"Consider yourselves lucky that this is the modern world." Leaving the now nearly demolished villa, Daniel Davis looked up at the sunrise and gently shook his head.
Despite everything, The Outcast is still set in modern times, so he couldn't act too recklessly. The Ten Elders not only kept the domestic Exorcist Community in check, but they also served as a deterrent to foreign supernatural forces. While society appeared peaceful on the surface, turbulent undercurrents surged below.
Compared to Wang Ai, Lu Ci, despite his "mad dog" nickname, had a certain sense of righteousness. His family had also made significant sacrifices during the war.
"Time to retrieve 'Controlling Spirits and Dispatching Generals.'" After interrogating Wang Ai, Daniel quickly used the secret Door of the Arcane to reach the Wang family's base and retrieve the technique.
"Tianxia Association, huh." After obtaining Controlling Spirits and Dispatching Generals, Daniel briefly skimmed its content, then dragged Wang Ai to the Tianxia Association. Due to Feng Xingtong's injury, Feng Zhenghao hadn't stayed until the end at the Heavenly Master Sect.
At the top floor of the Tianxia Group headquarters, Feng Zhenghao sat quietly in his office chair, deep in thought. Suddenly, he stood up as a black spirit materialized behind him.
"It's you?" Feng Zhenghao's expression immediately shifted when he saw who had entered. He recognized the man—it was Gai Nie from the Luo Tian Dajiao tournament.
"President Feng, we meet again." Daniel said, tossing the man he was carrying to the floor.
"That's Wang Lao." Feng Zhenghao's face grew darker as he looked at the figure before his desk. Though he had considered revenge against Wang Ai in his mind, he had never acted on it. After all, the Feng family's power and influence couldn't compare to the Wang family. Among the Four Great Families, the Feng family wasn't even counted.
Moreover, in the modern era, one couldn't simply wipe out an entire family like in the past. The company and the government weren't just for show. While Daniel could disregard these entities due to his overwhelming power, the Feng family couldn't.
"I want the Feng family's 'Controlling Spirits and Dispatching Generals,'" Daniel stated bluntly.
"You must have already obtained it from the Wang family, correct?" Feng Zhenghao wasn't naive. With Wang Ai in this state, Daniel wouldn't have come to him without already acquiring the Wang family's version.
"Indeed, but I want to compare them. In return, I'll give him to you."
"You can have 'Controlling Spirits and Dispatching Generals,' but I have no use for Wang Lao," Feng Zhenghao said calmly. He was a man who could bend when necessary, showing no hesitation. Without a second thought, he handed over the Feng family's version of Controlling Spirits and Dispatching Generals without attempting to negotiate for Wang Ai.
Feng Zhenghao wasn't a self-made man for no reason. He had built the Tianxia Group from nothing, and his shrewdness was evident. He understood that Wang Ai had already been captured, and since Daniel already possessed the technique, withholding it would only provoke a powerful and mysterious foe. It was better to avoid conflict and benefit from the situation.
Moreover, Feng Zhenghao didn't even attempt to negotiate for the soul-binding technique that could control spirits permanently. He knew better than to invite trouble by keeping Wang Ai.
Though capturing Wang Ai would allow him to avenge old grudges, it would also create massive problems for the Feng family. Wang Ai wasn't just any man—he was one of the Ten Elders.
Even if only he and Daniel knew about it, there was no way to keep it secret forever. In a world filled with sorcerers, someone could easily divine the truth for a price.
Daniel didn't fear divination. Not only was his power immense, but he also possessed artifacts capable of suppressing any scrutiny—such as the Time Stone.
Feng Zhenghao wasn't one to pursue momentary satisfaction at the cost of long-term disaster. He admired Zhang Chulan for the same reason: both of them prioritized real benefits over pride and honor.
Respect and dignity were never handed out—they were earned.
Take Red-Haired Shanks, for instance. He allowed a bandit to pour wine on his face, an act that would have been seen as disgraceful by many. But to Shanks, it was just a joke. Who dared to look down on him because of it?
Feng Zhenghao controlled a 300-billion-yuan conglomerate, the Tianxia Group. Whether people thought of him as spineless for bowing to Wang Ai didn't matter. Even Han Xin, a famous general, endured humiliation, yet he was revered as a military genius.
