hotmtlnovel Chapter 23: The Fallen Soul Master's Conspiracy!
Chapter 23: The Fallen Soul Master's Conspiracy!
On the border of the Star Luo Empire, deep in a secluded valley shrouded in miasma year-round.
Tens of thousands of fallen soul masters gathered here, and the air was filled with the stench of blood, malevolence, and a vague sense of unease.
The low, muffled voices echoed between the mountain walls, conveying a sense of repression and irritability.
"What the hell! What's gotten into those lunatics at the Spirit Hall lately? They're chasing us way more relentlessly than before!"
"You're right! Before, we could at least avoid it, but now it comes right at the first smell, and we can't shake it off!"
"I heard some news that seems to be related to the incredibly wealthy Li family of the Heaven Dou Empire."
"The Li family? The Li family, the one that's incredibly wealthy?"
"Yes! It's them. I heard that the entire Li family recently defected to the Spirit Hall."
"So what? Does having money mean a Soul Master can grow more Soul Rings?"
"You know nothing!" a shrill voice interrupted.
"Since the Li family joined, the Spirit Hall has never lacked money! I heard they have more gold spirit coins than they can spend, and they've built several new branch halls specifically to monitor the places where people like us frequent!"
The other person lowered his voice, but couldn't hide his panic and greed: "That's not all! I also heard that Pope Qian Xunji thought the money was too hot to handle, so he directly put a bounty on the heads of us Fallen Soul Masters!"
"Publicly listed prices, calculated by rank... I secretly checked my rank's bounty, damn it, I even want to tie myself up and go collect it!"
A chorus of heavy breathing and curses rose from the surrounding area.
These days have indeed been tough for Fallen Soul Masters.
The Spirit Hall's pursuit team not only increased in number, but was also well-equipped and coordinated. They were like hungry wolves seeing meat when they saw them, and their ruthless fighting was so fierce that even these fallen people who had been wallowing in bloodshed for years felt terrified.
This is ridiculous! Money makes the world go round; people are going crazy for money!
Deep within the valley, in a naturally formed, pitch-black cave.
Four figures exuding a terrifying aura sat around each other, the air so thick it seemed as if it were about to drip blood.
They were the leaders of this group of fallen soul masters, four titled Douluo-level beings.
The level 94 Blood Scythe Douluo had a gaunt and sinister face, and his expression was so dark it looked like water could be wrung out: "We can't go on like this. The Spirit Hall is pressing us closer and closer, and our territory is shrinking every day. If we retreat any further, we'll be doomed."
"Then let's fight them!" The level 93 Demon Sword Douluo suddenly stood up, his body surging with black energy that condensed into a distorted sword-shaped phantom:
"Since we're going to die anyway, we might as well take some with us!"
"I agree." The level 98 Blood Demon Douluo extended his long, blood-red tongue and licked his sharp, knife-like nails, his eyes gleaming with a bloodthirsty light:
"I've long wanted to taste the hot blood of those so-called 'righteous people'... Maybe, with the killing spree of this great war, I can break through the level 99 bottleneck in one fell swoop."
After speaking, the three of them turned their gazes to the figure sitting at the deepest part, who had been silent all along—Level 99, Necromancer Douluo.
He is the strongest among the fallen soul masters today, and also their backbone.
The Necromancer Douluo slowly opened his eyes, his blood-red pupils sending chills down one's spine.
He glanced at the three of them, his hoarse voice like bones grinding: "Okay."
"Either fade into oblivion, or... unleash a monstrous wave of blood." He paused, a slight tremor of killing intent emanating from his body.
"Since we're going to fight, let's fight a big one. We need to strike the Spirit Hall so hard it will pierce their very soul. So, we need time to prepare."
"How long will it take to prepare?" Blood Demon Douluo grinned, revealing a cruel and mocking smile.
The Necromancer Douluo remained silent for a moment, and the air inside the cave seemed to freeze.
"Two years." He uttered the two words slowly, his voice carrying a metallic, icy quality:
"In the next two years, I will find a way to deal with Qian Daoliu."
The moment the name "Qian Daoliu" was uttered, the expressions on the faces of Blood Scythe, Demon Sword, and Blood Demon instantly turned extremely ugly, their gloom mixed with deep fear and hatred.
"That damn birdman again!" Blood Scythe Douluo gritted his teeth, his fingertips unconsciously tracing deep marks across the rock.
Without the Angel Clan and Qian Daoliu, given their Fallen Soul Masters' ability to rapidly grow stronger through killing and devouring, they could become increasingly powerful by dragging the war into a war of attrition, eventually turning this continent into their hunting ground.
Even Tang Chen, who was known as invincible on the ground, was confident that the Necromancer Douluo could defeat.
Only the Thousand Streams Formation is the most dazzling and troublesome wall of light standing in the way of their ambitions.
The martial spirits of the four of them were more or less restrained by the supreme and holy six-winged angel martial spirit.
Once Qian Daoliu unleashes his Angel Domain, their strength will be greatly suppressed, and even their ability to devour, which they rely on for rapid improvement, will become sluggish and slow.
"I agree. It's just two years. I can wait that long," Blood Scythe Douluo said first, his voice cold.
"I second that." The Demon Sword Douluo sat down again, his black aura receding, but his eyes remained sharp as knives.
"Me too. These past two years have been a good time for those little brats to 'stockpile' more blood and nourish themselves." Blood Demon Douluo licked his lips, his eyes gleaming even brighter with bloodlust.
The Necromancer Douluo didn't speak again, but simply nodded slightly.
After the three people left one by one, the cave returned to deathly silence.
The Necromancer Douluo slowly rose, his figure like a weightless shadow, drifting out of the cave and appearing on a solitary, high cliff on the side of the valley.
The night sky was as black as ink, with only a pale, solitary moon hanging high, casting its cold light upon the silent mountains and the faint, blood-red mist that permeated the air.
The Necromancer Douluo looked up at the moon, but his blood-red eyes reflected no moonlight, only a cold emptiness.
He slowly raised his withered, claw-like hand and gently pressed it against his chest through his black robe.
Beneath the clothes there was a grotesque sword wound that had just healed and still exuded a faint, lingering aura of holiness.
Decades ago, he was full of vigor and challenged the two strongest people on the mainland at the time—Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen.
In his battle against Tang Chen, he relied on his Necromancer Domain to greatly limit Tang Chen's exquisite self-created soul skills, ultimately defeating him.
In the battle against Qian Daoliu... the moment his Necromancer Domain was unleashed, it was completely suppressed by the Angel Domain, which shone like the blazing sun and purified all evil spirits.
With his domain countered and his soul power sluggish, he suffered a swift and decisive defeat in that battle. The sword wound on his chest that almost tore him apart was the eternal mark and symbol of shame left by Qian Daoliu.
The night wind howled, whipping the hem of his black robe, making it flutter loudly.
"Qian Daoliu..." The hoarse whisper drifted into the night on the wind, carrying endless coldness and resolute killing intent:
"The sword you left behind... I will soon repay you a hundredfold, a thousandfold."
Under the pale moonlight, his solitary figure atop the cliff seemed to merge with the bottomless dark valley below, brewing a blood-red storm that was about to sweep across the continent.