Seth could feel the power coursing through his veins and felt the need to test it out. He used his Shadow Walk and started to sprint to the place the Phoenix Spirit and Lilian were.
The first thing he noticed was the perfect control he had over his Mana now. He wasn't wasting even a single bit of energy when utilizing his skills. Naturally, that would lead him on being able to continuously use his arsenal of skills for much longer than before.
His Mana was way denser too. It was at least ten times stronger than what it was before, what led to his speed abruptly rising. He could cover a distance of thousand meters in just ten or so seconds before. But now, he was able to cover a five thousand meters distance while using his Shadow Walk in that sane time window.
His speed was on another league. He even felt that it would be possible to arrive at the place Lilian was in a single day. The only thing bothering him were the fire walls.
An idea crossed his mind. If he was practically immune to fire, or at least resistant to the point where the elemental flames could do nothing with him, then it would be possible to ignore the labyrinth mechanics and pass through the fire walls easily.
He stopped avoiding the fire walls and tried to break through one of them in order to test his theory out.
Seth passed through the wall of fire and the only thing he felt, was a warm current of air blowing at him, while in truth, he was entering a thick jet of hellfire, that burned a character like Wu Shuhui to death. It was literally magical.
'With this speed and heading in a straight line to the phoenix chamber, I will be able to get there in time for sure.'
"Seth now that you found that you have a bit of time to spare while you're running, I have to tell you something." Lexi said inside Seth's head.
"What is it?"
"While absorbing the pure Spiritual Energy present inside this labyrinth, I was able to advance a bit on my skills. The best part is that I have grasped a deeper understanding about souls in general. The fragments of memories I kept receiving, were all connected to that topic, and what I actually have to tell you is that, there is a way to cultivate the soul."
"Cultivate the soul? Isn't cultivation the method people use to enhance their strength? Why would one need to cultivate their soul?"
"I don't quite understand it at all too, but it is definitely important. Only if I could remember more about it. Sigh..."
"There is no need to force yourself with that Lexi. With time you'll recover your memories and everything will sort out."
"Actually, there is another thing I discovered. I was able to access some deeper places within your Soul Essence and extract some long lost memories, do you want to see them?" Lexi asked with a bit of uncertainty. She didn't know if she was being too nosy, or if he wouldn't mind it at all.
"I do!" Seth didn't mind it at all, he already considered Lexi a part of his own.
"Alright. It will only take five minutes of your time, but I think it is a crucial information for you."
A white flash clouded Seth's vision, making everything go dark right after.
.
.
.
Seth felt that he was laying down on some sort of a bed. He could not open his eyes, nor move any part of his body. The only sensorial organ working on his body, were his ears.
He heard a voice he thought it was kind of familiar for him, talking with someone.
"How were the results of the experiment?" The voice was deep and calm. His intonation gave the feeling he was an old person.
"Brilliant, my lord! The boy is a hundred percent compatible and has already inherited that strange power." The voice of the Cerberus Clan Master replied back.
"Then the preliminaries of our plan are concluded. All we need to do is plant the Soul Trap, to control him when needed and nurture his power until it reaches maturity."
Seth felt like he knew that voice, but nothing came into his mind right now.
"If everything goes according to the plan, then in a hundred or so years, we will be able to storm the entire continent and dominate any of the other races." The Cerberus Clan Master was already getting exited while thinking of the destruction they would bring to the entire continent of Alteria.
"A step at a time. I'll start planting the Soul Trap inside his soul, after that we can forge a situation where he will be rescued from this place."
Lexi then, showed Seth how a wisp of purple energy invaded his soul space, trying to lodge there. She had already awakened at that time, when she saw that unholy energy invading her space.
Lexi quickly tried to purify it, but was too inexperienced to do so, what could lead to permanent damage on Seth's soul. So instead of trying to battle against the Soul Trap, she entrapped it inside a cocoon made of her own energy.
Back to the present, Seth saw that inside his soul space, there was a purple wisp of energy, wrapped in a white light, hovering in the air.
"If you want, I have enough power and experience to extinguish that trap right now." Lexi said.
