News of the Evil Soul Masters

Night fell, and Eastsea City's neon lights flickered on one by one. As usual, a long line stretched outside Rain Spirit Grilled Fish Shop. Inside, the place buzzed with voices, and the air was filled with enticing aromas. Tonight was somewhat special. To celebrate winning the class's internal competition and earning the right to represent the class in the grade selection tournament, Tang Wulin had invited his teammate and friend Xie Xie, as well as his classmate Gu Yue and his younger sister Na'er, to celebrate at the shop. Of course, the deeper reason was that Tang Wulin wanted Na'er to spend more time around Huo Yuhao and the others. He had always kept this mysterious yet kind "Uncle Huo" close to his heart.

"Uncle Huo, good evening!" Tang Wulin called out toward the busy grilling area as he led the other three into the shop, clearly familiar with the place.

Huo Yuhao was tending several grills at once. Under his precise control of soul power, the flames danced as they seared the fish steaks until they sizzled, golden and glistening with oil. Hearing him, he looked up, fine beads of sweat on his forehead, and offered a gentle smile. "Hello, Wulin. You brought friends? Find a place to sit first. There are a lot of people today, so you'll have to wait a little." His gaze lingered briefly on Gu Yue and Xie Xie, and he gave Gu Yue an almost imperceptible nod.

Demon Spirit was unusually "off duty" today. She was seated at the long table deepest inside the shop with Di Tian, Bi Ji, Zi Ji, the Myriad Demon King, Crimson King, Bear Lord, Dark Gold, and the others. The table was piled high with all sorts of grilled fish, skewers, and side dishes, amid constant laughter and chatter. The Golden Dragon King, Jin, had already finished an entire barrel of fruit juice and was now launching an assault on an enormous grilled cod.

Before long, a boy wearing the shop's apron, who looked like a student from a nearby academy working part-time, jogged over with a menu. He wore a professional smile. "Welcome, everyone! What would you like to eat? Here's the menu." He handed it to Tang Wulin.

Tang Wulin accepted the menu and was about to turn to ask his companions what they wanted when Gu Yue, seated beside him, rose directly to her feet.

"No need. I know them." Gu Yue pointed at the lively table of ferocious beasts inside. Her tone was calm and natural, as if she were merely saying, "I'll go say hello at the next table." "Order for yourselves. Eat without me." With that, she walked straight toward Di Tian's table.

"Huh? Sister Yue, you..." Xie Xie froze for a moment. He had just started to say something when Gu Yue had already gone too far away.

"Sister Yue is here! Hurry, sit down!" Dark Gold spotted Gu Yue first and immediately greeted her enthusiastically. He even pulled out the stool beside him that had just become vacant. "Everyone's really here today! But honestly, Sister Yue, after making such a big fuss this time, the Spirit Pagoda and the Federation really aren't causing any trouble afterward? Or is your influence just that great?"

Gu Yue sat down without any ceremony. She casually snatched a freshly grilled, oil-sizzling squid skewer from the tray, took a bite, then said indistinctly with a trace of smugness, "Of course. Don't you know who my teacher is? The procedures were handled beautifully, and the reasons were more than sufficient. Even if they had doubts, they had to accept it on the surface. Besides, 'experimental failure' is far too common in soul-tool research and development. As long as no one was hurt and no important facilities were damaged, who had the time to dig deeper?" As she spoke, her eyes swept over the food remaining on the table. When she noticed that Jin had already eaten half the largest grilled cod, she immediately joined the "battle," deftly tearing off another fragrant piece of belly meat.

"Hey, hey, hey! What does she mean by that?" At their table, Xie Xie watched Gu Yue's carefree departing figure and couldn't help groaning quietly. "Wasn't she the one who insisted on coming with us because I provoked her? Didn't we agree that I was treating everyone as an apology? How did she run off to mooch food and drinks at someone else's table in the blink of an eye? So I got beaten up for nothing, and now I don't even get to treat anyone?" He remembered how, during training that afternoon, he had foolishly called Gu Yue "a shut-in girl who only knew how to play games." Gu Yue had then beaten him into a panicked retreat with all kinds of basic elemental control, forcing him to promise to treat everyone to a meal as an apology. Thinking about it now, he felt even more cheated.

Tang Wulin held back a laugh and patted Xie Xie on the shoulder. "Forget it, forget it. Gu Yue... well, maybe she's closer to Uncle Huo's friends. Let's eat on our own." He quickly scanned the menu, ordered five signature grilled fish in different flavors, and added a large pitcher of mixed fruit juice.

Because there were simply too many customers, they waited nearly half an hour before their grilled fish was brought out one after another. The rich charred fragrance mixed with the scent of secret spices instantly conquered everyone's noses.

"Wow! This smells incredible!" Xie Xie took a deep breath, his eyes shining as he temporarily forgot the frustration of his failed attempt to treat everyone. He looked at Tang Wulin curiously. "Tang Wulin, you seem really familiar with this place. You didn't even need to look at the menu to order?"

