[D Douluo Planet Will]: Avenger, your current Chat Group permissions are too low. In the end, we're only echoes of the future, so there's only so much we can do for you.
[D Douluo Planet Will]: Still, the Concealment Mark I gave you should take care of your worries about Tang Hao's threat.
[D Douluo Planet Will]: So, what do you think? Pretty decent of me, huh? ๑ᵒᯅᵒ๑
Xiao Chenyu looked at the adorable emoticon on the screen.
Then he lowered his head and looked at the "Forbidden Passage" symbol that had appeared on the back of his hand, glowing with a faint golden light.
The corners of his mouth began to rise.
They rose wildly!
So high they nearly joined his brows in dancing the four little swans.
Pretty decent?
More than pretty decent!
This thing was practically a get-out-of-death-free card—Promax, Tang Hao Special Edition!
"Concealment Mark": A special mark branded by the Will of Douluo Planet with the mission of "driving Tang Hao away."
It could influence the rules of Douluo Planet, concealing you and the things happening around you from Tang Hao's attention and hostility.
Effective for three years. (Note: It will become invalid if you attack Tang Hao. At that point, prepare your own coffin. We recommend picking out a feng shui-friendly burial site in advance.)
"This concealment effect is way too damn powerful."
Xiao Chenyu clicked his tongue in wonder.
But then, after thinking it over, he couldn't help grumbling.
"Even if Tang Hao is a mighty Clear Sky Douluo, a Titled Douluo at level ninety-five, wouldn't this mark make him feel like he'd switched on 'Do Not Disturb: Xiao Chenyu'? Wouldn't he find that strange?"
If he were walking down the road one day and clearly heard someone call Tang San a "son of a bitch," would Tang Hao subconsciously ignore it?
Forget it. Who cares?
As long as it works!
Xiao Chenyu let out a long breath, feeling much more at ease.
It was as if he'd gained three years of safety.
At least for the next three years, he wouldn't have to worry about getting crushed into a biscuit by a Clear Sky Hammer dropping from the sky while he was eating hot pot and singing.
[Goddess of Life]: Good child, all Xiao Zi and I can give you right now is a wisp of life power and a wisp of destruction power.
[God of Destruction]: They'll be enough to improve your Martial Souls and your talent.
[God of Destruction]: If you can't even withstand this little bit of good fortune, then you don't deserve to be an Avenger.
[Goddess of Life]: Xiao Zi, don't be so harsh.
[Goddess of Life]: @Xiao Chenyu, don't mind him. Your Uncle Zi is just the sort who's sharp-tongued but soft-hearted.
[God of Destruction]: How am I sharp-tongued?
[Goddess of Life]: See? You're being sharp-tongued again.
[God of Destruction]: ...
Xiao Chenyu watched the conversation in the group and almost burst out laughing.
"Good grief. The dignified Destruction God King, the God Realm Enforcer—cold and imposing in public, but in front of his wife, he's gone straight into 'Whatever you say, dear' mode."
Was this the Divine Realm version of a henpecked husband?
[D Douluo Planet Will]: Oh, oh! Avenger, I recommend claiming Little Spider's red packet first. You might get an unexpected surprise~ •͈ᴗ⁃͈✧
"An unexpected surprise?"
Xiao Chenyu's eyes lit up.
If the Will of Douluo Planet had gone out of its way to mention it, the surprise definitely wouldn't be an ordinary one!
Maybe it was some heaven-defying treasure?
Without another word, he opened the red packet sent by the Human-Faced Demon Spider clan.
[Ding! Congratulations! You have obtained "Human-Faced Demon Spider Origin"!]
A purple-black orb of light hovered in his palm.
Xiao Chenyu opened its description.
"Human-Faced Demon Spider Origin": A special existence formed from the hatred and origin power of the entire Human-Faced Demon Spider clan, which will be exterminated by Tang San in the future. Using it will awaken a Second Martial Soul—the Human-Faced Demon Spider Emperor!
