Soul Force Awakening

Jia Meng's new appearance was completely different from before.

His hair was no longer the dark black of the Jia Meng Family heirloom. Instead, it was a fiery crimson, as if it were ablaze.

His eyes had also turned a deep purple, shining with a proud, penetrating light.

His face still bore traces of his past, but his entire aura had undergone a world-shaking transformation.

Jia Meng lowered his head and gazed at his unsteady reflection, then at the blood-red fragments scattered across the ground.

He raised his hand and brought it down. The blood-red fragments instantly transformed into streaks of silk, weaving themselves into a crimson robe that draped over him.

The long robe fluttered around him, scattering a faint, bloody aura.

"Relying on this blood robe's defensive power, even a Special Grade curse spirit wouldn't be able to take a single bit of my Soul Force."

Jia Meng spoke calmly, his voice brimming with confidence. He put away the Black Box and headed for the secret room.

As Jia Meng had expected, the Black Box had completed its mission.

As a family heirloom, it was supposed to be handed over to the family head once he officially took the position. It was the foundation of the Jia Meng Family, as well as a symbol of his family's loyalty and respect.

Jia Zheng Meng let out a sigh of relief as he watched Jia Meng leave the secret room.

For the past month, he had worried about Jia Meng's safety, afraid something unexpected might happen to him.

Now that Jia Meng had returned safely, and with his strength greatly increased, Jia Zheng Meng felt immensely relieved.

After handing the Black Box over to Jia Zheng Meng, Jia Meng left the Jia residence.

He needed to find somewhere quiet to properly digest what he had gained recently.

Only after thoroughly understanding his transformation could he be considered a true adult.

Eight years later, in the suburbs of the capital, Japan, a deserted cemetery.

"That's it. Jia Meng, go first."

A man's voice broke the silence around them. He wore a fine suit, and his eyes revealed both respect and the solemnity of someone about to take on a major responsibility.

As the capital's high-ranking official, he was responsible for Jia Meng's mission.

Although cursed tools and Soul Force were on the same level, they were divided into Special Grade, Grade One, Grade Two, Grade Three, and Grade Four.

At the same level, cursed tools were generally stronger than Soul Force.

Standing beside him was the Jia Meng Family's future pillar—Jia Meng.

Eight years had passed in a flash. Jia Meng had gone through countless trials and matured considerably.

His crimson hair had been carefully combed back, and a strand fell over his left temple, swaying gently in the breeze and adding a touch of unruliness to his appearance.

His face was handsome, and his expression revealed confidence and pride. His deep purple eyes shone with unwavering determination.

A faint smile tugged at his lips, making him seem both intimidating and approachable.

Though Jia Meng appeared mild-mannered, his strength was not to be underestimated.

He had studied and trained under many powerful sorcerers, earning a lofty reputation and status in the world of sorcery.

The man felt both respect and familiarity toward him. He knew that this mission was a major challenge and test for Jia Meng.

"I'll go first, then. Don't worry, I'll be back soon. I won't keep you waiting long."

Jia Meng smiled as he spoke to the man.

His tone revealed confidence and pride, as if everything was firmly within his control.

Then Jia Meng began chanting the incantation: "From darkness, I call forth the hidden. From darkness to darkness; the waters surge and the void is sealed."

As the incantation rang out, he formed a hand seal. An enormous wave of cursed energy surged from him, and a substance as dark as ink gradually enveloped the entire cemetery.

After entering the barrier, Jia Meng felt a faint, oppressive aura.

He could clearly sense that the cemetery held an unusual presence, one filled with resentment and darkness. He drew a deep breath, steadied himself, then headed north toward the village.

There, he sensed a vast presence of Soul Force—one of the Special Grade spirits he had been assigned to exterminate.

Under the moonlight, a small courtyard lay shrouded in a faint shimmer, exuding a quietness that seemed cut off from the rest of the world.

Jia Meng pushed open the mottled wooden gate, revealing the entrance to the unfamiliar world beyond.

As he stepped into the courtyard, the familiar scenery vanished in an instant.

In its place was a darkness so deep it seemed to swallow everything.

Within that endless darkness, a massive red serpent silently coiled around Jia Meng. Its body bound him tightly, leaving him unable to move.

The serpent's scales gleamed with a purple light in the darkness, giving off an ominous aura.

Just then, a burst of eerie dancing came from the darkness.

A woman wearing a mask and unusual clothes emerged from the darkness and began to dance.

Her movements were strange and bizarre, as if she were silently invoking some indescribable power.

After a dance, the masked woman reached up and removed her mask, revealing a face both beautiful and terrifying.

Her skin was deathly pale. Her deep purple eyes shone with an eerie light, and a strange smile tugged at her lips.

At the sight of this terrifying face, Jia Meng couldn't help drawing in a breath of cold air. A fierce sense of unease rose in his heart.

"%@#...&*...%...@#...#*...%#...!"

The woman let out a string of strange, shrill screams. Her voice tore through the darkness, chilling anyone who heard it to the bone.

As the scream rang out, the crimson serpent suddenly opened its fanged mouth, revealing its sharp, poisonous teeth.

It sank its teeth into Jia Meng's neck, and the poison quickly spread through his body.

A force of unbearable pain gradually spread throughout him. Jia Meng writhed on the ground, letting out a heart-rending scream.

However hard he struggled, he couldn't break free of the serpent's coils.

At last, under the torment of the pain, he lost consciousness. His body gradually turned into a stream of water that flowed into the darkness.

Just then, the world around him began to change.

The deep darkness vanished without a trace, replaced by the small courtyard's original scenery. The stream of water also disappeared as if it had never existed.

By the house in the courtyard, a figure lay motionless on the ground. It was the masked woman who had just danced—Yingruo.

She licked her dark red lips, then revealed a charming smile. "That wasn't bad."

But just then, another figure appeared at the courtyard gate.

It was Jia Meng, who had just been on the verge of death. In the blink of an eye, he had somehow returned to the courtyard.

His appearance made Yingruo instantly alert. She didn't know what had happened, but instinct told her that this was no ordinary matter.

Jia Meng stood silently before the mysterious courtyard gate. His eyes were deep and distant, as though he could see through everything in an instant.