Evil Soul Masters

Why were there Evil Soul Masters on this continent? And why could they never be completely eradicated, with a new batch emerging as soon as one was wiped out?

Was it merely because some Spirit Masters were born with Martial Souls carrying evil attributes? Or because some Spirit Masters were inherently evil at heart?

This was the question that arose in Qian Chongling's mind after he had hunted Evil Soul Masters for over twenty years, driven by his hatred for them.

The reason for this question was that he was truly exhausted. When he ascended to the position of Pope, he had sworn to eliminate every Evil Soul Master in the world. Yet even when Spirit Hall went all out in its pursuit and mobilized Spirit Master forces across the entire continent, Evil Soul Masters remained impossible to eradicate. At least, Qian Chongling could see no end to them.

When Angel God rose to prominence, she had nearly exterminated all the Evil Soul Masters of that era. During the following two thousand years, the entire continent slaughtered like mad, killing anyone or anything bearing traces of the former Evil Soul Master sect—the Xuantian Sect.

Yet even so, Evil Soul Masters still surfaced from time to time. By Qian Chongling's era, there were even signs of them rising from the ashes.

With this question in mind, Qian Chongling began trying to understand Evil Soul Masters as a group while continuing to hunt them down. He no longer killed an Evil Soul Master on sight. Before taking action, he would ask them why they had become Evil Soul Masters.

He began investigating the lives, origins, and backgrounds of every slain Evil Soul Master. In the end, he even disguised himself as a Soul Grandmaster with only around twenty ranks of Soul Power, a Spirit Master who wanted to become an Evil Soul Master, and infiltrated an Evil Soul Master group to communicate with them deeply and observe their lives.

And so, Qian Chongling spent nearly ten years understanding Evil Soul Masters. In the end, he understood.

Among Evil Soul Masters, those who were truly devoted to evil and had never been good people to begin with were few enough to be negligible.

The main body of Evil Soul Masters, in truth, mostly came from the countless commoners across the continent.

Some had awakened Martial Souls by chance and, with no one to guide them, embarked on the path of Evil Soul Masters. Others had been oppressed by nobles and powerful forces and became Evil Soul Masters in pursuit of revenge.

Of those two groups, the majority became Evil Soul Masters because they had been oppressed.

And what were the commoners' lives like on the continent back then? It could not be called harmonious or happy. At best, they lived worse than livestock.

It was commonplace for a Spirit Master to be walking down the road, take a dislike to some commoner, and kill them with a single blow. Nobles would also casually slaughter batches of commoners for amusement whenever they were displeased.

Why could Evil Soul Masters never be eradicated? Because what could never be eradicated were the countless commoners of the continent.

As for awakening Martial Souls, give him a break. The major powers of the continent at the time only cared about their own people, Spirit Hall included. Back then, Spirit Hall was merely a Spirit Master collective centered around the Qian Family, descendants of Angels, with a few smaller families as support.

Of course, commoners were not truly unable to awaken Martial Souls. They could go to a noble or find a Spirit Master and pay them. Pay up, and they would help awaken it. No money? Then get the hell out.

But none of that mattered anymore. Once he knew the source and the cause, it was easy to deal with.

Qian Chongling then began vigorously promoting reforms within Spirit Hall. A series of policies were introduced, such as helping commoners awaken Martial Souls, opening Spirit Hall branch halls in every village, and establishing the Work-Study Student system.

Sure enough, as these policies benefiting commoners were implemented, Evil Soul Masters visibly began to decrease. At the same time, Spirit Hall gradually grew stronger and became a true holy land for Spirit Masters.

Then Qian Chongling turned his gaze toward the other forces on the continent, hoping they would learn from Spirit Hall and yield some benefits to commoners. Fewer Evil Soul Masters would benefit everyone.

At the very least, so-called sects should no longer belong to a single family or surname. They should become, like Spirit Hall, places where outstanding Spirit Masters gathered!

The result was that the major powers of that era all declined, citing reasons such as ancestral laws being unchangeable and commoners being inferior.

