Devouring Soul Emperor

All the chests were open.

Inside each chest, small, test-tube-like vials were neatly arranged. Each was filled with a deep blue liquid.

Mu was instantly stunned by the sight.

"Could these... be the legendary potions!?"

The middle-aged man’s eyes also grew feverish. "That’s right. They just arrived today. This is the legendary Divine Medicine that can help members of our Martial Soul Hall break through the shackles of their Martial Soul tier and ascend to a new Grand Realm!"

However, the heat in his eyes quickly faded. "Unfortunately, with our current technology, the potion’s level is still too low. It only gives a ninth-level Martial Artist a certain chance of breaking through to become a first-level Martial Spirit."

After speaking, the middle-aged man waved to another person in the hall. That person bowed and left, quickly returning with over twenty ninth-level Martial Artists from the Martial Soul Hall.

These men had clearly been briefed. Each one took a small vial from a chest and, without hesitation, tilted their head back and downed the blue potion inside.

After drinking the potion, all of their bodies tensed up.

On their necks, faces, and hands—anywhere their skin was exposed—blue lines could be clearly seen spreading rapidly over their entire bodies.

Under the potion’s effect, everyone’s Martial Soul Power and Primordial Power began to fluctuate violently. Their auras also became extremely unstable, surging and plummeting.

At its peak, their power felt even stronger than a first-level Martial Spirit!

But at its lowest, it was weaker than even a first-level Martial Artist!

"AHHH!"

One of them suddenly let out a bloodcurdling scream, then clutched his own throat. He squeezed with all his might until, with a sickening SNAP, he broke his own neck!

Starting with him, more of the twenty-odd ninth-level Martial Artists began to die screaming in agony. It seemed each of them endured immense pain before their death.

All twenty-plus men collapsed to the ground, their bodies convulsing, writhing and twitching in pain.

One after another, they died from the blue potion.

In the end, only one person was left. His convulsions gradually stopped, and his aura, after surging to its peak, slowly receded.

Finally, it stabilized at... first-level Martial Spirit!

Originally just a Tier Two Martial Soul and a ninth-level Martial Artist, the blue potion had forcefully raised his realm to that of a first-level Martial Spirit!

"I... I’m not dead! I broke through!"

"HAHAHA! I finally broke through! I’m a Martial Spirit now! HAHAHA..."

Having escaped death, the man couldn’t help but laugh hysterically with excitement.

However, the people around him, including the middle-aged man and Mu, all shot him looks of contempt, their eyes filled with disdain.

Even if one survived by a hair’s breadth and was lucky enough to reach first-level Martial Spirit through this method, they would forever remain a first-level Martial Spirit.

In the eyes of the higher-ups, their value was still far less than those with Tier Three Martial Souls. That was because Tier Three Martial Souls not only had a chance of becoming Martial Spirits, but also of reaching the Earth Spirit Realm, or even the Celestial Spirit Realm!

"Gather all the ninth-level Martial Artists in the entire county and bring them here," the middle-aged man instructed another person in the hall nonchalantly.

Then, as if he had just remembered something, he turned to Mu with a smile and asked, "Mu, how are things with that... what’s his name... Liu Canghai? If that matter succeeds, it will be a great benefit to our future operations."

Mu smiled. "It’s almost done. I’ll head to Lianshan County City myself later. I refuse to believe I can’t persuade him!"

"Good. But be careful. After all, that’s the main base of the Great Xia Dragon Guard..."

...

After leaving the nameless town, Mu mounted a Flying Demon Beast and sped toward Lianshan County City.

「Inside an ordinary house in the Xicheng District of the County City.」

Mu, a high-ranking member of the Martial Soul Hall; Liu Canghai, a Guard General of the Great Xia Dragon Guard’s Celestial Wind Army; and his younger brother, Liu Cangyi, were all gathered together.

"Liu Canghai, have you made your decision?" Mu asked with a smile, looking at the grim-faced Liu Canghai.

Liu Canghai let out a long sigh and said, "It’s no good. I am a Guard General of the Great Xia Dragon Guard. I cannot possibly cooperate with you from the Martial Soul Hall!"

Hearing this, Liu Cangyi’s expression grew anxious.

But Mu wasn’t worried at all.

’If he really wasn’t tempted, why would he have come here in the first place?’

"Liu Canghai, you must have heard that Chu Qingyun completed the mission for that so-called elite squad. If I’m not mistaken, he’s probably already a Half-Step Martial Spirit by now."

"With his heaven-sent talent, he was able to defeat a dozen Gold Medal Captains as an eighth-level Martial Artist. Now that he’s a Half-Step Martial Spirit... I’m afraid even you, the esteemed Lord Guardian, would be no match for him."

After speaking, Mu stared intently at Liu Canghai and saw his expression darken considerably, though his eyes were still filled with conflict.

So, Mu shot a look at Liu Cangyi.

"Brother, stop hesitating! That little bastard caused us so much misery, and now he’s a damn Half-Step Martial Spirit! Once he becomes a Martial Spirit, with the Lord Military Commander and Grand Commander Chu Yu backing him, he’ll be able to walk all over you, and you’ll just have to take it!"

Liu Cangyi fanned the flames from the side.

"Walk all over me... That little bastard can dream on!"

A fire of rage ignited in Liu Canghai’s heart. He slammed his hand on the table. "Fine! I’ll cooperate with you! But only to get rid of Chu Qingyun. Don’t even think about anything else!"

"Haha, rest assured. You know the principle of our Martial Soul Hall. We’re only interested in killing super geniuses..."

Mu said, but a cold sneer flashed deep in his eyes.

’Limited to dealing with Chu Qingyun? Hmph, naive! Once we have leverage over you, will you still have any say in the matter?’

After the three discussed some specific details, a wary Liu Canghai hurriedly left. Liu Cangyi, however, made an excuse, saying he still had some business in the Xicheng District and told his brother to go on ahead.

Once Liu Canghai was completely out of sight, Mu took out a small vial of Primordial Spirit Liquid and tossed it to Liu Cangyi, saying with a soft chuckle, "Thirty drops of Primordial Spirit Liquid, as promised."

"Thank you, my lord! Thank you, my lord!"

Liu Cangyi gleefully put away the Primordial Spirit Liquid and also left quickly.

Watching the furtive Liu Cangyi scurry away, Mu couldn’t help but sneer. ’Liu Taian, oh, Liu Taian. With two nephews as treacherous as these, you’re truly unlucky...’

The reason they sought out Liu Canghai was not only because of his status as a Guard General, but more importantly, because his uncle was a Grand Commander of the Celestial Wind Army. This would make their plans much more convenient.

As Liu Cangyi’s figure completely vanished, Mu’s cold, glinting eyes narrowed slightly.

He leaned against the doorway and muttered to himself, "Chu Qingyun... I’ve been hearing that name constantly ever since I entered the County City. I’m quite curious to see what you’re really made of..."