A perpetual gloom clung to Stone-Gloom City, the mist never truly lifting, only thinning to reveal a deeper darkness. Chen Tian, a nascent Martial Initiate, now strode through the elongated shadows, no longer prey, but a predator seeking his first kill. Yet, beneath this newfound audacity lay the naiveté of a world he was only just beginning to tread.
"So, boy, you've tasted the sweet nectar of spiritual Qi?"
Hei Xuan's voice resonated within Chen Tian's mind, a bee's hum in a skull-shaped hive. His tone, a blend of mockery and veiled satisfaction.
"That's but a droplet in an ocean. You need more. You need an Essence Bead."
Chen Tian, still grappling with the unfamiliar flow of Qi through his meridians, inquired, "An Essence Bead? What is it?"
"Hah! Your ignorance is the most enduring thing in this world," Hei Xuan scoffed.
"Your Martial Soul, the Three-Eyed Moon Wolf, bears an empty 'slot.' Every Martial Soul, no matter how potent, craves a core to unleash its true might. That core is the Essence Bead, the spiritual remnants of a defeated Soul Beast. Each Bead unlocks hidden power within your Martial Soul. Do you wish to be a howling wolf or merely a fanged, yelping cur?"
Chen Tian's gaze drifted to his wrist, where the faint silhouette of the Three-Eyed Moon Wolf flickered. A void resided there, a space yearning to be filled. "So, I must... hunt Soul Beasts?"
"Of course. This is no afternoon tea party, boy. This is the world of cultivation. The strong devour the weak. And you, at present, are but a worm with a slightly better bite,"
Hei Xuan explained, his voice still laced with condescension.
"Soul Beasts, like cultivators, possess power tiers, mostly measured by their age. The longer they live, the stronger their Essence."
They traversed the city's bustling, yet decaying, streets. Chen Tian's eyes now perceived beyond the mere throng. He discerned faint spiritual auras, identified other cultivators, and felt energy fluctuations in the air—all thanks to his Martial Initiate awakening and Hei Xuan's guidance.
"Observe, boy," Hei Xuan continued. "There are tiers of Beast Essence Grades, from the lowest to the most legendary. The lowest is Common Beast Essence, typically from Soul Beasts aged 10 to 50 years. They are weak, easily dispatched, and their Essence Beads are usually moss-green or earthy brown—perfect for pups like you."
Chen Tian recalled the Qi Formation pills he'd bought, their scent akin to damp earth. Perhaps that was their essence.
"Above that lies Rare Beast Essence, from Soul Beasts aged 100-300 years. Their Essence Beads are often sapphire blue or maroon. Their power significantly increases, but they're still manageable for a skilled Martial Initiate. Perhaps you could defeat one... with blind luck, of course."
"Then there's Elite Beast Essence from Soul Beasts aged 500-800 years. Their Essence Beads usually gleam ruby red or faded gold. These are quite formidable. Above them are Gold Grade (1,000-5,000 years), Diamond Grade (7,000-10,000 years), and so on, culminating in Primordial Beast Essence, millions of years old—ancient beasts capable of devouring the cosmos like cake. Their Essence Beads often boast more complex hues, even transparent with a multiverse's shimmer."
"You are now capable only of facing Common Grade. Perhaps, if you employ your meager brain, even a Rare Grade," Hei Xuan added, as if testing Chen Tian's patience. "So, your first objective is to seek a Common Grade Soul Beast. We need the first Essence Bead for my wolf's Martial Soul."
"Your wolf?" Chen Tian questioned inwardly, a hint of annoyance in his tone.
"My wolf, of course. I bestowed it upon you. It was the worst gift I've ever given, but you must care for it, boy," Hei Xuan asserted, his voice brimming with arrogance. "If my Martial Soul is not mighty, it will tarnish my name!"
Stone-Gloom City possessed a harsh periphery, a boundary between decaying civilization and untamed wilderness. It was called Shadow Thicket, a small forest inhabited by low-tier Soul Beasts, often a hunting ground for novice cultivators.
"To there," Hei Xuan commanded. "Shadow Thicket. Don't expect to find treasures, boy. At best, you'll find giant insects or one-eyed wild boars."
The journey to Shadow Thicket was arduous. Chen Tian had to traverse even grimmer slums, where houses lay utterly crumbled and shadows roamed like specters. He saw other cultivators, older, more experienced, heading in the same direction, some with confidence, others with fear etched in their eyes.
