The King's Mate - Part 2: Yaoshi

Chapter 17

After Hua Cheng had decided with finality that he would not change his target, he started preparing for his attack. Unfortunately, he couldn't risk hurrying these preparations, and he needed to make sure his fighting skills were up to par to go against a century-old demon. But fortunately, he was patient, and had ZiXuan steering him in the right direction whenever they discussed Hua Cheng's abilities.

Because of that, Hua Cheng had already mastered some new skills within just a few weeks. For example, he had learned how to move at incredible speeds that weren't even visible to the demon eye; it just seemed like Hua Cheng would stand in front of a building for one moment, and behind it just a split second later.

He had also learned that he could not only destroy objects with just a glare from him, but that he could also destroy living beings in the same manner, as long as their spiritual power was weaker than his own. Though that was something he was still experimenting with.

Of course Hua Cheng had also learned about the concept of spiritual energy. He'd only ever heard about the concept in tales about talented cultivators, but he had never believed in its existence. That was until ZiXuan made a remark about Hua Cheng's remarkable spiritual power, and that he probably shouldn't flaunt it around quite so obnoxiously. By now, Hua Cheng had learned how to contain it properly; to let it flow through his meridians freely, without having it leak out and intimidate everyone around him.

He had also come to realise that spiritual energy was essentially what powered the demonic magic within him, and that he could use it for things that the Undiluted Magic was simply incapable of. However, the most important thing he'd found out about spiritual energy was that it was a part of him just like his blood was a part of him. Only that the spiritual energy wasn't tangible.

At least not usually. Hua Cheng had experimented a lot with his spiritual energy, and he had eventually managed to manifest it into a translucent, silvery mass. And while he was still experimenting around with what he could do with it in such a tangible state, he had at least learned that he could influence what shape it took, and even put it into motion. In fact, he was rather delighted when he'd figured out that he could turn his spiritual energy into butterflies, a shape that was inspired by the hair clasp of the same shape that was his gege's precious first gift to Hua Cheng.

And once he'd turned the mass into a flutter of butterflies, it didn't take long at all before he noticed that he could see more than he should have been able to. It was like he had developed a third, inner eye that showed him what his butterflies were seeing. It was a bit overwhelming in the beginning, but the more he practised setting the butterflies loose, the easier it became to manage.

While Hua Cheng had initially been surprised that his butterflies were capable of transmitting their viewpoint, it actually made a lot of sense once he thought about it. After all, they were made out of his spiritual energy, and therefore a part of him. It made sense that he could not only control them, but also see and hear through them. In fact, he was sure that once he gained more control over his abilities, he would be able to use them as a sort of external memory.

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For almost a full year, Hua Cheng had done nothing but learn. He studied the culture and history of Yaoshi. He trained his magical and spiritual abilities, he studied medicine under the tutelage of YanLi, and did experiments into several branches of it as well; like poison, antidotes, and various of his other theories he wanted to prove. He mastered his Undiluted Magic, Enchantment Magic, and even gained full control over his spiritual energy; the foundation of all magic. He also learned all there was to know about the life of that one unfortunate demoness and her mate he'd singled out.