Chapter 37: All Living Beings Aid Me, I Aid All Living Beings

“I never expected the Evil Emperor to be such a person,” Xue Di said, shaking her head repeatedly.

Qin Sheng chuckled softly. “Who would want to die when they could live?”

The longer one lives, the stronger their strength and the higher their status, the more unwilling they become to die easily.

Whether it be the emperors and ministers of the mortal Earth, or the powerful experts of the transcendent worlds.

Take, for instance, the Supreme Beings of the Forbidden Zones in Shrouding the Heavens.

In their early years, they were filled with ambition, confident that they were peerless throughout all time—past, present, and future. Forbidden Zones? Even a dog wouldn't enter! If other Extreme Supreme Beings couldn't become immortals, it was because they were useless; let *me* try!

In their later years, they couldn't hold on anymore, wailing, "I must self-mutilate! I cannot die! Friends from the Forbidden Zones, please move over and make some room for me!"

One can only say that time is ruthless, and the passage of years is like a blade.

It cuts not only life, but also the heart.

Returning alone to the Chiling Academy, Qin Sheng met Zhang Lexuan.

“Xiao Sheng, what was the attitude of those Soul Beasts?”

“They all agreed. All resistance has been eliminated; now we just wait to push forward.”

The era of Universal Soul Masters required time. Awakening martial souls for all living beings on the continent and teaching cultivation methods could not be rushed, not to mention the many other issues that needed handling.

However, Qin Sheng could afford to wait.

“I knew it. When you personally take action, Xiao Sheng, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished.” Zhang Lexuan’s admiration for Qin Sheng was bordering on blind worship.

“Indeed,” Qin Sheng said with a hint of emotion. “Looking back, from the time I was a Great Soul Master until now, I have cultivated for many years and accomplished many things.”

“The things I want to do, I generally accomplish one after another. And the things I don't want to do, others cannot accomplish either.”

“Is there anyone below me who opposes me? Yes, but very few—unless they wish to forfeit their own lives.”

“Lexuan, do you think what I am doing is right?”

“You are always right! I will follow in your footsteps forever!”

Zhang Lexuan’s expression was resolute, looking as if she were mere seconds away from raising her hands in the air and weeping with joy.

“There is one more thing I need you to keep an eye on.”

Qin Sheng brought up another matter. “Once the Universal Soul Master plan shows its initial results, there will undoubtedly be countless unique Soul Skills appearing across the continent.”

Soul Skills possess a high degree of uncertainty.

Even twins with the same martial soul who absorb the same soul rings might end up with vastly different Soul Skills.

In Qin Sheng's view, the most fascinating phenomenon on the Douluo Continent was

Mutation.

An Earthworm martial soul might mutate into a True Dragon, while conversely, a True Dragon martial soul might mutate into a common dog.

A Rabbit soul ring, when combined with a martial soul, might mutate into an invincible type of Soul Skill, while a Dragon race soul ring might result in a "farting" Soul Skill after absorption...

“Announce it to the continent in the name of Chiling Academy. Anyone possessing a unique Soul Skill can register at their local city, and then their information will be sent to the academy for screening.”

“Those who pass the screening, regardless of their strength or the quality of their martial soul, are to be brought to Chiling Academy. I want to study their Soul Skills, and once the research is complete, they will receive compensation.”

Qin Sheng had never forgotten the idea of turning unique Soul Skills into secret methods, and he had been researching it constantly.

He believed that the future Universal Soul Masters would birth even more Soul Skills that would catch his eye and provide him with inspiration.

“By the way, when making the announcement, give a few examples of unique Soul Skills—such as Invincible Golden Body, Displacement, or Teleportation. Skills like Blue Silver Entanglement don't need to be registered.”

“Blue Silver Entanglement... isn't that a hereditary Soul Skill of the Tang Sect? Does the Sea God Tang San possess that skill?”

Zhang Lexuan was puzzled. “Aren't the Soul Skills of gods powerful?”

“...Are you afraid of Blue Silver Entanglement?”

