Chapter 7: The Soul-Devouring Ring
ICP Filing Number: XiangB2-20100081-3 Internet Publishing Qualification Certificate: Xinchu Net License (Xiang) No. 11 Network Culture Operation License: Wen Network Wen [2010] No. 128
Today, Xiu stood alone in the empty mountain valley. His flowing long hair covered his eyes, yet could not block the deep light shining within them.
"Spirits of the air, answer my call, and inflict severe punishment upon those who show disrespect..." As a series of incantations were softly spoken, the wind elements in the air condensed once more, and Lan, the wind spirit, appeared at his side.
"Gale Strike!" Xiu commanded.
"Hiss!" Lan let out a long, piercing shriek and transformed into a whirlwind that enveloped Xiu.
The wind rose and shadows moved, whipping up a raging torrent across the flat ground. A sharp longsword thrust and withdrew within the wind vortex, striking from various angles toward the imaginary enemy—Xu.
Xu let out a fierce howl, its body swelling in an instant, its sharp claws tearing a bizarre ripple through the air.
Xiu's body spun swiftly within the wind, evading Xu's claw attack and circling around to its flank. Both Blazing Firebirds let out simultaneous shrieks and spat out a great sheet of flame toward Xiu.
At the same moment, a high-pitched chant rang out: "In the name of the primal powers of heaven and earth, grant us the strength to resist all evil... Barrier of Constancy!"
The figure shrouded by the barrier, which shimmered with spatial energy, forced its way through the sea of flames and arrived behind Xu. Then Xiu delivered a fierce kick to Xu's rear.
"Ow!" The little one rolled through the air most unwillingly, howling in fury.
Then it crashed heavily to the ground, glaring angrily at Xiu.
It had never expected Xiu would use such a mutually destructive tactic, all just to kick its rear.
Xiu sneered: "Do you think I must always use the Wind Spirit Shield and waste precious combat time? A warrior's fighting aura can also reduce elemental damage. This is punishment for you still relying on beast instincts in battle, unable to grasp combat techniques. Next time you fail to combine magic with combat skills, I'll kick your face."
The two Blazing Firebirds were greatly indignant at Xiu's "wild arrogance" and cried out loudly.
"I know you haven't been going all out," Xiu said with a smile, as the wind vortex around him finally subsided, and Lan revealed her form once more. "Lan, well done."
Using Lan's power to help complete the Gale Strike, allowing himself more opportunities to use other spells—that was the method Xiu had conceived after many days of training. Today, Xiu had finally completed the preliminary plan of combining spatial magic and wind magic.
This was the first time Xiu had attempted to combine spells of different schools, but in the future, he was confident he could create even more powerful magic.
Unbeknownst to himself, he was now treading a path of growth with a strong personal character all his own.
During breaks from training, Xiu was filled with curiosity about the jade ring he had obtained from Ablit.
This ancient jade ring had a peculiar texture; even with his alchemist's eye, he could not tell what material it was made from.
When Ablit had shouted at him to hand over the map and the Soul-Devouring Ring, Xiu had realized that this jade ring's value in Ablit's eyes was far greater than Elektra's notes.
But how was this jade ring supposed to be used?
Over these past days, Xiu had studied the Soul-Devouring Ring more than once.
But every time he focused his mind on the jade ring, his soul energy would tremble violently, as if his entire being were about to be sucked into it. Each time, Xiu had to rely on his formidable willpower to escape the crown's terrifying spiritual pull.
Soul magic itself disregarded levels; willpower was the only defense against soul magic. It was precisely for this reason that Xiu could escape its influence. Considering the name "Soul-Devouring Ring," Xiu suspected the jade ring was likely connected to soul-type magic. That was why Ablit had kept it carefully stored away rather than using it himself.
Today, Xiu first cast a spell of unwavering will upon himself, ensuring he would not be eroded by the Soul-Devouring Ring, before daring to take out the jade ring for study.
Perhaps due to its great age, the surface of the jade ring was covered in a dull gray film, giving it a sense of weathered antiquity. The ring was covered in carved marks, looking as though countless axes and blades had left their imprints upon it.
However, Xiu discovered that these marks did not seem to be the result of random hacking.
The carvings seemed to follow a certain pattern, with each mark bearing a unique connection to the others. It looked like some kind of magic array, but he could not tell where the energy came from.
Could it be that this jade ring was sealed by some magic array? The thought suddenly surfaced in Xiu's mind.
He hastily examined the marks on the jade ring more carefully. Vaguely, he realized that the trajectory of these marks bore some resemblance to the power absorption array that Elektra had used, which Xiu had learned from the spatial gate.
