A Mysterious Scholar Came Calling, and He Had His Eye on My Martial Soul

"He asked if my Martial Soul could leave my body and act on its own?"

Dong Jian looked at Li Man, his expression growing grave.

When ordinary Soul Masters studied a Martial Soul, they usually focused first on its type, Innate Soul Power, development path, and choice of Soul Rings.

But the first question this stranger had asked was whether the panda Martial Soul had a consciousness of its own.

That meant he had not come to Iron Bamboo Village on a whim after happening to hear that the testing crystal had shattered.

He had most likely known about similar Martial Souls for a long time.

He might even have known about the black-and-white jade pendant.

"Where is that man now?" Dong Shan asked in a deep voice.

"At the village chief's house."

Li Man said:

"He gave the village chief ten Silver Soul Coins and asked him to bring him here."

"They'll probably be here soon."

Dong Shan's expression grew uglier.

He had just reached for the courtyard gate when the old village chief's voice rang out from outside.

"Dong Shan!"

"A scholar from Nuoding City wants to see Dong Jian's Martial Soul."

"This is a good thing. Don't shut him out!"

Dong Shan's hand stopped on the gate.

Dong Jian walked over to his father.

"Let him in."

"Jian'er."

"Since he knows about my Martial Soul, there's no hiding from him."

Dong Jian lowered his voice.

"Besides, I want to know just how much he knows."

Dong Shan glanced at his son and finally let go of the gate.

The courtyard gate opened.

The old village chief entered first.

Behind him was a middle-aged man of about forty.

The man wore a dark gray robe, and his face was pale. A pair of round spectacles sat on his nose.

He wore a black glove on his left hand and held a slender cane in his right.

At first glance, he looked more like a bookkeeper from some noble household.

A boy of twelve or thirteen followed the man.

The boy was tall and thin, with an arrogant expression and a silver badge pinned to his chest.

Two curves chasing each other were engraved on the badge.

Dong Jian's gaze lingered on it for a moment.

The design was very similar to the black-and-white jade pendant.

But the curves on the pendant joined head to tail.

The design on the boy's chest had an additional vertical eye in its center.

"This is Mr. Mo Lin."

The old village chief made the introduction enthusiastically:

"Mr. Mo Lin is from Nuoding City. He's a scholar who specializes in Mutated Martial Souls."

"He heard that Dong Jian had awakened a Martial Soul that had never appeared before, so he came specially to help."

Mo Lin wore a gentle smile.

"I wouldn't call it helping."

"I'm simply interested in unknown Martial Souls."

As he spoke, his gaze fell on Dong Jian.

After examining him carefully from head to toe, he finally fixed his eyes on his chest.

Although the black-and-white jade pendant had disappeared, the cord was still hanging around Dong Jian's neck.

"Where is your jade pendant?"

Mo Lin asked suddenly.

The courtyard fell silent in an instant.

Dong Shan took half a step forward, shielding Dong Jian behind him.

"What jade pendant?"

The smile on Mo Lin's face did not change.

"Someone who attended yesterday's awakening ceremony said Dong Jian had a black-and-white jade pendant on his chest."

"During the awakening, the pendant seemed to undergo a change."

"It could very well be some kind of Soul Tool capable of affecting a Martial Soul."

"If you're willing to let me examine it, it might help us determine the origin of the Martial Soul."

"It broke."

Dong Jian stepped out from behind his father.

"It crumbled straight into powder during the awakening."

"Where's the powder?"

"The wind blew it away."

Mo Lin stared at Dong Jian for a moment.

He clearly did not entirely believe him.

But he did not press the matter.

"May I see your Martial Soul?"

"No."

Dong Shan refused outright.

Mo Lin adjusted his glasses.

"Mr. Dong, I mean no harm."

"Dong Jian's Martial Soul is not in the Spirit Hall's records."

"The wrong cultivation method could very well ruin his talent."

"I can give him a complete examination free of charge."

"That includes his Soul Power Level, physical strength, Martial Soul attributes, and the maximum age of the Soul Ring he can withstand."

"My research institute can also cover the cost of his First Soul Ring."

The old village chief's eyes lit up.

It was no easy matter for a commoner Soul Master to obtain a First Soul Ring.

A permit was needed to enter the Soul Hunting Forest.

A Soul Beast had to be found.

There could also be mortal danger along the way.

If a Martial Soul scholar was willing to help for free, it was an opportunity an ordinary family could hardly refuse.

"Dong Shan."

The old village chief tried to persuade him:

"Mr. Mo Lin means well."

"Dong Jian will have to hunt for Soul Rings sooner or later."

"With a professional's help, it'll be safer than taking him into the forest on your own."

Dong Shan's face darkened.

"I can take my son to hunt for Soul Rings myself."

Mo Lin's gaze fell on his injured left leg.

"Forgive my bluntness."

