Chapter 29: Beast Soul

"Roar!"

The instant the oppressive force dissipated, everyone within the secret realm felt it. As they exhaled in relief, they immediately began to adjust their own states, preparing for the next move. When high pressure turns to low, there’s always a period of adaptation.

But Fang Qingyun paid no heed to such things. He had long wanted to finish off this jet-black lion. What’s more, if he didn’t kill it now, once it regained its senses, it would never let him go. Better to strike first!

The black lion let out an enraged roar. It remembered Fang Qingyun, but its reaction was nowhere near as swift. Worse, it was wounded. During the time of the Tidal Shift, not only did its injuries fail to heal, but they also worsened, amplifying its weakness.

So, by the time it recovered its wits, Fang Qingyun was already upon it.

A heavy paw swept out with a thundering crash. The lion was blind, but far from deaf—especially with the murderous intent radiating from Fang Qingyun, which it could sense keenly. Yet just as its claw was halfway through its arc, Fang Qingyun, as if inviting it, was already at its side.

His target: the two blades lodged in the lion’s eyes.

With a resounding kick, one blade drove deeper. The lion howled in pain and terror. Was it going to die?

Another paw slammed down, gouging a deep pit in the ground. But Fang Qingyun was already on the other side. His movements were fluid, an indescribable harmony with nature.

Another kick. The second blade was thrust further into the lion’s eye.

The black lion went mad, attacking wildly. But at this moment, Fang Qingyun seemed to meld perfectly with the natural world, predicting every assault, narrowly evading each deadly claw, and responding with a slap or kick—always landing with precision on the two blades.

With every blow, the blades were driven deeper into the lion’s skull, inch by inch stealing its life away.

Finally, the lion could endure no more. It stopped fighting and turned to flee.

“You can’t escape,” Fang Qingyun said softly. With a burst underfoot, he was instantly before the lion with a thunderous roar.

One final kick.

He drove the blade into the lion’s eye socket, the entire sword vanishing into its skull. The lion stiffened, then slowly collapsed.

...

“How… How is this possible?”

The surveillance room burst into commotion. All eyes were glued to Fang Qingyun, stunned with disbelief.

A demon! A true demon! One as powerful as a genuine martial artist, dispatched so effortlessly by a mere candidate? Could anyone believe this?

Someone cried out, “Those moves—such speed! That’s impossible, no one can move that fast. It defies reason!”

The city lord responded calmly, “Don’t forget the blessing of the secret realm. With the amount of spiritual power Fang Qingyun possesses, the blessing he receives must be extraordinary.”

Someone objected, “Secret realm blessing? I thought it hadn’t started yet.”

“How do you know?” The city lord replied unhurriedly. “Perhaps it’s already been bestowed. The secret realm was forged by the mighty, and our understanding is still far too shallow.”

No one argued with that. Those supreme beings could shatter the heavens with a wave of their hand. They were the true pillars of the human race. Who could fathom their power?

Still, many believed the blessing hadn’t begun. Their eyes remained fixed on the secret realm. If the blessing hadn’t started, Fang Qingyun’s performance was simply too suspicious. He had never moved so quickly before; the difference was glaring—as if he were a different person.

Recalling Fang Qingyun’s earlier outbursts of power, some began to look uneasy.

But the next scene shook them to their core.

Ten beams of light shot from the black lion’s corpse and entered Fang Qingyun’s body—the spirit reward for slaying a demon. Everyone knew of it, but to witness it was still astonishing.

And then—

“How can this be?” The city lord stared at the monitors, momentarily dazed. Even he felt parched.

A nearly transparent image of the black lion’s soul emerged from its body and shot into Fang Qingyun.

“What in the world?”

Fang Qingyun almost leapt in fright, comically patting himself down.

No one paid him any mind. All that remained were blank, stunned faces.

At last, the city lord managed to speak in a hoarse voice, “A beast soul? Was that a beast soul just now?”

“Yes,” the military officer replied succinctly.

Admissions officials from several martial arts academies muttered, “Unbelievable… simply unbelievable. A beast soul—this child actually obtained a beast soul?”

The city lord rubbed his brow and glanced at those around him, especially the admissions staff, whose fiery gazes could have melted steel. With a wry smile, he whispered to Principal Sun, “If I recall, Fang Qingyun’s teacher is…”

“Li Xinhui!” Principal Sun caught his meaning at once and replied softly, “I’ll summon that madman immediately. Until Fang Qingyun makes his decision, he is not to leave his side.”

The city lord nodded slightly and, watching Fang Qingyun on the screen, murmured, “So outstanding… but to think you’re just a commoner. That may not be a blessing for you.”

...

Within the secret realm, Fang Qingyun patted himself down thoroughly, finally focusing on his hand.

The Eye of the Demon!

Now, it seemed almost to possess a soul of its own. And yet, he hadn’t even become a martial artist.

Moreover, Fang Qingyun sensed a power not his own gathering within the Eye of the Demon.

This isn’t right! The Eye of the Demon was supposed to be the core of a martial artist’s power—how could there be another force within it?

Strange! Unfathomable!

Fang Qingyun shook his head. All these questions would have to wait until he got out.

For now, he cared more about his attributes. The reason he could so easily defeat the black lion was the dramatic increase in his stats.

[Host: Fang Qingyun]
[Strength: 12 (+)]
[Speed: 15 (+)]
[Constitution: 13 (+)]
[Spirit: 15 (+)]
[Spiritual Power: 58 (+)]
[Shooting: Intermediate]
[Blade Technique: Novice]
[Summoned Beast: Dragonblood Lion (+)]
[Origin Points: 1213]

Both speed and spirit had surged, especially his origin points, which had surpassed a thousand for the first time.

“Hm?” Fang Qingyun paused, a smile slowly curving his lips.

A summoned beast?

He glanced at his palm. That soul-like entity—was it a summoned beast?

With the system, Fang Qingyun’s breath quickened. He’d read about such things before—exceedingly rare, and able to assist their master in combat.

Such luck—could it really be his?

Wait! Was it related to the secret realm?

After the last Tidal Shift, his attributes had leaped forward. This time, after the shift, nothing else had happened.

Could this be the reward for the second Tidal Shift?