"Fine, if you don't want him, forget it." Seeing that Feng Zhenghao didn't want Wang Ai, Daniel didn't insist. After obtaining the technique, he left the Tianxia Group.
Afterward, Daniel found a quiet place to assess his recent gains. He had collected four of the Eight Miraculous Techniques: Tongtian Record, Six Vaults Immortal Thief, Controlling Spirits and Dispatching Generals, and Double Full Hand. Along with these, he had also acquired various martial arts skills, mostly from Wang Ai.
As one of the Four Great Families, the Wang family had a large collection of martial arts manuals. Not everyone in the Wang family could learn Controlling Spirits and Dispatching Generals, as it required specific talents.
"So this is Six Vaults Immortal Thief. No wonder it's called the Saint's Theft. If it has no upper limit, it truly is terrifying." After reviewing everything, Daniel focused on the Six Vaults Immortal Thief, a technique he had acquired from Baron.
The Six Vaults Immortal Thief allowed the user to absorb all kinds of energy, even from living beings, turning it into their own power—much like a living Philosopher's Stone.
Absorbing life energy was just its basic function. Its highest level allowed one to devour the vitality of heaven and earth itself. If someone reached this stage, they could, in theory, live as long as the world endured.
Of course, this was more of a theoretical possibility. In reality, very few could reach such heights. Those who could do so would be akin to saints.
Even Daniel wasn't sure if he could reach the level where he could live as long as the heavens and earth using Six Vaults Immortal Thief. It required great natural talent. Not everyone who practiced the technique would avoid aging—some just aged more slowly. Look at Ruan Feng, for instance. He also practiced the technique, yet Baron saw him as an old man.
Neither Baron nor Ruan Feng reached the point where they could steal the secrets of heaven. If they had, they wouldn't even need to eat anymore.
For Daniel, the current greatest benefit of the Six Vaults Immortal Thief was that it allowed him to efficiently absorb the life force in food, minimizing waste.
In the world of The Outcast, where powerful lifeforms were scarce, even someone like Baron wasn't that strong, despite mastering this divine technique. But if it were used in a world like One Piece, Daniel could eventually reach the level of the Four Emperors by physical strength alone.
And it wasn't just the One Piece world—Akame ga Kill's Danger Beasts would also be a great source of power for someone with this technique.
Of course, if Baron were to abandon all moral principles and start consuming human beings, his strength would have dramatically increased. Humans—especially exorcists—were the ultimate "supplements" for the Six Vaults Immortal Thief.
It was akin to the demons in Demon Slayer.
However, crossing that moral line was something Baron would never do. The same went for Daniel. Unlike the Philosopher's Stone, which Daniel could use with the souls of evildoers, this was different. No matter how bad the person was, Daniel wouldn't stoop to such levels.
"Once my body reaches the level of the Four Emperors, I should be able to defeat Kaido in a single strike if I go all out." Daniel mused about Zhang Chulan and Feng Zhenghao's strategic approach. While he couldn't fully emulate them, he could learn some of their core principles—like lying low when the time wasn't right.
"Now that I have ways to enhance both my body and soul, I wonder when I'll achieve a true breakthrough." Until he reached that critical point, no matter how powerful he became, he would still be mortal. Only when he achieved that qualitative change could he transcend his human limitations. In Eastern terms, it was "ascension"; in Western terms, it was becoming a "demigod."
This was the difference in the essence of life. It was like the qualitative difference between wood and steel. Right now, Daniel's strength against someone like Thor was still uncertain, but he could easily crush Loki. However, this was a matter of power, not life essence.
Even though Loki wasn't as strong, as the offspring of a Frost Giant, his life essence far exceeded that of ordinary people. His disdain for mortals, whom he referred to as "lesser beings," stemmed largely from this fact.
"Sure enough, this feels different." After practicing the Six Vaults Immortal Thief, Daniel took out some Sea King meat and ate it. Thanks to the technique, he could clearly feel the difference.
If he had possessed Six Vaults Immortal Thief when he first arrived in the One Piece world, he might
have been able to physically compete with the Four Emperors by now.
"Hello, Old Heavenly Master."
While Daniel was in seclusion, cultivating, the company's headquarters in the capital held a rare meeting of the Ten Elders. Even the Old Heavenly Master had come down from the Heavenly Master Sect.
