"No. You absolutely can't eat this."
Jiang Jue tightly gripped the Soul Refining Banner with both hands. His immense spiritual power forcefully suppressed the instinctive desire it was transmitting.
This wasn't his possession right now. And he was still counting on this god-position fragment to enhance his soul ring years.
Gradually, the Soul Refining Banner stabilized in his hands. The dark blood-red flag fluttered slightly, looking almost like a child who had been scolded by its parent—somewhat aggrieved.
"It's not that I won't let you eat. There'll be plenty of chances in the future. What's so good about a broken fragment? I'll let you eat a complete one someday."
Jiang Jue gently stroked the banner and softly painted a grand promise.
At the same time, however, he realized something: since the Soul Refining Banner wanted to devour the god-position fragment, that meant it possessed the ability to do so.
"What would happen if it swallowed it?"
Jiang Jue's brows furrowed slightly. His thoughts churned. He felt tempted, yet hesitated, unable to decide. Meanwhile, his determination to visit Jia Ling Pass—the site of the divine war ten thousand years ago—grew stronger.
At that moment, the previously calm altar suddenly trembled. The carved runes upon it seemed to come alive, twisting and rotating continuously.
The blood-red spheres Zhongli Wu had placed upon it began melting, turning into snake-like streams of ferocious blood. From the top of the altar, they gradually spread across its entire surface. The stench of blood surged.
In the next instant, dark-red blood mist rose and, as if guided, poured into the fragment.
The fragment accepted everything without rejection, emitting a dim glow. In a flash, three extreme negative emotions flickered across it—evil, slaughter, and resentment.
Though fleeting, Jiang Jue sensed them clearly.
"These negative attributes… If I'm not mistaken, this should be the divinity of the Rakshasa God position inherited by Bibi Dong, the Pope of Spirit Hall ten thousand years ago."
"But… Bibi Dong's god position shouldn't have shattered. She only died. So where did this fragment come from? Or is this a fragment of another god's position?"
As Jiang Jue pondered, a curtain of blood rose, gradually gathering into a blood-red ribbon that floated and circled around the fragment, guarding it.
"This should be the 'blood light' Master mentioned. In that case, I won't overthink it. First, I'll raise my soul ring years."
Jiang Jue cast aside his distracting thoughts. Calming his mind, he sat cross-legged upon a cushion before the altar and used his ashen-gray soul power to draw and guide the blood-red ribbon.
As for whether there was deception hidden within, Jiang Jue wasn't worried. The Soul Refining Banner had wanted to devour the fragment outright—so the blood light it produced posed little threat.
Moreover, Elder Yi was by his side.
"Shh—!"
The blood-red ribbon was drawn by Jiang Jue's soul power toward the Soul Refining Banner. The banner had long been impatient; the blood-colored patterns on its flag wriggled as if craving a feast.
One yellow, two purple, two black, and one red—six soul rings encircled the Soul Refining Banner.
But the blood-red ribbon did not enter the banner. Instead, it split into six smaller strands, each wrapping around one soul ring.
Soul Refining Banner: …
Jiang Jue's body trembled. He felt a strange sensation. Once the ribbon connected to the soul rings, the lowest-ranked first soul ring—originally an eight-hundred-year ring—began deepening in color. Within seconds, it shifted from yellow to purple, entering the thousand-year level.
It didn't stop there. The light purple gradually darkened, progressing toward the ten-thousand-year tier.
In the next instant, six figures flew out from the Soul Refining Banner—the six beast souls from which Jiang Jue had absorbed his soul rings. They scattered around, guarding him.
As the soul ring years increased, the aura they emitted grew steadily stronger.
Electrolux observed Jiang Jue for a moment. Seeing no abnormalities, he slowly walked to the altar. His profound gaze studied and analyzed it continuously.
"This altar is merely a converter. The crucial element is still that fragment. The sacrifices are converted by the altar, then further transformed through the fragment, which enhances the soul ring years. But… why do I feel something strange about this fragment?"
Electrolux frowned deeply. His divine sense swept over the fragment once more. The fragment instinctively resisted for a brief moment, then remained motionless.
Moments later, Electrolux's expression changed drastically. Shock filled his eyes as he muttered in a low voice:
"No… The divinity displayed on the surface of this fragment is evil, slaughter, and resentment—but beneath that surface, the original divinity should be light and holiness!"
"But how is that possible?"
He glanced at Jiang Jue. Seeing that he was fine, he continued pondering.
Dim candlelight flickered. Blood light rose slowly from the altar.
In an Isolated Space
A mass of pitch-black mist gathered at the center of a separate space.
The aura it emitted was incomparably pure—evil, resentment, slaughter. Compared to the fragment in the secret chamber, this aura was even purer, as though it were the true source.
"So… you discovered it? No matter."
"It's merely a god reduced to a remnant of divine consciousness… Hahaha. Am I not also clinging to existence with only a wisp of divine sense left?"
"Besides, I've already lost everything…"
The voice within the black mist rang out again—shrill, slightly mad—echoing through the space.
"But that boy is interesting. He carries so much fortune's power. It seems he is the new Child of Destiny who will stir the winds and clouds of Douluo Continent. He also bears the mark left by the God King of Destruction. Is he the opportunity I've been waiting for?"
No one in the space responded.
"But why is the banner in his hand so unusual? Even I feel a tremor because of it…"
"In that case, I shall test him. After all, I have nothing left to lose."
"Other than the god position I am attached to…"
Within the black mist, one could faintly see a complete and flawless god position standing tall. The pure divinity radiated from it.
Mingde Hall — Jing Hongchen's Office
"Hm? Why do people always like visiting at night?"
Jing Hongchen, who had been engraving a core formation array, paused his carving knife. His eyes narrowed slightly as he spoke casually.
"Yan Shaozhe, aren't you coming out? And the other guest as well?"
The spacious office remained silent.
"Are all members of Shrek Academy such sneaky, skulking individuals? You don't even dare enter this hall master's office?"
Jing Hongchen set down his carving knife, speaking unhurriedly.
Huo Yuhao was in his hands. Since the two people hiding in the shadows weren't anxious, why should he be?
"Jing Hongchen, you're as cunning as ever. What's so hard about entering your office?"
As a voice laced with mockery fell, two figures slowly materialized inside Jing Hongchen's office.
(End of Chapter)