Zhang Lexuan arrived in town and surveyed the expressions of the people around her, along with the state of the streets.
Strange.
This place didn’t seem like somewhere an Evil Soul Master had been active.
She even discreetly listened in on a few casual conversations, but heard nothing about anyone going missing.
Forget it.
She might as well ask around at some shops.
Zhang Lexuan decided to find a medical clinic.
Surely a clinic would have heard something if people had been coming in with injuries.
As she walked, a wooden sign bearing the words “Cure-All” entered her view.
Several people were even lined up outside the entrance.
That name…
sounded pretty impressive!
…
Only after everyone had left did Zhang Lexuan slowly walk inside.
The medical clinic was lined with wooden cabinets filled with medicinal herbs.
A faint, bitter medicinal fragrance lingered in the air, mingling with the mild scent of dried herbs.
Huo Yuhao was packing his belongings.
Although Aunt Jiang had not fully recovered yet, from here on she only needed to recuperate slowly and rebuild her strength.
Huo Yuhao had already explained everything to Jiang Nannan.
With the bag of Gold Soul Coins from yesterday, along with the savings he had accumulated during his time here, he would probably set out on his travels again within the next few days.
Jiang Nannan had not been idle either.
Her family had recently begun preparing to move to Shrek City.
Although he was a little reluctant to leave, he would eventually be studying at Shrek Academy anyway.
Seeing each other again was only a matter of time.
Just as Huo Yuhao was lost in thought, the arrival of a figure snapped him back to reality.
“Hello?
Is something wrong?”
Huo Yuhao studied Zhang Lexuan and immediately sensed something unusual about her.
Her black hair cascaded like a waterfall to her waist, her bearing was gentle and serene like moonlight, and the aura surrounding her felt pure and mild.
Yet when his Spirit Eyes instinctively stirred, he found himself unable to gauge the depth of her Soul Power.
Her entire figure seemed enveloped in hazy moonlight.
She was clearly no ordinary Soul Master.
“Little brother, where is the doctor of this clinic?”
“…”
“That’s me.”
“Ah, sorry.
Then, young doctor, have many people come here recently with injuries from fighting?”
“Battle injuries?
I don’t think so.
Almost everyone who comes here has some physical ailment or gets hurt in an everyday accident.
I haven’t treated anyone injured in combat.”
“Big sister, why are you asking?”
“It’s nothing.
I was just curious.
Also, little brother, you’d better avoid going out too much over the next few days, all right?”
Zhang Lexuan herself did not know why she had said that.
Perhaps she simply found the little boy rather cute and had casually decided to warn him.
“Oh, okay.”
Huo Yuhao felt there was definitely something more to this…
but it was not really his place to pry, so he simply agreed.
…
“Xiao La, are you really determined to go down the wrong path?
Do you intend to become an Evil Soul Master?”
The speaker was Xiao Da, who was currently confronting his younger brother.
The two were twins, both sons of Xiao Di, and both had inherited their father’s Martial Soul, “Little Bomb.”
Xiao Da’s Innate Soul Power was around the third or fourth level.
Although his bombs were not especially powerful and could not be preserved for long, the Martial Soul still had its advantages in other areas, allowing him to make a modest living from it.
Xiao La, however, had an Innate Level of only one, and the bombs he summoned could barely blow up anything at all.
As a result, he had no choice but to keep following behind his older brother.
He could not accept that.
He wanted to earn the same respect his brother did, so he had constantly searched for a way to improve himself.
A few days ago, several people had approached him and promised that they could enhance his Martial Soul.
Xiao La, who had nearly given up hope, felt as though he had finally seen a ray of light and agreed without hesitation.
To his surprise, after their development of his ability, he discovered that he could transform human corpses into Corpse Bombs.
Not only were they extraordinarily powerful, they also released toxic gas and could even be preserved indefinitely.
Even against Soul Masters somewhat stronger than himself, as long as they were caught off guard, he could ambush and kill them with ease.
This was practically art!
After gaining this power, he took advantage of it and had recently begun secretly abducting isolated people from nearby villages.
People like that had no one who would notice their disappearance and report it.
Unfortunately, his good fortune did not last.
Just moments earlier, Xiao Da had discovered Xiao La secretly modifying a corpse, leading to the confrontation they were having now.
“Brother, things have already come this far.
There’s no turning back for me!
For the sake of everything we’ve shared as brothers, just let me go.
I won’t cause any trouble here!”
“…Go.”
“What?!”
Xiao La could hardly believe what he had heard.
By now, he could already be considered an Evil Soul Master.
“I said go!
I never saw you today, and from this moment on, you and I have nothing to do with each other!”
Tears gathered at the corners of Xiao Da’s eyes.
This was his own younger brother, someone who had been by his side for so many years.
How could he possibly bring himself to strike him down?
As Xiao La’s figure gradually disappeared from sight, Xiao Da could no longer hold himself together.
He leaned against the wall and sank heavily to the ground.
…
In the forest, Huo Yuhao took advantage of the free time before his departure to sit cross-legged in meditation, intending to continue tempering himself for a while longer and further stabilize his foundation.
Origin Energy slowly circulated through Huo Yuhao’s meridians, gradually clearing away the blockages that had accumulated within his body.
The boy’s slender figure sat motionless beneath the shade of the trees, his expression focused.
Deep within the dense forest, however, a figure lay completely concealed, staring fixedly at Huo Yuhao.
It was none other than Xiao La, who had fled in a panic.
He had been worrying about finding suitable prey along the way, but the sudden appearance of this young man was practically a gift from heaven.
Although this place was very close to Shrek, he had already planned to flee toward the Sun Moon Empire.
Once he made it there, he would be free as a bird.
“Heh heh heh…”
A low, hoarse, sinister laugh rumbled from Xiao La’s throat, his eyes filled with a sickening fervor.
Xiao La spread his fingers slightly.
Wisps of dark-red, tainted, malevolent energy swirled around his palm.
He then suppressed his presence and slowly crept closer.
As soon as he came within ten meters, he would strike without warning and forcibly abduct Huo Yuhao.
By now, Huo Yuhao had also sensed Xiao La’s sinister aura and was preparing to flee immediately.
At that very moment, however, Zhang Lexuan stood atop a tree in her purple cloak, her expression grave.
Zhang Lexuan had originally intended to enter the forest alone and investigate, but before she could do so, she spotted the same boy she had just warned leaving the town as well.
For some reason, a trace of concern arose in her heart.
The child looked far too innocent and pure-hearted, and his Soul Power was much too low.
If he truly ran into a vicious and cunning Evil Soul Master, he would have no chance to defend himself.
After hesitating for a moment, Zhang Lexuan ultimately could not put her mind at ease and quietly followed him.
She had not expected to actually find an Evil Soul Master.
Just as Xiao La raised his Soul Power another level, Huo Yuhao abruptly sprang to his feet and dashed to the side.
“Damn it!”
Seeing this, Xiao La poured more Soul Power into his body and immediately gave chase.
In the next instant, a white moon blade slashed down directly in front of Xiao La, cutting him off from Huo Yuhao.
Xiao La froze on the spot.
His scarlet pupils contracted sharply, and terror filled his face.
A Soul Master from Shrek?!
Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that a powerful Shrek Soul Master was secretly watching over the perfect prey he had set his sights on!
Zhang Lexuan’s gaze, meanwhile, had turned utterly cold.
Faint moonlight surrounded her as her eyes locked firmly onto Xiao La.
“Finally decided to show yourself?”