Chapter 88: Potential Candidate for the Cancer Gold Cloth
"So, you followed his warning and never once thought about cultivating your martial soul, right?"
"Yes... Yes, I don't want to hurt anyone."
Lin Beiya nodded inwardly. Leaving aside what his martial soul was, the boy's pure and kind-hearted nature alone didn't seem like the sort that would walk down a crooked path.
Moreover, a Soul as a Martial Soul that can accompany the undead? This is a natural candidate for Cancer Gold Cloth.
After thinking for a moment, under the boy's somewhat nervous gaze, Lin Beiya retrieved a crystal ball from his soul tool and held it out.
He had obtained this crystal ball after getting his very first soul ring. It was used to test soul power at the soul master level, with an upper limit of Rank 20. He hadn't used it in quite some time.
He could clearly sense soul power fluctuations from the boy, which was why he wanted to test him properly.
"Come, child. Place your hand on the crystal ball and inject your soul power into it."
"Ah? I…"
"It's all right. Just give it a try."
Encouraged by Lin Beiya's gaze, the boy forced himself to suppress the ripples in his heart and slowly reached toward the crystal ball.
Moments later, the watery ripples stabilized at exactly halfway up the sphere—no more, no less. This indicated that the boy was one of the rare innate full soul power geniuses.
But now, at over ten years of age and still not having set foot on the path of cultivation, it was hard not to feel it was a pity. He had utterly wasted his golden four years.
"What's your name?"
"L-Lord, my name is Ming Xin."
"Ming Xin, are you willing to come with me to Spirit City? There, you'll receive proper training."
Hearing this, a bright light burst forth in Ming Xin's pale blue eyes, only to quickly dim again.
"But… I…"
Lin Beiya knew exactly what he was worried about. Just as he was about to say something, Yue Guan's familiar voice suddenly sounded from behind.
"Little Beiya, what are you doing hiding in a corner like this…?"
"And who is this?"
Yue Guan was carrying a bag full of flower seeds. His gaze swept across Ming Xin with a hint of confusion. The boy's nerves, which had just barely calmed, resurfaced at once. His small shoulders began to tremble uncontrollably.
"Uncle Ju, it seems the branch hall's deacon has made quite a serious oversight."
"Oh? How so?"
"This child has innate full soul power. But just because his martial soul leans toward darkness and coldness, they decided he's destined to become an evil soul master and warned him never to cultivate."
"There's actually such a thing?"
If anyone in this world understood gloomy and dark martial souls best, Yue Guan was definitely at the top of the list.
Being very close with Ghost Douluo, he sneered at talk of "evil soul masters." As if those with normal martial souls could never stray, and those with dark martial souls were guaranteed to go bad?
"That's right. I just tested him, and he indeed has innate full soul power. Of course, I can't completely rule out the possibility that the child secretly cultivated on his own, just without obtaining a soul ring yet."
"N-No! I've never cultivated before!"
The moment Lin Beiya mentioned that second possibility, Ming Xin shook his head like a rattle-drum, terrified he would be punished.
Lin Beiya and Yue Guan exchanged a glance, and both nodded. If the boy truly wanted to cultivate, he would have gone to obtain his first soul ring long ago. There was no reason to wait until now.
And by the sea, low-level soul beasts were even easier to encounter than in the Star Dou Forest—and much easier to hunt.
Not to mention, getting a ten-year sea fish soul ring would be as easy as could be.
"What do you think? Do you want me to go talk to Mo Xuan about this?"
"No need for that. Just bring him back to Spirit Hall. A seedling like this should never be buried."
"Mm. True enough."
"The deacon who awakened his martial soul probably didn't have bad intentions—just a lack of insight."
Yue Guan nodded in agreement with Lin Beiya's view. When he looked back at Ming Xin, his gaze had softened. Having known Ghost Douluo for so long, he knew that his old friend had suffered many scornful looks because of his martial soul in his youth. It was part of what shaped his withdrawn personality.
Lin Beiya once again focused on Ming Xin, and this time, he directly extended his hand.
"Be my so—cough!"
He almost slipped up and said the wrong line, but managed to pull himself back from the edge at the last second.
"Would you like to come with me to Spirit City and step onto the path of cultivation?"
In that moment, in Ming Xin's eyes, it was as if golden light radiated from behind Lin Beiya, making him look dazzling and sacred.
This was the first time since awakening his martial soul that he had met someone who didn't despise him.
When the children of his childhood friend group learned that he could see the dead, they all abandoned him one by one. Even if they didn't join in bullying him, they treated him like a plague.
The long-lost warmth almost brought tears to his eyes.
"I… I really can?"
"Why not? You can treat your martial soul as a weapon. And those weapons that look fierce and menacing—aren't they still dependent on the person wielding them and where they choose to strike?"
"Anyone who wants to become an evil soul master can go astray even with a normal martial soul. Of course, those with dark martial souls have a higher chance of taking that path, but I won't judge everyone with the same yardstick."
Lin Beiya spoke his thoughts with a gentle smile, completely dispelling the doubts in Ming Xin's heart.
On the Douluo Continent, what child didn't dream of becoming a soul master?
"All right, I'm willing to go with you to Spirit City to cultivate. But… I still have something I need to do first."
Ming Xin's gaze drifted toward the flowerpot on the ground. He turned back with a conflicted expression, clearly afraid that this matter would displease these two noble figures.
"The Saddle Vine? It's very effective at dispelling dampness and relieving pain. It typically grows on islands."
"What is it? Does someone in your family suffer from rheumatism?"
In a coastal city, rheumatism was far too common. Neither Lin Beiya nor Yue Guan found it strange. Yue Guan once again displayed the expertise of a flower-and-herb connoisseur. With a single glance, he not only recognized the plant but also pointed out its medicinal effect.
Scratching his head in embarrassment, Ming Xin said:
"Y-Yes… It's Uncle Nius. He once helped drive away the people who bullied me, and he often lets me help him dry his fishing nets in exchange for food."
"Now his rheumatism hurts so badly that he can barely walk. I want to help him!"
Yue Guan nodded. Saddle Vine wasn't some extremely rare herb, but it was troublesome to find, which made it fairly expensive—at least for ordinary folk.
From Ming Xin's clothes alone, it was clear he couldn't afford them. His injuries probably came from trying to get his hands on this plant.
'A grateful child. The more I hear, the less worried I am that he'll end up an evil soul master.'
Yue Guan, who already had a high tolerance for dark martial souls, was completely at ease now that he understood the situation. He nodded toward Ming Xin and said:
"Go do what you have to do. We're not in any particular hurry."
Ming Xin quietly sighed in relief, then turned his gaze to Lin Beiya. Seeing him give a nod of approval, he happily picked up the flowerpot and asked:
"T-Then… after I come back, where should I find you two, Lords? I…"
"No need. We'll go with you. Do you have anything you need to pack?"
"N-No… once I give the Saddle Vine to Uncle Nius, that's enough."
When he admitted he had nothing to pack, Ming Xin's expression turned somewhat embarrassed and self-conscious.
His environment had sculpted that inferiority, but Lin Beiya didn't mind in the slightest.
No matter what, he had now found a potential candidate for the Cancer Gold Cloth. If, in the days to come, Ming Xin proved himself truly trustworthy, it wouldn't be impossible to entrust that Gold Cloth to him.
—
End of Chapter