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**
Three days after the division of the spoils, Xiao Lin and the others had returned to Nuoding Academy to resume their daily lives.
At this moment, Xiao Lin was holed up in his basement, secretly researching the items dropped by the black-robed old man.
On the table, his usual research materials had been swept aside, piled in a messy heap on the floor. Only three items remained on the desk: the Blood-Red Honey Loquat, the Blood-Red Agate, and a black leather book.
He had been anticipating this for three days.
It was only after returning to the safety of his secret base at Nuoding Academy that he could finally begin his investigation. First was the Blood-Red Honey Loquat, which Su Yuntao and the Soul Hunting team hadn't wanted.
Xiao Lin had already discovered its true effects in the entries within the black-robed man's book.
It was exactly as Xiao Lin suspected: this item was not meant for human Soul Masters, but for soul beasts. When consumed by a soul beast, it improved its aptitude while simultaneously plunging it into a deep hallucination.
If a Soul Master skilled in illusion techniques chose to manipulate the beast's visions at that moment, they could trap the creature in a never-ending cycle of mental torment—a Soul Land version of a "Single-Target Infinite Tsukuyomi."
Within this hallucination, time, space, and gravity were all controlled by the Soul Master.
By making the soul beast experience a fate worse than death, the creature would be consumed by infinite terror.
This caused its mental energy and physical vitality to fuse perfectly. Once merged, these energies would condense into a Soul Bone within the beast's body.
As Xiao Lin finished reading the description of the Blood-Red Honey Loquat, he couldn't help but break into a cold sweat.
This method was no less sinister than the low-quality "Secret Method Soul Bones" (Man-Made Soul Bones) from the stories of later eras.
In Xiao Lin's eyes, Soul Bones were far too random.
Aside from one hundred thousand year soul beasts, they usually only dropped from beasts with exceptional talent (those capable of condensing a Soul Core) or those with extremely high bloodline purity.
Xiao Lin reckoned that if Di Tian had a son, even with only a century of soul power, there would be a high probability of a Soul Bone dropping. Looking at the single Blood-Red Honey Loquat in his hand, Xiao Lin felt a pang of regret.
Unfortunately, he hadn't found the actual method to produce these loquats.
According to the black leather book, the process was incredibly evil. While he couldn't replicate such a depraved method, he hoped to eventually devise a "kind" way to manufacture Soul Bones.
Regardless, of the three items, the loquat was the least useful to him right now.
Xiao Lin didn't know any illusion skills; if he wanted to use it on a Man-Faced Demon Spider, he would have to rely on whatever physical tortures he could dream up.
"This is a one-time use item," Xiao Lin mused.
"I'll save it for an evil soul beast with a high drop rate, like a Man-Faced Demon Spider. You better hope I don't run into you."
The second item.
After cross-referencing the black book, Xiao Lin finally understood what the Blood-Red Agate actually was.
It was the black-robed old man's Martial Soul, materialized into physical form. After absorbing the vitality of numerous Soul Masters, it had formed a special, low-quality External Soul Bone.
Why call it a Soul Bone? Because this Blood-Red Agate had also fused with the majority of the soul power from a Bullet Bee—a bee that had consumed a Blood-Red Honey Loquat and endured the old man's mental torture.
In essence, this agate was the Soul Bone dropped by that Bullet Bee.
As for why it was an "External Soul Bone," it was because it didn't fit into any of the six standard Soul Bone slots. If Xiao Lin absorbed it, he might end up with a so-called "Golden Core" in his abdomen.
To put it bluntly, it would be like a kidney stone. Or worse, it might migrate to the brain and become a literal brain tumor.
Regarding this External Soul Bone, Xiao Lin felt a mix of shock and joy.
The joy came from the prospect of an External Soul Bone, which could eventually become a Divine Tool. The shock came from how low-quality and riddled with side effects it was.
According to the records in the black book, the Blood-Red Agate absorbed the vitality and fear of other Soul Masters. This gave it the power to control the emotion of fear.
Unfortunately, Xiao Lin sensed another power within it: Evil.
It was this evil energy that tethered the fear and allowed the formation of this peculiar Soul Bone.
Evil and Fear—these two powers were far too dangerous.
Xiao Lin had no desire to touch them.
With a bright future ahead of him, there was no need to risk his path by absorbing such corruption. He wouldn't absorb it himself, and he certainly wouldn't give it to Tang San.
He had worked hard to raise Tang San to be a reasonable person; if he introduced this evil power, he couldn't imagine the consequences.
If Tang San ended up becoming that "abstract" version of himself from the later legends, Xiao Lin would probably laugh himself into a rage.
"Natural evil energy? I should just..."
He hesitated, but ultimately didn't destroy it.
He decided to keep it for research.
If the emotion of fear combined with a soul beast's vitality can create a Soul Bone, what if I used the power of 'Infinite Love' instead?
"Wait... that sounds wrong," he thought.
"Isn't that just the script for Tang San and that Silly Rabbit?"
Though it felt a bit off, Xiao Lin felt he had found a spark of inspiration.
This might be a path toward manufacturing Soul Bones. However, given the current state of human-beast relations, "love" seemed highly unlikely.
Setting aside the research on the Blood-Red Agate, Xiao Lin finally looked at the black leather book.
It contained many entries.
Some explained the truth behind the loquat and the agate, while others contained secrets regarding Martial Soul Fusion.
Xiao Lin flipped to the section on Martial Soul secrets and read:
Spirit Calendar, June 7th, 1999
I, Shi Ke, awakened the Martial Soul: Blood-Red Agate.
My innate soul power is Rank 6.
The Spirit Hall Deacon invited me to join Spirit Hall in Spirit City, saying I would have a better future there.
Since Spirit City is near our Jianshan City, I accepted. But I couldn't bear to leave my parents behind, unless Spirit Hall let them come with me...
The Deacon was very happy, praising me for being smart and filial. So, I set off for Spirit City with my parents.
Spirit Calendar, August 4th, 1999
Spirit City is so far away. It took a month by carriage and cost so much money; my parents were heartbroken over the expense. I wonder which powerful teacher will instruct me.
We waited outside the city for nearly two hours before the Spirit Hall staff came for me.
Dammit, ordinary people aren't allowed inside Spirit City.
The teacher said that not even the Pope has the authority to let commoners live there. I heard that even the waitresses inside are Soul Masters. My parents have to find a place to stay outside the city in a temporary wooden shack.
I must cultivate hard, earn lots of money, and build a big house for them.
Spirit Calendar, August 5th, 1999
The teacher gave me a meditation method to practice.
He said my Martial Soul isn't actually Blood-Red Agate—its true name is the Prank Ruby, a very powerful Control System Martial Soul.
While it's poor at using buff-type Soul Skills, it's a Top-Tier Martial Soul for controlling and weakening enemies.
I'm so excited.
I'll definitely earn big money now.
I've been enrolled in the Spirit Hall Junior Academy.
I'm a genius. I moved into the student dormitory; it's huge, bigger than my whole house. Only two people per room. My roommate is a dummy named Wu Feng; his Martial Soul is the Blue-Silver Flower.
Spirit Calendar, August 6th, 1999
My parents are dead.
They were beaten to death by thugs outside Spirit City.
I'm so angry. I'm so furious. I don't want to cry at all; I want revenge!
Father! Mother! Why wouldn't Spirit City let you live inside with me?!
AAAAAAHHHH!
**
Hello everyone,
Thank you for your support! If you enjoy my work, you can check out my Patreon—there are 60+ early access and exclusive content. I update 5 advanced chapter from Monday-Saturday
www.patreon.com/c/FanficTranslator
I truly appreciate it!