Only in certain aspects did it differ from that power absorption array.
Xiu examined it closely and found that the changes were in the part concerning the nature of the power. It was because of this change, combined with the highly concealed nature of the carvings, that he had failed to recognize the array at first.
Could it be that this array was a power absorption array specifically designed to seal soul energy?
Xiu's heart surged with joyful excitement.
"Xu!" Xiu shouted wildly.
The little one came running over, confused about what was going on.
"Stay right here and don't move," Xiu said. Then he called out loudly: "Red! Green! Don't let anyone near me. I'm going to conduct an experiment!"
From the sky came the loud responses of the Blazing Firebirds.
The next moment, Xiu took out materials from his ring and began arranging a magic array according to the carvings on the jade ring.
He did not know if his guess was correct, but he knew that if he was wrong, at worst he would lose a batch of materials. But if he was right, then from now on he would possess another weapon that could be used against soul mages.
Unfortunately, the Lance Empire presumably would not have high-level soul mages hunting him, but no matter what, increasing his power by even a little was always a good thing.
The array was quickly completed.
Xiu chanted an incantation toward Xu, who stood within the array: "Sink in the abyss of darkness, revive when all things fall silent, the will of nothingness commands all... Spiritual Combustion!"
A stream of spiritual energy surged toward Xu.
At the same time, the magic array on the ground released a powerful beam of light, enveloping Xu.
The spiritual energy flowed through the array like a stream of living light, wandering endlessly without being eliminated.
It truly was the power absorption array!
This was precisely the trait of the power absorption array—it did not eliminate any attacking power, but only absorbed and utilized it.
Against energy attacks of a single attribute, this array was practically invincible. Even the powerful energy storm in the spatial gate could not break through the power absorption array. However, attacks of different attributes could easily destroy it.
Casually releasing a wind blade, the array before him was instantly shattered. It had already fulfilled its purpose, leaving only Xu, who howled furiously at Xiu.
It was most displeased—why did it always have to be the test subject?
Picking up the jade ring once more, Xiu's heart was now filled with blazing radiance.
He knew that this sealed jade ring must have an extremely intimate connection with Elektra. This was very likely the item Ablit had found in Elektra's laboratory, but that sly fellow had cunningly failed to report this treasure.
No wonder he had dared to kill Xiu back then—he must have been worried that Xiu would expose the matter.
But Ablit had clearly not attempted to break the seal on this jade ring.
Perhaps because he knew that the consequences of breaking the seal would be extremely terrible?
Even this jade ring with sealed power could affect his soul energy. What would happen once it was opened?
Should he open the seal or not?
Gazing at the jade ring before him, Xiu pondered repeatedly.
Without a doubt, this would be the most dangerous decision he had ever made in his life. His fanatical reverence for Elektra's knowledge, his pursuit of power, and the empire's pursuers clinging to him like relentless leeches finally drove him to make his choice.
"Xu, stay far away from me. If you notice anything wrong with me, use energy impact to sever the connection between me and this jade ring. Remember, no matter what, do not come near me." Xiu commanded in a low voice.
"Whine..." Xu responded.
Perhaps sensing the gravity in Xiu's heart, it too knew that this time, Xiu was risking his very life.
As if regarding his enemy, Xiu's eyes blazed with a sharp, oppressive aura, and his hand gently traced across the surface of the Soul-Devouring Ring.
A faint ripple of energy like a soft breeze brushed over the jade ring.
Within the gentle wind lay the power of the wind elements.
The carvings on the surface of the jade ring suddenly emitted a brilliant light all at once, and a translucent halo rose around the ring's body. As the halo burst outward, a colossal wave of soul energy surged forth like a monstrous tide, instantly engulfing Xiu...
---
A pale wind slowly brushed past, and the deep clouds drifted thin and faint.
Upon the open field in the valley, Xiu stood alone.
Before him, a jade ring floated in the air.
The bandits did not know what had happened. All they knew was that just moments ago, the Blazing Firebirds had suddenly unleashed their might and driven them away from the training ground. Then a pillar of energy light shot into the sky from the open field, and the tremendous force made the bandits feel as though someone had stomped hard on their hearts. Immediately afterward, each of them felt a strange, indescribable discomfort.
It was a feeling as if their souls were being pulled, as if their spirits were about to leave their bodies.
Fortunately, this wave of energy came and went quickly, vanishing in an instant.
"What just happened? Why do I feel like someone was calling me?" Reile muttered, scratching his head.