"They are all wolves among sheep, boy. Trust no one," Hei Xuan warned. "In Shadow Thicket, the strong return with prey, the weak become prey for ravenous insects."
As they entered Shadow Thicket, the air shifted. The city's putrid stench gave way to the aroma of damp earth, decaying leaves, and something wilder—the scent of blood and beast. The trees here were denser, the light dimmer, and each step felt like treading upon a cloak of darkness.
Chen Tian focused his Martial Soul. The Three-Eyed Moon Wolf on his wrist pulsed brighter. Its spiral eye seemed to filter the mist, searching for signs of life. He could sense faint energy pulses in the distance.
"There's something ahead," Chen Tian whispered.
"Hah! Not entirely foolish, it seems," Hei Xuan praised. "That's a Mist Wolf, a Common Grade Soul Beast. Probably around 30 years old. Its strength is equivalent to some newly ascended Martial Initiates. This is your first trial, boy."
The Mist Wolf emerged from behind the thickets. Its body was gaunt, its fur grey like the mist itself, and its eyes radiated a hungry crimson glow. It snarled, baring its sharp teeth.
Chen Tian felt adrenaline surge within him. This was his first true battle. No longer a silent pilfering, but a fight for life or death.
"Use your Martial Soul. I will not intervene, unless you are truly dying and will disgrace my name," Hei Xuan cautioned. "Quickly! Use the speed I gave you! Don't become this dog's dinner!"
Chen Tian moved. He darted sideways, evading the Mist Wolf's first lunge. His body felt lighter than ever, his movements more agile. He swung his fist, striking the wolf's flank. The wolf growled in pain, but quickly rose and retaliated with its claws.
"Those claws can tear your throat, idiot! Defend!" Hei Xuan roared.
Chen Tian leaped backward, narrowly avoiding the Mist Wolf's lunging claws. He knew he couldn't rely solely on physical attacks. He had to use his Martial Soul.
He concentrated his Qi into his wrist. The silhouette of the Three-Eyed Moon Wolf pulsed more intensely. He swung his hand, and a purplish-blue energy, shaped like a wolf's claw, shot from his wrist, striking the Mist Wolf's body.
Wham!
The Mist Wolf howled in agony, its body flung backward. It struggled to rise, clearly badly wounded.
"Not bad, boy! That's a basic Qi attack from your Martial Soul. But you're still a snail. Finish it!" Hei Xuan urged, his voice filled with a gruesome delight.
Chen Tian didn't hesitate. He lunged forward, his Martial Soul guiding him. With a few more attacks, aided by the Three-Eyed Moon Wolf's Martial Soul, the Mist Wolf finally collapsed, its body twitching briefly before falling silent.
Chen Tian gasped for breath, his body trembling. He had defeated his first Soul Beast. Exhaustion mingled with a strange euphoria.
"Now, quickly! Before anyone smells it," Hei Xuan commanded. "Search its head. A Soul Beast's Essence Bead is usually there."
Chen Tian approached the Mist Wolf's carcass. He reached out, fumbling around the beast's head. His hand brushed against something hard and cold. He pulled it out.
A small, faintly glowing sphere, moss-green in color.
"An Essence Bead!" Hei Xuan exclaimed, a hint of genuine excitement in his arrogant voice. "Common Grade Soul Beast Essence. Not bad for a start. Now, integrate it into your Martial Soul!"
Chen Tian gripped the Essence Bead. A warm energy flowed from it. He focused his Martial Soul, and the Essence Bead slowly began to dissolve, absorbed by the silhouette of the Three-Eyed Moon Wolf on his wrist.
A strange sensation coursed through Chen Tian's body. His Martial Soul felt more solid, more real. He could feel new abilities flowing within him—his vision felt sharper, he could see better in the darkness, and his movements felt lighter.
"Good. You've filled your first Martial Soul slot," Hei Xuan said. "Now, at least you can see at night like a cat. This is the beginning of your fangs, boy. But remember, in this jungle, even the strongest wolf can perish if it becomes too arrogant."
Chen Tian stood over the Mist Wolf's carcass, the Common Grade Essence Bead now fused with his Martial Soul. Night still shrouded Shadow Thicket, but for Chen Tian, the darkness now felt subtly different. He was a hunter, and the world was his prey.
