Sinister Evolution

Jiang Chen emerged from the woods and looked over the grinning grandfather and grandson.

"Brother Chen, I succeeded!"

Tang San said excitedly, "This Soul Ring is probably around seven hundred and eighty years old. My Soul Power jumped straight to level fourteen!"

Jiang Chen nodded. "Mm, not bad."

Only then did Old Jack notice Jiang Chen. His eyes widened. "Little Chen, y-you got taller too? And your skin got fairer?"

Without batting an eye, Jiang Chen said, "My stomach suddenly hurt while I was squatting in the latrine. I felt great after I finished. Must've been detoxification and beautification."

Old Jack: "...?"

Tang San was stunned too. Something felt off, but Brother Chen had always been mysterious, so he did not ask further.

"By the way, Little San, what changes did your Martial Soul undergo after absorbing the Soul Ring?" Jiang Chen asked.

"The changes are huge."

Tang San spread open his right hand. The Blue Silver Grass in his palm unfurled in the breeze. Its once slender blades had become thick and tough, with faint purple light flowing through their veins.

The corners of his lips curled up, and he spoke with a hint of pride. "That Soul Beast was called the Soul-Devouring Demon Vine. Not only did it possess powerful vitality, it also had a certain devouring attribute."

"After absorbing this Soul Ring, my Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul became far tougher than before. And after it strikes an enemy, it can absorb their Soul Power."

After saying that, Tang San looked at Jiang Chen with a complicated expression.

During the Soul Ring absorption process, he had come to understand better than anyone just how powerful the Soul-Devouring Demon Vine's vitality was.

Yet even so, Jiang Chen had taken it down with just a few punches.

And that was without attaching a single Soul Ring, relying solely on level ten Soul Power.

He had thought that after mastering the Chaotic Wind Hammer and awakening Twin Martial Souls over the past few days, he would be able to leave Jiang Chen behind.

Now, it seemed he still had to keep working hard.

Jiang Chen did not notice Tang San's gaze. Instead, he silently mocked, As expected of an old schemer. Even his Martial Soul Evolution ability is underhanded.

"What about your Soul Skill?" Jiang Chen continued.

"My first Soul Skill is—Soul-Devouring Entanglement!"

Tang San gave a wicked smile. The Blue Silver Grass in his palm suddenly grew at a wild pace, winding around a huge roadside boulder like a spirit snake and easily lifting it into the air.

"This Soul Skill not only has incredibly strong binding power, but it also has an adhesive effect."

"In other words, once someone is entangled by my Blue Silver Grass, not only will it become difficult for them to break free, but their Soul Power will also be continuously drained during the process."

Old Jack, standing nearby, was completely lost. He only caught the words "drain Soul Power," and his eyes immediately widened. "It can drain other people's Soul Power? Th-that doesn't seem very good..."

"Grandpa Jack, it's called tactics," Tang San said solemnly.

"Enough showing off. You've absorbed the Soul Ring, so hurry up and get moving."

Jiang Chen urged, "It'll be dark if we keep dawdling."

After a brief rest, the three of them continued onward, moving much faster than before.

Though Old Jack was full of questions, seeing the two children lively and well, he swallowed his words.

About two hours later, the outline of Notting City finally appeared in the distance.

Old Jack let out a breath of relief and pointed at a tall archway ahead. "That's Notting College!"

Two gatekeepers stood at the entrance, leaning against the wall and yawning.

When they saw the three approaching, one of them lazily raised his eyelids. "What do you want? This is college grounds. Unauthorized people aren't allowed in."

Old Jack quickly pulled out two Work-Study Student certificates and handed them over. "Sir, we're from Holy Soul Village. These two children are this year's new Work-Study Students."

"Holy Soul Village?"

The other gatekeeper became interested. He took the certificates and gave them a quick look, then could not help laughing. "Hahaha, Blue Silver Grass, Innate Full Soul Power? Are you trying to make me laugh?"

