Batian Martial Soul

"The intermediate-level 'Shadow Demon' cultivator, having just glimpsed the myriad aspects of the demonic path and come into contact with various secret techniques and supernatural abilities, is easily blinded by power, chasing after changes in moves, and thus straying further from the true nature of the demon."

"A high-level 'Demon Soul' is one who sees through illusion and finds their own wisp of demonic essence among the myriad demonic paths. From then on, the demon is no longer an external thing, but an extension of one's own will. Every move they make contains demonic charm, and they have power without having to deliberately activate it."

The old man's gaze was sharp as it fell upon the figure where Ling Xiao's consciousness had coalesced.

"You are now trapped in the quagmire of 'Shadow'."

"Dazzled by the profound sword skills and heaven-defying supernatural powers you've acquired, you forgot to turn back and ask your own demonic heart: what is the purpose of your cultivation of demons?"

"Is it for self-preservation?"

"For revenge?"

"Or is it to break free from all constraints and take control of one's own destiny?"

"You must break through this illusion and find your own 'demon soul' before you can truly step into the threshold of the demonic path."

Ling Xiao's mind was shaken, and his consciousness was filled with turbulent waves.

"What should the younger generation do?"

"Use the demonic techniques you know best and rely on most."

The old man's voice was calm and steady.

"There is no need to use real spiritual power; you can simply use your will to create this place."

“We will observe its form and discern its meaning for you, and find out the stagnation and superficiality in the flow of your demonic intent.”

Ling Xiao focused his mind, and the first transformation of the "Nine Transformations of True Demon," the Blood Demon Transformation, instantly appeared in his mind!

With a thought, a terrifying demonic intent that seemed capable of devouring the light of heaven and earth suddenly erupted. Thousands of blood-red demonic patterns appeared around his consciousness, and demonic flames soared into the sky, faintly showing the power to devour chaos and tear apart the void. Before the move was even fully unleashed, it had already caused the surrounding demonic energy to churn violently.

After the move was performed, a deathly silence fell over his mind.

The thirteen illusory figures remained silent for a long time, and even the surrounding demonic radiance seemed to freeze, as if they were stunned by this heaven-defying move.

Just as Ling Xiao was about to ask a question, the old man's slightly hoarse voice rang out in his mind.

"...Alright, let's talk about your habits when you use your moves first."

Ling Xiao was stunned and couldn't figure it out for a moment.

The illusory figure of the woman in the light blue dress beside her could no longer contain herself. She gently touched her smooth forehead with her jade-like fingers, unable to hide the smile in her eyes, and spoke softly with a hint of teasing.

“Little guy, to tell you the truth, your move itself is... almost flawless.”

"With perfect laws and pure demonic intent, its power is so great that even at our peak, we would have to give way."

"At least, with our remaining consciousness, we can't find the slightest flaw."

"It's a pity that the technique is a flawless pearl, but the person who uses it is like a child holding a sword, full of flaws."

"A pearl cast before swine," as the saying goes.

Ling Xiao was speechless for a moment, his cheeks slightly flushed.

He knew his foundation was weak, but he never expected the gap to be so vast.

The old man sighed, his tone tinged with regret.

"The laws and power contained in this move are too high, far exceeding the scope of the 'Seeing the Demon' realm. It's a pity that your foundation in the demonic path is too shallow. It's like a child wielding a ten-thousand-pound divine weapon. You can only unleash one-tenth of its full power, which is already a stroke of luck."

"Did you know that the more powerful a technique is, the higher the demands it places on the user's magical foundation and willpower?"

"Otherwise, it would be like a tree without roots or water without a source, merely having the form but not being able to unleash its true power. If you are not careful, you will be backfired by the moves and your very essence will be damaged."

Ling Xiao nodded solemnly, accepting the instruction.

"I understand, seniors. Please point out the specific shortcomings."

"Your shortcomings stem from your over-reliance on advanced techniques, which masks your neglect of basic magical skills."

The old man said.

“Perform your usual martial arts moves again, nothing too... outrageous, just something ordinary will do.”

Ling Xiao thought for a moment and then developed another commonly used move in his sea of ​​consciousness: the Evil Dragon Breaking Boundary Fist!
The moment the fist intent manifested, the dragon's might and demonic intent intertwined and erupted, the chaotic energy in the sea of ​​consciousness stirred up a raging torrent, and a phantom black evil dragon phantom circled and roared, as if it wanted to shatter this demonic space.

The thirteen illusory figures fell silent again, their demonic aura rippled noticeably, as if shaken by this power.

The illusory figure of the woman in the blue dress shook her head helplessly and chuckled.

"You kid... don't you have any simpler moves?"

"For example... a basic technique that relies solely on demonic intent, without needing supernatural powers or phenomena?"

Ling Xiao said awkwardly.

"What I have learned... is mostly like this."

"The basic moves I learned in my early years are no longer used."

The woman's illusory figure smiled even more broadly.

"We are indeed not qualified to judge the merits of these two moves."

"But we can comment on you, child, that it is truly... a waste of talent to let such a heaven-defying move fall into your hands now."

Ling Xiao felt incredibly embarrassed and wished he could disappear into the ground.

The old man shook his head and chuckled.

"Indeed."

"Do you have any more basic moves? Don't use these terrifying supernatural powers anymore, otherwise this lesson will really be impossible to continue."

Ling Xiao racked his brains and finally recalled a set of basic sword techniques he had learned when he first entered the demonic path. Not daring to be the slightest bit fancy, he practiced them properly in his mind.

The moves are simple, consisting of only four techniques: chopping, slashing, thrusting, and stabbing. The flow of demonic energy is also quite sluggish.

After the performance, the old man asked.

"This time, can you detect anything different?"

Ling Xiao pondered for a moment, then hesitated.

"The power... has weakened considerably, and the flow of demonic energy feels somewhat sluggish."

The old man's phantom seemed to sway helplessly, and the other phantoms also let out low sighs, their demonic radiance dimming slightly.

"You see, that's the problem."

The old man spoke earnestly.

"You have become accustomed to relying on those earth-shattering moves, taking them for granted, but you have forgotten that all the vast rivers and seas originate from trickling streams; all the towering trees are rooted in the deep soil."

“Powerful techniques are the ‘effect,’ while profound magical cultivation and a solid magical foundation are the ‘cause.’”

“You have put the cart before the horse, neglecting the essential for the trivial. Your foundation is not solid. Even if you master many heaven-defying supernatural powers, it will be like a castle in the air, which will collapse at the slightest storm.”

Ling Xiao felt a chill run down his spine, as if struck by lightning.

He certainly knew this principle.
However, with powerful enemies surrounding him along the way, and life and death hanging in the balance, his instincts would drive him to use his strongest moves. Over time, he actually neglected to hone his basic skills.

"Alright, we'll start teaching you from the very basics again." The old man's voice deepened, carrying the solemnity of passing on the torch.

In the days that followed, Ling Xiao's consciousness became completely immersed in this inheritance space constructed by thirteen ancient demonic intents.

There was no cramming or indoctrination, only patient guidance and meticulous exploration.

The thirteen ancient sage phantoms meticulously analyzed his past understanding of demons, his experiences in executing techniques, and the stagnation in the flow of demonic intent. Starting from the most fundamental concepts such as "how demonic intent merges with blood and qi" and "how the true heart drives techniques," they reconstructed the framework of his understanding of the demonic path. (End of Chapter)