Beneath the ceaseless shroud of mist, Stone-Gloom City hummed with life, an unending chorus of avarice and despair. Chen Tian, now having vanquished the Mist Wolf and integrated his first Common Grade Essence Bead, felt spiritual Qi course more smoothly through his meridians. The Three-Eyed Moon Wolf Martial Soul, etched upon his wrist, radiated a subtly amplified aura, its spiraling eyes flickering with heightened vigilance.
"One Essence Bead is but a whisper, boy. It wouldn't even make your Martial Soul sneeze," Hei Xuan's voice resonated within Chen Tian's mind, a distant rumble of thunder.
"You need more. More Essence. More power."
Chen Tian nodded inwardly. He sensed a shift within him. His night vision had sharpened dramatically, his movements grew more fluid, and he could perceive the presence of low-tier Soul Beasts in the Shadowed Woods with greater clarity. Yet, he knew it wasn't enough. He remained acutely vulnerable.
"In the world of cultivation, power doesn't solely stem from your realm, but from your Martial Soul. And your Martial Soul, when infused with sufficient Essence Beads, will unlock hidden techniques," Hei Xuan elucidated, his tone more instructive than usual, though arrogance still laced his words. "For your first technique, 'Moon-Eater Howl,' you'll need at least two Essence Beads. One to empower, another to lock onto a target. You still have one empty slot."
"Moon-Eater Howl?" Chen Tian echoed.
"What is it?"
"A perfect technique for a fanged whelp such as yourself," Hei Xuan sneered. "It will cause your Martial Soul to howl, summoning dark moon energy to drain blood, soul, and Essence from your foes. A cruel technique, much like yourself. And best of all, you can absorb some of the drained Essence to replenish your Beads."
Chen Tian's eyes widened. Draining Essence? That sounded far more efficient than hunting Soul Beasts one by one. "It sounds... potent."
"Potent, of course. It's a basic technique I forged. If I couldn't craft something worthwhile, I wouldn't be called the Demon Emperor," Hei Xuan snorted. "But remember, boy, this technique is effective for Martial Initiates. If you try to wield it against a Martial Adept or above, you'll merely be howling at the wind. They'll rend you limb from limb before you can even drain their Essence."
The hunt for the second Essence Bead began. Chen Tian spent the next few days in the Shadowed Woods, honing his instincts. He no longer sought the feeble Common Grade Soul Beasts. This time, he sought Rare Beast Essence. Hei Xuan had explained that Rare Beast Essence, sourced from Soul Beasts aged 100-300 years, would grant a far more significant surge, and their Essence Beads typically gleamed sapphire blue or maroon.
"You must learn to discern different Essence scents, boy," Hei Xuan guided. "Common Grade Beast Essence smells of damp earth and fresh blood. Rare Grade possesses a denser aroma, faintly like rusted copper, or a forest after a thunderstorm. It is a mark of greater power."
Chen Tian closed his eyes, focusing his Martial Soul. The Three-Eyed Moon Wolf on his wrist flickered. He tried to distinguish the varied scents in the air. Beyond the smell of soil and foliage, he could now differentiate the musky scent of larger Soul Beasts in the distance. A stronger, more enticing aroma filled his senses.
"There," Chen Tian whispered, pointing towards a craggy cliff shrouded in thick mist. "I smell something different."
"Hah! Not bad, boy. Your instincts are sharpening slightly," Hei Xuan praised. "That's a Stone Bear, a Rare Grade Soul Beast. It's likely around 150 years old. Foul-tempered, its claws and hide as hard as rock. This will be a more arduous battle than before."
The Stone Bear emerged from behind the mist, its massive, muscular body covered in grey-brown fur like weathered stone. Its eyes glowed fiery red with rage. It roared, its voice shaking the very ground.
Chen Tian felt a surge of fear. This was a vastly greater power differential than the Mist Wolf. Yet, he did not retreat. He remembered Hei Xuan's promise: the power of the second Essence Bead, and the Moon-Eater Howl technique.
"Remember your basic techniques! Use Qi attacks from your Martial Soul to soften its hide! And most importantly, avoid its claws! They can crush you like a brittle crisp!" Hei Xuan instructed, his voice urgent.
The battle commenced. The Stone Bear charged with a savage roar, its massive claws swinging lethally. Chen Tian darted aside, utilizing the speed granted by his Martial Soul. He focused his Qi, unleashing several azure-violet energy claw attacks from his Three-Eyed Moon Wolf Martial Soul, striking the bear's tough hide. The attacks made the Stone Bear growl in pain, but weren't enough to fell it.
