Blood.
The floor was covered in blood and indescribable internal organs.
It looked as though a beast starved to the extreme had caught its prey and eaten greedily, scattering the remains everywhere.
And what had rolled to a stop in front of Toji was the Soul Tool button that the Shrek Inspection Corps had given his parents.
Hearing the noise, the three black-robed men slowly turned around. Their scarlet eyes shone with bloodlust, and traces of unwiped blood still clung to the corners of their mouths.
Toji could even see the mangled half of his mother's face caught between one man's teeth.
The Evil Soul Master licked the congealed blood off his fingernails and laughed, the sound like sandpaper scraping:
"Heh... how strange. Why didn't our Soul Power sense pick up a little brat like you when we came in?"
"But you're lucky. At least you can serve as a little snack for us."
The air suddenly grew thick.
Toji felt his heart pounding wildly against his eardrums. His head buzzed, and everything before his eyes seemed to freeze at that moment.
These were the parents who had raised him for nine years.
They were also his birth parents, who, when it was time for his Martial Soul Awakening, had spent their entire fortune, selling everything of value in the house. Despite their illnesses, they had even knelt to beg others, all to invite a Soul Master to awaken his Martial Soul.
Though they had humbled themselves before Soul Masters, it had all been... for him.
And now, they were dead, just like that.
And these fucking Evil Soul Masters had defiled them like this!
Toji's eyes instantly turned red, and tears spilled uncontrollably from them.
He hadn't yet repaid his parents for their kindness...
So.
He was going to kill these inhuman things!
As soon as he took a step forward, an Evil Soul Master casually waved a hand, sending a surge of immense Soul Power sweeping toward him, laced with a chilling presence.
Muscle memory, forged through relentless, iron-hard training over the past three years, reacted faster than thought. Toji let his body act on instinct and hurriedly rolled to the side.
The Soul Power clung to him like maggots on bone, following his movement and slamming hard into his chest.
Agony struck in an instant. Toji felt as though he had been hit by a boulder, his body flying backward out of control. He crashed heavily into the wall, then slid to the floor.
Blood and Qi churned in Toji's chest, black Qi curled around his wound, and blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. He forced himself not to make a sound.
Yet his muscles writhed at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the wound gradually began to heal.
Considering the advantage he had shown earlier, when even the three Soul Kings of the Shrek Inspection Corps couldn't sense his presence, he thought he would have a better chance if he stayed quiet.
Even as rage surged in his heart, Toji forced himself to remain composed and think calmly.
Seeing this, another Evil Soul Master couldn't help snapping:
"Hey, why did you hit him so hard? He's just a little brat without any Soul Power. If you smash him to pieces, how are we supposed to recover from our injuries?"
"Hmm... something's not quite right. That little brat seemed to dodge my attack just now. His reactions really are fast."
"Is that so? Then go take a look. See if he's been smashed to bits."
"Fine."
As soon as he finished speaking, footsteps sounded.
Toji took a deep breath and forced himself to bear the pain. He quickly got up, his leg muscles tensed, and while they weren't paying attention, he swiftly slipped into the kitchen.
When the Evil Soul Master reached the spot where Toji had been, he frowned in puzzlement.
"That's strange. I don't see him, just some blood."
"Maybe you smashed him to bits. You bastard, I told you not to hit him so hard!" came an angry shout from outside.
"Forget it. Hurry up and eat so we can recover from our injuries. Those bastards from the Shrek Inspection Corps are hot on our heels. We're all weakened right now, so we can't miss this chance."
The Evil Soul Master had just turned around when he saw a cleaver flying at his face.
The cleaver flashed coldly through the air, flying straight toward his eyes at an astonishing speed, like a bolt of lightning.
"Hm?" The Evil Soul Master froze for a moment, then sneered. The instant he raised his hand, three Soul Rings flashed into view, and Soul Power formed a web-shaped shield around his wrist. The putrid Soul Power scorched the air.
"A little brat dares to..."
Before he could finish, the Evil Soul Master's sneer froze on his rotting lips.
The defensive layer that should have deflected refined steel parted the moment it met the cleaver, like hot steel cutting through butter.
The sound of the cleaver slicing through Soul Power was like a hundred sheets of soaked rice paper tearing at once. The Evil Soul Master watched helplessly as his raised right arm separated cleanly at the elbow. The severed surface first glinted coldly like jade, then black blood spurted out, congealing in the air into the shape of a vengeful spirit's head.
