Soul Space

"I noticed you just said that the souls you absorbed turned into Runes? What's going on?" Lei Mo asked thoughtfully.

"My body has many natural Runes. I call them Initial Runes, but I've never paid attention to how many there are."

"Those powerful people who studied these Runes would resonate with certain ones here if they were compatible."

"When they died, the Rune would guide their souls back to my space. As time passed, the souls were Nourished by the space and became increasingly compatible with the Initial Runes."

"Eventually, they would turn into new, simplified Runes, manifesting on the surface of me and the corresponding sub-bodies."

"So the many Runes you've seen are manifestations of souls. Calling them Ancestral Spirit's Blessing wouldn't be wrong, either."

"The Runes my master comprehends are among these, but they manifest on my main body."

"Then are these souls dead?" Lei Mo asked.

"These souls aren't dead. They're still conscious, though most of them aren't very alert."

"If my strength, or my master's, continues to grow, there should be new changes."

"After all, once the souls turned into Runes, I couldn't sense them anymore. But now, I can enter the space and find them."

"The souls of different strengths have different levels of awareness in the space."

"Using your definition, master, Saint Realm souls are much more lively. Those below Level Nine are very dull!"

Lei Mo thought it over. "Can these souls still cultivate?"

"They should be able to, master! The Initial Runes on my body correspond to certain Laws of Heaven and Earth. Otherwise, those who study them wouldn't be able to make progress."

"Can you control these Rune Souls?" Lei Mo asked again.

"Not only can I control them, they're also fervently devoted to me from the bottom of their hearts. They feel the same way about you, master."

"It was your blood that activated the Soul Space, making you its master. I'm something like the spirit of the space."

"That's incredible! This is a huge cheat! Damn, I'm about to take off!"

Lei Mo was overjoyed.

"Do you have a name? I can't keep calling you Totem Pillar or Pillar. Those don't sound good!" Lei Mo asked the Totem Pillar.

"I gave myself the name Franklin. Somehow, I sensed that it would make my master happy! Though I don't know why."

"Don't worry about the details. Since your name is Franklin, that's what I'll call you from now on. We'll be partners for life."

Lei Mo calmly shifted his toes, which were about to dig a hole in the ground.

"Franklin, are you a living being or a weapon now?"

At last, Lei Mo asked the crucial question.

"I should count as a living being now, master! After all, I've entered into a Master-Servant Contract with you. But I'm also a weapon. My body's nature hasn't changed."

"Over the years, more and more souls have entered the space. I feel as if I've vaguely comprehended something, but I'm not sure what."

Franklin himself was puzzled.

"Now I can constantly sense that fluctuation in the world around us. It's everywhere."

"You've comprehended the Laws? That's impressive! I haven't felt a thing yet!"

Lei Mo's face was full of envy and jealousy.

"What color are the most numerous specks of light you can sense in the air?"

Lei Mo continued.

"The specks of light all around me are colorful, but if you mean the most numerous of any one color, they're a kind of gray. Not quite pure gray, though—somewhere between gray and white."

Franklin sounded uncertain.

"Gray-white? Then it's probably not one of the seven Laws. It can only be Edict energy. Among the Edicts, the Life Law glows green, the Law of Destruction is black, and I don't know what color Fate is."

"This might be the Law of Death! After all, your space is connected to souls!"

That was as far as Lei Mo could get. His knowledge was limited, after all.

"Just follow your instincts and keep comprehending. Try to break through as soon as you can! Do you count as a Saint Realm being now? Can you fly and change size?" Lei Mo asked.

"I should be at the pinnacle of the Saint Realm. Somehow, I can sense that I could easily obliterate an ordinary Saint Realm being!"

Franklin replied.

"Then don't use your strength recklessly. Just return to your previous form."

Lei Mo stroked Franklin, whose scales felt like... scales.

As they spoke, Franklin transformed back into the size Lei Mo found comfortable. His scales now felt like sandpaper.

"I was wondering why this sandpapery texture felt so familiar. How did I not guess you were that Purple Totem Pillar? Sigh! I should've realized sooner!"

Lei Mo sighed.

With a hide-wrapped pack on his back and Franklin in hand, he walked out of the cave and headed deeper into the Seti Mountains.

Half a month later,

"Bang—crash—boom! Do you give up?"

Lei Mo brought the Totem Pillar down on a Divine Wind Bear again and again.

The Level Nine Divine Wind Bear was out of luck, running into Lei Mo and Franklin, a pair of oddballs!

Even Franklin didn't dare use his full strength. Otherwise, one swing would reduce the Divine Wind Bear to ash.

Unable to beat them, the Divine Wind Bear tried to flee using its wind-element speed. But Lei Mo was a Saint Realm being too, and his speed as he dodged and darted around was incredible.

Franklin was a Heaven and Earth Wonder with the traits of both a weapon and a living being. He was incredibly sentient, and even if Lei Mo's swing went wide, Franklin could correct its course.

There was simply nowhere to dodge and nowhere to run. Before long, the Divine Wind Bear had barely enough strength left to pant.

Unwilling as it was, it was contracted by Lei Mo and became his glorious mount.

The Divine Wind Bear had sky-blue fur, well-proportioned limbs, and a round, adorable head. It didn't look fierce at all, but rather quite cute.

Many bear-type magical beasts had hind legs that were too long and forelegs that were too short. They ran with a lurching gait that made for a very bumpy ride.

The Divine Wind Bear had none of those flaws. It stood two and a half meters at the shoulder and was five or six meters long. Lei Mo found it very comfortable to ride.

Now that he had a mount, he could finally leave the mountains.

"Destination: human territory! Move out!" Lei Mo's inner chuuni came out.

With his route set, Lei Mo reached the eastern edge of the Seti Mountains seven or eight days later. Human adventurers had begun to appear here.

Lei Mo planned to play the fisherman—or the oriole—and score himself some human equipment.

As for the language, he had learned the human common tongue from Yaye and Lade long ago. With the mental strength of a Saint-level Magus, it was no difficult feat. For the powerful, learning a language was incredibly easy and quick.

"Boom—" A male warrior was being besieged by three men in black. He was covered in blood and already battered with wounds.

"Collison, you're despicable! You actually hired assassins to ambush me! I refuse to accept this—"

The man's eyes were bloodshot, his clothes soaked with blood, and his heart had sunk into utter despair.

"Thwack—thwack—thwack—"

Three stones flew in quick succession, and the heads of all three men in black burst open. Red and white splattered across the man's face.

Ignoring the man's astonishment, Lei Mo picked up the three packs belonging to the men in black and turned to leave.

"Benefactor! Please tell me your name. Sarich will repay you!"

The blood-soaked man, his clothes in tatters, pleaded earnestly. He'd been utterly desperate just moments ago, and now he was just as overjoyed.

"Franklin! I don't need you to repay me!"

Lei Mo gave him a casual answer, but he was planning to use this name to blend into human territory.

Lei Mo or Nemo didn't sound human enough. They'd draw too much attention.

Franklin was much better. I'm sure Franklin wouldn't mind becoming famous across the continent, would he?

"Whatever makes you happy, master!" Franklin's voice rang in Lei Mo's mind.

He found a place to deal with the hide-wrapped pack and change into human clothes.

Dressed in black fitted clothes, Lei Mo's two-meter frame stretched the fabric until it bulged.

For the first time, Lei Mo felt how burly he was. What a miserable thing!