Although I haven't been transmigrated for long, I have already realized the fundamental force that constitutes this world.
That is - soul.
The power of a mage comes from magic patterns, but it still needs soul power as support.
Abyssal demons evolve through combat and devouring, but according to historical records and my observations, it ultimately comes down to devouring souls to enhance their power.
It seems that combat and destruction can help them vent the unstable factors in foreign souls.
However, even so, most demons are still crazy and distorted.
Not to mention gods, divinity is just authority, and to exercise authority, it needs source material as a driving force.
And the source material comes from souls.
So, it seems unbelievable that Redmond's soul could be so distorted by a single burning at the stake that he could use his life-sharing contract to communicate with his abyssal demon and summon it, but it's actually understandable.
Yu Shen'an tapped his fingers on the armrest, pondering secretly:
Perhaps Redmond's soul was not distorted; distortion is just a concept created by mages and gods.
Mutation might be a more accurate description.
If he could grasp the secrets of the soul, his power might surpass that of gods.
It's a pity… Yu Shen'an looked at Redmond's three companions through his divine perspective. Their physical vitality had not disappeared; the vast demon population supplying their vitality was just a drop in the ocean.
But their souls had collapsed.
Their current state, in modern medical terms, can be accurately described as "vegetative state."
Only Redmond, with his help, survived this brutal burning at the stake, and due to some complex factors, his soul mutated.
"The only sample!"
Yu Shen'an shook his head and finally chose to stand by.
Half an hour later, the stake in the village was burning again, but the person on it was an old woman.
Amidst her wails, the Shadow Demon rushed out of the village, grinning hideously as it chased down the frantically fleeing villagers.
Yu Shen'an sighed, and since he couldn't bear to watch, he withdrew his divine perspective.
He had no right to condemn Redmond. If he put himself in his shoes, he might have been even more radical than Redmond.
In fact, his low-food strategy was very dirty. Once implemented, the destructive power it would cause would be no less than a large-scale war.
However, he still marked Redmond and decided to observe him closely.
...
Three days later, Yu Shen'an, representing the Kvir Empire, escorted the Vais delegation out of Willis City.
This would be a long journey, taking at least half a month to reach the Earthly Divine Kingdom of the Goddess of Music – Vais.
Leaving the city, the desolation and vastness of this world gradually unfolded.
On both sides of the official road solidified with earth magic, you could still see large areas of farmland when leaving the city, but as you walked, it turned into an endless forest.
Time also became monotonous.
Precisely because of this, many people did not understand Yu Shen'an's accompanying them.
Especially the head of the Vais delegation - Meg.
As the head of the delegation, he clearly knew the purpose of this mission to the Kvir Empire - to purchase the high-yield and cold-resistant seeds newly cultivated by the Kvir Empire.
Unfortunately, the Kvir Empire obviously also knew the importance of these seeds and was unmoved no matter what price they offered.
In the end, they were only willing to sell a batch of grain.
In addition, the Kvir Empire would also send Ajef to Vais to negotiate cooperation matters.
To be honest, if it weren't for Ajef's accompanying them, Meg would not have been satisfied with just this batch of grain. He would have found a way to stay in Willis until he got some seeds, even if only a few.
At least he would have something to report to the Goddess.
Precisely because of this, he was very clear about Ajef's status.
Especially after he came here,
He learned that Ajef had also pioneered the verification of the conjecture that "lightning magic can be converted into light magic."
Such a great figure could be said to be comparable to the three great Archmages.
Yet, he was sitting in a carriage, setting off with the team. This was simply too strange.
The delegation was only escorting a batch of grain; it wasn't necessary to dispatch such a great figure.
Even if he represented the Kvir Empire to negotiate state affairs with the Goddess, he could completely teleport there. Why waste time on the road?
Meg couldn't figure it out.
Little did he know that Yu Shen'an simply couldn't find Vais.
That's right, the reason was that messed up.
Among the teleportation coordinates marked by the former God of Contracts, Thorn, it just so happened that there was no Earthly Divine Kingdom of the Goddess of Music.
Yu Shen'an didn't have any users nearby to provide coordinates, so how could he teleport there?
Even if he teleported to a nearby location, he would need to dispatch a large number of demons to search, and if that caused a misunderstanding with the Goddess of Music, it would be bad.
Since it was so troublesome anyway, well, he might as well just go with the delegation.
Someone to serve him, someone to lead the way, and someone to help identify him, how great is that?
Yu Shen'an just happened to take this opportunity to practice magic and inquire about the Goddess of Music.
"Mr. Meg, I heard that music is supreme in your country, and as long as beautiful music is created, commoners can also gain noble status and wealth. Is this true?"
In the carriage, Yu Shen'an asked Meg with a smile.
"Mr. Ajef, the world says you are the wisest mage, but I didn't expect you to believe such rumors!"
"Oh, how do you mean?"
"How can such an elegant thing as music be created by lowly commoners?"
Yu Shen'an was stunned: "Then what if a commoner really created it? In the history of Vais, is there really not a single example?"
"This... it's not that there aren't any in history. There are indeed a few exceptionally talented people who can create beautiful music without any exposure to rhythm. However, these people are not immediately granted noble titles, but are exceptionally admitted to music academies for study, and then based on their academic performance and contributions, it is decided whether to grant them noble titles."
"Oh - so that's how it is."
Yu Shen'an nodded, his eyes flickering.
The Goddess of Music is indeed not stupid!
And what's being spread outside, "Everything else is inferior, only music is supreme," is likely a smoke bomb she released.
However, after all, she is a god who holds the authority of music, so she still attaches great importance to music!
I wonder if the few Blue Star songs I've prepared can please her ears?
Also, my contract divinity exercises power through language and text.
Then, what does the music divinity exercise power through?
Lyrics?
Or melody?
Yu Shen'an exhaled and glanced out the window. Unbeknownst to him, the delegation had passed a large area of farmland.
In the cold wind of late autumn, with everything withered, the farmland was a lush green.
That pleasing sight made Yu Shen'an instinctively shout: "Stop!"
The delegation immediately stopped.
Under everyone's surprised gaze, Yu Shen'an got out of the carriage and looked far at the farmland by the roadside, which was planted with broad-leaf winter mallow.
The thick leaves swayed gently in the cold wind.
By the roadside, an old farmer was leaning on his iron plow, looking at him and the convoy with a look of surprise and uncertainty.
Yu Shen'an asked: "Old sir, is all this yours?"
The old farmer looked flustered and waved his hands repeatedly: "No, no, no, it's not. Replying to the master, it's all unclaimed wasteland, I'm just planting randomly."
Yu Shen'an smiled and comforted him: "Old sir, don't be afraid, I'm just asking. You're reclaiming land here, aren't you afraid of wild beasts coming out of the forest?"
A trace of pride appeared on the old man's face: "Not afraid. Many people in our village learn magic and battle qi on the Internet. They are very powerful. The wild beasts in this forest are all being chased away. How would they dare to come out?"
"That's really good!" Yu Shen'an nodded and added: "After this crop of broad-leaf winter mallow is harvested, don't plant it again. It's not cold-resistant, and it won't grow when it gets colder later."
"Really?"
"Why would I lie to you?"
Yu Shen'an waved his hand and got back into the carriage.
The convoy then set off, slowly leaving.
The old farmer watched the departing convoy and, on an impulse, shouted to a soldier: "Young man, let me ask you something, who is that young master? He seems to know a lot about winter mallow?"