As Han Shuo emerged from his secret underground chamber, one thought circled in his mind like a fly. The eight elemental energies and the four edictal forces – none of them seemed to include demonic yuan. And if they did, what exactly was demonic yuan?
Fundamentally, one cultivated in the eight elemental energies and four edictal forces by learning how to utilize the energy present around them. They would absorb and manipulate those energies to strengthen their body and soul.
Whichever one of those eight elemental energies and four edictal forces one chose, they had all been present in the world since the beginning of time. Those who cultivated in them gradually grew stronger and became gods by uniting themselves with these energies.
The demonic arts in which Han Shuo cultivated, however, had all the conditions needed for it be generated from within the body. Although he could advance himself by absorbing certain rare energy forms, Han Shuo had never ever sensed the presence of demonic yuan in the world. This realization left Han Shuo dumbfounded.
Those who cultivated in the elemental energies and edictal forces relied upon external energies, while Han Shuo’s demonic arts was the opposite. Demonic arts was simply a process that unleashed the hidden potential within oneself through constant tempering and evolution. This seemed to be entirely different from those energies identified by the skeletal staff.
From the information Han Shuo had just obtained he also learned that within the boundless cosmos, there were some existences who became gods through other energies, for example, fear and desire. As long as one mastered how to absorb and manipulate those energies through constant cultivation, one could become a god as well. However, they too relied on external energies. The demonic arts and demonic yuan which Han Shuo practiced were all naturally formed inside within the body, even from the start.
What was more shocking to Han Shuo was that, by means of some secret demonic arts techniques, the demonic yuan could be catalyzed to form energy that resembled elemental energy.
For example, by releasing the demonic yuan with Mystical Glacial Spellfire, a special technique which utilized the meridians and bones, purple-red demonic flames could be produced. The spellfire could produce extreme heat and extreme cold temperatures. In addition to that, Han Shuo could utilize the demonic yuan to heal injuries on his body, and even help others heal theirs. This feat could usually only be accomplished by gods cultivating in the edict of life. Other than that, some special attacks formed using demonic yuan could make skies go dark, just like when the gods of the element of darkness attacked…
Even more helpful was that, although demonic yuan couldn’t naturally be found between heaven and earth, Han Shuo could still absorb some other energies and assimilate them for his own use. For example, the energy of resentment, killing intent, and all kinds of negative energy, Han Shuo could absorb and convert them into demonic yuan, adding to his strength.
This attribute was also distinct from the cultivation of elemental energies and edictal forces, as those cultivators could only absorb one of the twelve energies that they cultivated in. Even after becoming god, they could only absorb divine energy from other gods cultivating in the same energy, unable to absorb divine energy of gods cultivating in another type of energy.
When Han Shuo carefully thought about it, he noticed that the demonic yuan which was naturally formed within his body could not only absorb and assimilate other sinister energies, but by utilizing the demonic yuan through various demonic techniques, he could even form energies similar to others. Just this fact alone was largely inconsistent with the eight elemental energies and edictal forces that had Han Shuo learned of.
After sifting once through the knowledge contained within the tri-coloured skeletal staff, Han Shuo discovered that there wasn’t an understanding of demonic yuan within those memories, none whatsoever. This meant that the original master of the skeletal staff, a midgod, was not aware of the existence of demonic yuan. He was bewildered.
Han Shuo believed that the manner of dividing the gods by class as understood by that midgod ought to have been the basis for all division of strength in this universe. From the fact that the demonic arts had entirely different divisions of strength and cultivation methods, Han Shuo arrived at a shocking conclusion – the Earth where demonic arts cultivators inhabited likely wasn’t part of this universe of numerous material planes.
Only such an explanation would make sense! Otherwise, that midgod wouldn’t have been so oblivious to the existence of demonic yuan. As a demonic arts cultivator himself, Han Shuo knew just how mighty a demonic yuan cultivator could be. Just finding his way to the Carnal Realm, he was already as powerful as a so-called demigod. If such a group of mighty cultivators were actually present in this universe, they would definitely not be such an obscure and unknown group of people, and would be well-known to the gods.
To add to this, demonic yuan carried inherent and distinct differences in regards to the eight elemental energies and edictal forces. From this all this information, Han Shuo came to the conclusion that there was no way demonic arts cultivators belonged to this universe!
Han Shuo let out a sigh and shook his head bitterly. He was speechless. However, given that he had cultivated in demonic arts this far, he clearly recognized just how mighty demonic arts could be. Therefore, his determination to focus in cultivating demonic arts never swayed.
