Evil Soul Master

The scene shifted abruptly.

What came into view was the familiar outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, the day he could never forget.

Young Yue Ling looked at his parents before him, his tone incredibly firm this time: "Dad, Mom! I'm going with you! If we're going to die, we die together!"

His mother paused for a moment, looking at him with tenderness and grief: "Alright, Ling'er. In the next life, we will be a family again."

"Yeah!"

Within the illusion, the Evil Soul Master who had slaughtered Hundred Flowers Village appeared, his five Spirit Rings lighting up as he laughed with a hideous, manic expression.

"All of you, go to hell! Hahaha! Fifth Spirit Skill, Bat Wing Thousand Strike Slash!"

Blood-colored slashes filled the sky, sweeping down like a rain of blood, ruthlessly crushing the family of three.

His parents closed their eyes, meeting their death with composure.

Young Yue Ling froze in place, his entire body trembling uncontrollably.

Watching the blood-colored slashes descend from the sky and seeing his parents close their eyes to await death, a bone-deep helplessness instantly engulfed him.

He was afraid; he was truly afraid.

He was just a small child, possessing no strength and capable of nothing.

But as he watched his loved ones about to die before his eyes, after the extreme terror, all that remained was monstrous hatred and unwillingness.

Why?

Why did his family have to suffer this disaster for no reason?

Why could the wicked slaughter at will while they could only wait for death?

He wasn't willing! He absolutely wasn't willing!

Even if he was only of the slightest use, even if he couldn't block it at all, he could not watch his parents die!

The obsession in the depths of his heart exploded completely. His small body tensed to the limit by instinct, his Spirit Power surging uncontrollably and wildly. With red eyes, he roared with all his might!

"Third Spirit Skill, Golden Stamen Piercing Ray Strike!"

Crystalline petals shot into the sky, forcefully breaking through the blood-colored slashes and heading straight for the Evil Soul Master!

The moment the attack landed, the entire illusion froze.

The rain of blood stopped in mid-air; everything came to a complete standstill.

Yue Ling stared blankly at the scene before him. The sense of crisis in his heart grew increasingly intense, and a bone-chilling coldness spread through the depths of his soul.

Outside the arena.

Elder Xuan and Yan Shaozhe flashed simultaneously, instantly dropping from the high platform to the edge of the arena.

Elder Xuan's brows were tightly knitted, his spiritual sense fully extended, his expression incredibly grave.

Just a moment ago, he had clearly captured a wisp of an extremely cold, pure Evil Soul Master soul aura.

Yet in the blink of an eye, the aura vanished completely, leaving no trace behind.

"Yan Shaozhe, did you sense that aura just now?"

Yan Shaozhe's expression was somber as he nodded heavily: "I sensed it long ago. It flashed by just now; that power was the soul fluctuation exclusive to an Evil Soul Master." He frowned and released his spiritual sense, "But sensing it now, there is nothing left."

The two looked at each other, their hearts heavy with suspicion and vigilance.

"That was definitely the aura of an Evil Soul Master. I have dealt with them countless times; it is impossible for me to be mistaken!"

"But why would that aura be inside Yue Ling?"

"When I brought him back to the Sea God Pavilion, he even met Elder Mu. His Spirit is the Radiant Sacred Dragon; in terms of detecting evil, he is impeccable."

"Even he couldn't detect it... Yan Shaozhe, should we call off the match?"

Yan Shaozhe's brows were tightly furrowed. His Spirit was the Radiant Phoenix, which was equally sensitive to the power of evil.

Under his perception, neither of the two Spirit Masters had any evil energy exclusive to Evil Soul Masters in their Spirits or Spirit Fusion Skills, and their Spirit Power was very pure, completely devoid of the blood-thirst unique to Evil Soul Masters.

But that aura...

Yes, it was indeed the aura of an Evil Soul Master. He and Elder Xuan had both sensed it, right on Yue Ling!

"Elder Xuan, don't be hasty. Let the children finish the match first. With us here, he won't be able to run."

Elder Xuan's expression was complex, his gaze fixed on the disciples in the arena.

Sigh, I hope nothing goes wrong.

At this moment, Yue Ling was sitting cross-legged on the ground, cold sweat soaking his back, his body trembling slightly.

The defensive effect of his first Spirit Skill shrouded the area, leaving the enemy girl helpless; her attacks clanged against the shield without causing any pain or itch.

She gritted her teeth, refusing to concede until a thin layer of sweat appeared on her forehead.

Hmph, I don't believe this guy can resist the power of the Nightmare Cage!

Yue Ling stared blankly at the frozen blood-colored sky in the illusion, the hatred he had suppressed for years surging wildly.

This was the pain he had kept buried deep in his heart for four whole years, a pain he dared not touch.

But now, in the illusion of the Nightmare Cage, all his suppressed emotions were torn open and erupted all at once.

A cold, manic laugh suddenly echoed in the depths of his soul.

"Hahaha, that's it..."

"Hatred was always yours to begin with; why have you been forcing it down?"

"Let it go! Release it all!"

If Yue Ling were conscious right now, he would likely be completely shattered by what was before him.

