Qian Renxue's eyes lit up.
"Control?"
Electrolux nodded. With a wave of his hand, a skeleton stepped out from the nearby formation. It knelt before them, its bones polished, its eyes dim blue embers.
"This one is a clean slate. Empty of will and all you need to do is insert your soul signature into it and command it."
He paused for a moment, then added:
"But beware… even the weakest undead rejects an unworthy master. The undead bow not to strength alone, but to spirit."
.....
Qian Renxue took a deep breath.
She extended her hand, gathering the light-element-based necromantic energy Electrolux had taught her.
A faint glow appeared at her palm, a symbol of her holy magic overlapping the laws of death.
The skeleton looked up as if sensing something ancient… and began to tremble.
Electrolux's eyes widened just slightly in appreciation.
"Excellent… she's already forming a control."
The energy coiled like a ribbon, and the skeleton, its flickering soul flame stabilizing slowly stood and knelt on one knee, waiting for her command.
The skeletal soldier stood obediently before Qian Renxue, the pale-blue flame in its eye sockets now steady, connected by a thin spiritual thread to her consciousness.
Electrolux nodded with satisfaction.
"Very good, Little Renxue. With this, you've taken your first step on the path of a true necromancer."
Qian Renxue observed the skeleton, her mind flicking through possibilities. She raised her hand and said,
"March. Stop. Turn left. Turn right. Attack that boulder."
The skeleton responded precisely, albeit slowly. Its attack was rough, but it followed her commands without hesitation.
Electrolux let out a soft chuckle.
"The undead here aren't only for war. They're also perfect sparring partners. They don't feel pain, don't tire, and can be calibrated to any power level. You can practice endlessly without harming anyone or being harmed."
He gestured at a zombie brute.
"This one has strength similar to a 30th level Soul Master's, but its speed is halved. Try defending against it using your angel martial soul."
Qian Renxue immediately summoned her martial soul. A faint halo descended as the martial soul hovered behind her, and the spectral wings shimmered.
The zombie brute lunged.
She moved instinctively, using her first soul skill which gave her an overall view of the area. The attack was dodged and countered with a punch. The impact sent the zombie stumbling.
Yet it didn't fall.
It turned back toward her with emotionless tenacity and attacked again.
Qian Renxue's lips curled upward.
"Tch. Relentless, Good."
She fought harder. Each strike tested her control over soul energy. Each dodge refined her reaction speed. This was better than training with a wooden dummy..
Electrolux stood in the distance, arms crossed.
"Here, you can spar, practice magic, and refine both your necromantic magic and combat awareness without limitation. This demiplane will be your true training ground."
.....
By the time Qian Renxue finished her third round of training, she was gasping for breath, her body soaked in sweat.
She looked up at the dim skies of the Undead Demiplane and smiled.
"This is… perfect."
.....
After that day, Qian Renxue's life became a blur of relentless training and sacred duty.
From dawn till late evening, her schedule was packed tighter than a commander preparing for war. Any young noble or talented prodigy on the continent would pale in comparison to the rigors she willingly endured.
Swordsmanship drills, combat against undead opponents under Electrolux's supervision, magical incantation memorization, soul energy control exercises, lectures from Angel God's sacred scriptures… and even spiritual chants in the cold light of the Elder Hall's central altar.
Qian Daoliu, though strict, was moved by her unwavering resolve.
As a surprise to even him, Qian Renxue herself volunteered to sing Angelic Hymns for the warriors of the Angel Corps, a gesture that brought pride to the High Priest's eyes. Moved by her sincerity, Qian Daoliu immediately assigned She Long and Ci Xue to escort her every week to the Angel Corps headquarters.
....
The Angel Corps Headquarters
The headquarters of the Angel Corps was not inside Spirit City, but outside it perched atop the Spirit Plateau near the Death Canyon, a natural fortress where howling winds and jagged cliffs met under open skies.
The facility was built into the cliffside, towering over the expansive lands of the Douluo Continent.
Vast training grounds echoed with the synchronized movements of white-armored soul masters, whose discipline was as sharp as the blades they carried.
They were the Angel Corps, Spirit Hall's divine hunters.
...
They were the forces of order, trained with military precision and holy conviction.
Unlike the majority of Evil Soul Masters, who relied on unpredictable curses, forbidden rituals, and blood sacrifices, the Angel Corps functioned like a well-oiled army, structured and efficient. Where the enemy was chaos, they were balance. Where the enemy was secrecy, they were light.
Unlike in Douluo Dalu 2, where Shrek Academy, hailed as the greatest of their era, sent children from the so-called Discipline Committee to hunt down Evil Soul Masters.
Spirit Hall never believed in throwing cubs to fight wolves.
That foolish policy in the future would only result in talented young prodigies dying senselessly, their bright futures snuffed out before blooming. Instead of curbing evil, it simply fed it.
Spirit Hall in this era was not naive.
They employed seasoned veterans, trained to deal with the darkest corners of the world.
And instead of letting these criminals run free until death, they used a grim solution, the Killing City, a ready-made prison drenched in sin and blood, designed to contain the worst of the worst.