In the dilapidated temple of the Shadow Kingdom, Todd sat cross-legged on a stone platform, sensing everything around him.
The voice of Scáthach, the Queen of Shadows, rang in his ears: "Tell me your senses."
"I can see the colors of this world, hear the subtle sounds in the air, smell the fragrance of soil and plants, and feel the touch of the air flowing."
Scáthach said, “Sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, these are what the world commonly refers to as human senses. But if you want to strengthen your soul, you must first let go of these senses and learn how to use the power of your soul’s perception, also known as the sixth sense.”
"Sixth sense? You mean extrasensory perception?" Todd asked, somewhat puzzled. "Shouldn't that be a superpower?"
Scáthach walked up to Todd: "No, the ability to sense souls is possessed by every living being. From legendary ancient creatures to tiny ants the size of grains of sand, any living being with a soul possesses this power."
"However, when humans perceive the existence of the outside world, they rely too much on their eyes and ears and have long forgotten this innate power."
Todd was speechless upon hearing this: "Okay, how exactly am I supposed to gain this sense of being 'forgotten'?"
Scáthach tapped Todd on the head with her stick: "It's simple, just blind you and shield your ears..."
"Wait a minute! I've never heard of such training before!"
As soon as Todd uttered those words, everything went dark, he could no longer hear any sound, and he could no longer feel anything on his skin.
Scáthach isolated all of his senses.
Todd tried to scream, but found he couldn't make a sound. Having lost all sensation, he discovered that the only organ still functioning properly in his body was his brain.
After an unknown period of silence, a faint glimmer appeared in Todd's eyes.
It was a faint, granular light, drifting slowly in the void.
Todd recognized the pale blue particles of light; they were exactly the same as the substance that appeared when Deirdre summoned souls in the Soul Space.
Todd tried to touch the light, and like metal meeting a magnet, the blue light instantly entered his body.
Perhaps it was only a fraction of a second, or perhaps an entire century, when a door suddenly opened for him, and he "saw" a completely different world.
Grass, trees, birds, and beasts—all these objects retain their original forms, but are entirely composed of blue light.
Meredith and Scáthach also appeared in his 'field of vision'. The former looked like a giant blue roc, while the latter looked like a huge sphere emitting dazzling light.
In an instant, Todd's senses—sight, hearing, and more—returned. He looked at the two women before him and exclaimed excitedly, "I see! I see! I see another world!"
Meredith brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and asked with a smile, "Do you know how much time has passed since you entered meditation?"
Todd looked around at the frost and fog, and answered uncertainly, "One day? Two days?"
"Two months."
Meredith's answer startled Todd so much that he jumped up from the ground.
"Two months?! What about everything outside?! The war, and the kingdom, how are they now?"
Meredith raised an eyebrow and said, "Is this the first thing you care about? Don't you want to know the function of soul perception?"
Seeing Todd's anxious look, Meredith shrugged and said helplessly, "Just a few days ago, your former companion, a woman named Rachel, came here looking for you."
Todd stood up: "Where is she?"
"She learned that you were meditating, so she went back first. As you know, the environment here is not suitable for ordinary people to stay for long. She brought a message: the Church has officially declared war on Muxi City, and more than twenty kingdoms are joining the war with a total force of 16,000. The battlefield is set up in Holy Guard City, and the war is expected to break out in a month."
"I need to get back."
Meredith's eyes widened: "Your training isn't over yet!"
Scáthach suddenly spoke up, "Todd, you have mastered the basic methods of soul perception during this meditation. It can be said that you have taken the first step on the path of soul enhancement. This is a remarkable achievement. Many humans who have passed the trials have spent years or even decades on this one step alone."
Scáthach then changed the subject: "However, you should also understand that this trip back will be your last time stepping into the human world. I suggest you settle all your affairs and make sure you have no worries before returning here. As I said before, your time is running out, and soon you will no longer be able to maintain your human form."
Todd lowered his head, looked at his hands, and nodded.
Watching Scáthach slowly walk away, Meredith waved to Todd: "Before you leave, I'd like to have a word with you."
The two arrived at the open space behind the temple. Meredith sat on a broken pillar and said to Todd, "You are different from all the other trial seekers I have ever met. Some of those who aspire to become demigods do so to gain power; some for revenge; and some for immortality... You are the first trial seeker I have ever met who was forced to walk the path of demigods in order to protect others."
Todd sighed softly, "Everyone has their own reasons."
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