Boom—
As the flower of the Other Shore bloomed in Lin Xiao's palm, the Great Holy Spirit's body swelled rapidly before exploding with a deafening blast. In an instant, the surrounding area was cleared, and scorching blood splattered in every direction.
Though it felt long, only a few breaths had passed. The others in the cavern hadn't even grasped what had happened before they saw their Great Holy Spirit erupt amidst the crowd. Droplets of blood burned their skin like acid, and the Second Holy Spirit's body was already torn apart.
With their two strongest leaders dead, the rest completely lost their will to resist. Panic overcame them. Almost everyone turned and fled toward the cave entrance, as though escaping might somehow lead them to life.
But Lin Xiao didn't pursue. Instead, he looked down at his hand, fingers curling as his fourth spirit ring lit up with dazzling light.
The seeds of the Other Shore flower, once planted and grown through his previous abilities, did not wither after blooming—they bore fruit, beginning the next cycle.
Fourth Spirit Skill—Rebirth.
For a brief moment, silence filled the cave. Then came a chorus of wretched screams.
The scattered blood of the Great Holy Spirit transformed into countless new seeds, each burrowing into the fleeing bodies and sprouting anew.
Thud—
Thud—
Flower after flower bloomed. Body after body fell. Within moments, the cavern fell silent again—only corpses remained, blanketed beneath a field of red blossoms swaying softly in the gloom.
Ignoring the slick, blood-soaked ground beneath his feet, Lin Xiao stepped forward and stopped beside the Second Holy Spirit's body.
He raised his right hand. The Other Shore flower hovered above his palm. With a tug of his left, a transparent silhouette was pulled free from the corpse.
The phantom, unaware of what was happening, instinctively tried to flee. But if he had been no match for Lin Xiao in life, how could a remnant soul resist now? After a brief struggle, the wisp of spirit was drawn into the flower's crimson heart like smoke.
Lin Xiao repeated the process again and again until every corpse had been dealt with. Only then did he walk to the corner where the earlier victims had been piled.
From the empty gazes of the dead women, there was no trace of struggle or hatred—only despair.
Ten years in the Holy Spirit Church had shown him countless scenes like this. It should have felt ordinary. Yet, standing there now, Lin Xiao couldn't help but sigh softly. Raising his hand, he let the falling petals cover their unclosed eyes.
When the moon had begun to sink in the sky, he finally stepped out of the cave. Looking back once, he clenched his right fist. His third spirit ring glowed, and a thunderous explosion tore through the night. The ground trembled violently as rocks and soil collapsed, burying every trace of the atrocities committed within.
The matter settled, Lin Xiao prepared to leave—but his expression suddenly changed. He looked up sharply into the distance, where a streak of brilliant gold cut through the night sky. The air around him grew hot, hair curling under the heat, he caught the faint scent of burning.
He couldn't tell who was approaching, but anyone who arrived in such fashion was unlikely to be friendly. Lifting his hand, Lin Xiao summoned the Other Shore flower once more. He drew a line across his palm, droplets of blood sprinkling forward as his spirit rings flared to life, conjuring another sea of flowers before him.
He had just finished when the golden figure drew near—close enough now that he could discern a human silhouette within the blazing fire.
Spirit power surged rapidly through his body, ready to strike. But to his shock, the moment the golden flame approached, his flowers began to wither one after another, unable to endure its heat.
This was no ordinary fire.
Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes. His martial spirit might not be immune to all elements, but ordinary flames could never burn through his techniques so easily. Whoever this was, their martial spirit was no common type.
He brushed his left hand across the petals, and a translucent phantom emerged above the flower—none other than the Second Holy Spirit, whose soul he had just absorbed.
His mind pulsed twice with intensity. Lin Xiao lifted his hand, ready to strike—but a clear voice interrupted him.
"Ming'er, don't be reckless!"
A golden rope shot through the air even faster than the approaching figure. In a flash, it wound around the girl's waist and yanked her back.
The moonlight brightened, revealing two more figures hurrying toward them. Both emanated spirit power stronger than Lin Xiao's.
He could not reveal his true identity, yet fleeing now might draw even more suspicion. With these three's strength, escape wouldn't be easy. After a brief thought, Lin Xiao chose to stand his ground, discreetly withdrawing the remnant soul of the Second Holy Spirit.
Moments later, the trio arrived. He could finally see them clearly—three young women, all about the same age. The one in front had a gentle, composed face, her black hair tied neatly behind her head. She gave Lin Xiao a polite bow.
"Apologies. I hope we didn't harm you."
Lin Xiao's gaze flicked to her hand, where she wore a silver-white ring inlaid with a green gemstone carved in an intricate design.
The Shrek Inspection Group.
Since Lin Xiao didn't respond, the leader spoke again. "We heard reports of an evil Spirit Master nearby and came to investigate. Ming'er was a bit impulsive earlier and may have caused some misunderstanding."
"No harm done," Lin Xiao finally replied, turning slightly to glance behind him. "If you're looking for the evil Spirit Masters, you may have arrived too late. I also came after hearing the rumors—but it turned out to be just a band of ordinary thieves."
The young woman raised her head, following his gaze toward the collapsed hill behind him. The cave entrance was barely visible under the mound of rubble; all signs of what had once been there were gone.
"If there's nothing else," Lin Xiao said evenly, "I'll be on my way."
"Please, go ahead."
Without another word, Lin Xiao turned and disappeared into the night. As his figure vanished among the trees, his mind churned restlessly. Names resurfaced one after another—familiar, yet distant. From their uniforms and martial spirits, he already knew who those girls were.
He had thought that after more than ten years in this world, the memories of another life had faded. But clearly, they had not. They remained as vivid as ever.
"Lexuan," a voice spoke by the rubble after he left, "the direction he went—it's toward the Sun and Moon Empire."
"Let him go," Lexuan answered quietly. "No matter who he is or where he comes from, he's doing the same work we are."
(End of Chapter)