Refining Human Souls, My Enemies Don't Count as Human

"Don't be nervous. I'm human, not a Spirit Beast!"

A man's voice came from the dense forest. Immediately afterward, Scarred Man emerged, hacking through the undergrowth with an iron saber in hand.

"Huh? Why's it a kid?"

Seeing Bai Yu's youthful face, Scarred Man froze. He had heard movement over here, but he hadn't expected it to be a kid!

"Kid, where are your parents?"

As he sized Bai Yu up, Bai Yu was sizing him up as well.

Well-built, fierce-looking—he had definitely killed before. Anyone who dared walk alone through the forest likely had Soul Power. He wondered whether Scarred Man had a Soul Ring.

Bai Yu's eyes shifted as he said,

"Mister, I got separated from my dad."

His features were even more delicate than Tang San's, making it all the easier for him to act innocent.

Combined with the passive effect of the Human Emperor Banner, Scarred Man immediately relaxed and asked,

"Kid... little friend, how did you get separated from your father?"

"We ran into a Giant Python. My dad led it away by himself to save me."

Bai Yu put on a sorrowful expression. Scarred Man's heart stirred, and he asked,

"A Giant Python? How big was it? Did it have Soul Power?"

Bai Yu looked confused. Scarred Man guessed that Bai Yu had no Soul Power, but he continued probing.

"I mean, did that python have anything special about it? Like being especially long, or especially fast?"

Bai Yu nodded and said,

"Yes! That python was huge, about three meters long!"

Three meters. It was probably a Ten-Year Spirit Beast. A Ten-Year Spirit Beast was equivalent to a level-ten Soul Master. If this kid's father could lure it away, he had to have at least level-nine Soul Power.

Scarred Man thought silently before asking,

"Little friend, when your father lured that snake away, did he leave you anything so he could find you more easily?"

Bai Yu nodded.

"Yes. Dad gave me lots of things. He said he was afraid he might not come back, so he gave me everything he had."

Scarred Man's eyes lit up.

"Everything?"

Bai Yu nodded. Greed suddenly rose in Scarred Man's heart. He walked toward Bai Yu step by step, smiling as he said,

"Little friend, it's too dangerous for you to be alone here. I'll escort you out of the forest."

Before he could finish, Bai Yu suddenly brought out the black Myriad Souls Banner. Its dark aura and terrifying suction force nearly scared Scarred Man to death.

"Sigh. Since you dared set your sights on me, why didn't you think carefully about how I managed to notice you?"

Bai Yu smiled faintly, and the innocent expression on his face vanished in an instant.

Scarred Man let out a low roar as his First Soul Skill erupted, yet he still could not break free.

He looked at Bai Yu in horror and cried out in disbelief,

"You... you're a Soul Master?!"

Bai Yu glanced at his white Soul Ring and mocked,

"So that's why. There was actually a Soul Master in this forest, and I happened to run into one. Turns out it's only a Ten-Year Soul Ring. No wonder you can only scrape by around here."

As he spoke, Bai Yu created a whole host of Illusionary Realms for him. Scarred Man attacked the air frantically, his Soul Power rapidly draining away.

The Myriad Souls Banner activated. Scarred Man's soul was instantly torn out, shattered, and turned into countless Light Spots. Even his Soul Ring was not spared; all of it was devoured by the Myriad Souls Banner.

After thinking about it, Bai Yu did not feed that Soul Power to Little Green and stored it instead.

Whether he used it for cultivation after returning or continued Soul Devouring, it would never hurt to keep some Soul Power in reserve.

Bai Yu looked at the Myriad Souls Banner. This was his first time refining a human soul, yet he felt nothing at all.

Anyone who opposed him, whether human or beast—even if they were a maggot—would receive no mercy from him.

On the other hand, as long as someone supported him wholeheartedly, whether human or beast, Bai Yu would never treat them poorly.

Therefore, in Bai Yu's eyes, as long as they were enemies, it did not matter whether they were human or pig. He would just kill them. Did corpses distinguish between humans and livestock?

Scarred Man's corpse turned to dust and scattered away, leaving behind only a bundle. Bai Yu walked over to loot the body, but there were only a few Gold Soul Coins and some junk inside.

