Once an evil soul master was identified, they had to be reported immediately. Harboring or protecting them could result in execution, as the Spirit Hall was founded to eradicate such threats. Over the years, Spirit Hall had grown into the holy land of all soul masters, but its original purpose remained unchanged.
When the villagers saw Tang San's current state, their hearts filled with hesitation. None of them wanted to risk their lives, but betraying a child they had watched grow up seemed equally unbearable. Unsure of what to do, they fell into uneasy silence.
Yun Feng shook his head at Uncle Wang's suggestion. "Uncle Wang, you must be mistaken. How could Tang San possibly be an evil soul master? Maybe he's just sick. Sure, he's been drinking livestock blood, which is gross, but it doesn't mean he's evil."
Yun Feng's words made the villagers feel guilty, but some still harbored doubts. After all, could they really afford to gamble on this? Reporting the incident seemed like the safest choice.
Yun Feng noticed their conflicted expressions but chose to say no more. Overexplaining might make him a target. More importantly, he had caught sight of Tang Hao lurking in the shadows.
Yun Feng couldn't risk the lives of the villagers who had cared for him since infancy. Holy Spirit Village had raised him, and he didn't want to see them harmed because of a careless remark. However, confronting Tang Hao directly was out of the question—Yun Feng knew all too well that Tang Hao was not someone to trifle with.
Realizing he couldn't do much to change the situation, Yun Feng decided it was time to prepare for his escape. The crowd dispersed after a while; everyone had their own affairs to tend to. Yun Feng noticed a few villagers sneaking out of Holy Spirit Village, likely to report Tang San's behavior. He considered stopping them but ultimately decided against it.
"Even if they report this, Tang Hao won't just sit by. Tang San is his chance at redemption, and there's no way he'd let the Spirit Hall find out." Yun Feng sighed. The villagers who raised him might have signed their own death warrants.
As this thought crossed his mind, the Heaven-Suppressing Monument in his sea of consciousness stirred again. The chisel appeared, and with precise strokes, it etched a new name onto the monument—Tang Hao.
Yun Feng froze. "What triggers this thing? It can't just be random!"
He pondered for a moment before coming to a chilling realization. "Could it be... it only activates when someone becomes a threat to my life?"
This hypothesis left Yun Feng uneasy. If the monument had marked Tang Hao, it meant he now saw everyone in the village as a threat. Tang Hao might actually be considering killing them all to keep Tang San's condition a secret. Yun Feng couldn't be sure, but he didn't want to take any chances.
Returning to his hut, Yun Feng began reviewing the techniques and forbidden arts in his memory. If he had to confront Tang Hao, he needed something devastating—preferably a technique that inflicted severe harm on the user. After some thought, he settled on the Rakshasa's Triple Transformation, a forbidden art that rapidly enhanced power at the cost of destroying one's foundation.
Though his current level wasn't sufficient to fully utilize the technique, the circumstances demanded action. Even if it only weakened Tang Hao temporarily, it might buy Yun Feng enough time to escape. The villagers, however, would have to fend for themselves. Yun Feng could only offer a brief warning without endangering his own life.
Without hesitation, Yun Feng tapped into his soul power and martial soul, destroying both in the process.
"Boom!" A surge of power erupted within him, sending shockwaves through his body. The soul power he had accumulated from Tang San erupted violently but miraculously left him unscathed. Even his shattered martial soul began to reform, stronger than before.
Following the steps of the Rakshasa's Triple Transformation, Yun Feng channeled the unleashed soul power throughout his body, fortifying his physical strength. Clenching his fists, he grinned. "Destroying my foundation to gain strength... Who would've thought it'd also stabilize my soul power? Incredible."
Meanwhile, Tang Hao was hiding in the shadows, watching over Tang San and contemplating whether to slaughter the entire village. He didn't fully understand what was happening to his son, but he couldn't risk Spirit Hall getting involved. However, as Tang Hao considered his options, a sudden wave of pain shot through him.
"Impossible!" Tang Hao exclaimed, sweat dripping from his face. "My martial soul… It almost self-destructed just now!"
The disbelief in his voice was palpable. For a soul master, the martial soul was their foundation. If it were destroyed, their
life as a soul master would be over.