Chapter 37 Walter
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The sun had already set, and darkness enveloped the earth.
The pedestrians on the road gradually thinned out. The evening breeze blew, causing the white maple trees along the roadside to sway, their leaves rustling as if mocking something.
Three figures, one large and two small, walked along the empty street. Yan Jin and Lei Yin held hands, their expressions lost and helpless.
They had just visited Mr. Zuo Jianming, who was also unable to provide assistance.
"I'm sorry, Amon. I guess I've caused trouble again, involving you all," Yan Jin said dejectedly.
She had thought the academy competition championship was within her grasp, but reality had slapped her hard. She couldn't even get basic admission, so how could she talk about participating?
Lei Yin consoled, "Sister, don't worry. The most important thing for us now is to figure out what exactly happened. Let's trust Mr. Amon."
Amon didn't answer, only looked ahead.
A man wearing a black robe and brown leather armor blocked their path.
"Glenn!" Yan Jin called out with a hint of joy, recognizing the familiar figure.
Glenn's expression was cold as he said in his low, hoarse voice:
"I've heard about your situation. If you can't even get into the academy, how can you help our Ice Bramble Merchant Guild promote itself in the Soul Master Competition?"
The joy on Yan Jin's face gradually disappeared. She said without much confidence, "But… it's all that fatty's fault… We clearly…"
"There's no need to say anything. All excuses are pale. Since you failed to fulfill your agreement with Madam Ma Wen, don't blame us for being heartless. Just obediently work for our guild from now on," Glenn said in an icy tone.
"Rest assured, Madam Ma Wen will take good care of Mo Lei and the others. You just need to focus on your work."
Hearing the threat in his words, Yan Jin was filled with anger. "What did you say? Say it again!"
Rumble… Magma accompanied by flames appeared on her fist, the red light illuminating the street, and a scorching aura began to spread.
Glenn didn't show any fear, even though he was no longer Yan Jin's match, even though he was facing three promising geniuses alone, he still said calmly:
"Before you act, you better think carefully about what you're doing. Do you want to break your agreement with Madam Ma Wen? In Frostleaf City, if Madam Ma Wen wants to kill someone, even Shi Guantao can't protect them.
"I will stay in Beidi City for a while, waiting for your reply… I'm just here to remind you of the agreement you signed on behalf of Madam Ma Wen. Working for the Ice Bramble Merchant Guild isn't such a bad outcome… I hope you don't reject 'that person's' kindness."
Glenn emphasized "that person," then turned and left.
Watching his retreating figure, Yan Jin clenched her fist, then let it go dejectedly. The fiery red light faded, the magma extinguished, and she looked at Amon uneasily and asked, "What should we do next?"
For the past five years, they had been smooth sailing, hardly encountering any setbacks. A bright path was right in front of them, but at this crucial moment, they were plunged into the abyss.
Although returning to Frostleaf City and working for the Ice Bramble Merchant Guild didn't seem too bad, at least for Yan Jin and Lei Yin, who struggled to survive in West Street five years ago, it would be a decent life.
But who can tolerate darkness after touching the light?
If they went back like this, it was foreseeable that what awaited them was busy work, doing dirty work in the shadows for Ma Wen day after day, with little time to cultivate properly, ultimately wasting their talents and becoming ordinary.
Amon adjusted his monocle and said with a smile, "What to do? Didn't Glenn already say…"
He walked forward slowly.
Yan Jin was still confused, but Lei Yin seemed to understand something.
After walking half a street, Amon said softly, "We're here."
"Huh?" Yan Jin, still in a daze, looked up at the tall building in front of her and realized they had arrived in front of the Beidi City Spirit Hall.
"Who is it?" The guards at the door crossed their spears, blocking the way.
"The Soul Masters are resting now. Come back tomorrow if you have anything," one of the guards said.
Amon raised his finger, and his second soul ring activated.
The guards' expressions suddenly became dull.
Amon's spirit power was considered excellent even among Soul Masters of the same level, not to mention compared to ordinary people.
Under this huge difference in spirit power, the effect of the second soul ring was particularly obvious. The two guards were almost unable to think or react to the outside world.
Pushing aside the spears blocking the way, Amon pushed open the door and walked in.
"Huh? We're just barging into the Spirit Hall like this?" Yan Jin still had reverence for the number one Soul Master organization on the continent.
In Frostleaf City, the Spirit Hall was also the only place she hadn't touched.
Inside the hall, it was brightly lit. A middle-aged man wearing a black robe stood in the center of the hall.
He had small eyes, a hooked nose, thin eyebrows, a gaunt face, and bloodless lips, making him look somewhat gloomy.
"It's so late, coming uninvited. What brings you three here?"
The oppressive aura of a Soul Sage suddenly struck, causing Yan Jin and Lei Yin to take a step back involuntarily, letting out a muffled groan.
"I'm here to find someone in the hall who can make decisions," Amon said softly.
The gloomy Soul Sage replied, "I am the hall master of this main hall."
Amon's lips curled up slightly, and he asked with a hint of meaning, "Can you really make decisions?"
"Of course…" The gloomy man suddenly laughed, "Not."
"Let them come up," an old, peaceful voice rang in the ears of the four.
The source of the voice was unclear, as if the person was speaking right in front of them.
Yan Jin thought the voice sounded somewhat familiar.
On the second floor of the Spirit Hall, they saw an old man with white hair but full of energy. He was looking at Yan Jin with a kind gaze and a strange smile on his face.
"Ah… it's you, Wal… Wal-what was it again?" Yan Jin exclaimed, pointing at him.
"It's Walter, child. We meet again," Walter said softly, "I think you won't refuse me this time, right?"
"Refuse what?" Yan Jin tilted her head, not understanding.
"I thought you all guessed it," Walter said, smiling as he looked at Amon.
Amon shook his head slightly, "I guessed it. Lei Yin probably guessed some too. As for Yan Jin, whom you have high expectations for… well, she's relatively simple-minded.
"Those three groups of robbers on the road were all arranged by you, right? The Beidi Academy refused to accept us, and then Ma Wen's people seamlessly applied pressure… It doesn't seem like a coincidence."
Walter nodded, admitting it generously, "That's right, it was me. I learned from Mi Zonglan that you have been very smooth these past few years, but sometimes being too smooth isn't necessarily a good thing, so I wanted to give you some small trials."
Amon shrugged, "Your trials have tormented Yan Jin quite a bit. She probably hates you to death."
Sure enough, Yan Jin's angry voice came from the side, "What? Old man, you're the one who did all this?"
She acted almost without thinking, and magma appeared on her fist, and the heat rose.
"Great Fireball!"
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