Lin Xiao unconsciously took half a step back, instantly understanding everything in his heart.
Even though the Great Elder before him had countless ties with the Sea Princess clan, she was definitely not a pure member of the Sea Princess clan.
In his memory, the Sea Princess clan mostly excelled in mental abilities; they couldn't possess the rich and pure death attribute that emanated from the Great Elder.
Even if she truly was a member of the Sea Princess clan, something must have happened to her to turn her into her current state and fill her with hatred toward the Sea Princesses.
After a moment, the Great Elder spoke again. "The task I want you to do is related to the Sea Princess clan."
Lin Xiao slightly frowned.
The Sea Princess clan lived deep in the Ice Sea. Whether it was the extreme cold or the abyssal depths, neither was a place his current cultivation could reach. This matter was probably not going to be easy.
However, as a Holy Spirit Cult disciple, how could he refuse an arrangement from an Elder?
"You should still remember what I just told you." The Great Elder's tone gradually calmed. "The attitude Old Eighth has toward you is not that of a real disciple. Although my words just now were speculation, they are not far from the truth."
"If you can help me accomplish this matter, I will take you from Old Eighth's hands and make you a true Holy Envoy, acting on my behalf within the cult. With his cultivation, he wouldn't dare go against my wishes."
If the Great Elder had mentioned this earlier, Lin Xiao might have agreed without hesitation. But now…
"Elder, my cultivation is still shallow, I'm afraid…" Lin Xiao softly probed.
"Cultivation is not important. What matters is that you managed to break free from the Sea Princess clan's song." The Great Elder interrupted the second half of Lin Xiao's sentence.
"You carry my aura. Once you approach the Ice Sea, you will naturally attract attacks from the Sea Princess clan. The fact that you can stand before me now already proves your strength."
The Great Elder suddenly leaned in closer. "Rest assured, there won't be too much danger. I couldn't bear to let you meet with misfortune."
"From the moment you were able to resist my voice, I started paying attention to you. The more you resisted, the more interested I became in you. How could I bear to let you die so easily?"
The Great Elder's breath, carrying the scent of seawater, lightly brushed against Lin Xiao's face, causing him to take another half step back.
"So? On one side, help me complete this matter and become my Holy Envoy. On the other hand, wait for your so-called 'teacher' to finish his mission and return to the headquarters. Which will you choose?"
"I have already waited for so long; I still have plenty of patience to continue waiting. But Old Eighth does not possess the same patience as I do."
Lin Xiao sighed lightly in his heart.
Although she appeared to give him the chance to refuse, he knew very well that in this matter, he simply had no choice at all.
The Great Elder kept saying she had waited for a long time and did not lack the patience to keep waiting.
But if she truly had patience, she wouldn't threaten him with the Nightmare Douluo to force him to work for her.
Lin Xiao didn't know exactly what the Great Elder wanted him to do, nor did he know whether she had tried to find others before him. However, having unintentionally passed her test, he was undoubtedly the most suitable candidate in her mind. How could she easily give him up?
And most importantly—as a disciple of the Holy Spirit Cult who had participated in the Ascension Spirit Ceremony—he could not refuse an order from an Elder of the cult.
After thinking for a long time, Lin Xiao slightly raised his head.
"Please give me your instructions, Great Elder."
No matter what the outcome would be, at the very least, he needed to know what the Great Elder wanted him to do.
"Good." The Great Elder nodded. "You should know that the Sea Princess clan lives deep in the Ice Sea. Similar to you humans, they have their own royal family."
"What I want you to do is retrieve an item from their royal palace."
"Only someone like you, who can escape their song, has a chance to bypass their defenses and enter the underwater palace."
"Great Elder, the Sea Princess clan excels the most in spiritual power. I'm afraid the moment I dive into the sea, I will be discovered by them." Lin Xiao paused slightly. "Moreover, with my current cultivation, I cannot remain underwater for too long."
"Could you give me a few years? Once my cultivation is higher, I can retrieve what you need for you."
Although the stalling tactic was unsightly, it was indeed effective. After a few years, whether or not he would help the Great Elder with this matter would no longer be up to her.
"I have naturally thought of these things." The Great Elder, however, only smiled. "When the time comes, someone will naturally help you draw away the merfolk in the palace. As for how to let you infiltrate the seabed, I also have other plans."
"Yes." Seeing that he could not postpone it any longer, Lin Xiao helplessly replied, "Then may I ask when we will set off, Great Elder?"
"I still need to prepare some things, and I also know you have matters to attend to at Ming De Hall. There is no rush. After your academy's vacation begins, come find me at the headquarters."
"Yes."
At least he had gained a slight breathing space. Although there was less than a year until the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy's break, it was still enough time to make some preparations.
Leaving the Great Elder's room, Lin Xiao walked solemnly into the main hall. Zhongli Wu was no longer there; only the sounds of continuous scolding echoed.
"A martial soul like yours can only fully display its talent through killing and devouring. What are you still waiting for?"
"When you devoured the lives of those soul masters, you were already the same as us. Sooner or later, you will don this cloak."
"This is the innate gift we were born with. Do not fear it, do not reject it—this is the ability unique to us, far surpassing that of other soul masters!"
"I… I just… only wanted revenge…"
Another voice whispered timidly, but it was quickly drowned out by the reprimands.
Listening to the voices reaching his ears, Lin Xiao unconsciously stopped in his tracks. For some reason, his vision suddenly blurred.
Many years ago, it seemed that in this very place, someone else had relentlessly scolded another child, urging him to create slaughter…
"Seventh Elder."
Lin Xiao suddenly stepped forward and spoke softly.
"Who's there?" The Masquerade Douluo abruptly turned around.
After his cultivation had fallen, his perception had also declined considerably. Only after seeing Lin Xiao did his expression relax slightly.
"It's you. Are you heading back?"
"Yes, Elder." Lin Xiao glanced briefly at Tang Ya, who was being cornered against the wall by the Masquerade Douluo, then quickly looked away.
"Earlier, the Cult Leader said that people from Shrek Academy have appeared within the Sun Moon Empire's borders and told me to be careful. I was just about to return and inform the other disciples in the branch altar."
Hearing this, the Masquerade Douluo paused, glanced at Tang Ya, and coldly snorted. "I nearly forgot. Very well, we'll wait a bit longer. Once the attention dies down, I'll take you out again."
With that, he paid Tang Ya no further attention and walked straight toward the back.
Lin Xiao glanced once more at the corner of the wall, said no more, turned, and left.
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