I'd Rather Believe Qian Xunji Has Gone Mad
However, this devastating attack seemed utterly futile in the face of the boundless ocean of Blue Silver Grass. The area that had just been cleared was instantly filled and covered by even more Blue Silver Grass surging in from behind, as if it had never been destroyed at all.
Tang San's pupils contracted, and his heart sank to the bottom. He knew that a direct confrontation would only lead to his death.
Daring not to hold back any longer, he immediately changed his strategy, his Eight Spider Lances plunging deep into the Entanglement Blue Silver Grass, frantically devouring its life force and converting it into meager Soul Power and healing energy, barely managing to sustain his own consumption and injuries.
His right hand wielded the Clear Sky Hammer wildly, smashing through the densest vines in front of him and clearing a path out of the Blue Silver Forest.
He used the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track Steps technique to its fullest extent, struggling to weave through the gaps in the raging Blue Silver Grass, searching for any possible breakthrough.
He was like a trapped beast stuck in a silvery swamp, struggling desperately to find a way out.
In the distance, the Blue Silver King's spiritual form silently watched all of this, and as he looked at the figure struggling and fighting in the sea of grass, he let out a long and complex sigh.
He thought of the previous Blue Silver Emperor — Ah Yin.
That gentle, kind, and benevolent ruler, who was full of goodwill towards the world, was also the child's mother. With longing and love for humanity, she chose to take human form and never return.
Ah Yin's child... how did he end up like this?
The Blue Silver King felt deeply puzzled and heartbroken. While it was true that the Blue Silver Grass Clan practiced a ritual of offering energy to the Emperor, it was a gentle, voluntary, and sustainable form of nourishment that would not cause the Blue Silver Grass to die.
But Tang San's predatory and destructive devouring was utterly evil! Even in the dog-eat-dog world of Soul Beast, such an act of severing the source is universally condemned, just like the bloodthirsty Man Faced Demon Spider that are hated by all Soul Beast.
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Perhaps it was because Tang San hadn't ventured deep into the heart of the forest, perhaps it was because the Blue Silver King, out of consideration for their past relationship, hadn't killed him, or perhaps it was because Tang San's struggles had indeed been effective—he exerted all his strength and finally, with great difficulty, broke through the boundary of the wildly spreading Blue Silver Grass!
He ran wildly for miles without looking back until he could no longer feel the suffocating life force behind him. Only then did Tang San dare to stop and look back with lingering fear. He saw that the raging Blue Silver Grass had receded like a receding tide, slowly retreating into the depths of the forest, restoring its former tranquility, as if the earth-shattering scene just now was merely an illusion.
"Huff... Huff..." Tang San was breathing heavily, his back already soaked with cold sweat.
He looked down at his body, his pupils suddenly contracting. His exposed skin was covered with countless tiny blood holes, as if it had been repeatedly pierced by the finest needles. And in the center of each blood hole, a tiny, Blue Silver vine could be vaguely seen, wriggling slightly like a living thing!
Only Tang San himself knew how terrifying this thing was.
They have taken root in his flesh and blood, surviving tenaciously like parasites, silently absorbing the nutrients from his body!
A chill ran down his spine to the top of his head. He tried to force them out with his Mysterious Heaven Skill, but found that these roots were too deeply intertwined with his flesh and blood, and forcibly forcing them out would only cause greater damage.
"Damn it!" Tang San's face turned ashen, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes.
This time, he tried using the Eight Spider Lances.
One by one, the menacing Spider Spear cautiously extended, precisely piercing into the blood holes, reaching the roots of the Blue Silver Grass at the bottom, and then activating their devouring ability.
A faint, teeth-grinding sucking sound rang out, and the tiny Blue Silver Grass quickly withered and turned to ash.
However, even if these "seeds" are removed, the wounds in his body, riddled with holes by countless roots, will not heal immediately. The intense pain and internal trauma will require a long time and considerable resources to slowly recuperate and recover.
This trip to the Blue Silver Forest not only failed to achieve his goal of devouring and evolving, but he also suffered a severe injury, leaving indelible marks on his body.
Tang San clutched his still aching chest, gazing towards the Blue Silver Forest, his eyes filled with resentment and unwillingness.
"Blue Silver King... and that Blue Silver Emperor hiding somewhere... you just wait!"
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Unbeknownst to Tang San, a subtle yet unwavering transformation had already taken place deep within him.
The Rakshasa Divine Power, which originates from the power of the Rakshasa God, is far more than simply granting him Soul Power and skills.
Like the most insidious poison, it silently seeped into his mind, distorted his judgment, and amplified the dark side that already existed in his soul—paranoia, selfishness, and the tendency to stop at nothing to achieve his goals.
If it were the Tang San of the past, who still had a shred of principles, acted cautiously, and strived for "legitimate" actions, even if he coveted the vast life energy of the Blue Silver Grass clan, he would never have chosen such a direct and barbaric way to force his way into the Blue Silver Forest and become an enemy of the entire clan.
