Second Martial Soul

After parting ways with the group of Evil Soul Masters, Hui Ye paid a visit to the Zhou Clan.

The next day, the city was in an uproar. Word had it that the Zhou Clan had been bombarded with Soul Tools.

The commotion had shaken heaven and made ghosts weep, even alarming the city lord. He had already reported it to the empire's upper echelons and was preparing a thorough investigation.

Outside the city.

The twenty-odd Soul Masters who had survived the mine's collapse had been captured alive on the spot by the Zhou Clan as soon as they left the mine.

The Zhou Clan had tortured them repeatedly, interrogating them about the cause of the collapse. Ten more had been unable to withstand the torture and had died one after another.

Now only twelve remained alive.

Dong Ge and the others looked haggard. Though they had avenged their great grudge, the brothers who had gone down into the mine with them, through life and death together, would never return.

"Young brother, you've saved us again," Dong Ge said with emotion.

Hui Ye said, "We've been through life and death together. Why say things like that?

"By the way, what are your plans for the future?"

Dong Ge closed his eyes and let out a long sigh, as though all the strength had been drained from his body.

"I'll find a small town to live in seclusion, start a small business, and live a peaceful life. I've had enough of Soul Hunting."

Hui Ye looked at the others.

Lao Jiu turned his head aside, avoiding his gaze without saying a word.

When the Zhou Clan had interrogated them, the dozen-odd Soul Masters had all chosen death over submission. Only Lao Ba had confessed under torture, revealing Hui Ye's trump cards.

The moment Hui Ye rescued them, the others had all set upon Lao Ba and torn his body to pieces on the spot.

Hui Ye said nothing more. He took out 1.2 million Gold Soul Coins and divided them among the twelve remaining Soul Masters.

None of them would accept the coins. "Young brother, we can't take these..."

"Take care, everyone."

With those words, Hui Ye turned, waved, and strode away.

Most of the wealth from the Zhou Clan's treasury was in Hui Ye's hands. Even after giving the twelve Soul Masters their share, he still had as many as eight million Gold Soul Coins.

"Sure enough, murder and arson put a golden belt around your waist. This is a lot faster than selling grilled fish."

Hui Ye walked along the road back to Shrek Academy with his hands behind his back, reflecting aloud.

"Little fellow, it's one thing to act this way against your enemies, but don't let a moment's wealth go to your head..." Electrolux's admonition sounded in his mind.

"Old man, do I look like that kind of person? I'm very kind, all right? I've never made the first move against anyone who wasn't my enemy." Hui Ye curled his lip.

Electrolux knew full well everything Hui Ye had done.

Aside from his somewhat bizarre behavior and overly wild fighting style, the boy really had no shortcomings.

"This kid is qualified to become my successor after all."

After Hui Ye had walked some distance, Electrolux suddenly cleared his throat.

"Little fellow, would you like to gain another Martial Soul?"

Hui Ye stopped in his tracks. Without a second thought, he dropped to his knees and kowtowed three times, each knock ringing out.

"Teacher, please accept your disciple's bow!"

Electrolux's face twitched. If I take back what I just said, is it still in time?

"I've never met anyone as thick-skinned as you. Did I say I was taking a disciple?"

"A teacher for a day is a father for life. I've already kowtowed, so you can't go back on your word now, can you?" Hui Ye said with a cheeky grin.

Electrolux looked disgusted, but a trace of gratification rose in his heart.

In his world, taking someone as a teacher only required a bow and a word of address. This kid had immediately kowtowed and performed such a grand ceremony; he really wasn't used to it.

"Forget it. Get up first."

Hui Ye rose and brushed the dust from his knees, his heart bursting with excitement. It's here. It's finally here.

The Third Martial Soul Huo Yuhao had possessed in the original story would soon be his.

To speak his mind, Hui Ye had always thought Huo Yuhao had wasted the Martial Soul Electrolux left him. Aside from carrying the title of a Third Martial Soul, he had achieved little with it.

Sorry, little brother Yuhao. I'll make it up to you later.

Hui Ye rubbed his hands together like a fly. "Hehehe, teacher, just tell me what to do."

"Just wait ten days."

"Then I don't need to prepare anything?"

"In ten days, I'll have accumulated quite a bit of life energy in my body, enough to help you awaken your Second Martial Soul."

Electrolux said calmly, "Of course, you can't sit idle during those ten days. You must go out and find high-age Soul Beasts yourself to serve as Soul Rings for your Second Martial Soul."

"Teacher, you mean..."

Electrolux glanced at him. "When I descended upon this continent that day, I encountered a Hundred Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast sacrificing itself to a human.

"With how sly you are, I imagine you've already guessed that human's identity. It was your roommate, Huo Yuhao.

"So, you understand what I mean, don't you?"

Hui Ye's breathing quickened. "Regardless of age?"

Electrolux smiled with easy confidence, like a spring breeze brushing against the face, like a banished immortal descending into the mortal world.

"Although my divine position has been shattered, using the methods of Necromancy to intimidate one or two Soul Beasts into sacrificing themselves to you is still no problem."

Although he had looked quite disheveled while absorbing life energy, his words now carried considerable presence.

"Teacher, you're fucking awesome!" His voice cracked.

"I know a place where lots of Super Soul Beasts have made their home. There are a huge number, more than a dozen of them, right in the center of the Star Dou Great Forest..."

Electrolux's entire face darkened. He could handle one or two, and if he couldn't beat them, he could still run.

But if it was a whole group, who would end up serving themselves on a platter to whom?

"Ahem..."

Electrolux's aged face reddened, and his voice held a rare trace of awkwardness.

"One shouldn't aim too high. Even if several Super Soul Beasts all sacrificed themselves to you, could you withstand such immense power?"

Hui Ye stroked his chin. Electrolux's wording sounded extremely vague. "Teacher, you can't beat them, can you?"

Electrolux said, "This isn't a question of whether I can beat them. The key lies with you."

"What? It's my fault?"

Hui Ye pointed back at himself, his face full of disbelief.

Electrolux said, "The quality of your life energy is too low, which limits the number of times I can take action."

"Fine, fine, fine, it's my fault." Hui Ye pinched his nose and accepted the blame.

"But there's another option."

Hui Ye thought to himself, Yuhao, it's not that I want to snatch your opportunity. The circumstances have forced my hand.

"The Far North has three Super Soul Beasts in total. There are fewer of them."

"Good!"

Ten days later, Hui Ye arrived at the edge of the Far North's ice fields.

He found a secluded cave nearby and settled down.

"Teacher, I'm ready," Hui Ye said excitedly, sitting cross-legged in an open space inside the cave.

Electrolux emerged from the depths of Hui Ye's soul, floated in midair, and held out a hand.

"Soul Bones."

Hui Ye froze. "What Soul Bones?"

"Take out all four Soul Bones you have. We'll use them as offerings in a moment to improve the quality of your Martial Soul," Electrolux explained.

"Can I keep the Black Flame Fire Crow Head Soul Bone? Its skill is really useful, and it's only three hundred years old. It'd be a bit of a waste to use it as an offering."

Hui Ye hesitated.

"Cut the nonsense. Without that Head Soul Bone, I can't even use the Soul Bones as offerings."

Electrolux spoke irritably.

"Hurry up, hurry up. If you keep dawdling, I won't bother anymore."