C10 The Tenth Chapter

The process of a Martial Spirit possessing a host isn't forceful. In fact, during the possession, both the Martial Spirit and the host undergo a series of tests.

The Martial Spirit evaluates the host's potential, while the host selects the Martial Spirit based on its grade and capabilities.

"Alright!"

Xia Yi agreed enthusiastically, enticed by the flying sickle cat's speed.

"Meow, before I possess you, I have one condition."

"State your condition."

Once a host is possessed, the Martial Spirit becomes a mere concentration of spiritual energy, retaining only some instinctual behaviors from its past life. It loses all previous memories and cognitive abilities.

This is why many Martial Spirits with unresolved desires resist possession; they wish to preserve their memories.

Not every Martial Spirit is fortunate enough to dwell in the Spirit Gathering Tower. A significant number of them wander outside, dissipating with the wind—a fatal weakness since they cannot survive independently in the air.

Rather than fading away, it's better to bond with a human body. Although they lose all memories post-possession, it's preferable to vanishing into nothingness. Moreover, if the host is exceptionally talented and reaches a certain level of cultivation, the possessed Martial Spirit not only regains its past memories but also grows stronger with the host.

A sliver of hope is better than none. Desperate Martial Spirits often opt for possession, sometimes disregarding the host's potential.

While residing in the Spirit Gathering Tower doesn't lead to desperate measures, if a spirit stays too long and is haunted by past regrets, it may become trapped. In such cases, the Martial Spirits actively seek out a host.

These particular Martial Spirits share a notable trait.

They negotiate terms with their host, as they often have many options.

Their condition is that the host resolves the unfinished business they left behind.

"Meow, my death was too tragic. A group of dishonorable villains killed me using vile tactics, and they even dismembered my body. Alas, my three little ones had only just learned to walk... Meow."

The Flying Sickle Cat shed a few tears and licked its paw, "My request is simple. Travel to the Desolate Land and find my three poor children. Just take a look at them for me..."

"If... If my three children are no more, that's okay too. As long as you've been to Moonfall Canyon and stayed for a month, the restriction I've set will be lifted."

To fulfill their dying wishes, Martial Spirits sometimes choose to seal part of their powers when possessing a host. The sealed abilities would only be released once the host fulfills their wishes, dissolving their lingering attachments.

"I'll seal seventy percent of my power until you fulfill my wish. Only then will the seal be broken."

So, until the seal is lifted, I can only use thirty percent of my power?

Xia Yi was somewhat displeased.

"No less than seventy percent."

"Forty percent, meow, and not a bit more."

After some haggling, they reached a consensus. They settled on fifty percent.

"Meow~ I'm coming, meow, get ready. Focus your mind and welcome me! Meow!"

The Flying Sickle Cat meowed a few times and transformed into a beam of white light, darting towards the spiritual seed.

"Bang!"

As soon as the Flying Sickle Cat made contact with Xia Yi's spiritual seed, it let out a scream and was repelled by a resisting force.

From just that brief touch, the Flying Sickle Cat, which was originally the size of a fist, had shrunk to half its size.

"Meow, how could this happen? Meow..."

The Flying Sickle Cat looked weakly at Xia Yi's spiritual seed. It could still move, but it was too scared to approach again.

Xia Yi was just as baffled. He had read about martial spirits possessing a body, but there was nothing about a case like his.

"Maybe... you should try one more time?"

"Meow, alright!"

The Flying Sickle Cat let out a strange cry and charged once more...

"Bang!"

This time it was repelled even more harshly, shrinking to the size of a thumb, too feeble to even twitch.

"Meow, no... Meow, I can't try again... Meow."

The Flying Sickle Cat curled up and shivered pitifully, looking as though it might vanish at any moment.

"Meow! I've waited a century, meow!"

The Flying Sickle Cat wailed in sorrow and frustration, transforming into a white light that drifted leisurely out of Xia Yi's consciousness.

Its spirit was severely damaged; it looked like it wouldn't recover for decades.

Xia Yi felt a deep sense of regret following the mishap.

"Whoosh!"

A streak of yellow light darted into the depths of his consciousness, tumbled onto the ground, and morphed into a golden crocodile.

"Rare Demonic Beast, Golden Armored Crocodile. Normal Martial Spirit. No special requirements."