When the severed arm hit the floor with a dull squelch, it was as though a section of carp that had been beheaded on a chopping board three days ago had suddenly begun thrashing violently on a porcelain plate.
"Aaaah!"
The scream startled the night owls circling the roof into flight. The Evil Soul Master's Third Soul Ring lit up, and the fingers on his severed arm were still twitching with nervous spasms when its five fingernails suddenly lengthened into ghastly white bone spikes, stabbing toward Toji.
Toji cursed under his breath and hurriedly rolled again, dodging the oncoming bone spikes.
"What happened?"
The two Evil Soul Masters inside rushed out. When they saw that he had lost a hand, their faces showed shock as well.
"Why are you shouting so loudly? Watch out, or you'll draw the Inspection Corps here. Don't forget, they're nearby. Our chance to hide right under their noses won't-"
The Soul Elder Evil Soul Master roared, cutting him off:
"Cut the crap! That brat isn't dead yet. There's something wrong with every part of him! He clearly doesn't have any Soul Power, but he's no weaker than some strength-type Three-Ring Soul Elders. He's fast, too-he even dodged my Third Soul Skill! Catch him, don't let him get away!"
The two Evil Soul Masters were startled. They hurriedly turned to search the house, only to see that Toji had already picked up the Soul Tool button from the floor of the hall.
"Click!"
Right in front of the Evil Soul Masters, Toji pressed it hard.
"Beep, beep, beep-"
An alarm sounded at once.
It wasn't coming from the button in front of them, but... from far away!
"Damn it, they're coming!"
The two Evil Soul Masters' expressions changed drastically as they realized that the Shrek Inspection Corps had found their location.
Seeing this, the Evil Soul Master in the lead darkened and roared:
"Damn brat, how dare you bring the Inspection Corps here!"
As he spoke, he raised a hand. A yellow Soul Ring lit up, and a dark purple presence blasted toward Toji.
It carried a chill wind, and everywhere it passed, the ground showed faint signs of corrosion.
Toji's gaze sharpened. Relying on his powerful body, he swiftly dodged to the side. The chilling presence grazed the hem of his clothes and struck the wall behind him, causing it to collapse and send broken stones flying.
What was going on?
The Evil Soul Master in the lead froze.
The Soul Skill had clearly locked onto him, so how had it lost its target at the last moment?
The other two Evil Soul Masters also attacked. In an instant, all manner of Soul Skills filled the space, and Toji darted between them, dodging as danger closed in on every side.
This was the degree to which running tens of kilometers in marathons every day had strengthened Toji's body.
When he had first gone out to sell goods, rushing about to make a living, Toji had nearly died of exhaustion several times. But after three years of desperate training, his body had broken through the limit between life and death a full two times. As a result, Toji's physical strength was now roughly at the combat level of a Three-Ring Soul Elder.
Toji had carefully calculated this with the help of a Soul Master from Zhang Lexuan's household. Moreover, every time his body broke through the limit between life and death, it granted him a Soul Skill, just as it would a normal Soul Master.
The difference was that his Soul Skills required no hunting of soul beasts; they came entirely from himself. And they were all passive Soul Skills, with none that he could actively release.
The first was Conceal Breath, a name Toji had given it himself. It ignored all energy detection, which was why Soul Masters couldn't sense his presence.
The second was Unyielding Fortitude. The worse his condition, the greater the potential his body unleashed, giving him greater combat power.
As for what type of Martial Soul he had, since everyone said it was a Body Martial Soul, then a Body Martial Soul it was.
Unfortunately, I don't even know whether the Body Sect accepts Soul Masters without Soul Power like me.
As he dodged, Toji looked for an opening to kill the three Evil Soul Masters.
The one struck by the cleaver he had thrown at the start was a Three-Ring Soul Elder. The two Evil Soul Masters before him, however, were a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor and a Five-Ring Soul King.
"Is there no chance?"
As the attacks grew denser, falling around Toji like a raging storm, he was unwilling to accept it.
He was fast, but even his speed had its limits. Against a Soul Ancestor and a Soul King, his strength was already falling short of his will.
In another three or four seconds, he would be injured, or even killed.
"Rip-"
The chilling presence gradually clung to Toji, tearing open his skin and steadily invading his body.
Fortunately, his constitution was strong. Otherwise, that alone would have been enough to kill him countless times over.
"Something's wrong with this brat. We may be weakened, but how could we fail to take down a little brat?" the Soul King Evil Soul Master in the lead said urgently. "They're almost here. There's something strange about this kid; he won't be easy to kill. Retreat!"
