Amons

Amon sat cross-legged on the bed as drifting energy continuously gathered. When the soul power scattered through the surrounding space entered his body, layers upon layers of Whispers suddenly filled his mind.

The Whispers were soft but dense. As time passed, they grew louder, becoming hoarse, low, terrifying, and touched with a hint of madness.

He had asked others about it. Although meditation was boring, absorbing drifting energy made the body feel pleasantly warm. If one could endure the loneliness, it was an enjoyment.

Amon's meditation, however, could only be called torment. Though it would not drive him mad or contaminate his mind, it was still intensely irritating.

He guessed it was because of his own Martial Soul. It came from the Lord of the Mysteries World and carried the chaotic, disorderly traits embedded in that world's underlying logic.

It was not all bad, either. This maddening influence of contamination had affected his soul power, making it cold and sinister as well.

These cold, sinister, mad traits meant nothing to an Amon accustomed to them. But once they harmed others, the invading soul power would briefly affect their minds. Those with weak wills might even suffer permanent mental deterioration.

Over the past half month, Amon had read a great many books on politics, sect forces, and local customs, gaining a deeper understanding of this world. Next, he planned to study Soul Beasts.

To obtain suitable Spirit Rings, knowledge of Soul Beasts was indispensable.

While studying, the avatars marked and recorded any Soul Beasts that might suit them.

"I found a very interesting Soul Beast." One Amon held up a book and showed the others the page he was reading.

"A Slime?"

"That's right. This Soul Beast can reproduce through self-division, much like us. Should we consider making it the target of our next Spirit Ring?"

"No need. If multiple Slimes could merge and raise their Soul Power Level, becoming a stronger whole, they would be a good choice. But they can only divide, so they are of little significance."

Every Amon had a different personality and approached problems from different angles.

Amons could discuss and communicate with one another, creating sparks of thought through those exchanges.

"Hadn't the Main Body already planned out the general direction of each future soul skill before we split off?"

"All we need to do is find Soul Beasts that meet the requirements. As for differing views, let's save those for when we raise Yan Jin."

The Amons ended their discussion. A decision made by the Main Body before splitting was equivalent to the result of an "All-Amon Referendum," overriding the will of any individual Amon.

In the living room, Yan Jin sat in a chair. Lei Yin and the other seven children sat on benches in two rows before her.

Seeing Yan Jin's solemn expression, the children's joy at moving into their new home gradually faded, replaced by unease.

"I have something very important to tell you," Yan Jin said slowly.

"Today, Amon took Ma Wen and me to reach an agreement."

At the mention of Ma Wen's name, the children stirred. They all knew the weight that name carried in Frostleaf City. She was an important figure they absolutely could not afford to provoke.

"Amon and I accepted Ma Wen's investment. In five years, we must enter an advanced soul master academy, and afterward qualify to participate in the Pan-Continental Elite Tournament of Advanced Soul Master Academies.

"If all goes well, I will work for her in eight years, or become her business partner."

Lei Yin opened his mouth but said nothing, quietly listening to her explanation.

"This means I have to leave Frostleaf City in five years. You need to grow up during those five years, at least enough to survive on your own. Otherwise, I won't be able to leave with peace of mind."

"Big Sister, you've already done more than enough for us. We can't keep holding you back," said a slightly chubby girl beside Lei Yin.

"Mo Lei is right. We can't become obstacles on your path forward, Big Sister. In five years, even the youngest among us will be nine, two years older than you are now. If we still have to rely on you by then, we'd be completely useless," another child said with a nod.

Yan Jin swept her dark red eyes over everyone and asked, "Lei Yin, is there anything you want to say?"

Lei Yin pondered for a moment, then asked, "Can Ma Wen really be trusted? Back when we were on West Street, didn't we see people who cooperated with the Ice Thorn Chamber of Commerce, only to be squeezed dry of every last bit of value and left lying in filthy gutters waiting to die?"

His words reminded the children of the man they had once seen, his limbs broken, covered in blood, helplessly moaning in a foul gutter.

"You don't need to worry about that. I'll handle it."

Yan Jin also had some concerns, but she would not show them. That would only add to the children's worries.

"In short, I have to leave in five years. You'll need to live on your own for more than three years, until I return after the Soul Master Tournament. But there's no need to worry too much. During those three-plus years, Ma Wen will look after you to a certain extent."

"Enough with the troublesome things. What matters now is that we have money! Tomorrow, we're going shopping. Whatever you want to eat or buy, we can get it!" Yan Jin rose to her feet and announced.

"Oh!"

The children all cheered, their hearts full of anticipation for tomorrow.

Within the dark shadows, two burly, powerfully built men stood beneath a tree, watching the house where Yan Jin lived.

Naturally, Ma Wen would not hand over the money she owed without taking precautions. Few dared to deceive her, but there were not none. Every year, several swindlers blinded by greed ended up hanging from the Cured Meat Tree.

She had sent people to watch them. If Amon showed any sign of leaving Frostleaf City in the next few days, he would immediately face her pursuit.

After all, the agreement stated that he would remain in Frostleaf City until Yan Jin graduated. Leaving early could basically be taken as proof that he had taken the money and intended to run.

The wind stirred the leaves, making them rustle.

Hearing the faint cheers coming from the house, one of the men nodded. "Looks like they have no plans to flee right away."

"We should still be cautious. Keep watch for a few more nights. That's a huge sum of money... I don't think anyone in Frostleaf City would dare deceive Lady Ma Wen, but we can't make any mistakes. Otherwise, we'll be the unlucky ones."

"The key is that man called Amon. Yan Jin can't run far with that group of little brats."

"Soul Masters really have it good. A few words, and they can get such a huge sum from Lady Ma Wen. We couldn't earn that much even after risking our lives for years," said one of the men, dressed in dark blue and missing the little finger on his left hand, with greed and jealousy in his voice.

"Walsh, don't get any crooked ideas. You should know what money you can't touch. And that's a Lord Soul Master. Even a little brat like Yan Jin, who merely has soul master aptitude, can get by well in the slums. A real Soul Master is not someone we can deal with. More importantly, this is Lady Ma Wen's investment!"

"I know," Walsh replied perfunctorily. He lowered his eyelids slightly, hiding the greed in his eyes.