Chapter 22: Soul of the Earth Martial Realm

Lin Chuan dashed toward the trio from the direction of the valley, his robes snapping in the wind. Behind him surged a gray, hazy mist; upon closer inspection, it was a tide of wicked souls composed of countless twisted faces.

"Run!" Lin Chuan shouted to Zhang Lin and his two companions, his voice laced with urgency.

Hearing this, the expressions of the three shifted violently. They had been waiting where Lin Chuan instructed, but by now, hundreds of wicked souls had gathered around them, their translucent, gray shadows slowly closing in.

"Brother Lin, we’re surrounded!" Li Yu’s voice trembled as she gripped her husband’s arm tightly.

A sharp gleam flashed in Lin Chuan’s eyes, and he quickened his pace. He cursed his own carelessness—the lie that a boy’s urine could repel wicked souls had fooled Zhang Lin’s group, but it could not deceive the mindless entities within the Soul-Devouring Green Abyss. The only thing truly protecting the three had been the safe zone created by Fatty’s previous consumption of souls, a boundary they had drifted away from while fleeing.

"Don't panic! I'm here!" Lin Chuan shouted, leaping forward to reach the three of them. He stood with his back to them, pulled a crumpled piece of yellow paper from his robes, and began to feign a series of hand seals and incantations.

In reality, Fatty, residing within the Blood Spirit Ring, had already quietly unleashed his soul power.

"Humph, a few hundred wicked souls—barely enough to whet my appetite," Fatty’s voice echoed in Lin Chuan’s mind, dripping with disdain.

The approaching wicked souls suddenly stalled, then, as if gripped by an invisible giant hand, were twisted and pulled toward Lin Chuan—or more accurately, toward the Blood Spirit Ring on his finger. Within a few breaths, the wicked souls within a radius of several dozen yards were devoured entirely.

Zhang Lin and his companions stared in stunned silence. Li Yu even rubbed her eyes, unable to believe that the hundreds of spirits that had just threatened their lives had simply vanished.

"Brother Lin, your talisman… it’s miraculous!" Zhang Lin swallowed hard, his eyes filled with awe.

Lin Chuan feigned a mysterious air, tucking away the "talisman" and speaking nonchalantly, "Just some techniques from an obscure book." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Blood Spirit Ring glow faintly, knowing Fatty was smugly showing off.

"Brother Lin, what happened in the valley?" the youngest, Wang Tie-zhu, couldn't help but ask. "Could even your talismans not handle it?"

The question left Lin Chuan speechless. He couldn't exactly tell them that Fatty’s devouring speed couldn't keep up with the rate at which the souls were gathering.

The Blood Spirit Ring suddenly grew searing hot, and Fatty’s voice exploded in Lin Chuan’s mind: "Tell them I was just warming up! Now, I’m going to go back and devour every last soul in that valley!"

Lin Chuan’s mouth twitched, feeling helpless. Fatty’s pride was far too fragile; he had interpreted their genuine concern as mockery.

***

"There were simply too many wicked souls in the valley; the talisman’s destructive speed couldn't keep pace with how fast they were gathering," Lin Chuan said, carefully choosing his words. "But there weren't any particularly powerful ones—just a vast quantity."

Li Yu breathed a sigh of relief. "If it’s too dangerous, we can do without the Azure Underworld Grass. Our lives are more important."

"No!" Lin Chuan and Fatty shouted almost simultaneously—one in reality, the other in his mind.

The Blood Spirit Ring burned Lin Chuan’s finger, and Fatty’s voice was filled with unquestionable resolve: "The Azure Underworld Grass must be obtained! I will devour those souls today if it’s the last thing I do!"

Lin Chuan rubbed his temples. He understood Fatty’s desperation—the Azure Underworld Grass could significantly boost soul power; absorbing one stalk was equivalent to absorbing hundreds of thousands of wicked souls, which was vital for the recovery of Fatty’s spirit. But more importantly, Lin Chuan had his own plans: since devouring souls could also aid Fatty’s recovery, the Azure Underworld Grass could be sold for a handsome profit.

"Don't worry, I have a plan," Lin Chuan reassured the three. "Just stay here and don't move."

He turned his focus to the Blood Spirit Ring, communicating with Fatty mentally: "Don't be reckless. We need a systematic approach. Your devouring speed is currently limited, so we need a safe strategy."

