The olden records state it as a blessing. Some say it as a disaster.
"The Descent."
From what is known, 685 years ago there were no such thing as Soul Practitioners. Everything related to the Soul and Heavens were only a myth to human eyes back then. The records also said that humans have considerable knowledge and developed extraordinary weapons which could even harm high level practitioners. But, after the Descent all of those weapons disappeared. Every record states that those weapons were all destroyed after the war of Immortals. Although rare, some practitioner still finds some and scholars research on it's uses and how to mass produce them. They are now referred as 'Ancient Relics'.
A lot of things was unearthed; from something looking like a stick with trigger to a ball that will explode without the use of soul force.
In the middle of a gloomy Forrest with towering trees at least 30 meters tall where even sunlight is scarce, lay a camp. There were 20 men inside the camp while west to the camp you can see men digging frantically. After 5 minutes of digging, the men successfully dug a black metal box.
Seeing the box lifted, a middle-aged man from the camp ran as fast as he can to the men who were digging. The distance between the camp and excavation site could be said quite large, a distance of 75 meters. But once the middle-aged man ran each step allowed him to travel 5 meters. Like this, he traveled swiftly towards the men carrying the black metal box. He arrived within the next 5 seconds without even a speck of sweat on his face, rather his face was plastered with a smiling expression.
The men seeing their lord come gently put down the box and saluted. All men fell on one of their knees and bowed.
"Greetings to clan master Kaiser"
Clan Master, Kaiser Ablides, immediately signaled for them to stand up and move aside. The men complied and moved aside while still bowing.
Kaiser approached the black metal box and instantly putting his hand on the box. He released his soul power from his Hand Cores and inspected the black metal box. Having inspected the box, Kaiser couldn't help but suck in a breath. This thing... was insanely precious!
Drawing in soul power to his lungs, he amplified his voice volume. "Grand Elder! We found it! Ha ha ha! A never-before seen Lightning type Ancient Soul Relic!"
Back at the camp, the Grand Elder who was leisurely enjoying a wine after hearing what Kaiser said jolted awake. Slack-jawed he immediately ran to Kaiser's location. The Grand Elder was a little slower than Kaiser, arriving exactly after 5 seconds. The Grand Elder stared at the black metal box with stupefaction.
"Clan Master... You can't mean... T-This thing is a Ancient Soul Relic?! A Lightning type!?" gasping for breath the Grand Elder stared at Kaiser. "This is insanely precious for our Ablides Clan. With a Ancient Soul Relic, we can mutate our soul power to breakthrough the Upper Core Level! But a Lightning type?! There has never been a thing like this before! The 6 Great Clans each all have a Ancient Soul Relic that corresponds to the elements: Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Light, and Darkness. This thing holds out great benefit to us!"
While hearing this Kaiser casually nodding added, "This Relic is too precious. If outsiders knew that we found it while exploring this Ancient Metal Forrest, many clans would team up against us." After saying this he immediately glared at those clansmen who dug it. Right now those clansmen are already stupefied.
"You must not disclose this information on anyone! Even other clansmen until the Elder Hall comes to a decision. Is that clear!?"
Those clansmen immediately jolted up "Yes, Clan Master!"
"Bring this back to the camp. Afterwards wrap it with sheepskin to conceal it's appearance. We must not reveal to other clans that we found this thing, otherwise were doomed!" Kaiser said to those clansmen with a serious tone.
Immediately those clansmen moved and brought the Lightning type Ancient Soul Relic towards the camp. Kaiser nodded at this and turned to look at the hole they dug out. There was a metal door with a handle like a steering wheel. The metals color lost its brilliance and only had rust in it.
Seeing this door, Kaiser immediately identified it as a Ancient Lair. Ancient Lairs are underground metal lairs that existed way back before the immortals came. He looked at the Grand Elder who was also staring at the Ancient Lair's door.
"Grand Elder, I'll trouble you to return that Ancient Soul Relic to the clan first.Remember that our clans future rest on that Relic! I'll stay here for a while. I must inspect this Ancient Lair for other treasures. If I'm not back for a month then... you know what to do."
