In the Mingdou Great Forest.
An old woman and two youths moved swiftly through the dense trees, all three keeping a sharp eye on their surroundings.
"Brother, Teacher, wait! I've sensed the presence of another spirit herb!" The silver-haired girl among them suddenly stopped, her voice filled with delight as she called out.
The other two halted immediately upon hearing her voice.
These three were none other than Zhu Ziyang, Jiang Nannan, and Elder Song.
After Elder Song expressed her wish to take on a disciple, Zhu Ziyang immediately gave his support, and Jiang Nannan formally acknowledged Elder Song as her master. As the strongest agility-type soul master on the continent and a 97th-ranked Super Douluo, Elder Song's Green Shadow Divine Eagle may not have been compatible with Jiang Nannan's Lunar Jade Rabbit—in fact, the two were slightly contradictory—but that didn't affect her teaching capabilities. Soul master mentorships were never based solely on martial soul compatibility, but rather on shared ideals and development direction.
As an agility-type soul master, Jiang Nannan couldn't have asked for a better teacher than the foremost agility-type expert on the continent.
After taking her as a disciple, Elder Song was overjoyed and immediately gifted Jiang Nannan a soul tool ring comparable in quality to Zhu Ziyang's Starflame Ring. She also promised that once they returned to the academy, she would have the old fogeys there prepare a formal apprenticeship gift for Jiang Nannan.
From then on, the three of them headed eastward, planning to travel north out of the Mingdou Mountain Range before looping west back to Shrek Academy.
During the journey, Jiang Nannan's martial soul began to reveal the special traits worthy of a top-tier spirit. The Lunar Jade Rabbit had an incredibly useful ability: an acute sense that allowed it to detect the location of all spirit herbs within a one-kilometer radius. This ability had been perfectly inherited by Jiang Nannan.
Just a day after her martial soul evolved, while they were preparing to leave the Mingdou Mountains, Jiang Nannan demonstrated this talent by leading them straight to a thousand-year-old mountain ginseng. That discovery had Zhu Ziyang thrilled—if Nannan had such a talent, then he'd never have to worry about ingredients for alchemy again.
"So what are we waiting for? Let's go pick that herb!" Zhu Ziyang said with a smile.
Elder Song also nodded. "Indeed, we're not in a rush."
"Heehee, follow me!" Jiang Nannan laughed and led the way.
Zhu Ziyang and Elder Song followed closely behind.
Before long, the three arrived at the location Jiang Nannan had sensed. When they saw what grew there, their eyes widened in astonishment and delight.
It was a pale blue flower, its petals as clear as crystal. No leaves grew along its stem, which stood perfectly upright, bearing the dreamlike blossom like a treasure from the heavens—something far too ethereal for the mortal realm.
"That's a Glazed Lily!" Elder Song exclaimed. "I can't believe this kind of spirit herb still exists. How astonishing!"
For even a Super Douluo like Elder Song to be visibly shocked, it was clear how rare this spirit herb was.
The Glazed Lily was a top-tier spirit herb known for its gentle properties. It could boost soul power, strengthen the body, clear the meridians, and purify bloodlines of impurities. All in all, it was a priceless treasure.
"But this Glazed Lily isn't fully mature yet, what a shame," Zhu Ziyang said with a regretful sigh after examining it carefully. "If it were only a day or two away, we could wait. But this one needs at least six more months. Harvesting it now would ruin its medicinal properties."
"Ah! No way!" Jiang Nannan's face fell. "Then it was all for nothing?"
"Not at all," Elder Song consoled her. "What this proves is that your ability can indeed sense top-tier spirit herbs. Even if we didn't get this one, who's to say the next won't be ripe? Surely not every one we find will be immature."
"You're right. Heehee, thank you, Teacher!" Jiang Nannan's smile returned at Elder Song's comforting words.
"Let's go then," Zhu Ziyang said. "We'll leave this Glazed Lily for those soul beasts nearby."
"Agreed," Elder Song said as she took the lead.
Zhu Ziyang followed right behind, while Jiang Nannan cast one last longing glance at the flower before quickening her steps to keep up.
