Chapter Seven: Soul Devouring

This bizarre battle of souls, formless and intangible, is beyond comprehension; even the strongest fighters in the world are utterly helpless, akin to infants in the presence of malevolent spirits

As a psychologist, hypnosis is an essential skill. This technique is not as magical as most people imagine; in simple terms, it is a form of enhanced psychological suggestion, manifested by a trained practitioner, often demonstrating seemingly incredible hypnotic effects to outsiders. However, these effects are subject to significant constraints, such as the skill level of the hypnotist, the degree of cooperation from the subject, their sensitivity to suggestions, as well as stringent requirements regarding the environment, trust, and other factors.

At sunrise, one begins to work; at sunset, one rests. For two thousand years, this has never changed. In the stillness of the world, one must once again prepare for a full "self-defense counterattack" and fight for one's own survival.

"It is quite easy to handle. You give up, and I will replace you. From now on, you are me, and I am you. I will retrieve your past. Your parents, I will honor on your behalf; your life, I will rewrite for you. Trust me, I will make your life more splendid!" Zhang Fang's persuasion was filled with temptation and subtly employed hypnosis, which itself acts upon a person's consciousness, making it the most powerful weapon against the soul.

You see, it is not that I do not want to help you or do not want to let you, but rather that you have completely forgotten your past. Even if you were to reclaim this body, you would merely be a soulless living dead, and what significance would that hold

I ... ... Who am I

Zhang Fang has been waiting painfully for this moment, finally releasing an irresistible temptation: "When the body dies and the soul perishes, you are not dead, and your soul is not extinguished. As long as you merge your soul with mine, from now on, you and I will be one. Everything I can feel, you can feel as well—thus, you will essentially be reborn in this world. Come, let go of your consciousness... Accept my soul, you are me, and I am you..." Come, let go of your consciousness... Accept my soul, you are me, and I am you..."

The soul is in a state of intense fluctuation, exhibiting a tendency to dissipate—according to the "Chinese" theory of the soul, when a person dies, the soul does not perish entirely due to a lingering sense of resentment. This resentment can grow stronger through resistance, but it can also dissipate instantaneously when a wish is fulfilled. When the soul loses its purpose, it consequently loses the meaning of its existence

"Who are you? What is your name, where do you live, who are your parents, and why have you come here?"

Zhang Fang employs a breathing technique similar to Qigong to completely empty his body and mind, and then engages in self-hypnosis—constantly sending repeated suggestions to his brain, ultimately forming a strong sense of self-protection. Once subjected to an unknown mental attack, he will instinctively launch a counterattack purely based on his subconscious. This counterattack is a purely mental struggle, unrelated to the strength or weakness of the physical body.

A person who has already "died" once will cherish new life even more, and will never easily give up until the very last moment

Fortunately, Zhang Fang's major is psychology, and due to the nature of the subject, he has also delved into the study of the soul. In the face of this battle for possession, which is no less intense than a life-and-death struggle in the mountains during the day, Zhang Fang at least has a fighting chance.

I... I am... I am... Who am I? The spirit's consciousness began to fluctuate, growing increasingly intense, revealing a sense of fear and trembling.

I ... ... I do not know ... ...

Despite having made preparations on both fronts, Zhang Fang had no confidence whatsoever regarding the outcome. Therefore, he added another layer of insurance for himself: he suspended a thin thread from the ridge of the thatched roof, with a small round log tied to its end, positioned directly above his horizontally lying abdomen. In the middle of the thread, there was also a round log tied, which was wrapped with several loops of lit, smoking mugwort rope—this mugwort rope is used by villagers to repel mosquitoes, insects, and ants, and it is quite effective.

No! No way! You will not deceive me with such clumsy tactics!" The spirit roared angrily.

