Just as the tendrils of Shinian's Mental Power were about to touch Marco's forehead—
A sudden change occurred!
Marco's tightly shut eyes snapped open!
What kind of eyes were these?! Deep within the pupils, overlapping shadows appeared as if Double Pupils had superimposed, profound as ancient frozen ponds yet sharp as peerless Godly Spears! Moreover, a cyan-red divine light, like lightning splitting the night sky, erupted from the deepest part of those Double Pupils!
Double Pupil Divine Light intertwined with Conqueror's Haki shot straight through the soul!
"What?! You're not—" Shinian's maniacal laughter cut off abruptly, the arrogance and greed on his face instantly freezing, replaced by unparalleled shock and terror! He was too close, completely unable to react in time! That intensely condensed cyan-red divine light, carrying the will to shatter illusions and annihilate souls, had already ignored all his physical and Soul Power defenses, directly piercing through his brow into his Sea of Consciousness!
"Ahhh—!!!"
A shrill scream unlike any human sound erupted from Shinian's throat! Clutching his head with both hands, his entire body arched like a live shrimp thrown into boiling oil before crashing heavily to the ground, rolling and convulsing madly! Blood streamed continuously from all seven orifices like small creeks! His Sea of Consciousness felt as if being violently stirred by a red-hot blade, his soul seemingly torn apart inch by inch! This agony far surpassed any torture in the world!
"No! No! Spare me! Have mercy, my lord! I was blind! I was wrong! I was truly wrong!" Shinian screamed while using his last strength to beg for mercy, his voice distorted by extreme pain, "Let me go! I'm willing to serve you as my master! I'll be your slave! I know many secrets! About Spirit Hall! About Bishop Salas! I'll tell you everything! I beg you..."
"Ahhh—! No—!" His final consciousness completely dissipated amidst boundless agony and despair. Shinian's struggles gradually weakened until his body convulsed violently a few times and finally stiffened completely. His eyes wide open, filled with pre-death terror and disbelief—his soul had already scattered.
A Soul Saint-level expert, Lingering Dream Shinian, had fallen! Until his death, he never understood what kind of existence he had provoked.
Marco slowly stood up, brushed the dust from his robes, and gazed indifferently at Shinian's still-warm corpse at his feet. His eyes were icy cold, without the slightest ripple of emotion.
"An ant trying to shake a mighty tree—overestimating its own capacity," he uttered faintly, his voice calm yet carrying an aloofness that overlooked all living beings. "Remember to keep your eyes open wider in your next life."
Having said this, he extended his right hand, where a wisp of azure flame quietly emerged. This flame wasn't blazing hot; instead, it gave off an eerie sense of intertwined vitality and extinction—precisely the lifebound flame of the Azure Flame Undying Phoenix.
With a casual flick, the wisp of azure flame drifted down onto Shinian's corpse.
"Sizzle..."
There was no violent burning, nor towering flames. The Azure Flame, as if possessing life, rapidly spread across Shinian's entire body. Wherever it passed, clothing, flesh, and bones all turned into the finest ashes, without even a wisp of blue smoke, as if erased from existence by some force of rules. In the blink of an eye, Shinian and all traces of him completely vanished, leaving only a small pile of ashes scattered by the wind.
Only one irregularly shaped bone, glowing with a rainbow radiance, remained completely unscathed amidst the azure flames, hovering silently in the air and emitting gentle spiritual fluctuations.
Marco reached out and drew it into his hand, finding it warm and smooth to the touch. "A head Soul Bone, approximately ten thousand years in quality, with an attached spiritual illusion-type skill... a decent harvest." After a brief perception, he made his judgment. For him, the quality of this Soul Bone was indeed relatively low, and its attached skill didn't align well with his development path.
"However, it makes for a good bargaining chip." Marco's thoughts shifted slightly as he recalled the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. Ning Fengzhi, immensely wealthy, had been collecting various precious Soul Bones for his sect, especially those suitable for support-type Soul Masters. Though this gem-like spiritual head bone wasn't particularly old, its attributes were rare. Perhaps he could exchange it with that old fox for more useful resources, or... a substantial favor.
Casually storing the Soul Bone in his Storage Soul Tool, Marco surveyed his surroundings once more. The forest was silent, as if nothing had ever happened. He straightened his clothes as if he had merely been out for a stroll, then began walking calmly toward Heaven Dou City.
