Huo Yuhao sat cross-legged before the Snow Empress, a serious look on his face.
"We're about to begin. Are you ready, Snow Empress?" Huo Yuhao asked.
Snow Empress took a deep breath, her small form trembling slightly as she looked up at Huo Yuhao with determination. "I'm ready," she said, her voice soft but resolute.
Huo Yuhao nodded, reassured by her response. "Alright, just focus on staying calm. I'll handle the rest."
He closed his eyes, activating his Eye of Eternity, and a soft golden glow emanated from his forehead; revealing the golden vertical eye with black circles and grey pupil.
The room filled with a palpable sense of power and life energy as he carefully extended his spiritual power towards Snow Empress' head.
Snow Empress could feel a gentle pull on her soul, as if something was slowly lifting her from within.
It was an odd sensation, a mix of discomfort and relief, but she held onto the trust she had placed in Ice Empress.
Since the Ice Empress trusted Huo Yuhao, then she too would try to trust him as well... Or else she would die, really, she didn't have a choice.
The golden light surrounding them grew brighter as Huo Yuhao concentrated on separating her soul from her fragile human body. He could feel a small "orb" within Snow Empress, a core of pure origin power that represented the essence of her soul.
Outstretching his hand, Huo Yuhao focused on the power within his Eye of Eternity—one of the Six Paths; Human Path.
"Ah..." Huo Yuhao's eyes widened in shock.
This was the first time he had ever tried using the Eye of Eternity since he obtained it, which sounded dangerous considering that he was attempting to rip Snow Empress's soul from her body. He furrowed his brows, the Human Path he was attempting to use felt...so far away.
For a moment, his mind was flooded with a strange vision—he saw a tall, demonic-looking humanoid wooden statue, blindfolded and sitting serenely on a bloomed lotus.
Despite its inanimate appearance, the statue radiated an overwhelming aura of destruction and death. It seemed as if this being had some sort of connection to the Eye of Eternity...
The vision was disorienting, as if the statue was both near and distant, its power just out of reach. Huo Yuhao felt as though he was being drawn into a different plane of existence, where the boundaries between reality and the ethereal were blurred.
"—Yuhao! Wake up!" Ancestor's voice echoed urgently in Huo Yuhao's mind, snapping him out of the disorienting vision. "Keep calm and collected. Purge all distractions from your mind. Focus, shield your mind from the connection!"
Huo Yuhao gasped, blinking rapidly as he tried to reorient himself. "Haa...A-Ancestor, what the heck was that?! That...thing?!"
Ancestor was silent for a moment and replied, "I'll tell you later. For now, focus on the matter at hand. Feel the hidden power dwelling within the Eye of Eternity, grasp the path of Human—the manipulation of soul."
"Get rid of any distractions, focus solely on the soul's essence. You must stabilize it and ensure a smooth transition. In a normal and crude way of using the Human Path, the extraction of the soul usually kills the target." Ancestor explained.
"However, you are different from my previous incarnations. You are exceptionally talented in comprehension, mastering jutsus and other techniques much more quickly than even the most exceptional Sharingan users. So, I trust in your ability to handle this with care and grasp this technique fully."
Huo Yuhao clenched his fists, feeling motivated by his Ancestor's words.
He and Indra had a complicated relationship, since he was his incarnation and he was his past life or something, but Huo Yuhao had come to think of him as family—not just because they were somewhat blood related.
Indra would always goes his way to provide guidance and support, like a true elder, even though he could've just stayed in the depths in his mind and act as a shadow—even manipulate him, but he didn't saw the need for it.
Indra didn't have any purpose to live a second life, especially in another world.
In Huo Yuhao's heart, beside his mother, he greatly looks up to Indra with respect and awe.
He might've done a lot of....bad things in his life, but right now, as his Ancestor and mentor, he was his role model.
Huo Yuhao took a deep breath and focused, feeling the power dwelling in the Eye of Eternity. The golden light around him intensified, and he mentally connected with the essence of the Human Path.
He reached out with his spiritual sense, delicately touching the core of Snow Empress's soul.
"Six Paths; Human Path," he softly muttered.
