Chapter 441: Pseudo-Accomplished Demon

From Gu Song's laboratory, the Death Energy circling Cao Yun, the Black Heart Flame still corroding Gu Song's body and even the Heart Reversing Tormentor all went toward Cao Yun's Bai Hui. The Gate of the Hundred Convergences opened as much as it could and swallowed in everything. All of those entered Cao Yun's Upper Dantian. Then, they were quickly pulled in into his sea of consciousness as they were all forms of energy related one way or another to the soul.

As mush as Cao Yun had control over them when they were outside, once inside, they were completely under his command. In fact, controlling them felt as natural as controlling his own Qi. And with a mere thought, they began to attack Gu Song's Soul Embryo. The demonic cultivator had forsaken his flesh and steeled his resolve to accept a shorter lifespan. And yet what had tormented him earlier was back with a vengeance. With his soul extracted from it, his Soul Embryo was barely able to put up a fight. Although it was fully awaken, it had not been synchronized with Gu Song's soul. Right now, it was still like a newborn.

There was still one thing to deal with when it came to Gu Song, but it would be for later. Cao Yun's main concern at the moment was the Flying Poison. Even with dozens of chains stabbed in it, the inner demon was still dangerous. After all, it had been able to heavily injure a 4th-grade Spirit Warrior during a soul battle. Without his Drop of Wrath, Cao Yun had no way of even fighting a soul battle. Besides, he was forced to use all his influence on the Drop of Wrath to prevent the Flying Poison to take over and to keep the chains under his control. And his soul and mind were both weakened because of the terrible fight.

Even now, the sea and the skies were in turmoil. In the infinite space, there were still scars left behind by Gu Song's scythe. They were forming giant thin walls of black glass in suspension in the air. Without the Drop of Wrath's help, Cao Yun was sure he could deal with them. Anyway, either he would subdue the Flying Poison or he would die. So once everything was over, all those scars would be dealt with.

If that was absolutely necessary, he still had some Autumn and Springs Reviving pills. But he already had remnants of the medicinal essence from the Gushing Argent Well pill he had stolen from Gu Song. Unfortunately, this pill could only restore the Qi and the physical body. Against mental fatigue or a depleted soul, it was powerless. However, like any other pill, it had some toxins now in Cao Yun's system. Unlike other alchemists, Cao Yun was very reluctant to add any more toxins in his body, even if it helped his cultivation. He had always thought like that, but his master Meng Jia had engraved it even more in his mind.

The Flying Poison was struggling as much as it could. Without any regard for its shape, it literally ripped apart its own limbs in order to escape the bloody chains. Unfortunately, the bloody chains were always restricting him. By struggling, the enraged creature completely tore apart one of its shoulders. Before it could reform another arm though, the bloody chains penetrated its shoulder and its severed arm. Along the entire chain, there were small spikes. If the Flying Poison had been made of flesh and real blood, Cao Yun could imagine the horrible spectacle that would have been. The mangled body of the demon was only being kept together by the chains, preventing it from reforming itself without the chains stabbed in it.

Seeing that, Cao Yun couldn't stop himself from imagining Axiu Qian's last moments. He had been stabbed and held in place by chains made of gold, silver and jade. Ironically, the chains Cao Yun was using right now came from Cao Yun's own blood. They were the very chains used by an Accomplished Demon to keep their Demon Soul under control. Thus, they were particularly efficient against the Flying Poison since it was a fragment of Axiu Qian's Demon Soul.

Slowly, the chains pulled the Flying Poison toward the Nine Soul Peaks. As it was being pulled closer and closer to the Drop of Wrath, it was getting more and more violent. Along the chains, its rotten green hair was trying to grow. It looked like moss and rust eating up at the bloody chain. The moment the Flying Poison finally crossed the threshold of the Nine Soul Peaks, the vibrant green light from the vines of the world tree shined on the chains. All that rot was dissipated. In fact, even the green hair covering the Flying Poison started to disappear as well.

