Raphael sat before Kwan Yuu's Solar Consciousness which radiated an unhealthy, violet luminescence. Crimson streaks, like jagged scars, marred its surface. There was no mistaking it. This was contamination. The poison from that crimson gas. It hadn't simply ravaged his physical form, those toxins had burrowed into the very soul of the Vampsquitoe Queen.
"Grandma Thienika?" Raphael glanced towards a massive root nearby. "This Solar Consciousness… it appears to be contaminated, what should I do?"
The root extended, tapped the soul lightly with a delicate grace. Then after a moment of silent observation, Thienika's voice resonated.
"You are correct, young bull. This soul has been eroded."
"Damn. It would've been nice to absorb her essence as is. She was a potent entity." He sighed, but then his gaze landed on that object resting near his hooves, an item he hadn't truly grasped the true potential of.
"You used the 'Buddhist Pill Gourd' to cleanse that red gas from my blood. Do you think it can also work on purifying this soul?"
He watched as the giant root nearby began swaying gently, and from the rhythm, Raphael understood. The tree was deep in contemplation.
"Hmm…" Thienika's response came after what seemed like an eternity. "…It's… worth a try. Listen closely."
Before she began her instructions on how to utilize this precious fruit, he commanded the script to take notes. "Zhu Jian, come closer."
The Sagewood Script materialized. "I'm ready, Master!" It buzzed eagerly.
"Now Raphael, let me show you how the Buddhist Pill Gourd truly works."
Thienika extended a root towards the Gourd. As she touched it, images, smells, even those subtle, yet familiar vibrations of her ancient essence filled the cave. She was sharing her knowledge with them. It was an honor.
"The Buddhist Pill Gourd is more than just a receptacle for tainted blood. Consider it a refining cauldron. A trinity. Composed of three distinct, yet interconnected 'bellies' that harmonize to purify, condense and amplify. Within each chamber reside ancient potential."
She then elaborated further.
"The first belly. This is where you will input your source material - blood, essence, or… a soul, in this instance."
And as if on cue, a diagram materialized above the gourd. It was a cross-section revealing three chambers within. Each chamber possessed a distinct color, pattern, and function.
"Call it the 'Essence Ingester'." The first belly was labeled. This one glowed ruby red.
"The Essence Ingester will absorb the source material then begin sifting it, separating the potent from the corrupted. It's akin to winnowing grain. Think of it like a weaver removing tangles from delicate threads before creating a masterpiece."
She explained those delicate machinations of this section to Raphael, who'd never thought of refinement as a creative endeavor.
"Hmmm, that makes sense." He nodded, as Zhu Jian buzzed with those inscribed details.
"Once the separation is complete, the next phase begins…"
An arrow appeared connecting the Essence Ingester to the second belly. This one was amber.
"We call it the 'Purge Vessel'."
Thienika revealed. "The 'Purge Vessel' is the crucible. Within this space, those corrupted essence are further refined and purged of toxins. It's like extracting venom from a serpent's fang. What remains, is then transformed into a potent medicine. It can be a liquid or a pill. You get to decide, Raphael."
Raphael was amazed. "Amazing, go on."
"The final stage… The refined essence then flows into the 'Heart Chamber'. And within that sacred space, it's cleansed with potent energies." The third belly was labeled, this one was a gentle green.
"It is within this final chamber that true refinement occurs. Within the Heart Chamber… purity is returned. Harmony is achieved. Thus ensuring that those essence you imbibe are pure and beneficial." Thienika emphasized the importance of this last step, for without it, the cycle wasn't complete.
The lecture concluded with: "Theoretically, the Buddhist Pill Gourd should also be able to refine Solar Consciousness. Have you understood my lesson, young Raphael?"
This was exactly what Raphael had been waiting to hear! He'd hoped, surely there was a way to utilize this relic for his Soul Orbital that now felt so… human!
"YES! And thank you, Grandma Thienika, you are wise indeed."
Zhu Jian had also absorbed the lecture. "I have it all, master." It entered Raphael's head, allowing him to easily comprehend the knowledge.
Raphael smiled. His mind was a canvas. And upon that canvas, an intricate blueprint of the 'Buddhist Pill Gourd's' inner workings appeared. He understood now.
"It's time." He beckoned the tainted, purple Solar Consciousness closer. It floated obediently above the gourd.
"Now, let the refinement process begin!"
Raphael carefully opened the gourd's mouth. The purple Solar Consciousness drifted inward. The gourd hummed as it began its sacred duty. He watched with bated breath.
The Essence Ingester glowed a bright ruby red. Within its confines, the purple soul churned. Then those crimson streaks pulsed more violently before they separated from the main orb. They flowed towards the amber 'Purge Vessel'.
This process took a while but he waited patiently, observing the interplay of color and light.
Then, in the amber belly, the crimson streaks solidified. They shrunk into pill-sized orbs, each pill radiating with those dreaded energies from that crimson-red gas. He would store these away, for such potent toxins may be useful in the future.
Finally, after those fumes of purification dissipated, a radiant, purple sphere flowed into the emerald-green 'Heart Chamber'. Within that gentle emerald light, the last vestiges of contamination vanished, leaving behind a soul… cleansed and whole.
"DONE!"
"Such ease!" He was amazed. This Buddhist Pill Gourd was indeed a powerful relic!
The Gourd's mouth opened and a purified Soul Consciousness emerged, but it was smaller now.
"Hmm. It seems those poisons truly were potent. But at least it's clean now." Raphael wasted no time and absorbed the soul.
