Chapter 791: Caution is the Parent of Safety
After satisfying the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman's curiosity, Leon shifted his attention back to Darlene.
He could see that she was struggling with a decision.
That in and of itself was enough evidence that she had indeed experienced something strange during her Transcendence.
"Did you awaken a god and devil soul fragment, Darlene?" he asked.
He felt it was the only plausible explanation for her cultivation reaching the Late-stage of Preliminary Accession during her Transcendence.
When Darlene heard his question, her eyes widened with surprise.
"How did you know about that?" she asked, silently admitting that was indeed the case.
Leon rubbed her head with a smile before saying, "You're underestimating me too much, Darlene. I can't say I know everything, but I definitely know a lot of things."
Given he could visit the two seniors in Gaia's Core, it wasn't strange at all for him to have already learned about the god and devil soul fragments.
And he could also seek other information from the two seniors, given Saint Voidflame and Celestial Earthshaker had lived a long life.
They definitely knew many other things he had yet to learn.
Nevertheless, Darlene immediately felt relief that Leon knew about the god and devil soul fragments.
As such, she no longer had any misgivings about recounting her experience.
"It's as Sister Aria suspected; I had a strange experience during my Transcendence," Darlene began to speak.
"While I was cultivating in my sea of consciousness, I encountered a bright spot on my soul core. It called itself a fragment of Empyrean Infinite Void, an Empyrean God, and said I could possess the Empyrean Infinite Void's law comprehension and memories if I accept it."
"Empyrean Infinite Void?" Leon repeated with a thoughtful look.
'An Empyrean God, huh? Empyrean… the highest of heaven, the heaven among heavens… Does that mean an Empyrean God is even higher than Senior Voidflame's soul fragment, who belonged to a God-Emperor?' he wondered.
Unfortunately, the two seniors from Gaia's Core only explained the realms of Celestial to him and nothing about the realms of True Divinity.
However, he also found that strange.
If the seniors, who awakened the soul fragments of gods and possessed some of their memories, how was it possible for them to not know the realms of True Divinity?
Leon was inclined to believe that the Senior Voidflame and Celestial Earthshaker simply didn't want to tell him.
'I'll need to return and ask the seniors about this…' he decided.
Suddenly, he recalled something before glancing at Darlene.
"Did you just say that the soul fragment called itself the fragment of Empyrean Infinite Void? So you didn't learn of Empyrean Infinite Void's name through the Empyrean God's memories?" he asked.
"Yes, that's right," Darlene nodded with a confused look.
"It said that it was awakened but couldn't transfer the Empyrean Infinite Void's law comprehension and memories because of the rejection in my heart; I couldn't bring myself to trust its words at face value."
"…Was it not meant to tell me anything?" she asked shortly after.
"I have yet to experience the soul fragment awakening myself, but according to what I know, the law comprehension and memory should be absorbed spontaneously upon awakening," Leon mentioned with a big frown.
"The soul fragment shouldn't be capable of conversing with you," he stated shortly after before adding, "You made the right choice not to accept it immediately; for things we don't understand, he shouldn't proceed with it carelessly."
"Mm," Darlene nodded.
After receiving Leon's acknowledgment and approval for the choice she made, she felt happy inside her heart.
Anyone would be apprehensive if they found another intelligent being inside their own sea of consciousness, let alone an intelligent fragment of a god who caused the end of the primordial era alongside other gods and devils.
Leon was glad that Darlene followed her natural instincts and not be swept by the Empyrean Infinite Void Fragment's words.
"For now, don't accept the fragment; wait for me to learn more about it, Darlene. We don't know what hidden dangers we could be facing here," Leon continued before saying, "Nevertheless, I'm happy you possess the soul fragment of such a strong god."
"Mm."
Leon ruffled Darlene's head intimately while she enjoyed the attention and care.
Nevertheless, Leon could not help but think back on what the two seniors from Gaia's Core had told him.
They said that the higher one's soul quality, the easier it was to awaken their god or devil soul fragment.
However, it was apparent that it was equally true if one possesses the soul fragment of a stronger god or devil—such that it could even be considered an innate talent.
"Since Sister Darlene has finished her Transcendence, we ought to keep moving, right?" Aria mentioned.
"Un," Leon nodded and said, "That was the plan, originally."
"Was? Originally?" Aria tilted her head to the side with a questioning look.
"Since Darlene brought up the matters of the intelligent Empyrean Infinite Void Fragment, I need to look into it right away; I won't feel assured until I find out if there's an issue with it," Leon said.
"As such, we will have to stay in the forest for a bit look longer. I'll need to rely on all of you to guard my body while I send my consciousness off to converse with the seniors in Gaia's Core."
"Send your consciousness off to converse with seniors in Gaia's Core, you say?" the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman was taken aback by Leon's words. "Is that even possible?"
"It is exactly as I said," Leon confirmed with a nod before saying, "I'm not sure about the others, but it's possible for me—though, I didn't think it was possible back then either."
Shortly after, the group descended to the surface before Leon took out several Tier-6 defensive artifacts and gifted them to Darlene.
"I believe your successful Transcendence is worth congratulating. You won't refuse my gifts like Aria, will you?" he asked. "These defensive artifacts should be able to protect you well."
However, Darlene immediately jumped at Leon and gave him affectionate pecks on the cheeks.
"Of course, I won't refuse anything you give me! Muah! I love you to death!" she said before feeling embarrassed afterward.