Chapter 125 125: Collecter



Aiden's eyes widened in astonishment as he stared at the ghastly fire flickering vividly in his hand, illuminating the surrounding darkness. The flames seemed to dance and writhe, casting an ethereal glow upon his face. He was utterly captivated by its otherworldly charms, unable to tear his gaze away from the enchanting display. It was as though the flames held a hypnotic power over him, drawing him into their fiery embrace with a magnetic pull that he couldn't resist.

"Be warned, my friend, that the ghastly fire you've conjured is like a double-edged sword, dangerous yet mesmerizing. Its intense ferocity can give a swift end to your enemies, but it can also turn on you in an instant if you're not careful. You don't want to experience what it's like; it's a dreadful sight."

"The ghastly fire's power should never be handled carelessly; those who've made that mistake met a tragic end, their screams silenced as they were engulfed by the relentless flames and reduced to nothing but smoldering ashes." Evan noticed that Aiden was falling prey to its snare and immediately spoke up to warn him, his eyes gleaming with concern.

Aiden was taken aback by the shocking revelation and flung the Ghostly fire away in surprise. In a sudden burst of energy, the fire shot forward and landed on a nearby tree, setting it ablaze with a violent hiss. As if struck by heavenly lightning, the tree was reduced to ashes in an instant, the flames devouring every inch of its wooden flesh with a fierce intensity. The ashes from the burnt remains fell to the ground like snowflakes, scattering everywhere in the murky swamps with an eerie stillness, as if the very air itself was holding its breath in awe of the Ghostly fire's devastating power

"Fuck!" 

Aiden's jaw dropped in sheer disbelief, his eyes widening in awe and amazement. The Ghastly Fire soul skill's untamed ferocity was comparable to the secret technique he had founded during his days in the army - a technique he had honed through sweat, blood, and tears. 

'No. I am wrong.'

As he stared at the devastation caused by the mesmerizing flames, he realized with a growing sense of wonder that it was even better, more powerful, and more intense than his own creation. The realization hit him like a thunderbolt.

Aiden turned to Evan, looking at him with a gaze full of accusation. 

eαglesnᴏνel "Your Highness, you should have warned me about the perilous nature of the Ghastly Fire soul skill before teaching it to me," he said to Evan softly.

Evan faced Aiden, sensing his friend's aggrieved state reflected in his accusing gaze.

"I know I am wrong."

Evan acknowledged that he had been wrong in this particular case since a slight slip-up in handling the Ghastly Fire could have resulted in Aiden turning into ashes. Nevertheless, he had his reasons for not warning his friend beforehand.

"However, had I cautioned you about the hazardous aspects of the Ghastly Fire soul skill beforehand, you would have likely been uneasy. As you know, the Energy Manipulator is highly susceptible to changes in one's thoughts and emotions. It wouldn't have been as effortless for you to grasp the skill," he explained.

Realizing that Evan had acted in his best interests, any ambivalent emotions that Aiden had harbored towards his friend dissipated.

Aiden addressed the imperial figure, "Your Highness, I have not heard of such a sophisticated soul skill before. It's likely to be created by you recently. May I ask how you came up with it?"

Among practitioners of soul cultivation, it was a widely accepted fact that soul skills were divided into two main levels: low and high. These levels corresponded to the grading system used for soul skills by the Player System, ranging from levels 1 to 4. What's intriguing is that some skills, upon maxing out through the utilization of soul skill points, could surpass the effectiveness of high-level soul skills. Evan's Phantom Shadow Step and imperial swordsmanship were prime examples of such skills.

So the classification of the ghastly fire soul skill as high-level truly demonstrated its incredible power and magnificence.

The process of creating the Ghostly Fire was no small feat. It required the rubbing of a significant amount of soul energy with an equal amount of soul energy, precisely a hundred times within a fraction of a second. This outstanding achievement could solely be accomplished if one have a soul plate similar to Aiden's, which signifies that only Energy Manipulators could execute this technique. It also implies that the creation of such a sophisticated soul skill required profound insights that could only be possessed by a high-level cultivator. However, why would someone with such a high level of cultivation waste their time inventing a method that only a particular group of individuals could execute?

Thus, Aiden was certain that the creator of this technique could be none other than His Highness Evan. But that left Aiden in complete awe of the incredible insight possessed by the latter.

Evan shook his head, "It's a secret. I can't share how I invented the Ghastly Fire Soul Skill, even with you."

Aiden's heart sank a little as he felt a twinge of regret for not being able to indulge his insatiable curiosity about the workings of a great mind, but he knew he was in no position to satisfy his curiosity as Evan was above his station. Not to mention, he didn't want to risk coming across as intrusive or impolite by constantly badgering him with his inquiries. 

"I understand," Aiden said with a nod. It was clear that he didn't want to risk souring their relationship by annoying him with his incessant curiosity. Instead, he wanted to improve it. "And I'm thankful that you taught me something so valuable without asking anything in return. I will not forget this favor. I will do my best to repay you for your kindness, Your Highness."

Evan briefly glanced at Aiden and couldn't help but notice how much he seemed to be struggling with "eighth-grade syndrome." Evan couldn't help but feel a bit exasperated as he sighed inwardly.

"Don't feel the need to thank me. We're in this together now. I simply did what I believed was necessary to ensure that our boat remains afloat until it safely takes us to the other side." Evan placed his hand on Aiden's shoulder, offering a reassuring gesture. The pat seemed to communicate encouragement and support to Aiden.