With precision and care, Huo Yuhao began the intricate process of soul extraction. He visualized the separation of Snow Empress's soul from her human body, ensuring that the transition was smooth and that the soul remained stable.
The room was filled with a warm, golden glow as he meticulously guided her essence through the extraction process.
Snow Empress's tiny form shivered slightly, but she remained calm, trusting in Huo Yuhao's abilities. The power of the Eye of Eternity flowed around them, creating a protective cocoon that shielded the process from external interference.
In just a split second, a spectral form of Snow Empress began to emerge from her tiny human body.
The ethereal figure was radiant, shimmering with an icy, crystalline light that mirrored her true essence. The delicate threads of her soul gently detached from her physical form, floating serenely in the air.
Huo Yuhao maintained his concentration, guiding the spectral form carefully out. The extraction was almost complete, and he could feel the intense energy and emotions of Snow Empress's soul as it separated from her human body.
He extended his spiritual power, gently enveloping the spectral form with a protective barrier to stabilize it, before carefully guiding it into his dantian.
"What do I do now? Ancestor? Teacher?"
"Good job, Yuhao." Electrolux chimed in, a golden grey light enveloped the Snow Empress's human body. "Leave the rest to us."
Ancestor solemnly grunted and clasped his hands together into a series of hand seals. "Eight Trigrams Seal!"
Snow Empress's soul shone as it entered the space within Huo Yuhao's dantian with Ancestor's guidance, while Electrolux began chanting mysterious incantations, and a golden grey light enveloped the Snow Empress's human body.
As Snow Empress's soul settled within Huo Yuhao's dantian, the space around it pulsed with a soft, calming energy, stabilizing the fragile essence. Huo Yuhao could feel her presence, faint yet steady, as if she were gently resting within him.
"Well done, Yuhao," Ancestor's voice resonated in his mind. "The Eight Trigrams Seal will keep her soul secure, preventing any further deterioration and start stabilizing."
Meanwhile, Electrolux's chanting continued to echo through the room, a deep and ancient melody filled with power. The golden-grey light surrounding Snow Empress's body shimmered as it was drawn into the Eye of Eternity.
The transition was seamless, her physical form vanishing in a flash of light, leaving the room feeling significantly lighter.
Huo Yuhao closed his eyes, focusing his Mind's Eye within the depths of the Eye of Eternity. His consciousness drifted inward, descending into the vast spiritual landscape of his second spiritual sea.
The scene that unfolded before him was awe-inspiring—a boundless expanse filled with vibrant life energy, a sea of glowing emerald light that pulsed gently with each beat of his heart.
'The Soul-Devouring Knife...' Huo Yuhao eyed the emerald knife floating, exuding vast life energy. 'No, it's no longer that ominous blade. I should give it a new name...'
But that was saved for later. In the center of this spiritual sea, he saw Snow Empress's physical form, now in stasis. Her tiny body floated serenely, bathed in the nourishing life energy that surrounded her. The energy swirled around her like a protective cocoon, slowly infusing her with vitality and stabilizing her condition.
"You've done well, Yuhao," Electrolux's voice echoed within his mind, sounding both impressed and relieved. "The life energy within the Eye of Eternity is extraordinary as expected. It will keep her stable for now, all that she needs now is time."
"True," Ancestor's voice followed, calm and reassuring. "Let both her soul and body gradually synchronize and heal."
"And how long will it take for her to fully recover?" Ice Empress asked worriedly, finally speaking after observing the process in silence.
Electrolux responded first, his tone thoughtful. "Given the extent of the damage to both her soul and body, it's difficult to predict an exact timeline. The life energy within the Eye of Eternity is potent, but healing at such a profound level is a slow process."
Ancestor added, "It could take weeks, months, or even longer. Much will depend on how well Snow Empress's human body adapts to this new environment and how her soul responds to the healing energy. But remember, Ice Empress, patience is key. Rushing this process could cause more harm than good."
Ice Empress clenched her hands, a mix of relief and concern visible on her face. "I understand... I just want her to be okay."
Electrolux then added, "You can just talk to her."
"Eh?" Ice Empress, Skydream and Huo Yuhao blinked, confused.
