The only thing Lin Xiao hadn't anticipated was how quickly this group of bandits would strike again.
Having just provoked Illustrious Virtue Hall, it hadn't been long at all, yet they were already so brazenly acting outside the capital.
Though everything about this felt strange, Lin Xiao was convinced that this wasn't the work of the Holy Spirit Cult. For one, the cultivators they targeted tonight were weak, and the Holy Spirit Cult wouldn't bother with their meager possessions.
More importantly, if the Holy Spirit Cult had truly wanted to seize that shipment bound for Illustrious Virtue Hall in this manner, they wouldn't have acted again so soon for such low-value items, lest they arouse suspicion.
Lin Xiao carefully sniffed the lingering scent of blood in the air, trying to discern where the attackers had gone. But before he could figure it out, a sudden burst of light flared outside the capital.
His expression shifted slightly, and Lin Xiao quickly stepped back, glancing toward a nearby spot. With a sweep of his cloak, his figure melted into the darkness.
Despite the lingering doubts in his mind, it was best not to stay here too long. He hadn't found the bandits, and he didn't want to be mistaken for one himself.
"Quick, hurry!"
With several loud shouts, over a dozen beams of light descended from the sky. The wings of the flying soul tools behind the capital's guards slowly retracted. The illumination soul tools brightly lit up the scene, and the lead guard's expression froze instantly.
"Ugh—"
The stench of blood mixed with the undigested food remnants from the victims' bodies. A liquid mess of red, yellow, green, and white pooled into a thin stream. Among the guards, a few younger faces, seeing the gruesome scene, immediately began to retch.
The lead guard took a heavy breath and turned sharply. "Hurry back and report that we've found the bandits from a few days ago."
"Yes!"
"Oh, and inform Illustrious Virtue Hall about what happened here."
Meanwhile, Lin Xiao had returned to the entrance of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy. He glanced back carefully a few times before re-entering the academy.
Checking the time, the night was still young, with plenty of time before dawn. After a moment's thought, Lin Xiao fetched a bucket of water and returned to his dormitory.
Calming the soul power within his body, Lin Xiao sat by the bed. With a flick of his wrist, a small porcelain bottle appeared in his hand, containing the deep blue Mysterious Water Pill.
Though he had never tasted pork, he had at least seen pigs run. He wasn't sure how effective the Mysterious Water Pill would be for him, but it was better to be prepared.
Raising his right hand, the deep blue pill rolled into his mouth. Instantly, a cool sensation filled his entire mouth.
The Mysterious Water Pill seemed to vanish, transforming into a clear stream that silently flowed into his stomach.
A warm, refreshing sensation erupted in his abdomen, spreading through his limbs and body with each heartbeat and breath.
Soon, a faint mist enveloped Lin Xiao's body, and the room filled with a refreshing medicinal fragrance.
Unconsciously, Lin Xiao's breathing grew long and steady, and his seated body suddenly slumped onto the bed.
Strands of pale blue vapor seeped from his pores, though Lin Xiao was no longer aware of it.
The night passed quickly. It was unclear how well those young guards rested, but when Lin Xiao awoke from his sleep, he felt remarkably light, and his soul power had noticeably increased.
As Lin Xiao slowly opened his eyes, he saw the dormitory ceiling.
His expression changed instantly, and his body sprang from the bed, soul power surging through his meridians. The soul tools he wore were already primed and ready.
After a few breaths, Lin Xiao slowly relaxed. Looking back at the bed, he gave a wry chuckle, unsure whether he was laughing at his own jumpiness or something else.
How long had it been since he'd slept like this since joining the Holy Spirit Cult?
Lin Xiao himself didn't know. In a place filled with evil soul masters, how could he ever sleep peacefully? Even when he occasionally drifted into dreams, they were nightmares woven by Nightmare Douluo.
The moment he closed his eyes, he would see familiar faces—childhood playmates from the fields, elders who had taken him in and cared for him in the village, children comforting each other in that dim dungeon, and the faces of those who had perished by his hand.
And then there were the scenes from his previous life…
Sleeping soundly for a night felt so unfamiliar that it took him a while to come to his senses.
Letting out a long breath, Lin Xiao looked down at himself. As expected, his body was covered in a layer of sticky grime.
He shed his clothes, and with a pulse of soul power, the filth on his body fell to the floor. His body was easy to clean, but the clothes would need a thorough washing.
Closing his eyes to assess himself, Lin Xiao's expression shifted slightly.
As expected, for someone like Huo Yuhao with only one level of innate soul power, the Mysterious Water Pill could boost their innate soul power by a full level. But for someone like Lin Xiao, with nine levels of innate soul power, the pill's effects were less significant.
Even so, it had increased the speed of his meditation cultivation by a small margin, making it a rare and valuable pill.
Unfortunately, the Mysterious Water Pill only had such a pronounced effect the first time it was taken. Otherwise, with something like this, the Mysterious Dark Sect could mass-produce geniuses.
When Lin Xiao reappeared in the academy, he realized that, despite it being only one night, the changes in his body were substantial.
Beyond the sense of lightness in his body, his soul power had increased by a full level. This was likely not just the effect of the Mysterious Water Pill but also related to the scene from last night. Regardless, it was a good thing.
Moreover, his five senses seemed to have sharpened significantly. He could clearly hear the voices of other students discussing the tragedy that had occurred outside the capital last night.
He wasn't sure when Nightmare Douluo's plan would begin, but given how bold these bandits were, if word got out, they would likely strike again.
As usual, Lin Xiao arrived at the Soul Guidance Testing Area and glanced toward the arena. However, what he saw caused him to frown slightly.
Na Na, whom he had seen before, was sparring with another student on the arena. She had a notable reputation among the freshmen, not only for her combat prowess but also because she frequently appeared here to spar with others. It was clear that her diligence matched her talent.
But for some reason, today she seemed off. Her actions were hesitant, lacking the decisiveness she had shown in previous days.
Or perhaps…
Lin Xiao frowned in thought for a moment before turning to leave.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are the chapters for today (づ￣3￣)づ╭～
"Don't forget there are 40 early chapters available on Patreo
[email protected]/facficmax10