The once-clear sky darkened. Chilling winds swept through, and a faint, deranged shriek seemed to come from the void.
Then nine dark-purple shadows appeared from all directions. On closer inspection, they were the spirits of the dead, taking form.
Some were human, others beasts, and among them was even a horse.
The nine spirits let out deranged shrieks. Their flesh melted away, leaving skeletal forms as they furiously converged on Lian Xiaotian.
"This child can actually draw the death energy and vengeful spirits from his surroundings!"
The spirits became streams of dark-purple energy and surged eagerly into every limb and bone in Lian Xiaotian's body.
Lian Xiaotian's body shuddered violently. His once-neat crop of black hair turned grayish purple in an instant.
His handsome, gentle features grew even more striking, but now he gave off a cold, arrogant air.
The dark-purple aura around him surged. No longer thin and wispy, it gathered into a tangible-looking mist.
Countless vengeful spirits seemed to gather within it, howling. His aura turned eerie, domineering, and cold.
The first death tribulation of the Nine Deaths Reincarnation Evil Art—achieved!
He slowly opened his eyes. His irises had turned purple, and a bone-deep chill lurked in his gaze. As his eyelids lifted halfway, an evil light flickered in his eyes. Had another force appeared inside me?
The old man withdrew his Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul and Soul Rings. The clothes on his back were soaked through, and his steps faltered. He toppled backward, but the middle-aged man caught him. "Patriarch, what's wrong?"
After steadying himself, the old man said, "I'm fine. My Soul Power was simply drained too much in a short time. I haven't even broken through to Soul Douluo, yet I brought him back from the dead. It's only natural that I've used up seventy percent of my Soul Power."
The middle-aged man was stunned. Though the patriarch can't fight, his Soul Power reserves and purity surpass those of some Soul Douluo. That boy actually used up seventy percent of the patriarch's Soul Power in one go!
"Patriarch, it looks like that child is cultivating by devouring spirits. Should we—?"
The middle-aged man sent the words to him with Soul Power, his voice laced with murderous intent.
Just then, the dark-purple mist around Lian Xiaotian began to churn. Its color gradually faded, and a Mantis-shaped phantom slowly emerged, shining with a dark-purple light. It flickered as if it might vanish at any moment.
"His Martial Soul... has re-formed?"
The old man's pupils contracted. He withdrew his Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul and Soul Rings, then clenched his hands as if making a momentous decision. His answer to the middle-aged man was firm.
"Absolutely not!"
Just as the old man had suspected, with the help of the Nine Deaths Reincarnation Evil Art, Lian Xiaotian's Martial Soul had re-formed.
But his realm was still too low and his cultivation too shallow, so the Martial Soul had not fully recovered its shape.
Lian Xiaotian glanced at all three of them, then fixed his gaze on the girl. His voice was cold, but filled with gratitude. "Thank you!"
He did his best to soften his tone. "My consciousness was about to fade away just now, but a surge of life force brought me back. That must have been your doing, right?"
The girl blinked her clear, beautiful blue eyes and said softly, "You're welcome. A healer's compassion knows no bounds. I would have done the same for anyone."
Lian Xiaotian asked curiously, "How did you find me?"
The girl's face turned red as an apple. "I was going to relieve myself, but suddenly I felt uneasy, as if I had to come here. Then I smelled a strong scent of blood and found you."
"Weren't you scared or disgusted by the scene? Like that uncle over there?"
The middle-aged man had been called out without warning, and his face flushed scarlet.
The girl replied gently, "Thinking back, it does bother me a little now, but it didn't at the time. I just didn't want anyone else to die in front of me. All I could think about was saving you."
At that moment, Lian Xiaotian felt as though something had struck him right in the heart. How can this girl's heart be so pure? She was born to be a healer—she's practically an angel.
"I'm so glad you survived. So glad, so glad... At last, no one died in front of me..."
The girl sounded excited, but her voice grew quieter and quieter. The last few words were barely louder than a mosquito, yet Lian Xiaotian still heard them.
What had this girl been through? Why did she care so much about whether someone died in front of her? And why was she wearing a veil at such a young age?
Lian Xiaotian couldn't figure it out, but he secretly vowed to protect this pure-hearted angel forever and never let anyone hurt her.
Just then, the old man and the middle-aged man walked over to Lian Xiaotian. The old man smiled kindly. "Little friend, what's your name, and what happened to you?"
Lian Xiaotian answered, "I awakened a Radiant Mantis Martial Soul with Innate Full Soul Power. I also accepted an invitation from Spirit Hall and set off for Spirit City with the branch hall master, but a treacherous scoundrel ambushed us along the way."
"That villain killed everyone else. He pretended he only meant to cripple my Martial Soul, but clearly he wanted to torture and kill me. Thanks to you, senior, and this young lady, I survived and re-formed my Martial Soul."
"As for my name..."
A fierce, ruthless glint flashed in Lian Xiaotian's purple, evil eyes. "The person I used to be is dead. From now on, my name is Xing Tian. You can call me Xiao Tian."
Even those who walked the evil path had principles and bottom lines. They still had to be just and honorable.
The old man had shown no murderous intent and had saved Lian Xiaotian's life, helping him accomplish what he had. That was why Lian Xiaotian told him the truth.
"Innate Full Soul Power!"
The old man was astonished by Xing Tian's talent, but then confusion followed. "A light attribute? Yet I didn't sense even a trace of light."
"It used to be. This is probably the legendary case of a Martial Soul undergoing a postnatal mutation. After all, I did come back from the dead."
The old man stroked his beard. "That's possible. It's said that Ghost Elder of Spirit Hall underwent a postnatal Martial Soul mutation after coming back from the dead, becoming Ghost, with dark and undead attributes."
Xing Tian was secretly startled. Could there be a cultivation art like the Nine Deaths Reincarnation Evil Art on Douluo Continent, or was this simply a matter of chance?
Then he asked, "May I ask your name, senior?"
"I am Ye Renxin. This is my granddaughter, Ye Lingling, and this man here is our escort, Xiao Xiao."
Xing Tian was startled. "Are you Ye Renxin, the Saint of Medicine, known as the Benevolent Healer?"
"I'm flattered. That title was bestowed by patients out of gratitude. I hardly deserve it."
Ye Renxin was very modest, which only made Lian Xiaotian respect him more.
Though Lian Xiaotian had come from a small village, the village chief—his father, whom he had never met—had been a Soul Grandmaster and left behind some books about Soul Masters. The books included tales of Ye Renxin.
They said Ye Renxin had traveled the continent for twenty years, treating and saving countless people without taking a single coin from his patients. Those he had helped were scattered across the land, and everyone revered and respected him. Even when he traveled alone, no one would ever harm him.
Ye Renxin chuckled. "I'm planning to settle in Heaven Dou City this time and have Lingling study at Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Xiao Tian, you have Innate Full Soul Power, so the people in Spirit City must already have received word. They'll send someone to fetch you."
"Since the branch hall sent you ahead, they must have reported your route. If you wait here for a few days, you should meet the people coming from Spirit City. I can stay with you for a few days to keep you safe."
Xing Tian immediately shook his head. "I haven't repaid you for saving my life. How could I just leave? Besides, going to Spirit Hall in my current condition would cause a lot of trouble. I can't return to the village either. At least I have no family, but I feel sorry for the villagers who looked after me."
Ye Renxin suggested, "Xiao Tian, why not study at Heaven Dou Royal Academy with Lingling? I've been worried that she might have trouble adjusting to the academy as a girl on her own. We can tell people you're a distant relative of mine. If you'd like, you can even call me Grandpa."
"Thank you, Grandpa Ye!"
Before you continue