Ever since Shi Meng joined the Axis Cult, his entire life trajectory had undergone earth-shattering changes. After he began to Cultivate the Mysterious Heaven Skill, he clearly felt that his Soul Power growth rate was much faster than before. At this rate, in half a year at most, he would be able to Breakthrough to level thirty and become a true Soul Elder.
Whenever he thought of this, he couldn't help but be filled with emotion. If he hadn't joined the Axis Cult, with his original Soul Power of only level one and a common Martial Soul like the Rock-Armored Lizard, it would have taken him another year or two to Breakthrough to level thirty. Not to mention, his talent was mediocre to begin with, and because of his poor family background, he had long passed the optimal age for Cultivation. Even now, his family still needed him to earn money to support them, and he usually couldn't even squeeze out time to focus on his Cultivation.
But everything was different now. The Axis Cult not only taught him a Cultivation Technique that could accelerate his progress, but the benefits they provided were also quite generous. Most importantly, there were no arrogant nobles or greedy merchants here; everyone treated each other as equals, allowing him to feel the taste of being respected for the first time.
Recently, many new departments had been established within the cult. Even someone like him, who hadn't had much schooling, could join the Executive Department and earn rewards by completing various missions. For example, traveling to various villages to help children of the appropriate age with their Martial Soul Awakening, handling the joining procedures for interested Spirit Masters, and simultaneously spreading the doctrines of the Axis Cult to expand its influence.
Although this job was simple and sometimes even seemed a bit boring, it was perfectly suited for Shi Meng. Whenever he saw the anticipation and hope flickering in the eyes of the villagers, he would think of his own childhood. If he hadn't met that kind person who helped him with his Martial Soul Awakening back then, he would probably still be forging iron in his village, unable to even step outside its borders.
Now, he could also bring hope to these children while earning a decent income and honor within the cult, which gave him an unprecedented sense of satisfaction.
"Respected Spirit Master, these are the children in our village who have turned six this year. Do you think... do they all have a chance to become Spirit Masters?" The old village chief, his body hunched, asked tremulously. Behind him followed six children, each with large, curious eyes, looking at Shi Meng with a mix of nervousness and anticipation.
Shi Meng had long grown accustomed to the reverence of the village chiefs. Most villagers in these remote areas knew nothing about Spirit Masters; the first time they saw him display a Spirit Ability, they often thought it was a Heavenly God descending to earth. He smiled gently and explained patiently, "Rest assured, Chief, every child can undergo Awakening for their Martial Soul. However, to become a Spirit Master, one must also possess Soul Power. For commoners like us, it is indeed rare for Soul Power to appear, but there will always be one or two lucky ones among a thousand."
He paused, looking around at the children's innocent faces, his tone becoming even softer: "Even if there are none this year, our Axis Cult will return next year, the year after, and the year after that! As long as the Axis Cult exists, we will perform Awakening for every child who reaches the age of six. If the children are willing to come to the Axis Cult to study, the resources and education we provide will certainly be no worse than those Spirit Master academies, and we will never let any child's talent go to waste."
"Even if they don't want to join the Axis Cult, we will provide appropriate assistance; staying or leaving is entirely voluntary."
The old village chief bowed repeatedly: "Thank you, Spirit Master! Thank you, Spirit Master!"
"It's what we should do," Shi Meng said, his face beaming with a warm smile.
He took out an Awakening Crystal and said softly to the children, "Come, children, stand over here, I'll help you awaken your Martial Souls..."
...
After a period of busy work, two of the six children actually possessed Soul Power. One had awakened the Lone Wolf Martial Soul, while the other had a giant scythe with a peculiar shape.
"Excellent!" Shi Meng was overjoyed. "After visiting so many villages, I've finally found two more children with Soul Power." He crouched down, looking the two children in the eye. "Are you willing to join the Axis Cult? Don't rush to answer; go home and discuss it carefully with your parents first. Rest assured, after becoming a Spirit Master, there are monthly stipends, and we will never mistreat you. Even if you aren't a Spirit Master, as long as you are willing, you can join the Axis Cult. We welcome everyone!"
The old village chief hurriedly urged, "Children, hurry and thank the Spirit Master!"
The two children with Soul Power said timidly, "Thank you, Uncle."
"You must call him Lord Spirit Master!" the village chief corrected them immediately.
Shi Meng waved his hand dismissively. Although he was only twenty years old, his years of constant travel made him look much more mature than his actual age. "It's fine, they're just children. Besides, Spirit Masters are also ordinary people. Our Axis Cult emphasizes that everyone is equal, regardless of status. Even if a Spirit Master commits a crime, they should be punished the same as a commoner."
"There's no need to be so formal."
Amidst the village chief's continuous thanks, Shi Meng mounted his horse. "A deacon from the Axis Cult will visit the village later. If the children are willing, they will take them back to the headquarters for training."
...
The sound of horse hooves rang out crisply on the country path. Shi Meng planned his next itinerary while riding forward. Just then, a rustling sound suddenly came from the bushes by the roadside. Looking closely, he saw a youth of about twelve years old stumbling out, covered in blood and his face as pale as paper, looking as if he were about to collapse.
Shi Meng's heart tightened, and he was about to dismount to help when he suddenly heard a sharp female voice from behind: "Watch out! Stay away from him! That's an Evil Soul Master!"
Before the voice had even faded, the youth's expression changed drastically, and a thick, bloody aura instantly permeated his body. Two yellow and one purple spirit rings rose from beneath his feet, and a blood-red phantom of a rat possessed him, its crimson eyes staring intently at Shi Meng.
This youth's original Martial Soul was merely a weak rat, and his Soul Power was a pitiful level 0.5; he could be called a complete trash Martial Soul. That was until he accidentally discovered that consuming blood could improve his strength, with human blood being the most effective. At first, he only secretly consumed the blood of livestock, but after obtaining his first spirit ring, he began to target those who had once bullied him.
However, his crimes were eventually exposed, and he narrowly escaped during a suppression attempt. Relying on the escape ability of his Second Soul Skill, although he was heavily injured, he managed to save his life. After sensing Shi Meng's aura, he immediately disguised himself as a youth in distress, intending to launch a surprise attack when the other was off-guard—after all, in his perception, Shi Meng's strength was far inferior to his own.
Seeing his scheme exposed, a fierce light appeared in the youth's eyes, and his figure lunged toward Shi Meng like a bolt of lightning, determined to drain this Spirit Master's blood to recover from his injuries.
Shi Meng did not panic in the face of danger. His Rock-Armored Lizard Martial Soul instantly possessed him, and two yellow spirit rings lit up simultaneously. As a defense-type Spirit Master, both of his Spirit Abilitys were defensive, and he used them all without hesitation. Thick rock armor covered his entire body, glowing with a steady earthy-yellow luster in the sunlight.
The youth turned into a bloody shadow and attacked, his sharp claws colliding violently with the rock armor, producing an ear-piercing grinding sound. Although Shi Meng was shaken and forced back several steps, he steadily withstood the strike. He stared calmly at the Evil Soul Master before him, his heart already prepared for a hard battle.
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