"What kind of Martial Soul is this?"
"A Martial Soul that sends souls like yours to the other shore." Lin Xiao stared at the Higanbana Flower for a moment, exhaling softly before sitting back down on the bed.
The face had fully transformed into a dark residual soul, seemingly no longer flustered, its tone now calm.
"This seat roamed the continent for centuries, yet I never expected to fall into the hands of a youngling like you. So be it. My cultivation was too high, and I forgot what it was like to scurry about as you do."
Lin Xiao shook his head. "If you were your true self, I wouldn't be able to do anything to you. But as you said, you're just a wisp of residual soul. Now, can you tell me who you really are?"
"Hmph, you hold this seat's carving knife, yet you don't even know my title?" The dark soul fell silent for a moment, as if only just realizing it was completely at Lin Xiao's mercy. "Fine. I've long forgotten my name, but I remember my title—Spirit Devourer."
"Spirit Devourer Douluo?"
Lin Xiao paused slightly. It seemed the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife wasn't named solely for its master-devouring nature; a bigger reason was likely that its first owner was called Spirit Devourer.
"Truly no attempt to hide it."
"The power of an Evil Soul Master naturally surpasses that of ordinary soul masters. When this seat earned my title, I was already unrivaled across the continent. Why bother hiding?"
Spirit Devourer Douluo wasn't entirely exaggerating. Three thousand years ago, when he was active, he indeed brought considerable calamity to the continent. While not invincible, he had few rivals.
"Little one, I see you also possess the ability to manipulate souls, which aligns closely with my own. Would you like to receive my inheritance?"
Lin Xiao looked at the dark soul within the flower's stamen. As expected of someone who once dominated the continent, he had quickly adapted to his current predicament.
"What can you teach me?"
"As you've seen, my abilities also revolve around souls. Whether it's the curse techniques that kill invisibly or my knowledge as a Level 9 Soul Engineer, I can pass it all to you."
"When you unraveled the curse on the carving knife, you likely noticed that the flow of soul power and mental energy shares many similarities with the array patterns of soul tools. That's the ability I developed after unifying and refining my knowledge."
Lin Xiao thought back briefly. Indeed, as he had undone the curse, he sensed something familiar—techniques resembling the outdated array engravings once used in the Sun Moon Empire.
"So, what's your answer?"
"Save those words for someone else. Do you think, as a fellow Evil Soul Master, I'd easily believe in such a pie-in-the-sky offer?"
"Oh? Then why keep me around?"
Lin Xiao suddenly smiled. "Because a soul like yours has other significant uses for me."
"You—"
Before Spirit Devourer Douluo could finish, Lin Xiao clenched his right fist, and the Higanbana Flower in his palm slowly dissipated.
In truth, Spirit Devourer Douluo's words had some merit. The cultivation experience of a Titled Douluo, especially one who was also an Evil Soul Master, was incredibly valuable—particularly since he was a distinguished Level 9 Soul Engineer.
Unfortunately, Lin Xiao didn't trust him.
This was someone who, simply because he couldn't harness the power of the Gold of Life, turned his soul into a curse on the carving knife, causing its wielders to die from its backlash.
Lin Xiao didn't believe such a petty Evil Soul Master would generously share cultivation insights.
Besides, soul tool technology had advanced over time. Spirit Devourer Douluo's techniques, after three thousand years, had undergone generations of revisions and improvements. The methods taught at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy were now more streamlined and comprehensive than what Spirit Devourer Douluo had mastered.
The only potential benefit Lin Xiao could gain from him would be Spirit Devourer Douluo's unique soul tool designs.
But he had a better way to obtain those.
From the moment he first crafted the assassin's soul, Lin Xiao had realized that the essence of a soul was the combination of a person's lingering will and memories.
What he wanted, he could simply extract from within.
Setting Spirit Devourer Douluo aside for the moment, Lin Xiao picked up the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife, which had fallen to the floor during the earlier struggle.
In the dark room, with no lights, the carving knife emitted a soft cyan glow. Upon touching it, a warm sensation flowed from his palm into his body.
It felt somewhat similar to when he had taken the Mysterious Water Pill, though much milder.
Lin Xiao lowered his head slightly, letting out a soft sigh.
Though there had been some unexpected complications, the Gold of Life was now in his hands. Carrying it with him, even without knowing its exact usage, would subtly influence his body over time.
While not as pronounced as the Mysterious Water Pill, its effect was continuous, constantly transforming his body.
Having achieved his goal in Star Luo City, he planned to linger for a few more days before heading to the Star Dou Forest.
In this world, he knew of several opportunities to enhance his strength. He wasn't sure if certain events were fated, but for the sake of his ambitions, he wanted to try.
As the night deepened, Lin Xiao sat on the bed, his breathing gradually steadying.
Meanwhile, within the imperial palace, Princess Xu Jiujiu of the Star Luo Empire was slightly lost in thought as she looked at the documents in her hand.
"So, he's really just an ordinary out-of-town visitor?"
"Yes, Your Highness. We inquired with shop owners near the commercial street, and one of them recommended the auction to him. When he arrived at the auction house, he didn't even know about the asset verification process and had his soul power level tested on the spot. It doesn't seem like he had any premeditated plans."
"An out-of-town visitor buying an item no one else wanted at his first auction—this piques my curiosity somewhat… Have you found out where he's from?"
"Not yet, Your Highness. The people we sent haven't returned. But judging by his inquiries about soul tools, he's likely a soul engineer. There aren't many soul engineers of his caliber in the Star Luo Empire, so we should be able to narrow it down."
"Forget it," Xu Jiujiu suddenly said.
"That item wasn't of much use to us anyway. Recovering some of the loss is good enough. It's normal for a soul engineer to be interested in a carving knife. As for his specific identity, there's no need to investigate further. It's a waste of resources and might even upset some people."
"The empire is now planning to develop soul tool technology, so it's best not to offend soul engineers unnecessarily."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Xu Jiujiu waved her hand, dismissing the others. Looking at the stack of other reports on her desk, she quickly put the matter out of her mind.
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