The Grand Elder nodded resolutely and ran back to the camp. The Grand Elder knew of the dangers of entering a Ancient Lair. Those who return are only few, and most that do are at the peak of the Hand Core Realm, Rank 60 Soul Superior.
Kaiser was a Rank 60 Soul Superior while the Grand Elder was a Rank 57 Soul Superior. Even though it's only 3 ranks, the difference in soul power is large. After breaking through from Rank 59 to 60, The soul power will undergo tremendous leap, Enough to support the powers of the Upper Core Realm.
Speaking by some experience, Ancient Lairs are known to not have any living thing in it. Most of it is filled with peculiar Relics and some human bones. Those human bones all have a peculiar style of clothing. Most of them wear long white gown-like garment while they have a black long pants.
After seeing the Grand Elder disappear from his sight did Kaiser make his way to the metal door. Raising both his hands he grabbed the steering wheel-like handle and pulled it.
Clank
The door was pulled without much resistance. Inside the Lair only darkness can be seen. Kaiser frowned upon seeing this and immediately made his soul power condense to his hands and a ball of light is floating a inch away from his left hand.
With the light, the interior of the Lair is revealed. It's a metal cave going down with a ladder on the side. Strangely, this metal cave is cubic which proves that this was created by humans.
Sighing in praise, Kaiser looked at the walls. "Ancient humans are quite clever. They know how to make great things out of ordinary materials. This metal cave was ingeniously done. It's so thick even my full force blow can only give it a small hole."
Kaiser shook his head and directly entered the Lair by jumping down. He already calculated the height and he knew that he could make it down uninjured.
Landing on the bottom of the lair smoothly only cost him some effort. Standing straight he looked at his surrounding to confirm safety. Discovering no danger he stepped forward.
After his step landed, the floor beneath the foot sank while Kaiser's face equally sank. He knew that he stepped on a explosion block.
The stories about Ancient Lairs are only few and most of them include the dangers inside. One of them was the Explosion block. It was rumored that stepping on a wrong place at a lair can make the floor explode. Rumors also state that the explosion is enough to kill Rank 50 or lower soul practitioners. It will badly wound higher cultivation practitioners.
Not daring to test the rumors, Kaiser immediately jumped high raising both arms sideways. He activated a soul art of the Hand Core Realm, Hand Wings. Wings of pure white sprouting out from his hands which flapped according to his will made him soar up to the ceiling of the Lair.
As those wings flapped once, a explosion occurred and the force blew him higher.
Boom!
The explosions force was not life threatening but it also wasn't so light. Kaiser experienced short term dizziness as his ears still ringing because of the explosion. His Hand Wings disintegrating, he fell down from the ceiling like a meteor. Some burn marks are visible in his body.
Gaining consciousness, Kaiser immediately summoned the Hand Wings which helped him disperse the falling momentum. When he reached the ground, He no longer have the courage to step on it. That explosion caused him too much injuries.
Reaching out on his belt a yellow light flashing and a pill already in his hand. The belt was a storage belt which are widely sold around the world.
Swallowing the pill, Kaiser's burn marks healing at a speed the eye could see. After recovering for 3 minutes, Kaiser advanced still floating from the ground at least 3 inches high.
As he advanced he murmured to himself still having that ashen face."That Explosion Block was frightening. How could Ancient humans make such dangerous weapons? Hmm... well no use in thinking about it."
Kaiser now reached a Square room where red lines of light appear. The red lines of light makes the room seem deadly and those red-light gives the ominous feeling that, touching one can get you killed. As he saw those red lines, His heart couldn't help from beating faster and his eyes contracting.
Among the stories, This was 1 of the 3 danger rooms that usually appear on Ancient Lairs. This was called 'Red-Light Metal Shower Room'. This room was known for its deadliness and a particular weapon. The weapon was called 'Metal Shower'. After touching a Red-light, the Metal Shower would appear and like it's name suggest, Unleashes a rain of metal. Even though 1 metal only had a piercing power to kill Rank 20 or lower Practitioners, This weapon spews out a hundred at least. The combined might of a hundred of those is enough to threaten a Rank 50 Practitioner.
