It was 5 am. when Jie Hong return
Du Qianyao was sleeping on a bench in nearby park
Jie Hong tossed Evil Goon on the ground and taps Qianyao cheek
"Hey wake up, I got them"
"Ugh Huh? oh Elder Jie *Yawn*"
Qianyao sit up and stretches before he glance at the unconcious man below
"So what the deal with these guys?"
Jie Hong rubs his chin, "They seems to target the Orphanage, I heard they slip up about information being inaccurate? I figured there's something that prick their interests."
"Something that interests Evil Soul Master..... could it be!"
Qianyao jolts his head up and stare at Jie Hong, "Elder Jie, there's something I didn't tell you"
Jie Hong raise his eyebrows and ask curiously, "What is it?"
Qianyao think for a moment and quietly explain, "Among the kids who recently awakened their martial souls a few days ago, there's one kid who awaken a Martial Soul with Taotie bloodline."
Jie Hong' eyes widen until his eyes almost pop out, "WHAT!"
Qianyao immediately look around and warn Jie Hong, "Elder Jie be quiet!"
"Uh! Ahem yes, but! such important news and you didn't bother to even think about telling me? Or are you waiting for those Shrek bastards to come and take that kid away!"
"I forgot okay! I thought I will tell you when we're done with our things but those goons just happened to come here!"
"Fine fine, that explains why they dispatched a somewhat decent strong team for abduction...."
Jie Hong think for a second before take out his phone and contact Mu Ye while walking toward the sleeping beauty guy below and step on his head.
Qianyao tiptoes and stare at the number, "Will Master even think of recruiting someone?"
Jie Hong nods, "Under normal circumstances we, the Body Sect, will never accept other youngling without Body Martial Soul even if they are Twin Martial Soul. But of course right now, our Sect is in need of promising youngster who can become the pillars of our Sect, taking position of a guest or honorable elders is fine but not direct heir, and also thanks to both of you and Ah Ruheng being the legimate heirs that the upper echelon is much more lenient with recruitment of non-body martial souls master."
Qianyao thumbs up in agreement, "So what next? Recruit her now?"
Jie Hong confirm and his gaze become sharp, "That's obivious, if that kid accept then good if not, sorry, I could only take them to a 'sight seeing trip' on Body Sect' Mountain for a while."
[Hello?] Mu Ye voice cut through spirit phone on Jie Hong' hand
Jie Hong brought it closer to his mouth, "Hello Sect Master, I have important news that need your decision."
[What is it?]
Jie Hong tells Mu Ye everything happened today
[....Why the hell did you even bother to contact me? GO! Bring that kid here too when you come back.]
"Yes sir" Jie Hong watched as Mu Ye hang up.
He looks at Qianyao who was playing boxing with Shan Yuan
"Qianyao, it's your job to recruit her to come with us now."
Qianyao looks confused, "Why me? Isn't it your job?"
Jie Hong stare at him and gesture his whole body, "You said that kid is a girl. Do you think a young girl is willing to talk with me? Hm? Think again. And they trust you more than me."
Qianyao sigh, "Fine but I have to slowly persuade her to come with us then.."
Jie Hong close his eyes, "Do whatever you want, take your time we're not in a hurry."
"What about this guy?" Qianyao points at the twitching Evil Goon on the ground
Jie Hong look down at the pretending goon and smirk
"I'll take care of him, you go ahead, today schedule is canceled."
Qianyao nods and run off
Jie Hong then pick the guy and walk toward the nearest Official Station
While he was jogging down the street back to the Orphanage
He recalls what Miss Yue has told him
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.
Earlier that afternoon, when Qianyao entered the reception room after checking a wracked old AC of education room
Miss Yue had approached him quietly while he visited the workshop section.
Qianyao who was rammaging a box with wrench and drill in hand look up and ask curiously
"What is it Miss Yue? Something you want to share?"
She looked a bit hesitant, then offered in a low voice:
"There's something I learned from the older kids. A newcomer who awakened not long ago, just a few days, it most likely to be exceptional strong bull? Or is it Ox? Martial soul..... and it was unlike anything I've seen."
Miss Yue paused, looking around before stare directly into his eyes.
"They said after her marital soul awakened, she changed, like being more hungry? like she eats everything more than tripled of other kids meal, i am afraid if she keeps doing this, our ingredients will be emptied in just weeks from months..."
Qianyao's pulse quickened, but he force himself to calmdown.
"Anything else?"
She shook her head.
"I don't know martial souls well, i just searched online and tried to learn from what the official website has. Soul Masters after awakened has unusual large appetite needs, either have natural devour attribute or the martial soul itself is flawed, but after i filled in a more specifics of martial soul. Martial Soul with Bull like appearance, a large horns, and strong earth and devour attribute is Godly Taotie Bull, martial soul of Sea God Pavillion Master, Xuan Zi, from 10,000 years ago. Some said only people tied to the Godly Taotie Bull can possess it."
That was all she provided, a brief observation.
Qianyao had nodded politely and bid farewell. But inside, he knew: a Taotie bloodline possessor had appeared nearby.
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6 am. Qianyao arrived early at the orphanage.
Sunlight filtered through the trees as children ran around the courtyard, some carrying wooden swords, others pretending to duel.
Miss Yue noticed him first and waved from the garden. "You're back already?"
Qianyao smiled and nodded. "I'm here to see someone. Is Ming Yixuan around?"
Miss Yue tilted her head thoughtfully, then pointed toward the east wing.
"She's always by herself after breakfast. Lone kid by nature i guess?"
