Rising Shadows: The Fight for Freedom I

Chapter 131: Mutation

The soul is the most cherished entity for all beings in the multiverse, whether they are ordinary mortals, deities, or demons. This is because the physical body may perish, and the memories of reincarnation may alter; however, the soul will endure eternally.

The memories that are tethered to the soul, along with the myriad preferences, joys, sorrows, loves, and hates that shape the character of various beings, reside within the soul. Unless the physical body, which provides power to the soul, is destroyed, and no other medium capable of supplying power remains, the secrets that dwell within the heart of a being will be preserved within the soul forever.

In contrast to the soul, which can be confined but never completely annihilated by anyone-be they gods or demons-the memories attached to the soul can be altered and even probed, provided one possesses sufficient power. If the soul in question is sufficiently weak, then all the secrets hidden within another soul will cease to be secrets.

However, this applies only to the formidable beings of the multiverse, while for ordinary life forms, attempting to uncover the secrets of another's soul is an endeavor fraught with impossibility.

Nevertheless, for ordinary beings, while it may be impossible to discern the secrets of another's soul with clarity, it is considerably easier to judge other matters, such as whether another soul is malevolent or benevolent.

For common folk, one can rely on the words and actions of others to gauge their morality. As for warriors, once their martial skills reach a certain level, their fighting spirit can also sense the goodness or evil within another's soul. For mages, various detection spells can conveniently probe the soul attributes of ordinary beings.

Of course, all of the above pertains to ordinary life forms, specifically those with weaker souls. The dual souls of good and evil residing within Darn do not fall within the realm of detection accessible to ordinary priests or mages.

However, exceptions exist. If Darn, the current landlord of Ramis and Epictetus, voluntarily opens his heart and lays bare everything before a high-ranking priest, then regardless of the priest's gender or their willingness to pry into another's inner privacy, they will inevitably come to know certain truths.

What Cessata gleaned from Darn's body, thanks to a third-tier punishment spell, was the unmistakable presence of a powerful consciousness within Darn's soul-this consciousness belonged to Ramis!

The unique cruelty, cunning, and malevolence of Ramis's soul immediately alerted the priestess, well-versed in various light spells and familiar with the traits of hellish beings, to the fact that it must be an evil soul from the demon realm. Although she was momentarily uncertain whether it was a devil or a demon, this did not hinder Cessata from immediately expressing the unwavering stance of a devout follower of the supreme god Helios, showing no mercy towards evil entities.

In the face of malevolence, one must wield the flames of light to obliterate it; beings harboring evil souls must likewise face the judgment of light!

Based on this deeply ingrained belief among all priests and paladins of the Church of Light, Cessata promptly began to chant a spell, this time without reservation, invoking her most potent and powerful incantation.

Cessata's actions caught Darn's attention immediately, and likewise, the demon Ramis and the grand mage sensed the priestess's soaring battle intent. As the elemental light gathered to its zenith in the priestess's hands, the bewildered Darn moved-not him, but rather the demon Ramis and Epictetus took action.

Silently, the Sword of Horgani unsheathed itself, and wisps of faint mist emanated from the gem embedded in the sword's hilt, spreading outward and enveloping the entire living room in an instant.