"Not worth much. Then again, that's only natural. Anyone with money wouldn't be scraping by in a place like this—they'd have gone to Soul Hunting Forest long ago. Now that I have the Myriad Souls Banner, Little Green, and the system, I can fight even a level-twenty-nine Soul Grandmaster. With this strength, I can make a go of it in Soul Hunting Forest."

Bai Yu remembered that Yu Xiaogang had dared bring Tang San hunting for Spirit Beasts at only level twenty-nine, despite Luo San Pao being such a trash martial soul. Bai Yu's current combat strength should be greater than his, so he could definitely venture into Soul Hunting Forest too.

As long as he did not encounter a Spirit Beast over two hundred years old, his chances of winning were high.

Even if he did encounter one, it did not matter. With the system, he could just alter the narration and run away.

Having made up his mind, Bai Yu decided to return to the academy first and look around, lest the Dean become suspicious after he had been gone too long.

Before that, however, he needed to register at the Spirit Hall Branch and obtain a Soul Master Handbook. Only then would he qualify to enter Soul Hunting Forest.

At the Spirit Hall Branch, Su Yuntao and Ma Xiunuo were discussing something when a guard suddenly led Bai Yu inside.

The moment Su Yuntao saw Bai Yu, he remembered him and exclaimed in delight,

"Bai Yu?"

Bai Yu nodded with a smile.

"Mr. Su Yuntao, long time no see."

Su Yuntao introduced him to Ma Xiunuo, who asked in astonishment,

"Child, have you already obtained your First Soul Ring?"

Bai Yu nodded, leaving Ma Xiunuo deeply shocked.

Su Yuntao had matters to attend to. Before leaving, he gave Ma Xiunuo a meaningful look. Ma Xiunuo understood and began trying every possible way to poach Bai Yu while helping him register.

Especially after learning that Bai Yu was a Support System Soul Master with Innate Full Soul Power, Ma Xiunuo practically wanted to personally visit Nuoding Academy and recruit Bai Yu from Dean Wu.

Objectively speaking, both had Innate Full Soul Power and obtained their First Soul Ring at the age of six, but Bai Yu was far more valuable than Tang San had been in the original story.

How could the Control System compare to the rarity of the Support System?

Especially when this Support System was nearly omnipotent. That was why Ma Xiunuo was so Frenzied.

However, after Bai Yu persuaded him, Ma Xiunuo ultimately gave up on trying to recruit him. Still, he and Bai Yu reached an agreement: if Bai Yu ever had such thoughts in the future, Spirit Hall would be his first choice.

Bai Yu readily agreed. Whether or not he actually had such intentions, it never hurt to leave himself a way out.

After registering, Bai Yu returned to Nuoding Academy. By coincidence, he ran into Boss Xiao right at the academy gate.

Boss Xiao was leading several Henchmen in surrounding a man. Bai Yu looked closely and realized that the man was the Gatekeeper he and Old Jack had met when they first came to the academy.

Bai Yu walked over. From a distance, Boss Xiao's voice reached his ears.

"You bastard! My family came to deliver something to me, and you actually dared stop them? Who do you think you are?"

"I won't even use my family's influence in the city to bully you. Even here at the academy, I'm a Soul Master and you're not. All you're fit for is bowing and scraping before me!"

The Gatekeeper nodded in panic and repeatedly agreed.

At that moment, Bai Yu walked over, patted Boss Xiao on the shoulder, and smiled.

"Boss Xiao, what are you doing?"

Boss Xiao wore an angry expression, but when he turned around and saw who it was, all his anger vanished, replaced by a hint of fear.

"Bai Yu? Wh-what are you doing?!"

"Don't look like a mouse that's seen a cat. We can count ourselves acquainted through a fight. I'm just saying hello. You don't like that?"

Bai Yu smiled faintly. Boss Xiao swallowed. He still held some resentment toward Bai Yu. After all, Bai Yu had tricked him that day. If he had known Bai Yu was in the Support System earlier, he and Zhao Hu would have won long ago!

However, the Human Emperor Banner's effect quietly activated. Boss Xiao suddenly found Bai Yu much more agreeable and said with a smile,

"Hey, what are you talking about? We're all classmates. What's there not to like? But you—when are we going to spar again? This time, I definitely won't lose!"

The Gatekeeper swallowed and stared at Bai Yu, recognizing him as well. Wasn't this the kid from that day?

He had only just entered the academy, yet he was already on equal footing with Boss Xiao?

For a moment, an ominous feeling suddenly rose in his heart.