Martial Soul, Ascension, or Death!

"Damn it, this is bad! The house next door is on fire!"

"What happened? What the hell is going on?"

"It looks like the Zhuo Family next door caught fire. Their entire estate is burning!"

"How is that possible? The Zhuo Family has so many servants, and none of them noticed even a spark?"

"Could something have happened?"

The flames next door surged skyward, throwing the entire Shi Residence into chaos.

Just as Lin Yue searched for anyone important, a cold laugh suddenly rang out beside him.

"Who did I think it was? Turns out a little mouse broke into the house. A mere Soul Master dares to trespass into my Shi Family estate?"

There was no echo, no response. Lin Yue merely raised a hand, aimed at the figure standing atop the rockery, and pressed lightly.

In an instant, the crossbow-like mechanism let out a crisp twang.

"Oh?"

The figure atop the rockery raised a hand and circulated Soul Power, intending to catch the tiny hidden weapon.

Yet before the Zhuge Repeating Crossbow, which could threaten even a Soul King, such a foolish move without even activating Martial Soul Possession was laughably feeble.

Bang!

Blood sprayed through the air as his skull exploded.

No matter what level of expert he had been, before he could even release his Martial Soul, he plummeted heavily from the rockery, dead beyond all doubt.

"Ah Yin's hidden weapons really are useful."

With a cold sneer, Lin Yue quickly reloaded, ready to fire again at any moment.

Today, having come prepared, he had come to wipe out the entire family!

The Shi Family estate, already in chaos, was soon drenched in blood...

Shi Family dungeon.

The dark space was unbearably damp, and the air was thick with mold and the stench of blood, enough to make one retch.

Deep within the dungeon, two guards stood before a cage. One of them grinned viciously as he grabbed the girl by the hair and brutally forced her face into a pig trough.

"You little bastard, eat! Why aren't you eating? This is your food. Eat it for me!"

"That's enough. She has Innate Soul Power at level seven, after all. Maybe when the young master returns from the Soul Master Academy, this little bitch might actually give him a genius child."

"Tch, just look at her. You think the young master would want her? She's trash whose Soul Power was crippled. How could she possibly give birth to a genius? If you ask me, why wait for the young master? Wouldn't it be better to let us servants have some fun with her first?"

"Hey, don't say that. What if? Who can say for sure? The master told us not to touch her, so we won't. Listening to the master can't be wrong."

"Fine. I just hope the young master comes back soon and rewards this little slut to us for some fun."

Letting go of her, the vicious-faced guard spat phlegm onto the girl's frail body.

"What the hell are you acting so proud for? When you first came in, you even looked down your nose at me. Did you really think you were still that genius Spirit Hall was chasing after? Listen up. Even if you really give the young master a genius child someday, you'll only end up locked here forever and played with until you die. Don't even dream of seeing daylight again. Hahaha!"

The girl lying on the ground had lifeless eyes. Only drops of nearly dried tears fell from her swollen eye sockets.

Her Soul Power had been crippled, and she had been imprisoned here for half a month.

She hated it so much. She hated this world, and she hated herself.

Why had she refused to join Spirit Hall on the day her Martial Soul awakened? Why had she let her pride drive her to make such a damned provocation?

Her family was dead, and her Soul Power had been destroyed. She had become like this.

If she had joined Spirit Hall back then, her family would not have died, and those beasts would never have dared lay hands on her... It was all because of her false pride and hesitation. Every mistake... was her own...

Curled up in pain and self-reproach, the girl trembled, her mind filled with nothing but a desperate wish to die.

Spraying blood splattered scarlet streaks across the ground. Two dull thuds sounded, but they could no longer stir even the slightest ripple in the girl's eyes.

"Hm? There's someone here?"

Having slaughtered everyone in the Shi Residence, Lin Yue reloaded his hidden weapon with one hand as he slowly stepped into the dungeon.

Now that he had killed the two guards, there should not have been anyone left in the Shi Residence, right?

Looking at the girl curled up on the ground, Lin Yue tilted his head curiously.

"Hey, are you still alive?"

She gave no response. Curious, Lin Yue picked up a dagger from beside one of the guards and tossed it near her.

In an instant, the girl who had been lying on the ground sprang up. Both hands seized the dagger, and she raised it to stab herself in the chest!

"Hey, don't be in such a hurry..."

Grabbing her hand and forcibly stopping the dagger, Lin Yue asked curiously,

"Why are you trying to die without saying a word?"

