CP : 10 - Spirit Power

-- Qian Xin's POV --

My deep wounds were still there. However, I could now feel the energy slowly entering my body more clearly. Every being I killed transferred a portion of its power into me.

Every bit of energy that entered me was closing my wounds. When I opened my eyes, I saw some corpses with crushed heads. The technique I had used had activated unintentionally… Moreover, Fatal Step and Voice of Death could work in combination.

Not only humans but also small animals had perished… Did this power have any limits? What was I supposed to do with such power? I took off my mask, placed it on my chest, and lay down again...

The energies flowing into my body were stolen from others. Yet, deep inside, something felt wrong… Something I hadn't noticed while fighting to the death.

Taking a deep breath, I started moving deeper into the hideout. Despite being injured, most of my deep wounds had already healed. As I descended further, I saw that everyone held captive here—every being—had died.

Even the innocent ones I hadn't planned to kill… The only things left alive were the plants and moss in the cave.

-- Wang Jian's POV --

It seemed that while I was on my way, Xin had already dealt with all the threats. I came across a cave leading underground.

The entrance had been widened by humans. It was clear that this cave had been used as a hideout.

As I reached the entrance, six corpses caught my attention. Five were outside the cave, while one was right at the entrance…

Three corpses in particular stood out to me. Their clothes were clearly luxurious, yet their bodies bore no cuts. Their bodies were cracked, and their veins had become visibly prominent…

I couldn't bear to look at the corpses any longer. I found a long piece of cloth and covered them. Just then, Xin emerged from the cave.

"Master… Thank you for your help…" Xin spoke in a shaky and astonished voice… At that moment, I simply stood still… He had the will of a true monster. He had shown no mercy to anyone.

"Xin… I didn't know you had been waiting so long for revenge…" That was the only thing I could say at that moment. Death was as real as life itself. Everyone here had made him and his family suffer greatly.

"There are two chests of gold and three chests of silver inside the cave. It will be difficult to smuggle them into the city for now. We should bury them somewhere in the forest. Once things settle down, we'll figure out a way to bring them into the city."

Once again, Qian Xin surprised me… Even after all these deaths, he was still thinking about money like a true merchant. Yet, deep inside, I could sense the sorrow within him.

He wasn't regretful about what he had done… He was just afraid of how easily death had become trivial to him.

Throughout the night, we buried all the chests in different locations. Then, we set off toward the city. After this night, I was going to take a short break for myself.

"Xin, I need to reach out to more people… The power I have relies on numbers."

The last thing I wanted was for Xin to misunderstand me. I needed more people and, through them, access to greater power. This was an opportunity that no entity I had ever known had been given before.

"Master, have you identified potential targets? Do you have someone specific in mind whom you want to recruit?"

Xin was following me with curious eyes. His attention was now fully focused on our discussion.

"Xin… I don't have a specific target in mind." To be honest, I hadn't set my sights on anyone yet.

"Have you considered buying slaves?"

I interrupted him before he could continue.

"I need free spirits." Slaves had never held a good place in my memories. In this world, most slaves consisted of war prisoners and criminals. That was a group I wouldn't want by my side…

"Xin, we need to establish ourselves in Feng Region. You are a merchant… You understand the power of money better than most people. When I first met you, you were a helpless being, but now you are a free spirit, and tomorrow, you will become a feared master."

The words had slipped from my mouth… Because of the Clan Mastery, I sometimes wondered if these speeches happened unconsciously. With that mask, he would inevitably become a feared monster in the future.

For a few minutes, we talked about the beautiful things in the world. Xin's favorite dish, some political figures he admired, and the historical development of Feng Region over the years…

As we talked, I was also exploring the system.

Did I have Spirit Power? I was curious to know the answer.

[Congratulations! Master's Mask has been upgraded.]

Congratulations! Master's Mask has been upgraded.]

[Congratulations! Master's Mask has been upgraded.]

[Congratulations! Master's Mask has been upgraded.]

[Congratulations! Master's Mask has been upgraded.]

[Congratulations! Master's Mask has been upgraded.]

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[Item Name: Master's Mask]

[Power Level: Semi-Spirit Realm, Plane 6]

It had cost me quite a lot… The price was different for each user. Because of that, I wasn't sure if the quality of the rewards varied as well.

[Ding! Clan Leader has made a breakthrough.****************************************************]

[Warning! Spirit distortion detected!]

[Caution! You have entered the Spirit World!]

-- Qian Xin's POV --

"My favorite dish is Steak with Thick Sauce, but making it takes a long time and is quite exhausting."

Talking with Master had calmed me. I could never forget what I had been through or my family, but I had to move forward. I was no longer alone.

At that moment, I saw Master slowly collapse to the ground.

I managed to catch his arm before he hit the ground, but his eyes had already closed. It was as if his soul had left his body.

I laid him down and tried to assess his condition using my energy… His heart was still beating…