A Sword Itself Has No Good or Evil; What Matters Is How the Person Wielding It Uses It

Bibi Dong nodded slightly, her gaze shifting to the Ivysaur at Lin Xia's feet, which appeared even more vibrant due to its master's surge in Soul Power.

"Tell me about your third Soul Skill. You said it has untapped functions... Do you have any leads yet? What do you need us to do?"

Her tone regained the Pope's calmness and Analytic, but deep down she was filled with unprecedented curiosity about the "hidden mechanism" that Lin Xia had mentioned.

The Courtney crackled, its orange glow dancing on Lin Xia's young yet remarkably determined face.

Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue's silence was like an invisible boulder pressing down on the small camp, with only the sound of the flames burning louder in the stillness.

The shock and scrutiny in Bibi Dong's purple eyes had not completely faded; it was a complex emotion mixed with disbelief, instinctive vigilance, and deep worry.

She looked at her disciple, this boy who had created miracles time and time again, who now unleashed a terrifying ability that was enough to overturn the understanding of the Soul Master World.

"Master, the reason I feel that my third Soul Skill, 'Cursed Roots,' still has enormous, unimaginable potential for development is..."

Lin Xia's voice broke the silence, clear and calm, with the composure of a researcher.

"It all stemmed from the unique encounter I had while absorbing the Nether Ghost Tree's Soul Ring."

He stretched out his hand, palm up, and a faint, almost Frisk gray aura swirled around his fingertips like a living thing, emanating a chilling and ominous aura that sent shivers down one's spine.

This energy flow differs from pure death energy; it leans more towards a distorted energy imbued with intense malice and coercion.

"The Nether Ghost Tree itself has been deeply corrupted by that unknown pollution, similar to the Rakshasa Divine Power, that we encountered before. In fact, one of the sources of its power is mixed with that pollution."

Lin Xia's gaze swept over Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue.

"Although Sister Xue'er's Holy Purification power dispelled the main body of the pollution at the last moment, ensuring the purity and absorbability of the Soul Ring, the pollution did not completely disappear."

He paused, and the gray mist at his fingertips twitched slightly.

"It's like the most stubborn mark, or rather, a 'fragment of rules' left behind after being 'purified' and stripped away, which cleverly and secretly merged into the origin of my Soul Ring, becoming part of the 'Cursed Roots,' a... latent Ability."

Lin Xia looked at Bibi Dong, her eyes open yet also carrying a hint of exploratory excitement.

"Master, do you know what this means? It means that the Curse mark I placed through the 'Cursed Roots' may have an effect far exceeding our previous estimates. It's not just about weakening, slowing down, or causing painful torment..."

His voice lowered, carrying a solemnity akin to revealing a secret:

"If Soul Master or Soul Beast afflicted by Curse lacks the willpower or purification ability to completely expel it before the Curse's power fully erupts... then after a period of time, the Curse's power will thoroughly erode their Divine Core and distort their will. Ultimately..."

Lin Xia took a deep breath and uttered the chilling conclusion, word by word:

"The other party will be completely controlled by the Curse, becoming an absolute servant who obeys my will!"

"Hiss--!"

Despite having a premonition, Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue still couldn't help but gasp simultaneously when Lin Xia clearly uttered the word "servant"!

The air seemed to freeze instantly.

Bibi Dong's expression suddenly turned extremely ugly, and a storm gathered in her majestic purple eyes!

Her hands, which were resting on her knees, clenched tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force.

The Pope's oppressive aura spread uncontrollably, forcing the flames of the Courtney to sway violently to one side, and instantly making the air around the camp heavy and viscous, like solidified lead.

Qian Renxue turned pale, her golden pupils contracting violently, filled with indescribable horror.

She instinctively covered her mouth, her eyes filled with unprecedentedly complex emotions as she looked at Lin Xia —shock, worry, and a hint of indescribable... fear?

As the successor of the Angel God, she has the deepest aversion and rejection to this power that completely deprives people of their free will and enslaves their souls, a feeling that originates from her Martial Soul instinct!

"Xiao Xia!"

Bibi Dong's voice was like a cold, biting wind from the Arctic, carrying an unprecedented severity.

Do you know what you're saying?!

She suddenly stood up, her tall figure casting a long, Pressure shadow in the firelight, enveloping Lin Xia.

"This power... this ability to completely strip away the will of others, turning living Soul Master or Soul Beast into puppet servants! This is simply..."

Bibi Dong's voice carried a hint of barely suppressed anger and heartache.

"This is the most evil and unacceptable method of Evil Soul Master! It is a forbidden power that the Spirit Hall has been trying to eradicate and eliminate for thousands of years!"

She looked at Lin Xia with heartache, as if she were truly getting to know this disciple she cherished for the first time.

"The foundation of the Spirit Hall is to maintain order on the continent and combat all evil! You are my disciple, Bibi Dong's disciple, the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall! How could you... how could you possess and attempt to develop such power?!"

Qian Renxue also snapped out of her shock, her golden eyes filled with worry and seriousness. She looked at Lin Xia, her voice tinged with urgency.

"Brother! Mother is right! This power is too dangerous and too forbidden! Once exposed, you will become the enemy of the entire Soul Master World!"

"No power can tolerate the existence of someone with such terrifying control abilities! This is not just powerful, this is... this is a subversion and threat to the entire Soul Master system!"

Lin Xia quietly observed the emotionally charged Bibi Dong and the worried Qian Renxue. The confident smile on her face didn't disappear; instead, it carried a hint of understanding and... reassurance?

He did not back down because of his master's anger, nor did he panic because of Xue's worries.

He gently raised his hand, and the wisp of gray mist at his fingertips quietly dissipated. He met Bibi Dong's almost Eruption gaze, his voice still steady, even carrying a hint of the unique clarity of a young man.

"Master, Sister Xue'er, you've misunderstood."

He pointed to himself, then to the Ivysaur at his feet, which was slightly bowed due to the tense atmosphere, but Four-Colored Light Wheel was still flowing protectively.

"Where do I, Lin Xia, and Ivysaur come from? The source of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings is the legacy of protecting the dragon race; the Angel Divine Power is a gift from Xue; the Rakshasa Divine Power... is the fusion and transformation of fate and Ivysaur, as well as the Ability of the Aromatic Silk Beauty in harmonizing all things. Our foundation has never been evil."

His gaze swept over the Courtney and over the perimeter of the forest, which had just undergone battle and purification.

"The hidden effect of this 'Cursed Roots' was not something I actively sought out. Rather, it was the result of my Soul Skill accidentally capturing and fusing with the 'rules' left over from the pollution during the purification process."

"It's like an extremely sharp, even poisonous, double-edged sword. The sword itself is neither good nor evil; the key lies in how the person wielding it uses it."