——
Three days later, the trio arrived at the outer edges of the Mingdou Great Forest, right along the border between the Sun Moon Empire and the Star Luo Empire.
"Caw! Caw—!"
To the west of the border, in a ravaged little town, a swarm of crow-type soul beasts reveled in a gruesome feast. Blood stained the streets, and corpses lay scattered, exciting the crows to no end. Towering flames and thick black smoke clouded the air in an apocalyptic scene. The cacophony of clashing weapons and terrified screams rang out like a requiem for the dying. Soldiers in different uniforms clashed violently, while others went about slaughtering helpless townsfolk like bloodthirsty demons.
"Papa, don't die! Please wake up—Juzi doesn't want you to die!" A young girl, around eleven or twelve, wept beside the lifeless body of a middle-aged man clad in the armor of a Sun Moon Empire soldier. Nearby, a soldier with bloodshot eyes and lost reason locked onto the crying girl and began approaching slowly.
It seemed death was her only fate.
From the forest just outside the town, Zhu Ziyang and the others emerged. The towering flames and smoke caught their eyes immediately.
"What's happening over there?" Zhu Ziyang frowned. His Stillness Fate Ending Scythe was trembling faintly—dense death energy signaled a massive number of souls passing on.
"That's within the Sun Moon Empire's territory," Elder Song said calmly after glancing over.
"Aren't we going to check it out, Teacher?" Jiang Nannan looked concerned. The scent of blood hung faintly in the air. "What if it's the work of evil soul masters? We might be able to save some innocents."
Elder Song was silent for a moment before she slowly replied, "Fine. But don't act on your own without my permission."
"Yes!" the two youths replied in unison.
Soon, the trio arrived at a cliff overlooking the burning town. The thick stench of blood slammed into their senses. The sight below was hellish—Zhu Ziyang's face paled, and Jiang Nannan nearly vomited, her eyes blank from the shock.
"This..." Jiang Nannan was horrified. "How could it be so awful?"
Elder Song held her gently, comforting her as her aged eyes locked onto the frenzied soldiers below. She recognized them instantly—they were Star Luo Empire troops. Though she had long disliked the Sun Moon Empire, witnessing Star Luo's soldiers slaughtering civilians filled her with even more revulsion.
No matter what, the smoke of war should never reach the innocent.
Maybe it was empathy—Elder Song had been born a commoner herself. Or perhaps it was the pity of the strong toward the helpless. Whatever the reason, she now despised those soldiers.
Zhu Ziyang, too, stared wide-eyed at the massacre. Whether it was because of his background, or the compassionate instincts brought by his Ultimate Light Martial Soul, rage boiled within him.
And when he saw a soldier raising a blade toward a young girl—no older than twelve—he could no longer stay still.
"Stop!"
Zhu Ziyang roared and leapt down the ten-meter cliff. As he landed, his Stillness Fate Ending Scythe appeared in his hand. His third soul ring lit up, and with sacred brilliance blazing across the blade, it cleaved down with divine judgment.
The soldier had no time to react. Startled, he tried to block with his weapon—two soul rings shone faintly around him—but what chance did a mere Soul Grandmaster stand against a furious soul master with a supreme martial soul?
The scythe shattered the man's weapon instantly. His soul rings exploded into dust as the force sent him flying into a distant wall. His body crumpled, blood pouring from his mouth. His eyes went blank. He was dead.
The sudden attack shocked the remaining soldiers, who quickly rallied and charged toward the "heroic" youth who dared meddle in their carnage.
Elder Song landed beside Zhu Ziyang with Jiang Nannan. Her expression was complicated. She could have stopped him—but she hadn't. Perhaps the horror of the town had softened even her hardened heart.
Zhu Ziyang ignored the approaching enemies. He turned back toward the girl on the ground and gently asked, "Are you alright?"
The girl—Juzi—stared at him in stunned silence. She would never forget the image of that radiant boy with his golden scythe descending from the skies like a god, saving her from the depths of despair.
(End of Chapter)
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