Level 97.
At this moment, no longer "concealing" his aura, Huo Yuhao revealed his "true" cultivation base! Zhong-Li Wu's pupils constricted slightly before returning to normal in an instant.
He was shocked—truly shocked. After all, he never expected that the Titled Douluo Nan-Gong Wan mentioned would actually be a Level 97 Super Douluo!
This was a truly unexpected windfall!
"Holy Spirit Douluo! I have long heard of your great name!"
Zhong-Li Wu took a massive stride forward. His aura as a Level 98 Super Douluo was no longer hidden, and in a mere breath, he ascended into the sky.
Seemingly shocked by Zhong-Li Wu's Level 98 cultivation, Huo Yuhao's previous "Jie Jie Jie" expression retracted slightly, replaced by a look of gravity and wariness.
Stowing the corpse of the Crow Douluo into his storage soul tool, Huo Yuhao slightly cupped his fists and looked at Zhong-Li Wu:
"May I ask who Your Excellency is?"
Zhong-Li Wu smiled faintly, very satisfied with Huo Yuhao's reaction just now, and spoke calmly:
"I am the Leader of the Holy Spirit Cult, Zhong-Li Wu!"
"Oh? Then the one just now was...?"
"Haha, the Holy Spirit Douluo need not worry about it. Consider it a meeting gift for you!" Without a moment's hesitation, Zhong-Li Wu chose to turn his original probe into a gift.
From the information obtained from Nan-Gong Wan, he knew that the Holy Spirit Douluo before him possessed a martial soul named "Holy Spirit," and his innate ability was to extract souls to create Spirit Puppets for battle!
Even among Evil Soul Masters, this was considered an exceptionally powerful and eerie ability.
An Evil Soul Master like this, who had cultivated to Level 97, rightfully belonged in his Holy Cult as an enshrinement!
It just so happened that the Sixth Enshrinement Zhang Peng and the Grand Elder had failed to return from investigating the Spirit Transmission Pagoda—most likely having perished. Recruiting a new Level 97 Super Douluo now would serve as a perfect replenishment for the Holy Cult's strength!
As for that enshrinement, Wu Yun? Heh, how could a Level 94 Titled Douluo compare to the Level 97 Super Douluo before him?
"Haha... since Leader Zhong-Li has prepared such a gift for me, then I shall give something to Leader Zhong-Li as well."
Huo Yuhao smiled indifferently, then pulled a silver-white metal sphere from his storage soul tool and threw it directly toward Zhong-Li Wu.
Zhong-Li Wu's expression remained unchanged, but his movements were extremely cautious. He first made contact with his soul power, then used his mental power to scan it meticulously before finally reaching out to catch it.
"This is... a soul tool?"
Zhong-Li Wu's expression turned slightly strange as he looked up at Huo Yuhao with an inquiring gaze.
A ghastly, horrifying smile appeared on Huo Yuhao's unnaturally pale face:
"I presume Leader Zhong-Li has heard of that Spirit Transmission Pagoda Master, 'Skydream'?"
"Naturally, I am aware." Zhong-Li Wu nodded.
Not only was he aware, but the impression was deep—after all, they had lost a Level 96 Sixth Enshrinement and a Level 94 Grand Elder because of him. How could the impression not be deep?
"That's good then." Huo Yuhao nodded, then pointed to the soul tool in Zhong-Li Wu's hand:
"This item is called the 'Purification Device.' It can purify almost all negative energies, including but not limited to vengeful spirits, corrupted blood, necromantic energy, and corpses. All negative forces... as long as they aren't of an Ultimate Attribute, will be countered by this item!"
"What?!"
Zhong-Li Wu's expression lost control slightly. Clever as he was, the moment he heard the effects of the "Purification Device," his first thought was of them—the Evil Soul Masters!
Which of them didn't cultivate by killing people or soul beasts? Almost every Evil Soul Master's soul power was mixed with countless negative energies. However, it was precisely because of these negative energies that their combat power far exceeded that of ordinary soul masters of the same level!
If this "Purification Device" was truly as the Holy Spirit Douluo described, wasn't it specifically designed to counter them?!
Zhong-Li Wu's expression involuntarily darkened, but Huo Yuhao struck while the iron was hot, continuing:
"This is something I stole from the Spirit Transmission Pagoda. According to soul tool grading, this is a Class 6 soul tool, likely targeted at Soul Emperor level entities."
Zhong-Li Wu's expression shifted again, and he looked down.
As the Evening Water Alliance served as the Holy Spirit Cult's base in Radiant City, there were naturally many Evil Soul Masters stationed there. With his mental power at the Level 98 Super Douluo realm, Zhong-Li Wu quickly swept the area and found a "lucky audience member."
With a reach of his hand, his domineering soul power directly snatched an Evil Soul Master with a Soul Emperor cultivation into the sky.
Following standard soul tool usage, Zhong-Li Wu channeled soul power into the "Purification Device" in his hand.
In the next instant, cracks appeared on the device, followed by the blooming of an exceptionally soft light that enveloped both the Evil Soul Master Soul Emperor and Zhong-Li Wu's hand.
"AAAAHHHH!!! ARGH!!! AHHH!!!"
An incredibly shrill scream erupted from the Evil Soul Master. Despite the light being so gentle, when it shrouded him, it acted like toxic acid, dissolving his body bit by bit.
In just half a minute, the once-intact body of the Evil Soul Master became tattered and broken. All the negative energy he carried was entirely dissolved, vanishing into the atmosphere.
Zhong-Li Wu stared fixedly at the half-dead Evil Soul Master, a tidal wave of shock surging in his heart.
Being the closest to the victim, he naturally felt the situation clearly.
The good news: He wasn't dead.
The bad news: He was crippled.
Although his Soul Emperor cultivation remained, both his physical body and his soul had been dissolved into a riddled mess by that soft light. He had become a complete vegetable!
Even Zhong-Li Wu's own hand, which had been within the range of the light, felt a faint stinging pain.
He was a Level 98 Super Douluo! This was a mere Class 6 soul tool, yet it could actually affect him. If the quantity were sufficient, or if there were higher-level "Purification Devices"...
Zhong-Li Wu didn't dare think further. This thing was purely and simply targeted at Evil Soul Masters!
"Holy Spirit Douluo, are you certain you obtained this from within the Spirit Transmission Pagoda?"
"Naturally." Huo Yuhao nodded earnestly. Is he joking? I made it myself and then took it personally—of course it was taken from within the Spirit Transmission Pagoda!
"I won't hide anything from you, Leader Zhong-Li. If I hadn't found this item in the Spirit Transmission Pagoda, I certainly wouldn't have come seeking the Holy Cult's protection."
"I can guarantee that the Class 6 'Purification Device' isn't the only thing in the Spirit Transmission Pagoda. If we let them develop unchecked, I fear that once these devices become widespread, it will be the end for us Evil Soul Masters!"
Huo Yuhao spoke with an air of absolute certainty and mock compassion, his expression screaming "I'm doing this for your own good," leaving Zhong-Li Wu stunned.
Though there was a hint of exaggeration, Zhong-Li Wu quickly grasped the stakes.
This "Purification Device" was researched specifically to target Evil Soul Masters. It absolutely could not be allowed to spread!
At the very least, if the manufacturing method reached the Sun Moon Empire, the consequences would be unimaginable!