Tang Wulin and Na'er exchanged a knowing glance. Without changing expression, Tang Wulin answered, "No, this is actually only my second time in Eastsea City. I came here once with my parents before, and the food was especially good, so I remembered it." They tacitly concealed their true relationship with Huo Yuhao and the secrets they knew.

"Oh, right, I remember now. You obtained your first Soul Spirit here in Eastsea City." Xie Xie suddenly understood, then patted his chest. "No matter what, I owe you all a meal today! Tomorrow at noon, I'll treat you to that super-famous Iron-Pot Braised Beef place beside the Mecha Research Institute. I heard their soul beast meat is stewed so tender and flavorful it practically melts in your mouth!"

"Sure!" Tang Wulin agreed with a smile.

Once they started eating, Xie Xie was shocked again. He had only leisurely finished half a fish and taken a few sips of juice when he looked up. The two grilled fish on Tang Wulin's and Na'er's plates had already been reduced to spotless fish bones! The two were wiping their mouths with tissues, looking as though they still wanted more.

"Damn! You two siblings... are you gluttons or something? That eating speed is terrifying!" Xie Xie clicked his tongue in amazement.

Na'er blinked her beautiful eyes and put on an expression that said she was very delicate. She casually explained, "I'm just an ordinary person. I don't have a martial soul or soul power. I train alongside soul masters like you every day, running laps and all that, so I use up a lot of stamina. Of course I need to eat more to keep up." This reason was perfectly reasonable. Wu Changkong had long learned of Na'er's situation from Huo Yuhao—her martial soul was temporarily unable to manifest due to some powerful seal or restriction—so he normally allowed Na'er to train alongside them. He only required her to do her best with physical training and did not force her to practice soul skills. Na'er was quite happy with that arrangement. She could stay with her brother without revealing what was special about her too early.

Xie Xie shifted his probing gaze to Tang Wulin and raised an eyebrow. "What about you, great soul master? Your appetite doesn't look anything like that of a 'newcomer' who just obtained his first soul ring."

Tang Wulin scratched the back of his head and gave a simple-minded grin, finding an all-purpose excuse. "I... I'm still growing, aren't I? Boys eat more so they can grow faster! Teacher Mang Tian also said forging is hard physical work, so I need to keep up my nutrition." The explanation sounded flawless. Although Xie Xie felt that something was strange, he did not press further. He merely muttered to himself that these siblings' appetites were truly extraordinary.

Just then, the curtain at the shop entrance was violently flung aside, and an air of faint solemnity swept in. Captain Guang Biao entered wearing the uniform of the Eastsea City Enforcement Team, followed by seven or eight similarly dressed team members. They looked somewhat tired, but their eyes were sharp.

"Boss Huo! The usual, start with—" Guang Biao's voice was booming, but halfway through his sentence, he noticed that the shop was nearly packed to capacity, with even the aisles filled with people waiting for tables. He paused, then laughed. "Whoa! Business is still booming! Fine, brothers, let's sit outside. Don't interfere with Boss Huo's business." Being quite considerate, he led his team back outside and sat down at several open-air tables set up by the entrance.

Huo Yuhao happened to have just finished handling his last few orders. After wiping his hands, he personally brought out a menu and tea. "Captain Guang, why did you bring so many brothers today? Is there a mission?" he asked as he poured hot tea for everyone.

Guang Biao took the tea and gulped down a large mouthful. He sighed, and the relaxed expression on his face faded somewhat as he lowered his voice. "Don't mention it, Boss Huo. The Evil Soul Masters... are showing signs of activity. They disappeared for so many years, and now they've suddenly resurfaced. It definitely can't be good! The higher-ups held an emergency meeting at noon today. The Spirit Pagoda, the Federation Security Bureau, and our Enforcement Team are all mobilizing. We've been ordered to strengthen patrols in every area, especially densely populated districts and places with abnormal soul power fluctuations. The brothers will be working around the clock these next few days."

He paused, his tone growing heavy. "Those lunatics have been quiet for five years. If they've appeared again, there will definitely be bloodshed. The higher-ups gave strict orders to report any suspicious signs immediately, but only after ensuring our own safety. If one brother dies while dealing with those things, it's the same as delivering them a piece of 'nourishment.' Their strength won't decrease—it will increase. This is the hardest kind of battle to fight."

"Evil Soul Masters?" Huo Yuhao's heart tightened slightly. This news was even worse than he had expected. The continent had been peaceful for five years and had nearly forgotten this shadow. Yet they had chosen to reappear while Di Tian was undergoing his tribulation, when the attention of all factions had been drawn elsewhere and undercurrents were stirring. The timing was thought-provoking. More importantly, the enemy was hidden while they were exposed. What changes had the other side undergone during five years of hiding? What was their purpose? How strong were they? They knew almost nothing. A war without intelligence was the most passive kind.

"Boss Huo," Guang Biao saw the gravity in Huo Yuhao's eyes and softened his tone somewhat, speaking half-jokingly, "your street is lively at night, but all sorts of people come through. Close up a little earlier these days and be careful. I don't want to come by for your grilled fish someday, only to find the doors shut and the owner gone."

