It Feels Surreal

It was already daybreak when Damien woke up. He was still feeling pain all over his body but it was bearable than yesterday. His ethereal energy had also recovered completely.

He saw Valentina in her ethereal beast form with the cloak completely covering her body, except her cute head. He felt like stroking her head before leaving but decided not to since he didn't want her to wake up.

He had told Valentina that she should not walk around naked whenever she assumes her human form. But he knew that she doesn't have any dress to wear and the cloak is too big and unsuitable for her. So, he told her that, next time he visits her, he would bring some clothes for her. Valentina was excited when Damien promised to bring her new clothes and she was already looking forward to the next time Damien would visit her.

Damien sighed and sped towards the direction of the imperial palace. Just after Damien left, Valentina slowly opened her eyes and stared at the direction Damien left with her ruby red eyes.

Damien was speeding through the forest enduring the pain in his body, hoping that Lily didn't find out anything was amiss. He felt bad that he skipped out on a training session and imagined how long Lily would have waited and worried for him. He was also thinking of some other plans to help Lily since he knew that it was always good to have a backup plan.

——

"Ha…..finally, I am back."

Not long after, Damien had finally reached inside his room. He was lying on the bed panting. His clothes were completely drenched with his sweat. But only now he completely recollected about the things that happened yesterday in his mind. How he even killed someone at the peak of the Nascent Ethereal Realm with just his low level Nascent Ethereal Realm cultivation.

In fact not only Damien, but not even a single person in this world could believe such a fact even if they saw it with their own eyes. Because it not only defied all common sense and logic but also went against their beliefs of the ethereal way.

Damien found it completely absurd and surprising that he couldn't believe it really happened. He never expected his Anti-God Arts to be so unfathomable and terrifying. Especially considering that the first phase of his Undying Wrath skill only converted 20% of his ethereal energy into Anti-Energy. But it still gave him enough ethereal strength to cross one whole realm!

"Thinking about how awesome your Anti-God Arts are?" Luna appeared seeing a gawking expression on Damien's face.

Damien said in a low voice, "I just feel surreal thinking about it. The power I had when I used the Anti-God Arts...it felt so good that I felt invincible, making me feel that everyone else was just mere ants waiting to be annihilated by me. I feel like these arts bring out my true self...more like it's made for me."

"Of course, why wouldn't it be? After all your Origin Seed is perfectly compatible with you no matter how mystifying it seems. The immense increase in your ethereal strength is because of the enigmatic Anti-Energy. An energy of pure destruction and annihilation. I think you still haven't yet understood the immensity of its power. Well, you will learn anyway the more you use it. And with your current cultivation, you can maintain that state for a few moments." Luna stated.

"Yes, if only my ethereal energy was at full capacity before activating Undying Wrath, I wouldn't have ended up aggravating my injuries. Well—"

"Well, aren't you forgetting something?" Luna interrupted with a whimsical smile.

"What do yo—Oh, you mean the soul essence I absorbed from that burly dude?" Damien said as realization dawned on him.

He only now remembered that he had stored away the life essence of Igor in his ethereal core and his soul essence in his own soul plane, to be absorbed later. Igor's soul cultivation was at the Peak Nascent Soul Stage, a whole realm higher than Damien's soul cultivation.

Obviously, Damien could improve his soul cultivation and ethereal cultivation by absorbing these two. But as his soul cultivation goes higher and higher, the more soul essence of higher quality he would need.

But he knew what Luna meant as he remembered the promise between them. He chuckled and instantly transferred 50% of Igor's soul essence to Luna.

Receiving her share of the soul essence, Luna's eyes flashed. Even though the share she received is insignificant compared to the quality and quantity she needs to recover her soul essence, it was still something. She planned to keep absorbing soul essences no matter how weak to slowly build up her own soul essence coupled with her own recovery rate.

Luna was also now more confident of Damien keeping his words seeing how he didn't even hesitate to transfer her share of soul essence. Her evaluation of Damien went up by a few points in her mind.

She found it interesting that someone like him who had experienced and suffered from the cruelties of the world still kept his promises especially when it wasn't of no benefit to him. She knew Damien wasn't being kind to her nor trying to get in her good books by keeping up his words. But that's exactly what puzzled her and made her curious. In a dog eat dog world, why would someone keep their promises if they don't have to face any consequences even if they break them.

Throughout these days, she was slowly starting to understand Damien. She knew that he wasn't someone who would wag his tail for benefits and was someone with a lot of pride, just like her.

"I think I am ready to breakthrough my soul cultivation." Damien's voice brought back Luna away from her world of thoughts.

She narrowed her eyes, "Hmm...even with the 50% of his soul essence, you can actually breakthrough. After all, his soul cultivation was a whole realm higher than you. Also, I am sure you will be more excited after your breakthrough." Luna said as her eyes twinkled.

Damien squinted his eyes, "Huh, why do you say that? Other than improving my spiritual perception and the quality of my soul energy increasing, what is there to be excited about?"

Damien was confused why Luna was indirectly telling him that a surprise was waiting for him after he breakthroughs. He knew that since it was Luna who mentioned it, then it meant that something amazing was in store for him after he breakthroughs.

Luna smiled mysteriously, "Why don't you find out yourself after you breakthrough."

Damien got excited thinking about it and without any further ado, he closed his eyes and started focusing on his soul plane.