Mind Reading

Lu Wanwan saw that she was staring in amazement and explained, "This is Treasure Gathering Pavilion. It's a large shop that mainly deals in all kinds of items related to Soul Masters and Soul Engineers."

"Unfortunately, there hasn't been a Treasure Appreciating Fair lately. Otherwise, I could've taken you inside to have some fun."

The only difference between Treasure Gathering Pavilion and other shops now was like that between a large supermarket and an ordinary store. There wasn't much to do here.

It was getting late, so Luo Ling and Lu Wanwan took Huo Yuxi to a restaurant for a meal. It wasn't anything as fancy as the food at Shrek Academy, just ordinary fare.

Huo Yuxi had a small appetite and was soon full. After greeting them, she went to wash her hands.

The Soul Devouring Spider in her arms emerged again at that moment. It was starting to admire the idiot who had been following them from behind. He had kept at it for so long without giving up.

After a moment's thought, once Huo Yuxi had finished washing her hands, it guided her toward an abandoned-looking alley. No one passed through here even in broad daylight, making it a perfect place to make a move.

The person behind them followed closely, gripping the hoe in his hand and ready to attack at any moment.

"Uncle, why have you been following me?"

Huo Yuxi's voice rang out in the silent alley. The man jumped in fright, but when he saw Huo Yuxi's obedient appearance, he relaxed again.

He withdrew his hoe Martial Soul and coaxed, "Uncle saw you come to such a dark place alone and was worried about your safety."

Huo Yuxi pretended not to know. "Oh, I was looking for my spider. Have you seen it?"

Only then did the man realize that the spider doll in her arms had disappeared at some point. He had thought it was just an ordinary toy, so he hurriedly tried to win her favor. "Then let Uncle help you look for it."

He had been worrying about not having an excuse, and now one had practically been handed to him. What a heaven-sent opportunity!

He lowered his head and began searching seriously. High walls stood on both sides of the alley, while buildings outside blocked the light, making the view unclear.

He simply squatted down, preparing to use Soul Power to search.

Then he suddenly felt something moving on his neck. He casually slapped at it and was about to continue searching when a palm-sized spider appeared right before his eyes, floating there vividly.

"Aah!"

A miserable scream echoed through the entire alley, then gradually weakened until it vanished. The man's eyes slowly became dazed, as though someone had taken control of his body.

What a scaredy-cat. I'm so pretty now, and I can still scare him?

"That's how people with a guilty conscience are." Huo Yuxi carefully observed the man's condition and saw that his eyes went from dazed to crazed.

Then he began waving his body around. She jumped back in fright. "Wow! You scared me to death, Zhuzhu! What's going on?"

He's fallen into an illusion, immersed in the world inside it and letting himself go. The Soul Devouring Spider gave him a disdainful look and crawled back onto Huo Yuxi's shoulder.

"Then can I find out what he's like inside the illusion?" The man's smile had been so lecherous that it was obvious he was up to no good.

Of course.

The Soul Devouring Spider skillfully pulled several strands of spider silk. In the blink of an eye, Huo Yuxi had entered the illusion.

The surroundings were unfamiliar. Huo Yuxi hugged the Soul Devouring Spider doll tightly and began cautiously examining the area.

"Hahahahaha! This batch is top-quality. You can't afford this price, but plenty of people will want it."

A shrill voice sounded. Huo Yuxi turned and saw that it was the man, with an even uglier man standing beside him.

And the goods they were discussing were actually her!

Huo Yuxi was so angry that the veins at her temples bulged. She wanted nothing more than to run over and kick him twice until he could no longer take care of himself.

Calm down, calm down. We're only consciousness forms right now. We can't hurt him, and we might even break the illusion. Once we get out, we'll teach him a proper lesson.

Though the Soul Devouring Spider said that, the killing intent in its eyes only grew stronger.

Looking at the bustling surroundings, Huo Yuxi felt chilled to the bone. She had always known that the outside world was dangerous, but she had never imagined it could be so dark.

Zhuzhu had said that illusions came from reality. They were one's subconscious beautifying reality, essentially a fantasy.

The man fantasized about catching Huo Yuxi, selling her for a high price, and living a perfect life after turning his fortunes around.

But from the illusion, Huo Yuxi learned that he had captured many others as well, all for money.

Strangely, the people he captured included men, women, the old, and the young. Whether they were beautiful or ugly, there were always buyers.

After coming out, Huo Yuxi's eyes were red with anger. She walked over and kicked him twice. Whether the Soul Devouring Spider's ability was too powerful or the man was too absorbed, he did not react at all.

"Xixi?"

Lu Wanwan's uncertain voice came from behind her. Huo Yuxi turned around and immediately complained, "Wanwan! Let me tell you, this man is awful. He wanted to capture me and sell me."

"He captured so many people. I don't know whether they've already been sold." Her tone sank when she said that.

She could not save them, and she did not even know where they were.

"What happened?" Luo Ling's tone was solemn, and she had already begun considering how to secretly kill him.

After another dramatic retelling, Huo Yuxi finally said, "After he captures people, he locks them up in a place with strange patterns."

After hearing this, Lu Wanwan's gaze swept over the large tree behind her. "I think I know where it is. Don't worry, someone will go save them."

Luo Ling's focus was different from Lu Wanwan's. Huo Yuxi had said so much, yet she had never mentioned where she had learned any of this.

She casually asked, "Huo Yuxi, where did you find out about all this?"

"My Martial Soul!" Huo Yuxi pinched one of the Soul Devouring Spider doll's legs. "It has a spiritual attribute. The poison carried by its soul skills can create illusions. I can tell whether everything in an illusion is real or imagined."

There was nothing wrong with that explanation, and she did not feel the slightest bit guilty.

Luo Ling interpreted her words as meaning that Huo Yuxi's soul skill created illusions and that she had learned everything from one. But that was not the important part. The important part was that she could actually extract what someone was thinking, as well as what they had done before, from an illusion.

How was that any different from mind reading?

That was far too terrifying!

"Luo Ling, Luo Ling! What are you spacing out for? We're getting ready to head back!"

"Mm, okay." She put away her thoughts and tried to convince herself that she was overthinking it. If it were true, then in battle, wouldn't all her thoughts and strategies be completely exposed?

The two of them got up to leave, but Huo Yuxi jogged over to the fallen man and pulled a small Storage Soul Tool from his body.

After taking a look, she found that there really were quite a few good things inside.

"I'll count this as compensation for my emotional distress. I won't take too much. I'll leave you half your fortune." Huo Yuxi muttered as she picked through it.

The Soul Devouring Spider drooled at the sight of the items inside. It had to admit that they were all good things!

It could not decide which one to pick and wanted to bundle them all up and take everything.

"Xixi, if you like them, just take it all. He won't be needing any of it anyway."

Huo Yuxi's eyes widened, as though confirming whether that was really true.

"Take it. Once I find those people he captured and confirm that what you said is true, he won't be using any of it ever again."

Huo Yuxi casually took one item from inside and stuffed the Storage Soul Tool into Lu Wanwan's hands. "You can find them? Then sell this for money and give them compensation for their emotional distress too!"