"That's right, boss, I felt it too. So strange—like some force was trying to separate my consciousness from my body," another bandit answered.
"I felt more like something was trying to burrow into my skull."
The bandits all had different opinions, and each person's sensation was different.
An older bandit said hesitantly, "I've heard there's a kind of magic that's very similar to this situation."
"What kind of magic?"
The bandit hesitated for a moment before uttering a single word: "Soul magic."
Soul magic?
The name practically frightened everyone out of their wits.
The moment the old bandit said this, Reile's face turned a sickly pale green: "Are you joking? You're saying we just experienced an attack of soul magic?"
"That's impossible. Soul magic might not be the most powerful magic in this world, but it is certainly the most terrifying. I don't think many of us have willpower strong enough to withstand an assault of soul energy," one bandit said.
"Then perhaps... it wasn't aimed at us," the old bandit suddenly said with a distant tone.
All the bandits simultaneously turned to look into the distance.
There, Xiu stood silently alone.
Soul attacks were never flashy. Even the most ferocious soul storm only produced its effects within the depths of one's mind and body.
When that wave of soul energy swept over Xiu like a storm, the swirling magic seemed to form a black hole in the midst of heaven and earth, yanking Xiu straight into it.
All around was a harsh white light, with not a glimpse of the outside world. His entire being seemed cast into the void.
Life seemed to drift between wakefulness and unconsciousness. Xiu did not know where he was.
Like a dream in which one is fully awake, knowing full well you are in a dream yet unable to escape.
All around Xiu, countless gates of light suddenly appeared.
Xiu looked closely and saw that upon each gate of light, an image was flickering.
Xiu gazed at the light gate to his left. In that image, he was working hard on the island, carefully pruning a magical plant.
He looked to the right. There, the little princess's laughter rang out like pleasant bells.
Before him, Dais and Lanti gazed at him with tender affection.
He looked behind him. The massacre in the Grand Theater of Lanya—he himself was like a hellish god of slaughter, drenched in blood, walking through the mire stained with gore...
Countless gates of light, and each one depicted an event. They were unmistakably his own experiences—some beautiful, some bloody, some scheming, some treacherous.
His confusion and helplessness when he first arrived on the island, his first moment of recognition after working hard, the release of the Blazing Firebirds, the arrival of the little princess, the deaths of Neil and Pierre, his conversation with the demon dragon Rita, the final destruction of Purgatory Island, Ablit's death...
All those events, scene after scene, flickered and danced among the various gates of light.
Like the replay of an old film, carrying one back through the passages of time.
As if a single person could simultaneously see different fragments of the river of time.
"Where is this place?" Xiu exclaimed in shock.
"This is the Labyrinth of Souls," a delicate voice suddenly sounded at his ear.
Xiu whirled around.
Behind him stood a golden-haired boy.
He looked exactly like Xiu himself, only much smaller in stature.
"You are..."
"You know who I am, don't you?" The boy smiled at him.
The boy gently waved his hand, and a nearby gate of light drifted over.
Xiu looked into that gate. He saw a shabby old house, and a blurry, obese woman fiercely beating a frail youth. The youth huddled in a corner, sobbing silently...
With a light wave of his hand, the gate of light retreated.
Xiu looked at the boy: "I thought you no longer existed."
"I truly no longer exist. The me right now is merely a combined projection of the Soul-Devouring Ring and the memories at the bottom of your heart," the boy answered softly.
"Then why am I here?"
"The Soul-Devouring Ring brings every lost soul here."
"I have never been lost," Xiu answered.
"Are you certain?" Mockery gleamed in the boy's eyes. "Are you certain you have never been lost?"
Xiu was briefly stunned.
The boy pointed at the countless gates of light surrounding them, flickering with images of Xiu's past: "Every one of these gates represents an experience you have had. It represents what you have done, and it also reflects the hesitation deep within your heart. The Labyrinth of Souls is the true reflection of your inner world, and its exit lies in what you truly pursue at the bottom of your heart. If you are not lost, then your pursuit and what you truly long for should be one and the same."
"You mean to say that these countless gates conceal different pursuits, and only the gate that truly represents what I desire in my heart can lead me out of this labyrinth?"
"Yes. All the painful and beautiful memories carry their own meanings. There is an ordinary life, the lofty lure of power, the craving for beautiful love, and the thrill of vengeance. Are you certain which one you desire most? Remember, when you choose a gate, there is no turning back. You must face the truest feeling in your heart. Only then can you walk out of the Labyrinth of Souls. Only those who can walk out of the Labyrinth of Souls are worthy of using the Soul-Devouring Ring."