The lingering sunset stretched his shadow long upon the forest path, serene and distant. Who could have imagined that just moments earlier, a Soul Saint powerhouse had quietly perished here, while the perpetrator now walked beneath the sunset, returning like an ordinary traveler.
Marco stepped through the dappled light and shadows of the forest, slowly making his way toward Heaven Dou City. Having dealt with this minor interruption involving Shinian, his mood remained largely unperturbed; if anything, he found it somewhat amusing.
"Speaking of which, in the original 'plot,' Shinian was supposed to cause trouble for Tang San. But because I made too much of a 'splash' during the opening ceremony, it ended up falling on me instead." A playful smile curled at the corner of Marco's lips. "Am I taking a hit for that kid Tang San?"
He recalled the original storyline where Shinian attempted to assassinate Tang San only to be killed instead. Now, his own presence had altered that. However, Marco wasn't particularly concerned; he even found it somewhat ironic. Someone like Shinian was nothing more than an ant he could crush with a casual gesture, yet to the current Tang San, he had once been a mortal enemy. The world's corrective force seemed intent on maintaining certain "key nodes," but when a "variable" like himself was powerful enough, he could easily twist these predetermined trajectories.
"Salas..." Marco's eyes turned cold as he pieced together the crucial information from Shinian's dying words. "So it was this Platinum Bishop of the Spirit Hall pulling the strings behind the scenes? How bold."
He pondered the implications carefully. As the highest-ranking representative of the Spirit Hall in Heaven Dou City, Salas sending someone to assassinate him—a prodigy of the Heaven Dou Empire and the son of the Godly Spear Douluo—carried immense political risks. If exposed, it would inevitably trigger a severe conflict between the Heaven Dou Empire and the Spirit Hall. Salas daring to take such action could only mean a few possibilities: first, he had absolute confidence in himself and Shinian, believing they could act without leaving a trace; second, he had obtained tacit approval or even direct orders from higher-ups in the Spirit Hall, aiming to eliminate him as a future major threat; third, Salas was personally eager to achieve merit or felt threatened by him, deciding to take the risk.
"It seems my performance in the tournament has already made certain people restless," Marco sneered inwardly. As he had expected, the Spirit Hall would not sit idly by and allow an uncontrollable prodigy like him to grow unhindered. He just hadn't anticipated they would act so quickly and directly.
"Fine," a sharp glint flashed in Marco's eyes. "This is a good opportunity to gauge the Spirit Hall's attitude toward me. Salas... I'll remember this debt."
He wasn't worried about retaliation from the Spirit Hall. Given his current strength and background, unless the Spirit Hall dispatched a Titled Douluo-level expert to openly assassinate him, it would be difficult to pose a threat. And actions at the Titled Douluo level would have far-reaching consequences—the Spirit Hall wouldn't dare deploy them lightly. As for covert schemes, they were nothing more than easy prey for him. Shinian's fate was the perfect example.
"However, Shinian's Soul Bone is an unexpected windfall," Marco touched his Storage Soul Tool, where the colorful head Soul Bone lay quietly. "Though its age is low, its attributes are special. It's perfect for trading with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. That old fox Ning Fengzhi would surely be willing to pay a price for this Soul Bone that enhances Mental Power."
Thinking of Ning Fengzhi, Marco recalled Ning Rongrong from Shrek Academy. "Speaking of which, in the original storyline, this Soul Bone should have ended up with Tang San, who then gifted it to Ning Rongrong, greatly boosting her Mental Power... But now, it seems this favor will be mine to give."
This small deviation might bring some unexpected gains. Building a good relationship with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School was never a bad idea. After all, in the original future, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School was one of the key forces opposing the Spirit Hall.
"Taking the fall for Tang San but gaining a Soul Bone and a favor from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School... This round, not a loss." Marco chuckled lightly, his steps growing even more buoyant. He could almost picture the surprise in Ning Fengzhi's shrewd eyes when he saw this Soul Bone.
The setting sun stretched his shadow long, and the majestic outline of Heaven Dou City was now clearly visible. The faint clamor from the city contrasted sharply with the tranquility of the forest. Marco knew that more unknown challenges and opportunities awaited him in the city. And he was ready to face them all.
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