NOVPUBAksai didn't want to let the Verdant Elder go just like that, even though the latter had completely secured himself.
This was the very first time someone had managed to pierce his chest and fatally injure him. Since when were others allowed to do something he usually did to his enemies? 𝚗ov𝚙𝚞𝚋.c𝚘m
Even though he had acted brave in front of Yelia, a part of Aksai was shaken and deeply intimidated. That feeling turned into anger toward the Verdant Elder.
He had to settle the score for himself, so it wouldn't haunt him later on.
But how?
The answer was simple.
Since physically injuring the demon beast was not possible for the time being, he just needed to give up on that strategy and think of something else.
Aksai was a traveler of otherworlds. He had seen two distinct civilizations, both vastly different from the world of Dadangar. As such, he had his own ways.
Even if he couldn't injure the demon beast physically anymore, he would commence an attack that wasn't physical.
Aksai took a deep breath. He stood before the sealed dome of roots and vines, his breath steady, his eyes sharp. He reached into his storage ring again, and this time, his hand came out holding an old, weathered lantern.
The modified Blood Soul Lamp. One could even call it Blood Soul Lamp v.2.
It no longer looked like the same artifact he had received from the elders of the Lakir Clan years ago. Back then, it had been rough and simple, useful only against Spirit cultivators in the 1st realm.
He had barely used it in the past because of its limits. It couldn't affect Foundation Building experts or demon beasts above the 1st Order.
But things had changed.
After finding another Bloodfiend Creation Manual from Shameen's shop, Aksai had studied it thoroughly and worked carefully over the past few months.
He followed the instructions that allowed him to modify the Blood Soul Lamp without performing any sacrifices. No need for blood rituals or forbidden chants. All he needed were Aether Crystals.
And he had plenty.
He had simply ordered his clone stationed in Acarnis to send him crates of them. They came quickly—delivered through the cheat-like teleportation mechanism of the Everwood Farm.
He spent days feeding the artifact with the Aether Essence stored inside those crystals. The result was now in his hand.
The lantern looked different.
Still old and worn, yes—but also more refined. The metal frame had a dark luster. Tiny runes covered its surface—so many that they crawled like ants across the structure, forming intricate Essence Equations that glowed faintly in the dim light.
Small Aether Crystals were embedded into the sides like precious stones, each one softly glowing with silver-blue light. But the flame inside was the most striking.
It was no longer purplish-red. It now burned a deep, rich purple.
Aksai stepped forward. He knelt slightly and placed the Blood Soul Lamp on the ground before him. Then he closed his eyes.
He sent a thin stream of Spirit Essence into the lantern. At the same time, he guided a wave of Aether Essence into the artifact as well.
The response was immediate.
The purple flame inside the lantern flared high. It danced and twisted unnaturally, as if alive. A low hum began to fill the air around Aksai—a strange sound that made the grass quiver and the air tighten.
Then came the pulse.
A single, heavy wave.
It rolled out from the lantern like a ripple on still water—but instead of touching the surface, it had the power to dive deep into one's soul.
It was soundless. It didn't shake the ground. But it was perfectly capable of doing its job.
A psychic pulse, smooth and sharp like a needle, designed to pierce the soul of whoever it was aimed at and shake them from within.
Earlier, the Blood Soul Lamp could only be used to stun enemies. It could sometimes cause someone to lose consciousness, but that kind of effect only worked on mortals or weak Spirit cultivators.
However, the modified Blood Soul Lamp was not only capable of stunning—it could now injure one's soul. It could also inject Aksai's Aether Essence into the target's Soul Space if their soul was weak or vulnerable. Once inside, the Essence could brand the soul, allowing Aksai to trigger various effects on the opponent later.
Aksai could induce hallucinations and nightmares in the mind of any opponent branded by the Blood Soul Lamp v.2. He could also use the branded Soul Mark to affect the opponent's thought process, hindering their physical movements in real time.
Of course, Aksai had only unlocked a few basic uses of the modified Blood Soul Lamp in conjunction with the Aether Crystals. There were still many creative uses he needed to discover on his own.
Back to the current situation.
The dome in front of Aksai shuddered slightly when the pulse was released. Since it wasn't a physical attack, it couldn't be stopped by the protective dome. The psychic pulse easily pierced through the barrier and targeted the Verdant Elder's soul.
In fact, the psychic wave was so strong that it even knocked out the bear cubs still hiding in the cave, even though they were not the intended targets and were far away from both Aksai and the Verdant Elder.
Aksai couldn't be sure if the Verdant Elder would be able to complete his breakthrough and evolution process after this point. However, he was certain that his last attack had landed exactly where it was supposed to.
He could feel his Soul Mark now branded on the Verdant Elder's soul.
In fact, even Aksai was surprised by how easy it had been to brand the Verdant Elder's soul using the Blood Soul Lamp.
The Spirit Farmer felt like yet another coincidence had taken place—something that had allowed him to brand the Verdant Elder's soul without facing any mental resistance.
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AN: The Blood Soul Lamp was first used in chapter 58. Aksai obtains another Bloodfiend manual from Shameen in chapter 258. The use of Aether Crystals in the Blood Soul Lamp was first hinted at in chapter 259.
