After bidding farewell to the three elders of Spirit Hall, Marco set off on the return journey to Heaven Dou City with Qing Yu. Instead of taking a carriage, he chose to travel on foot, treating it as training along the way. The Angel Token in his possession felt heavy—not just a profound promise, but a responsibility that reminded him to wield this power wisely.
He took a relatively secluded path that would save considerable time, cutting through hills and forests. Autumn was deepening, with trees along the road painted in varying shades of yellow and red. The sky stretched high and azure, and the air carried the crisp scent of withering plants. Marco moved swiftly through the woods using Shave, feeling the freedom of the wind rushing past his ears. Qing Yu soared joyfully overhead, occasionally letting out clear, melodious cries.
However, this tranquility was shattered on the afternoon of the third day after leaving Spirit Hall's territory. As he traversed a sparsely populated, desolate hilly area, a faint, nauseating odor wafted on the wind—the smell of blood, fresh and thick!
Marco's heart sank instantly, his relaxed mood replaced by vigilance and unease. He halted immediately, signaling Qing Yu to descend and stay alert. He fully unleashed his Observation Haki, which spread out like invisible ripples. The feedback made his expression turn grim—a few miles ahead, in a valley, lingered an overwhelming aura of death, blood, and... a familiar, detestable fluctuation of evil Soul Power!
"Evil Spirit Masters!" A cold glint flashed in Marco's eyes, and uncontrollable rage surged within him. How long had it been since he left Spirit Hall? These damned scum were already causing havoc here! Without hesitation, he shot like lightning toward the source of the blood scent, moving so fast that only a faint blue shadow remained where he had stood.
The closer he got to the hidden valley, the heavier and more pungent the blood odor in the air became, mixed with the stench of scorched flesh and a soul-deep decay. Marco's heart grew colder; he could already anticipate the gruesome scene inside the valley.
When he stealthily crept to the valley entrance and peered inside from behind a rock, the sight made his eyes instantly burn crimson, and an overwhelming killing intent nearly erupted from his body!
Inside the valley lay a small village, now transformed into a slaughterhouse! Among the ruins and broken walls were the corpses of villagers—men, women, and children—all dead in horrific ways. Blood stained the earth, forming small streams. Some bodies were shriveled, as if drained of blood; others were mutilated, as if torn apart by beasts. Several figures in black robes, with ferocious faces, moved among the corpses, seemingly searching for something while letting out triumphant, sinister laughs.
The leader was a tall man with a hideous scar across his face, radiating powerful Soul Power fluctuations—clearly an Evil Spirit Master at the Soul King level! He stood atop a villager's corpse, toying with a heart that seemed to pulse faintly, his expression twisted with cruelty and pleasure.
"Beast!" Marco gritted his teeth, his rage nearly consuming his sanity. Forcing himself to calm down, he used Observation Haki to meticulously scan the entire village for any survivors. Suddenly, he detected an extremely faint life force in the corner of a half-collapsed house—like a candle flickering in the wind, on the verge of extinguishing at any moment.
Now! Seizing the moment while the Evil Spirit Masters were distracted, Marco slipped into the village like a ghost, heading straight for that corner. Gently moving aside the rubble and beams, he uncovered a small girl curled up in the corner, covered in blood and trembling. She appeared to be about six or seven years old, dressed in tattered clothes, her face smeared with grime and tear stains. Her wide eyes were filled with utter terror and despair, and when she saw Marco suddenly appear, she flinched and instinctively stifled a scream.
Marco's heart ached. He quickly lowered his voice, making it as gentle as possible. "Don't be afraid. I'm here to save you. I won't hurt you." He released a wisp of warm Azure Flame energy, its comforting vitality slightly calming the girl, though fear still lingered in her eyes. She clamped a hand over her mouth, not daring to make a sound.
After settling the girl in a relatively safe hiding spot, Marco whispered, "Stay here, and don't make a sound. Wait for me to return." The girl nodded vigorously, tears silently streaming down her face.
With the survivor secured, Marco slowly rose to his feet. When he turned his gaze back to the Evil Spirit Masters, his eyes were as cold as eternal ice. I'll test my newly mastered 'Demon Storm Leg' on you all! His resolve to kill was firm.