His Cosmic Mind Sea resonated. And a familiar tingling sensation had his focus returning inwards, towards the blue sun at its core as the soul was directed to orbit its center.
After refining that essence into a Soul Planet, he eagerly tried to incorporate this planet into the vacant spots on his 'Astro Soul Orbital', however, it wouldn't work. He'd tried countless times, pushing, forcing, but to no avail.
Each time, that planet trembled violently as if repelling his will!
BOOM!
"Damn!"
One particularly forceful attempt had his Soul Orbital buzzing with an energy that he knew well, a premonition of a spectacular backlash. It would erase the soul completely.
This realization forced him to abandon that dream. It wasn't meant to be.
"That damned discrepancy between those cultivation methods!" He could almost hear Shao Jin's bellowing laughter at his failure, for this was a human's way, something a proud, ancient bull wouldn't attempt.
His options were limited. He'd already wasted so much time refining this. "What do I do with it now?" he whispered into that vastness of galaxies and stars.
Then an audacious idea, an insane gamble appeared.
"What if… I turn it into a 'Soul Moon'?"
He carefully maneuvered that planet towards his Shadow Blood Soul Planet. "Surely, with enough pressure… I can force it into orbit."
He began compressing the soul's essences, shrinking it, but the process was proving more difficult than he'd expected. His initial attempt at simply pushing, like he'd done earlier had the soul screaming.
"ARGHHH! NOOOO!" It shrieked. The memory of her demise resurfaced.
He was crushing her!
"Damn…!" Raphael had to find another solution, otherwise, this soul would vanish! He wouldn't let this hard-earned prize be wasted.
He observed those two other bodies – The 'Shadow Blood Planet' and its radiant Soul Moon, then, "What if… I create a path for it? Like a gate?"
Using a portion of his blue Sun's energy, he carefully began weaving those golden and black energies into an intricate web that formed a large spherical grid above that soul, and then carefully began directing that soul toward it, bit by bit until finally it locked in place.
BOOM!
A radial wave had his Cosmic Mind Sea vibrating but instead of shattering, it pulsated with delight. He was successful! However, his creation was unstable! It would take time and effort to prevent these bodies from annihilating each other.
For three days straight, Raphael remained in his meditative state, diligently sculpting a new path, a celestial road for his newest acquisition. His spirit energy took charge, coaxing, pushing, and molding that Soul Planet until finally…
"Haa…"
He let out a contented sigh. The task was complete!
…
"That was exhausting." Raphael's eyes snapped open. Below him was a pool of water. It had a subtle sweet, metallic scent.
"What's this? It looks like…."
He'd been so absorbed in his Cosmic Mind Sea that he hadn't realized his body had sweat so much, that a large pool of water had formed.
A comforting voice entered his ears: "It's your sweat, Raphael. Don't worry, I've absorbed the excess water and the harmful essence it contain into my roots. That water should be suitable for drinking if you want to."
"Oh, thanks, Grandma…"
"Tell me, young bull. How did the assimilation process go?"
With an arrogant smirk, Raphael summoned his Soul Orbital. He wanted her to see his achievement. He wanted Thienika to be amazed by his ingenuity and strength.
WHOOSH!
"Hmmm…!" Thienika gazed upon his magnificent Soul Orbital with disbelief.
"A Soul Orbital? But… but that's…"
"It is the way humans cultivate. How…?"
She'd never encountered anything like it! A beast who could utilize a human's soul-refinement technique. Both Beast Cultivation and Human Cultivation Dao?
She focused her perception. "And… Is that… A Soul Planet? But how? That's truly impossible!" Then her surprise deepened, "It has a Soul Moon and what is THAT?"
Raphael felt his heart racing, but this time it was from pure excitement. Those praises he'd craved were about to be showered upon him!
He couldn't hold back his grin. He had her truly baffled.
"That, Grandma Thienika, is a Soul Satellite!"
"S…S… Soul…Satellite?" she repeated. A dreadful chill went up her ancient roots. Her voice, always so confident and firm, now shook as if the wind itself was questioning her very existence. She felt extremely old.
"A-aah… Truly, a genius you are, young bull. A Soul Satellite. Such a magnificent invention… truly something…"
"HAHAHA! Thank you, Grandma! But there's more…" Raphael's monstrous head dipped down to conceal his blush.
He quickly canceled his Soul Orbital and summoned Zhu Jian who eagerly unfurled. A list of his new abilities had appeared:
…
Logia Mist: Emits a thick, swirling purple fog capable of disorienting, stunning, and even trapping targets within terrifying, individualized illusions.
Purple Blood Nest: A massive, pulsating nest crafted from a horrifying mixture of shadow essence, blood magic, and potent toxins. Within it, a monstrous entity is currently gestating.
"That… what's that? I feel something dangerous about this…"
Hallow Fate Enigma: Conjures multiple dark red Circular Spell Diagrams that launches a variety of weapons – swords, spears, axes – crafted from condensed blood, shadow, and acid. These weapons not only strike with physical force, but also gradually poison their targets.
"Oh, Magnificent!"
Blood Drain: A touch-based attack that sucks blood out of target with your horns. The drained blood then replenishes your own 'Blood Pool'.
Crimson Storm Vortex: conjure multiple bloody vortexes that pull and crushes even the hardest defenses!
Blood Pool Upgrade: Capacity increase tenfold!
"Even more stamina! Truly something!"
Shadow Wings Upgrade: Capacity Increase, can now hold 500 bats.