Vol. 2 Ch. 7 Immortal Soul Artefact

Aditya teleported out of the space world and appeared back in Aditi's room. He then exited her room and locked it. Glancing around the hallway, he noticed rooms on both sides. Aditya continued down the hallway where he encountered several cultivators in the Nascent Soul realm discussing the competition scheduled for the next day. Many of them were enthusiastic young cultivators from the Core Formation realm, eager to participate.

Passing his own room, Aditya proceeded forward and, after a few seconds, arrived at the room where his maids and guards resided.

*KNOCK*

He knocked on the door. After a few moments, Chinki opened it.

"Young master, welcome," Chikni cheerfully invited Aditya inside.

Aditya entered the room and embraced her. Chikni had a voluptuous body, which Aditya had always admired. She was unfailingly obedient and devoted to him.

"Young master, the others are in the room," Chikni whispered softly.

"It's all right; they'll get used to it," Aditya assured her as he continued hugging her for a few minutes.

After some time, he stepped back and surveyed the room. To the left, there was a bathroom, a double bed in the center, and several mattresses on the floor. It seemed the guards had arranged the mattresses for sleeping that night. The room also contained tables, sofas, and other pieces of furniture. Beyond the bed was a balcony with a glass gate, allowing Aditya to glimpse the rising sun.

Sheila was seated on the sofa, sipping tea. Upon Aditya's entrance, she stood up and greeted him with folded hands. "Namaste, young master," Aditya nodded in response.

The four guards also greeted him with "Namaste" and awaited further instructions. Aditya continued to hold Chikni's left hand and caress it, while the guards watched Aditya with envy, wishing they were in Chikni's place.

Sheila, too, anticipated another dual cultivation session with Aditya. In a few months, she had progressed from the Foundation realm to the Peak of Core Formation, all thanks to dual cultivation with Aditya. She looked at Aditya with anticipation.

Aditya turned his attention to the four guards and said, "Ladies, I have a secret that could empower you. I have already shared it with Chikni and Sheila, and my grandfather is also aware of it. I can also reveal this secret to you, but I will need to employ a special technique to ensure you won't betray me in the future. Are you ladies willing to allow me to perform this technique on you?"

The guards contemplated this for a few minutes and eventually agreed. Aditya approached the first guard and said, "I will begin now. It will take a few minutes, and you will feel my soul energy entering your mind."

Aditya had acquired the Soul Master skill from the System, allowing him to use this technique on cultivators one major realm lower than himself or on cultivators who willingly consented, even if they had a higher cultivation level. The skill enabled Aditya to examine, search, remove, or even subdue another cultivator's soul.

He concentrated and directed his soul energy out of his body, guiding it toward the first guard's mind. Upon entering her mind, Aditya observed millions of small white orbs interconnected like a network; these were her memories and consciousness. Aditya initiated the technique, enclosing all of these orbs within a membrane, as dictated by the Soul Master skill. After several minutes, all the orbs were safely encased within a blue, transparent membrane. If a powerful cultivator attempted to read the guard's mind using a soul technique, the membrane would protect her memories, rendering them inaccessible.

Aditya withdrew and said, "Now, your memories are safe from other cultivators' soul techniques. You are also unable to betray my secrets; otherwise, you will not feel any different."

"Thank you, young master," the guard replied with a smile and stepped back. Aditya then repeated the process with the other three guards.

Aditya turned to the guards and maids, saying, "Now, let me show you an amazing place where Spirit Qi is approximately ten times denser than here."

"What?" one of the guards exclaimed in disbelief. The North region already had Spirit Qi approximately ten times denser than the South region, and Aditya claimed to have a place with Spirit Qi ten times denser than the North region, meaning it was a hundred times denser than the South region. The guards found it difficult to believe.

"Young master is telling the truth; you'll see," Chikni assured them cheerfully.

Aditya enveloped everyone with his soul energy and then teleported them to the space world. They appeared just outside Aditya's manor.

BOOM

"Wow!" the guards exclaimed at the sudden teleportation, their eyes widening at the sight of the new world.

"Ladies, Chikni and Sheila will show you around this space world and explain more things. I need to go cultivate, as tomorrow is the sect competition," Aditya informed them.

"Young master, I will take care of it. You can go on," Chikni assured him. Sheila nodded in agreement.

Aditya teleported again and arrived on the first floor. Several room doors were closed, each with a formation indicating that the cultivators inside were engaged in cultivation. Four rooms were closed, signifying that Riya, Siya, Sonia, and Diana were cultivating.

Sonia was a cat girl whom Aditya had met in Sun City. They were friends, and Aditya was still getting to know her better. She had a fondness for shiny things, and Aditya had gifted her numerous pieces of jewelry.

Diana, on the other hand, was a fox girl with silver hair and silver eyes. Aditya had not seen her face because she always wore a mask. They were friendly but not particularly close.