He no longer concealed himself, stepping out of the shadows one deliberate step at a time. The sound of his footsteps echoed starkly in the deathly silent valley.
"Who's there?!" The Soul King-level Evil Spirit Master noticed first, whirling around. Upon seeing Marco—a youth who didn't look very old—he paused in surprise, then grinned cruelly. "Heh, didn't expect a stray fish to deliver itself to us! Kid, with tender skin like yours, your blood must be rich—perfect for a snack!"
His subordinates, Evil Spirit Masters at the Soul Honour level, closed in, eyeing Marco as if he were a feast.
Ignoring their taunts, Marco locked eyes with the Soul King. Four Soul Rings slowly materialized at his feet—yellow, yellow, purple, and black! The moment the profound ten-thousand-year fourth ring appeared, the sneers on the Evil Spirit Masters' faces froze, replaced by sheer horror.
"F-Four rings? A ten-thousand-year Soul Ring? Who are you?!" the Soul King exclaimed, a wave of intense unease washing over him.
Marco didn't answer. He took a deep breath, merging Soul Power and Mental Power under the precise control of Life Return! A surge of dark azure energy instantly erupted from his legs—an energy that was not entirely the blazing heat of Azure Flame.
The flames were not entirely ethereal Mental Power, but a completely new force brimming with destruction and ominous aura! The surrounding air slightly distorted under this power, emitting a palpitation-inducing fluctuation.
"Demon Storm Leg!"
He shouted sharply, his figure vanishing instantly! The next moment, he appeared before the Soul King, his right leg descending like a dark cyan battle axe with a shriek that tore through the air and a terrifying pressure that pierced straight into the soul.
The Soul King was utterly horrified, hastily gathering Soul Power for defense, but the dark cyan energy seemed capable of penetrating all defenses! Not only was the physical impact terrifyingly immense, but a powerful mental shock directly assaulted his consciousness!
"No—!" The piercing scream was abruptly cut short.
As the dark cyan light flashed, the Soul King's body was torn apart by an invisible force, instantly sent flying backward, collapsing half a mud wall, and falling silent forever. His eyes still held the fear and disbelief from his final moments.
The remaining Evil Spirit Masters were scared out of their wits, turning to flee. But how could Marco let them escape? Dark leg shadows flickered through the valley like the scythe of death, accompanied by several short, sharp screams, and all the Evil Spirit Masters were slain!
The battle ended extremely quickly. Marco stood in place, breathing slightly heavily, feeling the astonishing power of the "Demon Storm Leg," but he felt no joy, only heaviness. He walked to where the surviving little girl was hiding. The girl had witnessed the earlier demonic scene through a crack and was now terrified of Marco to the extreme, her small body trembling like a leaf.
Marco sighed inwardly, dispersing the fierce aura around him, and once again used gentle Soul Power to soothe her. After a while, the girl calmed down slightly but still dared not look Marco in the eye.
While carefully checking if the girl was injured, Marco softly asked, "Little sister, don't be afraid. The bad people have been driven away by me. What's your name? Are there... any others left in the village?"
The girl shook her head, tears welling up again, and replied in a voice as faint as a mosquito's, "No... no one else... they're all dead... My name is Ya Ya..."
Marco's heart ached, and he continued gently, "Ya Ya, don't be afraid. Tell me, did someone in your village recently awaken their Martial Soul?"
Ya Ya nodded, sobbing, "Yes... a few days ago, the Soul Master from the town came to help us awaken... but, but not long after the awakening, those bad people came..."
Marco's heart stirred, and he pressed further, "Ya Ya, did you awaken your Martial Soul? What is it? What level is your Soul Power?"
Ya Ya shook her head blankly, "I... I don't know what the Martial Soul is called... I just feel like my head has become very clear... I think much faster... The Soul Master said, said I have... Innate Level Nine Soul Power..."
--Enjoying the story? Want more chapters? Check out my Patreon and support me for 40+ advance chapters.
Just search for "QueenTL" on Patreon!"
Thanks!