"And if I cannot walk out?"
"Then you will become an eternal nightmare."
The boy's image gradually faded.
Xiu found himself standing alone once more in this space.
All around him, everything he had experienced played out over and over. He saw himself strolling amid the ruined wreckage of Purgatory Island, feeling the incomparable thrill of successful revenge. He saw himself painstakingly researching flesh puppets, striving hard for the survival of those young servant boys. He saw himself brimming with pride when he killed Ablit, and the satisfaction of gaining tremendous power. He saw himself wandering through the forest with the little princess, gazing into Avael's tender eyes, his heart filled with indescribable sweetness. He saw himself tightly embracing Dais and Lanti in a frenzy of passion, savoring the ecstasy of having them both.
He saw many, many things from the past.
Suddenly, he realized that he had never been as free from doubt about his pursuits as he had imagined.
The past spread out here represented nearly every pursuit of a normal man—the thrill of revenge, the satisfaction of fighting back, the sweetness of love, the reality of an ordinary life, a life of debauchery, or the pinnacle of power...
What should he choose?
What did his true heart really yearn for?
The little princess's laughter still echoed in his ears. His feverish craving for Elektra's knowledge. The flames of Purgatory Island blazing into the sky. The scenes of blood in Lanya.
His trembling soul began to buckle under the strain. All the memories rushed violently into his mind like a flood, nearly bursting his thoughts. Chaotic sounds rang out endlessly—sweet, frantic, ferocious, venomous—like a cacophony of drums and gongs. Dazzling images filled his vision, countless faces and shadows overlapping and intertwining.
"Ah!" Xiu clutched his head and screamed in agony.
---
He crouched down, gasping for breath. The gates of light flashed unceasingly before his eyes, and the images moved faster and faster. Gradually, he could no longer see clearly, could no longer hear clearly, as if he were about to lose himself completely in this Labyrinth of Souls...
From the moment Xiu Grell opened the seal on the jade ring, the little one, Xu, had been staring at Xiu with complete focus.
It was very curious why Xiu had not moved at all after the seal was broken.
He just stood there, utterly still.
"Whine..." the little one cried, looking perplexed.
Since the danger Xiu had mentioned had not occurred, should it still follow his instructions and use energy impact to sever the jade ring's connection?
This complicated question proved difficult for the little one to decide.
It looked up at the sky.
The two Blazing Firebirds were still faithfully maintaining order, keeping all the bandits at bay.
Two stupid birds, it thought.
Then it cautiously walked toward Xiu.
It didn't look like there was any danger.
It tried nudging Xiu, but there was no reaction.
Thinking it over, it reached out with its claw toward the jade ring floating in the air.
The tip of its claw touched the ring, and a bone-piercing chill surged through it.
The floating jade ring released another powerful wave of soul energy, abruptly sweeping toward the little one.
"Whine..." Xu's fur stood on end.
The next moment, it found itself in an empty void.
All around was vast emptiness, yet it was not standing on any solid ground.
Where was this place?
"Woof!" it barked loudly. "Woof woof woof woof!"
No one answered it.
Countless gates of light spun around it, and Xu was astonished to discover that it could see its own past.
Its dormant existence within Xiu Grell's body; being taken out by its mother and gaining freedom; enjoying maternal love freely in Rita's embrace; receiving Xiu Grell's care in his arms; being forced to train demonic magic against its will;
Scene after scene replayed at that moment.
It found this immensely fascinating.
What excited it most was that among those gates of light, there was actually one that showed its favorite magical beast food.
The skinned and deboned magical beast, seasoned with human spices, tasted absolutely exquisite. It remembered clearly that just a few days ago, Xiu had gone to great lengths to prepare this delicacy as a reward for Xu successfully mastering the Vacuum Blade.
"Whine! Woof!" the little one barked excitedly.
It charged recklessly toward that gate of light, then leaped into it without a moment's hesitation.
Out on the open field, Xiu slowly opened his eyes.
He saw the little one, Xu, staring at him with a bewildered expression, and he could not help but laugh.
He scooped Xu up in his arms: "My heavens, do you have any idea what you just did?"
Xu looked utterly confused.
Xiu laughed: "I have to admit, you are the luckiest magical beast under heaven. All the miraculous encounters always belong to you."
"Whine... woof!"
"Alright, alright. I imagine you still don't understand, but you truly succeeded—and you saved me." Xiu laughed.
Despite his preparations, Xiu had never imagined that the Soul-Devouring Ring could pull a person's soul into an independent space, and by refracting images from their own memories, form a Labyrinth of Souls.
