Redemption of a Born Demon

Chapter 115: Shedding the Shackles, Restoring the True Form, Discerning the True Intent

Mana?

No one seemed to have much objection to this unit of measurement.

After all, setting Saint Experts aside, Martial Artists at the Realm of Mighty Spirit possessed the ability of Fist Intent Soul Breaking. Upon reaching the Soul-Seizing Realm, they could use their Fist Intent to stimulate the human body and inflict tangible harm. This technique of Transforming Illusion into Reality was known as "Mana" in ancient times.

"How did you establish the standard?"

Zhong Ang asked with some curiosity.

"Ordinary people can’t manifest their Heart Intent, so it’s meaningless to include them in the standard and system. Therefore, we used Martial Artists at the Realm of Mighty Spirit as the basis for our unit of measurement."

"We invited numerous Martial Artists capable of Fist Intent Soul Capturing to undergo testing. We recorded their detailed data, took the average, and defined that as one unit of ’1 Mana’."

"Of course, the difference in strength between individual Martial Artists can be quite immense, not to mention the existence of various Secret Techniques. A Mana Value of one unit is just a baseline. Among the Martial Artists at the Soul Capturing Realm we’ve tested, the peak instantaneous burst can reach five units. As for the limit of the Soul-Seizing Realm, the current maximum burst is around ten units of Mana."

Tao Zihong explained.

"What about Saint Experts?"

Zhou Qingchen inquired.

"The sample size for Saint Experts is too small. So far, we’ve only been able to invite two or three to be tested. Based on the data we have, we estimate that even someone just entering the Saint Realm should be able to burst out with at least 30 to 40 units of Mana."

"As for me, I did a test a while ago. Without any Magical Treasures or items, and without the aid of Arrays or Talismans, my peak reading was 57."

"Of course, this test is just for reference. There are far too many influencing factors in actual combat. It’s like how a strongman might lose to a smaller person in a real fight; that happens all the time. If any of you are interested, you can go in and try it out."

Tao Zihong said with a smile.

Most of his abilities lay in his Magical Treasures and Talismans. The Mana Value was just a reference point. If he were given enough time to prepare, the power he could unleash would far exceed this number.

"We can do it too?"

Zhou Baiwei asked, her interest piqued.

"Of course, no problem."

Tao Zihong nodded and signaled a staff member to lead Zhou Baiwei into the room. They placed an adhesive sensor on her head.

Soon, Zhou Baiwei received the signal to begin. She immediately took a stance, mobilizing her Qi, blood, and Heart Intent.

BANG!!

She threw a sudden punch at the testing device in front of her. Her Fist Intent flared, taking the form of a menacing Seven-Star Mantis brimming with Evil Qi.

The device captured the intensity of her Physical Ability burst, while the sensor measured the magnetic field fluctuations caused by the brief eruption of her Heart Intent. The two sets of data were uploaded to a computer, which produced a composite value displayed on the screen inside the metal room.

The value was "4".

"For the Soul Capturing Realm, that’s already a very good score."

Tao Zihong was slightly surprised as well. The highest score they had tested for the Soul Capturing Realm was only 5.

After her, Yang Mutong, who was beside Yi Beidou, also went for a test. Her score actually reached "5".

This truly astonished the group of Kyoto University students standing to the side.

They never would have guessed that this impossibly beautiful girl was also a master of the Martial Arts Dao.

"Wen Hao, you go try too."

Zhong Ang said to a tall young man standing behind him.

"Yes, Master."

Li Wenhao said with a cupped fist salute and walked toward the metal room.

After putting on the testing equipment, he stood in place and closed his eyes.

BOOM!!

After a brief silence, he abruptly opened his eyes. His body swelled in an instant, and his gaze was like lightning.

Yi Beidou’s eyes narrowed slightly. He could faintly see several glows of light, different from the man’s own magnetic field, flaring up from within his five viscera, causing his Physical Ability and spirit to continuously rise.

’Hidden God in the five viscera... is this the effect of Lifebound Soldiers?’

Yi Beidou seemed to have gained some understanding of the mystery behind it.

