After a well-deserved day of rest, Yu Han finally resumed his training. He had successfully absorbed the energy of the soul fragment, which would serve to awaken his aspect, one of the Five Principles.
"Alright, now I'll have to train for three months and two weeks since I spent just as much time absorbing the fragment's energy."
While resting, Yu Han noticed something peculiar: his soul core was different than before. He felt an additional power, as if several cores had been added to his own. Upon resuming his meditation, he confirmed his suspicion. Three new cores, green in color, rotated around his main one—a reflection of the soul fragment's hue that he had absorbed.
"Interesting... I knew something felt off.
- But how am I supposed to use this?!
- My core absorbed the fragment's energy, but I have no clue how to utilize it!
Xiu Baok, you're the worst teacher ever!"
The young man sighed before deciding to meditate instead of complaining further.
Hours passed, yet no progress was made. Yu Han still couldn't tap into the energy of the cores orbiting his own.
"This is such a nightmare... how do I fix this?"
He spent a long time pondering how he could improve, but his efforts were in vain. Unable to find any answers, he decided to rest.
"Thinking back... how did I even manage to defeat all those demonic beasts?
I nearly died fighting just one, yet I still managed to kill so many afterward..."
He glanced at his scarred palm.
"And that guy who appeared out of nowhere... who was he?"
Questions swirled endlessly in Yu Han's mind, as always, without clear answers.
He pulled out a few pills from his bag, foul-smelling and bitter as ever, but they still replenished his strength.
The next day, Yu Han dedicated the entire day to meditation, but again, no progress was made. Yet, he persisted. For a whole month, he repeated this routine without any signs of advancement.
To break the monotony, he incorporated physical training into his regimen. He didn't want to lose his edge in martial arts or let his physical condition deteriorate.
Time flew by unnoticed, and a week had passed with no breakthroughs.
"Damn it, what am I doing wrong?!"
Lying on the ground, drenched in his own sweat, he felt exhausted and frustrated. He decided to end his meditation for the day.
"If I keep this up, I'll never awaken... and I'll never evolve."
Yu Han yawned.
"Alright, I'll pick it up tomorrow..."
He fell asleep shortly afterward.
...
A dream.
The same dream that Zhou Chen had been experiencing since inhabiting Yu Han's body—the same black mist. But this time, there was only one massive, towering door. Its surface was adorned with black dragon motifs, and a small, insignificant-looking man stood before it, holding nothing but a staff.
Yu Han studied the door from top to bottom, and after two long minutes of hesitation, he finally decided to open it.
The room beyond was dimly lit, shrouded in the same oppressive atmosphere as the black mist that seemed to engulf him. Yu Han ventured deeper into the shadows, surrounded by a semi-darkness that offered no sense of boundary.
The room appeared endless, each step he took making it seem as though the space stretched farther.
Suddenly, a violet flame ignited to his right. Then another, and another, until multiple flames illuminated the area.
What was revealed was not a room but a vast, elongated hall. Massive pillars stood at each corner, and pedestals holding the violet flames lined the hall every few meters.
"What is this place?"
Yu Han's attention was drawn to the far end of the hall.
There stood a man—neither too young nor too old—his face obscured by a hood. He wore a robe made of panther skin that draped over his waist, flowing down to his legs.
In his hand, he held a sword forged from a peculiar metal resembling jade.
The man kept his gaze lowered, seemingly oblivious to Yu Han's presence.
Yu Han remained silent for a moment before finally speaking:
"Who... are you?"
The man didn't respond, instead raising his sword toward Yu Han.
"Wait, are we supposed to—"
Before Yu Han could finish his sentence, the man appeared before him in a flash, the sword's tip already pressing against his chest.
"This... speed...?! How is it possible?!"
But it was too late. The blade pierced his chest, exiting through his back. The pain was excruciating. Was this really a dream? How could he feel such agony?
Blood dripped from Yu Han's mouth, trailing down his chin. His gaze dimmed, the light in his eyes fading until it vanished entirely.
"Damn it... is dying in a dream really this horrifying?"
He lifted his eyes toward the man who had impaled him.
"You bastard... don't worry, I'll come back and get my revenge..."
The man pulled out the sword, sheathing it after wiping away Yu Han's blood. Yu Han collapsed onto the ground, defeated. His vision turned black as he closed his eyes.
...
Yu Han woke up with a start, sweat streaming down his face. He sighed before lying back on the ground.
"That dream... it felt so real..."
He placed a hand on his chest, checking to ensure there was no wound like in the dream.
Shortly after, he resumed meditating. When he examined his energy channels, panic filled his eyes. The violet flames he had sealed away had reawakened, consuming the soul particles surrounding his body.
"Damn it! How?!
If these flames continue, they'll completely burn my spiritual channels, and I'll die."
"I need to act fast, or else..."
Oddly, this time, the flames didn't hurt him as they had before. He could barely feel them.
"What's happening...
It's like the flames are replacing my spiritual channels.
Could it be..."
He paused, closing his eyes again.
"There's only one way to find out."
He took deep breaths, and ten minutes later, an unimaginable surge of energy burst from his body, tearing through every corner of the room.
"Yes, that's it!"
The more energy he released, the more the walls of the room cracked and splintered.
Eventually, the massive energy wave subsided, and Yu Han opened his eyes, taking in the damage he had caused.
Deep gashes marred the walls, leaving him both surprised and impressed. But what truly shocked him was the dark aura now enveloping his body.
"Have I awakened...?"
[Not quite, Master...]
"What... who's there?!"
A small, violet creature floated in the air before Yu Han. It had large, hollow white eyes and three glowing white dots on its forehead, impossible to ignore. The creature stared intensely at Yu Han.
"Who are you?!"
[I am your spiritual servant, Byeok, Master.]
"My... spiritual servant?"
The creature nodded.
[Unfortunately, I must appear in this form due to your limited spiritual energy. But don't worry—once you regain your former strength, I will recover mine as well.]
"Wait... you know me?"
The creature remained silent. Though it had no mouth, Yu Han could sense its hesitation.
[Yes and no, Master. I only remember that one of your previous incarnations gave me life, but I don't know which one or how.]
"Why have you forgotten such things?"
[My memories are connected to yours. In a way, we are bound together.]
"I see... so you can't give me any answers..."
The creature nodded again.
[But I can still offer guidance and assist you when needed.]
"Perfect, because I need informations!
Why are my spiritual channels violet?
Why are you only appearing now, and not when I first woke up in this body?
Who is Younshoul, and who are the other Apostles?
And what are the Seven Celestial Heavens?!"
Byeok lowered his gaze, overwhelmed by the flood of questions.
[Let's start with the simplest. As you might have guessed, your spiritual channels are this color because you practiced demonic arts in your past lives.]
Yu Han remained silent, shocked by Byeok's response, even though he had suspected as much.
"And do you know why...?"
[No, Master, I don't. As I said, my memories are tied to yours. I only know the essentials.]
Yu Han clenched his fists in frustration, angered and disgusted with himself.
"Why would I have done such a thing...?"
He looked back at Byeok.
[As for the rest, well...]
"That's enough for now."
[Are you sure?]
Byeok asked cautiously.
"Yes, don't worry. For now, just tell me how I can awaken."