Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife

Xu Jiujiu opened the lid.

Inside the box lay an ancient-looking carving knife as thick as a finger. The instant Lu Yu saw it, his Martial Soul started sounding frantic alarms.

This one's trouble. The wind's picking up-time to run.

"Ranked ninety-ninth on the carving knife rankings: the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife. It was made by a Level 9 Soul Engineer and has had thirty-seven owners to date. Without exception, all of them died unnatural deaths. Historical records state that the Level 9 Soul Engineer was an Evil Soul Master. He left a wisp of his soul on the knife that leads people into corruption."

"According to the records, nine of its owners were led into becoming Evil Soul Masters. After hearing all this, do you still want this carving knife, Master Lu?"

"Yes. Why wouldn't I? I think I'm different."

Looking every bit the newborn calf unafraid of the tiger, Lu Yu took the box and quickly shut it. What a joke-this was gold of life. In the game, getting a piece meant you could start a new run right away, because getting gold of life was as good as clearing the game.

Now a treasure like this cost only ten Gold Soul Coins. How was that any different from giving it away? Ever since he had seen this carving knife at an auction shortly after arriving in Star Luo City a few years ago, Lu Yu had known it belonged to him.

Huo Yutong's eyes filled with worry at what she heard, but if Master Lu said it was fine, it should be fine, right?

In truth, Lu Yu had absolutely no idea what to do. Logically, even a curse left behind by a mental-type Titled Douluo Evil Soul Master should have faded after so long. Yet the curse on the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife had not faded at all; it was even growing stronger. According to Lu Yu's investigation, of the nine owners who had fallen into corruption, a full five were among its thirtieth through thirty-seventh owners. The later someone obtained the knife, the more easily they fell!

But whatever. As long as he simply stored it without using it, there would be no problem. In any case, he would keep the treasure with him first. It would be awkward if someone else bought it at auction.

Still, this carving knife had practically left Lu Yu penniless. Not counting Huo Yutong's debt to him, he only had a few dozen Gold Soul Coins left.

Now he could not even afford Huo Yutong's milk money-no, the money for Huo Yutong's cultivation medicine.

"You certainly seem confident, Master Lu. Then I wish you luck. Speaking of which, you've even taken down your sign. Are you planning to move? Is there something about life in Star Luo City that doesn't suit you?"

"No, nothing like that. It's just that, although Star Luo City is my second home, I think Shrek City offers broader seas and skies."

"Really? But isn't Star Luo Royal Academy on par with Shrek?"

"But from what I've seen, Star Luo Royal Academy graduates aren't as high-level as Shrek graduates. Anyway, loads of high-ranking officials in the Star Luo Empire graduated from Shrek. Wouldn't coming back to build my career after getting that gilded diploma spare me some trouble?"

Lu Yu's barrage of words immediately sent Xu Jiujiu's chest heaving.

The truth was a sharp knife, and Lu Yu had just stabbed Xu Jiujiu in the chest with it several times.

But those were all facts, and this was precisely the Star Luo Empire's sore spot. It was not that they did not want to employ Star Luo Royal Academy graduates, but their abilities simply fell short of Shrek graduates. If everyone else employed Shrek Academy graduates and you did not, wouldn't that leave you a head below the rest?

"Then I wish you a successful graduation, Master Lu. If you want to build your career in the Star Luo Empire afterward, you can come to me."

"Through the back door?"

"If you meet the standard of a Shrek Inner Court graduate, the back door can be opened."

Leaving those words behind, Xu Jiujiu fled. She felt that if she stayed any longer, her breasts would swell from sheer anger.

"We've got the goods. Disciple, get ready to leave."

"Yes, Master."

With the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife in hand, Lu Yu no longer had any reason to stay in Star Luo City. Besides, he still had to find Huo Yutong a high-quality first Soul Ring. If they were delayed on the road, they might miss Shrek's enrollment.

Although his aptitude with innate full Soul Power should have let him join any ordinary faction at will, he was only level 22 right now. What person with innate full Soul Power would not have reached level 30 by now? Surely nobody with innate full Soul Power could still be barely past level 20 at his age?

Lu Yu hired a Soul Beast-drawn carriage and sat inside while Huo Yutong ran alongside it, tethered to it by blue silver vines.

She trained her body and her Soul Power at the same time.

