Although the news of Lin Xiao's return had not spread very far, in the past few days, quite a few people who had caught wind of it still came looking for him.
There was no need to say much about Lin Jiayi; he told Lin Xiao many things that had happened inside and outside the academy over the past year.
Even Ye Yulin came to see him once. Although he didn't say much—just asked a few simple questions before quickly leaving—it was clear in his heart that he still remembered this student named Lin Xiao.
Ma Rulong, Mi Jia, and the students who had participated in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament all came together. The time they had spent together during that period had brought these students much closer.
Even though they were now engaged in different research at Mingde Hall, they still often gathered together, and whenever they did, they inevitably talked about Lin Xiao.
Especially Ma Rulong and Mi Jia, they had already known Lin Xiao before the Soul Dueling Tournament, and throughout this past year, they had mentioned him countless times.
As for Ji Juechen, he came accompanied by Jing Ziyan. Ji Juechen was still the same sword fanatic who thought of nothing but the sword in his hand; it was truly rare that Jing Ziyan had stayed by his side without ever leaving.
There were also some students he wasn't very familiar with but had met before who came over to greet him.
Unknowingly, it seemed Lin Xiao had come to know a great many people.
Many… people who did not know his true identity.
Inside the dormitory, after seeing off several more students who had come to visit, Lin Xiao closed the dormitory door, sat on the bed, and quietly waited for something.
Finally, an inexplicable pressure swept over him. A faint aura of death caused the soul core in his body to tremble slightly.
Lin Xiao let out a soft sigh. He had been back for several days already; what was supposed to come had finally arrived.
"This disciple pays respects to the Cult Master."
A black shadow appeared silently in Lin Xiao's room. Lin Xiao rose from the bed and slightly bowed in salute.
Although there had been no movement these past few days, he knew that as long as he could not shed the identity of a Holy Spirit Cult disciple, Zhongli Wu would come looking for him sooner or later.
Zhongli Wu did not speak immediately. Instead, he stared fixedly at Lin Xiao. Only after a long while did he lightly say, "Old Eight… did he die by your hand?"
Lin Xiao's heart jolted, but he kept his expression from changing too much. Just as he was about to speak, Zhongli Wu's voice sounded again.
"For more than two years, I never received any message from Old Eight."
"At first, I wondered if Old Eight had encountered some difficulty, but he was never the type to overcome hardships on his own. If there was truly something he couldn't handle, he would definitely have asked the cult for help."
Zhongli Wu sighed lightly. "Because of that, a year ago, I made a special trip to the Dou Ling Empire. To my surprise, the disciples in the Dou Ling Empire had never received any message from Old Eight, nor had they ever assisted anyone operating there."
"And something else caught my attention: before Old Eight left, he took with him the soul lamp you left behind when you underwent the Spirit Ascension Ceremony."
"Unfortunately, by the time I wanted to look for you, you had already gone to the icy sea."
Zhongli Wu spoke neither hurriedly nor slowly, yet every word struck Lin Xiao's heart like a heavy hammer, making his body feel a bone-piercing chill.
Even though no one had personally witnessed Nightmare Douluo die by his hand, wherever one acted, traces would always remain. In the past, no one had paid much attention to Nightmare Douluo, who had gone to the Dou Ling Empire to carry out a mission.
But once someone brought it up, some things simply could not be concealed, especially from someone of Zhongli Wu's cultivation level.
The soul power in Lin Xiao's body had already begun circulating rapidly.
Although he was far from being Zhongli Wu's match, after absorbing his eighth soul ring and successfully condensing a soul core, his physical strength had increased tremendously. He was confident he could hold out against Zhongli Wu for a short time.
He only hoped that during that time, he could rely on Yi Laikesi's power to temporarily escape Zhongli Wu. As for what came after that could only be dealt with later.
"When Old Eight brought you back to the cult and told me he intended to perform the Spirit Ascension Ceremony on you, I already knew what he was thinking."
Zhongli Wu continued unhurriedly.
"I had no reason to stop him. In my life, I have done countless things, all for the sake of letting the Holy Emperor's radiance shine upon the world. I believe that one day, we who are called evil soul masters by others will be able to walk openly under the sunlight."
"I know better than anyone what kind of people fill our cult. They may have different goals, different methods, and some may not truly wish to remain in the Holy Cult—they simply have nowhere else to go as evil soul masters."
"But I don't care. I don't care about anything else in the cult. As long as they can help me achieve my goal, I don't care what they think, and I don't care whose consciousness resides in their bodies."
Saying this, Zhongli Wu slowly took two steps closer to Lin Xiao. "So I had no reason to stop Old Eight."
"Of course, after you underwent the Spirit Ascension Ceremony, I did consider whether to keep you, but regrettably, when I personally took you to the battlefield, your growth speed did not satisfy me."
Lin Xiao lowered his head as some memories surfaced once more.
He finally understood why, back then, Zhongli Wu had thought highly of him and taken him to the Star Luo Empire border, only to later act as if nothing had happened.
He also understood the true meaning of Zhongli Wu's words after the Spirit Ascension Ceremony, "The Holy Cult will not take your disciple." That had clearly been tacit approval of Nightmare Douluo's scheme.
Just as Zhongli Wu had said, he only cared whether this talent could remain in the Holy Spirit Cult; he did not care whose consciousness occupied the body.
Wait.
At this thought, Lin Xiao suddenly realized something. He slightly raised his head and glanced at Zhongli Wu, noticing that there wasn't much killing intent in his eyes.
Exactly, he only cared whether this talent could stay in the Holy Spirit Cult; he didn't care whose consciousness was in this body.
Was Zhongli Wu bringing up Nightmare Douluo because Nightmare Douluo had truly died by his hand?
To Zhongli Wu, which was more important: a Title Douluo who could almost certainly never advance further, or an evil soul master who, at merely seven rings, had managed to kill a Title Douluo?
In the Holy Spirit Cult, killing was hardly a big deal.
"This disciple is willing to follow the Cult Master and welcome the day the holy light shines upon the earth!"
Lin Xiao bowed once more.
"Alas." Zhongli Wu let out a long sigh.
"As a Holy Envoy, you were already a reserve elder. Now that Old Eight has died at the hands of Shrek's monitoring group while carrying out his mission in the Dou Ling Empire, from this day forward, you shall take Old Eight's place and become the new Eighth Elder of our Holy Cult."
"Yes, Cult Master."
Lin Xiao lowered his head even further.
After hearing Zhongli Wu's words, he understood that from this day on, Nightmare Douluo was truly and completely dead.
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