"Exactly! Boss, we're all thinking about your grilled fish! Don't worry. When we're patrolling, we'll definitely make more rounds around here. With us around, nothing will happen!" The other team members also chimed in with smiles, but the seriousness in their eyes could not be denied. They were all regular customers and had a good relationship with Huo Yuhao. Their words were both a joke and a promise.

Warmth rose in Huo Yuhao's heart. He said solemnly, "Thank you all so much. You need to be especially careful while carrying out your duties as well." He wrote down everyone's orders, then turned and went back to the kitchen to get busy.

However, Huo Yuhao did not notice—or perhaps it was more accurate to say that this conversation about the "Evil Soul Masters" had been clearly caught by several "nonhuman beings" in the shop whose hearing far exceeded that of ordinary people.

The Myriad Demon King, who had been fighting Gu Yue over fish moments earlier, suddenly stopped moving. He closed his eyes, and an extremely faint, almost imperceptible emerald-green glow spread around him. As the king of plant-type ferocious beasts, his ultimate perception of all plant life and related energies in the world was actively extending outward to investigate.

A few seconds later, he abruptly opened his eyes, which were filled with shock and gravity.

"I sensed a wave of power that is... endlessly vital, yet also extremely contradictory." The Myriad Demon King's voice was not loud, but the ferocious beasts at the table instantly fell silent. Even Jin stopped chewing. Gu Yue also put down the food in her hand and looked over.

"Endlessly vital? That sounds like the domain characteristic of Blue Silver Grass. Among plant types, Blue Silver Grass is one of the representatives capable of reaching that state of 'wildfires cannot burn it all away,'" Crimson King's middle head analyzed.

"No, something is wrong!" The Myriad Demon King frowned tightly and slowly shook his head. "The essence of that endlessly vital power is extremely pure. It could even be called... noble. But wrapped around it is an evil aura that is cold, viscous, and filled with plunder and corruption! It devours, yet it also gives birth. Life and death cycle endlessly within a distorted balance... It is too strange. I have never sensed such a contradictory and dangerous life form!" His tone grew increasingly grave, even carrying a trace of barely perceptible fear. "Based on the timing Guang Biao mentioned... the emergence of this power is most likely connected to the Evil Soul Masters!"

Jin, the Golden Dragon King, who had been quietly listening nearby, also darkened. He remembered the matter Huo Yuhao had previously asked him to investigate.

"I think... I may know the source of this evil 'endlessly vital' power." Jin spoke slowly. He succinctly explained to the ferocious beasts and Gu Yue Huo Yuhao's earlier request to search for Tang San's parents—Tang Hao and A Yin, the Blue Silver Emperor—as well as the speculation that they might have lost the support of divine power after the Divine Realm separated and fallen into an abnormal state.

"...If Senior A Yin truly fell into an extremely weakened or dormant state because she lost the support of divine power, and her true body, the Blue Silver Emperor, contains the highest level of life origin on Douluo Star..." Jin's gaze swept over everyone as he voiced the worst possibility. "Then for Evil Soul Masters skilled at controlling souls, flesh and blood, and all forms of life energy, she would be an irresistible, dream-like 'supreme treasure'! Controlling, corrupting, or even devouring the Blue Silver Emperor's power would be enough for them to create unimaginable monsters or complete some terrifying ritual!"

The moment those words were spoken, the temperature around the table seemed to plummet.

Di Tian's expression completely darkened, cold light flashing in his dragon eyes. "If that is the case, then the problem is far more serious than we imagined! If the Blue Silver Emperor truly fell into the hands of the Evil Soul Masters and was controlled and corrupted... then it would not only mean that the two legendary seniors are in grave danger. It would also mean that the Evil Soul Masters have gained a terrifying trump card whose potential we cannot estimate. Someone capable of purifying or resisting this top-tier life power corrupted by evil energy..." He looked toward the kitchen, where the sounds of Huo Yuhao stir-frying could be heard. "Perhaps only an existence with divinity and a profound connection to the laws of life and purification can do it."

And among them, the only one who possessed "divinity" and was in a relatively complete state—though his condition was also terrible—was Huo Yuhao. Though the God of Emotions' Divine Godhood was shattered, its essence remained. His control over souls and emotions might be able to resist the Evil Soul Masters' distortion of life origin.

Gu Yue also set down the half-eaten grilled fish in her hand, thoughts churning in her violet eyes. The threat of the Evil Soul Masters, intertwined with the plight of legendary existences possibly on the same level as the Golden Dragon King and Silver Dragon King, made her realize that a storm far beyond her previous expectations was brewing in the continent's darkness.

"Ah..."

A long, heavy sigh came from someone, though no one knew who. It quietly blended into the still-boisterous background noise of the grilled fish shop. Outside the window, the night seemed to deepen, and the flickering neon lights in the distance appeared to have been veiled by gloom. This night, which had originally been filled with the fragrance of food and happy laughter, had been shrouded in an inescapable shadow because of a sudden piece of news and a grave speculation. The fangs of the Evil Soul Masters might already have silently emerged in the darkness, their target perhaps aimed directly at the core of the continent's oldest legend. Tonight, many people were destined to find sleep difficult.