You never had any intention of studying Soul Tools, did you?!
Elder Yi facepalmed in exasperation within the Sea of Consciousness.
Sigh... This child's thoughts were far too unpredictable. There was nothing to be done. He'd chosen this path himself.
At least the boy wasn't bad at heart. I'll just have to suffer for his sake. One was never too old to learn.
"Xu Qing, I told you before that I have another identity: the Child of Light."
Outside, Xu Qing's left eye turned gold once more. His invisible spiritual power began surging in every direction.
"I don't know why you suddenly asked that, but for me, something like this is as easy as turning over my hand."
Almost the moment Elder Yi finished speaking—
"Wait... Why is there such a sacred aura over there?!"
Elder Yi instinctively tried to turn the eye toward Xu Qing, but Xu Qing took control back from him.
"Heh, old man, were you trying to make me cross-eyed again? Did you really think I couldn't feel what was happening while I was in this state?"
He rubbed his somewhat sore eye and took the God King's Mother's Freshly Squeezed Eye Drops out of his Storage Soul Tool.
After giving himself a little eye-care spa treatment, he said as he applied the drops:
"Elder Yi, where is that sacred aura? Mark it."
Only yesterday, after seeing an Angel in his life flashing before his eyes, had Xu Qing remembered that the owner of the Holy Angel Martial Soul seemed to have already arrived in Ming Capital by this point.
So he'd made an appointment with the Ordinary Alliance.
It wasn't because he wanted to broaden his horizons. He was just looking for righteous allies.
Right, he definitely wasn't planning to check out the Ordinary Alliance's new-customer discount, or their buy-one-get-one-free offer.
That was also why Xu Qing had sent Xiao Meng away. How could a young girl go to a place like that?
That wicked place was better left to Xu Qing, the villain, to endure.
"Elder Yi Navigation has recalculated your route. Your destination is three kilometers ahead. Go straight for one hundred meters, then turn left..."
The boy's crisp voice played the directions, while Elder Yi, inside the Sea of Consciousness, projected the route in front of Xu Qing without changing expression.
He'd gotten used to Xu Qing by now.
Sun Moon Continent, Ming Capital, outskirts, branch of the Holy Spirit Cult.
The blazing sun generously showered the earth with its light and warmth.
Xu Qing stood on a high rooftop, having Elder Yi conceal his presence.
He leisurely sipped an iced drink he'd made himself, watching the amusing scene unfolding in the alley below.
Not at the Ordinary Alliance... What a shame. I'd even reserved a spot.
Miss Angel, what were you doing here alone?
No matter how much you hated evil, you still needed to know your own limits.
Facing off against the Holy Spirit Cult alone?
Below lay a narrow alley, with sunlight covering half of the damp stone pavement.
Two figures stood inside, one in the light and one in the shadows.
A golden-haired girl of fifteen or sixteen was righteously arresting a tall, dark-red-haired girl.
"Wretched Evil Soul Master! I could tell what you were at a glance! Surrender quietly!"
As Ye Guyi spoke, the sacred power surging around her grew stronger. The iron sword in her hand, infused with the power of light, shone brighter and brighter.
The girl she'd cornered was Nana, from Grade 5 Class 3. The pure, sacred aura pressed down on her until she went pale and could barely move.
Heaven knew what on earth was going on!
She'd simply come to report to the damn Holy Spirit Cult after a normal day at the academy, and ended up running into a powerful Soul Master with an affinity for light!
And one with such an overwhelming sense of justice!
I haven't done anything evil! The aura around me is all theirs! I've already tried so hard to conceal it, so how can you still sense it?!
I can't die here...
But what on earth is wrong with this woman?!
I've explained everything, and even showed her my student ID from the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy, but she still doesn't believe me!
I don't want to hurt you, righteous Soul Master of light...
Thinking this, Nana tried to explain one more time, but the pain, as though it were scorching her soul, left her no time to stall.
She flipped her left hand, and a tiny white short sword, only five inches long, appeared in it.
Sorry. I'll go easy on you...
"Hmph!"
The Little Angel gave a smug snort at the silent Evil Soul Master, but she didn't let down her guard for even a moment.
That was the hard-earned wisdom of a champion of justice: never lower your guard around your enemy!
Take this, Holy Greatsword!!
She gripped the glowing iron sword with both hands. A pair of faint, transparent wings lit up behind her, and a Yellow Soul Ring appeared beneath her feet.
Second Soul Skill—Holy Spirit Slash!
Swish!
At that crucial moment, the white short sword shot from Nana's palm like lightning, stabbing straight toward Ye Guyi!
Nana's trump card for saving her life—a Level 6 Soul Tool, the Blink Sword!
"Clang—!"
Suddenly!
A small, emerald-green scorpion phantom appeared out of nowhere and collided squarely with the Soul Tool that could have killed Ye Guyi, knocking it away.
Xu Qing raised an eyebrow. This Ice Jade Scorpion Soul Beast phantom, infused with a trace of the Ice Empress's aura, was considerably stronger than the ones he usually summoned.
What a curious change.
Too bad I've never seen the Ice Empress in her true form. Otherwise...
Now's my chance!!
Nana reacted instantly. She used Ghost Possession, activating her phasing ability, then darted about and snatched the little sword from the ground.
She dashed away!
She'd escaped!!
"Who's there?!"
Ye Guyi's eyes narrowed. She had no time to chase after the fleeing "Evil Soul Master"!
Anyone who could strike silently from the shadows was definitely a powerful Soul Master!
They couldn't be an Evil Soul Master, since evil couldn't escape her notice!
But they couldn't be a good person either, because a good person would've come down to help her fight the Evil Soul Master!
So they had to be a villain! A big villain who'd helped an Evil Soul Master escape!
The wings behind her lit up again, and she struggled to suppress the iron sword trembling in her hand, unable to use her Soul Skill.
Her bright golden eyes swept sharply around her, but she found nothing.
"Come out, you lowlife! You actually let an Evil Soul Master get away!!"
"Hey, are you serious? You almost died just now."
Xu Qing jumped down from the rooftop and landed silently. His superb control over his body spoke for itself!
"I saved your life, and that's how you treat your savior?"
"And you're a Soul Master with an affinity for light. Can't you even tell right from wrong?"
"Today you dare to slander an innocent person. Tomorrow you'll be robbing people in the street. Give it time..."
Xu Qing looked at Ye Guyi, whose expression had gone blank under the barrage of accusations, and said casually:
"Who knows what harm you'll do to society?"
"Tsk, the more I hear you talk, the less you seem like a Soul Master with a light-type Martial Soul."
He folded his arms and spoke imperiously:
"Tell me! Are you an Evil Soul Master in disguise?!"
Before you continue