Douluo Dalu 2: You are an Evil Soul Master, but also a good person ?

Xu Cheng smiled and said, "There is only one Elder Cheng in the entire Sun-Moon Empire today..."

"Wait, are you talking about... Cheng Baiqing?!!"

Huo Qing reacted instantly, her beautiful eyes shrinking in shock.

As the commander of the fourth battalion of the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Regiment—one of the four major Soul Engineer regiments—she was in a position second only to the highest authority, making her an absolute core figure.

For someone in her position, it was impossible not to be aware of the legendary figure who had left a profound impact on the entire military—the formidable research master whose influence stretched across the entire Sun-Moon Empire.

Everyone in the military, including those trained in Mingde Hall, held Cheng Baiqing in extremely high regard. His influence over the army was immense.

If they could win him over to their side, then victory would instantly tilt in their favor!

"I am now Elder Cheng's last disciple," Xu Cheng said casually while pointing to his forehead. "This six-thousand-year-old Evil-Eyed Tyrant King's skull soul bone was a gift from him."

Huo Qing was stunned.

She hadn't expected her young master to have such incredible connections.

To be personally accepted by Elder Cheng!

She knew very well how high Cheng Baiqing's standards were. The man had never taken on a disciple in his entire life.

If what Xu Cheng said was true, then his future position was already unshakable!

No one would dare provoke Cheng Baiqing. Even if Xu Cheng failed in his ambitions, the eventual ruler of the empire would still spare him for Elder Cheng's sake.

As for herself, a mere "small fry" in the grand scheme of things, she would surely be doomed. But if her sacrifice could help Xu Cheng achieve greatness, it would be worth it.

"But... the Holy Spirit Cult..." Huo Qing hesitated as she looked at Xu Cheng, her words trailing off.

As expected, she had the same reaction as Elder Cheng.

The road ahead was long and fraught with difficulty.

Xu Cheng chuckled helplessly.

"Rest assured, Qing Yi. I am now the Holy Son of the Holy Spirit Cult, the designated successor of its leader. That means the entire Holy Spirit Cult stands behind me."

Huo Qing: "..."

The Holy Son of the Holy Spirit Cult!

The most notorious organization on the continent, a massive gathering of evil soul masters feared and hated by all.

And her young master... was now their chosen heir?!

"When did you get involved with them?!" Huo Qing asked, clearly disturbed.

Xu Cheng raised two fingers and pointed to his eyes.

His blood-red pupils shrank slightly.

A faintly demonic aura emanated from them.

"I possess twin martial souls. My first is the Sun, the royal martial soul of the empire. The second is the Blood Pupil. Shortly after my second awakening, the leader of the Holy Spirit Cult, Zhongli Wu, happened to discover me..."

"Wait... You were in the imperial capital. How did Zhongli Wu—"

Huo Qing's voice cut off abruptly, her mind racing as she realized something shocking.

Xu Cheng saw the alarm in her eyes and slowly nodded.

The current emperor of the Sun-Moon Empire had always had a peculiar attitude toward the Holy Spirit Cult.

On the surface, he pretended not to acknowledge them.

But behind the scenes, he secretly extended his goodwill.

Otherwise, there was no way Jing Hongchen would have dared to collude with Zhongli Wu.

Even after Xu Tianran took the throne, he simply continued his father's policies, though in a much bolder fashion.

"I can't believe... even His Majesty is involved with them..."

Huo Qing took a deep breath.

Before this moment, like most traditional soul masters, she had always viewed the Holy Spirit Cult with deep disgust and hostility.

But now...

Now that her own young master was their Holy Son—the future leader of the very cult she despised—her feelings became incredibly complicated.

It was as if she had been preparing for battle against a mortal enemy, only to suddenly realize that her "enemy" was actually on her team.

"Heh..."

Xu Cheng merely smiled and sipped his tea.

He gave Huo Qing some time to process everything.

Only after a long while did she exhale deeply.

She looked at Xu Cheng with a mix of emotions.

"This child... he must have suffered a lot..."

Tears welled up in Huo Qing's eyes.

After all, in her mind, the Holy Spirit Cult was nothing more than a den of criminals.

Surviving among such people while maintaining his position—balancing all the conflicting interests—was surely no easy feat.

(Though, if Wu Ya and Zhang Peng were here to hear this, they'd probably start cursing. Xu Cheng had been treating them like slaves, working them to the bone! Who was the one truly suffering here?!)

"If you ever need anything, just tell me."

Huo Qing said firmly.

"Of course."

Xu Cheng understood the weight of her words and nodded earnestly.

"By the way, who is this young lady?"

Now that the conversation had settled, Huo Qing's gaze turned toward Nana, who had been sitting quietly beside them. She smiled warmly.

"Her name is Nana. Her parents' souls were imprisoned by the Holy Spirit Cult. I happened to come across her and rescued her. She had no one left, so she's been living with me ever since."

Xu Cheng introduced her briefly.

"Qing Yi..."

Nana immediately bowed her head respectfully.

She knew that her chances of staying with Xu Cheng depended entirely on how well she behaved now.

"Hmm… I quite like this little girl. Come here, I have a gift for you."

Huo Qing smiled kindly, completely different from the harsh and imposing figure she had been moments ago.

Nana hesitated and looked at Xu Cheng, seeking his approval.

"Why are you just standing there? Qing Yi is family."

Xu Cheng chuckled.

Hearing this, Nana quickly walked over.

Huo Qing patted the girl's head gently.

A look of pity flashed through her eyes.

With a flick of her wrist, a crimson longsword appeared in her hand.

A subtle gleam ran along the sharp blade, its edge exuding a chilling aura.

"This is a sixth-tier soul tool—the 'Crimson Blood Sword.' It has accompanied me for years."

Huo Qing ran her fingers along the blade, eyes filled with nostalgia.

A faint cold light flickered across the edge, revealing its extraordinary sharpness.

"Don't underestimate it. Though it's only a sixth-tier soul tool, it's among the very best of its class. Back in the day, I relied on this sword to carve my way out of the enemy's formation, leaving a bloody path behind me."

Then, lowering her voice, she added in a serious tone:

"From now on, the young master's safety is your responsibility."

Her sharp gaze locked onto Nana's.

She was testing the girl.

Seeing if she was worthy of becoming a blade for Xu Cheng.

Nana met her gaze head-on.

Her eyes were unwavering.

To her, this was trust.

Even though Xu Cheng likely didn't need a bodyguard, she would still stand in front of him—even if it meant dying first.

"Good!"

Huo Qing's sharpness faded, replaced by warmth.

She patted Nana's shoulder.

Then she turned to Xu Cheng with a smile.

"I like this girl."

"As long as you do."

Xu Cheng chuckled and took a sip of tea, pretending not to have noticed their silent exchange.

"Ah Cheng, what do you think of the Fire Phoenix Regiment?"

Huo Qing suddenly asked.

Since he had made it clear he wanted the throne, they couldn't ignore the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Regiment.

If they could seize control of it, their strength would increase dramatically.

"No rush."

Xu Cheng took a slow sip of tea.

"Right now, the empire is divided into three factions: one under me, one under Fourth Prince, and one under Crown Prince Xu Tianran."

"The Crown Prince holds the official advantage. His faction is strong, but he is ultimately crippled—unfit for true power."

"Fourth Prince has deep connections in the court and strong influence over the military, but his greatest weakness is his lack of top-tier combat power."

"Neither Kong Lao nor Elder Cheng will help him. Jing Hongchen has also taken my side..."

Xu Cheng smiled confidently.

"So… the advantage is mine!"