Don't laugh. This had once been a secret cultivation method of the continent's number-one academy. Although it had surely been upgraded by now, that did not mean the old method was useless.

Huo Yutong gritted her teeth and drove her legs desperately forward. Within minutes, her Soul Power was completely depleted. Only the Mysterious Heaven Skill circulating on its own inside her, continually producing Soul Power, allowed her to barely hold on.

Only when she truly could not keep going did the blue silver vines around her waist tug her up into the carriage.

"How is it? Can you keep going?"

"I'm fine. Again." Huo Yutong's eyes were full of determination. Her master putting her through this training was all an expression of his care for her.

Seeing Huo Yutong's eyes brimming with a thirst for intensity, Lu Yu acknowledged her rabbit-headed willpower.

In just three days, the two of them reached the Star Dou Great Forest. To Lu Yu's surprise, Huo Yutong had actually run a full six hundred kilometers in those three days. For most of those six hundred kilometers, her stamina and Soul Power had been on the verge of exhaustion, and she had still needed to keep pace with the Soul Beast-drawn carriage.

Running two hundred kilometers a day in that state-Lu Yu had to admit that she was practically superhuman.

The good news was that, after this six-hundred-kilometer forced march, the Mysterious Heaven Skill had stabilized Huo Yutong's meridians. Now Huo Yutong could proudly declare, "Innate Soul Power, fifth stage!"

The Star Dou Forest, Soul Hunting Forest, and Sunset Forest had once been the Douluo Continent's three great Soul Beast habitats.

Now poisonous fumes permeated the Sunset Forest, leaving it without even any ten-thousand-year Soul Beasts. The Soul Hunting Forest still had a few ten-thousand-year Soul Beasts. Both habitats were mostly left with only specific Soul Beast populations.

Only the Star Dou Great Forest still retained the rich variety of populations it had possessed ten thousand years ago.

"At this rate, in another ten thousand years, the strongest Soul Rings Soul Masters have might only be thousand-year ones."

Inside the Star Dou Great Forest, Lu Yu scouted ahead while giving Huo Yutong some general knowledge.

"All right, your master is tired. Let's rest and eat."

With his stamina mostly depleted, Lu Yu decided to rest a while and took his dry rations out of his backpack.

Huo Yutong saw her chance to show what she could do.

"Wait, Teacher. Let me cook."

"You'll cook?"

Lu Yu squeezed the rock-hard rations in his hand. "If it tastes bad, your master will have to punish you according to our sect rules."

"Don't worry, Teacher. It'll definitely suit your taste. Make sure you eat plenty."

Huo Yutong rolled up her sleeves, removed her shoes and socks, and stepped into the river.

Sunlight shone on her jade-like feet, making them look like a work of art.

"Fine, I'll eat."

Huo Yutong deftly caught some fish and put them on the grill. The plump, fat fish soon roasted golden brown. She scattered a handful of seasoning over them, and their fragrance immediately spread in every direction.

"Holy shit, that smells good."

The aroma made even Lu Yu swear. What the hell was this? How could a little salt make it smell so good? Anyone who didn't know better might have thought she was grilling ice rather than fish.

"Teacher, it's ready."

Taking the grilled fish Huo Yutong offered him, Lu Yu wolfed down several bites. Holy shit, this flavor. She really added ice, didn't she?

"Disciple, your master has already thought of your future title."

"Title? You mean a Titled Douluo's title?"

"That's right. How about Spirit Ice Douluo?"

"Spirit Ice Douluo? Spirit is for Spirit Eyes, but what's the ice?"

"Good children don't need to know."

"Oh."

Huo Yutong felt a little happy. Although her master's words made no sense, once she earned her title, she would definitely make the name Spirit Ice Douluo known throughout the continent.

"Master, is the grilled fish good? If it is, how about I make it for you every day?"

"Sure."

That tiny nod sent Huo Yutong's heart fluttering. Back then, her mother had used grilled fish to capture that man's...

At the thought of that man, her rabbit head replaced her little head and took over Huo Yutong's mind. That's right. How can I think about these things when my great vengeance remains unfulfilled? If I don't avenge Mom, how can I pursue my own happiness?

Just as Huo Yutong continued grilling fish, a voice came from nearby.

"Wow, that smells amazing!"

Lu Yu thought the voice sounded a little familiar.