10 The Practice

I slowly comprehended what my Devil Ancestor was telling me. I awoke an inborn ability that would make me a target of clans and other powers stronger than the Hudson Estate should they find out.

For their safety and livelihood, there was no way the Hudson clan could openly admit to fostering a descendant with an inborn ability.

I would have to gain all my devilry resources with my efforts. This would surely slow down my progress in practicing devilry. Considering my Dao was the lowest rung of Soul Dao anyway, everyone would look the other way.

This would be a good tempering for me and a smokescreen to outside powers. My Devil Ancestor was clever with this line of thought, however, I didn't think like other devils.

"So I can finally live my dream of being a useless, arrogant young noble?" I said.

I was ecstatic, my face brimming with glee. My chief goal in life was to be a rich noble devil, surrounded by many beauties, living my days in squaller, and looking down on the poor commoners.

My secondary goal in life was being the clan patriarch but that was already mine by default. Who else would they name as the next patriarch?

"I'll make you proud, Devil Ancestor! Don't worry, I'm already ten steps ahead of you!"

I had tears of joy in my eyes. All that improve your devilry this, master your devilry that, and contribute to the clan stuff taught by my father was for commoners!

I could finally let my true personality shine. Since I would be no longer be fostered by the clan. It would be a load off my back. I was a bona fide Devil Esquire. My pleasurable days were to come.

I could morph into the useless, arrogant young noble I was always meant to become! The entire Hudson Estate will become my playground!

"That… That… That's not what I said at all!" said Kogthoz.

The Devil Ancestor Kogthoz seemed to age 10 years listening to James spout nonsense.

It looks like he would have his hands full the next few months teaching James. He would have to instill a sense of pride and accomplishment in this youth so they could enact his masterful plan. Otherwise, he really would have another useless descendant in the Hudson clan.

"Can you clarify how you reach the stronger tiers of devilry?" I said.

My grand plans for arrogant young noble ascension were already rolling through my head.

I would need many resources and loyal lackeys. I at least needed to know a bit about the devilry realms so I could know how to recruit my lackeys. Also to prevent me from stepping on the toes of the wrong person. Being an arrogant young noble would be hard work.

"Good, it seems we are back on track. For now, you only need to know the first 2 realms of devilry which are Esquire and Knight, describing the realms afterward would only lead you astray," said Kogthoz.

"Once your devil veins are filled to the brim, the only method to become stronger is for you to find a place to hold more Devil qi. Devils choose then to establish their own Devil Heart."

"They do this by pooling Devil qi at their heart until they form a Devil Heart, breaking into the Devil Knight Realm."

"A Devil Heart can store and pool Devil qi, much like the dantians of humans. You will understand it better when you began practicing devilry."

"So we sometimes refer to the Knight realm as the heart establishment realm. The only realms you need to be concerned about right now are vein opening and heart establishment."

"You may wonder why Daos are important and valued so highly by devils after I have explained the first two realms of devilry to you. It would seem like the Daos devils unlock have nothing to do with practicing devilry."

"All devils have Devil qi and increasing our Devil qi is what the goal of devilry is right?" I said.

"Devils can change their Devil qi into other qis based on the Daos they have mastered," said the Devil Ancestor.

"Crafting armaments a blacksmith would need Fire qi so they would have to understand the Fire Dao. Fire qi can have unique properties depending on the devil creating it and their understanding of the Fire Dao."

"A devil with a little understanding of Ice Dao and a good understanding of Fire Dao could create Icyfire qi which could be used for different things than normal Fire qi but still is a Fire qi."

"This is where your problem comes in and why everyone in the clan will view you unfavorably."

"Devil qi isn't much different from Soul qi, they share many of the same uses."

"It's about the same as Fire qi compared to Icyfire qi. All devils, no matter what Dao they practice, strengthen their Devil qi by practicing devilry."

"They can use this Devil qi to perform most of the things done with Soul qi."

"However, to learn Daos requires hard work and effort. The ceremony opens a door to a Dao for devils that they will be proficient at."

"It not only grants a devil initial understanding of a Dao but forcefully breaks them into the Esquire realm, making them noble devils."

"So by gaining Soul Dao you are a step behind everyone else. As it does not have many uses for a devil."

"To use and control your inborn ability, you must learn Soul Dao. Therefore, practice and learn Soul Dao it even though it is not very helpful to devils."

"Once you master your Soul Dao you will master your fate."