"My Lord, Saint Envoy, please—let me go! I swear I'll never reveal anything about the Holy Church…"
"You still haven't realized it, have you? We are all just a nest of gu worms. And you—you are the chosen king worm. You'll carry our hatred and live on for us…"
"I regret it! I don't want to be an Evil Spirit Master anymore! Please, I don't want to go back there… please!"
"Hmph. The Holy Spirit Church? I only became an Evil Spirit Master to live freely. Why would anyone want a master hanging over their head? You lot can get lost."
"You're not the Saint Envoy… who are you really?"
Voices echoed endlessly in Lin Xiao's ears. Some he recognized—perhaps deserters from the Church, rivals from his childhood, or Saint Spirits from the sub-branches. Others were long-forgotten faces.
But all of them shared one thing in common—they had vanished at his hands. What remained were mere wraiths, each whispering their final emotions before death: resentment, regret, fear…
His body swayed slightly, like a true Other Shore Flower blooming amid drifting souls.
Though he had always known that souls existed in this world, he had never realized that they, too, carried thoughts and desires, frozen in their final moments yet faintly changing with time.
Thoughts churned in his heart as the techniques of his martial spirit replayed in his mind.
He had always known his martial spirit was unlike any other. The same spirit skill could vary in effect depending on what he used as its catalyst. Even with his past-life knowledge, he had never heard of a martial spirit capable of manifesting two different forms of the same skill.
When blood was used as the medium, it birthed the Seed of Flesh. When a remnant soul was used, it became the Seed of Spirit. He had assumed the latter was merely an auxiliary function of the Other Shore Flower—nothing more than an additional way to attack the mind.
But now he saw the truth—the flower's power over souls was far from weak.
Just as the Seed of Flesh could wound the body, take root to absorb power, or detonate a corpse, the Seed of Spirit surely possessed abilities beyond merely assaulting the mind.
The only reason he had never discovered this before was the same reason he had once failed to merge soul power and spiritual power—Nightmare Douluo's seal had crippled his mental strength.
What a wonderful teacher indeed.
"What happened to you today?"
That familiar voice drew him out of his meditation. The sky outside was pitch black now, and the tall shadow standing by the bed was not unexpected.
"Teacher," Lin Xiao said quickly, rising to his feet.
"I placed a seal on you—to protect you," Nightmare Douluo's rasping voice came from beneath the black cloak. "Did something happen? Were you in danger?"
"No." Lin Xiao paused, as though thinking. "I just sparred with a student. He was strong, and his attacks… unusual. Maybe that triggered it?"
"If that's the case, then it's no simple matter." Nightmare Douluo's tone was unreadable. "The seal protects your sea of spirit. If his attacks involved mental force, there may be lingering damage. I'll take a look—better to be safe."
Before Lin Xiao could refuse, a dry, withered hand emerged from the cloak.
"Thank you, Teacher."
Lin Xiao bowed his head, hiding his expression in the dim light.
As Nightmare Douluo's palm lifted, a faint phantom rose from Lin Xiao's back. In that moment, all the lingering emotions of the remnant souls—resentment, regret, and sorrow—vanished, leaving only raw, instinctive fear.
When Lin Xiao dared glance up, he caught a glimpse beneath the cloak—a faint smile curling at Nightmare Douluo's lips.
He quickly looked away.
An icy, intangible current of spiritual force swept through him. It was as if he had fallen once again into a dream, where all the lives he had taken reappeared one by one, accusing him, cursing him.
Yet this time, amid that endless nightmare, he saw the river again—stretching beyond sight, its gentle murmur echoing clearly in his ears.
A sharp cough snapped him back. Nightmare Douluo withdrew his hand, tucking it into his cloak once more.
"All done," he said evenly. "No major harm done. Rest and recover."
Lin Xiao wasn't sure what had happened in that brief instant—he hadn't felt anything strange—but knowing Nightmare Douluo, it was unlikely to be as simple as he claimed.
Silence lingered for a long time. Then Nightmare Douluo finally spoke again. "Good. I only came to make sure you were safe. Since you're fine, prepare yourself. In a few days, you'll come with me. We won't be returning for a while."
"Teacher, my current identity—"
"What? You actually believe you're a student of the Royal Academy now?" Nightmare Douluo cut him off with a cold snort.
"I didn't mean that. I just worry that going out so often might draw attention. If someone traces it back, the Church might—"
"Don't worry. Students often leave for months to test soul tools—it's a perfect excuse. And besides…" A trace of arrogance crept into Nightmare Douluo's tone. "The Holy Spirit Church isn't what it used to be. Even if others learn of our existence—what of it?"
That disdainful confidence said everything. It was no wonder the Church would one day act so brazenly.
"Yes, Teacher," Lin Xiao said quietly.
He knew the seal wasn't meant to protect him. Now that he had accidentally broken it, caution was vital—provoking Nightmare Douluo further would be dangerous.
When the room finally fell silent again, Nightmare Douluo's shadow faded away as silently as it had come.
The whispers of the remnant souls returned, circling faintly in the darkness. Lin Xiao exhaled slowly, adjusting to the eerie sensations that now seemed almost natural.
Knock, knock, knock—
Just as he began to relax, a sudden knock echoed at the door. Lin Xiao turned his head sharply.
Every student at the Royal Academy lived alone. They rarely visited one another, and certainly not at this hour.
Who could be knocking so late?
(End of Chapter)