Due to the terrifying soul battle on the first night of the crossing, Zhang Fang has confirmed that this body still retains the spirit of its original owner. During the day, it is suppressed by his own consciousness, but at night, when he falls asleep, it takes the opportunity to invade and vie for control of the body

No! My consciousness is still intact. As long as you give up the struggle, I can still return to life

The night was as dark as ink, the world was silent, in the void of space, in a moment of daze, a piercing voice echoed in my mind: "Return my life!"

Secondly, it involves utilizing one's unique professional skill of "hypnosis"

You are me, and I am you? The soul seems to be murmuring, again and again, becoming increasingly subtle

To resist the spirit with spirit, to collide the soul with soul. What Zhang Fang can do is only this

As for being completely controlled by the hypnotist after being hypnotized, where you will do whatever you are told and say whatever you are prompted to say—such occurrences fundamentally do not exist under the normal laws of the world, unless...

Concerning a matter of life and death for his family, Zhang Fang had no choice but to muster all his energy and treat it with utmost caution. This battle had no precedents to follow, and everything could only rely on exploration. By integrating psychology and soul studies, along with the invaluable experience of soul combat from the previous night, Zhang Fang formulated three strategies to cope.

Bang! In the deathly silence of the darkness, sparks flicker, and something falls.

What Zhang Fang aims to do is not to hypnotize others, but to practice self-hypnosis, which is also a form of hypnosis

Zhang Fang connected the end of the mugwort rope to the fine thread. In other words, when the mugwort line burns out, it will scorch the fine thread, causing the round log to fall and land on its own belly—if one truly cannot resist, using this method to forcibly awaken may perhaps salvage a life

You don't believe it? Well then, let's test it—who are you

Zhang Fang suddenly sat up, and in the darkness, his facial expression was completely indistinguishable. Only a pair of eyes, darker than the night and brighter than the stars, occasionally flashed with arcs of brilliance, like silent lightning sweeping across the pitch-black sky

Zhang Fang's subconscious instinctively responded: "I am sorry, it is not that I do not want to repay you, but rather— you are already dead"

Then... what... what should I do? The soul is ultimately just a thirteen-year-old boy. In the situation where Zhang Fang chose to persuade rather than engage in direct combat, the soul was finally pried open a small crack.

Yes, do not be afraid, speak, express it, it is good for both you and me

Your soul has already been shattered, and it is difficult to return to normal. This is evident from the way my consciousness completely suppressed you during the day. Even if you reclaim this body, it would merely be that of a dull-witted imbecile. Are you willing to accept this? The professional instinct has permeated Zhang Fang's soul, and even the subconscious response carries the gentle persuasion of a psychologist.

First, practice abdominal breathing before sleep to calm the mind, striving to empty the brain and immerse the entire body and spirit into a state of void and ethereality. This is akin to how true masters relax their entire body before striking; when faced with an attack, their strength erupts instantaneously. To not contend is to achieve great contention; to maintain an empty city is to gain a full city.

Most forms of hypnosis are actually of a lower level, such as inducing sleep or psychological therapy. The type of hypnosis that can quickly induce a trance, even allowing a person to lie rigidly across two chairs with another person standing on them, is considered advanced hypnosis. It is very difficult to master and has a high failure rate

At this moment, Zhang Fang felt as if something had been added to his mind... Everything will change as a result of this...

In a pitch-black, void-like space, under the influence of a monotonous and repetitive frequency, the soul gradually quiets down, and from a tightly-knit aggregation, it slowly disperses. A powerful spiritual consciousness arrives, gently unfurling, enveloping the soul, and continuously drawing it in. The soul has completely given up resistance, being drawn out thread by thread, absorbed, and ultimately devoured bit by bit

The hidden spirits arrive as scheduled—In the study of souls, this intangible entity continues to exist after the physical death of an individual. The formal term should be "continuance," but it is not as easily understood as the term "spirit."

As night falls, this is Zhang Fang's second evening since arriving in this time and space. Although he experienced a life-and-death battle during the day, the night offers no peace either, with dangers even more severe than those faced in daylight.