The reason for this gathering was simple: Daniel's recent actions. Wang Ai's disappearance was no small matter to the company and the Ten Elders. To them, this was the most significant event in years, even surpassing the Full Faction's attack on the Heavenly Master Sect.
Typically, the company didn't intervene in Ten Elder meetings, only observing from the sidelines. But this time, it was a joint effort between the company and the Ten Elders.
The meeting wasn't just about Wang Ai's disappearance—the reappearance of the Eight Miraculous Techniques was another crucial factor. When the techniques first surfaced, the Exorcist Community was thrown into chaos, with many families wiped out in the ensuing battles. Even the major sects suffered heavy losses.
Now that the Eight Miraculous Techniques had reappeared, the company and the Ten Elders needed to take precautions to prevent a repeat of that history.
"It's been a while," the elders exchanged pleasantries as they took their seats, along with Director Zhao from the company.
"Congratulations, Guan Lao. It looks like you'll finally be able to head south," said Mu You, the leader of Jianghu Tavern, one of the Ten Elders. He smiled at an elderly woman across from him.
The woman he addressed as Guan Lao was a very old lady with golden earrings. She glanced at Mu You but didn't respond further.
This elderly woman was Guan Shihua, one of the Ten Elders and a master of the Shaman Lineage. Normally, Guan Shihua rarely left her territory, as the Shaman Lineage was severely countered by Controlling Spirits and Dispatching Generals. But with Wang Ai's disappearance, she made an exception.
Each of the Ten Elders had their own domains—territories, so to speak. In the modern world, spirits were scarce, and for someone like Guan Shihua, practitioners of Controlling Spirits and Dispatching Generals were her primary threat.
On her own turf, she didn't fear Wang Ai, but if she ventured into Wang Ai's domain and had her spirits taken, there'd be no one to turn to for help. After all, you couldn't exactly go to court and accuse someone of stealing your spirits.
Wang Ai's disappearance was great news for the Shaman Lineage. Though the Feng family also practiced Controlling Spirits and Dispatching Generals, they weren't as overbearing as the Wang family, nor did they practice soul-binding.
Of course, Guan Shihua wouldn't show her happiness openly.
With Wang Ai gone, the Wang family was bound to weaken. They had been too aggressive, making many enemies. When there was no opportunity to strike, others would tolerate them, but now that an opportunity had presented itself, even if open retaliation wasn't possible, there would surely be hidden moves against them.
More importantly, with Wang Ai's disappearance, the Wang family's territory would shrink, providing a rare chance for others to expand.
However, due to the changing times and the company's presence, this expansion wouldn't lead to large-scale conflicts—at most, a few minor skirmishes between exorcists.
The territory being fought over was really just the company's business turf. With the company around, private territories weren't allowed. After all, even famous mountains like the Heavenly Master Sect had become tourist destinations.
In a world with exorcists, small companies might be insignificant, but large corporations needed exorcists or connections to the supernatural. Otherwise, they might find themselves mysteriously eliminated without knowing why.
Just look at Feng Zhenghao's Tianxia Group, which employed a group of guest exorcists. They weren't there just for show—they were there to fight.
"Lu Lao, you're quite lucky, I hear. You were present when Wang Lao disappeared," Mu You said, turning to Lu Ci.
"He had no interest in me since I don't have one of the Eight Miraculous Techniques," Lu Ci replied calmly, his gaze fixed on Mu You.
"No miraculous technique, huh?" Mu You chuckled and dropped the subject. Lu Ci's nickname might have been "mad dog," but Mu You didn't want to push his luck too far.
Though most people didn't know the truth, the older generation had their suspicions about the Lu family's secrets. They just lacked proof.
"Think carefully before you speak." As Mu You turned his attention to Na Ruhuo, another elder, Na Ruhuo spoke first, his calm gaze stopping Mu You from saying anything further.
Na Ruhuo was one of the Two Heroes, part of the elite "One Absolute and Two Heroes." He wasn't in the Ten Elders because of his family's influence but because of his own immense strength. The best way to describe him was simply: a fighter.
Because of this, Na Ruhuo had no qualms about acting however he pleased. While he wouldn't kill Mu You, he had no problem giving him a beating if he stepped out of line.
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