18: Chapter 18 Divine Soul Lotus Seed

This bead was precisely Wang Chongyang's ultimate treasure, the heaven-covering bead.

This item had neither offensive nor defensive capabilities; its sole function was to isolate Divine Sense detection, making it an excellent Magical Artifact for killing others to seize treasures and keeping one's actions hidden.

Hu Shan's expression changed drastically, finally realizing something was amiss, and he shouted angrily, "Wang Chongyang! What are you trying to do? Are you going to commit murder right in front of this official? Do you want to offend the State of Yue?"

Wang Chongyang laughed heartily, his palm momentum growing even fiercer as crimson flames filled the sky, yet he said with a chuckle,

"Brother Hu, what kind of talk is this? This old man said it would end at the touch, so naturally I won't offend the State of Yue. Furthermore, I am well aware of Brother Hu's background; if the State of Yue hears about this, they might not necessarily side with you. Brother Hu, take my move!"

"You!" Hu Shan was incensed. He had originally been an outer Sect deacon of the Spirit Sword Sect. Back then, the Spirit Sword Sect and the State of Yue had engaged in a game of chess, contending for control of the territory.

Because he had offended a Sect Prodigy, he had been sent to this godforsaken place to serve as a county magistrate.

For Wang Chongyang to bring up past events again now was no different from tearing open his old scars.

Wang Chongyang struck out with another palm, forcing Hu Shan to fully urge his ancient bronze mirror for defense.

Although Hu Shan was in the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment, his cultivation was a cut above Wang Chongyang's, but Wang Chongyang's reckless fighting style prevented him from breaking away for the moment.

Within the enshrouding gray fog.

The boy stood in place, his whole body tense.

He could not see the situation outside; his vision was blocked by the gray fog, and only a muffled, lifeless silence remained by his ears, not even allowing the wind to pass through.

But he knew someone had come.

The footsteps were very light, landing on the blood-stained bluestone slabs, step by step, unhurriedly.

The gray fog silently parted to both sides, and a figure in white walked out from the fog—none other than Wang Shouren.

"What are you going to do?"

His voice was trembling. He wanted to back away, but fear made his legs feel as though they were filled with lead, unable to take even half a step forward.

He wanted to shift his gaze away, but those eyes pinned him in place like nails.

Wang Shouren looked down at him and smiled slightly.

"Granting you an Opportunity."

The boy saw the black lotus between that person's brow suddenly bloom.

The petals unfurled outward layer by layer, and a faint, extremely dim light lit up deep within the lotus heart, resembling the pupil of an abyss opening its eyes.

Then, a lotus seed floated out from that dim light.

It was only the size of a rice grain, pitch-black all over, with dim light flowing across its surface, resembling a miniature heart throbbing faintly.

The boy stared at that lotus seed, his heartbeat pounding against his chest like a battle drum.

He did not know what it was, but the hairs on his back stood on end and his scalp tingled, feeling just like prey being targeted by a predator.

"You—"

He only had time to utter a single word.

A streak of black light sank into his brow. There was no pain, which made it even more terrifying; he clearly sensed that something had burrowed into his brain.

That thing traveled inward along his brow, passing through his skull and through his Sea of Consciousness.

He was nine years old and had yet to enter the gates of Qi Refining, not understanding what a Divine Soul was, but at this moment, for the first time in his life, he perceived its existence.

That lotus seed slowly descended onto his Divine Soul.

He began to tremble and spasm violently. A fine crack split open on the lotus seed, and a black root thinner than a hair stretched out, plunging into the interior of his Divine Soul.

Then came the second and the third. The black roots spread deep within his Divine Soul, like vines crawling all over a wall.

His body began to twitch uncontrollably, and all his five senses failed completely in that instant. The world turned into a realm of absolute nothingness, leaving only a black lotus slowly blooming.

The sudden change had come abruptly, yet in reality, it occurred entirely in a split second.

