The Dawn of the New World

Hao Xuan waited for the guard to get out of earshot before he addressed the creature that was standing on the other side of the stone doorway.

"Did you die recently? Why are you here?"

The creature answered by floating several feet off the ground and undoing the illusions which had allowed it to take human form. Its true appearance was mostly shrouded in copious amounts of Yin Qi revealing only two bright red eyes that were staring Hao Xuan down.

Hao Xuan felt the surge in power and sighed in response. It was far above anything that he could sense with his current cultivation and from the looks of it even breaking through to the Profound Realm would not help much.

It was the second strongest creature from the underworld that he had come across besides 'Ashura of the Six Paths'.

"Not recent at all then. You're old, very old. But why come here then? It's not like there are many people passing through."

The creature remained silent despite Hao Xuan's best efforts to strike up a conversation. Its gaze was glued onto him, or rather something that was on him.

"Fine then. I'm going to have a conversation with a friend in a few minutes so you should leave before he senses you. Even you won't be able to do anything if he comes here himself, he has quite the temper."

With that Hao Xuan turned his back towards the creature and walked out of the cave without giving it much thought.

*Beep*

As expected, Baracus spoke up even before Hao Xuan had the chance to call for him.

"Is this a good time? Further explanation is required."

Hao Xuan took in a deep breath through his nose and closed his eyes, appearing within the Mind Palace.

"Can you hear me still?"

"Yes," Baracus's slightly robotic voice confirmed.

"Can you also see the changes?"

"Negative."

"Then let me tell you what's different. There was a small podium in the center of the Mind Palace that has risen a lot since I absorbed that white worm-looking thing. It looks like one of those things you make speeches on."

"Do you mean a lectern?"

"Yea sure, I don't know," Hao Xuan knelt down in front of it to examine the details more closely, "There is a symbol on it too just below the resting spot, right in the middle. It has three ovals that have been cut off at eight different points by engraved lines that are reaching out and expanding in all directions."

"These eight lines have spread to almost every other part of the lectern. They are very shallow...like dried-up rivulets but from judging by their appearance alone, I would say they resemble tree branches more than anything else." (A very VERY crude diagram that I threw together just now in paint will be posted in discord if you want to see it, check the reference-images channel)

He traced the outline of the symbol with his fingers to feel every minute detail.

"I didn't know what it was at first but after thinking about it for a bit it made sense. And when I tried it a few minutes ago it worked just as I thought it would."

Hao Xuan's pupils began to light up as he circulated some spiritual energy and following his movements the innermost oval shape was raised higher than the other two ovals. It was filled in through and through by some glassy material.

"Phew!"

Hao Xuan opened his eyes back in the outside world, wiping the beads of sweat from his brow.

*Beep*

"The explanation is lacking. Please state only the final transformations and the reason for the sudden drop in vitals."

Hao Xuan rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Fine. That thing was similar to the soul core of the demon, or rather what was left behind after I absorbed everything else. I think the red ruby was its essence and the worm inside was its special ability that I could absorb thanks to the effect of the physique. And when I tried to inspect it with the spiritual sense that's exactly what happened."

"....Does that mean that user now has the same ability as the demon?"

"No, not the same," Hao Xuan shook his head languidly while looking to the right side of the mountain, "The demon and I are inherently different so our abilities cannot be the same, at least not yet. The demon could transfer its entire true body to the vessels but for me, it's a lot more limited."

Hao Xuan closed his eyes again while channeling the ability. The symbol on the lectern lit up right before everything that Grey was seeing was automatically sent to him.

"For now I can see through the eyes of any creature that is connected to me. That means both the soul-bonds and the severs."

Baracus took a few seconds to digest all the information before coming up with the next, most obvious question.

"This is not the first demon user has assimilated by using the power of the physique. There were no such differences last time."