Old Morgan, finally getting a response, looked up in delighted surprise, only for the fleeting joy of fulfilled wishes to be washed away by a sudden sense of wrongness.
Is the sacrifice still not enough?
As the initiator of the ritual, Old Morgan knew very well that the Judgement Demon, although sounding formidable, was in fact a lowly and insignificant devil attached to the Soul Swapping Balance, guided by a sole instinctual need for souls.
So, when it stated that the sacrifice was insufficient, it truly meant that the sacrifice was inadequate and there was no room for negotiation like one might with other devils.
Could the delicious soul of a righteous youth really not be enough?
This was completely different from what the notes had recorded, had there been a mistake?
Old Morgan's ancient soul whirred into action as he contemplated rapidly within himself.
Unfortunately, at this juncture, he was unable to find another soul to offer as a sacrifice to the Judgement Demon.
Wait, that's not right, there's still a chance.
Abruptly, Old Morgan seemed to realize something, looking down at himself, he was also in the state of a soul.
"Have you come to realize it? Are you willing to part with it or not?"
Tang Qi, still hanging from the Soul Swapping Balance, while maintaining the outer appearance of the howling Judgement Demon in pain, was closely observing Old Morgan.
This old Black Man revealed a very interesting and complex side at this moment.
The face covered in age spots and the profound creases that even the racial talents of the Black Man could not conceal, eyes brimming with a strong desire to survive, looking at the soul of the young man in a comatose state on the other end of the scale with undisguised jealousy and greed, and when looking at Tang Qi, it was the longing for a last respite.
Confronted with the realization that he needed to pay a higher price, his eyes were filled with struggle and unwillingness.
All of this was clearly perceived by Tang Qi, and not even the surging pain could interrupt his senses at this moment. It was such an abnormal feeling that Tang Qi couldn't help but mutter, "Is this a benefit of being a devil? Such acute sensitivity to human emotions."
Tang Qi suddenly smiled, although Old Morgan was still struggling with hesitation, the keen perception had already informed Tang Qi of his decision in advance.
Old Morgan, had no other choice.
Indeed, in the next moment, Tang Qi saw Old Morgan's expression turn grim, and then he stood up abruptly, roaring in an arcane tongue, "Come then, I am willing to offer up half of my soul as compensation for the exchange of bodies, please, great Judgement Demon, enjoy it as you wish."
"Come on, come forth."
Tang Qi could clearly hear the fear under Old Morgan's roar, and at the same time, a strong uncontrollable impulse surged within him.
At this moment, Tang Qi was like a traveler who had been thirsting in the desert for several days, starved to the point of losing reason, almost the instant Old Morgan's voice ceased, Tang Qi opened his mouth, his eyes glowing dimly as he murmured, "Humble believer, as you wish."
"Ah~"
When Tang Qi opened his mouth and sucked towards Old Morgan, his already aged soul instantly lost half of its substance, like a misty smoke being drawn into Tang Qi's mouth thread by thread, drowning the pitiful old man in boundless pain, causing him to roll around frantically and scream at one end of the scale.
And at this moment, Tang Qi was feeling unprecedentedly wonderful.
After consuming half a soul, it felt as if he was about to fly, everything was so marvelous, like the lingering sensations after an apex, meandering and hovering as if it would never touch the ground. If Tang Qi so wished, he could maintain this state for at least a dozen breaths.
But at this time, Tang Qi harshly suppressed all the wonderful sensations.
Because the scale had moved!
The ceremony had begun.
Not by Tang Qi's own volition; although he was the Judgement Demon, the Soul Swapping Balance clearly had its own rules of operation.
Old Morgan had fulfilled Tang Qi's desires, and the scale automatically determined the transaction a success.
What was proceeding now was the swapping of souls.
The originally creaking and swaying ends of the scale suddenly began to spin rapidly, with dark mists rising and eerie red glows accompanying them, the Rune Array beneath the two bodies in the study gleamed with a ghostly white light, and the souls of the youngster and Old Morgan's soul on either end of the scale, both began to transform.
The soul of the youngster was suddenly pierced by blood-red thorns, the already comatose young man immediately screamed, but it lasted less than a second before abruptly stopping, and then Tang Qi saw, the pitiable soul of the youngster seemed to have lost something, becoming dazed and muddled, devoid of its previous liveliness.
"He's dead."
Tang Qi spoke this because of the special interface he was seeing at that moment.
Soul: Human
Quality: Common
State: Selfless transparent soul, available for devouring.
Upon seeing this interface, Tang Qi subconsciously looked towards Old Morgan.
Indeed, he too had undergone a change.