He finally saw clearly the existence lurking within his body—

An Evil Soul Master... a Titled Douluo!

This evil remnant soul hidden deep in his soul was stirring wildly, fueled by the power of the illusion, using endless malice, slaughter, and baleful energy to wash over his remaining kindness and reason again and again.

Yue Ling's expression was vacant, his hands clutching his head tightly, his teeth grinding together.

Extreme pain, despair, and hatred covered his entire face, every nerve fiber stinging wildly.

Watching him on the verge of collapse, the Titled Douluo's voice grew even more manic and cruel.

"Face your emotions, little one!"

"How could you forget me? The one who slaughtered your entire village and buried your parents with his own hands—that was me!"

This sentence was like the sharpest blade, stabbing deep into the softest part of Yue Ling's heart.

He covered his ears tightly, his mind filled with demonic whispers echoing in a loop.

"No... don't...!"

Inside the illusion, he was in such pain he nearly collapsed.

But on the actual competition field, Yue Ling's body slowly, stiffly stood up.

The monstrous resentment accumulated over four years transformed into an invisible shockwave, instantly blasting the remaining girl off the arena, where the proctor caught her steadily and carried her down.

The outcome of the match was decided; Yue Ling had won.

But there was no cheering or joy in the stadium.

Everyone's heart was in their throat; everyone wore a grave expression, staring fixedly at the strange, upright figure amidst the black mist.

Yue Ling's form kept shifting.

At times he turned into another person, at times he changed back... until... his appearance locked onto Yue Ling!

The next second!

Beneath his feet, Spirit Rings began to rise and light up one by one.

They were no longer the clean, ordinary one yellow and two purple.

On top of the original Spirit Rings, six pitch-black, dark, and baleful black Spirit Rings emerged, layered one upon another!

Yellow, purple, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black!

Nine Spirit Rings hung high around him, his evil energy monstrous!

The crowd was astonished, unable to understand what was happening.

Below the stands, Elder Xuan's pupils shrank, his face full of shock. It immediately transformed into bone-chilling, monstrous rage!

He was all too familiar with this aura.

Elder Xuan roared: "No! My disciple! You are... a Titled Douluo! No... there is another power? Why are you hiding in his body!"

The moment his words fell, Elder Xuan's aura changed drastically.

"All of you, get out!"

Elder Xuan's originally lazy and casual aura vanished entirely, replaced by a primitive, heavy, and terrifying pressure that devoured all things, exploding outward and sweeping across the entire Shrek stadium!

His figure straightened instantly, no longer showing any signs of old age.

A massive phantom of a Taotie Divine Ox that blotted out the sky slowly emerged behind him. The giant beast's eyes were dark and deep, its massive mouth slightly agape, and a low, dull beast roar vibrated through the air, making people tremble.

Nine Spirit Rings lit up in sequence!

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red!

The true power of a level 98 Super Douluo erupted without reservation at this moment!

Almost at the same instant Elder Xuan's Spirit erupted, Yan Shaozhe's expression turned cold.

The elegant and gentle temperament from before was swept away, and scorching heat waves exploded outward.

"Hum—!"

Dazzling golden-red flames shot into the sky, and nine Spirit Rings rose slowly from beneath his feet, circling around him in orderly fashion.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black!

The terrifying pressure unique to a Titled Douluo instantly blanketed the entire arena!

Behind Yan Shaozhe, a massive, incredibly magnificent phantom of a Radiant Phoenix slowly spread its wings. Layers of feathers burned with raging flames, and fine sparks drifted down, the surrounding air distorted by the high temperature.

The Radiant Phoenix raised its head high, letting out a clear and domineering phoenix cry that echoed throughout the stadium.

Two Titled Douluos had simultaneously unleashed their full Spirits on the final arena!

The entire stadium fell silent. The audience, who had been whispering, and the remaining students and teachers were all frozen in place, even their breathing subconsciously lightened, not daring to make a sound.

No one had expected that a freshman assessment final would force two of the academy's top powerhouses to confront each other with their Spirits fully unleashed.

A heavy, imposing pressure firmly shrouded the entire arena.

"Evil Soul Master? Daring to run wild at Shrek? How bold!"

In the black mist, Yue Ling's thin figure appeared indescribably strange, his aura leaning entirely toward the coldness of an Evil Soul Master.

He stood quietly in the center of the arena, his head slightly lowered, his orange hair falling to cover his eyes.

Yellow, purple, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black.

Nine Spirit Rings rose and fell slowly beneath his feet, heavy evil energy constantly overflowing, making everyone's heart tighten.

The one controlling this body at this moment was the remnant soul of the Titled Douluo Evil Soul Master.

His wanton, manic laughter came from Yue Ling's throat.

"Hahaha! Xuanzi, Yan Shaozhe!?"

"Of course you don't recognize me, but I recognize you, hahaha!"

The Evil Soul Master controlling Yue Ling's body brushed his hair back, looking up at the two with extreme arrogance, his face full of smugness.

"You never expected this! That genius disciple you treated as a treasure was discovered by us long ago, and we planted the seed!"

