Chapter 757: The Purification of the Soul
"That’s impossible!" the King exclaimed, his brow furrowing with disbelief. "How could I be poisoned? I feel perfectly fine; nothing has changed."
"That is the terrifying part," Ethan explained calmly. "I am sure you feel yourself growing stronger the longer you keep it near... and you have even experienced recurring thoughts of consuming it, am I wrong?"
The King nodded with absolute gravity. The brat seemed to know every detail, without him having to utter a single word.
"That is precisely the purpose of this gem," Ethan continued. "This is called the Blue Dragon Marrow. And despite its name, it is not the actual marrow of a real dragon, but a runic representation of one. It serves to seal someone’s will inside. Over time, that will gradually seeps into the victim’s body until replacing them. The resources spent crafting this tiny sphere are comparable to half a realm... By its name, I suppose you can deduce who made it."
"The Blue Dragon Kingdom?" Isabella asked, clenching her fists in anger.
"It is highly possible..." Ethan replied. "However, crafting it requires the royal marrow of a true dragon, so technically it could be anyone with the resources. I have ways to find out the truth with certainty, but doing so will destroy the gem and render it unrecoverable."
Upon hearing the risks, the King grit his teeth and stared at the crystal.
"And what is the other option?" Alaric asked.
"Steal it..." Ethan smirked. "As I said, it is crafted from items so valuable they are worth half a realm. If we purify the enemy’s stored will, it can become the greatest gift Your Majesty has ever received."
The King weighed the pros and cons in a matter of seconds. He could defend his pride, destroy the gem to uncover the culprit, and end a hidden threat; or he could keep what had been sent to him and turn the tables, shifting from prey to hunter.
Alaric craved vengeance, but he also knew how to prioritize.
"Do what you must do," the King ordered in a firm voice. "We can seek vengeance step by step; the realm’s strength is more important."
He proved to be a true leader, knowing when to take a step back in order to move two steps forward, something that left Ethan genuinely impressed.
"Very well," Ethan nodded, resting the gem in the palm of his hand. "Since that is the case, I will proceed."
Ethan observed the deep glow of the blue crystal before returning his attention to the sovereign.
"For this, the simplest way is to take a portion of the victim’s blood," Ethan explained calmly. "Your Majesty, extend your hand; it will only hurt for a moment."
Seeing Ethan’s calm gaze, the King felt a strange sense of hesitation. Giving up one’s blood was an absolute taboo among high-level warriors, as blood essence contained the lineage’s memory, cultivation power, and the most intimate secrets of a Dao practitioner. Handing it over was equivalent to exposing one’s vulnerabilities to another. However, without that step, removing the gem’s influence was impossible. With a sigh, Alaric extended his right hand.
Isabella couldn’t help but let out a small laugh as she watched her imposing father hesitate over a simple cut.
"Doesn’t it feel strange being so mortal and vulnerable?" the princess teased with an amused smile. "Now your life is literally in someone else’s hands."
"Be quiet, brat! Have more respect for your father," Alaric scowled, crossing his arms as he tried to maintain his composure, though the gesture was disarmed by his daughter’s smile.
Isabella let out one last giggle before falling silent, watching every movement with curiosity.
Ethan pulled out a small vial and collected the drops of blood that welled from the sovereign’s finger. Although he did not possess the Lich’s innate ability to extract souls directly, the spiritual container the old Lich had given him still retained those properties intact; he only needed to manipulate the surface runes slightly to channel them.
"With your blood and a few additional medicines, we will be able to tear out the soul trapped inside this sphere," Ethan explained, keeping his eyes on the vial.
Pulling a couple of spiritual herbs from his storage ring, Ethan began preparing the concoction with precision. He ground the ingredients and poured Alaric’s blood over the mixture, triggering a glowing crimson reaction.
"Watch," Ethan told them in a low voice.
As he submerged the small blue gem into the container, the liquid sizzled violently. A sharp, gut-wrenching shriek echoed through the hall, reverberating as if someone were being burned alive in an invisible fire. The hidden will fought desperately against being purged.
Without losing a second, Ethan brought out the special container where he held the souls of the Crimson Sect leader and the Great Ancestor captive. As soon as the artifact’s runic structure activated, the enemy presence trapped inside the gem felt a devastating pull. It was impossible for it to resist: like a vortex of spectral energy, the intruding soul was torn from the gem and sucked straight into the container alongside the others.
The sharp noise abruptly ceased, leaving the hall in absolute silence.
The princess’s curiosity was instantly piqued upon witnessing the strange maneuver. Eyes wide, Isabella stepped closer to Ethan and asked what that entire process involving the souls and the bottle had been about.
Ethan quickly dodged her questions regarding the spiritual essence, taking care not to expose that he had previously performed a similar procedure on her to save her life.
"I purged the remnant will that was sealed inside," Ethan replied smoothly, displaying the cleansed gem that now glowed with pristine purity. "Now it is a true treasure."
The princess pouted slightly upon noticing how he dodged the subject, but Ethan merely offered a faint smirk and handed her the cleansed gem.
Isabella took it in her hands and inspected it closely, bringing it near her face to try to perceive any trace of the entity from before. However, she neither saw nor heard a single thing. Ethan had sealed the gem with precision; from now on, only someone like the old Lich would possess enough power to break the seal by force.
"It’s just a gem that spirits despise," Ethan commented in a casual tone. "Nothing overly interesting."
Upon confirming for herself that the crystal no longer displayed any strange phenomena or spiritual responses, Isabella lost interest entirely and handed it back to her father.