Soul: Human
Quality: Inferior
State: A poor-quality soul that has lost half of its soul power, cannot be devoured.
[Information Fragment: The Soul Swapping Ceremony has commenced, this soul will be cast into a new body in three seconds.]
"Hiss"
As the sole piece of information caught his eye, Tang Qi immediately drew in a sharp breath, his face then twisted into an unprecedented craze and resolve, and the next moment he made a startling move without hesitation.
"Ah~"
A wail more miserable than ever before emanated from Tang Qi's mouth, the source of this pain was his sudden exertion pulling his own hands violently from under the blood-drenched nails, and likewise, his feet were also pulled out.
Having done all this, although Tang Qi was almost driven mad by endless pain, his already hazy soul became even more transparent. It was clear without looking that his current state must be severely weakened, but at this moment, Tang Qi was inexplicably overjoyed.
It worked, it really worked.
He could break free from that devilish thing, although only for three seconds.
Without a moment to struggle or wail, Tang Qi, amidst mad wailing, swiftly turned around, propping himself up against the Cross bearing devil runes, and forcibly pulled out his own torso as well, the blood transforming into soul power nearly staining the Cross completely, the scene horrifying and bloody.
Old Morgan, immersed in the joy of nearly successful soul swapping, finally noticed Tang Qi's insane actions. The weak Old Black Man screamed in shock and anger, "You shameless, despicable devil, what are you trying to do? You cannot break the contract between us; you will be struck into nihility by the power of rules."
Old Morgan was completely consumed by anger. As an evil soul, he almost immediately saw through Tang Qi's intentions, but was utterly powerless to stop him, his own soul protected by the rules of the Soul Swapping Balance while also being bound by it.
All he could do was watch Tang Qi continue his madness, while he stared with bulging eyes and cursed, "You lowly devil, you won't succeed, once you leave the scale you will quickly dissipate, you lowly thing, you disgusting thing."
Tang Qi was fully focused on his actions, feeling as though time had slowed down during the process; Old Morgan's curses exploded in his mind as thought fragments, but they were unable to affect him in the slightest.
When a "pfft" sound came, Tang Qi's entire soul body was completely freed from the five Painful Nails and the Cross, nearly dyed red by the blood, and Tang Qi entered a state as if he was about to dissipate instantly.
Weak, almost unable to think from weakness, let alone respond to Old Morgan's curses.
But Tang Qi, feeling his newfound freedom, burst out laughing madly, his bloody face suddenly turned, and with a gulp at one end of the scale, the masterless transparent soul on the bronze plate immediately transformed into a white light entering Tang Qi's mouth.
"Boom"
Even more delightful than before, the sensation almost overwhelming Tang Qi, along with copious fragments of memories. A fleeting glimpse of panic, Tang Qi seemed to see the life of a young man. The complex memories, the tremendous pleasure almost completely immersed Tang Qi.
Fortunately, at this moment, Tang Qi's will power prevailed, aided by Old Morgan's roaring curses, Tang Qi struggled to maintain his clarity of mind, but the already pained face twisted even more.
Disregarding the "two" countdown going on in his mind, Tang Qi turned and mocked the Old Black Man who was cursing him, "You old fool, I'm the devil, contracts are made to be broken, idiot."
The moment he spoke, Tang Qi had already leapt into the air, his soul completely separating from the scale, turning into a streak of light heading towards a body outside the black bubble.
Unsurprisingly, Tang Qi had chosen that young man.
"No"
Old Morgan, still in a "protected" state, ignored his weakened soul, got up and roared crazily, trying to leave the scale to chase after Tang Qi, but at that moment, the previously wildly spinning scale suddenly halted, black fog and eerie red light all converged towards Old Morgan.
One after another, crimson thorns spread from beneath the bronze plate, instantly piercing through Old Morgan's soul, then dragging him towards the center of the scale, that devilish Cross completely soaked in blood.
"No, this can't be real."
"I am the initiator of the ritual, the one who should be swapping bodies, is me."
"Ah~"
The scream, as well, abruptly ended.
Amidst the surging red light, the Cross which briefly lost its "master" had once again gained a tormented soul.
At this moment, what Tang Qi saw as he looked back were a few fleeting fragments of information.
The Soul Swapping Ceremony was forcibly interrupted!
The scale has lost the Judgement Demon!
Soul Capture is underway!
Target confirmed!
The new Judgement Demon has been captured!
Fusion in progress…
"I—I succeeded"
As Tang Qi whispered with a laugh, a fresh, peaceful young body appeared before him, and an overwhelming sucking force swept over, pulling in Tang Qi's soul, which didn't have a hint of resistance.