What was more frightening was not only one but ten Metal Shower would appear. These Metal Showers also have some sort of conscience because they will follow the practitioner that touched that red-light until he or she would be dead. Imagine, 10 Metal Showers spewing a hundred metals each, which would also follow you until you're dead.
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Kaiser lowered his head and gloomily turned back. Only a Idiot would gamble their lives to pass this room. Returning to the main entrance, He couldn't help from sighing. It seems that the Ancient Lair exploration only ended after a few minutes. He was still happy to be alive and the clan getting the Ancient Soul Relic was already good enough. Getting greedy would only result in more loss.
Returning to the Explosion Block area, he observed his surroundings. His gaze grew astonished as he stared at the Lair walls. After the explosion he didn't dare go sight seeing again but observing the walls now he was astonished. The Explosion Block, who could instantly kill Rank 50 Practitioners only left a burn mark on this walls. None of them excessively damaged.
Again sighing in praise, he shook his head. What?! I was burned by that explosion but this is the only damage it caused to this walls? Damn... Better get some and bring it back to the clan. This will surely make top quality armor!
Raising both hands in front of him as if holding a invincible sword, Kaiser made his soul power travel to his Hand Cores. Soul Art: Spirit Severing Great Sword. His soul power condensed in front of his hands, making a great sword made of light. After the light solidified, he stepped forward and twisted his torso making the vertical slash more powerful.
Shing!
The sword cut through the metal barely. The sword dent on it could be said at most 25 centimeters deep.
Kaiser raised his hands, the great sword accelerating slashed another 3 dents making it a square. Drawing the great sword near his chest, Kaiser stabbed using it through one of the dents and used his body to push the great sword. The chunk of metal flew out and landed with a bang. Kaiser was already satisfied by this much because his soul power is now close to zero. The great sword drains too much soul power from him. Hearing the metal landing to the ground made Kaiser smile, He turned around and the pyramid-shaped chunk of metal lying on the floor.
Heart beating faster, Kaiser immediately summoned his Hand Wings. Why? It was because the chunk of metal that landed on the ground struck a Explosion Block. What rotten luck!
Boom!
Flying upwards the explosion once again accelerated his flight speed. He suffered less burns this time but he was still having trouble dispelling that ringing from his ears. Gaining control, he was not too seriously injured but right before his eyes, a chunk of metal is flying at him in a astonishing speed shooting for his head. This was the chunk of metal that he cut up!
Kaiser's face immediately turned pale. He did not have enough time to summon his Hand Wings to change direction. He also has too little soul power to use his Soul Art : Defensive Aura. This chunk of metal cannot be underestimated because it weights more than it looks like. It is also travelling too fast. Kaiser calculated the most efficient way to block and finally made a decision.
Raising both his hands to cover his face, He unleashed his remaining soul power to block this shooting metal. The metal and hands, meet and Kaiser's body couldn't help but shoot sideways from the force. His body being thrown like a sandbag.
Although due to this he directly escaped the Lair, He was also knocked unconscious. Right now, Kaiser is lying in the middle of this gloomy Forrest. In actuality, this Forrest is a soul beast Forrest and the last thing you want in here is to meet a soul beast while unconscious.
Like that, Kaiser slept there for 3 days. After he gained his consciousness, he immediately healed his injuries. They weren't light but they weren't that heavy either. After recovering, Kaiser still remembered that Pyramid-like chunk of metal. Standing, he searched his surroundings. He was determined to find that metal piece. Maybe out of resentment, he wanted to see the metal melt and be made to an armor.
He stubbornly searched for 3 hours until he found a wide place. There were no plants in the vicinity, only rocks. In the middle of the area, there lay a Pyramid-like metal piece. Kaiser immediately strode forward smiling. He found the metal that made him faint, why shouldn't he be happy?
Picking up the metal chunk he noticed that it was light. Eh? This isn't right. It should have been heavy.
Kaiser only noticed it now but the metal chunk in front of him seem to have grooves. The base has a pyramid like grooving which feels too natural. Flipping the pyramid chunk of metal, Kaiser saw something scary at the back of the pyramid.
It was still a grooving but it seems too real. It was a single eye. A blood red eye. Kaiser immediately sensed profound danger coming out of this metal chunk. Clearly this isn't the one that made him faint.