Warning: This Martial Soul comes with a hostility buff toward Tang San. When its owner sees Tang San, the Martial Soul will automatically fill their mind with the words "Kill! Kill! Kill!" and double the power of their attacks against him!
A Second Martial Soul!
Xiao Chenyu sprang up from the ground.
He jumped a full three feet high.
"Holy crap!"
"Holy crap, holy crap!"
"Twin Martial Souls!"
This was one of the top-tier talents found only among a handful of people across the entire Douluo Continent!
How many people on the whole continent had Twin Martial Souls? You couldn't even count them on one hand!
That cheater Tang San had relied on Twin Martial Souls to dominate the world in the future.
No, wait. He'd been cheating from the start. Twin Martial Souls were just one of his many cheats.
"I'm getting Twin Martial Souls too?!"
Xiao Chenyu was so excited his hands trembled.
They shook like the aching legs of an old man who'd forgotten to wear long underwear in winter.
Without hesitation, he chose to fuse with it.
A cold, sinister power suddenly surged into his body, racing wildly along his meridians!
It felt different from the ferocity and wildness he'd experienced when his wolf Martial Soul awakened.
This power was much eerier, much stranger, as if a thousand spiders were holding a sports meet inside his blood vessels!
But instead of being afraid, Xiao Chenyu trembled with excitement.
He could clearly feel his second Martial Soul taking shape inside him!
"Vmmm—"
A phantom slowly appeared behind him.
It was a Human-Faced Demon Spider Emperor, black from head to toe.
Its eight Spider Spears were like eight lances of refined steel.
The pattern on its abdomen, resembling a human face, looked terrifying and radiated an abyssal aura.
On closer inspection, the expression on that "human face" seemed to be silently roaring: "Tang San, die!"
"It worked!"
Xiao Chenyu clenched his fists and howled at the sky.
"From today on, I'm a Twin Martial Soul genius too!"
Even in his excitement, he didn't forget to claim the red packets from the God of Destruction and the Goddess of Life.
[Ding! Congratulations! You have obtained "Wisp of Destruction Power"!]
[Ding! Congratulations! You have obtained "Wisp of Life Power"!]
Two completely different powers surged into his body at the same time.
On the left was destruction!
Fierce, domineering, capable of destroying heaven and earth.
It was as if a purple thunder beast were charging wildly through his meridians!
On the right was life!
Warm, gentle, and endlessly renewing.
It was like a pool of emerald-green hot spring water slowly flowing through his body!
The moment the two powers converged inside Xiao Chenyu—
He felt both his Martial Souls tremble at once!
First was his wolf Martial Soul.
It was enveloped by the destruction power.
The ordinary gray wolf shadow rapidly grew larger.
Its fur turned a deep, shadowy purple, while purple thunder of destruction blazed in its eyes. Mysterious patterns of destruction appeared on its fangs and claws, each one silently proclaiming:
"I am destruction."
Martial Soul mutation and evolution—Destruction Demon Wolf King!
Next came his Human-Faced Demon Spider Martial Soul.
It was infused with the life power.
Emerald-green patterns of life appeared across its black carapace.
Its originally terrifying, savage aura now carried a touch of holiness and vitality.
Tiny Flowers of Life quietly bloomed on the tips of its eight Spider Spears.
Who knew what it would look like for flowers to grow on a spider?
And yet, somehow, it was both bizarre and harmonious.
Martial Soul mutation and evolution—Life God Spider Emperor!
Xiao Chenyu stood rooted to the spot, looking as if he'd been struck by lightning.
Not struck senseless.
Struck with such pleasure he nearly ascended on the spot!
"So this is the power of a cheat?"
[D Douluo Planet Will]: @Xiao Chenyu, Avenger, how do you like it? Pretty surprising, huh? (≧▽≦)
[Xiao Chenyu]: Surprising... I was so surprised I nearly ascended on the spot.
[Xiao Chenyu]: Big shots, what level are my two Martial Souls now?
[Goddess of Life]: Your wolf Martial Soul fused with destruction power and evolved into a top-tier Beast Martial Soul—the Destruction Demon Wolf King.
