The method of split personality control was one of the necromantic spells Electrolux had taught Huo Yuhao—Undead Servant. Its effect was to split off a sub-personality from the soul of someone whose spiritual power was a level lower, one that would fully obey the spellcaster. The primary personality would never be aware of the sub-personality's existence, unless aided by an outsider intimately familiar with the power of the soul.
But on the Douluo Continent, those who grasped soul power were generally evil soul masters.
This was precisely why Huo Yuhao had no qualms about using such necromantic magic on He Caitou. After all, how could there be any evil soul masters at Shrek Academy? Unless someone with the spiritual strength of a Titled Douluo searched He Caitou's spiritual sea like investigating an enemy—something far too intrusive.
Of course, the sub-personality could be dispelled at any time by Huo Yuhao and wouldn't cause permanent harm to He Caitou—otherwise, Electrolux would never allow Huo Yuhao to use his necromantic magic to do something so heinous to someone he had no real grievance with.
Even so, when Huo Yuhao had just used Undead Servant, he'd felt a faint imbalance in his spirit. Fortunately, his will was strong enough not to be consumed by his own power. After all, those who mastered the abyss often fell into it first.
"Alright, now it's foolproof. Let's go."
For now, aside from ensuring that He Caitou—Xu He—wouldn't pull any betrayal or attempt to steal soul tool blueprints from the Sun Moon Empire's Soul Engineering Academy, Huo Yuhao had no further use for him. But that might change in the future.
If Ma Xiaotao could be fully brainwashed, and Wang Dong successfully PUA'd, then the three heavyweights sent by Shrek as exchange students would all fall to the Sun Moon Empire's side, wouldn't they?
Huo Yuhao couldn't help but smile happily.
'This is fun. And with Shrek even sending over so many rare treasures, they've really suffered a double loss. Call it karma.'
"I wonder how that Chicken Leg Douluo's doing. His business isn't over yet."
"Failed again. Damn it."
At the same time, Xuan Zi awoke from his cultivation chamber in the Sea God Pavilion, muttering to himself.
He let out a long sigh and grabbed one of the bottles of strong liquor he kept ready in his room, downing it in a single gulp.
At this moment, Xuan Zi no longer had the state where both of his arm bones were stolen by an 'evil soul master'. Thanks to Mu En's immense compassion, his arms had been restored by nourishing them with the most precious heavenly treasures from the Sea God Pavilion's treasury.
However, the issue of having lost two soul bones and his drastically reduced cultivation remained unresolved. According to Mu En, falling to Rank 90 despite losing two soul bones was already testament to the strength of Xuan Zi's martial soul. To recover further, he could only rely on his own effort.
But Mu En also said that no matter how hard Xuan Zi trained, at best he might reach Rank 95 or 96 again. If extremely lucky, maybe 97. But reaching the peak Rank 98 of a Super Douluo was impossible.
Every time he thought about never again dominating the battlefield as a Rank 98 Super Douluo, Xuan Zi ground his teeth in hatred.
'Damn evil soul masters!'
Xuan Zi brooded as he kept pouring down alcohol. He had to find a way to regain his strength—not only for himself, but to repay Shrek Academy and Elder Mu's kindness.
"Evil soul masters, hmph!"
With a furious snort, Xuan Zi's soul power burst out and the empty wine bottle in his hand shattered into powder.
But it was true—the cultivation speed of evil soul masters was something normal soul masters couldn't hope to match.
Suddenly, Xuan Zi slapped himself hard.
'What the hell am I thinking? Am I actually considering using evil soul master methods to recover my strength? They're the ones who did this to me in the first place!'
But why was he so certain it was an evil soul master?
Xuan Zi furrowed his brows. This thought seemed... off.
He did recall being controlled by an extremely powerful female evil soul master, someone at the Limit Douluo level, who had taken his soul bones and crippled his cultivation. According to Mu En, that woman was Ye Xishui—someone Mu En had once known well, a gifted evil soul master.
Mu En had chosen to forcibly prolong his life precisely because he'd learned of Ye Xishui's return. A Limit Douluo-level evil soul master! Without someone like Mu En to hold the line, what would become of Shrek Academy, or the world?
Yet, no matter what, Xuan Zi couldn't remember Ye Xishui's face. Logically, since he'd seen her, how could he forget what she looked like?
Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine.
'Maybe... it wasn't an evil soul master who did this to me. Maybe it was someone else entirely!'
He didn't have evidence. But he felt it. And the more he thought about it, the more convinced he became.
He slapped his thigh and exclaimed to himself.
'That's it! It must've been someone else, not an evil soul master, who did this to me!'
"That's it... that's it..."
Xuan Zi muttered like a madman as he paced in circles.
'I must return to my former strength. I must become one of the strongest soul masters in the world again!'
He stood up suddenly.
"I've made up my mind!"
Xuan Zi had reached a decision—he would do anything, use any means, to raise his strength again.
At this moment, a seed of inner demon had already taken root in his heart due to the sudden fall in his strength. For someone like him, normal training methods might no longer be possible.
He paced his room anxiously.
'My power is too important! If I don't recover, how can I help Elder Mu, Shrek Academy, or the entire Douluo Alliance?'
"I need to find those evil soul masters. Just for some techniques to increase my strength—I'll never align myself with them."
His eyes flashed with cold light.
Not just to confirm who had really harmed him, but also because of Elder Mu's former ties with Ye Xishui, Xuan Zi believed they might help him. Help him confirm the truth, and help him recover his strength.
Even if it was dangerous, he no longer cared. Nothing mattered more to him than power now.
'Yes... for Shrek's future. For the future of the Douluo Alliance!'
In that moment, a sense of mission surged through him.
He had to leave immediately. Right now, to Shrek, he was all but irrelevant anyway.
Fortunately, Elder Mu was in seclusion, absorbing energy from the Sea God Pavilion's golden tree. Without hesitation, Xuan Zi packed some liquor and chicken legs, and vanished in a flash.
What he didn't realize was that his mental state was extremely abnormal—his inner obsession had been magnified to a dangerous extent. It made him act irrationally and completely ignore the fact that he should have butchered any evil soul master he encountered.
And all of this had been part of Kong Deming's plan from the start. Even Xuan Zi's sudden doubt that evil soul masters were responsible—was within the scheme.
(End of Chapter)
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