"I'm already ruined. Let me die..."

Tears covered the girl's face. Her hands trembled, yet she could not break free from that strong, powerful grip. She could not plunge the dagger she had longed for into her chest and end the life that should have died long ago.

She had once possessed genius-level Innate Soul Power and an exceptional Martial Soul, but now...

"Nothing is left. I have nothing left... My Martial Soul is shattered, my Soul Power is crippled, and all my family is dead. What meaning is there in living like this? Why are you stopping me?"

Choking back sobs, Shen Zhaoran lowered her head.

"Please, let me die. I already... can't go on living..."

Lin Yue frowned. Looking at the battered girl, a trace of pity appeared in his eyes.

"What if I can help you recover? Don't you want to take revenge with your own hands, kill more trash like them who prey on ordinary people, and protect more people like yourself?"

"!!!"

[ Ding, commission from Shen Zhaoran ]

[ Ascension, or Death ]

[ Mission Details: Help Shen Zhaoran restore her Martial Soul and reshape her aptitude, or cause her to die because she cannot endure the aptitude reshaping process. Either outcome counts as mission completion. ]

[ Mission Reward: 10,000 points, Gold +9 Enhancement Coupon, Amplification Blessing Coupon (can increase amplification success rate) ]

"Y-You... can help me?"

The six-year-old girl raised her head. There was no longing to live on her filthy face, only excitement for revenge.

She had long lost every reason to keep living, but... killing more bastards like the Shi Family and protecting more children like herself... that was the meaning of her life!

"Of course. But there's only a chance... If it succeeds, you might live. If it fails, you'll die."

"Alright... Then please, kill me."

Releasing the dagger, the girl shut her eyes tightly, her body trembling faintly.

Lin Yue did not release her hand. Instead, his left hand glimmered faintly.

[ Ding, Universal Amplifier purchased ]

"Show me your Martial Soul."

A glimmer of light appeared in Shen Zhaoran's palm. It was a Broken Greensteel Sword.

She did not flee. Instead, she took the initiative to press her forehead against Lin Yue's left palm, looking utterly calm as she faced death.

There was even a relieved smile at the corners of the girl's finally relaxed lips.

"Please begin."

[ Warning: Amplify Martial Soul "Broken Greensteel Sword"? If amplification fails, the target Martial Soul will shatter. Amplification success rate: 70%. Handling fee: 1,000 points. ]

"Yes."

With a thought, a vast force suddenly poured into the Martial Soul in the girl's palm!

Violent energy washed through the girl's meridians, instantly tensing her already weakened body. Her grip on Lin Yue's hand tightened as she trembled, and her frail body creaked as though it bore unimaginably immense pressure!

However—

[ Ding, amplification successful ]

Sweat fell like rain, soaking the girl's body.

As she gasped for breath, the girl's Martial Soul had already recovered from its broken state, returning to the Greensteel Sword's original form.

[ Broken Greensteel Sword ascended into Greensteel Sword ]

Yet the girl's complexion did not improve in the slightest.

Her forehead remained pressed against Lin Yue's left hand, and her body trembled.

"It's not enough..."

"What?"

Lin Yue froze as the girl's shout rang in his ear.

"It's not enough!"

Feeling the ruptures in her meridians and the exhaustion of her Soul Power, Shen Zhaoran gritted her teeth. Blood slowly filled her beautiful eyes.

This much power was not enough for revenge, not enough to change this world!

She was too weak...

"Alright."

Lin Yue nodded, deciding to respect the girl's choice.

[ Warning: Amplify Martial Soul "Broken Greensteel Sword"? If amplification fails, the target Martial Soul will shatter. Amplification success rate: 50%. Handling fee: 2,000 points. ]

With another thought, another terrifying force surged into the girl's body. She clenched her teeth as every inch of her muscles and bones crackled!

Light flowed over the Martial Soul, yet it bore immense pressure, as though it would shatter into fragments and be completely destroyed in the next instant!

But at the very moment a crack appeared on the Greensteel Sword!

[ Ding, amplification successful ]

Intense energy swiftly repaired the damaged blade. The formerly plain sword body now possessed several strands of dazzling radiance.

[ Greensteel Sword ascended into Radiant Sword ]

"Not enough, continue!!"

The exhaustion that had already been compressed to its limit within her body instead stabbed deeply into Shen Zhaoran's soul at this moment.

She could feel that towering tide of hatred!

Her body could still endure more!!!