"Hm. There is no need, since it's under your control and you can overpower it anytime we need, let it be there. I think that one day we can use it to fish out who that person was." Seth said while looking towards that Soul Trap with an icy glint on his eyes. He would never forgive whoever did that with him. He placed that person on top of the list of the targets for his vengeance.
"Alright then." Lexi willed and the Soul Trap was hidden deep inside his soul space.
"Let me primarily focus on the things I can accomplish now." Seth left his soul space and started to run again. It took him twelve hours of straight running with his Shadow Walk active, to reach the destination in time.
Seth arrived before that exquisite phoenix gate and saw how wide, was the area of destruction their battle did. The multiple corpses on the ground only served to reinforce the image of what was a war.
Before entering, Seth quickly went to the place Tao Shing was. He unconsciously laid on the floor for all this time, unable to stand up. But now was the time to forcefully wake him up.
Seth put his hand on Tao Shing's head and channeled his soul power. He was about to use one of the cruel tortures of the Hades inheritance. His soul power invaded Tao Shing's soul, diving directly at his Soul Essence. From there, Seth started to dissect it in order to find the information he wanted.
Tao Shing abruptly opened his eyes feeling and unbearable quantity of pain. His body had no strength to resist Seth, so he could only wail like a banshee during the time Seth executed his technique.
Tao Shing dropped lifeless while Seth found the information he wanted; however, it was not that satisfactory. After leaving the labyrinth, he would pay a visit to the Tao Family manor.
Seth headed towards the phoenix chamber and the gate opened automatically for him to enter. He passed through the passageway reaching the main hall where a mountain of treasures, were trying to make him go blind with their luminous glint.
Just after he entered the room, two big eyes completely made of phoenix flames appeared in front of him. They seemed to be shaking with a mixture of fear and anticipation.
"What have actually happened? Why did this Venerable One feel such a terrifying pressure coming from the hidden dimension? Even my connection with the Fragmented Law of Fire was erased."
Seth used his actions to reply. He lifted his right hand and a normal flame started to burn mildly.
"?" The Phoenix Spirit's gaze was reflecting the many questions it had, while looking at that flame.
Suddenly, Seth made the fire ignite with ferocity as the Seed of Tyranny released the Corrupted Law of Fire. The crimson flame exerted a tyrannical pressure that made the Phoenix Spirit have the urge to bow down and kneel in reverence. It immediately felt the power of the Fragmented Law of Fire inside those flames, however, it seemed unholy and complete.
"H-How?!" It looked towards Seth, like he was the beast within the beasts. A monster that surpassed the deeds of those called Ancient Beasts, like the Phoenixes, Dragons and Qilins. It even stuttered while trying to talk.
"I don't know. It just happened. Somehow, the Fragmented Law of Fire chose me as it's host." Seth told the partial truth, since he didn't want to expose the Seed of Tyranny.
The Phoenix Spirit was thoroughly shocked, it didn't even seem to hear Seth's response. It just kept staring at those flames in awe. It could not fathom the powers it contained, nor understand what happened actually with the Fragmented Law of Fire. It was very different from normal, like it was menacing and corrupted.
"Can this Venerable One touch it?" The Phoenix Spirit was asking for permission. It was unintentionally considering Seth a being of equal ground, or even superior already.
"Go ahead."
A filament of phoenix flames went towards the crimson fire on Seth's hand. It tried to touch those crimson red flames and ended being completely burned by it.
"!!!" The Phoenix Spirit for the first time, felt the sense of helplessness beside Seth's corrupted flames. It felt in the presence of a real sovereign.
"Sigh... This Venerable One, never thought that something like this would ever happen. To tell you the truth, after entering the inner dimension, your soul would be unable to leave it and return to the Fire Labyrinth unless you made a contract with the Fragmented Law of Fire. A contract that would bind you to this palace, like me. However, you actually obtained it and is now able to go anywhere you want. With that, this Fire Labyrinth will slowly die, since its root has been uprooted."
"What? Do you mean this place will cease to exist?" Seth asked flabbergasted.
"Yes, this place serves for no purpose any longer and will disappear along with everything inside."
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