"The second condition; you must reach the Prime Ethereal Realm within 20 years! Including your soul cultivation, which should reach the Prime Soul Stage." The girl said slowly while looking at Ban's expression.
Ban suddenly had the urge to twist her ears. He started to suspect whether this girl was even serious.
His previous self had read almost all the history books in the Ward family's library. So, he knows the cultivation realms in this continent and even some legends stories who achieved the highest cultivation realm possible: Heaven Ethereal Realm.
So, where did this Prime Ethereal Realm come from? Was it a realm even higher than Heaven Ethereal Realm?
The girl seemed to discern what he was thinking about, "Hmph, no need to fry your brain too much thinking about it. Prime Ethereal Realm is the apex in the mortal world."
"But even in the history of this continent, I have only heard of legendary characters having the cultivation of Heaven Ethereal Realm. And no one has ever managed to attain a realm beyond that, let alone the Prime Ethereal Realm." Ban said as his lips twitched faintly, revealing the resentment in his heart.
"Then, do you agree or not?" The girl tilted her eyebrows.
'So, it is a realm beyond Heaven Ethereal Realm...and who knows how many realms are there between both of them. Twenty years to reach the apex...can I even do it?' Ban knitted his brows.
Ban withdrew his previous expression, narrowed his eyes, his voice as calm as water: "Why not? I agree, of course. With this godly origin seed, if I can't reach the apex of this mortal world...then I am truly trash."
Ban believed that his talent and potential weren't trash since he is already an expert in combat and swordsmanship. Also, he already once had superpowers in his previous life. Can a person with truly no talent be able to achieve what he has?
He didn't think so. He had confidence in himself that he would be able to comprehend these strange laws that he had never heard before. Even though he knows that it is easier said than done...that doesn't mean he would give up without even trying!
"But why do you want me to reach Prime Ethereal Realm in 20 years?"
"A person's vitality is related to their own ethereal strength, and a person's soul essence depends on one's soul cultivation. This goddess's fleshy shell has already been destroyed and now can only exist in a spirit body. My soul essence recovery rate depends on your soul cultivation. And if I have to rebuild a new body, you have to at least reach the Prime Ethereal Realm since the new body's vitality would depend on yours. Only after rebuilding my body can I unbind my soul from yours and start recovering my true strength independently."
'So she wants to recover her power as fast as possible. Well, I guess a god wouldn't enjoy being helpless for long. But how strong will she be once she recovers? Haa...I can't still believe I am dealing with a goddess.' Ban sighed inwardly.
"The third condition," she continued, "You will have to let me absorb fifty percent of the soul essence you would take from other people."
Ban tilted his head, "What do you mean by absorb?"
The girl heaved an exasperated sigh, "What I meant is, I would teach you a technique which will let you absorb the soul essences of people you kill. By doing that, you can rejuvenate your own soul essence and even use it to breakthrough to higher stages in soul cultivation. While I would use it to recover my soul essence no matter how little."
Ban lifted one of his brows, "So, you want me to go on a killing spree?"
The present Ban wouldn't mind killing someone, especially his enemies. If someone stands in his way or obstructs him from getting what he wants on purpose, he would get rid of them, innocent or not, because it's either him or them.
For instance, if he was given a choice to save Sofie or the entire world. He would choose Sofie without any hesitation.
But if it were before the calamity in his previous life, his way of thinking would have been completely different. He would have thought something along the lines of saving both so that nobody is unhappy.
He would have played the role of a 'hero,' someone who wouldn't mind sacrificing themselves to protect and make everyone in the world happy.
But those days are long gone. Now he is a totally different person.
Now, he is someone who only cares about things that are related to him, especially the people he loves.
He won't go about saving every dog and cat lying on the road. Unless he doesn't mind doing it or if it wouldn't affect him in any way or if he could benefit something out of it.
But at the same time, he wouldn't mind returning the favor if someone sincerely helps him as long as he doesn't have to risk his life.
He doesn't like to owe people as it would sort of just stay in his mind. One can say that it was his nature from his previous life that was hard to change completely.
But now, when she demanded that he should absorb souls by killing people, he thought he would have to do something equivalent to genocide.
Though he wouldn't mind gaining power by killing, he didn't want to go on a mindless killing spree, which would only make him a bloodthirsty fiend and attract trouble towards him.
He also didn't want to lose his mind by simply killing people left and right. He might even lose himself in the process if he kills without any reason.
The girl calmly said, "Of course not. That wouldn't actually benefit you in any way, and you would only be bringing yourself trouble. But whenever you kill someone, you should save at least 50% of their soul essence so that this goddess can absorb it."
"Okay. I don't have any problem with that." Ban replied plainly.
"Good, to fix you, first I would have to remove all your damaged ethereal core points, even including the undamaged one. Then taking the aura of your origin seed as a reference, I will create a new set of core points that will accept the Origin seed and wouldn't face any rejection. And those new ethereal core points would obviously be stronger than common people since this goddess created it and it was made to accommodate the Origin seed."
"Thinking about it now, you can even create new ethereal core points?" Ban asked with a fixed gaze.
"Ha, creating new ethereal core points for a mortal cripple like you should have been an easy thing to do. Since you don't have any cultivation and you are starting from scratch, I only have to create basic ethereal core points that you would find in children. But even if you had high cultivation, you would still have to start from scratch, since now I can't afford to create ethereal core points that have evolved to a certain point. Each time one breakthrough, their ethereal core points would also develop to keep up with their strength and power.
"But now, for just creating some elementary ethereal core points, I would have to sacrifice a significant amount of soul essence...Hmph, you should do well to compensate this goddess when everything is done." The girl demanded.
'Creating a new set of ethereal core points that too, stronger than common people's; no matter how low level it is, it is not something that nobody has ever done in this whole continent! And here she is sad about losing some soul essence...well she must not have much of her soul essence left. I guess she is taking a chance with me.' Ban mused.
"It would also hurt a bit when I remove and construct new ethereal core points in your body. Try your best not to die." A sadistic grin emerged on her face.
"Heh, I wouldn't be here if I couldn't even handle pain. And I have already died once, so even if there is a chance that I would die...I wouldn't have any regrets since I tried my best. I just hope…"
'Sofie is in a nice place somewhere. Is she happy now? Did she forget me? Or is there any chance she remembers me? I wish I could see her just once more.' Ban continued inwardly.
"Hope what?" The girl asked, seeing that Ban was trailing off in thought.
Ban shook his head and gave a light smile, "Nothing."
"Very good. Then since everything is clear between us, why don't we start?" The girl said with a smile.
"You mean here?" Ban said as he took a quick glimpse around the room.
"Don't worry. No one is going to find out anything that will happen here. Since this involves my interests, I will take care of this whole situation."
"But how—"
"You don't have to worry about how I am going to do it. Now just shut up and focus, as I am going to start!"