By the time he saw light again, his body had stopped trembling, and his two hands, still maintaining the posture of resistance from just now, slowly drooped down.

Wang Shouren looked at those eyes with considerable curiosity.

"Is it over just like that? This feeling... it's as if I can see through all his secrets."

He leaned down, moved close to the boy's ear, and softly spoke a sentence.

The boy's eyelids trembled sharply.

He blinked twice, looking perplexedly at the face in front of him.

He remembered who this person was, yet he could not remember what had happened just a moment ago.

"What are you going to do? County Lord is right outside. No matter what you say, I will not agree to you! You are the enemy who killed my parents!"

Wang Shouren lowered his body, bringing his gaze level with the boy's.

"Remember, the Wang family is not your enemy."

Confusion lingered in the boy's eyes, and his lips moved as if repeating a matter-of-course principle: "The Wang family is my friend, not my enemy."

Wang Shouren observed his expression, a trace of contemplation flashing in his eyes.

After a moment, he spoke softly once more: "Forget the memories concerning me."

The boy blinked, his brows furrowing slightly as if he hadn't understood: "What did you say?"

"Memories truly cannot be forgotten." Wang Shouren pondered inwardly.

The lotus seed had just been planted, so the power of control was limited; it could not yet erase memories at will.

However, this was already enough. He had never intended to turn this child into a marionette; if the County Lord discovered that this kid had been modified into a Puppet by him, there would inevitably be repercussions.

More importantly, a Puppet capable of thinking and judging was far more useful than a mere shell that only knew how to obey orders.

Wang Shouren straightened his body and took one final look at those eyes.

The lotus seed had entered the soul, and the Dao Heart was now under control. From then on, this boy would Cultivate, grow stronger, and carefully weigh the pros and cons at every critical juncture.

He would never imagine that the decisions he made after repeated deliberation were precisely what the black lotus wanted.

"A lightning attribute Single Spiritual Root. In the future, the techniques he Cultivates in the Sect will all be what I need. This time, I've made a huge profit."

Just at that moment, Wang Chongyang's voice pierced through the gray fog, reaching his ears with a hint of urgency: "Shouren, are you done yet? This old man can't hold on much longer!"

Wang Shouren's expression remained unchanged as he quickly reached out and grabbed the boy's shoulder, tightening his five fingers.

'Snap.'

The sound of breaking bones came over. The boy's eye sockets instantly turned red, and Wang Shouren leaned down to whisper a sentence to him.

"Put on an act of being coerced by me, quickly."

The boy struggled desperately, his face full of fear as his body continuously shrank backward, his voice carrying a sob piercing through the gray fog.

The gray fog suddenly dissipated.

The heaven-covering bead flew backward and landed back into Wang Chongyang's sleeve.

Wang Chongyang's figure flickered, and he gracefully landed on the inner courtyard ground, staggering half a step slightly as his toes touched the ground. Without changing his expression, he stroked his beard and smiled: "Brother Hu's cultivation has advanced considerably; this old man willingly admits defeat."

How could Hu Shan have the mood to listen to these polite pleasantries? His escape light plummeted urgently, his gaze shooting like lightning toward the place where the gray fog had dissipated.

He only saw Wang Shouren pressing one hand on the boy's shoulder, threatening and intimidating him.

Meanwhile, the boy was struggling desperately, his face filled with terror, his body continuously shrinking backward as he cried out with a sob, "I won't dare anymore... I won't dare anymore... Don't kill me..."

"Shouren!"

Wang Chongyang gave a sharp shout, his figure flashing to arrive nearby in a single step. With a strike of his palm, he knocked away Wang Shouren's hand, shielded the boy behind him, and scolded angrily.

"Good-for-nothing wretch! You dare to make a move right in front of the County Lord? Why haven't you stepped back yet!"

Wang Shouren lowered his head, cupped his fists, stepped back three steps, and remained completely silent.

Hu Shan watched coldly from the side, always feeling that something was amiss, yet he couldn't quite put his finger on it.