Fallen Soul Master

"How would you know it won't work unless you try?" Ye Xunfeng said with a smile. "Brother Dugu, whether I succeed or not, I hope you'll keep my Spirit a secret."

"Of course. You're doing this to help us. I, Dugu Bo, may not have much else to boast about, but I value loyalty above all." Dugu Bo stroked his son's head and smiled.

Ye Xunfeng nodded. A flash of golden light passed through his eyes. White light appeared first, followed by Soul Rings slowly rising beneath his feet.

Six black, one red.

The Wishing Angel's eight wings fluttered behind him. Its hands were clasped together, making it look like a deity mourning the suffering of the world.

Dugu Bo's pupils rapidly contracted, his face full of disbelief. Was that even a level a human could reach?

That Spirit was an angel, wasn't it? But why was it completely different from the angels of Spirit Hall?

Ah Yin was dazed for a moment. If she remembered correctly, Ye Xunfeng's Spirit was supposed to be an incredibly cool spear.

How had it turned into an angel again?

Ye Xunfeng paid no attention to their expressions. Silver-white Soul Power slowly entered Dugu Xin's body.

Ye Xunfeng's brows furrowed slightly. Dugu Xin's body had nearly been consumed by toxins. Every bone and every piece of flesh contained dense poison. One could even say he was still alive because of the poison.

"Can... can he be cured?" Dugu Bo's eyes were filled with hope and longing.

Ye Xunfeng slowly withdrew his Soul Power and looked up at Dugu Bo. "For now, I can only suggest a conservative approach. Find a Soul Bone and have him gradually force the toxins into it. Then, with my Spirit, I can help restore his physical condition."

Dugu Bo bit his lower lip, his face somewhat pale.

A Soul Bone...

That was far too rare, especially for a lone cultivator like him.

At the mention of a Soul Bone, Ah Yin shuddered all over. But she quickly came to her senses. She was human now, so she showed no reaction.

"Still, my Spirit can help him remove some of the toxins first. But those toxins have already fused with his life. If they're completely removed, it could endanger his life." Ye Xunfeng shook his head helplessly, then directly used his sixth Soul Skill, Angel's Tear.

The angel behind him, its hands clasped in prayer, suddenly shed a tear.

The tear fell into Ye Xunfeng's hand. He slowly poured Soul Power into it, then sent it toward Dugu Xin's brow.

Angel's Tear instantly spread out and completely merged into Dugu Xin's body.

Dugu Xin could clearly feel much of the coldness inside his body dissipating. It was as though his entire body had been immersed in warm sunlight—comfortable and warm.

Ye Xunfeng slowly withdrew his Spirit and looked at Dugu Bo. "Does your body need it as well?"

But Dugu Bo shook his head. "Removing the toxins would mean removing the poison arts I've cultivated my entire life. I still need my strength to protect my son, to find him a Soul Bone. I..."

Ye Xunfeng patted Dugu Bo's shoulder. "Mm, you can do it. Believe in yourself."

Ye Xunfeng placed the rabbits in Dugu Bo's hands, an indescribable hint of excitement and hunger appearing on his face.

Dugu Bo looked at the string of rabbits in his hand, then at his son, who could finally cultivate properly again. With a sigh, he began roasting the rabbits.

"Little brother, judging by your Spirit, you should have quite a connection with Spirit Hall, shouldn't you?" Dugu Bo casually asked as he roasted the rabbits.

Ye Xunfeng's gaze darkened. He shook his head. "I have no connection with Spirit Hall. Not now."

"That shouldn't be right. Spirit Hall is where Angel Spirits gather. Your Spirit is obviously an Angel Spirit." Dugu Bo scratched his head in confusion.

Ye Xunfeng fell silent for a moment, then smiled. "Perhaps. Let's not talk about unpleasant things."

Ye Xunfeng clenched his fists tightly, then slowly loosened them again.

Spirit Hall...

He truly couldn't describe his feelings toward Spirit Hall.

Since childhood, his mother had always told him about Spirit Hall's good side. Even in the end, she had not blamed Spirit Hall in the slightest. The only people she resented were those in its upper ranks.

It was Spirit Hall that had awakened his mother's Spirit, allowing her to become a Soul Master and giving her a chance to survive back then.

And there were countless ordinary commoners in the world like his mother, who received free Spirit awakenings because Spirit Hall saw to every aspect of the process.

If he had not read the original novel, he might have thought that even without Spirit Hall, some other organization would surely do the same, since they were citizens of the empire.

But The Unrivaled Tang Clan had told him otherwise.

Either they charged fees, or they denied people the chance to awaken their Spirits at all, until those people became Evil Spirit Masters in despair under oppression, only to become the achievements of those nobles who had been allowed to awaken their Spirits.

How ridiculous.

So Qian Xunji could die, but Spirit Hall could not be destroyed.

Ye Xunfeng looked around and sighed.

After roasting them for quite a while, Dugu Bo finally cooked the rabbits until they were fragrant and crisp, charred on the outside and tender within.

Ah Yin excitedly began eating rabbit meat, saying as she ate, "So delicious."

Watching from the side, Ye Xunfeng suddenly felt that this was quite nice too—peaceful and carefree.

If his mother were still alive, he might have longed for such a life more than anything.

"By the way, little brother, what are you planning to do, traveling about like this?" Dugu Bo asked with a smile as he looked at the two of them.

"Taking jobs and collecting commissions," Ye Xunfeng answered helplessly.

"Aren't you a healing-type Soul Master?" Dugu Bo asked with a face full of suspicion.

"Mm, helping people treat their injuries." Ye Xunfeng lied without changing his expression.

After eating and drinking their fill, the group put out the fire and returned to their respective camps to cultivate.

Ye Xunfeng glanced at Dugu Bo. What a coincidence.

But even upon their first meeting, he could not possibly reveal all his secrets, especially something as important as the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Though in the original novel, Dugu Bo had never betrayed Tang San and had continued guarding Heaven Dou City.

Ye Xunfeng believed that the future would certainly be different because of his arrival.

The next morning, Ye Xunfeng rose early. After packing his things, he left with Ah Yin.

The two walked onward for who knew how long.

Ye Xunfeng's purple eyes suddenly narrowed. From the direction where the smoke of a village should have appeared came a thick stench of blood.

Something had most likely happened in the village ahead.

A flash of anger crossed Ye Xunfeng's face. This was Douluo I, during the era when Fallen Soul Masters were controlled most strictly, yet such things still could not be prevented.

Suddenly, a child stumbled toward them, fell to the ground, and grabbed the corner of Ye Xunfeng's robe. "Big brother, save me! Save me!"

After a moment of silence, Ye Xunfeng picked up the child and used the Soul Power of his Wishing Angel Spirit to treat his injuries.

"Can you tell me what happened?" Ye Xunfeng asked, lowering his head to look into the child's eyes.