Early the next morning, Wang Xian got out of bed early. He planned to find someone to challenge today and unlock the Martial Soul Training Camp.
After thinking it over all night, he had already chosen his target.
Although Emperor Soul Village was known for its simple, honest folkways, not every villager was like that.
There were still people like village bullies.
For example, Zhao Dazhuang, who lived at the eastern end of the village, was a notorious scoundrel.
He was in his early thirties and, relying on his large build, had done no shortage of wicked things in the village.
If anyone's chickens or ducks wandered into his yard, he would slaughter and eat them without so much as a word.
He had casually taken two strips of cured meat that Aunt Li from next door had hung out to dry.
When Aunt Li came to confront him, he squatted by his doorway and viciously snapped, "Which eye of yours saw me take them? Keep spouting nonsense, and I'll smash your door in."
Aunt Li was a widow. How could she possibly afford to provoke him? She could only swallow her anger.
He had also forcibly occupied a ridge of Grandpa Zhang's vegetable field near the end of the village, claiming that the land had been measured incorrectly when it was divided years ago and that the ridge had always belonged to his family.
Grandpa Zhang had been so furious that he went to Old John to seek justice, but Zhao Dazhuang started loitering outside Grandpa Zhang's house every day.
He cursed and swore constantly, frightening Grandpa Zhang's young grandson so badly that the boy did not dare leave the house.
Old John had dealt with him several times, but Zhao Dazhuang was utterly shameless. He would admit his mistake to Old John's face, then go right back to his old ways afterward.
Old John was getting on in years and could not keep an eye on him every day. In the end, he simply let him be.
Wang Xian felt no burden whatsoever about dealing with someone like him.
Someone who harmed the villagers like this deserved to be taught a lesson long ago.
Wang Xian acted immediately. After finishing the breakfast Old John had prepared for him, he rushed out the door.
He headed straight for the eastern end of the village.
Zhao Dazhuang's yard stood at the very edge of the eastern end. Its walls leaned crookedly, and a messy pile of firewood was stacked outside the gate.
When Wang Xian reached the gate, Zhao Dazhuang was sitting in the yard, basking in the sun.
Seeing Wang Xian enter, Zhao Dazhuang glanced at him sideways. "Well, if it isn't that little brat Old John picked up. What are you doing at my house?"
He loafed around all day and had not even gone to watch the martial soul awakening ceremony, so naturally, he did not know that Wang Xian had awakened Soul Power.
Wang Xian did not waste words with him. "I want to fight you."
Zhao Dazhuang froze for a moment, then burst into laughter.
He said disdainfully, "Fight me? Hahaha! Little brat, are you still half-asleep?"
"Get the hell out of here, or don't blame me for beating you."
Only because he took Old John's position as village chief into account did Zhao Dazhuang refrain from immediately attacking Wang Xian.
If any other villager had dared provoke him, he would have attacked without a second word.
Wang Xian did not get angry. He merely said, "What? Are you afraid to fight me?"
Zhao Dazhuang's face darkened. "Little brat, you think I'm giving you face?"
"Fine. I'll play with you. Just don't go crying to Old John afterward."
He clapped his hands and swaggered to the center of the yard.
"Come on, then. Let's see how capable you are."
His voice was thick with mockery.
Wang Xian took a deep breath and opened his right hand. Blue Silver Grass appeared in his palm.
The frail blue blade of grass swayed gently in the morning breeze, looking as though it would snap at the slightest touch.
When Zhao Dazhuang saw it, he laughed even harder. "That's it? You dare show off a lousy blade of grass? I'll cut it down with one swing of my Sickle."
With a flick of his right hand, a dull gray Sickle appeared in his grasp. There was no fluctuation of Soul Power at all; it was simply an ordinary Sickle martial soul.
Zhao Dazhuang swung the Sickle at Wang Xian. His movements were clumsy and completely unstructured.
Wang Xian shifted aside and easily dodged it.
Although he had only three levels of Soul Power and his physical strength was not much greater than an ordinary person's, dealing with a brute like Zhao Dazhuang, who knew only how to rely on brute force, was more than easy enough.
He activated his Soul Power, and the Blue Silver Grass in his hand instantly grew wildly. Several blades wrapped around Zhao Dazhuang's wrist like ropes.
Zhao Dazhuang froze, then struggled with all his strength, yet he could not break free.
"What kind of crap is this?" He reached over with his other hand to pull at it, and Wang Xian seized the chance to step forward and kick him in the knee.
Zhao Dazhuang cried out in pain and dropped to one knee. Before he could react, even more Blue Silver Grass coiled around him, binding both his arms tightly.
"Let go! Let go, you little brat!" Zhao Dazhuang twisted on the ground like a worm, his face flushed red.
"The host has defeated a martial soul owner. Capture the martial soul?" the system's voice sounded at just the right moment.
Wang Xian did not hesitate in the slightest. "Capture it."
"Capture successful. Martial soul: Sickle (F-grade). Added to the Training Camp."
"Martial Soul Training Camp unlocked."
After the capture was complete, Wang Xian turned and left, not bothering with Zhao Dazhuang, who was still struggling on the ground, bound by Blue Silver Grass.
Although the Blue Silver Grass had been infused with Soul Power, it would not last long.
Once the Soul Power dissipated, the Blue Silver Grass would weaken. His Blue Silver Grass had yet to undergo training, so it was only slightly tougher than ordinary Blue Silver Grass.
Wang Xian hurried back home while examining the System Panel.
"Martial Soul Training Camp unlocked."
"Martial Soul Training Camp."
"Captured martial soul: Sickle (F-grade)"
"Begin training? (Cultivation Points can be obtained.)"
"Cultivation Points can be obtained?" Wang Xian's eyes immediately lit up.
His Cultivation Points had remained at zero before, and he had never understood how to obtain them. Now, he finally knew.
"Begin training."
However, this time, the system was not as decisive as it had been when using the Cultivation Pod. Instead, it asked, "Use Extreme Training Mode or Normal Training Mode?"
Wang Xian asked instinctively, "What's the difference?"
"In Extreme Training Mode, Cultivation Points can be obtained more quickly. During the process, the martial soul quality of the captured martial soul's owner will decrease as the training progresses. This will not occur in Normal Training Mode."
"The martial soul quality will decrease... so that's how it is." Wang Xian was shocked as realization dawned on him.
He had not expected that after capturing someone else's martial soul, he could continuously lower that person's martial soul quality through Extreme Training.
Once he understood this ability, Tang San and Tang Hao immediately flashed through Wang Xian's mind.
"Don't let me get the chance." A cold glint flashed through Wang Xian's eyes.
Setting Tang San and Tang Hao aside for the moment, Wang Xian looked at the System Panel and thought for a while before saying, "Begin Extreme Training."
After all, keeping Zhao Dazhuang's martial soul intact would only allow him to continue harming the villagers. It would be better to use Extreme Training to lower the quality of his martial soul and weaken him.
That way, he would no longer be able to bully the other villagers.
"Extreme Training has begun."
"Sickle (F-grade) training in progress. Progress: 1%."
Wang Xian stared at the panel as the progress bar rapidly increased, much faster than the Cultivation Pod's progress.
It jumped from 1% to 2% in an instant. However, his Cultivation Points had not increased.
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