Rebirth of the Battle God

Chapter 9: Seven Souls and the Rise of the Moon

Darian’s eyes didn’t waver. He stared straight ahead as if the voices behind him were nothing but whispers in the wind. Ten years under the Valeblue roof had forged him into someone steady—someone whose heart could withstand ridicule and whose mind remained unshaken by contempt sharper than any blade.

Selene’s scorn barely grazed him. Over time, he’d learned the subtle art of letting go of other people’s arrogance. Unless he allowed it, their storms couldn’t disturb the calm within.

Seraphina walked beside him, quiet, her gaze thoughtful. Just two days ago, she’d watched him challenge Jaren—a peer whose renown and power could terrify most. That duel had revealed how far Darian could go, the depths of his capability. Selene might shine brightly, but next to Jaren, she was a mere candle before the sun.

Behind them, Selene’s chest rose and fell, a mixture of pride and irritation. Seeing Darian so unshaken frustrated her. Yet with Seraphina present, he swallowed his temper, unwilling to show any weakness before the one whose approval mattered most to him.

Ahead, Valtor moved with that same composed grace he always had, hands clasped behind his back, his robe rippling like dark waves as they soared above the sprawling landscape. The City Lord’s eyes missed nothing—every flicker of expression, every subtle movement among the three youths trailing him. Selene’s dissatisfaction was expected. Seraphina, however, required careful attention; her perception was sharp, her understanding beyond her years.

For the next month, Valtor intended to dedicate every resource to refining these three before the Hundred Cities War.

Especially Darian. To defeat Lucian—a cultivator of the Mortal Purification Soul Stage—while still at the Great Perfection of Body Forging, he would need an extraordinary foundation. Condense the Spirit Core within a month and step into the Mortal Purification Stage, and Darian could become Drakeflare Main City’s hidden blade: unseen, silent, lethal.

This time, I fight for my own glory, Valtor thought, a cold edge sharpening in his eyes. Malrik… we will see who truly stands above.

A faint ripple of elemental light shimmered around them. Darian noticed, studying it carefully before speaking, respectful yet firm.

“City Lord Qi, I have reached the Great Perfection of Body Forging, yet doubts linger. Condensing the Spirit Core, stepping into the Mortal Purification Stage… I seek your guidance.”

Selene folded her arms, a smirk of disdain tugging at her lips, while Valtor gave a subtle nod.

“Good,” Valtor said. “We have a distance to cover, so listen closely. Seraphina, Selene, even though your Spirit Cores are already condensed, this knowledge will help.”

Seraphina inclined her head, alert. Selene’s gaze narrowed, soaking in every word.

“Cultivation begins with the Body Forging Stage,” Valtor began, his voice deep and authoritative. “Refine flesh, tendons, bones, marrow—temper the body. Fuse blood and qi with elemental force until it becomes one with the elements. That is your current stage, Darian. The next… the Mortal Purification Stage.”

He paused, letting the words hang, then swept his gaze over the three.

“The hallmark of this stage is the Spirit Core. Every human has seven souls—Valor, Vital, Force, Origin, Qi, Wisdom, and Heavenly. Ordinary folk are blind to them. But at Great Perfection of Body Forging, you can perceive them—and condense them into the Spirit Core.”

“The Spirit Core changes with each soul condensed—the Seven Stages of Mortal Purification. Valor and Vital glow silver; Force and Origin, purple; and Qi, Wisdom, and Heavenly shine violet-gold, light gold, and pure gold. Its color reveals your exact stage.”

He gestured subtly. Behind Seraphina and Selene, two luminous silver moons shimmered, pulsing faintly.

“You both bear light silver Spirit Cores, nearly deep silver—the peak of the Valor Soul Stage. In the month ahead, push yourselves to the early Vital Soul Stage. The gap is vast. A cultivator just one stage higher could drain your elemental force entirely.”

Then Valtor’s gaze locked on Darian.

“You have half a month. Condense your Spirit Core and step into the Valor Soul Stage. Only then will you earn your right to fight in the Hundred Cities War.”

