Evolution: From Little Devil to Devil Empress

Chapter 437: World of Heart

What was the most crucial thing for a power system? The answer greatly depended on the type of person faced with this question.

Some would claim that energy itself was the cornerstone of all power systems. The more energy a practitioner could absorb, the more powerful they would be.

Other people might give different answers.

The need for gaining an understanding of the world and the laws that govern it, the constant unleashing of their potential, and many other factors.

Yet, no matter which power system one chose to practice, they would have to go through similar stages.

For example, Devils mostly relied on the devouring of dead souls to progress while they were in their weak phase.

As they got increasingly more powerful, they had to master their abilities, comprehend abstract concepts, and achieve multiple life leaps.

The other power systems that Liora had encountered were roughly the same.

This seemed to be the rule set by the Supreme Laws, serving to limit all beings’ growth.

No one could break this.

Or at least, this was what Liora believed in the past.

However, the moment she digested the detailed outline of the power system passed down in the inheritance, she understood that she had been wrong.

"The natives call it the Way of the Heart or the Path of the Soul."

"There are no requirements for the practitioner to accumulate energy, or the need to comprehend anything.", Liora muttered, and her surprise was evident in her tone.

"On the Way of the Heart, all a practitioner has to do is gain an understanding of their true nature. Not of their physical bodies, but of their soul and True Spirit."

The Way of the Heart was not divided into many stages.

There were only three in total, with the power gap between them being massive.

As for the way to advance through them, there was not a singular one. Each person had a different way to achieve this that was not replicable.

At most, they could be used as a guide for others.

"The first stage is commonly known as Pure Heart. It’s a state where the practitioner has no doubts about themselves."

"No matter what difficulty they face, they will be able to overcome it and will never give up. The most important advantage in this stage is the enhancement in the practitioner’s comprehension."

Liora guessed that this was the stage she was in before she entered the inheritance palace and underwent a soul transformation.

"Above it is what natives call the ’Transcendent Gaze’."

"This stage signifies that one has transcended their mortal viewpoint and has taken a glimpse of their true nature. The main characteristic of this stage is the emergence of the Transcendent Eye.", Liora whispered, and her hand couldn’t help but rub the center of her forehead.

Clearly, this was the stage she was currently in.

The experience of the third trial had allowed her to unknowingly take a step forward along this path, and thus transform her soul once more.

Of course, Liora believed that she reached this stage because of the palace’s assistance. Otherwise, even if her soul had transformed, she would not have awakened the Transcendent Eye.

"Beyond it is the final stage—World of Heart. At this point, the practitioner’s soul has truly transcended their physical body and can embrace the entire world. Both figuratively and literally."

"At this stage, a practitioner can create an illusory world within their soul. This grants them several great benefits, among which is the ability to use it as a domain, as well as to cast terrifying soul attacks."

There was no stage above World of Heart. According to this tomb, a practitioner had already reached the peak of the power system once they had opened the World of Heart.

From then on, all they could do was make the World of Heart more and more real, until it finally reached the theoretical limit of becoming a real world.

This piqued Liora’s interest, and she wished to find more information about it.

Yet, she soon discovered that the contents of the tablet had been exhausted.

There was no further explanation about the World of Heart, nor was there any follow-up. The contents ended abruptly.

A trace of annoyance flashed in Liora’s heart. She knew that creating a World of Heart would greatly enhance her combat power.

If its potential was strengthened, she would be able to reach the level of the palace’s creator, equivalent to an Ancient Devil.

Fortunately, Liora quickly suppressed her faint annoyance and regained her composure.

Opening her eyes, she softly exhaled and shook her head.

"This tomb contains only the outline of the power system after all. Even if more information is contained in the inheritance, it wouldn’t have been there."

"Instead, it would be carried by the other tombs in this place.", Liora thought, and her "gaze" wandered throughout the dark void.

She stared at the stone tablets intently, as if she were searching for her next prey.

Secretly, Liora was wondering where she should start from.

Soon, she had an answer. She restrained her impulse and didn’t rush to touch the largest and most majestic stone tablets.

Rather, she selected the most unassuming among them.

"Although these techniques are supposedly of the lowest level, they are more suitable for me at the moment."

"Even though I’ve reached the Transcendent Gaze stage, my attainment of it was merely an accident. In fact, I’m not even a beginner on this power system."

"Only by coming into contact with the weaker techniques can I gain a deeper understanding of it. Only then will I be able to truly comprehend the strongest techniques.", Liora concluded.

Since she had made her decision, she no longer hesitated.

Immediately, her consciousness dove down and wrapped around a small stone tomb. Following an explosion, its debris rushed towards her body outside and transformed into information.

--

Soul Knife—By turning one’s soul into a sharp knife and tempering it with their will, the user can launch a terrifying attack that lands directly on the opponent’s soul. Depending on the user’s and their opponent’s strength, the corresponding damage will be dealt.

At worst, the opponent will become confused. At best, they will be gravely injured or straight-up killed.

Liora quickly digested the contents of this technique, which actually looked far more like an ability than a Devil Technique.

She didn’t practice it. Instead, she closed her eyes and comprehended it quietly.

After she had gained enough insights, she moved to the next one.

Spirit Collapse. Mind Fracture. Heart Rend.

Technique after technique was merged with her mind, and she absorbed them like a sponge. At a rate that would surprise everyone, Liora gained insights about the power system.

Her soul became increasingly clearer. The soul space began to expand once more.

Unbeknownst even to her, it seemed ready to transform into a real world.