Based on his past thought patterns, he would be more "patient" and "smarter".
He would first try to find the current Blue Silver Emperor, find a reason to clash with the Blue Silver Emperor, and under the guise of "forced self-defense," "reasonably" kill the Blue Silver Emperor. Finally, he might absorb the Blue Silver Emperor under seemingly high-sounding reasons such as "mourning," "inheritance," or "preventing energy waste," and then "naturally" absorb the life energy contributed or dissipated by the Blue Silver Grass.
This process can achieve the goal while minimizing his guilt, and may even make him feel good about himself, believing that he was "forced to do it".
However, under the corrupting influence of the Rakshasa Divine Power, he became more impatient, greedy, and foolish. The God of Evil nature of the god's power drove him to abandon all pretense and scheming, choosing the most direct, violent, and ultimately most dangerous method—plunder and extortion.
This was undoubtedly an extremely foolish decision.
Just like now, Tang San's plan failed and he lost to the Blue Silver King. Not only was he seriously injured, but he also became an enemy of the Blue Silver Grass Clan.
Those high-ranking, intelligent Blue Silver Grass have already remembered him, and they will never recognize him as emperor in the future!
Unfortunately, Tang San, currently affected by the Rakshasa Divine Power and Purple Demon Eye cultivation had not reached its maximum level, was unable to notice the changes in himself and regain his senses.
Chapter 263 I'd rather believe Qian Xunji insane
As time passed, Ning Fengzhi Ning Fengzhi learned about the events that had happened in the outside world through various channels, and each piece of information made his heart sink a little more.
On the continent, the Spirit Hall has defeated two great empires. The remnants of those forces that once fought against the Spirit Hall Empire, whether they were nobles hiding in the mountains or remnants of soldiers trying to incite rebellion, were all like grasshoppers in autumn. They were efficiently and ruthlessly dragged out one by one by the Spirit Hall and publicly executed as a warning to others.
Blood stained the foundation of the new empire, and extinguished the last vestige of unrealistic fantasy in Ning Fengzhi's heart.
He saw it clearly, with absolute clarity—the unification of the continent by the Spirit Hall Empire was an unchangeable, cold fact.
The glory of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the honor of the Heaven Dou Empire have all faded away with the dust of the old era.
The only thing he can think about and struggle with now is no longer restoring the country or resisting, but how to find a way to survive and continue on this land that has already changed, for the sake of the Ning family bloodline and the core inheritance of the sect.
However, reality was so despairing. He was imprisoned here, assisting these Spirit Hall Soul Master, unable to even see Qian Xunji, let alone negotiate any terms for the sect.
Ning Fengzhi kept recalling the rumor he had once scoffed at— Qian Xunji had gone mad!
At first, he firmly believed that this was a smokescreen deliberately released by the Spirit Hall to lull the enemy into a false sense of security and lower the guard of outsiders.
But in recent days, I have witnessed and heard firsthand the various actions of the Spirit Hall —betrayal, breaking of a thousand-year-old tacit agreement, brazen attacks on representatives of various forces, ruthless massacres on the battlefield, and indifference to prisoners of war... All of this reveals a kind of reckless and irrational madness.
Ning Fengzhi's heart wavered.
Nothing else...
"The Spirit Hall and the Qian Clan wouldn't be so despicable."
This is the reputation and credibility that the Spirit Hall and the Qian Clan have built up little by little over thousands of years through fair arbitration, support for commoner Soul Master, and maintenance of order on the continent!
This understanding has been deeply imprinted in the minds of all the upper-class people on the mainland, including Ning Fengzhi.
Therefore, the only explanation can be --
"So, Qian Xunji must have gone mad."
Ning Fengzhi muttered to himself, as if trying to convince himself.
Everyone had similar thoughts.
They preferred to believe that Qian Xunji had gone mad.
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The Spirit City, once a sacred place for Soul Master, has undergone a dramatic transformation in its internal workings after becoming the power core of the Spirit Hall Empire.
The rapid expansion of the territory under its rule and the exponential growth in administrative affairs have made many previously leisurely departments extremely busy.
Among them, the team facing the most significant changes and the greatest pressure is undoubtedly the Soul Tool Research Team.
This department, which was once more like a makeshift operation, began to operate at breakneck speed under Qian Xunji's Qian Xunji order to "popularize Soul Tool to the grassroots level." Soul Engineer, craftsmen, and scholars from all over the continent were constantly recruited and absorbed into it.
Their achievements are remarkable. Driven by huge resource investment and pressure, they even developed a soul guidance device similar to a machine tool, which can achieve mass production of some low-level Soul Tool core components.
However, even the mass production of the lowest-tier Soul Tool consumes astronomical amounts of resources.
A massive amount of rare metals and energy crystals were poured in like water, almost emptying the Spirit Hall's reserves accumulated over hundreds of years.
If it weren't for the fact that the Alchemy Hall has been continuously replenishing the Spirit Hall's finances by selling highly effective healing and detoxifying pills over the years, this massive plan to popularize Soul Tool would probably have been shelved long ago due to a broken funding chain.