Han Shuo could even argue that demonic yuan was superior to the eight elemental energies and four edictal forces. This feeling came from the many years of his cultivation in demonic yuan. But Han Shuo just couldn’t give specific reasons as to why.
Mr. Han Shuo, Mr. Han Shuo, are you there?
There was a young girl with snow-white wings outside the door, her voice gentle and pleasant.
I’m here.
Han Shuo recomposed himself from a chaotic state of mind. He flashed a bright smile and removed the magical formations inside the house before slowly opening the door.
The beautiful, young winged girl waited gracefully in the open space outside the door. A pair of intense, lively eyes sat on her delicate face. This young girl looked completely different from Crosius, but had inherited his deep eyes. Her eyes, along with her angelic looks and snow-white wings, made her so immensely beautiful that she did not even appear mortal.
Upon seeing Han Shuo open the door, the beautiful young girl smiled and said.
Turns out Mister Han Shuo is inside. My name is Jasper, and I’m very glad that Mister Han Shuo agreed to be a visiting advisor for War Demon Valley. I came to consult Mister Han Shuo regarding some martial skills.
Jasper cultivated in wind elemental instead of the earth element like her father Crosius. From the presence leaving her body, Han Shuo could tell that she probably had the strength of a level-three Destroyer, and was even a little more powerful than Hemanna and Sylph.
In the Abyss realm, creatures were categorized by strength into abyssal troopers, Destroyers, Rakshas, and Demons. Rakshas had the strengths of demigods. Those who formed the Soul of Element and became Demons would be considered as basegods among the division of classes between the gods that Han Shuo had just come to know. As for what level the five abyssal demon kings were on, Han Shuo could not come to a conclusion without having seen them.
Martial arts? Hehe, Miss Jasper, the martial arts I practise isn’t exactly the same as yours. But still, I can give you some pointers,
Han Shuo gazed at Jasper and said with a smile.
What sort of pointers?
Jasper asked as she fixed her gaze on Han Shuo.
Whenever you cultivate, spend more time meditating and sensing the presence of the wind element with your mental strength using your soul. By doing this, when you form a Body of Element in the future, you might not even need demon king Manticole’s guidance to form a Soul of Element.
Cultivation with mental strength was a basic skill that every mage on Profound Continent knew. However, those in the Abyss realm probably did not know how to cultivate with their mental strength as they had set out upon cultivation with solely their physical bodies. Han Shuo told her this because he wanted to conduct an experiment on Jasper.
As expected, upon hearing what Han Shuo had said, Jasper stared at Han Shuo in confusion. She said still fazed,
Mental strength? Meditation? I don’t understand.
You know what? Why don’t you come in first, and I’ll explain it to you.
Han Shuo stepped aside for Jasper to enter. Once Jasper was in and rather confused, Han Shuo commanded her to sit with her legs crossed. He then started explaining to Jasper,
When it comes to the training of elemental energies between heaven and earth, you all have only mastered using them through your physical bodies. In fact, you can also utilize them with your soul…
Han Shuo imbued Jasper with some of the general knowledge about magic from Profound Continent once through, but Jasper still wore a puzzled expression as she listened. So, Han Shuo began chanting a necromancy spell, forming a few bone spears in the space in front of Jasper, and said,
By sensing the elemental energy with your mental strength, the soul can unleash another type of attack with the elements, just like this!
The moment he finished speaking, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh
, the bone spears flew outside.
A miracle!
Jasper’s eyes widened in awe. She continued impatiently,
How did you do that?
You must empty your mind, let your soul come down and slowly sense the elemental energy. Oh, and your body’s assimilation of the wind element could help guide your soul’s sense. Let me teach you how you should meditate…
Han Shuo ordered Jasper to sit down, and started teaching Jasper according to the meditation method most commonly used by the mages in Profound Continent.
Helping Jasper with all his heart, Han Shuo also had other intentions. He wanted to confirm his speculation of what lay ahead at the last level of the Cemetery of Death through Jasper, and figure out if the so-called secret to becoming a god was just the assemblage of cultivation fortes from two planes to form both the Soul and Body of Element.
Besides, when Han Shuo asked Jasper to absorb and manipulate the wind elemental energy with her body, his consciousness was peeping into Jasper’s body, observing how the wind element circulating through her body. He was trying to figure out the secret to how abyssal beings formed Bodies of Element.
As long as Han Shuo figured out the secret to how beings from the Abyss Realm could cultivate their bodies to form Bodies of Element, that would tantamount to Han Shuo having mastered the secret to becoming god. If so, once Han Shuo returned to Profound Continent, he would be able to help some of the mages at his side advance to god status.