Qianyao gave a quick thanks and made his way to the quiet corner of the orphanage where a small library dome stood under a tree. There, sitting cross-legged on the stone bench with a loaf of bread in hand, was a girl around 6 years old with short silver with black streaks hair, healthy yellow-toned skin, and blue aquamarine shiny eyes.
She looked up as he approached, chewing slowly.
"You're Big brother Du Qianyao?," she said plainly. "The older brother everyone talks about."
"That's me, can I sit here?"
She nods. "Up to you."
Qianyao sat down beside her, watching the sunlight reflect off the dewdrops on nearby leaves.
"Your martial soul," he said softly. "It's special, isn't it?"
Yixuan paused. Her eyes flicked toward him, cautious now.
"I heard from Miss Yue. She didn't say much. But I know a thing or two about rare awakenings."
She finished the last of her bread and brushed crumbs off her lap.
"…It was a scary bull. A giant one. Covered in black and gold patterns. It always follow behind me after I awakened. Scared everyone."
While she was saying that she flip over the book in her hand
'The Legend of Nine Dragon Kings'
An old but somewhat still famous book among civilians.
Qianyao nodded. "Sounds like something called Taotie."
Her eyebrows rose. "So it's real?"
"Very real," Qianyao replied. "It's a powerful bloodline. Somewhat dangerous too, but it has just a potential danger."
There was a long pause before she asked, "What do you want from me?"
"Gonna be honest with you," he said. "But I came to offer you something. An invitation to train under a Sect and promise of protection. Not just any sect—Body Sect."
She blinked. "Isn't that the place Aunt Yue said you join?"
"That's correct," Qianyao smiled. "Miss Yue, Elder Jie and my master believe that your potential is worth nurturing. You won't be treated like an outsider."
"…How can i trust you?"
"Well, i can't make you trust me so we'll do this instead. If you come with us, you'll train hard. Eat well. Live at our mountain. You'll be protected. No orphanage can offer that kind of future."
Ming Yixuan looked down at her small hands. "I'm… strong, right?"
"You will be. If you're willing to come with me."
"…Can I bring my books?"
Qianyao laughed. "Bring a whole shelf if you want."
She nods her little head vigorously.
"Alright," she said. "But I'm not calling anyone 'Senior Brother' or whatever."
Qianyao stood up, stretching. "Deal. Come pack your things. We leave the day after tomorrow."
Yixuan acknowledge, "Alright"
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A small warehouse hidden in a thicket of scraggly trees, just outside East Sea City's industrial district. From the outside, it looked abandoned—rusted walls, broken glass, and no spirit fluctuations.
But inside, a group of five Evil Soul Masters were gathered around a cracked table, arguing over a scrambled map. Candles lit the corners with flickering light, revealing Spirit Pagoda uniforms stuffed in a sack.
"This time, we go in from the west wall," one of them growled. "The dorm window's broken there."
Another shook his head. "Too risky. We need a distraction—burn the garden, draw out the staffs—then take the girl."
A third leaned back, cracking his knuckles. "With the boss gone, we do this clean. No blood. Just snatch and run."
A sudden creak echoed from the front iron door.
All heads turned.
The old warehouse door slowly swung open, hinges groaning.
One man stepped in—scarlet longcoat, unhurried steps, hands in his pockets.
Jie Hong.
"Sorry I'm late," he said casually. "You guys were talking about taking a little girl, right? I wanted to hear the rest."
The Evil Soul Masters sprang up.
"Who the hell are—?!"
Before the words finished, the floor exploded. Jie Hong vanished from view—
—then appeared behind the man who spoke.
CRACK.
A knee shattered the back of the man's ribs. He dropped like a sack of weeds.
"Scatter!!" one shouted.
Two of them unleashed 2 yellows 2 puple and 1 black soul rings, summoning twisted creatures—one a skeletal bird, the other a rotting hound.
"Get him—!"
Jie Hong raised one hand lazily.
He just use soul pressure from his much higher soul power
The air distorted. The skeletal bird shrieked mid-flight—and burst into dust.
The evil soul master screamed as his soul spirit link snapped. Jie Hong was already on him. A palm strike sunk into his stomach, knocking him through a wall.
The third man tried to run. Jie Hong pointed a finger at him.
Ribbons of glowing red light burst from the ground, wrapping his legs and dragging him back, screaming.
The last two—one a woman with snake tattoos, the other a lanky man with a fog-like martial soul—backed into a corner.
"We didn't do anything! We were just talking!" the woman cried, eyes wide.
Jie Hong cracked his knuckles. "So you admit it."
The man hurled a smoke bomb—Mist Cage: Concealment Veil!
The warehouse filled with thick gray fog.
The woman sprinted toward the back exit, fast as lightning—
—but Jie Hong was already behind her.
BOOM.
A spinning kick sent her crashing into a pillar. The fog cleared instantly.
Only the fog-user remained, panting, retreating step by step.
"I—I can work with you!" he blurted. "You want information? I got names! Lists! I—!"
Jie Hong grabbed him by the collar.
"You're right. I do want names."
His hand glowed with red light
The man screamed as his spirit power was forcefully extracted. He slumped, twitching, alive but barely.
Jie Hong dropped him and exhaled.
Five seconds of silence.
Then he pulled out his phone.
"Yeah. It's done."
[Already?] came Mu Ye's voice.
"Didn't even warm up," Jie Hong replied. "Want me to take out the rest?"
[No. Clean that place, take useful ones alive. We'll send people to sweep it later.]
"Got it."
Jie Hong glanced around the broken warehouse, where whimpers and debris settled into silence.
"…Still talking about kidnapping kids," he muttered. "They never learn."