Speculation and Experimentation on the Essence of Martial Souls

After pulling Leng Yulai and Ming Yue to their seats, Leng Yaozhu poured fine wine for both of them.

"I really have to thank you today, Ah Yue. You let me vent my frustrations to my heart's content!"

Lifting her glass for a light sip, Leng Yaozhu spoke first in a cheerful tone.

"I have witnessed Sister Yaozhu's hard work over these years, and with the blessing of Origin, this was an inevitable outcome."

Also lifting his glass and gently swirling the crimson wine within, Ming Yue smiled warmly.

Just as he was about to take a sip, Leng Yulai snatched the glass from his hand.

"Hey, hey! Today is just my coming-of-age ceremony, Ah Yue hasn't reached that age yet!"

Under their confused gazes, Leng Yulai looked at the two of them with a delighted expression.

"Oh~ I suppose I was negligent. After all, Ah Yue is still a little brother who won't come of age for another few months~"

A playful smile immediately bloomed on her pretty face, and Leng Yaozhu looked at Ming Yue with a gaze full of teasing.

"Exactly! Ah Yue is still just a little brother~"

Nodding her head in complete agreement, Leng Yulai wore an expression that said, 'Sister is doing this for your own good.'

"Huh? Alright, alright. Can you two big sisters get me some other drink then?"

Looking at his now-empty palm, a wave of emotion surged within Ming Yue.

It was like the feeling of clicking on a title promising 'Bondage!', 'Small Horse Pulling a Big Cart!', 'Bestiality!', or 'Imprisonment!', only to find it was just a story about the Calabash Brothers trying to save their grandfather!

"Ehehe, Ah Yue is so well-behaved~"

"Not a chance~"

The silly laughter of Leng Yulai and the amused words of Leng Yaozhu sounded at the same time, and Ming Yue couldn't help but sigh.

"Fine, fine. So, regarding the winner's request, what would you like, Sister Yaozhu?"

Changing the subject, he leaned back against his chair and looked at the two sisters with a smile.

The moonlight seemed to drape Ming Yue in a gorgeous silver veil, making his already charming smile take on an ethereal, sacred quality.

As they watched him, the sisters both blushed. Seeing this, Ming Yue raised his hand in confusion and waved it in front of them:

"What are you two thinking about? Is a single request really that hard to come up with?"

The sacred, ethereal feeling vanished instantly. The two sisters snapped back to reality and took awkward sips of their wine.

A moment later, Leng Yaozhu spoke up: "Is it really any request at all?"

"Of course. I never go back on my word." Nodding, Ming Yue continued: "As an additional gift for the coming-of-age ceremony, Sister Yulai, you can also make a request of me."

Hearing this, Leng Yulai's beautiful eyes instantly sparkled. She turned her head to exchange a look with her sister, and both women looked at Ming Yue together.

"Then my request is: starting tomorrow, no matter what experiments or research you're doing, you, silly Ming Yue, must eat properly and take care of your health!"

Pouting, Leng Yulai huffed as she looked at Ming Yue.

"My request is that, no matter what happens in the future, Ah Yue must always! Always! Always! stay with us sisters!"

Her smiling expression turned formal and serious, and as Leng Yaozhu spoke, she stared straight into Ming Yue's eyes.

"."

His smiling expression faltered. After a brief moment of mental chaos, Ming Yue also turned serious:

"I understand, Sister Yulai. And don't worry, Sister Yaozhu. We will always! Always! Always! be together."

His voice carried an unprecedented tenderness as he said the words, almost one by one.

"Ehehe, then Sister is relieved~"

"Mm, Sister will always remember that, too."

The atmosphere softened once more. Leng Yulai giggled, and Leng Yaozhu smiled as they both raised their glasses to finish their wine.

".You bad people."

Seeing this scene, Ming Yue sighed and looked up at the night sky.

Always together, huh? I suppose that's how it will be.

[Following Leng Yulai's coming-of-age ceremony, the news of the soul battle that took place at the banquet spread—though it is unclear which faction was intentionally spreading it.]

[The fact that Leng Yaozhu wore the armor you crafted by hand to soundly defeat Yun Ming, who was equipped with four-word battle armor, became known across the entire Douluo Continent.]

[Consequently, in everyone's eyes, Battle Armor Masters and mecha pilots, along with all their derivative professions, became things of the past, just like that match.]

[And the Valkyrie Battlesuit Maker, which you promoted through the Spirit Pagoda, became one of the only two popular professions in the Douluo Continent, alongside the Soul Master!]

[At 19, during an experiment one day, you suddenly had a flash of inspiration: since human Soul Masters can obtain soul rings and soul bones by hunting soul beasts, then, by reversing the logic—]

[Could you hunt them like soul beasts when Soul Douluo or even Title Douluo level Soul Masters activate their Avatar of the Martial Soul?]

[In an instant, inspiration surged from your mind like a tide, and you couldn't wait to issue your orders.]

[It must be said that the Spirit Pagoda's efficiency in executing orders is quite good. Soon, an evil Soul Master with his soul power sealed was escorted to your laboratory by a Title Douluo from the Spirit Pagoda.]

"Pagoda Master, I have brought the prisoner you requested."

Bowing slightly, the Titled Douluo from the Spirit Pagoda looked toward Ming Yue with eyes half-filled with worship and half with reverence.

"Hmm... Martial Soul Dark Demon Spider, rank 89 soul power, Innate Soul Power level 7, the 'Ghost Spider—Gong Changshao' who has blood-sacrificed quite a few experts, correct?"

Nodding and lifting his gaze, Ming Yue spoke while sizing up the tall, thin man before him, who wore shackles crafted years ago and possessed a fierce, yet immobilized, glare.

"Asking what you already know—is this brat trying to amuse himself at my expense?"

For some reason, his heartbeat instinctively quickened under Ming Yue's indifferent, scrutinizing gaze.

It was even somewhat absurd; he felt as if he had become prey in this person's eyes.

Gong Changshao hurriedly shook his head to cast off this strange sensation, using a cold, biting tone to mask it.

"Audacious! How dare you be so rampant in front of the Tower Master? Do you, an Evil Soul Master, wish to die right now?"

However, before Ming Yue could speak, the Titled Douluo who had escorted Gong Changshao up could no longer hold back and snapped at him.

"You are lucky to be the first experimental subject for this Tower Master."

With a snap of his fingers, he unlocked the shackles around the man's neck, and Ming Yue continued:

"I will give you one chance. Unleash your Martial Soul Avatar right now; as long as you can defeat him, I will let you leave alive."

As he spoke, he gestured toward the Titled Douluo beside him and summoned the Void Archives.

"!?!" The Titled Douluo was instantly shocked, looking from Ming Yue to Gong Changshao, wanting to say something, but quickly lowered his head and suppressed the thought.

"How does this old man know if what you say is true!"

His heart surged with excitement, but Gong Changshao quickly calmed himself down.

"Did you not just hear? As the Tower Master of the Spirit Pagoda, is a prisoner like you even worth me lying to?"

Crossing his arms over his chest, Ming Yue said indifferently.