C695 Preys on the Devaputra
Upon unleashing the "Ghosting Arts," the earth soul within his Niwan acupoint began to pulse with an extraordinary rhythm. It seemed as though this rhythm had been stirred by something unique in the environment, a stark contrast to the silent cultivation of the same arts within the Blue Sky Shrine of Luan Bird City.
The earth soul, now detached from the main soul and the Heavenly Soul, wove a tapestry of consciousness within its ethereal form. Memories and thoughts coursed through it, tracing distinctive paths under the influence of the "Ghosting Arts."
Yu Yuan remained vigilant, aware that he was still enveloped by the Dusk Dust, with Heavenly Devils and Outland Devaputras lurking nearby. Consequently, his Heavenly Soul refrained from practicing the Soul Forging Technique, his focus undivided.
As his earth soul engaged with the "Ghosting Arts," his Heavenly Soul and main soul kept a watchful eye on the surrounding shifts and movements.
Whoosh!
Out of nowhere, an Outland Devaputra descended in a frenzy. This Heavenly Devil, a pure soul form, resembled a black and green, fierce ape, exuding a wild and fervent energy. To Yu Yuan, it seemed devoid of reason, overwhelmed by primal desires, operating solely on instinct.
"Just a lowly fiend," he thought, a sense of ease washing over him, yet he couldn't help but find the encounter peculiar.
His recent deep exchanges with Xie Binn at the Dao House of the Clouds Sect and within the Blue Sky Shrine had led him to delve into the mysteries of the Outland Devaputras. Xie Binn, having battled these beings and other extraterrestrial races as a Yang God, possessed profound insights into their nature.
Yu Yuan's past life had granted him knowledge of the Heavenly Devils' secrets, and now, with his current life's understanding combined with Xie Binn's narratives, he grasped the bizarre and enigmatic essence of the Devaputra Race.
Unlike most life races—Humans, Demons, Starry Behemoths, Asuras, Rock Clan, and others, which are born with physical forms—the Heavenly Devils are an anomaly. This extraordinary race emerges into existence as clusters of ephemeral souls.
The Devaputra Race required the consumption of other intelligent beings' souls in the form of ethereal spirits to bolster their own strength through a series of transformations and refinements.
Their fervent desire to infiltrate the Boundless Land stemmed from the hundreds of millions of mortals residing in the Boundless Great World, whose souls significantly aided the rapid growth and advancement of lower-tier Devaputras.
Only when a Devaputra became powerful enough to possess a body or craft one for itself would it truly begin to stand out.
Within the Devaputra Race, there are ten distinct power levels. Those below the Sixth Level, lacking the ability to possess or create a body, are uniformly referred to as little devils.
Levels One through Five simply denote little devils with varying combat strengths, considered the lowest rung on the Devaputra food chain.
A Sixth Level Devaputra, known as a Demon Guard, has the power to take over the body of a formidable creature or to seek out various spiritual materials and locations to forge a body for itself. This practice starkly contrasts with that of the human race.
At the Sixth Level, a Demon Guard corresponds to the human race's Yin God. Human practitioners at this stage focus on refining and transforming their Yin God, achieving the Yin God Stage once they possess the power to separate it from their physical form.
Meanwhile, it is at the Sixth Level that a Devaputra begins to refine its body or opts for possession of a strong being.
In essence, Demon Guards at the Sixth Level must diligently search for and refine a corporeal body.
Ascending to the Seventh Level, a Devaputra becomes known as a Demon General, while those at the Eighth Level are called Demon Kings. At the Ninth Level, they are referred to as Demon Gods, and those at the Peak of the Tenth Level are revered as Great Demon Gods!
From the Sixth Level onward, a Devaputra undergoes a profound transformation from an illusory spirit to a being with a physical form.
Thus, any Devaputra with a physical body, regardless of its shape, is deemed a formidable force within the race.
As for the Devaputra before him, resembling a menacing little monkey without a physical form, it was clearly identifiable as a low-level little devil, not worthy of Yu Yuan's concern.
What puzzled him, however, was the message conveyed by the Earth Demon, relaying Zu Ann's assurance of safety outside Luan Bird City for seven days. Why then, would an oblivious little devil seek him out?
