Douluo Jueshi: I Don't Want to Be an Evil Soul Master

Chapter 359 Retreat
"Master, you're back."

In front of the houses built by the abhorrent, Nana was training with the assassin. Despite the relentless wind and snow, Nana showed no sign of stopping and practiced with exceptional focus.

Lin Xiao did not disturb him, but looked at the hatred that came out to greet him.

"Why aren't you meditating?"

Hatred just smiled and scratched his head.

Seeing this, Lin Xiao smiled and said, "I established the Tongming Sect to give people like you and me a place to stand, not to enjoy the prestige of being a sect leader. Don't interrupt your cultivation like this anymore."

"But now that you're out, there's something I need to give you."

As Lin Xiao spoke, he took out two masks from his storage soul tool. Most of them were ice blue, as if they were carved from solid ice, with gray patterns distributed on them.

Upon closer inspection, the patterns resembled the magic array patterns of a soul tool, or perhaps a long string of unfamiliar and complex characters.

“Our identities are somewhat special after all. You and Nana take this and try to conceal it when you go out.”

"The materials used to make the mask are what I found on my recent trips to the far north. They have a calming effect, though it's not very noticeable, but it's better than nothing. Take it to Nana later when you're done with her."

"Yes, Master."

Hatred took the mask and nodded.

"Well, I might have to go into seclusion in a little while, but the exact time is still uncertain."

"I understand, Master. I will pass it on to Nana."

Lin Xiao nodded, glanced in Nana's direction again, and then returned to her room.

As soon as he sat down, one after another, the floating cannons seemed to come alive and flew up from under his clothes, floating in the air.

A series of dark red rays covered the Soul Guidance Cannon, drawing out a similarly colored light that rose from the Styx Embrace beneath Lin Xiao's outer garment, as if they were merging together.

"As expected of the Hall Master's work, it seems that when the Hall Master made this humanoid soul tool, he had already taken into account the existence of the array floating cannon and adapted it to the floating cannon."

Although he died at the hands of Jing Hongchen, Fengshen harbored no hatred towards Jing Hongchen; on the contrary, he felt a deep attachment to Mingde Hall. Even though it wasn't the first time he had seen the Embrace of the Styx, he couldn't help but praise it each time he saw it.

On the other hand, Ming Lei's attitude towards this soul tool was completely different from when he evaluated the Death Tower on the snowfield.

"I think it's still a bit lacking and doesn't quite match your abilities."

“That’s right, after all, I can’t possibly tell Mingde Hall all my abilities.” Lin Xiao glanced at Ming Lei and nodded slightly. “Just like you, although many people have seen me manipulate souls, very few people know that the person is ‘Lin Xiao’.”

"Therefore, the current Styx Embrace does not have any effect related to my abilities. So after I break through to the ninth level Soul Master, I will find a way to improve the Styx Embrace."

"Moreover, since the Red Dust Hall Master helped me combine the array of floating cannons and humanoid soul tools, I also intend to retain this feature in the process of improving the soul tool cannons."

“These two matters can be considered together. You were both level nine soul masters in your previous lives. I would like to ask you to take a look at the process of improving the Styx Embrace.” “I can only say I will try my best.” Feng Shen’s tone was somewhat hesitant. “There are also differences in the skills among level nine soul masters. I may not be able to make significant changes to the soul tool made by the hall master.”

"It's okay, we should always try."

"What about the materials?" Ming Lei wasn't too worried about that aspect.

"Oh, right, you weren't with me at that time, so there are some things I really don't know." Lin Xiao glanced at Ming Lei and said, then suddenly took out several storage soul tools with a "clang".

"I sold the alloy smelting technology for a good price. The head of the hall promised me that Mingde Hall would provide me with all the materials I needed."

"When I left, I brought a batch of people with me. Although it wasn't a lot, it should be enough for them to break through to level nine."

Ming Lei blinked in disbelief, then suddenly remembered that Lin Xiao had indeed taken out quite a few rare metals before. He had thought that those would make Lin Xiao feel bad for a while, but now it seemed that Lin Xiao didn't care about those materials at all.

“Jing Hongchen… he really is generous.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiao's gaze fell on the soul tool on the table, and he seemed a little lost in thought. "Yes, I wonder how the teachers are doing now. I imagine the news of my death on the front lines will keep him worried for a while."

Lin Xiao's room gradually quieted down until night fell, when a faint green light could be seen occasionally flashing across the window, casting an inconspicuous mark.

Nana finished her cultivation and passed by Lin Xiao's room, slightly out of breath. She bumped into Zang'e, who gestured for her to be quiet.

Hatred pointed to Lin Xiao's room and led her away.

"The cult leader is currently in seclusion."

"Seclusion?" Nana repeated, then suddenly turned around to look behind her, where the assassin's soul was still standing there, dazed.

Looking up at the roof, another powerful soul was sitting on it, gazing into the distance. Although it was just a soul, the chill emanating from it still made Nana dare not look directly at it.

"But that soul was just helping me cultivate..."

Abomination shook his head. “The leader’s abilities are different from those of the people in the Holy Spirit Cult. I didn’t sense much resentment from him, but rather a sense of peace. Perhaps that is what a soul should be like.”

Nana seemed to remember something and reached out to touch the token in her bosom. This token had long lost its original function; now, it was merely a vessel to hold her mother's soul.

As the hatred said, she felt no pain or resentment from her mother's soul, only a sense of peace, as if she had been liberated compared to her life.

"Oh, right, the cult leader also asked me to give you this mask, saying it's to conceal your identity when you're out and about."

"Thank you." Nana took the mask, looked up at Abomination, and finally couldn't help but ask, "Elder, why are you willing to follow the leader? Your cultivation should even surpass the leader's."

“The elders are a thing of the past.” Abomination waved his hand. “As for why I’m following the leader… even in terms of strength, I can’t beat the leader.”

"Huh?" Nana's eyes widened slightly, somewhat surprised that even the original sixth elder of the Holy Spirit Cult was no match for the eighth elder. Could it be that the positions of elders in the Holy Spirit Cult weren't ranked according to strength?
Unfortunately, no one could answer her questions. After all, even the Hateful Douluo himself only realized that he was no match for Lin Xiao after encountering Lin Xiao, who was not hiding his strength.

(End of this chapter)