[Goddess of Life]: Your Human-Faced Demon Spider Martial Soul fused with life power. Its toxins and evil factors were dispelled, and it evolved into a top-tier Beast Martial Soul—the Life God Spider Emperor.
[Goddess of Life]: Both are top-tier Martial Souls. Their attributes are mutually restraining yet complementary, just like the powers Xiao Zi and I wield.
[God of Destruction]: If you can obtain more life and destruction power in the future, they may have a chance to evolve into divine-level Martial Souls.
[God of Destruction]: Of course, that's assuming you survive long enough to reach that point.
[Goddess of Life]: Xiao Zi, couldn't you say something encouraging?
[God of Destruction]: ...Keep it up.
[D Douluo Planet Will]: Pfft, hahahaha! The Destruction God King's "keep it up" was way too half-hearted! (≧∇≦)ﾉ
"Divine-level Martial Souls!"
Xiao Chenyu sucked in a sharp breath, then grinned from ear to ear.
The corners of his mouth had gotten quite a workout today. He'd already lost count of how many times they'd shot up wildly.
"Hahahaha! I'm a top-tier genius now too!"
[Human-Faced Demon Spider]: Divine-level evolution! Kill Tang San! Kill Tang San! Kill Tang San! (ꐦ°᷄д°᷅)
[D Douluo Planet Will]: Haha, Little Spider really is fixated on Tang San.
[D Douluo Planet Will]: Still, Avenger, you should now be qualified to go toe-to-toe with Tang San. When are you going to teach that bastard a lesson? I'm dying of impatience! |･з･)｡
[Goddess of Life]: I don't think we should rush into this.
[Goddess of Life]: @Xiao Chenyu, good child, it's too early to celebrate. Tang San is still the child of destiny. You must make thorough preparations.
Xiao Chenyu slowly suppressed his smile, his expression turning grave.
[Xiao Chenyu]: I understand.
[Xiao Chenyu]: I understand all too well.
He wasn't going to get carried away and think he was invincible just because he'd gained a cheat.
People who got a cheat and immediately went out to show off usually didn't survive past chapter three.
[Xiao Chenyu]: I know all too well how difficult that guy Tang San is to deal with.
Twin Martial Souls?
That was just Tang San's basic setup.
He also had the Mysterious Heaven Skill, Purple Demon Eye, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon, Hundred Explanations of Hidden Weapons... His tricks were as numerous as the weapons in a walking arsenal.
And Tang San's personality was sinister, vindictive, hypocritical, and petty.
Back when Xiao Chenyu had read the novel, he'd already thought something was off.
That guy liked to say, "A coward who doesn't dare cause trouble is a failure."
But whenever he caused trouble, other people were the ones who suffered for it.
Worst of all, he always stood on the moral high ground.
Killing Soul Beasts was "punishing evil and promoting good."
Snatching opportunities was "making the best use of resources."
Suppressing others was because "they were crooked in mind."
In short, anyone who opposed him was a villain.
And even those who followed him... weren't guaranteed a happy ending.
The sheer airtightness of that logic made him the Douluo Continent's most notorious hypocrite!
Xiao Chenyu continued typing in the group.
[Xiao Chenyu]: Big shots, don't rush. I'm definitely going to get revenge on Tang San, but I need to make some preparations first.
[Xiao Chenyu]: Getting stronger is the most important thing. I need to hunt Soul Beasts as soon as possible and obtain my First Soul Ring. At the very least, I need to break through to the Soul Master level first.
[Xiao Chenyu]: Judging by the timeline, Tang San won't join Nuoding Academy for about another year. Right now, he should still be living with Tang Hao in Holy Soul Village, hammering metal, practicing his techniques, and getting abused by his old man every day.
[Xiao Chenyu]: So I'd like to ask the big shots: what should our strategic plan be?
[Xiao Chenyu]: Option one: wait patiently for him to show up at Nuoding Academy?
[Xiao Chenyu]: Or option two: take the initiative and go to Holy Soul Village to give him a "surprise"?