"If the Inspection Corps catches us, we're dead!"
Hearing the order, the Evil Soul Masters hurriedly turned and fled.
And the fluctuations of Soul Power from the three Soul Kings of the Shrek Inspection Corps were drawing closer and closer.
"You think you can run?"
Seeing them flee just like that, Toji, who had been taking their attacks without striking back, was suddenly overcome with rage. His muscles tensed, and his body became like a fully drawn bow as he charged after them!
At that speed, he was about to catch up with the Evil Soul Masters!
"What the hell? Could this kid be at the Soul Ancestor level? How is he so fast?" cursed the Soul Elder Evil Soul Master running at the rear.
Because he was injured and had the lowest cultivation, he was the slowest.
When the two Evil Soul Masters in front saw the troublesome child catching up, they hardened their hearts and gritted their teeth. In perfect unspoken accord, they turned and attacked the Soul Elder Evil Soul Master at the same time.
"Crack!"
A sharp sound rang out as the Soul Elder Evil Soul Master's leg was broken. He fell heavily to the ground.
Watching his two companions run faster and faster, he panicked, reaching out again and again as he shouted:
"Don't leave me behind, you two bastards!"
The other two Evil Soul Masters didn't look back, leaving him only the sight of their indifferent backs and their voices fading into the distance:
"Trash. You slowed us down, so stay here and keep the brat company!"
The Soul Elder Evil Soul Master's eyes nearly split with rage as he roared:
"You two ungrateful bastards! Even as a ghost, I won't let you off!"
But all that answered him was the sound of footsteps growing ever more distant, and Toji's cold gaze drawing closer.
Toji didn't care about the infighting among the Evil Soul Masters. His mind was filled with thoughts of avenging his parents. Looking at the injured Soul Elder Evil Soul Master lying before him, he charged without the slightest hesitation.
The Soul Elder Evil Soul Master was terrified. He hurriedly tried to struggle to his feet and escape, but the agony in his broken leg made it impossible for him to move quickly.
He could only watch helplessly as Toji drew closer and shout in despair:
"Y-you, stay back! I'm an Evil Soul Master! If you dare touch me, I'll make you wish you were dead!"
Toji ignored the threat entirely. He grabbed the man by the collar and lifted him up.
"Wish I were dead? When you were defiling my parents, did you ever think they might wish they were dead too? Now it's your turn to have a taste!"
With that, Toji slammed a fist into the Soul Elder Evil Soul Master's face, knocking his nose crooked and sending blood spurting out.
The Soul Elder Evil Soul Master screamed in pain. Before he could react, Toji's second punch landed, striking him squarely on the chin and shattering his teeth.
The Soul Elder Evil Soul Master's screams grew more and more pitiful, but Toji showed no intention of stopping.
Like a tireless machine of vengeance, he struck the Soul Elder Evil Soul Master again and again, each punch carrying his endless hatred for Evil Soul Masters.
As Toji's fists continued to fall, the Soul Elder Evil Soul Master's body gradually became a mangled wreck, and his life force grew weaker and weaker.
At last, after one final, harrowing scream, the Soul Elder Evil Soul Master's body lost all life and went limp on the ground.
The Inspection Corps' Soul Masters had arrived, just in time to see a sight they would never forget.
A nine-year-old child was straddling a three-ring Evil Soul Master, raining punches down on his face and splattering blood everywhere.
When they drew closer, they saw that the Evil Soul Master's head had been flattened, yet the child was still frantically smashing his fists into it.
"Stop!"
The three Soul Kings who had come during the day turned pale at the sight and hurriedly reached out to pull Toji away.
But Toji was too strong. They couldn't pull him away at all; it was as difficult as trying to seize a tiger in a frenzy.
"Damn, how is this kid so strong? He's like a mad dog. We can't even hold him!" The Soul King was stunned. He hurriedly used Martial Soul Possession, and the boost it gave him immediately overcame Toji's strength. He scooped Toji up and carried him away from the Evil Soul Master's corpse.
Seeing that Toji's eyes were blood-red and that he was still struggling to lunge at the corpse and vent his rage, another Soul King couldn't bear to watch. He raised a hand and struck the back of Toji's head.
Only then did Toji pass out.
The Soul King looked at the Evil Soul Master's corpse, its head battered flat, and his lips trembled:
"My heavens... a child with no Soul Power beat a three-ring Soul Elder to death with his bare hands, and an Evil Soul Master at that?"