The red eye suddenly brightened and a red streak of light entered Kaiser's eyes. Kaiser couldn't help but grit his teeth because of pain. He can't close his eyes. He really can't. After at least 5 seconds, the light faded and the metal chunk in his hand lost the single red eye.
Kaiser looked blankly at the sky for a moment. What just happened? Immediately afterwards his questions have been answered.
The pores in his body widening all of his soul power frantically wanting to escape his body. The pain from the panicked soul power throughout his body made even Kaiser howl in pain. The pain kept raising and he fainted from the pain. Now, 2 pyramid metal chunks made Kaiser faint. A somewhat hatred for pyramid like things appearing at the bottom of his heart.
Even though he fainted, Kaiser's body is still convulsing in the middle of the gloomy Forrest. All of his soul power immediately escaping his body as if afraid of something in his body. Naturally Kaiser's level in cultivation dropped drastically. He was now back to square one. A Rank 1 Soul Trainee.
His body is undergoing a heaven defying change. His original middle-aged body shrunk. As he was shrinking bones cracking noises were heard. Even though it seems that his body turned to a child's, the power of this body still exceed almost all adults.
While his body is undergoing changes, his consciousness traveled the deepest realm of the mind. He was dreaming. In front of him lay a handsome young man, wearing a eye-patch over his right eye. The left eye was revealed, and that eye was bloody red. This youth has a golden hair and a golden suit. The designs on this suit was stunning. He wears a top hat and his right hand holding a cane. Grinning in a devious manner, the youth with a golden suit stared at Kaiser with his head held high.
Staring at the man inside his dreams, Kaiser was stunned. This guy... Why kind of aura is this?! It's even more powerful than the Heavenly Emperor which has a cultivation reaching Rank 100! The Emperor already reached the Heavenly Core Realm! But this guy... It's as if he's not human. Not human at all. Should not be.
While Kaiser was thinking this, The youth with a golden suit immediately laughed. "Ha ha ha ha! Damn, your spot on! It's as you think, I'm not human at all."
Kaiser was shocked. This youth... he can read my mind? No, that can't be. I know that this is a dream and I'm inside my mind. This youth should have been created by my mind and I could erase him.
Grinning again the youth looked down on Kaiser, "Kid. You can't erase me. I'm a King ranked demon, how could you erase me!?"
Insulted, Kaiser immediately got angry. "Who are you calling kid!?"
"You. Take a look at your body."
Kaiser immediately stared at his body and to his horror, he really was a kid. A 7 year-old kid. Confusion bubbled-up inside Kaiser's mind. Why? How? When?! AND WHY!!!?
The youth spoke indifferently. "That's a ritual. That always happens when I a demon like me enters a human. The ritual has 2 phases, wanna hear them? Well, we'll be living in the same body from now on so you should know."
His face changing Kaiser stared at the youth. Sharing his body to a demon? Ritual? Wait... If the first phase was to turn his body back to a 7 year-old then the second must be... Oh no...
Discovering that his mind can't find a single speck of soul power inside his body, he somewhat knew what the second phase was.
"The second phase is for your soul power to drop to zero, making you start back to square one." The youth said while smiling at Kaiser seemingly enjoying his reaction.
To the youth's surprise, Kaiser actually smiled.
"So that means that I will start over again!? Great! I once made a miss-step which made me a whit inferior to other geniuses. Also I'm tired of playing the responsibility of a Clan Master... With my body like this, No one can identify me as Kaiser Ablides! Ha ha ha ha This is like a redo!" Raising both arms his smile spreading even wider.
The youth was shocked but recovered instantly. He grinned and said "Don't worry about cultivating soul power anymore. Its useless now because I'm in staying in you're body. You see, soul power and demons don't really match well."
Hearing this Kaiser frowned. "Then how can I cultivate... wait... You said that soul power is useless for me but... then what is useful?"
The youth's grin grew even bigger. Releasing a purple mist from his single blood red eye, he seems like what he claims to be. A demon.
"You'll cultivate demonic power. You shall become the vessel to carry out my revenge to the Gods and Demons who did this to me, Billy Jones! Here on out, you are a Demonic Cultivator."