"Your Soul Power is only at level twenty-seven, and the meridians in your leg are damaged."

"If you encountered a thousand-year Soul Beast, you wouldn't even be able to protect yourself."

"Let alone protect Dong Jian."

Dong Shan's right hand clenched abruptly.

Several tools on the iron rack in the courtyard trembled slightly.

Although he had made no progress for years, he was still a Soul Grandmaster.

The boy behind Mo Lin immediately stepped forward.

A white Soul Ring rose from beneath his feet.

Gray fur covered his arms, and his nails grew sharp.

"Gray Wolf, possession!"

Dong Jian looked at Mo Lin.

"You brought someone to my house to show off his Martial Soul, and you call that meaning no harm?"

"Luo Ke."

Mo Lin spoke calmly.

The boy immediately withdrew his Martial Soul, but continued to stare at Dong Shan provocatively.

"Young people are prone to acting on impulse."

Mo Lin said:

"Please don't mind him, Mr. Dong."

"As long as you let me complete the examination, I guarantee I won't hurt Dong Jian."

"Moreover, I can also offer him a First Soul Ring plan suited to a bear-type Martial Soul."

Mo Lin took a folded sheet of paper from inside his robes.

Three kinds of Soul Beasts were listed on it.

Thick-Armored Brown Bear.

Rockback Beast.

Stone-Skin Rhinoceros.

They were all Soul Beasts that increased defense and body weight.

Dong Jian glanced at the paper once, then handed it back.

"What would happen if I absorbed one of these Soul Rings?"

"Your defensive abilities would improve significantly."

"Your First Soul Skill would most likely be body hardening or damage reduction."

"What about speed?"

"There's no need for this kind of Martial Soul to pursue speed."

Mo Lin answered calmly:

"You could become the defensive Soul Master at the front of a team."

"Use your body to withstand all of the enemy's attacks."

"Then wait for your teammates to deal with them."

It was the same assessment Su Yuntao had made.

Defense.

Endure attacks.

Leave his fate in his teammates' hands.

Dong Jian asked:

"What if I don't have teammates?"

"Being a Soul Master isn't a solitary profession."

"Then what if I'm surrounded by enemies?"

"Defense-type Soul Masters should avoid acting alone."

"What if the enemy doesn't attack me and goes around me to kill my teammates instead?"

Mo Lin frowned.

"A Soul Master team will have other people to restrain the enemy."

"So your plan is based on the assumption that the enemy will fight exactly as you expect?"

Dong Jian looked at him.

"If the enemy doesn't cooperate, I won't be able to do anything but stand there and take a beating."

Mo Lin's smile faded somewhat.

"You haven't received a Soul Master education yet."

"You can't dismiss established Martial Soul Theory based on imagination alone."

"Established?"

Li Man, who had been silent beside them, suddenly spoke up.

"May I ask how many successful cases there have been with plans using these three Soul Beasts?"

Mo Lin turned to look at her.

"Who are you?"

"Li Man, from the Li Family Pharmacy."

"My father once researched Mutated Martial Souls."

At the mention of the Li Family Pharmacy, something flickered in Mo Lin's eyes.

It vanished quickly.

But Dong Jian saw it clearly.

Li Man continued:

"The Thick-Armored Brown Bear strengthens the skin."

"The Rockback Beast increases bone weight."

"The Stone-Skin Rhinoceros reduces bodily flexibility."

"Dong Jian's weight already increases after Martial Soul Possession."

"If he keeps absorbing Soul Rings like those, how can you guarantee he won't lose the ability to move normally?"

"Choosing a Soul Ring is risky in itself,"

Mo Lin said.

"No one can predict a Soul Skill with absolute certainty."

"Then what makes you say this is the most suitable plan for him?"

Li Man refused to back down.

Mo Lin fell silent for a moment.

"It seems the Li Family Pharmacy hasn't completely abandoned that worthless research."

Li Man's gaze abruptly turned cold.

"You knew my father?"

"I've heard of him."

Mo Lin did not pursue the subject.

He turned back to Dong Jian.

"Since you doubt my plan, why don't we conduct a simple test?"

"Let me see what's so special about your Martial Soul."

He gestured toward Luo Ke behind him.

"Luo Ke is twelve years old, a level-fourteen Soul Master."

"He won't use any Soul Skills."

"We'll only conduct the most basic tests of strength and stability."

Dong Shan immediately refused:

"No."

But Dong Jian said:

"All right."

"Jian!"

"Dad, don't worry."

Dong Jian walked to the center of the courtyard.

Luo Ke flexed his wrists, a contemptuous smile on his face.

"I heard you shattered the testing crystal during your awakening yesterday."

"I thought you had some kind of top-tier Martial Soul."

"But it turned out to be just a fat bear."

Dong Jian did not respond.

He concentrated.

