Chapter 22: The Terrifying Threads of the Soul
The searing flames surged forward, molten lava roaring with menace.
In Luo Ling's eyes, countless white threads extended from Yan's soul, stretching endlessly into the black void beyond.
He stood motionless, raising his right hand slowly.
The crimson Threads of the Soul darted forth, intertwining with Yan's.
In an instant, the fire froze. The blazing tongues of flame that had danced wildly seconds ago now slowed to an agonizing crawl.
Yan's charging stance stiffened. His eyes lost their light, his body halted mid-motion—like a puppet cut from its strings.
The flames cloaking him flickered out, and his rocky, granite form returned to flesh.
Then, slowly, he knelt to the ground—submissive.
Luo Ling could feel it clearly. Yan's soul had been completely consumed by his Threads of the Soul.
This was his second time using this power.
The first had been against the thousand-year Crimson Flame Lion, back when he hadn't yet possessed the Soul of Desire's first ring.
But now, after gaining that ring, his control had evolved—the process was faster and consumed far less power.
At the same time, he realized something astounding: he could fully command Yan's body, use his martial soul, and even cast his soul skills.
Unlike the dark threads, which required mental focus to control, the Threads of the Soul directly latched onto the target's soul essence.
It was as though Yan's body had become an extension of Luo Ling's own.
That meant Luo Ling could fight through Yan while still controlling his own body.
Drawing a deep breath, he marveled at just how terrifying his power truly was.
He stood like that for a long moment before turning to the stunned audience outside the field. "I assume… that means I've won?"
The observing Title Douluo stared at Yan, now kneeling on the ground, utterly dumbfounded.
Qian Daoliu stepped forward, studying the subdued Yan with a frown. "What did you do?"
Luo Ling smiled lightly and lifted his hand, releasing the connection to Yan's soul.
"Ah!"
Yan screamed in terror, collapsing backward like someone waking from a nightmare.
He scrambled to his feet, retreating several steps, eyes wide with pure fear.
That sensation—of losing all control, of sinking into an abyss of endless blackness—was far more horrifying than death.
In that moment he had felt everything vanish: no sound, no sensation, no self. Only an eternity of darkness, crushing and silent.
"Yan," Bibi Dong called sharply, approaching. "What happened to you?"
"I—I lost everything. My senses, my body—everything," Yan stammered, still trembling. "It was like I was swallowed by nothingness. I don't even know what happened."
Bibi Dong's eyes turned toward Luo Ling.
Luo Ling didn't hide the truth. "This," he began evenly, "is the result of my first soul skill, after the fusion of my two martial souls."
"You know my first soul skill—the Dark Threads." Luo Ling extended his palm, and the black web spread out once more, vanishing a moment later.
The bound Xie Yue staggered as the bindings dispersed, collapsing onto the floor with a groan.
Hu Liena frowned slightly, embarrassed by her brother's humiliating defeat, though she reluctantly helped him up.
"The Dark Threads are invisible. Those weaker than me mentally can't perceive them," Luo Ling continued, conjuring another faint strand of shadow for demonstration.
Seeing it, Xie Yue finally understood. "So that's what trapped me…" he muttered bitterly.
"Yes," Luo Ling nodded. "The threads are intangible but real. They can bind enemies and even absorb soul power to restore my own."
Xie Yue's face relaxed in realization.
"But how did you control Yan like that?" Qian Daoliu interrupted, still trying to make sense of it.
"That," Luo Ling said, smiling faintly, "is my new ability after fusing the Raven Shadow Puppet with the Soul of Desire."
He lifted his hand again, and the dark threads vanished completely.
This time, not even Qian Daoliu and the Title Douluo could sense a thing.
"When I fuse my martial souls, my dark threads transform into what I call the Threads of the Soul."
"Threads of the Soul?" Bibi Dong repeated, intrigued.
Luo Ling nodded, frowning thoughtfully. In truth, he didn't fully understand this new power—but he had learned to use it.
"Think of the Threads of the Soul as the manifestation of a being's spiritual essence," he explained slowly. "Every soul carries them. I can see and manipulate them—directly influencing the target's very soul."
"If I completely corrupt the Threads of another, I gain full control over their spirit and body. They become a puppet under my command—stripped of consciousness—while I can even wield their abilities as my own."
He described it so calmly that the entire audience froze.
For several long seconds, no one moved.
Then Bibi Dong swallowed hard. Her voice trembled slightly as she asked, "You mean… you can completely control another person's soul?"
"Yes," Luo Ling answered simply.
"Doesn't that have any limits?" For once, Bibi Dong felt her understanding of martial souls utterly upended. Never had she heard of such a monstrous ability.
"Of course there are limits," Luo Ling said easily. "It's a spiritual clash between souls. Only if I win can I control them. The longer I maintain control, the greater the soul power it drains. And…"
He paused, pretending to hesitate. "It can only last for about a minute."
He smiled sheepishly, raising a hand in mock humility—as if apologizing for the drawback.
Of course, that was a lie.
Luo Ling had no time limitation. As long as his energy held, he could maintain control indefinitely. But revealing that truth would be suicide.
If these Title Douluo knew he could enslave them with such power, they would kill him the instant they realized it.
A one-ring Soul Master had just subdued a Soul Grandmaster. What would happen if he reached their level?
With enough power, he could turn even a Title Douluo into his puppet.
The Soul of Desire was a supreme spiritual-type soul; once Luo Ling's power matured, who could withstand his mental strength?
And worse—the Threads of the Soul were completely undetectable, even to them.
It was a power both terrifying and evil.
"Only one minute?" Qian Daoliu said, exhaling in visible relief. "That's… acceptable."
The other Title Douluo also relaxed. Every one of them understood how catastrophic an unlimited control ability would be.
Nobody wanted to become a puppet without even realizing it.
"Even a minute is tremendous," Bibi Dong said finally, recovering her composure. "In a soul battle, that's long enough to decide the victor."
She shot Luo Ling a scolding glance—but inwardly, she was relieved.
Had this power been unrestrained, she couldn't guarantee the safety of anyone within Spirit Hall, perhaps even herself.
Luo Ling chuckled lightly, lowering his hand. The crimson glow in his eyes darkened once more under the influence of the Soul of Desire.
(END CHAPTER)
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