It's no wonder that when Nana was only nine years old, she could keep up with her mother, who had the cultivation of a Soul Ancestor. It seems that back then, she used the characteristics of her Ghost Martial Soul to track down the traces of the Sixth Holy Servant.
However, at that time, Lin Xiao's understanding of souls was far from what it is now, and he didn't notice the presence of the ghost. It was only later, when Nana saw the Sixth Holy Servant's pain and accidentally let her aura slip, that he became aware of her.
Nana didn't know what Lin Xiao was thinking. After asking the question that had been weighing on her heart for so long, her gaze locked onto that mask.
Ever since she began suspecting that her mother was an Evil Soul Master, Nana hadn't been idle during this time. Hearing that a group of soul masters had made a move near Mingdu, she wasn't the only one, besides Xiao Hongchen, who guessed that those Evil Soul Masters were hiding within Mingdu City.
Thus, when she wasn't cultivating, she spent her time searching the city for traces of those Evil Soul Masters.
But who could have known that, instead of finding their hideout, she discovered that some students at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy seemed to be acting abnormally.
During this period, every night, several figures would silently leave the academy, only returning just before dawn.
She had tried tracking a few of these students, but they always disappeared near a certain street. Unexpectedly, tonight, when she came here again, someone had actually noticed the ghost she had hidden.
"Sigh, you could have remained blissfully ignorant. Why did you have to learn so much? Sometimes, knowing too much isn't a happy thing," Lin Xiao sighed softly.
When he recognized Nana and informed Nightmare Douluo about her, it was also to keep the matter of recruiting her into the cult under his control.
Though he was also acting under orders, compared to the other disciples of the Holy Spirit Cult, his methods were always somewhat gentler. At the very least, before her cultivation caught up, she could still enjoy some peaceful times.
Lin Xiao somewhat understood why Nana always seemed distracted during the day—likely because she had learned too much.
"Are you all Evil Soul Masters?" Nana ignored Lin Xiao's words and repeated her earlier question.
"That's right. Not only am I one, but your mother is also one of us."
At these words, Nana's body trembled violently. Suddenly, she raised her right arm and thrust a dagger toward Lin Xiao, two streams of tears flowing down her cheeks.
Despite having been enrolled at the academy for some time and having learned some combat techniques of a Control System Soul Engineer, her attacks posed no threat to Lin Xiao given the vast gap in their soul power.
With a slight wave of his cloak, Lin Xiao raised his left arm, precisely blocking the path of Nana's dagger. With a flick of his fingers, a flash of light passed, and the Level 2 Soul Tool instantly snapped. The broken blade didn't fall to the ground but instead vanished completely.
Nana's strike missed, and her second soul ring lit up with a dazzling yellow glow. Her figure instantly became illusory, splitting into three, attacking from three different directions.
For others, facing attacks from three directions might cause a moment of hesitation, but Lin Xiao's understanding of souls surpassed even Nana's, who possessed the Ghost Martial Soul. Such tactics couldn't deceive his perception.
Without moving his feet, he slightly turned his upper body, blocking with his left arm behind him. In the blink of an eye, the other short dagger in Nana's hand also broke with a snap.
Aside from the two short daggers prepared for her by the academy, Nana had no other soul tools. Yet, she didn't give up her attack. With tears in her eyes, she turned her fists and feet into weapons, striking at Lin Xiao.
Even though she had suspected it, hearing confirmation of her mother's identity as an Evil Soul Master left her unsure of how to face it.
No, perhaps she didn't need to think about how to face it. In front of an Evil Soul Master, she likely had no hope of survival.
Lin Xiao looked at her somewhat immature attacks and blocked them effortlessly without even releasing his Martial Soul.
He could sense that Nana's attacks no longer carried the sharpness they had before, now reduced to mechanical, instinctive flailing of fists and feet.
"You may not yet know your own value. In our hands, death is already considered a reward."
Nana's movements paused, but she remained silent, her heart filled with despair.
Lin Xiao glanced at the nearby Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy and suddenly spoke, "Do you want to see your mother?"
"Huh?"
Nana's head snapped up to look at Lin Xiao.
"Come with me."
With that, Lin Xiao turned and walked away.
Though he hadn't released his Martial Soul, Nana's earlier attack might attract attention from the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy, and it would be troublesome to deal with if they showed up.
Nana hesitated for a moment before finally stepping forward to follow.
"What do you mean? Is my mother still alive?"
"Your Martial Soul can act independently from your body, right?" Lin Xiao didn't answer directly.
Nana didn't speak, only nodding slightly.
Lin Xiao, walking ahead, seemed to see her gesture. "Then you should understand easily. In our hands, a soul can also be preserved separately from the body."
"You mean my mother's soul…"
"You guessed correctly." Lin Xiao's eyes flickered slightly. "Your mother's soul is in my hands."
"Where is she?"
Nana hurriedly took two steps forward. Though she hadn't fully processed how to face her mother, her instinctive actions had already made the decision for her.
"It's easy to see her." Lin Xiao suddenly stopped, his voice slightly hoarse from behind the mask. "As long as you serve us."
"I… I…"
Hearing Lin Xiao's words, Nana slowly stepped back.
Lin Xiao didn't press her. A translucent shadow flickered briefly in his hand.
Though it was only for an instant, Nana's expression changed immediately.
"There's no need to rush to give me an answer. Your cultivation is still too low. I can give you time to think it over slowly. Until the next time I find you, you can take your time to consider."
"But don't reveal anything about tonight to anyone else, and don't even think about running away." Lin Xiao closed his eyes, his voice shifting slightly. "Think about your mother…"
Nana's heart was in turmoil. Her sensitivity to souls was acute, and in that instant, she had confirmed that Lin Xiao's words were true.
But to become an Evil Soul Master…
"By the way, don't do something as dangerous as tonight again. Others won't be as easy to talk to as I am."
Nana looked up, but Lin Xiao's figure was already gone, leaving only a faint voice drifting from somewhere unknown.
Back at the dormitory, Lin Xiao had changed into the uniform of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy. He lightly raised his right hand, where a translucent shadow was drifting.
"Sigh—"
With a soft sigh, Lin Xiao gently clenched his right hand.
He didn't dare gamble on the eyes and ears of the Holy Spirit Cult. After questioning the Sixth Holy Servant about the Soul Ascension Ceremony, her fate was sealed to become a lingering soul within the Higanbana Flower.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are the chapters for today (づ￣3￣)づ╭～
"Don't forget there are 40 early chapters available on Patreo
[email protected]/facficmax10