Spirit Pagoda's Core Disciples

Leng Yulai lightly tapped her fingers against the steering wheel. The morning mist outside the car window made her profile appear especially hazy.

"Evil Martial Souls?"

A cold smile curled across her lips.

"Actually, Spirit Hall's actions Ten Thousand Years Ago already gave us the answer."

"There was never anyone born an Evil Soul Master. There were only Soul Masters who willingly fell into depravity."

"During Spirit Hall's rule, historical records state that Bibi Dong, the pope of that era, also possessed an evil Martial Soul, yet she was not an Evil Soul Master."

"We're not living Ten Thousand Years Ago anymore. We have our own ways of dealing with dark-attribute and evil Martial Souls."

"We can sponsor Spirit Souls. As long as someone is kind, what does it matter if their Martial Soul is evil? As long as they don't harm others, that's enough."

"For those who need blood, we can arrange for blood to be drawn from unintelligent beast Soul Beasts, or obtain all kinds of blood bags from hospitals through legal channels. They can have as much as they need."

"For those who need death energy, they can just stay in a cemetery. There's plenty of death energy there."

"On top of that, with Spirit Pagoda's Spirit Soul technology, every Soul Beast Forest has been placed under our protection. There's simply no way to hunt Soul Beasts for Soul Rings now."

"Ah, of course, we can't protect the ocean. So they might go hunt Sea Soul Beasts for Soul Rings there instead, and they might not even suit them. Hahaha."

As she spoke, Leng Yulai began to laugh.

"There are plenty of ways to guide people with these special Martial Souls onto the right path. The only question is whether Spirit Pagoda wants to do it. Besides, this is the age of Spirit Souls now. Controlling them has become much easier. We can just use Spirit Souls, can't we?"

"Even Evil Soul Masters unwilling to join Spirit Pagoda are monitored by our department at all times. The moment they can no longer control their Martial Soul instincts, willingly fall into depravity, and commit crimes, we stop them immediately and place them in confinement."

"Until they can resist their Martial Soul instincts."

"If they still can't resist them, there's nothing we can do. We can't exactly let them out to harm people. Then they really have to be locked up for life, or euthanized."

Lu Jun's back pressed tightly against the seat, his heartbeat quickening slightly.

"So, there are no Evil Soul Masters in this era?"

"You can't say there are none. You can't be absolute about anything."

Leng Yulai rejected Lu Jun's assumption.

"But we're also working to make this era better, rather than being like Shrek, which only accepts disciples with backgrounds and talent, then turns itself into an independent royal city beyond the control of any nation."

Leng Yulai's voice gradually turned cold.

"They gather the most talented disciples and ridiculously call themselves Continent's Number One Academy, claiming they can cultivate better geniuses."

"They talk about punishing Evil Soul Masters and establish the Monitoring Group and Tang Sect's Dou Soul Hall, but they never pay any price to eliminate the threat of Evil Soul Masters at its root."

"All they know is slaughter."

"So naturally, the task of eradicating the root cause of Evil Soul Masters falls upon Spirit Pagoda."

"They even claim to monitor the actions of the entire continent. All I see is them reaping the benefits without lifting a finger, wasting the best resources to support a group of old fossils clinging to outdated ideas and doing nothing. Yet they're the strongest ones, and the greatest threat as well."

"That damned place should just be blown up once and for all."

The more Leng Yulai spoke, the more agitated she became.

Lu Jun fell silent for a moment before asking, "Martial Aunt, do you really hate Shrek?"

"I stayed there for a while. Every day, they kept shouting about Shrek glory, Shrek glory. Were they trying to brainwash people?"

"After graduating from the Outer Courtyard, I never entered the Inner Courtyard. Staying there annoyed me to death."

"My sister, on the other hand, entered the Inner Courtyard and continued cultivating."

Only then did Lu Jun understand.

Perhaps that was why the sisters had not turned against each other?

Leng Yulai had not fallen for Yun Ming.

Then it was no surprise.

Still, when it came to brainwashing, Shrek Academy was indeed damn impressive.

In the original story, Lu Jun had never understood why Tang Wulin, who had only lived in the Inner Courtyard for a short time and was not even favored by Yun Ming, had still insisted on defending Shrek Academy's glory and rebuilding the academy after it was destroyed.

He had not even spent much time in the Inner Courtyard. Even in the Outer Courtyard, he had only stayed for a year or two before being sent to the Star Luo Empire.

That had left Lu Jun deeply puzzled.

"Alright, I went too far. I shouldn't have told you all this."

Leng Yulai calmed down.

"For now, you only need to cultivate properly. Don't think too much."

Before long, they returned to Spirit Pagoda Headquarters.

Leng Yulai led Lu Jun through the heavy Soul Guidance Metal doors, and the view before them suddenly opened up.

Inside the spacious hall, several hundred young men and women stood in neat ranks. Most were between fourteen and twenty years old, and every one of them wore the badge of a Spirit Pagoda Core Disciple on their chest.

Dozens of enormous Soul Guidance Screens floated from the ceiling, displaying the examination rules and precautions in real time.

"Stay close."

Leng Yulai's black trench coat was especially conspicuous among the crowd. Wherever she passed, the students moved aside, and whispers rose one after another.

"This year's assessment is very simple."

Leng Yulai explained it to Lu Jun.

"Enter the Virtual World and defeat the corresponding opponents."

"Them?" Lu Jun glanced at the Core Disciples who were also looking at him.

"No, not them."

Leng Yulai smiled.

"You'll find out soon enough. They're all opponents you know well."

"The more you win, the higher your ranking among the Core Disciples, and the more Spirit Pagoda will value you."

"Only competition can stir up people's desire to win and give them the motivation to improve, right?"

Lu Jun grinned. "That's right."

Suddenly, Lu Jun heard a commotion erupt ahead.

"Look, it's Qiangu Zhangting!"

The crowd parted to either side like a tide as a youth who looked around fifteen or sixteen slowly walked forward.

"I heard he broke through to the fifth ring last year. He might reach the Soul Emperor realm before turning twenty."

"Not to mention that his grandfather is the current Pagoda Master. He'll definitely inherit Spirit Pagoda in the future!"

Lu Jun did not react much.

Qiangu Zhangting.

He knew him.

He was that Dragon Knight.

Unfortunately, he had only achieved that in an illusion.

Qiangu Zhangting seemed oblivious to the surrounding discussion, but his gaze locked directly onto Leng Yulai.

"Aunt Leng." He bowed respectfully to Leng Yulai, his voice warm and refined. "Is this the disciple you've just taken in?"

Leng Yulai did not even spare him a glance and led Lu Jun toward the other side.

"Let's go."

Qiangu Zhangting was left standing stiffly where he was, and the entire hall instantly fell silent.

That made Lu Jun see the relationship between the Leng sisters and the Qiangu Family clearly.

They really did not get along.

"That's someone from the Qiangu Family. My advice is not to interact with them casually."

Leng Yulai snorted.

"Is it because the Pagoda Master has designs on Teacher?" Lu Jun blinked.

Leng Yulai lowered herself, raised a hand, and tapped his forehead.

"...You're so young. Why are you such a gossip?"

Lu Jun was speechless.

Wasn't that what you all said?!

"Still, what I hate about that brat is that he actually called me aunt!"

Leng Yulai looked somewhat frantic.

"Do I really look that old?"

Lu Jun said nothing.

So that was the real reason...