Completing the Soul Master's Path

The night in Spirit City was quiet.

Meow Meow lay sprawled across the long table in the Pope's Palace, his tail swishing against the table's edge as his eyes grew thoughtful.

Bibi Dong sat behind the table, several files sent over by Spirit Hall resting beside her.

One recorded Martial Soul Awakenings across the various regions.

Another covered conflicts over hunting in Soul Beast Forests.

The last detailed Spirit Hall's expenditures on training Soul Masters.

Meow Meow studied them for a while, and his head began to ache.

"Cultivating as a Soul Master sure is complicated."

He had thought the cultivation path on Douluo Continent was already quite complete.

Innate Soul Power, Martial Soul Awakening, breaking through with Soul Rings, Soul Bone enhancements, then becoming a Titled Douluo and ascending to godhood at level one hundred.

The process seemed perfectly clear.

But with the files laid out in front of him, Meow Meow realized the path was full of holes.

For ordinary people to Awaken a Martial Soul, they had to be lucky.

Even if they Awakened one, their Soul Power still mattered.

And even with Soul Power, they still needed a teacher.

When they hit a bottleneck, they also had to hunt Soul Beasts.

If the Soul Ring's age was unsuitable, it could leave them half-dead.

If the Soul Beast was too powerful, it could kill the Soul Master instead.

And even if they made it all the way to Titled Douluo, not everyone could find a path to godhood.

"No wonder so few people have ascended to godhood on Douluo Continent over all these years."

Meow Meow scratched his chin, feeling that he had underestimated this world before.

Bibi Dong watched Meow Meow, a thoughtful glint in her eyes as well.

Lately, she had heard him say a lot of strange things.

Things like education, populations, inheritance, and basic systems.

At first, she had simply found them novel.

But as time went by, she began to realize that some of Meow Meow's remarks, though seemingly offhand, were quite useful.

At the very least, he could break down many things Spirit Hall had done over the years and explain them clearly.

"You think there's something wrong with the Soul Master system?"

Bibi Dong asked softly.

Meow Meow nodded.

"There's quite a lot wrong with it."

Bibi Dong's gaze shifted slightly. "Let's hear it."

Meow Meow rolled over, shifting from lying on his stomach to lying on his back, all four paws waving in the air.

"First of all, Soul Masters depend too much on Soul Beasts."

"Without a Soul Ring, they can't break through."

"But Soul Beasts aren't radishes growing in the ground. Every one you kill is one less."

"Low-level Soul Beasts are one thing, but high-level ones are limited in number. There are already very few Soul Beasts over ten thousand years old, and Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts are rarer still."

"Keep this up, and the more Soul Masters there are, the fewer Soul Beasts there'll be."

"The fewer Soul Beasts there are, the harder it'll be for Soul Masters to break through."

"Eventually, something's bound to go wrong."

Bibi Dong didn't argue.

Spirit Hall controlled information on Soul Masters throughout the world, and she knew this better than anyone.

The stronger the Soul Master, the older the Soul Ring they needed.

But high-year Soul Beasts didn't just appear out of nowhere.

Star Dou Great Forest, Sunset Forest, the Far North, and the territories of Sea Soul Beasts might seem vast, but they still couldn't meet the demands of Soul Masters across the entire continent.

Especially as the number of Soul Masters continued to grow—the conflict would only worsen.

"Second, a Soul Master's upbringing depends too much on their background,"

Meow Meow continued.

"Nobles have resources, sects have their legacies, and Spirit Hall can help commoners Awaken their Martial Souls. But after Awakening, most commoner Soul Masters still struggle to get systematic training."

"Some people have decent talent, but without a teacher, a cultivation method, or a suitable Soul Ring, they can only spend their whole lives as Low-Rank Soul Masters."

"That's a waste, too."

Bibi Dong's expression darkened slightly.

Spirit Hall had always worked on this problem.

But no matter how powerful Spirit Hall was, it couldn't look after every corner of the continent all at once.

Martial Soul Awakening was only the first step.

There was still so much more to fill in afterward.

"Third, Soul Masters understand too little about their Martial Souls."

Meow Meow's tail stopped swishing as he spoke.

"Many Soul Masters treat their Martial Souls as nothing more than tools."

"Tool-type Martial Souls are used to fight, Beast Martial Souls to transform, and Body Martial Souls to strengthen the user."

"But what exactly is a Martial Soul?"

"Is it bloodline? The soul? A manifestation of the laws of nature within living beings?"

"If we don't even understand that, and just keep piling on Soul Rings and Soul Bones, won't we only get more confused the stronger we become?"

Bibi Dong fell silent.

The idea seemed rather far-reaching.