This powerful and bizarre magic did not exist at all among human soul magics. Once dragged into the Labyrinth of Souls by the Soul-Devouring Ring, unless one possessed enough raw power to break through the labyrinth's walls, there was only one way out—to do as Xu had done: act on instinct.
For most life forms of low intelligence, this choice was not difficult; they simply acted on instinct. Thus, the Soul-Devouring Ring was ineffective against most magical beasts. But for humans—beings with complex desires and tangled emotions—it was a true killing weapon. A single thread of hesitation would be devoured by the Labyrinth of Souls, eventually transforming into soul energy. When the Soul-Devouring Ring gathered enough soul energy, it would generate a Nightmare Spirit Seed—something similar to an elemental spirit but far more powerful, and the only summoning spell in all of soul magic.
What was remarkable was that while magical beasts could ignore the effects of the Soul-Devouring Ring, they were likewise unable to use it, because the souls of magical beasts were not sufficient to trigger the ring's energy fluctuations.
But Xu was an exception.
It possessed the ability to learn human magic, and it maintained a constant spiritual connection with Xiu. In terms of intelligence, it was already infinitely close to human beings. Yet at the same time, it was still just a child, its intellectual awakening not yet fully developed, and in most things it remained as simple and pure as a blank sheet of paper.
The world of the Labyrinth of Souls, which for countless adults was a terrifying hell, was nothing more than a simple multiple-choice question for Xu.
I want to eat, so I go. It was all that simple.
It possessed human-level intelligence and creativity, but without the complexity of human desires, without attachments too painful to relinquish. Its thoughts were simple and straightforward.
In comparison, human beings—as creatures of the highest intelligence—the smarter they were, the more they thought, the more they discovered how many desires they had. When truly faced with a choice, what concerned them was no longer what they would gain, but what they would lose.
When Xiu had faced his choice, he too had fallen into this trap.
He did not know whether what he truly pursued was the thrill of vengeance, a peaceful life, boundless knowledge, overwhelming power, sweet love, or dissipated pleasure.
Choosing any one meant giving up all the others.
The confusion of the soul was thus born, and for the first time, Xiu began to question what he was truly pursuing.
This was what made the Labyrinth of Souls so terrifying—it did not simply wait for you to choose. The deeper your confusion, the greater its pressure, forming a vicious cycle until it utterly destroyed you.
Xiu had nearly been lost in the Labyrinth of Souls because of this.
Yet Xu's appearance had brought him a glimmer of opportunity. It was at that moment that Xiu felt the pressure of the Labyrinth of Souls suddenly diminish, and he was granted another chance to choose...
Only a being that had passed the ordeal of the Labyrinth of Souls was qualified to use the Soul-Devouring Ring. Therefore, no one could have imagined that Xu would actually become the master of the Soul-Devouring Ring. Fortunately, Xiu had also passed the ring's trial and was equally qualified to use it. However, he was dismayed to discover that in terms of usage authority, he was one level below Xu—meaning he could only use this terrifying weapon with Xu's permission.
This left Xiu both amused and exasperated, which was why he said Xu was the luckiest magical beast under heaven.
At this moment, Xiu casually waved his hand, and the jade ring floating in the air flew into his grasp.
The Soul-Devouring Ring spun swiftly in Xiu's hand, shimmering with a faint magical radiance. Having consumed nearly all of its soul energy, the ring no longer bore the fierce aura it had displayed when the seal was first broken.
No one could say exactly how the Soul-Devouring Ring had been made. An alchemist could absolutely never produce such a powerful and terrifying instrument. If anyone could have made it, it could only have been a deity.
Whether deities truly existed in this world, Xiu did not know. But he at least knew that this Soul-Devouring Ring in front of him was equivalent to a divine artifact for a soul mage.
The only problem was that this magic artifact consumed far too much soul energy with each use. The Soul-Devouring Ring had now used the Labyrinth of Souls twice in succession, nearly exhausting all its soul energy, and it would need its master to recharge it.
Xiu tested it and discovered that with his ability as a second-level soul mage, fully recharging the Soul-Devouring Ring once would require at least ten days to meet the requirement for a single use.
Slowly slipping the Soul-Devouring Ring onto his wrist, he said:
"Do you know, Xu? You are far more fortunate than I am. At least your pursuits right now are still beautiful, still untouched and unclouded by outside influences."
"Whine." The little one shook its head, completely unconcerned.
Beneath the drifting clouds over the open field, Xiu Grell stepped out of the Labyrinth of Souls, his eyes filled with unshakable resolve and even a hint of cunning cruelty.