DONG!!

The next moment, Li Wenhao blasted a punch at the testing device with immense force, seemingly causing the entire metal room to tremble slightly.

The display screen inside the metal room began to flicker before finally settling on the number "13".

"Elder Zhong, you have a fine disciple. He will probably shine brilliantly at the Martial Hero Conference."

Tao Zihong couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

He had tested many experts at the Soul-Seizing Realm before, but their Maximum Mana Value was only 10.

Without achieving Body Ascension, breaking through mortal limits, and undergoing a complete bodily transformation, pushing that limit forward by even a single point was no easy feat.

It was like how the most elite athletes struggle to break their limits by even 0.01 seconds.

Although this was just a test of fundamental qualities and didn’t fully represent one’s combat prowess, powerful basic attributes were a huge advantage that could not be ignored anywhere.

"Ruo Yun, you go and give it a try too."

Wang Zhihuo also said to the disciple behind him.

"Yes!"

The handsome young man agreed with a cupped fist salute.

Soon, his test result was out as well.

The value was "12".

Mu Ruoyun walked out of the testing room with a frown, seemingly dissatisfied with his performance. As he returned to Wang Zhihuo’s side, his gaze met Li Wenhao’s, and sparks seemed to fly in the empty space between them.

At the upcoming Martial Hero Conference, they were bound to be formidable rivals.

Meanwhile, seeing this, a flicker of eagerness flashed in Meng Qianyuan’s eyes.

He was a young man with vigorous Qi and blood; how could he not feel the urge to compete when faced with such a scene?

However, he was in the middle of his Cultivation, restraining himself, and he could not give up halfway.

He quickly adjusted his mindset, and his eyes became calm once more, as placid as an old well.

Having followed Yi Beidou for several months with the Demon-Suppressing Seven-Star Needle in his body, he was not only constantly comprehending himself and constraining his own talents, but also observing Yi Beidou’s every move at all times.

From him, he had come to understand the principle that only by restraining oneself could one achieve true freedom.

And Yi Beidou, standing to the side, had taken in his entire reaction.

"Qian Yuan, you go and try too."

Yi Beidou’s voice rang in Meng Qianyuan’s ear, causing his expression to jolt.

"Sir?"

He looked up at Yi Beidou in confusion.

"Your recent Cultivation has been fruitful. The Martial Hero Conference is approaching. Starting today, you may restore your original strength, familiarize yourself with the changes, and prepare for the conference’s competition."

Yi Beidou said calmly.

SWISH!

The next moment, his finger suddenly tapped on Meng Qianyuan’s chest. Seven Silver Needles were jolted out of Meng Qianyuan’s body. With a pinch of his fingers, he plucked the needles out one by one and handed them to Yang Mutong, who was beside him, for safekeeping.

"Yes, Sir."

Meng Qianyuan said with a cupped fist salute. There was neither joy nor sorrow in his eyes. The overbearing arrogance from when they first met was gone. He now seemed no different from when he bore the Demon-Suppressing Seven-Star Needle.

Under the staff’s guidance, he entered the testing room and put on the equipment.

BOOM!!

In an instant, the Qi and blood in his body surged. His already tall frame swelled further, and a torrent of Evil Qi and an imposing aura erupted from within him.

An ambition to seize the heavens and sunder the earth!

He had cultivated Killing Mind Zen under Wei Cheng. Once he acted, his Evil Qi would become overwhelming, driven by the desire to kill everything to achieve tranquility.

Yet now, within this Evil Qi, there was an added trace of clarity, like a bright, precious candle illuminating his true heart.

Killing everything in the world could not bring tranquility. Only by killing the various evils within oneself could one attain true, unhindered freedom.

Under this Heart Intent, his perception of himself grew clearer, his control over his body became more potent, and he could unleash even greater power.

HAH!!

He let out a great shout and took a sudden step forward. Like an old farmer raising a hoe, he slammed his fist toward the testing device in front of him.

BANG!!

The testing room shook violently, and the numbers on the display screen jumped rapidly.

Finally, it settled on the number "17".