Ficool

Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: No Surprises

"Sir, Holy Envoy, please let me go. I swear I won't reveal anything about the cult…"

"You haven't realized? We're just a bunch of venomous insects, and you're the chosen insect king. You'll carry our hatred and keep living…"

"I regret it. I don't want to be an evil soul master anymore. Please, I don't want to go back there… Please…"

"Hmph, the Holy Spirit Cult? I became an evil soul master for freedom and pleasure. Who would want to serve some ancestor? Get lost…"

"You're not a Holy Envoy. Who are you…?"

Voices echoed in his ears—perhaps someone trying to escape the Holy Spirit Cult, a childhood rival, or a Holy Spirit from some branch altar. Some sounded familiar, while others Lin Xiao had long forgotten in the depths of his memory.

But without exception, these people had vanished at his hands, leaving only wisps of residual souls expressing their unresolved emotions before death—unwillingness, regret, or fear…

His body swayed gently, like a true Higanbana flower, witnessing one fleeting "figure" after another pass by.

Though Lin Xiao knew souls existed in this world, he had never realized they carried their own thoughts, much like humans.

They seemed frozen in a state of obsession, yet underwent subtle changes.

His mind churned with thoughts, and one by one, his soul skills flashed through his memory.

From the beginning, he knew his martial soul was far from ordinary. The same soul skill, triggered by different catalysts, produced varied effects. Even with his past-life memories, he had never heard of a martial soul that could use a single soul skill as if it were two.

With blood as the catalyst, it could form seeds of flesh; with residual souls, it became seeds of the soul. Lin Xiao had thought the ability to target souls was merely an additional feature of the Higanbana martial soul, giving him another tool against mental power.

But now, it seemed the Higanbana's abilities with souls were far from weak.

Just as the seeds of flesh could not only attack an opponent's body but also take root to absorb their strength or even manipulate corpses to explode, the seeds of the soul likely had effects beyond directly attacking the mind.

The reason he had never noticed this before was probably the same as his inability to fuse mental power with soul power—Nightmare Douluo's restriction had limited his mental power.

What a fine teacher he had.

"What happened to you today?"

A familiar voice pulled Lin Xiao from his meditative state. Outside, it was dark; night had fallen unnoticed. The black figure by his bedside didn't surprise him in the least.

"Teacher." Lin Xiao quickly stood.

"I left… a protective restriction on you," Nightmare Douluo's raspy voice came from beneath his black cloak. "Did you encounter any danger?"

"No." Lin Xiao paused, as if recalling carefully. "I just sparred with a student. He was strong, and his attack method was unusual. Maybe that's why?"

"If that's the case, it's indeed remarkable." Nightmare Douluo's tone was flat, and it was unclear whether he believed Lin Xiao. "The restriction I placed protects your sea of consciousness. His attack might involve mental power. Let me check to ensure there's no hidden injury."

As he spoke, Nightmare Douluo extended a withered hand from beneath his cloak, leaving no room for Lin Xiao to refuse.

"Thank you, Teacher."

Lin Xiao lowered his head slightly, his expression completely hidden in the darkness.

As Nightmare Douluo raised his hand, a translucent shadow rose behind him. In an instant, the residual souls' emotions of regret and unwillingness vanished, replaced by an overwhelming sense of fear.

Lin Xiao stole a glance. Beneath the black cloak, the half-exposed face of Nightmare Douluo showed a clear smirk, curling at the corners.

Quickly averting his gaze, Lin Xiao silently waited as the cold, ethereal mental power brushed past him.

He felt as if he were in a dream again. The lives he had ended appeared vividly before him, as if questioning or condemning him, the murderer.

But this time, in the dream, he saw an endless river, the sound of its flowing water crystal clear in his ears.

"Cough." Nightmare Douluo let out a light cough, swiftly retracting his hand back beneath the cloak, pulling Lin Xiao back to reality.

"It's fine. I've checked, and there's no major issue. Rest well."

Lin Xiao wasn't sure what had happened in that moment, nor did he feel any obvious changes in his body. But given Nightmare Douluo's methods, it likely wasn't that simple.

The room fell silent for a moment. Nightmare Douluo pondered for a long time before speaking again. "Alright, I came to check on you because I was worried you'd encountered danger. Since you're fine, prepare yourself. In a few days, I'll take you on a trip, and we won't be back for a while."

"Teacher, my current identity…"

"What, do you really think you're a student of the Sun Moon Imperial Academy?" Nightmare Douluo cut him off with a cold snort before he could finish.

"Teacher, that's not what I meant. I'm just concerned that leaving frequently might draw attention from those with ulterior motives, and I fear it could expose the cult."

"Don't worry. It's common for people from the Sun Moon Imperial Academy to leave for months to test soul tools. No one will suspect anything with that excuse. Besides, things aren't like they used to be. Even if others learn of the cult's existence, what can they do?"

Nightmare Douluo's tone carried a hint of disdain, and Lin Xiao could even detect a trace of arrogance. With even the elders acting this way, it was no wonder the Holy Spirit Cult would later behave so brazenly.

"Yes." Lin Xiao didn't say more.

Though he didn't know Nightmare Douluo's plans, the restriction—definitely not for protecting his sea of consciousness, as claimed—had been accidentally broken. With some wariness in his heart, it was best not to provoke him further.

The room fell silent again, and the figure of Nightmare Douluo vanished quietly, as usual. The voices of the residual souls echoed in Lin Xiao's ears once more, and he slowly raised his head. In just one day, he had already begun to grow accustomed to this new sensation.

"Knock, knock, knock—"

Just as he let out a sigh of relief, a knock came at the dormitory door. Lin Xiao turned toward the sound.

The Sun Moon Imperial Academy assigned single dormitories, and students rarely interacted warmly with strangers. Who would come looking for him so late?

More Chapters