Damn it, what a pile of vermin!

How could the continent possibly be governed well with this swarm of vermin around? Unification—it had to be unified! Then he would slaughter every one of those idiots who refused to appreciate kindness!

Before Qian Chongling could realize his ambition of unifying the continent, however, Angel God elevated him to the God Realm.

Yet the idea of unifying the continent was passed down generation after generation, deeply engraved into Spirit Hall's legacy.

That was getting off topic. Back to the present.

Qian Chongling looked at the seven Title Douluo of the Clear Sky Sect before him, unable to conceal the panic on their faces, and the anger in his heart reached its peak.

His willingness to understand Evil Soul Masters did not mean he would forgive them!

"Speak. Where did you learn of the Xuantian Sect, and what did you obtain from it?"

"What are you talking about? What kind of sect is the Xuantian Sect?"

Tang Xiao, the unfamiliar young man before him clad in a blood-red battle robe, still bearing Tian'e's shoeprint on his face, spoke up. Yet the panic in his words betrayed him.

Who is this young man? Someone so young with peak-level strength—I've never seen him in Spirit Hall. And who is that little white-haired girl? Why does she know about the Xuantian Sect? No one on the continent should know! My Clear Sky Sect has repeatedly confirmed this for nearly a thousand years. We were certain no one knew of the Xuantian Sect. Even Spirit Hall, with its ten-thousand-year history... why has someone who knows about the Xuantian Sect suddenly appeared?!

No one knew Tang Xiao's thoughts, and even if they did, no one would answer his questions.

Right now, Qian Chongling and Gu Yuena only wanted to find out what connection the Clear Sky Sect had with the Xuantian Sect.

But before Qian Chongling could employ any methods to continue questioning them, Yin Long suddenly hurried over to him.

"Ancestor, we found a cave in the back mountain of the Clear Sky Sect. Inside..."

"You should see it yourself, Ancestor. I don't know how to describe it."

Qian Chongling coldly glanced at Tang Xiao, whose face had suddenly turned deathly pale, then looked at the Clear Sky Sect elders, who were already drenched in cold sweat.

"Men, keep a close watch on them. Do not give them any chance to kill themselves.

"Yin Long, lead the way. I want to see what tricks this Clear Sky Sect has been hiding!"

After saying that, Qian Chongling turned and left with Yin Long.

Watching Qian Chongling leave, Gu Yuena sighed inwardly.

If this Clear Sky Sect truly has ties to the Xuantian Sect, then what is inside that cave is obvious. Why does he insist on confirming it with his own eyes? It seems he truly cannot believe that the Evil Soul Masters Spirit Hall painstakingly suppressed for nearly ten thousand years, to the point of near extinction, have reappeared now. And they are enemies Spirit Hall once spared. It is tragic just to think about it—Spirit Hall has retreated before Evil Soul Masters time and again.

No, Shuang'er seems to be over there too!

Realizing this, Gu Yuena hurried after Qian Chongling and Yin Long in the direction they had left.

Upon reaching a concealed cave in the back mountain, Gu Yuena saw the group from Spirit Hall standing outside it.

Yin Long, Qing Yu, Qian Jun, and the Spirit Masters Spirit Hall had brought to the Clear Sky Sect this time all kept their heads lowered. Only their tightly clenched fists showed that they were far from calm.

Qian Ningshuang, meanwhile, tilted her head back with her eyes closed, tightly gripping the Abyss Flower in her hand.

Qian Chongling's face was grim, his eyes filled with fury. He truly had not expected that the Evil Soul Masters, of whom only a scattered few remained when he ascended to the God Realm, would emerge again thousands of years later—and appear as an entire sect from the start!

That would have been unimaginable even in his era!

At least in his time, although Evil Soul Masters rose and fell in waves, they only formed small groups. Much less founded a sect—and one that had once been the number one sect in the world! The "number one sect" that had forced Spirit Hall to yield time and again!

This was simply a disgrace to every ancestor of Spirit Hall!