Chapter 96: Soul Technology and the Paradise Compute Center

Lu Yan hadn’t immediately used the Soul Banner, not just because he wanted to test the full extent of his current Twelfth Layer of Qi Refining strength, but also because He Dongsheng was present.

Twice now, Lu Yan had uncovered immense value from He Dongsheng during version shifts. That made him realize just how important this forger cultivator truly was.

It seemed that He Dongsheng was somehow karmically linked to Zhao Huowang—the man who, as an ordinary mortal, had glimpsed the essence of version updates and left behind Heavenly Dao Treatise, the Heavenly Dao Code, and other crucial legacies.

If Lu Yan wished to continue tracing Zhao Huowang’s marks across future versions, earning He Dongsheng’s favor was critical. And so, he couldn’t reveal the Soul Banner in front of him.

Thus, Lu Yan had waited for He Dongsheng to escape before revealing his true strength.

Within the black mist, a hundred ghosts roamed freely. The three main souls and eight hundred fierce spirits manifested within the ghostly fog, transforming this space into a terrifying netherworld.

The weakest of these ghosts had mid-stage Qi Refining strength, and the strongest—the Giant Spirit Main Soul—had already stepped into the Foundation Establishment stage. Even the Bloodbeard Main Soul was only one step away from breaking through.

Such a powerful formation surrounded Lu Yan, making him appear like the sovereign of all ghosts.

Though cyber-version energy users didn’t cultivate the soul, this silver-suited High-Rank Energy User had a soul that had already undergone transformation. His spirit bore traits akin to a Foundation Establishment cultivator’s divine soul, allowing him to see through the illusion of this ghost domain.

But even so, as someone native to the Cyber Version, he had never seen anything like this—a phantasmal world filled with fiends and specters.

“City Seven has developed a fear-inducing spray combined with virtual reality tech. Supposedly, even High-Rank Energy Users can become immersed in its illusion,” he muttered, trying to steady his nerves.

“This must be one of those VR hallucinations. Just face the danger, overcome the fear, and it’ll all vanish.”

Trying to convince himself, he instinctively assumed what he saw was fake.

But Lu Yan didn’t give him time to think. A cold command rang out from within the ghost fog:

“Kill him.”

At that instant, eight hundred ghosts and the Giant Spirit Main Soul surged toward the silver-suited man.

The tide of ghosts brought with them an oppressive yin aura that even his transformed soul couldn’t withstand. As the spectral claws drew near, he finally abandoned his foolish assumption.

His instincts screamed: If I don’t fight back, I will die!

He activated his soul-engraved energy codes and threw his full strength into a punch aimed at the first ghost.

To his shock, the punch—strong enough to destroy a building—passed right through the ghost’s body without doing a thing.

Then, ghostly claws tore into his soul, unleashing a pain unlike anything he’d ever known.

Suddenly, he remembered what Scott had said about Lu Yan controlling invisible soul entities.

Abandoning all pretense, he concentrated energy into his right hand and caught hold of a ghost. With his energy-enhanced grip, he finally managed to make contact.

Spiritual energy surged, eroding the ghost’s soul like fire melting ice.

But that was all he could do.

The remaining hundreds of ghosts were already upon him. The Giant Spirit Main Soul activated its innate spell, transforming into a towering phantom that crashed down to crush him.

He dodged, weaving and darting through the mist, but there was no escaping the barrage. Some ghostly claws always managed to graze him, and each touch brought with it that agonizing soul-rending pain.

At last, he tasted the flavor of death.

“Activate the firepower matrix! Activate the firepower matrix!!”

The silver-suited man screamed in panic, but his wrist-mounted cerebrain remained silent.

During his first clash with the ghosts, one of them had already ripped the cerebrain’s soul core from his body. It was now nothing more than a hunk of dead metal.

And even if the cerebrain had still been functional, the ghostly domain woven by the Soul Banner wouldn’t have allowed any information to escape. Unless he broke free, there was no way to connect with the outside world—much less call down support.

His cerebrain disabled, his trump cards nullified, and surrounded by ghostly fog and countless spirits… at last, the silver-suited youth succumbed to despair.

He tried to flee, but the thick fog obscured everything. He couldn’t tell which way was out.

And the relentless ghosts closed in from every direction.

From afar, Lu Yan watched calmly.

A High-Rank Energy User, one comparable to a Foundation Establishment early-stage cultivator, was utterly helpless under the siege of ghosts.

His enhanced body meant nothing before spirits. And his shallow, mechanical method of spiritual energy manipulation couldn’t meaningfully damage them.

If not for his already-transformed soul, he would’ve long since died under the onslaught.

But even so, his defeat was now just a matter of time.

Boom!

The Giant Spirit Main Soul smashed down a fist again. Despite all his enhancements, the silver-suited man couldn’t withstand the spell’s raw power.

Half his body was pulverized—flesh and blood scattered, and the soul-engraved codes on them blinked erratically.

With his body in pieces and the codes disrupted, the flesh lost its regenerative ability.

The fragments turned cold and lifeless. His remaining half-body weakened rapidly.

The ghosts swarmed him.

Dozens of spectral claws tore into him, finally dragging out his soul.

His now-soulless body, once a pinnacle of spiritual energy machinery, collapsed lifelessly.

The Giant Spirit Main Soul scooped up the tattered soul and returned to Lu Yan, presenting it to him.

Lu Yan’s voice was cold as he gazed at the still humanoid soul:

“Give me the knowledge of soul modification, and I’ll spare your life.”

The scarred soul let out a mocking laugh.

“Soul modification knowledge? So that’s what you’re after.”

“Then I’ll be honest with you—there’s only one place in City Fourteen where you can find soul modification knowledge…”

“…and that’s the Paradise Compute Center!”

“That place is the origin of all soul technology. The massive soul computing power and endless test subjects housed there have created the most advanced soul sciences. Every cerebrain ever made came from there.”

“Other than that place, not even the city’s core labs have a single scrap of soul research.”

As he finished, the soul twisted into a crazed grin:

“I’ve told you the place. But the real question is…”

“Do you dare go there?”

(End of Chapter)