Modern Patriarch - Chapter 130: The Grand Showdown (7)- Dawnlight

As the torrential memories flooded Yao Shen’s mindspace, he realized how wise a decision it had been to limit his desire for more knowledge. Imbibing the tome into his own heart was not as simple as taking another’s recorded memories or replaying them in the comfort of his own mind.

No, it was a much more intimate experience than that.

Yao Shen was Illivarra Feralheart, the diminutive, ruthless Spymaster of the Ancient Codex as the secret of operating the Demon Gates was revealed to her by a former Master of the Codex. He felt the same terror young Illivarra felt upon being confronted by a Soul Paragon, the burning sense of duty and responsibility she felt towards proving that she, a mere Early Stage Soul Emperor back then, was worthy of being entrusted with such a responsibility.

Access to the Eastern Node was only granted to ones that were both worthy and capable of keeping their emotions in check.

Over the following decades, as Illivarra demonstrated her prowess in one success after the next, her influence grew and grew. Even two of the other Demonic Hegemons in the region that had access to the Eastern Node under an ancient treaty occasionally requested to borrow a flesh puppet.

Naturally, Illivarra had been happy to oblige— for an exceedingly obscene cost, of course.

So effective her traceless Flesh Puppets had become, that the two other Hegemons allowed her to keep twenty two such inert puppets within the Eastern Node— an exception seldom, if ever granted across history.

It only made accomplishing her tasks easier, for the protocol and clearance required to open any one of the Major Nodes required a high involvement from the higher echelons of the three hegemons, often requiring months or even years before it was granted. A mere Demon Gate could not be compared to an entire Node, after all— the latter was a strategic resource that the Demonic Path had a solemn duty to protect, across sect and clan lines.

The ritual mix of mortal and cultivator blood in exacting ratios. The addition of five spiritual herbs amongst the hundreds she intentionally carried in her spiritual ring to obfuscate their value, in specific quantities. A chant in a long-dead ancient language, specifying the start and end points of the teleportation. And of course, twenty-two Soul Emperor level Flesh Puppets sitting inert, yet requiring only a moment to snap back into full consciousness if by some miracle the Eastern Node was infiltrated.

That was not an intentional arrangement, but it might as well work that way.

Knowing that he had no need to memorize the information he had just garnered, for it was part of him as any other experience he had gone through was, Yao Shen opened his eyes.

With a flick of his finger, he allowed Illivarra to speak again.

“It’s… It’s gone,” She sputtered under her breath, her tone tinged with disbelief. “I can’t remember…. The Demon Gate’s location. How…..”

Yao Shen internally grimaced, not having expected such an outcome. Of course, he had no qualms about stealing the precious experiences from Illivarra’s soul fragment, but it limited who he could— or more accurately, who he was willing to use his Heart-Key against.

There was another risk that the Heart-Key posed, one to himself. Yao Shen had to be careful not to take on burdens that were larger than his Soul’s ability to carry, or he could, based on the immersion of the memories he had experienced, find himself disassociating under the burden of countless others’ memories.

Taking a few deep breaths, Yao Shen steeled himself and reached for a second tome, the one titled, ‘The Eclavian Language’.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Corresponding to the weight Illivarra attached to the memory, digesting the early lessons she had received on the Dark Elven Language turned out to be a far smoother experience.

In a matter of minutes, Yao Shen had complete mastery over a language that took Illivarra near half a decade to learn.

The experience with the ‘Dark Elven History, Culture and Heritage’ tome was much the same, albeit Yao Shen found the subject matter far more interesting. His Human Dao base would soon be able to grow to the Dark Elven race with more study and actual interactions with the elusive race. No matter how much he knew about them, theoretical knowledge remained theoretical, after all.

Yao Shen had gained too much from Illivarra Feralheart’s Soul Fragment, but he knew that the greatest information he had gained only held value if he acted fast.

However, there was one more thing he had to do before dispelling his domain. He turned around, gazing past the lost Illivarra as she was robbed of memories and knowledge pertaining to her own race and towards the cultivator he now knew as Yifang Huang.

Slowly, Yao Shen approached his senior, his expression humble as he came to a stop a few steps before him and bowed.

“Rest assured, Senior. I have dealt with the demon and shall return your Soul Fragment to the cycle of reincarnation after I separate it from the Demon’s with the aid of my relic,” He addressed the cultivator, Yifang Huang, who paid him no attention.

Compared to Illivarra’s study, that dominated three-fourths of the oblong room they found himself in, Yifang Huang’s heart— or what remained of it, was of far humbler make.

An old, well-worn desk fashioned out of mortal wood was accompanied by a four-legged chair of simple make. Warm light filtered in from a rectangular window, Yifang Huang’s own arms resting on the windowsill as he took in the peaceful scenery outside. Green grass, fresh air and a surprising lack of perceived ambient Qi was how Yao Shen observed the scene.

He could not be sure if his guess was accurate, but to him it seemed like a simple mortal house overlooking nameless mortal countryside.

“Ri..se,” Yifang Huang finally rasped out as Yao Shen studied the sparse collection of half-tattered tomes lying haphazardly on a single-rung bookshelf

Yao Shen obeyed.

“The… Demon….,”Yifang Huang muttered as he turned to face him, his single amber eye boring into his own two. “…has tormented me…much. Yet, I endured. Do…you know…why?”

Yao Shen shook his head.

“My techniques…Celestial Four-Element Sect…. I cannot… give them to you,” Yifang Huang explained.

“I did not help you for your techniques, Senior,” Yao Shen stated firmly, his expression held steadfast.

“I…I know. As you step….into my heart…I see your…nature. You….are kind….unlike many…many others. Most techniques….I cannot…but one… my technique… inheritance….the reason I endured….,” Yao Shen’s gaze widened in shock as Yifang Huang pulled out a shimmering golden book out of his robe’s inner lining.

“This….Senior, I shall make sure to get this technique delivered to your descendants,” Yao Shen hurriedly replied, incredibly moved by the gesture as he observed the lengths his senior righteous path cultivator had gone to protect his inheritance— the torment he must have endured!

“No…No!” Yifang Huang bellowed, though his sense of self was so feeble that even a scream came out sounding like an angry rasp. “You will… accept…it. The reflection of a vivid flame on… the surface of water. This is… a Major Fusion Dao… powerful yet, I was captured…before perfecting it. Flame on Water gives birth to…to… Dawnlight. Take it….take it and bring dawn to the blasphemous Bloodsoul Forest!”

Yao Shen felt chills run down his back as he considered the implications of what he was offering.

A new type of Major Dao formed by fusing two existing Daos? He had never heard of such a preposterous notion! Was this the Dao Path he had to master to become a Soul Paragon? Or was it something else entirely?

Yao Shen saw no way out of the duty that had been thrust upon him, so he reached out to grab the tome.

There was no weight to it.

None at all.

Since it was given willingly, did that mean that there would be no burden placed on his soul?

Not seeing any reason to draw out the encounter, Yao Shen thrust the Dawnlight tome into his heart.

Five minutes later, when Yao Shen opened his eyes, his expression was incredibly conflicted.

“Good….,” Yifang Huang rasped, his expression seeming elated even with near half his face missing. “Good… Now… I grow weary. Release me….before my soul loses…shape…. “

Yao Shen bowed deeply at the command, his expression melancholic as he bowed again with complete reverence.

“As you wish….master,” He said and a solitary tear rolled down his right eye.