Ancestor snorted, "Give her a couple days of rest and her soul should stabilize enough for her to talk to you all." His expression then turned cold. "Also, I don't think I have to say this bluntly, but helping her doesn't come freely, Ice Empress."
Ice Empress tensed, and although she felt indignant but she knew Ancestor was right. Rescuing Snow Empress was filled with high risks, more than usual, and it would've killed Huo Yuhao if something had went wrong!
Ice Empress swallowed her pride and nodded, accepting the reality of the situation.
"I understand," she replied, her voice firm but laced with a hint of resignation. "Whatever it takes, I'll do it. Snow Empress is my friend, and I'll bear any burden necessary to help her recover."
"Hm? And what made you think that you were going to pay the price?" Ancestor said.
"What...?"
Ancestor turned towards Huo Yuhao and asked, "Yuhao, do you feel it?"
"Huh? Feel what..." Huo Yuhao trailed off, sensing a connection within his dantian; he felt as though he could access a vast amount of soul power deep within his dantian, a power that was unfamiliar yet distinctly tied to Snow Empress. His eyes widened in realization. "This... Is this Snow Empress's power?"
Ancestor nodded, his expression serious. "Indeed. The Eight Trigrams Seal—an upgraded version of the Four Symbols Seal that was used to seal the Ice God's Bone into your left arm—is a fūinjutsu from my world. This powerful technique is used to seal immensely powerful beasts into a person's body, granting them vast amounts of energy and power."
Huo Yuhao listened intently, absorbing every word. Ancestor continued, "The seal doesn't just keep the beast or, in this case, Snow Empress contained. It also allows for a controlled flow of their energy into your own system, letting you tap into that power without overwhelming yourself."
"Of course, I tweaked with it a bit to make sure the seal doesn't drain her and inadvertently destroy her soul."
Ancestor smirked, "Consider it as her rent, we don't want any freeloaders here after all."
"You—!" Ice Empress tried to charge at him, but Skydream hurriedly stopped her.
"Stop, stop! Ice Empress, calm down."
"Calm down? Calm down?! Skydream, how am I supposed to calm down when he's trying to—"
"He's helping her," Skydream snapped, cutting her off sharply. "The seal is helping her recover, having her provide her soul power to Huo Yuhao doesn't hurt her origin. I mean, c'mon, funneling 20% of her energy would make him explode. By Ice God's ass, old man. You didn't have to be an ass by your sucky explanation."
Ancestor shrugged, "She was being unreasonable, so I spoke plainly. If that makes me a so-called "ass", so be it."
Ice Empress glared at him, still fuming but unable to refute his words. She knew Skydream was right; the situation was dire, and Ancestor's actions, however harshly presented, were necessary.
"Ancestor," Huo Yuhao interjected, trying to diffuse the tension, "is everything done? Is Snow Empress safe?"
Ancestor nodded, "Yes, for now. Unless something external happens, she would complete her reincarnation in probably a couple of years."
Electrolux chimed in, "He's right. Snow Empress's recovery is largely dependent on the stability of the environment and how well her soul adapts to the healing process. If nothing disrupts the process, she should be able to complete her reincarnation within a couple of years. Until then, maintaining the life energy flow and keeping her soul balanced will be crucial."
Huo Yuhao sighed and stood up, stretching out his limbs, creating popping noises from his bones. "Alright. So we could only wait, time could only tell when she'll fully recover."
Skydream disabled the barrier around the room, and he, Ice Empress, and Ancestor returned to his main spiritual sea. Electrolux, meanwhile, returned to the Eye of Eternity, watching over Snow Empress's human body condition.
'Man, what a night...'
Huo Yuhao walked over to his bed and unceremoniously flopped onto it, quickly asleep.
The next day, the tournament was called into a temporary pause. As shocking news spread throughout the city.
An evil soul master, affiliated with the Sun Moon Empire, had attacked the city and injured/killed numerous elites of the three empires—Star Luo, Heavenly Spirit and Dou Ling!
The representative team from Sun Moon Empire was arrested and will be interrogated by the police of Star Luo City, and if found guilty, they will be executed.
.....
AN: I'm currently sleeping when this was posted so please wait a few hours until I can reply to any comments.
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