"The junior you protected with all your might will eventually destroy all of Shrek with his own hands!"

"Hahaha!"

His voice was cold and hoarse, carrying undisguised madness and malice, echoing across the silent stadium.

Below the stage, Ma Xiaotao's body stiffened, her pupils contracting violently and uncontrollably.

"What is going on... Yue Ling, you...!"

Gongyang Mo clenched his fists tightly, his face pale as a sheet, his heart filled with heavy regret.

He had sensed something was wrong earlier, but he had held onto a fluke and said nothing.

Greedy for the improvements brought by the three Spirit Bones, he had watched as Yue Ling stepped into this desperate situation, enduring unimaginable torture.

Hot tears fell silently down his cheeks.

Ma Xiaotao and Gongyang Mo still could not believe it.

The teammate they had fought alongside and trusted completely just a short while ago actually harbored the remnant soul of a Titled Douluo-level Evil Soul Master inside his body!

Elder Xuan's chest heaved violently, his monstrous rage nearly shattering his reason. The massive phantom of the Taotie behind him became increasingly violent, emitting low, angry roars.

"Evil Soul Master... how dare you!!"

Yan Shaozhe's eyes were cold, the phoenix flames around him burning brighter. His hands were already quietly gathering power, ready to strike at any moment to purify the black mist and suppress the figure in the arena.

But the two dared not act rashly.

Yue Ling's consciousness was still trapped inside this body.

If they launched a full-scale attack, the first to be severely injured would be the disciple he was desperately trying to protect.

The two Titled Douluos were in a dilemma.

On one side was the remnant of an evil soul that plagued the continent and had blood-stained hands.

On the other was an innocent youth trapped in torture, struggling bitterly.

The oppressive atmosphere in the arena made it hard to breathe.

The black mist surged and vibrated incessantly, the evil energy of the Titled Douluo Evil Soul Master constantly devouring and suppressing Yue Ling's already crumbling consciousness.

In a few moments, the person standing before everyone would no longer be Shrek's genius student, Yue Ling.

It would be the Evil Soul Master, the Titled Douluo, returned through a borrowed body!

A flash of insight crossed Elder Xuan's mind, and he instantly understood the cause and effect.

"No wonder... no wonder when I went to Hundred Flowers Village to investigate, I couldn't find a single Evil Soul Master."

"So you had set your sights on this child a long time ago!"

Without waiting for the Evil Soul Master's remnant soul to respond, Elder Xuan's figure flashed, instantly rushing before him. He reached out a large hand and grabbed the neck of the Evil Soul Master occupying Yue Ling's body.

He used himself to restrict the Evil Soul Master within Yue Ling, preventing him from doing anything else extreme.

But the Evil Soul Master controlling Yue Ling didn't panic at all; instead, he looked at Elder Xuan with provocation in his eyes.

"Hehehe... what you're grabbing is the neck of your most prized disciple. If you have the guts, just kill him! Hahaha!!"

Listening to the remnant soul's arrogant and wild laughter, Elder Xuan was furious, yet he was helpless, not daring to increase the pressure of his grip.

Inside Yue Ling, the hatred and resentment accumulated over four years were magnified exponentially by this Evil Soul Master.

The black mist surged incessantly, and the evil thoughts, like a tide, frantically assaulted and eroded Yue Ling's soul.

He relied on the Evil Soul Master's sixth soul skill and the deep-seated blood feud buried in Yue Ling's heart to gnaw away at his remaining sanity, bit by bit, in an attempt to completely possess this body.

"Give up the struggle... your hatred, your pain, your despair, and even your soul are all nourishment for me!"

"From now on, you are me, and I am you!"

Whispers filled with temptation echoed one after another, washing over Yue Ling's crumbling sea of consciousness and soul again and again.

His consciousness grew heavier and heavier, nearly sinking into total oblivion.

Countless images flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern.

No... I can't... Father and Mother gave their lives so that I could live on... Teacher, my teammates, they are all still waiting for me. I absolutely cannot disappear here...!

"Kill them all, turn everyone into nourishment to make yourself stronger!"

"Let us... become one!"

The hearts of everyone off the stage were in their throats. Elder Xuan clenched his fists, each breath feeling exceptionally heavy.

Just at the moment when the Evil Soul Master's remnant soul was about to take complete control of Yue Ling's body—

Deep within Yue Ling's sea of consciousness, a translucent, pure, and dazzling crimson light suddenly flared!

Second martial soul, Love-Sickness Heartbreak Red!

The original Wonder-Silk Heavenly Chrysanthemum domain vanished instantly, replaced by the domain unique to Love-Sickness Heartbreak Red.

Love-sickness breaks the heart; fate begins with love and hate, and ends with affection and enmity.

There was no overwhelming momentum, only a faint floral fragrance that gradually permeated the entire arena, carrying an indescribable sense of desolation.

Within this domain.

The surrounding colors slowly faded, leaving only crimson petals drifting lazily, suspended in the air.

The floral scent was not sharp or piercing, yet the loneliness and sorrow that reached deep into the soul truly enveloped the entire competition grounds.

This was the unique domain of Love-Sickness Heartbreak Red.