Investigating the Truth

As he flew onward, the mountain ridges gradually emerged from the darkness of night.

It was a desolate, mysterious land, concealing countless secrets and dangers.

Even so, given their current abilities, they no longer needed to fear the Soul Force that threatened their lives.

But many people had died through their own carelessness, and there were countless cases of people overturning their boats in the gutter.

That was why he treated even the smallest task with caution. It was also Ye Lian's way of staying alive.

"Because there are so few villagers, the Soul Forces they use aren't particularly powerful. But judging by the situation on this mission, even seemingly weak Soul Forces can cause extremely severe harm. The death toll is high, and it's truly baffling."

Xia Bu's voice drifted through the night air, worry and unease showing in his eyes.

The black eye patch around his neck swayed gently, reflecting the pale sheen of his slightly sunken cheeks.

"Since Soul Force doesn't always originate from a person's entire soul, fear can sometimes stir up unexpected thoughts and strange behavior. At times, people are even more terrifying than Soul Forces."

Jia Meng's voice was low and firm. He watched the road ahead, his gaze resolute.

His calm expression seemed to pierce through the darkness, revealing a glimmer of light.

"I understand the reasoning, but sometimes I can't help thinking that the belief I've always held—that Soul Forces exist to protect ordinary people—might be shaken."

Xia Bu sighed, his voice tinged with helplessness.

"You can only take it one step at a time, can't you?"

Jia Meng turned to Xia Bu, his eyes full of encouragement and trust.

"In my heart, you're destined to become the guide who leads ordinary people to understand the truth of this world."

"As a guide for others, you can't lose your way yourself. Face the darkness in your heart without bias, and accept the real you. That's all there is to it."

Jia Meng's words carried both gentleness and warmth, dispelling the confusion in Xia Bu's heart.

"It's just that I'm afraid that once I give in to my own desires..."

Xia Bu's voice faltered, and a trace of fear and helplessness flickered in his eyes.

"That's not the Xia Bu I know. You're a strong and gentle person; you're just sometimes too hard on yourself."

Jia Meng smiled and shook his head. His eyes were filled with understanding and acceptance.

"Don't worry. I'm here, aren't I? If you ever want to do something out of line, I'll definitely stop you."

Xia Bu went quiet, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly into a bitter smile.

"You really know how to put people at ease. And you're more like a preacher than I am. I don't know when you managed to indoctrinate me. I thought my childhood dream was to become a preacher."

He spoke slowly, his tone tinged with gentle melancholy.

"Don't say that. You're much more capable than either me or Wu. I'm starting to feel like I can't keep up with you."

Xia Bu looked at Jia Meng, then spoke.

"Maybe. Still, it's good to spar every now and then. Otherwise, I won't know how much I've improved, or whether I've caught up to you."

Jia Meng gave Xia Bu a cryptic answer.

The night breeze blew past, and their silhouettes looked even taller beneath the moonlight.

They quickly reached their destination: a small village surrounded by a few scattered cottages.

The village was almost entirely devoid of modern industrial products. The villagers still used primitive farming tools, which made the place feel as though it had been frozen in time.

He circled the village and soon found a few Soul Forces.

The weak light of their Soul Force was engulfed by the darkness around them.

Since the distance between them was considerable, Xia Bu didn't carelessly reveal his Soul Force. He released just enough to conceal the force of the Soul Force ahead.

It was so weak that it barely needed to be hidden.

The entire process was silent, drawing no attention from the villagers.

"Three Soul Forces on the hillside. They're kind of you to clear out so many troublesome Soul Forces for us. That's quite a stroke of luck."

Xia Bu spoke cheerfully, his voice brimming with confidence.

"Even if it's a good chance, people dealing with Soul Forces are still too few. We should tell the village chief that the threat's been dealt with so he won't keep worrying."

Jia Meng reminded him, his gaze carrying a hint of caution and respect.

"I hope the situation here can be settled with our help. There may be potential Soul Forces to uncover. I wonder how well he'll handle them. Wait—there's something wrong."

Xia Bu suddenly stopped mid-sentence. His eyebrows lifted slightly, and suspicion glimmered in his eyes.

As Xia Bu's Soul Force control grew stronger, he could now clearly sense the condition of Soul Forces he'd dealt with. He could even read their emotions.

At first, he and Jia Meng had guessed that the Soul Forces here had been created from the villagers' fear.

But after Xia Bu dealt with the Soul Forces, the emotions left behind weren't mostly fear. There was also anger and resentment. Fear was present, too, but it seemed far less pronounced.

That left him feeling somewhat puzzled. The Soul Forces seemed more like curses born of intense resentment, brought to life after someone had been killed by an inhuman hand.

"The truth of this situation is nothing like what the village chief described."

Xia Bu murmured, his voice heavy with thought.

"Then how do you want to handle it? We should investigate first."

Jia Meng said, his gaze steady and decisive.

"No need to worry. I have a Soul Force that's perfect for situations like this."

Xia Bu smiled faintly. He raised a finger, and a gentle, glowing Soul Force flowed from its tip.

The Soul Force took the shape of a butterfly, almost transparent, with mysterious patterns on its wings.

"It can make people unknowingly reveal their true nature and disclose the secrets in their hearts."

"Soul Force control really is comprehensive."

Jia Meng exclaimed, his gaze filled with admiration and respect for Xia Bu's abilities.

Without another word, the two of them quietly arrived in front of the village chief's home, a wooden house mottled with fading paint.

Night had deepened, and the village lay in silence. Only the occasional crow broke the stillness with its caw.

Xia Bu and Jia Meng hid in the shadows, like dark figures in the night, blending into their surroundings.

Xia Bu slowly raised his hand, moving his fingertip as he controlled his Soul Force.

The butterfly-shaped Soul Force flapped its wings and silently flew through the village chief's house.

Inside the room, an oil lamp cast a faint, dusky glow, illuminating the faces of the village chief and his wife.

He was sitting beside a worn wooden table, whispering sweet nothings to his wife, a charming smile on his face.

But when the butterfly Soul Force scattered its pollen over the village chief and his wife, their sweet, intimate expressions instantly grew rigid.

The darkness shifted in the lamplight, adding a mysterious cast to the faces of the old couple.

The expressions on the village chief and his wife's faces began to change strangely, their original warmth replaced by a wave of indistinct gloom.

Deep sorrow and fear showed in his eyes, as if some invisible force were drawing him into a long-buried secret.

"This... I hadn't expected that."

Jia Meng murmured, his eyes filled with anger and helplessness.