More frantically than ever, the Flying Poison was trying to get away from the Nine Soul Peaks. But the chains were getting stronger as they were closer to the Drop of Wrath which had birthed them. Cao Yun's influence on them also grew. At the same time the Flying Poison was being weakened, Cao Yun's influence within the Drop of Wrath was growing. The Po character within the blood was shining and the bright red of Axiu Qian's blood was radiating on the Five Agents and the Nine Soul Peaks. Helped with the vines of the world tree, a great vitality was spreading through Cao Yun's mind.

This place was the very center of his sea of consciousness, although it was infinite. This contradiction was not a problem for a land that wasn't physical and only existed within Cao Yun's Upper Dantian.

Just like Dian Mo before, the Flying Poison found itself chained down to one of the nine pillars. This time around, Cao Yun had chosen the pillar related to the Chamber of Moving Pearls. This particular chamber's role was to keep the mind balanced. When dealing with such raw anger, the young alchemist had thought it appropriate. And indeed, it was working as the Flying Poison was getting weaker and weaker.

Besides the chains, the vines themselves also began to grow over the Flying Poison's struggling body. Now that it was weakened and completely at Cao Yun's mercy, he had to subdue it for good so he could control the Drop of Wrath. Although the chains were able to keep it trapped for now, he wanted a more permanent solution. In the fourth layer of 'Sealing the Seven Demons in the Nine Peaks', 'Seal the Seven Demons', one could use the Nine Soul Peaks to seal the seven parts of the Po. Most likely, it was a way for the author to make forming the Demon Soul easier. If the seven parts of the Po had already been subdued and trapped, turning them into Turbid Demons to then merge them together would be less risky and even faster.

According to the cultivation of demons, one of the ways to subdue those Seven Turbid Demons would be to apply powerful and complex Blood Runes within them. After all, demons and asura alike had no meridian or Dantian, their Qi was circulating in their blood. Unfortunately, Cao Yun had not formed the Golden Blood yet as he was still a middle Blood Child. However, he had many other things he could use. First of all, he had the blood from the Drop of Wrath, he had also the Death Energy and the Black Heart Flame now. Besides, he had trained a very long time with Dian Mo to master the art of seals. Although he wasn't as good as Dian Mo who had had thousands of years to train, he was still good enough to beat Gu Song's seals.

As the Flying Poison was weakened to such an extent, it was the perfect moment to apply a seal to it. The Five Agents rose back into the air now that the fight was over, except for Po the Metal Corporeal Soul. Shen the Fire Spirit sent its flames all around the Five Agents. Yi the Earth Intent's golden light was focused on the Po. Zhi the Water Will let out several heavy drop of a liquid metal that went orbiting around the Po. And finally, Hun the Wood Ethereal Soul was pulsating with green light along with the vines of the world tree.

Po the Metal Corporeal Soul looked like a polished bone that had now a golden aura around it. The onyx drops of Zhi the Water Will stopped moving and went straight for the Flying Poison. The Po character that was within the Drop of Wrath was moving exactly like the other one. No matter how much it was trying to move around, the Flying Poison could not escape. Then, the Black Heart Flame began to attack its chest. As it screamed, the drops of Zhi sizzled when they touched its skin. From the Drop of Wrath itself, Evil Qi and blood went down to help the process.

On the inner demon's chest, Cao Yun's will was branding it with a seal looking exactly like his Po character. At the same time, the bone fragments surrounding this very Po character began to fuse together. Finally, Cao Yun was about to accomplish the first step of 'Subdue the Seven Demons', the third layer of his mind cultivation. Every piece of his Po of Jing had been extracted from his Po character. And now, it was orbiting it as a planet would orbit a star.

Powerless against Cao Yun's will, the Flying Poison was branded for good. Some of the bloody chains dissolved themselves within the creature. It was now being contained from the inside. And finally, the young cultivator sensed that the Flying Poison's connection with the Drop of Wrath was completely gone. For the first time, Cao Yun was controlling it fully. His Po of Jing had replaced the Flying Poison of Axiu Qian. However, Cao Yun had no intention of annihilating the Flying Poison.

