Evil Soul Masters!

Three years had passed.

Chen Xing leaned back in his seat on the Soul Guidance Train, watching the scenery race past outside the window.

Those three years had kept him busy from morning to night.

Apart from the occasional trip home,

he had studied Mecha design under Zhen Hua and the Body Sect's secret body-tempering methods under Mu Ye. Between his two teachers, he had barely had a moment's rest.

It was exhausting, but the gains were real.

This time, he was returning to Aolai City because Tang Wulin was graduating from Red Mountain Academy.

As his older brother, he couldn't miss it.

Tang Wulin was his favorite little brother.

"Next stop, Aolai City."

The announcement sounded over the train's speakers.

Chen Xing stretched and was about to doze off again.

Bang!

A sudden crash came from the front of the carriage.

Screams followed.

Chen Xing's eyes snapped open.

Panic swept through the passengers. Some stood to look around, while others ducked straight under their seats.

"What happened?"

"What's going on up front?"

"Could it be..."

Before the speaker could finish, someone kicked the carriage door open from the other side.

Three people entered, all in black robes and giving off a nauseating chill.

Their leader was a gaunt man with a scar running from his forehead to his chin.

His sinister eyes made him look as though he had just crawled out of a grave.

Two men followed him, one with a fleshy face, the other as thin as a bamboo pole.

As soon as they entered, the carriage seemed to grow several degrees colder.

"Don't move."

The scarred man's voice rasped like sandpaper scraping sheet metal.

"Sit quietly. We're here for people, not lives."

"But if anyone disobeys..."

He swept out a hand.

Black Soul Power shot from his palm and blasted a huge hole in the carriage roof.

Black smoke still hissed from the edges.

"The next one hits a person."

The carriage fell silent at once.

No one dared make a sound.

From his window seat, Chen Xing narrowed his eyes and studied the three men.

Evil Soul Masters.

The words flashed through his mind.

Three years ago, those thugs in an Aolai City alley had had ties to the Holy Spirit Cult.

But they had only been errand boys.

The cold, sinister aura around these three was something else entirely.

These were the real thing.

Chen Xing made no move.

First, he needed to find out how many of them there were.

The scarred man scanned the carriage, letting his gaze rest briefly on every face.

Then he spoke:

"Listen up. We've taken over this train."

"We've already secured the carriages ahead. This is the last one."

"Stay put and behave. Once we've chosen who we want, the rest of you can live."

The fleshy-faced man behind him stepped forward, his voice booming:

"If anyone tries to fight back..."

He grinned, showing a mouthful of yellow teeth.

"Don't blame me for using you to train my soul rings."

The passengers went pale.

Someone began to sob softly.

Others clamped hands over their mouths, afraid to make a sound.

Chen Xing noticed the scarred man's gaze sweeping back and forth, as though he was searching for someone.

He frowned.

These Evil Soul Masters had hijacked the train to seize people for a blood sacrifice.

"Boss." The bamboo-thin man leaned close and whispered something in the scarred man's ear.

The scarred man nodded. His gaze suddenly settled on Chen Xing.

Chen Xing's heart tightened.

Seriously?

The scarred man strode over.

He stopped in front of Chen Xing and looked down at him.

"You. Stand up."

Chen Xing didn't move.

The scarred man frowned.

"I said, stand up."

Chen Xing rose slowly.

The scarred man looked him up and down, then turned to the bamboo-thin man.

"This kid's Soul Power fluctuations... zero?"

The bamboo-thin man nodded.

"Zero Soul Power. That's right."

The scarred man scoffed.

"Useless."

He turned away from Chen Xing.

"Keep searching. Our superiors said they want promising prospects this time. Don't waste time on someone useless."

Chen Xing watched the man's back and nearly laughed.

Useless?

Fine. Fine.

You'd better remember what you just said.

The scarred man continued down the carriage, scanning the passengers.

Halfway along, he suddenly stopped.

"You."

He pointed at a young woman holding a child.

"Give me the child."

The woman trembled and clutched the child tighter.

"No... I can't..."

The scarred man narrowed his eyes.

"I said, give me the child."

She shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks.

The scarred man sighed as if he had no choice.

Then he raised his hand...

Black light shot from his palm straight toward the woman.

"Stop!"

Chen Xing's shout rang out.

The scarred man paused.

He slowly turned toward Chen Xing.

"What did you just say?"

Chen Xing took a deep breath.

He had meant to wait a little longer.

But he couldn't stand by and watch someone die in front of him, especially a child's mother.

The scarred man stared at him for two seconds, then laughed.

His laughter sounded like the cry of a night owl.

"A useless brat with Zero Soul Power is telling me to stop?"

The fleshy-faced man and the bamboo-thin man laughed too.

"Boss, has this kid been scared stupid?"

"Zero Soul Power, and he still wants to play hero? Tired of living?"

The scarred man waved a hand, silencing them.

He strolled back to Chen Xing and bent close to study his face.

"Kid, do you know who I am?"

Chen Xing looked at him without speaking.

The scarred man straightened and spread his arms.

"I'm an external deacon of the Holy Church! My Soul Power is level forty-six!"

"And a little brat with Zero Soul Power thinks he can tell me to stop?"

Every passenger held their breath.

Some stole a glance at Chen Xing, then quickly lowered their heads.

No one thought the young man could do anything.

Zero Soul Power against a level forty-six Evil Soul Master.

They weren't even in the same league.

But Chen Xing smiled.

The scarred man blinked.

"What are you smiling at?"

Chen Xing tilted his head.

"I'm wondering whether level forty-six will be enough to give me a fight."

The scarred man's smile froze.

"What did you say?"

Chen Xing didn't answer.

He simply raised his hand.

The World-Painting Brush appeared in his palm.

The scarred man's pupils contracted.

"A Martial Soul?"

But the next moment, he laughed.

"A brush? Zero Soul Power? You're going to draw me to death?"

The fleshy-faced man and the bamboo-thin man burst out laughing too.

"Boss, I think there's something wrong with this kid's head!"

"Draw us to death? That's hilarious! Hahaha!"

Chen Xing ignored their mockery.

He closed his eyes, and a Mecha blueprint took shape in his mind.

A Yellow-Rank Combat Mecha?

No, no!

Let them enjoy themselves a little longer.

I'll make it look White Rank and catch them off guard.