A Living Hell, One Brush with Death After Another!

"As for the second question, why I left Plant Academy..."

Lin Xia's tone sank slightly, and a trace of gravity and chill quietly surfaced.

"It wasn't that I wanted to leave. It was that I had no choice but to flee."

"Plant Academy's vice principal, Yue Hongsheng, was no ordinary Soul Master instructor. He was an... exceptionally well-hidden evil Soul Master with vicious methods!"

A hint of coldness entered Lin Xia's voice.

"He cultivated a large number of highly toxic flowers and plants, turning his courtyard into a poison den. Back then, he set his sights on Bulbasaur and me—especially Bulbasaur's ability to absorb and transform poison, as well as the peculiar Life Poison soul skill between us."

"He wanted to use us as tools or materials for some kind of evil experiment."

The temperature in the hall seemed to plummet several degrees.

Evil Soul Masters, especially those in high positions, had always been targets of Spirit Hall's harshest crackdowns.

Upon hearing the name Yue Hongsheng, Yue Guan's body visibly trembled, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"He used an extremely secretive method, something like poisonous seeds or mental suggestion, and he had already controlled several Soul Masters. I was afraid I would become the same way, so after discovering it, I planned my escape."

As Lin Xia recalled the scene, a sharp trace of lingering fear flashed through his eyes.

"We had no time to think, nor did we have the strength to fight a Soul Sage-level powerhouse. Our only path to survival was to run!"

"Before Yue Hongsheng noticed, under cover of night, we used every possible means to flee as far as we could—to somewhere beyond the reach of his influence."

Lin Xia's voice returned to calm, but beneath that calm lay a heart-stopping ordeal that was clearly conveyed to everyone present.

"However, we were still discovered. After being hunted all the way and finally escaping through a scheme, the Star Luo Empire was the only place I could think of that might temporarily evade his pursuit."

"Joining Spirit Hall as a deacon was both to seek protection and to hide under a new identity, while also... earning some resources to survive."

Lin Xia's account came to an end.

There were no exaggerated embellishments, no impassioned accusations. He merely recounted, in a flat tone, the flight, pursuit, and desperate struggle for survival he had experienced over that brief year.

From leaving Notting because the paths had diverged, to discovering that Plant Academy's vice principal was an evil Soul Master, narrowly escaping after being secretly controlled, then concealing his identity in the Star Luo Empire and joining Spirit Hall, and finally tearing his way out through an abdomen amid the hellish ordeal in Skyhorn Village...

Any one of those events would have been a catastrophic disaster for an ordinary seven-year-old Soul Master. Yet Lin Xia had not only survived, but survived in such a... legendary fashion!

The silence in the hall lasted for more than a dozen breaths.

The way Carlson looked at Lin Xia had changed completely. It was no longer simple surprise, but unbelievable admiration!

What this child had gone through—could that even be called a life?

It was simply a living hell, one brush with death after another!

Hunted by a Soul Sage?

That alone was enough to doom the vast majority of Soul Masters beyond redemption!

Yet he had actually escaped to Star Luo, become a Spirit Hall deacon, and even encountered and killed a five-thousand-year soul beast while carrying out a mission!

Gui Mei's presence, concealed in the shadows, seemed to ripple faintly as well.

Innate Rank One Soul Power, strange power erupting in desperate situations, keen perception of evil, and the quick wits to escape a Soul Sage's pursuit...

Taken together, these traits truly lived up to Salas's assessment of monstrous potential.

Yue Guan's gaze fell upon the sleeping Bulbasaur in Lin Xia's arms, then shifted to Lin Xia's weary yet exceptionally resolute eyes. He nodded to himself as well.

This child's will was far stronger than that of his peers, even surpassing many famous Soul Masters.

Behind his seemingly calm narration lay an astonishingly powerful will to survive.

It was just Hongsheng... sigh.

There was still not the slightest ripple of expression on Bibi Dong's flawless face.

Her deep purple eyes seemed able to pierce through Lin Xia's soul, stripping apart and examining every detail in his words.

She saw the frankness in the boy's eyes, the deeply buried exhaustion, and the tenderness and concern he could not fake whenever Bulbasaur was mentioned.

His account was logical and clear. Its details matched some of the secret information she possessed regarding evil Soul Masters, and it fully aligned with the complicated experiences mentioned in Salas's report.

"Yu Xiaogang..."

The name quietly passed through her mind without stirring the slightest ripple. In her view, Lin Xia's reason for leaving was entirely reasonable.

A youth with such a special martial soul and peculiar bond would never be constrained by rigid rules.

At last, that cool and majestic voice rang out again, breaking the silence in the hall:

"I understand your experiences."

Her gaze swept over Lin Xia and the Bulbasaur in his arms, like a deity delivering a final judgment:

"You possess exceptional talent and a steadfast will. To survive and grow amid such adversity, you are indeed a promising prospect. Salas has rendered meritorious service in recommending you."

She slightly raised a hand, and a glimmer of light flashed at her fingertips before vanishing.

"Since you have come to Spirit City, let all past matters be put aside. From this day onward, you are a member of Spirit Hall Elite Academy. Cherish this opportunity, cultivate diligently, and do not disappoint Spirit Hall's expectations in nurturing you."

Gui Mei's figure silently drifted before Lin Xia, holding an elite student badge made from a special material and inlaid with a golden holy sword insignia.

The badge emitted faint Soul Power fluctuations, symbolizing a tremendous change in status and a new path toward becoming strong.

Lin Xia accepted the weighty badge with both hands. Feeling its cold surface, he bowed deeply once more.

"Thank you for Your Holiness's grace! Lin Xia will certainly give his all and live up to your expectations!"

The boulder in Lin Xia's heart—the fear that Bibi Dong might make trouble for him because of Yu Xiaogang—finally crashed to the ground.

This Pope's breadth of mind and bearing were far beyond anything narrow personal feelings could shake.

Bulbasaur beside Lin Xia seemed to sense the change in its master's state of mind and gently rubbed its little head against Lin Xia's lapel.

"Enough. Carlson, take him to Spirit Academy to report."

"Yes, ma'am!"

After Lin Xia and Carlson left, the hall immediately fell silent, the air seeming to freeze. After a long while—

"Elder Yue Guan."

"Regarding what this child said about Plant Academy's vice principal, Yue Hongsheng... what explanation do you have?"

Named by the Pope, Yue Guan's figure visibly stiffened.

He immediately stepped forward several paces, stopping several meters before the throne's steps, and bowed deeply without hesitation.

The usual effeminate smile on his face vanished without a trace, replaced by undisguised shame.

"Your Holiness!"

"I... I knew nothing of this! Although Yue Hongsheng is my cousin, we have been out of contact for many years, and our relationship has long since grown distant!"

"His... his actions at Plant Academy were entirely unknown to me. I never knew he would be so brazen as to betray Spirit Hall's principles and commit such evil deeds!"

Yue Guan lowered his head even further, his tone filled with grief, indignation, and self-reproach for his failure to notice.

"As an elder, I failed to discover my relative's evil deeds in time, allowing disaster to arise. This is a dereliction of duty! I beg Your Holiness to punish me!"