But as someone with Twin Martial Souls, she felt her Martial Souls much more deeply than ordinary Soul Masters did.

The Death Spider Emperor and Soul-Eater Spider Emperor weren't just two tools.

They felt more like parts of her body and soul.

At times, they even affected her emotions.

That feeling had grown stronger since the Rakshasa Divine Sense began to erode her.

"So, what now?"

Bibi Dong looked up. "How do you want to change things?"

Meow Meow's eyes brightened.

Now that they were on this topic, he was full of energy.

"First, we need to establish a complete path for Soul Masters."

Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow.

"A Soul Master's path?"

"Mm."

Meow Meow sat up and tapped the tabletop with a paw.

"Instead of simply teaching them how to absorb Soul Rings and use Soul Skills, we should explain what Martial Souls, Soul Power, and Soul Rings are from the moment their Martial Souls Awaken."

"Help them understand why they cultivate."

"Help them understand that Soul Masters aren't just there to use Soul Skills in a fight."

"They also need to understand the relationship between Soul Masters and Soul Beasts."

Bibi Dong considered this.

"How is that different from Spirit Hall Academy?"

"It's very different."

Meow Meow shook his head.

"Academies now are more like places that teach students how to grow stronger."

"What I mean is, we should teach them what to do after they grow stronger."

"Soul Masters can protect cities, heal the sick, farm, forge weapons, scout, and do all sorts of other things."

"We can't have every Soul Master thinking only about fighting and fighting for power."

"That would throw the world into chaos."

Bibi Dong was somewhat surprised.

She hadn't expected Meow Meow to go this far.

On Douluo Continent, Soul Masters were already above ordinary people.

The strong ruled the weak. It was an assumption everyone took for granted.

But Meow Meow seemed to be describing a different path.

One that didn't rely on power to suppress everything.

"You want Soul Masters to do the work of ordinary people?"

Bibi Dong asked.

"Not ordinary people's work."

Meow Meow shook his head. "I want Soul Masters to understand that they're not only good for killing."

"Of course, killing enemies matters, too."

"Bad people should be killed, enemies should be fought, and anyone who bullies Spirit Hall should be dealt with."

Then Meow Meow added:

"Especially anyone who bullies my Poop Scooper in the future."

Bibi Dong froze, then laughed.

Meow Meow sounded utterly confident.

But his words warmed her heart.

She lowered her eyes to the files on the table, and the thoughts in her mind suddenly settled.

"What about the problem with Soul Beasts?"

Bibi Dong asked.

"The Soul Beast problem is even trickier."

Meow Meow grew serious.

"We can't suddenly do away with the method of killing Soul Beasts to obtain Soul Rings."

"That's how things have worked on Douluo Continent for years. If you announce now that Soul Beasts can't be killed, Soul Masters definitely won't accept it."

"And Soul Beasts won't immediately make peace with Soul Masters just because you say the word."

"So we can only change things gradually."

Bibi Dong nodded.

She agreed with that.

Change couldn't be rushed.

Especially when it involved the very foundation of cultivation across the entire continent.

"I have an idea for now."

Meow Meow raised a paw, and the Soul-Calming Bell chimed softly.

A faint golden light spread across the tabletop.

The silhouettes of a little cat and a little rabbit appeared in it.

Bibi Dong glanced at them.

The rabbit looked round and plump, not at all fierce.

Meow Meow looked at it too, then fell silent for a moment.

"Let's not worry about why that rabbit is so round."

The corner of Bibi Dong's mouth twitched slightly.

"I want to try creating a Soul Pact."

"A Soul Pact?"

"Mm."

Meow Meow nodded.

"Soul Beasts don't have to wait until they die to give Soul Rings."

"If a Soul Beast agrees, it could use a contract to condense some of its Soul Power and essence into a Soul Ring Seed, then give it to a Soul Master."

"The Soul Master would get a Soul Ring, and the Soul Beast wouldn't die."

"Once the Soul Master grew stronger, the Soul Beast could even receive Feedback."

Bibi Dong's gaze sharpened.

"Is that possible?"

"Not yet."

Meow Meow was honest.

"At least, I haven't figured it all out."

"Soul Rings involve the laws of nature on Douluo Continent. You can't just make one by shaping a little circle."

"But we can start by trying it with low-level Soul Beasts."

"Hundred-Year Soul Beasts, for example, or thousand-year ones."

"If it works, we can reduce some of the killing in the future."

Bibi Dong fell silent, deep in thought.

If such a method really existed, it might completely change the relationship between Soul Masters and Soul Beasts.

But at the same time, once something like this appeared, countless factions would inevitably fight over it.

It might even be more precious than a Soul Bone.

"This matter must not be shared with anyone else."

Bibi Dong said quietly.

