Spirit Hall Deacon—Su Yuntao! (Thanks to reader 202...344 for the nine recommendation votes)

"Phew..."

Owens stopped what he was doing, recalled his trembling Golden Spear martial soul, and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

Just then, a burst of applause suddenly rang out from nearby.

Owens looked toward the newcomer.

The man appeared to be close to thirty, with sharp brows, bright eyes, and handsome features.

He was dressed like a direct subordinate of Spirit Hall.

At the sight of him, Owens immediately showed a pained expression.

"Deacon Su, why are you here again?

"I've told you countless times already. I'm a general of the Pelagi Kingdom. There's no way I'll ever serve Spirit Hall!"

The man called "Deacon Su" smiled, a faint pride showing between his brows.

"General Owens, you should know the situation in the Pelagi Kingdom very well.

"This country is plagued by both internal and external troubles. It could collapse completely at any time.

"When that happens, there's a high chance it'll be entirely carved up by the Heaven Dou Empire and Star Luo Empire.

"By then, your family, your subordinates, even your status and the wealth you've accumulated over the years, will all vanish in an instant!

"But as long as you agree to cooperate with Spirit Hall, we can guarantee that you won't lose any of those things!"

Seeing how confident Deacon Su looked, Owens fell silent for a moment before suddenly laughing.

"Deacon Su, if I remember correctly, half a year ago, you were still a Grand Soul Master, weren't you?

"Back then, you traveled all over the continent, awakening martial souls for children in every village, right?"

With his past suddenly brought up, Deacon Su's brows knitted slightly.

"What does that have to do with what I just said?"

Owens ran his tongue over a small ulcer on the inside of his mouth and smiled calmly.

"Of course it has something to do with it. Since you've been to so many places and awakened martial souls for so many children—

"Then you should know that a person's fate is decided the moment their martial soul awakens!

"My homeland may indeed not be as wonderful as other countries.

"But as a soul master, I've enjoyed far more benefits than those ordinary commoners born without innate soul power!

"I was a commoner myself when I was young.

"I was merely lucky enough to awaken with level-six innate soul power, allowing me to climb step by step to where I am today.

"Since I've enjoyed more benefits than those suffering commoners, I should naturally shoulder greater responsibility!

"Spirit Hall may indeed be a fine place, but no gilded cage can ever compare to one's own humble home!

"I, Owens, would rather die on the battlefield than become Spirit Hall's lapdog!

"Do you understand what I mean... Deacon Su Yuntao?"

The Su Yuntao Owens mentioned was precisely the Spirit Hall deacon who had awakened Tang San's martial soul four years ago!

Four years later, Su Yuntao had successfully advanced from a level-twenty-six Grand Soul Master to a level-thirty-one Soul Elder.

Naturally, this involved no shortage of opportunities and assistance from Spirit Hall.

After all, when he had first awakened his martial soul, he had possessed only level-two soul power.

Talent like that was not enough to support him in cultivating to the Soul Elder realm before reaching thirty.

Now that he had advanced to Soul Elder, he no longer needed to travel everywhere as he once had, awakening martial souls for commoner children in different places.

His current task was to persuade these mid- and high-level soul masters to pledge allegiance to Spirit Hall, allowing Spirit Hall's influence to penetrate every corner of the continent!

Seeing Owens remain so stubborn, Su Yuntao finally lost all patience.

"Owens, don't refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!

"Spirit Hall can elevate you, but it can just as easily erase you!

"Anyone who dares oppose Spirit Hall will come to no good end!"

Faced with such a threat, Owens, whose blood and spirit had long been tempered on the battlefield, immediately laughed in scorn.

"At worst, I'll die! Being remembered by Spirit Hall is an honor in itself.

"But since you failed to persuade me to join Spirit Hall, I'm afraid this year's bonus of yours is going down the drain, isn't it? Hahahaha..."

A vein throbbed on Su Yuntao's forehead.

Knowing this stubborn mule could not be persuaded with words, he stopped wasting his breath and left angrily with a sweep of his sleeve.

Watching Su Yuntao's furious departing figure, Owens laughed even more wantonly.

Yet at that moment, something suddenly caught the corner of his eye. He hurriedly looked toward a wall some distance away, but saw nothing.

"Watching again..."

Owens muttered, but did not take the matter to heart.

In his view, it had to be someone Spirit Hall had sent to monitor him in secret.

Now that Su Yuntao had been driven off by his insults, the surveillance of the past few days should be over as well, right?

What he did not know was that the person who had been spying on him these past few days was actually someone else...

Su Yuntao left the City Lord's Manor in anger, but not long after walking out, the expression on his face suddenly softened.

He turned back to look at the grand plaque hanging over the City Lord's Manor and gave a bitter smile.

"The Pelagi Kingdom is truly fortunate to have a general like you.

"As long as you can hold fast to your original resolve, what does one year's bonus of mine even matter?"

With that, Su Yuntao walked straight into the vast crowd.

He had come from the people, so naturally, he had to return to the people...

He had never forgotten the pained, disappointed expressions on the faces of those children whose awakenings had failed, or who had failed to awaken innate soul power through him.

He believed that a person's entire life should not be determined solely by the strength of their martial soul.

This world should not be so one-sided.

A few days later, Nanyang Village.

Zhuge Ming looked toward the north, in the direction of Langya City.

It had been nearly ten days since Guan Yu sent Han Feng to investigate Owens.

Excluding the time spent traveling back and forth, Han Feng had already remained in the city for nearly five days.

During that time, Zhuge Ming had asked Zhao Yun to guard the house while Guan Yu took him and his sister, Zhuge Tong, to Langya City.

They disguised themselves as ordinary people and slipped into the city, inspecting the garrison inside and outside the walls.

Although Langya City was still some distance from the southern border, its defenses were indeed tight.

If West Sea City fell, this place could immediately serve as the second line of defense against the enemy's attack.

With defenses this tight, a direct assault was indeed unsuitable.

Though he could have Guan Yu and Zhao Yun unleash powerful soul skills capable of destroying an entire city and seize it by force.

Doing so would most likely alert the Heaven Dou Empire's imperial family, perhaps even Spirit Hall.

If that drew too many Title Douluo here, they would be difficult to handle.

Most importantly, if Guan Yu and Zhao Yun launched a direct assault on the city, it would certainly leave the place in ruins.

Not only would the city's population and resources suffer massive losses, but rebuilding after the destruction would also be a huge headache.

What was the point of occupying a city reduced to rubble?

His martial soul clearly stated that his soul power level would increase based on the population and area of the territory he occupied.

The thirty thousand soldiers stationed in Langya City naturally counted as part of that population.

Moreover, as the art of war said: attacking a city is the lowest strategy; attacking the heart is the highest.

A direct assault on a city was never the best option...

Setting that matter aside.

Zhuge Tong, who had entered the city with him, had never set foot in a city even once since she was born.

The city's many novel and prosperous sights left her dazzled.

For a moment, she changed from a sixteen-year-old girl awaiting marriage back into a simple, happy little girl.

Seeing how delighted his sister was, Zhuge Ming resolved that he would have her live in the city someday, so she could remain this happy forever!

Just as Zhuge Ming was recalling the events of the past few days—

A wolfman figure finally appeared to the north of the village...