"My Lord, I—I had no choice!" the man burst into tears, his voice trembling. "My cultivation is low, and I've got a wife and children to feed. You know how harsh it is out here along the borderlands—if I don't do things like this, I… I…"
"No need to beg just yet," Lin Xiao interrupted calmly. "I only came to clarify one thing."
"Ah?"
"Earlier, when I asked if you feared I'd capture you to mine ores for me—well, you guessed wrong."
Before the man could react, spirit rings flared around Lin Xiao.
He lifted a finger, and as his second ring lit crimson, a blood-colored vine burst from the man's brow. In an instant, the man's body went stiff and collapsed lifelessly to the ground.
With a flick of Lin Xiao's wrist, a translucent shadow floated up from the open wound between the man's brows.
"Because," Lin Xiao murmured, his expression faintly cold, "I am one of those evil soul masters you spoke of."
He turned the body over, ignoring the acrid stench, and with a sweep of his cloak, the corpse vanished into thin air.
He exhaled deeply, glancing toward the mountain peak above.
When he had first planted the Seed of the Other Shore on the man, it was merely precautionary. Lin Xiao had no real intention of harming him—unless, of course, the man appeared here. But now, the man's presence confirmed his greed.
Lin Xiao's true goal lay not with the peddler—but with the Gold-Devouring Beast atop the mountain.
As he had told Fan Yu before, the beast entered a hibernation-like slumber each time it devoured metal to digest its feast. That was when it was weakest.
Earlier, it had swallowed half of Fan Yu's mechanical arm. Though that had sent it into a frenzy, soon it would sleep to digest the metal. Lin Xiao had intervened to lead Shrek's group away precisely to keep them from noticing anything amiss.
He hadn't inflicted much injury on the creature, but forcing it into that post-feeding slumber was reward enough.
Steadying his breath, Lin Xiao began his ascent. The once-rich mineral vein was now mostly hollow, countless tunnels gouged out by the creature's feeding. But his path was clear—he could still feel the faint resonance of his earlier mark.
When the soul cannon fired during the battle, the blast had carried not only light and energy—but also a Seed of the Other Shore. Without external disturbance, the seed could survive for a long time, quietly absorbing the host's power.
Following the trail of the beast's massive footprints, Lin Xiao soon reached the deepest cavern. The air was thick and hot, filled with the beast's heavy breathing.
Rounding a bend, he finally saw it—the enormous body of the Gold-Devouring Beast, coiled in uneasy slumber.
Lin Xiao's eyes lingered on its left arm, where his mark had taken root. Soul power surged within him as the blood-red blossom of the Other Shore bloomed from his palm. With a gentle brush of his fingers across its petals, the faint soul of the dead peddler materialized.
His first ring lit up, and the remnant soul broke apart into several translucent motes, each no larger than a fingertip, floating between his fingers.
First Spirit Skill: Seed of the Other Shore.
A flower blooming between life and death, guiding souls toward the underworld. From the moment his martial spirit awakened, it had been bound to the power of spirits. Even the Nightmare Douluo had never known its full truth—his martial spirit could not only absorb lingering souls, but also use them.
With flesh as catalyst, the first ability birthed blood-red seeds that fed upon the host's body until the flower bloomed.
But with a soul as catalyst, it produced new seeds that took root not in flesh—but in the spirit itself, feeding on consciousness.
This creature's body could withstand even a Spirit Douluo's strike; Lin Xiao could not be sure how much damage his planted seed could inflict. His only option was to push it further—to unleash everything he had.
He extended his left hand, scattering several soul seeds forward. They vanished into the creature's metallic fur without a trace.
Then he raised his cloak, and with a flick, the merchant's corpse reappeared. Fresh blood spilled across the cavern floor.
Even in slumber, the beast was not defenseless. Its breathing shifted, growing uneven.
No more hesitation. Lin Xiao stepped back, crossing his hands before his chest. His second ring shone with a crimson blaze.
Second Spirit Skill: Germination.
The seeds he had sown earlier suddenly came alive. They devoured every ounce of energy around them, growing at terrifying speed.
In seconds, countless blood-red tendrils sprouted from within the Gold-Devouring Beast's throat, piercing between its teeth and forcing their way through its jaws.
"Hrraaa—!"
The creature woke with a shudder, its roar hoarse and broken. Its massive frame swelled, its body distorting as unseen growths writhed inside it. Yet the iron-like fur held its form together.
Its gaze found Lin Xiao, and fury blazed in its bloodshot eyes. It lunged forward, arms raised high—only to freeze mid-motion, pupils losing focus.
The soul seeds had begun consuming its mind. Though the gap between their power was vast, a direct assault on the spirit could not be ignored.
Evil soul masters were feared not merely for their cruelty—but for their terrifying strength. Their martial souls, though twisted, were almost always extraordinary. Among equals, an evil soul master's might far outstripped an ordinary Spirit Master's.
And now, that power showed its full force.
Though Lin Xiao was only at the Spirit King level, the combination of physical and spiritual torment drove the eighty-thousand-year-old beast into agony.
It thrashed wildly, its massive limbs striking the cavern walls, sending tremors through the mountain. Lin Xiao didn't advance—he simply watched, frowning, as the creature writhed.
Boom!
ROAR!
With a guttural roar, the Gold-Devouring Beast staggered forward. The cave shook violently, wind and dust surging.
Its left arm rose again, the dense metallic fur gleaming like a giant fan as it swung downward with a deafening screech.
Lin Xiao's thruster flared behind him—but then dimmed. Watching the beast's massive shadow fall over him, he simply raised his arm.
The cannon on his forearm glowed brighter and brighter, its components rattling from the strain. Lin Xiao didn't stop. Soul power poured into it, pushing it far beyond its limits.
Bang!
A searing beam erupted from the barrel. The soul cannon shattered instantly, fragments scattering, cutting deep into his arm. Blood ran freely, dripping to the stone floor.
But the shot struck true—boring into the beast's throat and leaving a deep, charred wound.
And then, as the light faded, the creature's massive palm came crashing down toward Lin Xiao's head.
(End of Chapter)