"Of course not."

Meow Meow drew back his paw, and the image hovering over the table vanished.

"I'm not stupid."

Bibi Dong looked at him.

Meow Meow blinked. "Not usually."

Bibi Dong finally laughed aloud.

Afterward, her expression gradually returned to its usual calm.

"If you can complete this path, Spirit Hall will give you its full support."

"But what is it that you want?"

Meow Meow tilted his head.

"What do I want?"

"You're helping Spirit Hall, the Soul Master system, even the entire continent. Surely there's something you want," Bibi Dong said.

Meow Meow thought it over.

He really hadn't given it much serious thought.

At first, he'd simply felt that Douluo Continent had too many regrets.

Bibi Dong's extremism, Qian Renxue's loneliness, Spirit Hall's fate, the conflict between Soul Beasts and Soul Masters, and that future Protagonist Group that paid lip service to justice while applying double standards at every turn.

All of it piled together, leaving Meow Meow uncomfortable.

If it made him uncomfortable, then he'd change it.

If he couldn't change the big things, he'd start with the small ones.

If he couldn't change the entire continent, he'd start with Spirit Hall.

If he couldn't help everyone, he'd first take good care of the people around him.

"I want everyone to get a happy ending," Meow Meow said suddenly.

Bibi Dong froze.

The phrase sounded a little childish.

But Meow Meow was completely serious.

"What do you mean by a happy ending?"

Meow Meow thought it over. "Everyone who ought to live stays alive, everyone who ought to smile gets to smile, the bad guys get sent flying, and the good people don't get the short end of the stick."

"Also, cats need to have food."

At that last part, Bibi Dong couldn't help rubbing her forehead.

"The first part sounded pretty good."

"The last part is important too," Meow Meow said solemnly.

Bibi Dong didn't laugh again.

She suddenly remembered herself many years ago.

Back then, she hadn't yet become the Pope, nor was she seated in this cold hall.

Perhaps she, too, had once hoped for a happy ending.

But then so many things had gone wrong.

They'd gone so wrong that she couldn't even be bothered to look back.

And now, a cat was sprawled across her desk, talking to her about everyone getting a happy ending.

As Bibi Dong looked at Meow Meow, something in the colder part of her heart stirred ever so slightly.

"All right," she said softly.

"If that day truly comes, Spirit Hall will help you."

Meow Meow nodded in satisfaction.

"Now that's what a Poop Scooper should be like."

Bibi Dong's gaze turned cold.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing."

Meow Meow lowered his head and licked his paw.

Just then, the system's voice suddenly rang out.

[ Ding! The host has proposed an initial direction for completing the Soul Master path. ]

[ Ding! The basic principles of the Holy Flame Cat Cat Sect are being refined. ]

[ Ding! Bibi Dong, a key figure in the Spirit Hall faction, has experienced an emotional shift. Her extremism value has decreased slightly. ]

[ Ding! Congratulations, host. You have received a Soul Master Path Completion Starter Pack. ]

Meow Meow's eyes immediately lit up.

There was such a good deal?

He'd only chatted with his Poop Scooper, and he'd gotten a pack.

"System, open it."

[ Soul Master Path Completion Starter Pack: Treasure: one Soul Contract Stone; Divine Ability: Martial Soul Insight; Treasure: one set of Meow Meow Academy Jade Slips. ]

[ Soul Contract Stone: Can assist the host in researching the contractual relationship between Soul Masters and Soul Beasts. It can also help with the condensation of Soul Ring Seeds. ]

[ Martial Soul Insight: Allows the user to briefly glimpse the Martial Soul Origin and determine a Martial Soul's tendencies, potential, flaws, and some of its possible mutations. ]

[ Meow Meow Academy Jade Slips: Can record basic cultivation knowledge and teach it to Low-Rank Soul Masters through dreams, images, text, and other means. ]

Meow Meow's tail perked right up.

The pack hadn't given him any divine treasures, but every item was practical.

Especially the Soul Contract Stone.

It had come at just the right time.

If he wanted to solve the problems between Soul Beasts and Soul Masters, he'd at least need a tool for experiments.

Martial Soul Insight was pretty good too.

It would make things more convenient when he looked at people in the future.

Whose Martial Soul had flaws, whose could mutate, who was suited to which path—he'd be able to tell at a glance instead of making blind guesses.

As for the Meow Meow Academy Jade Slips...

An image suddenly appeared in Meow Meow's mind: a group of young Soul Masters sitting in neat rows, listening attentively as a cat taught them.

"Yikes."

"That sounds pretty impressive."

Seeing Meow Meow suddenly look so pleased with himself, Bibi Dong knew the cat had gotten something good again.

But she didn't ask.