This Martial Spirit was refreshingly straightforward, having no demands. After introducing itself, it waited with its mouth agape for Xia Yi's response.

After a brief silence, Xia Yi said, "You can give it a try."

Elated, the Golden Armored Crocodile scampered excitedly toward the 'Spiritual Seed.'

"Bang!"

Like the Flying Sickle Cat before it, the crocodile was repelled upon contact with the 'Spiritual Seed.' However, the Golden Armored Crocodile's cultivation level was much lower, and the impact reduced it to a third of its size.

"That's terrifying..."

The Golden Armored Crocodile shuddered violently and, without a word, fled as fast as it could...

A red light burst in...

A blue light burst in...

They arrived full of excitement and left in dismay; the outcome was invariably the same.

"Meow, see? I told you not to go. Now you believe me, right? Meow."

The thumb-sized Flying Sickle Cat licked its paw, schooling the Martial Spirits that had recently approached.

"What's happening?"

The 'Martial Spirits' were perplexed, and Xia Yi was equally baffled. He couldn't pinpoint the problem.

Opening his eyes, Xia Yi noticed only two students remained in meditation on the second floor. Presumably, the other students had already left with their 'Martial Spirits.'

Perhaps injuring many 'Martial Spirits' had significantly reduced the surrounding pressure. The warm flow inside his body made a few passes, and he could no longer sense any pressure.

Maybe the 'Martial Spirits' on the second floor were simply too weak?

After pondering for a moment, Xia Yi ascended the staircase to the third floor.

Upon reaching the third level of the Spirit Gathering Tower, fewer than twenty individuals remained, all of whom were seated near the entrance. Clearly, they were overwhelmed by the pressure exerted by the 'Martial Spirits' on this floor and were unable to proceed further.

The faculty and students of Dragonflight Cloister were not lacking in strength; it was quite the opposite. Those with 'Martial Spirits' sought the tower for cultivation, aiming to accelerate their breakthrough to the Unification of Martial Spirit realm. However, the true warriors who had already mastered the Unification of Martial Spirit saw no need to enter, as they had nothing to gain from it.

Xia Yi steadied his emotions and sprinted, bypassing the third level and ascending to the fourth with determination.

The higher the climb, the more formidable the Martial Spirits became.

Xia Yi's heart pounded fiercely, the overwhelming pressure making it hard for him to catch his breath.

The incessant sounds of ghostly wails and wolf howls filled the air. As he set foot on the fourth level, a malevolent gust of wind struck him, pushing Xia Yi back several paces.

The Martial Spirits on this level were truly ferocious compared to those below.

The chilling winds were not singular but numerous, and upon spotting Xia Yi, they charged at him in a frenzy.

"Leave, get out! There is no Martial Spirit here suited for you!" an enraged voice echoed through the air.

"Intruders shall perish!"

Xia Yi shuddered. In the midst of his retreat, he spotted several bodies near the staircase: three students and one teacher—a total of four lifeless forms.

Had they been slain by the Martial Spirits?

By then, Xia Yi had retreated to the second level, yet the furious voice still resonated, not following but continuing to threaten his life.

"Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!"

A spine-chilling noise abruptly pierced the silence. The four corpses on the ground rose stiffly, shrouded in swirling black mist, their menacing figures lunging at Xia Yi with claws outstretched.

These were not Martial Spirits; they were malevolent spirits!

After their demise, the souls of the departed, filled with intense resentment, could transform. Those who had been exceptionally malevolent in life had a minuscule chance of not becoming a Martial Spirit but instead a rare and savage entity known as a fierce spirit.

Fierce spirits were inherently cruel, their lingering memories saturated with bitterness, driving them to mindless slaughter. These spirits preyed on the living and even consumed Martial Spirits, growing increasingly powerful with each one they devoured.

Were it not for the stringent conditions required for a fierce spirit to manifest, the lands of Foglaostein would have long been overrun by their malevolence.

Unlike Martial Spirits, fierce spirits possessed the ability to inhabit the living. However, this possession was far more sinister; over 90% of individuals taken over by a fierce spirit were doomed. The spirit fed on the 'Spirit Seed,' and once it had consumed the host's essence, it would abandon the spent vessel in search of a new victim.