"You! You can see through me?"
Aram's eyes flickered with a mix of surprise and weariness.
As far as he knew, Foundation Building Experts shouldn't have been able to tell that he had possessed Aram's body.
After all, only Nascent Soul Kings were supposed to understand the intricacies of a soul. A Spirit cultivator needed to be at least in the Core Formation realm to be qualified to dabble in the subject.
The only reason the ghost had managed to possess Aram's body was because he had practiced a special cultivation technique from the beginning of his cultivation journey. Furthermore, the possession of Aram's body would not have been possible if he hadn't fallen into a trap.
In short, several special circumstances had come together that had allowed the old Spirit cultivator to possess Aram's body. Even though the possession was incomplete and still had some issues, they weren't enough for any regular Foundation Building Expert to see through them.
This aspect alone was enough for the old ghost to conclude that Aksai was not the regular Spirit cultivator he pretended to be.
'This man… he was hiding in deep waters. I thought he'd be the easiest Foundation Building Expert to deal with considering his nature and the fact that he had only been recently promoted to the Foundation Building realm.
But things aren't as easy as I wanted them to be. Plus, this weird formation. I… I don't think it was developed here. Does this man come from the Shinayin Empire that lies past the Eternal Beast Dynasty?'
The old ghost had many questions pop up in his mind like wild mushrooms on rainy days. Using a temporary method, he re-strengthened his connection with Aram's vessel some more. He could sense the domineering presence radiating from Aksai, and the realization that he was trapped began to dawn on him.
Most importantly, he was scared of the 2nd-order array formation that Aksai could control so well despite being a newbie Foundation Building Expert. He had to say that he had never come across an array formation that could be so mysterious beyond his imagination.
"Hehe. So what if you know about me? You think you can stop me?"
The possessed Aram sneered, though his voice wavered slightly. "I will carve out your heart and claim this body fully!"
Aksai smiled, unfazed by the threat. "You're welcome to try," he replied, his grip on the Lian Flying Sword tightening. The blade glowed with a faint light, reflecting the calmness and steadiness in Aksai's eyes.
'This is an ideal opponent to test my Foundation Building skills on. I shouldn't make use of my puppets or the demon tree to fight him,' Aksai decided. Newest update provided by novel·fiɾe·net
The Spirit farmer had been itching to fight with a Foundation Building Expert for a while at this point. The opponent had come to his door to deliver just that. As such, he didn't want to ruin the battle by using external help.
And just like that, the battle began.
Aram, with his ghostly pallor and sunken eyes, raised his hands, summoning black lightning that crackled ominously around him.
Even though his cultivation base was unstable, the old ghost was a late-stage Foundation Building Expert in his prime. His control over the Spirit spells and the flow of the Spirit essence was more refined than Aksai's.
What's more? The Foundation Building Experts didn't need to cast hand signs for their go-to Spirit spells. Unlike the Spirit Refining cultivators, there was no delay in casting Spirit spells. As such, Aksai's automated hand-sign ability had lost much of its advantage against a Foundation Building Expert in a real battle.
With a swift motion, Aram launched the bolts toward Aksai, who responded by summoning wood-element Spirit spells. Vines and branches erupted from the ground, intercepting the lightning and absorbing its impact.
Thankfully, Aksai had upgraded his go-to Spirit spells to suit his current realm during his stay in Haan Di. As such, his Spirit spells could hold their ground against Aram's spells even though the latter had higher proficiency than him.
Aram's black lightning tore through the air again, and Aksai deftly maneuvered, his Lian Flying Sword dancing to deflect the attacks.
The possessed Aram brandished his own sword, engaging Aksai in a deadly dance of steel. Aksai's swordsmanship was fluid and precise, but Aram, wielding the skills of his original body, parried with equal ferocity.
As the battle raged, Aram unleashed a series of corrosive Spirit spells. Dark energy lashed out, corroding the air around him.
'Damn this old ghost. He really has some tricks up his sleeves.'
Aksai felt the sting as the spells grazed his skin, leaving burning trails.
'I shouldn't get too close to him just yet. I should first observe his movements.'
Recognizing the danger, he kept his distance, relying on his Lian Flying Sword to keep Aram at bay. His artifact flew through the air at his command and started attacking Aram, launching many flying slashes his way before approaching him from a different angle.
However, a particularly fierce clash saw Aram's blade connect with Aksai's sword, damaging it. Aksai's heart sank momentarily; this sword had been his loyal companion since his first significant victory.
"It… it seems you need to be taught a lesson."
Anger surged through Aksai. His demeanor shifted as he triggered his druid transformation. His black hair turned bright copper, his ears elongated like an elf's, and his stature increased.
Muscles bulked up, and silvery qi energy enveloped him, signifying his Argent Body Realm prowess. He moved with newfound determination, closing the distance between him and Aram without hesitation.
Aram's corrosive spells struck him, but the potent silvery qi energy acted as a barrier, nullifying their effect.
Aksai closed in, fists and palms blazing with qi energy. He disarmed Aram with a flurry of blows, making the possessed man drop his sword.
Aksai's martial arts were swift and brutal. He maneuvered behind Aram and, with a qi-coated hand, pierced through his back, just below the ribcage.
Aram screamed as Aksai's hand emerged through his chest, clutching his heart.
As Aram's life force waned, Aksai snapped his fingers. Wood vines erupted from the ground, wrapping around Aram's body. One vine approached Aksai, offering a demon tree seed.
"Don't die on me just yet. You have a lot to explain. Here. Eat this."
Aksai forced the seed down Aram's throat before snapping his fingers again. The vines dragged Aram's body underground, leaving no trace.
Aksai cleaned his bloody hands and clothes with simple Spirit spells.
With another snap of his fingers, the gray fog surrounding the battlefield vanished, revealing Emerald Cove Island's serene view.
"This… this was bound to happen. I… I should have thought of upgrading you earlier."
He picked up his damaged sword, sighed, and stored it in his storage ring.
Without a word, Aksai activated his Light Steps technique, vanishing from the scene, leaving no trace of the battle behind.