Meow Meow had plenty of secrets.

She was already used to that.

As long as the cat was still willing to stay in Spirit Hall, sprawl on her desk, and roll around, and as long as he was willing to pat her with his paw when her thoughts grew darkest—

That was enough.

Meow Meow put away the pack, then suddenly thought of something else.

"By the way, Poop—His Holiness the Pope."

Bibi Dong narrowed her eyes.

Meow Meow quickly corrected himself. "I think Spirit Hall could start by establishing a real academy for commoner Soul Masters."

Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow. "Spirit Hall already has an academy."

"It's not the same."

Meow Meow shook his head.

"Spirit Hall Academy trains outstanding Soul Masters."

"I'm talking about a Basic Academy."

"One where every child who's just awakened their Martial Soul can first learn the basics."

"They can learn about Martial Souls, Soul Power, Soul Beasts, and Douluo Continent."

"At the very least, they should understand that cultivation isn't about using Soul Skills to bully others."

Bibi Dong pondered for a moment.

The idea wasn't earth-shattering, but it was practical.

Spirit Hall already earned the trust of many commoners by awakening Martial Souls for them every year.

If they added Basic Academies, Spirit Hall's influence among the common people would only deepen.

And there was no need to cover the entire continent right from the start.

They could first try it around Spirit City.

"Very well," Bibi Dong said.

"I'll have someone draw up a plan."

Meow Meow nodded in satisfaction.

"Also, the academy has to be called Holy Flame Cat Cat Academy."

Bibi Dong: "..."

Meow Meow was perfectly serious.

"The name matters."

Bibi Dong rubbed her brow.

"For now, it'll be called Spirit Hall Primary Academy."

"Holy Flame Cat Cat Academy!"

"Spirit Hall Primary Academy."

"Holy Flame Cat Cat—"

Bibi Dong reached out and pressed down on the cat's head.

Meow Meow instantly flattened himself.

"All right, then. Spirit Hall Holy Fire Primary Academy."

Bibi Dong had given a little ground.

Meow Meow thought it over and reluctantly accepted.

Everyone would know sooner or later that the academy had been his idea anyway.

The name could be changed later.

Just as Meow Meow was thinking this, footsteps sounded outside the hall.

Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan walked in and bowed. "His Holiness the Pope, the Saintess's cultivation records have arrived."

Bibi Dong took the dossier and opened it casually.

Meow Meow's ears twitched.

The Saintess?

Hu Liena?

Had the Golden Generation of Spirit Hall already begun to rise in the main story of Douluo?

Meow Meow leaned over to take a look at the dossier.

It listed the cultivation records of Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan.

Meow Meow narrowed his eyes slightly.

The three of them were supposed to become the faces of Spirit Hall's younger generation.

But in the original ending, Tang San had beaten them at every turn, leaving them in a rather miserable position.

Since he was in Spirit Hall now, he couldn't let that happen again.

"His Holiness the Pope," Meow Meow suddenly said.

Bibi Dong looked at him.

"These three can join the advanced class at the Holy—Spirit Hall Holy Fire Primary Academy."

Bibi Dong paused.

"They're no longer Low-Rank Soul Masters."

"Then call it an Advanced Class," Meow Meow said.

"I'll take a look at their Martial Souls."

"Maybe I can help them adjust their paths in advance."

Chrysanthemum Douluo looked at the cat on the table, his expression peculiar.

A cat was saying he wanted to help the Golden Generation change their cultivation paths.

If anyone else had said that, Yue Guan would have laughed.

But when Meow Meow said it, he couldn't bring himself to laugh at all.

After all, this cat had already done far too many outrageous things.

Bibi Dong pondered briefly, then nodded. "All right."

Meow Meow perked up at once.

Hu Liena, Xie Yue, Yan.

And Qian Renxue.

If Spirit Hall's younger generation was properly trained, surely they wouldn't fare as badly as before when they faced Tang San and the others in the future.

At the thought, Meow Meow's lips curled into a slight smile.

"Tang San, oh, Tang San."

"It's not that I have it in for you."

"But you can't keep using Spirit Hall as a stepping stone to glory from now on."

Bibi Dong hadn't heard what Meow Meow was muttering. She only thought the cat had suddenly gotten a little mischievous.

She reached out and tapped Meow Meow on the forehead.

"What are you thinking about now?"

Meow Meow blinked.

"I'm thinking about a happy ending."

Bibi Dong didn't believe him.

Meow Meow didn't explain.

After all, a happy ending meant—

The bad guys got sent flying.

Regrets were set right.

And those who deserved a lesson wouldn't be spared one.

As for the ones who would one day use Spirit Hall as a stepping stone...

Meow Meow licked his paw.

They'd deal with that when the time came.