Silent determination burned in Darian’s eyes. The war wasn’t for ordinary people. Many would stand at the early or mid Vital Soul Stage, some beyond. His Warborn Covenant let him challenge higher stages, but that alone wouldn’t suffice. Yet he held another trump card: Uncle Felric’s Blood Dragon Jade. Coveted by Lucian, it was a force of immense potential.

Valtor’s gaze swept them once more. “This year’s Hundred Cities War has been brought forward. Hidden blades from the last decade will show themselves. This will be the most brutal, dazzling competition in decades. Whether you three can rise… remains to be seen.”

His eyes lingered on Darian, who carried his sword case with calm purpose. “Perhaps… only he has the chance.”

The world trembled beneath their combined aura as they descended toward the earth.

To fly unaided… beyond the Mortal Purification Stage, Darian thought, awe flickering in his chest. My path is only beginning.

At Valtor’s command, the elemental light dissipated as they landed. The air carried the rush of water and a subtle warmth, teasing Darian’s Holy Path Battle Qi. Ahead, a small mountain pulsed faintly with energy—a river of raw force cascading over jagged rocks.

Seraphina and Selene’s eyes widened.

“It channels heaven and earth’s power,” Seraphina whispered, delight in her voice. “Training here… we’ll advance several times faster.”

Darian hesitated. An Origin Force River was foreign to him. He had spent ten years refining the Holy Battle Art, while the basics that the others mastered remained elusive.

Still, Seraphina and Selene—heirs of great clans—moved instinctively, blurring forward in speed. Darian followed cautiously.

At the crest, a milky-white pool stretched before them. Heat radiated off its surface, waves of origin force piercing bone and marrow. His meridians hummed instantly. The river’s energy was raw, primal, threaded with heaven and earth’s power.

“I became City Lord because of this,” Valtor said, pride clear in his tone. “It started small. Decades of nurturing turned it into an Origin Force River, unique among the hundred major cities. For the next half month, it will be yours to draw from.”

The three drew sharp breaths. Darian’s mind lit up. Training here could accelerate his cultivation beyond what he could achieve alone—enough to condense his Spirit Core and step into the Mortal Purification Stage.

“Enough talk,” Valtor said. “Begin.”

A wave of his hand sent them into the pool. Submerged, Darian felt the river pull at him. Holy Battle True Qi surged like a storm, every pore drinking in its might. Minutes stretched into hours; his absorption outpaced what would normally take a day.

Days blurred. The sun rose and fell five times. Seraphina and Selene reached their peaks, ready to ascend. Darian remained a mystery. His cultivation exceeded the Seven Stages of Mortal Purification Dust, yet Valtor could not discern the pattern of his Spirit Core condensation.

Buzz—rush!

Darian lost all sense of self, entering a deeper state than even after the Human-Grade Explosive Spirit Pill. True Qi flowed through him, refining his Holy Battle Art, feeding its source with every breath. Streams merged, strengthened, consuming the river’s power ten times faster than his companions.

Seven Souls… Seven Souls…

The words echoed. To form the Spirit Core, he had to perceive the Seven Souls—imperceptible to ordinary cultivators. Even peak Body Forging practitioners could only faintly sense them.

Seven points of light flared beneath his feet, each glowing with its own aura. The nearest shone with noble brilliance—the Valor Soul.

“So this is the Valor Soul… now, to condense the Spirit Core,” he whispered.

Instinct guided him. True Qi poured into the sphere. The river roared, power flooding toward him. Time dissolved. The Valor Soul drifted, drawn like a star across the void.

“Condense!”

The sphere shattered, scattering silver light that coalesced beneath him—the Spirit Core. Power erupted. Darian had entered the Mortal Purification Valor Soul Stage.

Almost at once, Seraphina and Selene broke through to the Mortal Purification Refined Soul Stage, their Spirit Cores gleaming.

Valtor’s satisfaction deepened—seven days, not fifteen. But the river trembled. Darian’s silver crescent rose from the pool, hovering like a moon claiming the night sky.

Rise… Moon!

With a final roar of True Qi, it soared, brilliant and unyielding. The waters heaved violently. Darian emerged, the silver crescent blazing like a second sun.

A new force had awakened within him. The Mortal Purification Stage awaited, along with a world of impossible challenges and unimaginable power. The Hundred Cities War would not wait—and neither would Darian.