Gu You lightly shook the gourd-shaped soul device in his hand, and a rich surge of soul power pulsed out, filling the air around him.
"Master said there's a lot of thousand-year spirit herbs infused in this. The spirit liquid it brews can even boost my soul power when I drink it."
It was definitely a treasure — not only could it store enough soul power to rival a Soul Douluo, constantly replenishing him, but it could also brew spirit-infused drinks to quench thirst. Truly, it was the ultimate sacred cup.
Leng Yaozhu had told him this soul guide bottle was crafted jointly by three different level-seven professionals, and it was nearly at the level of an eighth-tier soul device. Internally, it was divided into two separate modules: the lower half stored soul power, while the upper half brewed spirit liquids or wine. After being carefully tuned, it could switch between these two functions freely — in short, it was a masterpiece among level-seven soul guides.
"Attention, all passengers: please board Soul Guide Train No. 87. This train runs from Xiangming City to Tiandou City, passing through thirty-four cities. At each station, the train will pause for five minutes to allow passengers to disembark or continue traveling."
The broadcast repeated over and over.
To be honest, if this trip hadn't been dirt cheap, Gu You would have taken the high-speed Soul Guide train and booked a VIP room without hesitation. But after giving his red card to Na'er, he didn't have much money left. He'd opened a new account for himself and scraped together about 300,000 Federation coins — all hard-earned over the past few days from forging commissions.
Don't think that's a small sum. In the Douluo Federation, making 300,000 coins in just a few days put you above ninety percent of the population.
The inside of the train was chaotic and crowded. Gu You barely managed to snatch a seat before settling into a meditative posture.
"What a beautiful child! What's your child's martial soul?"
Gu You, though appearing to cultivate, had his senses spread sharply across the train car. While he'd observed most of the surroundings clearly, he found that the compartments above this carriage were shielded by a powerful mental force that blocked his probing.
Recently, he'd been getting up early to practice the Purple Demon Eye technique. In just these few days, he realized that the technique felt… too easy. He had already reached the so-called Microscopic Realm.
The Microscopic Realm meant perceiving the tiniest details — being able to notice subtle shifts and minute changes in the target's body or aura.
"Martial soul… I'm sorry, my child doesn't have one."
That line pulled Gu You's attention.
"Ah, I apologize."
The voices belonged to a young woman with delicate features, sitting relaxed across from a mother and her daughter. The mother looked to be in her forties, while the girl was about six or seven, with bright, clear eyes.
"It's not what you think. My daughter missed the martial soul awakening day. When we went, the Spirit Transmission Master had already left. Now, if we want to awaken her martial soul, we'd have to go to the Spirit Transmission Tower or one of the official government stations — but that costs over twenty thousand coins. It's too expensive…"
Gu You clenched his fists under his sleeves. That kind of line always rubbed him the wrong way. But this was the reality of the world: a family that couldn't even afford twenty thousand coins — even if the little girl had spirit power, how could she ever become a soul master? Without resources, without backing, without talent so overwhelming it defied the odds, the path forward was almost entirely closed.
Still, thinking from the other side, Gu You felt a wave of determination rise within him. Someday, when he established his own faction, he would make martial soul awakenings free — just like the old Spirit Hall days. It wouldn't matter where you were from, rich or poor; if you had the potential, you would have the chance to join and grow. And as for the funding? He'd cover it himself.
Of course, that was just a dream — for now. Resources were limited, and competition was fierce. The world had never been fair, not before, not now. If you were born with good talent, you had to make the most of it. And even if you weren't, you couldn't give up, because no one knew what you might become three years from now.
"…So sleepy. What's going on with my spirit today? My eyelids feel so heavy…"
So sleepy…
Gu You suddenly felt his own head go hazy, a wave of drowsiness washing over him.
Not good!
He immediately gathered his spiritual power, activating his Purple Demon Eyes and scanning the space ahead.
In the place no one else could see, a girl stood silently. Four soul rings circled around her body, and at her lips, a flute played softly.
Jiu Xiao Flute?
Gu You instantly recognized the martial soul — but the aura was wrong. The Jiu Xiao Flute was shrouded in swirling black mist, thick with undead energy, spreading an oppressive darkness through the area. In an instant, Gu You's vision was cut off.
Evil soul master!
His heart raced. Damn it, he was just trying to take a cheap train — how had he run straight into trouble again? But for now, he could only stay still and observe.
An evil soul master with four rings would almost never act alone. There were bound to be others nearby.
Around him, the passengers were all slumping into sleep. Gu You forced himself to fake it too, keeping perfectly still, waiting to see what would happen.
The train continued moving steadily forward, the compartments quiet and undisturbed. But inside, an hour passed, and Gu You's arms were starting to go numb. This stiff posture was getting unbearable.
Five hours.
I can't take it anymore. Just… change position, carefully.
Luckily, no one seemed to notice his subtle shift.
Meanwhile, far away —
On the northernmost border, in the remote town of Nonalin.
This place was beyond the firm control of the Federation. It had long been a gathering spot for evil soul masters, black-market traders, and assassins. Even though the official governor was appointed by the Federation, it was inevitable that local officials were bribed or turned, quietly allowing dark dealings to flourish.
"Xiao Lai, you did well this time. The boss will make sure you get enough wraith energy to break through to Soul King." The speaker was a burly man with a crazed glint in his eyes. His body was crisscrossed with countless scars, each one evidence of his brutal past.
"I don't need you to tell me that. Of course I know." The girl, called Xiao Lai, spoke coldly. "But we were too conspicuous this time. The Federation is bound to take notice. The government already suspected this place — it's just that it's so remote, any inspectors they send can be intercepted and swapped out before they get real evidence."
"Ha! Let them come." The man let out a crazed laugh. Behind him, a massive blood-red bear shadow rose, his body swelling in size, seven soul rings glowing ominously — though, regrettably, his first ring was still white.
This was Kuang Zhan, the Mad Battle. His martial soul, the Bloodthirst Bear, was a mutated type — one that grew stronger through slaughter. Judging by his seven rings, countless innocent lives had likely fallen to his hands.
Back on the train —
"Where… where are we?"
Most passengers had woken up, staring wide-eyed out the windows. Outside, the world was blanketed in endless snow, fierce winds howling across a vast frozen plain.
"What the hell? Weren't we just in Shrek City?"
Panic began to spread among the passengers, the murmurs rising toward chaos.
Gu You's left eye twitched involuntarily.
There was an old saying — left eye twitching meant fortune, right eye twitching meant disaster.
But looking at the situation now…
Yeah, this definitely looked like disaster.
(End of chapter)
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