The phantom of a black-and-white panda emerged behind him, then turned into a stream of light and merged into his body.

A heavy weight descended abruptly.

Dong Jian's legs bent slightly.

The distribution of weight across his feet, knees, waist, abdomen, shoulders, and back appeared clearly in his awareness.

Center-of-gravity perception.

Luo Ke's expression grew a little more serious.

Though he had spoken dismissively, he could sense Dong Jian's physical presence had clearly grown stronger after possession.

"I'll only push you once."

"Don't cry if you fall."

Luo Ke walked up to Dong Jian and pressed his right hand against his shoulder.

"Ready?"

"Come on."

Luo Ke pushed with sudden force.

Even without using a Soul Skill, a level-fourteen Soul Master's physical capabilities far surpassed those of an ordinary person.

Dong Jian's shoulder sank backward.

But his feet did not retreat.

Luo Ke frowned and pushed harder.

Dong Jian turned his waist with the force of the push, shifting his weight from his left foot to his right.

His body seemed to sway, but his center of gravity never left the space between his feet.

Luo Ke's expression turned sour.

He had already used more than half his strength.

Yet the six-year-old before him had only leaned back a little.

"Impossible!"

Gray wolf fur sprouted once more across Luo Ke's arm.

Without Mo Lin's permission, he completed Martial Soul Possession again.

His strength surged.

Luo Ke shoved forward fiercely.

A chill flashed through Dong Jian's eyes.

By turning an ordinary strength test into one involving Martial Soul Possession, his opponent had already broken their agreement.

In that case, he had no need to just stand there and take it.

Dong Jian did not resist.

The instant Luo Ke unleashed his full strength, Dong Jian slid his right foot half a step back and turned his shoulder backward along his opponent's palm.

Luo Ke's push struck empty air.

Having put too much force into it, he pitched forward.

Dong Jian raised a hand and caught his wrist.

He twisted his waist.

Using Luo Ke's own force, he pulled.

Bang!

Luo Ke flew past Dong Jian and plunged headfirst into a basket of charcoal nearby.

Black charcoal scattered across the ground.

Silence filled the courtyard.

The old village chief's mouth fell open.

A hint of amusement flashed in Dong Shan's eyes.

Li Man, meanwhile, stared at Dong Jian's footwork, deep in thought.

For the first time, Mo Lin's gentle expression disappeared.

"That wasn't ordinary Beast Martial Soul instinct,"

he said.

"Did someone teach you?"

"No."

"Then how did you know how to redirect Luo Ke's force?"

"He couldn't keep his own footing,"

Dong Jian said calmly.

"I just stepped aside."

Luo Ke crawled out of the charcoal basket, his face pitch-black.

He let out an angry roar and tried to charge again.

"Enough."

Mo Lin's voice was quiet.

Yet Luo Ke's body froze instantly.

He lowered his head, not daring to move again.

Mo Lin took a black business card from inside his clothes and placed it on the stone table.

"Dong Jian."

"You're more interesting than I expected."

"If you change your mind, you can come find me in Nuoding City anytime."

"I'll hold a place for you at the research institute."

Dong Shan said coldly:

"He won't go."

Mo Lin put his gloves back on, turned, and headed out of the courtyard.

When he reached the gate, he suddenly stopped.

"Dong Shan."

"Stubbornness can't always protect a child."

"Your wife refused us back then too."

Dong Shan's face went deathly pale in an instant.

Boom!

His level-twenty-seven Soul Power erupted out of control.

The iron objects in the courtyard all trembled at once.

"You knew her?"

Mo Lin did not turn around.

"When Dong Jian is willing to undergo an examination, I'll tell him."

With that, he left the courtyard with Luo Ke.

Sensing that something was wrong, the old village chief hurried after them.

The courtyard gate closed again.

Dong Jian looked at his father.

"Dad."

"What did he mean just now?"

Dong Shan remained silent.

His fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles had turned white.

"It's not time for you to know yet."

"That again."

For the first time, Dong Jian did not go along with his father.

"They've already come to our door."

"Even if you don't tell me, I've already been dragged into this."

Dong Shan's body trembled slightly.

But in the end, he simply turned away.

"Let me have some time alone."

Dong Jian did not follow him.

He walked over to the stone table and picked up the card Mo Lin had left behind.

On the front were the words:

Nuoding City Mutated Martial Soul Research Institute.

Mo Lin.

Dong Jian turned the card over.

There was no address on the back.

Only a circular design composed of a black arc and a white arc.

At its center was an eye slowly opening.

Dong Jian stared at the emblem.

Deep within his consciousness, the Divine Dragon Secret Realm suddenly trembled faintly.

At the same time, the expression of Li Man, standing beside him, changed as well.

"This design..."

She pulled a damaged metal badge from inside her collar.

Only half the badge remained, but the black arc and the eye on it were identical to the design on the card.

"My father left this behind before he died."