"I've been guarding this gate for years. Forget Innate Full Soul Power—I haven't even seen anyone with Innate Soul Power at level seven. And now you're telling me some poor backwater village like Holy Soul Village produced Innate Full Soul Power?"

"Is that real?"

The other gatekeeper also leaned in to inspect them. Afterward, he burst out laughing as well. "These forgery methods are way too crude. How could a Blue Silver Grass and a lotus Martial Soul possibly awaken Innate Full Soul Power?"

As he spoke, the guard flung the two certificates onto the ground and even stomped on them a few times.

"Get lost already. Stop being an eyesore."

The other gatekeeper impatiently waved his hand, as if shooing away flies.

"You..."

Old Jack's beard trembled with rage, but when he thought of the children's education, he could only swallow his anger and bend down to pick up the certificates.

"Grandpa Jack, let us handle this."

Jiang Chen reached out to stop Old Jack, while giving Tang San a meaningful look.

"Little San, since they question your identity as a Soul Master, let these lackeys broaden their horizons."

Tang San immediately understood. He stepped forward and raised his right arm.

In an instant, a deep yellow Soul Ring rose beneath his feet, casting the surrounding light several shades dimmer.

The mocking expressions on the two gatekeepers' faces instantly froze. Their eyes bulged as though they were about to fall out.

"A S-Soul Ring?! He really is a Soul Master?!" The gatekeeper who had thrown the certificates spoke in a trembling voice, his legs shaking uncontrollably.

They were both ordinary people. They had grown accustomed to acting arrogantly under the college's protection, but now that they had kicked an iron plate, they were at a complete loss.

Tang San said expressionlessly, "Pick them up. Wipe them clean. Apologize."

The other gatekeeper's face turned deathly pale. Looking at that genuine hundred-year Soul Ring, how could he dare act arrogant anymore?

He scrambled to the ground, picked up the two dust-covered Work-Study Student certificates in a panic, and frantically wiped them with his sleeve. Then, with a thud, he dropped to his knees and repeatedly slammed his forehead against the ground.

"F-forgive this lowly one for failing to recognize your greatness! Lord Soul Master, spare me! Please spare me!"

The first gatekeeper quickly knelt as well, bowing like a pounding pestle. There was none of that earlier haughty attitude left.

Looking at the two men kneeling before him, Tang San felt as though he were floating.

It seemed Soul Masters held a far more exalted status in this world than he had imagined.

Old Jack stared in astonishment from the side. It took him a long while to recover, and he shook his head with both satisfaction and emotion.

Jiang Chen, meanwhile, slowly walked forward. He pulled the certificates from the trembling gatekeeper's hands, handed them to Tang San without even looking at them, and smiled. "You stepped on our certificates and damaged them. What do you think should be done about that?"

Cold sweat poured down the kneeling gatekeeper's face. His eyes shifted, and he tremblingly pulled out a money pouch from his robe. "T-this lowly one was foolish! Please accept this small token as an apology for the two of you. If it's not enough, I'll borrow more..."

Tang San frowned, about to refuse, but Jiang Chen had already weighed the money pouch in his hand. With a curl of his lips, he said, "Have you forgotten someone?"

The two gatekeepers froze for a moment, then immediately understood and kowtowed several times toward Old Jack with loud thumps.

"Old sir, we're sorry. We looked down on you just now. Please accept our apology."

Seeing their sincere attitudes, Jiang Chen could not be bothered to pursue the matter. He waved a hand. "Get lost."

As if they had been granted amnesty, the two gatekeepers scrambled back into the guardhouse, not daring to raise their heads again.

Only then did Old Jack let out a breath of relief and wipe the sweat from his forehead. "You two children... ah, forget it. Hurry inside and register."

The three had only walked a few steps into the college when a gentle voice sounded from the side.

"You two are the Work-Study Students from Holy Soul Village, correct?"