As the head of the Alchemy Hall, the empire's veritable "money bag," Bian Que, even though he was extremely unwilling, had to frequently attend various long and tedious meetings to provide financial security and "technical support" for various money-burning projects.
He emerged from the somber meeting room, his eyes swollen with dark circles under his eyes and his expression listless. The afternoon sun was a bit too bright, and he squinted instinctively. He habitually popped a pill to refresh himself, but the bitter taste spread across his tongue, unable to dispel the deep-seated fatigue.
He wandered aimlessly through the still bustling streets of Spirit City. His gaze swept across the street, and a sausage stall caught his attention.
The stall owner was a young man with a full beard, but he had a pair of deep, affectionate peach blossom eyes that were completely out of place with his rugged appearance.
Bian Que had an excellent memory and immediately recognized the person as Oscar, the food-type Soul Master who represented Canghui Academy in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Tournament.
After the war, those arrested underwent rigorous screening. Soul Master like Oscar, who came from impeccable backgrounds and had little connection with the major sects and empires, were mostly included in the release list.
Bian Que never expected that after being released, this guy would not only not leave Spirit City, this "place of sorrow" and center of power, but would instead brazenly set up a sausage stall there.
Bian Que withdrew his gaze expressionlessly, yawned, and walked past Oscar's stall without stopping, as if he had only seen a roadside stone.
He was still calculating the budget report for the next quarter and the stability test data of several new drugs in his mind. The way a former rival student made a living did not interest him at all.
For Bian Que now, apart from his research and divine examinations, most things in the world are like fleeting clouds, not worth investing any effort in. His world has long been filled with various formulas, medicinal properties, and endless meetings.
certainly...
The wise Summoner's crazy commands don't count...
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On the bustling streets of Spirit City, Oscar mechanically called out, various sausages he made with his Soul Power displayed before him. His voice was loud, but the forced smile on his face carried an undisguised weariness, and deep within his peach blossom eyes lay an unyielding confusion.
When Oscar was released from the guardhouse by the Spirit Hall, the deacon in charge had invited him in a gentle manner, saying that with his fifteen-year-old food-type Soul Elder talent, joining the Spirit Hall would surely earn him attention and training. In the past, Oscar would have been overjoyed.
He came from a humble village, and what he looked forward to most every year was watching the Lord Soul Master from the Spirit Hall come to the village to awaken the Martial Soul of the children. The magnificent Soul Master robes and powerful strength were his most shining dream in his childhood.
However, during his time at the Shrek Academy, under the daily tutelage of Dean Flender and Vice Dean Zhao Wuji, he subtly "learned" to despise the Spirit Hall. He despised its strict rules, its "meddling" (such as hunting down Fallen Soul Master and maintaining basic order in the Soul Master World), and its omnipresent influence... It was as if being unconventional and outside the rules was the pride that a "monster" should have.
Now, the academy has vanished, Teacher Zhao is dead, Dean Flender is missing, and the fates of Boss Dai and Xiao Wu are unknown. This genius, once known as a "Little Monster," has fallen from grace.
The stark contrast between his current situation and the uncertainty of the future plunged him into deep confusion, leaving him unsure of where to go or what he could do.
Just then, a figure walked past his stall. Short golden hair, golden eyes, and a well-tailored golden robe; his aura was restrained yet could not conceal his extraordinary nature.
Oscar's pupils contracted, and he instantly recognized the other person— the Soul Saint from the Spirit Hall First Team! The peer who had displayed overwhelming strength on the field, making him truly understand for the first time what it meant to be "there are always higher levels than you".
It's hard not to remember. At Shrek, he was always called Little Monster by Zhao Wuji, which filled him with pride and arrogance. But just leaving the academy, this "newbie village," he was immediately confronted by such a young Soul Saint. The impact was so great that it nearly shattered his Dao heart.
Oscar returned to his rented room, dejected, and sighed helplessly as he looked at the empty bed next to him.
That guy Ma Hongjun, he's probably gone to a brothel to unleash his Evil Fire again.
Like him, Ma Hongjun was a genuine commoner, also adopted by Flender, and released along with him after this incident. At this time, the two naturally chose to stick together for warmth.
Unlike Oscar, who chose to set up a street stall, Ma Hongjun, who had been suffering from Evil Fire during his imprisonment and was almost driven mad by the torture, began a vengeful indulgence after his release. It was common for him to stay out all night, and Oscar often couldn't even find him.
In fact, there are quite a few young Soul Master like them who are stuck in Spirit City in an awkward situation. Most of them come from commoner backgrounds and were lucky enough to be admitted to a certain academy. They then felt that they had broken away from their original social class and become "the chosen ones of heaven", different from others. But once the academy behind them collapsed, they instantly lost their support and direction, neither good enough for high positions nor low enough for low ones, and were at a loss.
However, seeing that blond boy again on the street today, his determined, powerful, and goal-oriented figure was like a lightning bolt, cleaving through the fog in Oscar's heart.