Aditya selected an empty room and entered. After closing the door, he activated the room's formation. The room was spacious, measuring approximately 50 feet by 50 feet with a height of 20 feet. Aditya sat on a mat in a full lotus position with his legs crossed.

"Let's check the Immortal Soul Artefact," he said.

He retrieved the Soul Artefact from the System's space. The artefact was a white spherical pearl, radiating an otherworldly glow and measuring about 1 cm in radius.

"System, how do I bond with it?" Aditya asked.

[The host needs to envelop the Soul Artefact with his soul energy and attempt to bond with it. If the artefact accepts the host's energy, you will be bonded to it.]

Aditya nodded and began directing his soul energy. A white, smoke-like energy emanated from him and enveloped the pearl in his right hand. He continued supplying energy to the pearl, and some of it entered the pearl and disappeared.

After ten minutes of continuous supply, Aditya suddenly found himself transported to a small white room. An old, transparent figure sat inside, with a long white beard, long hair, and traditional Chinese attire.

"Welcome, fellow Daoist," the man greeted Aditya with a slight bow.

Aditya was taken aback by this sudden shift and the presence of the old man within the artefact.

"Fellow Daoist," Aditya replied, bowing in return.

"I am Li Tian Ji, the last master of this Soul Artefact. Fellow Daoist, I have a request for you, and then you may have this artefact. Otherwise, I will not allow you to bond with it," Li Tian Ji said.

Aditya considered the request carefully, not eager to agree to any stranger's request regarding an Immortal artefact.

"What is your request?" he asked.

"I am from the Li clan of the White Star Planet in the 1st Immortal realm. I want you to visit my planet and save my fellow clansmen when you reach a sufficient cultivation level. That's my only request. My clan was attacked by the Ji clan about a hundred years ago, and I died. A small part of my soul escaped using this artefact," Li Tian Ji explained sincerely.

"So, you want me to save your clansmen rather than exact revenge on the Ji clan," Aditya clarified.

"I would be content if you save my clansmen. Killing my enemies is not my priority. As one reaches higher levels, death becomes a part of life, but I still wish to rescue my clansmen from annihilation," Li Tian Ji stated.

"All right, I accept your request. Do I need to make a Heaven oath to confirm this?" Aditya asked.

"No, your word is sufficient. If you break your word, this artefact will leave you," Li Tian Ji assured him as he began to dissipate.

"What are you doing?" Aditya inquired as the old man vanished.

"I am departing this world. I am only a small consciousness. After I leave, you will be able to bond with the artefact. The alligator also attempted to bond with it, but I prevented it," Li Tian Ji explained before completely disappearing.

Aditya found himself back in the cultivation chamber. His soul energy still enveloped the pearl. After a few moments, the energy started to enter the pearl, and Aditya continued supplying more energy. The pearl transitioned from white to light blue, and Aditya felt a connection to the pearl through his Nascent Soul.

BOOM

A loud sound rang out, signaling that Aditya had successfully bonded with the pearl. The pearl moved and entered Aditya's dantian without any bloodshed, bypassing his stomach and settling in the Dantian region. Upon entering, it approached Aditya's Nascent Soul and floated near it, connected by a white link. Aditya sensed a pure golden energy transferring to his Nascent Soul, enhancing his strength without the need for cultivation.

[Ding! The Soul Artefact is supplying pure soul energy to your Nascent Soul, helping the host grow in power. What would have taken you a year to cultivate can now be achieved in just one month.]

Aditya marveled at the pearl's power. Even with his formidable Divine-level cultivation, it would take him at least one month to advance by one minor realm in the Nascent Soul stage. For higher levels in Nascent Soul, it might take six months or even a year. His grandfather had required five years to progress from the 8th Level to the 9th Level. Aditya had been fortunate to experience two breakthroughs in Nascent Soul due to the almost two-year gap in cultivation while in the Immortal inheritance location.

With the artefact, he could reach the Peak of Nascent Soul in one year or less, which excited him greatly.

[The artefact will also protect the host's Nascent Soul from any cultivation below the Immortal realm, ensuring that you cannot be killed by anyone below Immortal realm cultivation. Your Nascent Soul will be safe.]

Aditya was both surprised and pleased with this additional benefit. He continued to supply energy to the pearl and strengthen the bond between his Nascent Soul and the artefact. He wasn't certain if the pearl had more advantages due to being an Immortal artefact.

Aditya continued supplying energy and studying the pearl, unaware that the next morning had arrived.

[Ding! Host, today is the day of the sect competition. You need to stop supplying energy to the pearl.]

"What? It's already the next day?" Aditya exclaimed and ceased the energy supply. He rose and left the chamber, realizing that the sect competition was scheduled for that day. He was eager to participate and meet cultivators from across the Eastern continent.