to have all disappeared.
Seeing time flying fast and the entire community of the dead souls secluding, Zhang Mu’s mood became worse.
During the battle dozens of years ago, Zhang Mu was still a Profound Level alchemist. In that battle, his teacher was killed in the hands of an intimidating dead soul. His soul was dragged out, drawn into an evil lair, and then disappeared.
That year, Zhang Mu had had only the Sky Realm cultivation base. He had no choice but to stare at the scene where his teacher’s soul was drawn out.
That battle had left a deep shadow in his heart. Until now, every time he recalled that battle, he felt fear inside. He had a deep grudge against the dead souls, and always wanted to kill all the dead souls in the Dead Soul Mountain range.
"All have disappeared. I think the dead souls have gained experience. Certainly, there’s a strong dead soul behind them. Otherwise, the situation would be totally different." Li Zhang Rong’s body had a lot of fat. When he talked, even the fat on his cheeks trembled. "The Tool Hall is working on it too. I guess they have no findings either. Or else, they would have already told us."
"Seems the big change’s coming." Kun Xi was as thin as a stick, his face sinister and vicious. Sharp light sparked in his eyes. "Don’t know how many people would die this time. You guys, we’re sitting here now, but we’re not sure who could survive."
After he talked, everybody became more grimaced.
"You should seize the chance and impart your inheritance as soon as possible." Li Zhang Rong’s squinted eyes raked through the room. "The Dead Soul Mountain range’s the place we have been invested with much effort. We will never abandon it. The situation this time will be different from last time. If those dead souls can nurture a real body, this will be a catastrophe. Even if we leave the Dead Soul Mountain range, we won’t be able to escape it."
The other four nodded with a cold face.
All of them knew the secret from dozens of years ago. They knew that the dead souls were dangerous. Once they gained a body, the power could rocket. At that time, the dead souls won’t be dependent on the dead souls’ evil lairs anymore. They could leave the Dead Soul Mountain range and go to the Divine Great Land.
The lowest level dead souls had the ability to take the soul of the warriors easily. It was more like a piece of cake to the higher-level dead souls.
Once those dangerous dead souls could leave the Dead Soul Mountain range and come to the Divine Great Land, the warriors who didn’t know about them beforehand wouldn’t be able to resist. Their souls would be taken one after another, and they would become the new dead souls. At that time, the heaven and earth would have a big transformation. The dead souls would replace warriors and pollute this rich land, turning it into the world of dead souls.
Thinking about the possible future, the five of them shivered without feeling cold.
"I’ve notified the leaders of the Pure Land, the Devil Valley, and the Radiant God Cult. Once the dead soul’s real body appears, the leaders of these three forces will come to the Dead Soul Mountain range," said Li Zhang Rong with a low voice.
The four of them relaxed a little bit. Kun Xi hesitated, and couldn’t help but ask, "Old Li, where’s the boy who found this mess? And, how is he related to you? Weren’t you cultivating in seclusion? Why did you agree to meet him?"
"How can I know where he is?" Li Zhang Rong snorted and continued impatiently. "He has a connection with me."
Kun Xi and the others were astounded. They wanted to ask for more, but as they saw his winced face, they couldn’t inquire further, shutting their mouths begrudgingly.
...
Outside the Spirit Hall, Lin Ya Qi was toying the potted flowers with her arrogant complexion. She asked coldly, "Shi Yan didn’t come for you?"
"No. After I came back from the Flying Cloud Summit, I have never met him again." Cherry always lacked confidence facing her, as she felt that she was one grade lower than the other girl. "Perhaps he has left the Dead Soul Mountain range. Since they know a big disaster will come soon, anyone who can run has already run away. The ones who haven’t moved yet are ready to move."
Since Cherry knew the mutated dead souls would become more wild and sinister, she was afraid and wanted to leave too.
Unfortunately, she was the hall guard of the Spirit Hall. Without the permission granted by one of the five of Li Zhang Rong’s group, no one was allowed to leave the Spirit Hall when the dead souls appeared. Once they were busted, their names would be erased from the Spirit Hall forever.
Being an alchemist, it was okay not to join the Spirit Hall. But when the Spirit Hall erased one’s name, his or her reputation was gone too. The community would scoff him as the worst among the alchemists.
"If he comes to see you, you must notify me. I have something I want to discuss with him." Lin Ya Qi arched her brow. "To make it up for you, about the formation you’ve seen in my place, if you have something you want I ask, I can help."
Cherry’s blue eyes brightened as she nodded continually.
...
Gravitational chamber...
Shi Yan sat emotionlessly just like a rock that hadn’t moved for ten thousand years, still and quiet.
During half a month in this gravitational room, he had been sinking into his mind, wholeheartedly focusing on training the hollow soul, and didn’t relax for even a second.
Just recently, with the Soul Dividing technique the Ice Cold Flame passed him in a blurry state, he had successfully divided his soul, drawn out a strand of soul and created a phantom of his host soul in the Sea of Consciousness – the hollow soul.
Right when the hollow soul appeared, he immediately urged the Soul Consciousness to keep the hollow soul warm.
That vague hollow soul was like a projection. After it received the Soul Consciousness, it turned into another image of the host soul in the Sea of Consciousness. However, it didn’t have the intellect and the vitality of the real host soul.
More Soul Consciousness was poured into the hollow soul. After an unknown time, the hollow soul became clearer. Besides the lack of vitality, it looked similar to the host soul.
At this moment, the Ice Cold flame sent him a message. "It’s enough. You can access the Blacksmith’s Secrets of Success now."
Shi Yan was struck. He started to guide the hollow soul, dragging it little by little out of the Sea of Consciousness.
The spooky phantom was as vague as a ghost, with thick Yin aura slowly appearing in front of his eyes. When the hollow soul got out of the Sea of Consciousness, it became fragile as if it were about to vanish.
"The hollow soul can’t be exposed for a long time. Guide it to the ancient book immediately. Or else, the hollow soul will vanish." The Ice Cold Flame reminded Shi Yan.
Shi Yan’s face changed. He didn’t dare to observe more, took out the book of secrets and began his move.