The bear grew angrier, its attacks becoming more brutal. Chen Tian was forced onto the defensive, narrowly evading the deadly blows that could end his life in an instant. He felt exhausted, the Qi within his body dwindling.
"Damn it! You're as weak as a rat! Don't die, boy! You'll disgrace my name!" Hei Xuan roared, his voice laced with vexation. "Hit the soft spots! Its eyes! Its snout! Anywhere not as hard as rock!"
Chen Tian spotted an opening. As the Stone Bear swung another claw, he slid underneath, his Martial Soul guiding him. With a swift movement, he punched the Stone Bear's snout with all his might, channeling his remaining sliver of Qi. The bear howled in agony, stumbling backward.
This was his chance. Chen Tian continued his assault, employing close-range Qi attacks from his Martial Soul, targeting the weak points. Slowly, the Stone Bear weakened, its movements slowing, its roars diminishing to whimpers. Finally, with a powerful, last energy claw strike, the Stone Bear collapsed to the ground with a thundering crash.
Chen Tian gasped for breath, his body trembling violently. Blood trickled from his nose. He had almost died. But he had succeeded.
"Hah! You almost made me vomit blood. But, passable for a worm,"
Hei Xuan commented, his tone slightly lighter. "Now, find the Essence Bead. Don't waste time. The scent of blood will draw attention."
Chen Tian crawled towards the Stone Bear's carcass. In its head, he found a small, glowing sphere, a beautiful sapphire blue. A Rare Grade Essence Bead. This was proof of his newfound strength.
He immediately integrated the Essence Bead into his Three-Eyed Moon Wolf Martial Soul. A wave of energy, far more potent than before, flooded his body. His Martial Soul felt more alive, more real, almost like a genuine wolf merging with him. His night vision sharpened further, his senses heightened dramatically, and he felt a new ability flowing within him.
"Good," Hei Xuan stated. "Two Essence Beads. Now, you are ready for your first technique. The Moon-Eater Howl."
Chen Tian sought out a secluded spot in the Shadowed Woods, a small clearing beneath the moon, barely visible through the mist. He stood there, his body still weak, yet with two integrated Essence Beads, his Martial Soul now radiated a distinct aura.
"Focus, boy," Hei Xuan commanded. "Feel your connection to the moon, even if it's but a faint shadow in this wretched world. You will call upon its power. Repeat this incantation. Every word, every syllable, must pierce your very soul."
Chen Tian closed his eyes, focusing all his energy. He raised his left hand, blood dripping from his fingertips onto the damp earth. The scent of blood mingled with the odor of soil and the spiritual Qi he now keenly felt.
His voice was faint, yet soul-piercing, echoing among the ancient trees of the Shadowed Woods:
"O wrathful moon,
You who witness the world's birth and damnation,
Unleash your teeth upon mortal flesh,
And let this putrid soul be my final taste."
As the last words were uttered, the Three-Eyed Moon Wolf Martial Soul on his wrist erupted into a larger, illusory form, howling towards the grey sky. Its three eyes spun in unison, emitting a dark violet glow. Instantly, from the mist-shrouded sky, a thin, purplish-black moonbeam descended, forming a slowly rotating spiral energy disc above Chen Tian's head.
The disc emanated a terrifying aura of suction. It felt like a miniature black hole, poised to devour everything.
"This is the Moon-Eater Howl," Hei Xuan's voice reverberated, filled with rare pride. "The symphony of the moon devourer. Now, direct it at a target."
Chen Tian aimed the energy disc at a dead tree before him. The disc shot forward. A moment later, it was sucked into the mouth of the Three-Eyed Moon Wolf Martial Soul, which howled savagely. The tree, in a matter of seconds, began to wither, to decay, as if all its life had been drained. Its trunk turned to ash, then exploded into a black mist that poisoned the surrounding area.
Wham!
The black mist dispersed, permeating the ground and air. Chen Tian felt a small portion of the tree's energy flow into him, replenishing the Essence Bead in his Martial Soul. It was a strange, terrifying, yet intoxicating sensation.
"Not bad, boy! Not bad at all!"
Hei Xuan exclaimed, his rare excitement clear in his voice.
"You have mastered your basic technique. Now you have fangs to fight and defile this world."
Chen Tian gazed at the spreading black mist. He had unleashed a curse, and the moon had answered. He had become a devourer. Beneath the eternal sky of Stone-Gloom City, he would no longer merely survive. He would begin to carve his name in blood, one predatory shriek at a time.