The great banner of the Sun and Moon Empire fluttered in the wind. The royal guards stood firm in their ornate soul-guided armor, the golden and silver engravings of the Sun and Moon emblem glinting under the torchlight—symbols of their status as the imperial palace's elite.
The sudden appearance of the imperial guard forced the Holy Spirit Church to withdraw. Though the Church's core disciples were formidable, they were not yet strong enough to openly challenge the might of the palace guard.
The guards did not pursue. They seemed content merely to "inspect" the scene, as though their arrival had been expected.
Back in the Church's branch stronghold, the Elders had yet to return. Lin Xiao doubted that it was because they had met resistance from Shangguan Wei'er.
From his memories, he knew that the underground forces of Radiant City would one day form three great factions: the Twilight Alliance, the Common Alliance, and the Ao'du Chamber of Commerce. The Twilight Alliance—led by the Holy Spirit Church—would later form a close alliance with the royal family. The sudden arrival of the imperial guards tonight might very well mark the beginning of that relationship.
Whatever the outcome, it was not his concern. After leaving the branch, Lin Xiao returned quietly to the Sun and Moon Royal Academy.
Dawn was still far away, but he wasted no time. Sitting cross-legged on his dormitory bed, he closed his eyes and entered meditation.
The coppery tang of blood still lingered in his nostrils. The image of that night's slaughter replayed vividly in his mind, and the soul power within him began to surge restlessly.
The room around him seemed to fade. He frowned—suddenly finding himself not in his dormitory, but within a dim, suffocating prison.
Outside, a faint purple glow filled the darkness. Through it, he could see a dozen other figures, all around his age, trapped within the same confined space.
He wore only thin clothes. In his hand was a simple dagger—his only weapon.
Clang!
Before he could fully adjust to the scene, a gust of killing intent struck from behind. Instinctively, Lin Xiao swung the dagger backward—metal clashed sharply.
He turned in time to see five gleaming claws pressed against his blade, and a twisted grin just inches from his face.
Crack!
A cheap dagger could never withstand the strength of two soul masters clashing. The blade shattered instantly, and five icy claws slashed toward his throat.
Death had never felt so close.
"With your martial spirit," came Nightmare Douluo's cold voice echoing in his mind, "there's no place more suitable for cultivation than here. Whether you become someone else's nourishment—or feed on others to grow—depends on your choice."
In this place, mercy did not exist.
Lin Xiao jerked back to himself, his left arm instinctively raising. The claws sank deep into his flesh—pain burned through his body. He could feel life draining with every heartbeat.
But that one block bought him a breath.
In the next instant, crimson light flared from his right palm, plunging into his attacker's chest.
A spirit ring shimmered to life. From within the man's body, countless blood-red vines burst outward. The smell of iron filled the air.
Lin Xiao didn't pause. He turned and lunged toward the next enemy.
Soul power roared through him, the Other Shore Flower blooming ever brighter. The vision of death, rebirth, and carnage unfolded again and again in his mind—and each scene seemed to carve power directly into his veins.
His breathing steadied. His focus deepened. The boundary he'd once felt between himself and the world of death crumbled.
Within that silent breakthrough, something inside him shattered—and reformed.
When Lin Xiao opened his eyes again, light flickered faintly in their depths. He lifted his right hand, the crimson petals of the Other Shore Flower glistening as though soaked in fresh blood.
This was what it meant to be an Evil Spirit Master.
Unlike ordinary soul masters who advanced only through meditation, Evil Spirit Masters possessed countless forbidden paths to power.
Lin Xiao had witnessed death too many times to count. And each time, his soul power grew—strengthened by the very essence of those who perished before him. Perhaps it was inevitable. His martial spirit itself fed on death.
Less than two months had passed since his last advancement. The speed was unnatural. He suspected that the Spirit Bone of the Gold-Devouring Beast had already laid the foundation for this breakthrough; tonight's bloodshed had merely pushed him across the threshold.
What kind of person was I in my previous life? he wondered vaguely. Timid, maybe. But now… I've learned to live beside death.
Morning light spilled through the window, brushing across his face. The warmth scattered his lingering thoughts.
His newly strengthened soul power calmed within him. Lin Xiao rose, stretched slightly, and stepped outside.
Though the sun had barely risen, the Sun and Moon Royal Academy's Soul Tool Research District was already alive with activity. The clang of metal, the whir of energy cores, and the hum of engines filled the air. On the nearby dueling platforms, students sparred with blinding bursts of light.
Lin Xiao scanned the area—and then his gaze fixed on a figure atop one of the platforms.
He'd found him.
The young man's figure came into focus as Lin Xiao approached. He appeared to be around the same age, with long black hair tied simply behind his head. His attire was plain, yet the calm sharpness of his expression lent him an air of unshakable confidence.
Ever since Lin Xiao's failed attempts to fuse spiritual power with soul power, he had been seeking this man. He wanted to understand what it was that he was missing—whether it was a technique, or something deeper within himself.
As if sensing Lin Xiao's gaze, the youth opened his eyes and looked his way.
"Hello," Lin Xiao greeted. "My name is Lin Xiao."
"Ji Juechen," the young man replied simply.
So it really was him. Lin Xiao smiled faintly. He had known that if he wandered near the duel arenas long enough, he would eventually find the man known as the Sword Fanatic.
Ji Juechen studied him quietly, then frowned. "You… carry a heavy killing aura."
Killing aura?
The words caught Lin Xiao off guard. He froze, glancing down at his own hands. He wasn't sure if Ji Juechen meant what he thought he did—but if such a thing truly existed in this world, then yes… he had plenty of it.
"This has nothing to do with me," Ji Juechen said evenly, his voice devoid of emotion. "I'm waiting for someone else. But if you wish to challenge me, I won't refuse."
"It's not a challenge." Lin Xiao shook his head. "I only wish to test your sword."
"Come, then."
Ji Juechen's eyes lowered again, yet the atmosphere around him shifted. Though his posture barely moved, the air itself seemed to sharpen. His presence grew keener—like a blade slowly drawn from its sheath.
Even standing several meters away, Lin Xiao could feel his skin prickle from the invisible edge of that intent.
As expected of the Sword Fanatic.
Lin Xiao's expression hardened. The descriptions from his past life's memory had not done this man justice.
Pure, cold, unyielding—human, yet as piercing as the sword itself.
And the closer one came to Ji Juechen, the more one felt that terrifying truth.
Lin Xiao couldn't help but wonder for the first time—was the man before him truly human?
(End of Chapter)