Zhang Lexuan briefly imagined a battle between herself and a Blue Silver Grass Soul Master...

Apologies, she couldn't imagine it at all. She was about to ascend to the rank of Titled Douluo; a Blue Silver Grass Soul Master wouldn't even be able to reach her level, let alone have the right to stand before her.

“You may go.”

Zhang Lexuan took her orders and departed.

Following this, various countries, academies, sects, and clans sent people to Chiling Academy to learn martial arts mental methods and collect soul ring makers.

The Soul Beasts' side took similar action; countless bloodline samples were sent over. From then on, when Soul Masters obtained soul rings, they would no longer need to engage in risky battles.

As for whether Soul Masters, no longer needing Soul Beasts, would become even more unscrupulous in their hunting?

Qin Sheng naturally had a countermeasure.

He possessed the strength to sweep across the continent and could reshape the world according to his whims; he wouldn't be stumped by such a thing.

In the most remote mountain village of the Dou Ling Empire, the people lived a self-sufficient, primitive life with little contact with the outside world.

But today, the noble Soul Masters, who had previously only existed in legends, set foot upon this land.

“Awaken our martial souls? Teach us cultivation methods?”

The villagers were bewildered and incredulous, fearing that these noble Soul Masters were merely playing a joke on them.

Martial souls—was that something a poor person could possess?

But what happened next proved it was no jest.

When the awakening task for this village was completed, the Soul Master said to them

“You must thank His Excellency Qin Sheng. It is he who created the cultivation methods that allow everyone to become a Soul Masters, and it is he who allows you to awaken your martial souls.”

“In the future, when you reach Level 10, you can go to Red Mountain City to collect a soul ring for free. At that time, you will be Soul Masters, and you will be able to do more, eat your fill, and dress warmly.”

“Not only will you be Soul Masters, but your descendants will be as well.”

“Without His Excellency Qin Sheng, you would not enjoy such treatment. He has changed the continent, allowing all commoners to live better lives.”

An old man, trembling, asked

“Where is His Excellency Qin Sheng?”

“He is at Chiling Academy, in that direction.”

The Soul Master pointed toward where the sun was rising.

The old man knelt down, tears streaming down his face.

He still remembered the day he was ten years old, when his parents had saved up a sum of money and, filled with hope, took him into the city to awaken his martial soul.

But what greeted them was despair.

The old City Lord of Red Mountain City, who was willing to charge a fee to help commoners awaken, had died. His successor took the money but did nothing.

There was no awakening ceremony and no awakening crystal; they merely sent a servant to glance at the children, declare they had no soul power, and leave immediately.

“Thank His Excellency Qin Sheng...” the old man murmured, and others followed suit, their eyes red with emotion.

The nobility would never be able to understand the feelings of the continent's commoners at this moment.

Even a Soul Master who had been born a commoner was moved; he helped them up and said

“There is no need to kneel. His Excellency Qin Sheng said he hopes you can all stand up.”

“Always hold your heads high and chests out, standing and living facing the sun.”

Such things were happening in every corner of the Douluo Continent.

The fates of countless people were being changed because of this. Many were grateful to Qin Sheng, offering him their most sincere faith, regarding him as a deity, and erecting monuments and tablets in his honor.

There were also those who resented Qin Sheng, feeling he had greatly harmed their interests. Why give martial souls to those peasants and help them become Soul Masters?

We nobles are born noble to rule this world, but what is it now?

Chiling Qin Sheng, look at what you have done!

But the torrent of the era was vast and mighty, unswayed by the will of anyone other than Qin Sheng. Faced with this overwhelming tide, anyone could only drift along with the current.

Vast golden light emerged from around Qin Sheng's body. The power of faith, more dazzling than the sun, converged upon him. He perceived them one by one, seeing those scenes and those people.

The emotions were incredibly intense; the faith was extremely sincere.

Qin Sheng smiled—a pure smile that possessed divinity.

“I aid all living beings, and all living beings aid me.”

As the new ten-thousand-year era arrived, weapons would no longer rise upon the earth, and the world would be filled with the fragrance of flowers.