Black, foul-smelling impurities began to ooze from his pores, staining the floor with filth as his physical body underwent a total purge. The stench of rot and age fled from him like a shadow before dawn.
His skin glowed faintly, pores tightening, scars fading. The dullness in his eyes cleared, replaced by a sharper, crystalline gaze that could pierce through lies and fear alike.
Suddenly all his hair stood on end, dancing as if caught in a divine storm. Arcs of lightning-like Qi sparked around him, and for a brief moment, his figure seemed otherworldly, elevated beyond the reach of mortals.
His soul responded.
Like chains breaking one after another, Roland felt parts of his being long locked away suddenly open. His soul, once hidden behind the curtain of flesh, began to expand and radiate presence. He could sense it shaping, molding, becoming more refined—no longer just an echo of thought but a true force.
He could perceive the changes happening inside him.