Fatty grunted, but did not object. Years of being together on Earth had taught him that Lin Chuan’s "cunning" brain could always come up with a decent solution.

Lin Chuan scanned his surroundings, his gaze darting between the safe zone and the valley. Suddenly, his eyes brightened.

"Got it!" He snapped his fingers. "We can devour them in batches. First, we secure this area, then we enter the valley to quickly consume a group of souls before retreating before they gather in too large a number. By repeating this, we can ensure Zhang Lin’s group remains safe while allowing you to gradually regain your strength."

Fatty was silent for a moment before evaluating, "Troublesome, but feasible."

They sprang into action. Lin Chuan first had Fatty consume all the wicked souls within a hundred-yard radius to form a temporary safe zone. He had calculated that it would take at least several hundred breaths for the distant souls to sense the presence of Zhang Lin’s group and converge on them.

"Stay here and don't wander off," Lin Chuan told the three seriously. "I’ve set up a protective barrier with my talismans; the wicked souls won't be able to get in for a while."

The three nodded repeatedly, their faith in Lin Chuan’s "talisman" abilities now unshakable.

With the three settled, Lin Chuan headed toward the valley once more. This time, both he and Fatty were prepared. As soon as they entered the valley, Fatty released his soul power to the fullest. Countless wicked souls were drawn in like moths to a flame, only to be ruthlessly devoured. Lin Chuan could feel the Blood Spirit Ring burning, and he could sense Fatty’s soul power growing rapidly.

"Thirty breaths… fifty breaths…" Lin Chuan counted silently.

***

When he reached eighty breaths, he clearly felt that the density of the surrounding souls was beginning to exceed Fatty’s consumption rate.

"Retreat!" Lin Chuan turned decisively and bolted toward the edge of the valley. Behind him, the gray tide of wicked souls pursued relentlessly. After Lin Chuan had sprinted a hundred yards, the spirits seemed to hit an invisible barrier and stopped their pursuit.

"Whew—" Lin Chuan let out a long breath, wiping sweat from his forehead. This operation had seen Fatty consume over ten thousand souls; the results were significant.

Returning to where the three waited, Lin Chuan found that sparse wicked souls were already beginning to appear within ten yards of them. He had Fatty clear the newly gathered spirits once more, then rested for three minutes before heading back into the valley.

Repeating this cycle, Lin Chuan lost count of how many times he went back and forth. Each time he entered the valley, Fatty’s devouring speed increased, and he was able to stay longer.

Returning for the seventh time, the Blood Spirit Ring suddenly began to vibrate violently.

"Hahaha!" Fatty’s laughter echoed in Lin Chuan’s mind. "My soul power has recovered to the peak of the Xuan Martial Realm! A few more times and I’ll definitely break through to the Earth Martial Realm!"

Lin Chuan couldn't help but smile. The stronger Fatty became, the better their chances of survival in this dangerous world.

By the twelfth return from the valley, darkness had fallen. Lin Chuan was drenched in sweat, his mind exhausted from the several close encounters with the wicked souls. But the fluctuations coming from the Blood Spirit Ring invigorated him.

"Success!" Fatty’s voice was filled with unprecedented power. "The Earth Martial Realm! My soul power has recovered to the Earth Martial Realm!"

Lin Chuan leaned against a rock to catch his breath, a smug curve playing on his lips. A rough estimate suggested that, including the souls consumed on the way there, they had devoured at least two hundred thousand wicked souls throughout the day.

"Brother Lin, are you alright?" Zhang Lin approached with concern, offering a water skin.

Lin Chuan took it, drank deeply, and wiped his mouth. "I'm fine, just a bit tired." He looked toward the valley, a shrewd glint in his eyes. "Tomorrow, we can go in to harvest the Azure Underworld Grass."

The Blood Spirit Ring grew slightly warm, and Fatty’s voice was satisfied: "I suppose you’re a good lad, remembering that the Azure Underworld Grass is of great use to your father."

Lin Chuan chuckled inwardly. Of course he remembered—it was just that in his plan, that stalk of Azure Underworld Grass was not intended for Fatty. Since devouring wicked souls could also help Fatty recover, the precious grass should be put to its best use… perhaps fetching an astronomical price on the black market.