Right now, this was a unique situation. Even Dian Mo was curious. To become an Accomplished Demon, one had to turn their Po of Jing into a Turbid Demon to then subdue it. However Cao Yun had not subdued his own Turbid Demon, but the one of someone else. So they were both curious as to what it would mean for Cao Yun's blood cultivation.

In his body, he felt the full vigor of the Drop of Wrath. Now, he could even move it around in his body instead of leaving it in his heart. Of course, he had no reason to do so right now, but it would be very helpful for his blood cultivation. Instead of just sending its intent, he could send the drop of blood itself.

Within his sea of consciousness, the Flying Poison disappeared within the stone pillar. The only proof that he was ever there was the very seal Cao Yun had planted within it. But now, he could feel its presence at all times and he knew he had some control over it. Then it hit him. He had developed some form of spiritual senses. Those senses were reserved to either Spirit Warriors or Accomplished Demons. By sending a part of their soul outside, they could sense things no mortal could. This was only possible because Spirit Warriors had formed a Soul Embryo and because Accomplished Demons had started to form their Demon Soul.

Even if Cao Yun was not able to send his own soul outside as it wouldn't survive the process, he could send the Flying Poison. After all, it was still a part of Axiu Qian's soul even though it was corrupted and fragmented. Until that moment, he had often used the intent of the Drop of Wrath mixed in his Qi to improve his senses. But now, he could literally use the Flying Poison. Unfortunately, it was indeed corrupted so it wouldn't be as good as true spiritual senses and since he had the creature on a leash, he couldn't send it too far. Anyway, having even partial spiritual senses as an early Mortal Warrior was just insane.

Now that he had subdued the Flying Poison, Cao Yun had another matter to deal with, Gu Song's soul. His Soul Embryo had been completely destroyed by the onslaught of the Flying Poison and then the somber energies Cao Yun had used against it.

The Black Heart Flame was way more effective now that it was within his sea of consciousness. Apparently, it was reacting to the Rune of Fire. Later, he would have to study them together. But for now, he was ready to follow Dian Mo's instructions. Indeed, he was the most suited to extract all of Gu Song's memories without destroying them. First of all though, they had to eradicate the seals within his soul before they could consume him entirely. Like almost all demonic cultivators, even Gu Song had those kinds of seals within his soul.

"Dian Mo, this is your time to shine."

The Palace Spirit was brought back to reality by Cao Yun's words. The scene he had just witnessed had left him a bit stunned indeed. Now, the Drop of Wrath belonged to Cao Yun. And after seeing it in all of its glory, Dian Mo had to admit he truly desired it. Maybe he didn't have to take over Cao Yun's body, besides he liked the boy now, but his greed for Axiu Qian's blood grew.

For now though, he decided to do as he had promised. He and Cao Yun had made a deal and he intended to keep his word. Dian Mo's spirit was in the shape of the Demon Palace. From its entrance, only darkness was visible. Like a black hole, this darkness began to suck in the soul of Gu Song. No matter what he tried to do, he couldn't protect himself. After all, his Soul Embryo had just been destroyed. Technically Gu Song was now a mere mortal as even his Dantian had been ruptured. All his cultivation was gone and soon his very soul would be annihilated as well.

Knowing that there was no hope, Gu Song decided to activate the seal in his soul before any memory could be extracted from him. However, it was too late, Dian Mo had already sent his intent within the soul. Expertly, he got rid of any trace of the seal. Then, he simply had to perform of Soul Memory Search. For a spirit like himself, there was nothing easier to do to a soul. In fact, when he was doing so, the risks of the soul being heavily injured were extremely low. However, he didn't really care right now. Instead of being careful, he was quick.

In one move, he took out all of Gu song's memory and completely ripped apart his very soul before digesting it.