He harnessed the insight of his primary soul and the Heavenly Soul to observe and think, noticing that the little devil was fixated on him with a gaze full of greed and frenzy.
Suddenly, Yu Yuan experienced an eerie sensation.
Through the eyes of the little devil, he seemed to be the ultimate delicacy, akin to a Taotie feast!
The little devil, enticed by his scent, couldn't resist the overwhelming allure emanating from him and, disregarding Zu Ann's commands and warnings, charged toward him.
"What exactly is my aura?"
Yu Yuan paused, a spark of realization flashing through his mind. Abruptly, he ceased practicing the Ghosting Arts, silencing the peculiar melodic vibrations within his Earth Soul's ethereal form.
Miraculously, the once fervent little devil instantly settled down.
The previous mania and avarice of the simian-shaped devil vanished without a trace.
Moreover, it began to show signs of fear, poised to take flight at any moment.
"Ghosting Arts!"
Yu Yuan cracked a smile as he grasped the cause, simultaneously engaging in dual-mindedness and discreetly resuming the enigmatic Soul Art.
As his consciousness within the Earth Soul's meridians resumed its unique flow of thoughts and memories, the Ghosting Arts were reactivated.
As expected!
The little devil, newly pacified, once again succumbed to madness and greed! Unable to suppress its craving for the delectable, it darted straight for Yu Yuan's brow.
It was as if the Earth Soul within Yu Yuan's Consciousness Little World, practicing the Ghosting Arts, was the most exquisite sustenance in existence!
With a whoosh!
A faint glow sparked at Yu Yuan's brow, conjuring a sudden pull of attraction.
The little devil, in its simian guise, met no resistance and plunged directly into Yu Yuan's Consciousness Little World.
An extreme transformation occurred in an instant!
The once insatiable little devil regained its senses upon entering Yu Yuan's Consciousness Little World, frantically seeking an escape.
It yearned to flee from Yu Yuan's Consciousness Little World!
The moment the little devil arrived, it was struck by an intense fear and despair, as if Yu Yuan's Consciousness Little World had become the most dreadful place in the cosmos!
Meanwhile, Yu Yuan's Earth Soul, emitting its unique rhythmic pulsations, reacted like a ravenous beast that had been starved for eons, only to find its prey willingly delivered to its doorstep.
The Earth Soul harbored an intense greed for the little devil!
This fervent desire spurred Yu Yuan's Earth Soul into action, and it swiftly positioned itself before the little devil with a swift "swoosh."
Beneath the trembling gaze of the little devil, Yu Yuan's Earth Soul suddenly swelled, enveloping the ape-like creature in its grasp.
The little devil, ensnared by Yu Yuan's Earth Soul, dissolved as if ice scorched by a fierce blaze.
Piercing screeches echoed within Yu Yuan's Consciousness Little World.
But they quickly ceased; the little devil fell silent, motionless.
Moments later, it vanished like smoke, dissipating in Yu Yuan's Consciousness Little World, leaving behind only specks of glistening devilish light within his ethereal Earth Soul.
"The Ghosting Arts originate from the Divine Soul Sect!" declared the Artifact Soul within the Evil Cauldron Yu Yuan stood upon. "My memory is fragmented, yet I hail from the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area!"
The cauldron soul elaborated, "The portal within the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, a conduit to other realms, is often used by the Divine Soul Sect to release Devaputras for their disciples' cultivation. I faintly recall that all core disciples, regardless of the Soul Arts they practice, can locate Devaputras to refine and enhance their skills."
"Some Soul Arts allow practitioners to track down Devaputras, pinpointing their lairs with precision."
"Others operate like a spider's web, ensnaring unsuspecting Devaputras that stumble in, then dragging them into the Consciousness Little World for cultivation."
"The most fearsome, like the Ghosting Arts you now wield, draw nearby Devaputras to their doom as moths to a flame. To the little devil, the rhythmic pulsations of your Ghosting Arts made your Earth Soul an irresistible delicacy it couldn't resist."
"It abandoned all reason, likely forgetting even Zu Ann's warnings, driven only by the desire to consume your Earth Soul."
"You've witnessed the outcome."
"Though 'Ghosting Arts' are absent from my residual memories, the evidence before us allows me to assert with confidence that it is indeed a technique of the Divine Soul Sect—and one of the most formidable at that!"
