The commission Bai Luo had chosen was not a traditional one.
It was a joint commission.
It came from a remote town in the Star Luo Empire known as Qingshan Town.
On the surface, it appeared to be an ordinary town.
Yet it had a rule unknown to outsiders.
Every year.
Earl Wang, one of Qingshan Town's upper-class residents, would bring people to select suitable candidates.
Ostensibly, it was to train them.
At first, Qingshan Town's ordinary citizens naturally had no doubts about the goodwill shown by this esteemed imperial earl.
They rushed to send their children away, hoping to seize an opportunity to change their fate and bring honor to their ancestors.
But without exception.
None of those chosen "lucky ones" ever returned after being taken away.
The people Earl Wang sent would always respond, "His Lordship is currently guiding them in further studies and has no time to spare."
Qingshan Town had almost no Soul Masters.
Thus, its people knew nothing about the cultivation of true Soul Masters.
They only believed that the cultivation of lofty Lord Soul Masters might truly be so busy.
But day after day.
More than ten years passed, yet not a single "lucky one" had ever returned.
This inevitably began to shake the hearts of the townspeople who had once firmly believed in Earl Wang.
Especially the families of those "lucky ones" who had been taken away.
In the end, they could not suppress the fear in their hearts and began investigating in secret.
And that investigation really did uncover a few clues.
But whenever they wanted to follow those clues further.
Everything would always come to an abrupt halt at the critical moment.
As though an invisible hand had wiped away everything that followed.
Despite their every effort, the powerless townspeople still found nothing.
They were nearly desperate.
Then, by chance, they heard of the Life Association.
Clinging to their last hope.
They sought out the Life Association.
After a series of investigations, the association had already roughly reconstructed the full truth of the matter.
All Bai Luo needed to do now was tie up the loose ends.
The moon was dark and the wind was strong.
In the silent night, the occasional chirping of cicadas could be heard.
Rustle, rustle...
Before the brightly lit earl's manor.
No one noticed that, at some unknown moment, a figure in a black robe had arrived before the manor under cover of darkness.
Beneath the emerald mask.
Bai Luo's gaze settled on the entrance to the earl's manor.
His figure was like Gui Mei.
He silently melted into the darkness like ink.
The guards idly slacking off at the manor entrance had no idea that someone had already entered the estate right beneath their noses.
Inside the central room of the earl's manor.
The clinking of cups and the sounds of revelry rose one after another.
A bloated man dressed in luxurious brocade robes had his arms around two alluring women in revealing clothes, their pale skin exposed over wide areas.
His fat palms roamed over them.
His face wore a greasy, lecherous smile that made one sick.
"This year's tribute is almost all here, one after another."
"I'll still need your help with what comes afterward, sir."
The fat man looked toward the man before him.
A young man sat opposite him.
His face was pale as paper.
His features were gaunt.
His cheekbones protruded sharply on both sides.
An unpleasantly cold and sinister aura surrounded him.
His hand withdrew from the chest of the woman beside him who had been pouring drinks.
The young man's lips curled up.
"Rest assured, Earl Wang."
"Once we receive the tribute, we will do our work."
"We've worked together for more than ten years. Does Earl Wang still not trust our reputation?"
"Of course not!" Earl Wang laughed loudly.
The reason he had managed to reach his current position.
Was largely due to this fellow's help.
Those political enemies who had stood in his way had all been secretly eliminated by these people.
To Earl Wang.
This deal could not have been more worthwhile.
This fellow dealt with his political enemies, while all Earl Wang had to provide were some "children" gathered from various places who had nothing to do with him.
"The number of tributes has increased again this time. I believe it will certainly satisfy you, sir."
Earl Wang chuckled.
As if he were not speaking of living, breathing children.
But merely cattle and sheep waiting to be slaughtered.
"I look forward to it."
The young man lightly ran his tongue over his lips.
Remembering the taste of those fresh souls, he could not help savoring the memory.
"Unfortunately, you won't live to see it."
The icy voice seemed to come from hell.
It rang out in the room without warning.
The sudden change made Earl Wang and the young man, still immersed in lust and alcohol, shudder all over.
Earl Wang let out an angry roar.
"Who?!"
The pale-faced young man said nothing, merely staring fixedly at a certain spot in the room.
A figure whose face could not be seen had appeared there at some unknown point.
He reclined halfway on the sofa.
His hands were folded together.
He looked leisurely and at ease, as though he had returned home.
The pale-faced young man's expression turned grave.
To appear here without him noticing at all...
This person was strong!
He slightly cupped his hands.
"I am Zhang Tao, Blood Soul of the Holy Spirit Cult. May I know your name, sir?"
Zhang Tao stared warily at Bai Luo.
He deliberately brought up the Holy Spirit Cult, hoping to make Bai Luo wary.
"The Holy Spirit Cult?"
"So it really is you sewer rats again."
"I am the Calamity Ancestor. It does not matter if you do not know."
"You only need to understand one thing."
"Today, your lives belong to me."
Bai Luo's tone did not fluctuate in the slightest.
It was as though he were merely stating something utterly simple.
"Calamity Ancestor..."
Upon hearing those two words, Zhang Tao suddenly recalled something. His pupils abruptly dilated.
A tremor entered his voice.
"You're the leader of the Life Association!"
If the title of the little divine physician, Medicine King, was renowned across the continent in the open.
Then the name Longevity Plague Calamity Ancestor was thunderous in the underground world.
He was the mysterious existence who had founded the Life Association, the most unusual assassin organization in the underground world.
He was famous throughout the underground world for his bizarre methods of killing.
When the Calamity Ancestor killed, no blood was ever seen.
After he killed someone, there would usually be no splattered blood at the scene, nor any gruesome remains.
There would only be strange golden plants.
Demonic and beautiful.
Thus, the underground world had another name for him.
Death's Planter.
Quite a few evil Soul Masters of the Holy Spirit Cult had died at his hands.
Several of Zhang Tao's friends in the Holy Spirit Cult had also perished by his hand.
He had seen the "plants" left behind at those scenes.
No, those were not plants at all!
They were demonic trees grown from seeds that sprouted within their bodies, using their life force and souls as nourishment and soil!
An expert in souls within the cult had once said.
Souls still remained within those demonic trees.
But they would gradually dissipate.
In other words, for a period after being turned into plants, those people still retained awareness!
They had awareness, yet could not take any substantive action.
They could only clearly feel their souls gradually disperse.
Watching death creep closer and closer in terror.
Such a method.
It was simply more evil than even evil Soul Masters!
Before you continue