937 Scarlet“s Body
After a long time in the Holy City, Lan Daier knew some secrets about Sophia. There were some age-old secrets about Sophia in the Holy City. She seemed like a young, sexy, and graceful Great Teacher, but in reality, she was old enough to be the grandmother of most Great Teachers. Furthermore, it was said that her vicious name spread far and wide. She was a terrible and emotionless person. Even Sacred Teachers had to give some face to her. As for the other Great Teachers, almost none of them were willing to provoke her.
If these were all the secrets surrounding Sophia, Lan Daier would not feel that anything was wrong. There were plenty of old Great Teachers who were as powerful as Sophia. More importantly, Lan Daier happened to know other secrets about Great Teacher Sophia, such as her cruel dark history…
She wanted to say something, but stopped. In the end, she did not say anything. She did not have any proof for these secrets. In the past, she could casually raise them as if she was chatting normally with Wang Zhong. But now, she had a different identity. Sophia was Scarlet’s Teacher, and Scarlet was Wang Zhong’s girlfriend. Lan Daier did not want to give Wang Zhong the impression that she was slandering the image of Scarlet’s Teacher.
“You’d better not.” Lan Daier remained silent for a very long time and finally found a compromise. “Although Great Teacher Sophia is under Sacred Teacher Leyson, she is one of the rather extreme advocates for war. If your information reaches her ears, she might not actually report this to the higher-ups… If it is just like you have said, the Octopus people will probably wait for the constant reinforcements in the Holy City and will not carry out any large-scale counterattacks in the short run. The Holy City Army is safe for now, and we still have time. I will think of a way for you to meet Sacred Teacher Leyson. There should be a chance to do so. You can just wait for any news from me.”
…
At the same time, in the depths of the base, the news of Wang Zhong’s return had spread among the Great Teachers but did not garner much attention. A majority of the Great Teachers had heard of Wang Zhong and knew that this young newbie was rising to a peak in the Holy Battle. He had also carried out many actions that caught the attention of the Great Teachers, who could not help but talk about him after their meals. But that was all. As Great Teachers in the Holy Battle, they were in charge of many things. Shocking talents who rose during the Holy Battle like Wang Zhong were very rare, but they were not the focus of the Great Teachers’ attention. He would only catch the eyes of the Great Teachers if he suddenly advanced to the Heavenly Soul Stage and had the qualifications of a Great Teacher. He would then have the same authority as them, and they would be colleagues who worked together.
Wang Zhong had the potential to do so, and the day he would achieve all these was not far away, just not now. However, while there were some who viewed him lightly, there were definitely others who paid special attention to him.
It was rare that Sophia was not at her work table. Instead, she was in her own room, meticulously putting on makeup at the bright and colorful dressing table she had obtained from the crystal world. Several strands of white hair that she had just pulled out lay neatly on the dressing table. The few wrinkles that had silently crept on her face were also covered up by her extremely elaborate makeup skills.
Sophia looked up and down at the eternally young face in the mirror, but she did not seem to be satisfied.
The rate at which her power eroded was growing faster and faster, but this was inevitable. Even for a powerful practitioner like her, although she could extend her lifespan, she would not truly be able to live forever. On the contrary, after she entered the Heavenly Soul stage, unless she succeeded in evolving to a higher power, the rate at which her body aged would be much faster than ordinary people. Their bodies had to bear the erosion brought about by their great strength. As a result, their cells divided and replaced other cells very quickly. Her body would naturally grow old and die more quickly.
She had immediately received the news of Wang Zhong’s return. She had even used various methods to find out all the major events that had happened in Wang Zhong’s journey. The only thing she did not know was how Wang Zhong had suddenly appeared on Earth from the palace of the Octopus people. Besides that, nothing had escaped her network of information, including every single minor thing he had done on Earth.
He had killed an aboriginal Heavenly Soul in seconds. He had also defeated a veteran, 4-star Great Teacher from the Zhao Family, even when the Great Teacher was at his peak power after forcibly recovering his youth. This was genuine power, and he had not used any tricks in order to win. The growth of this young man had exceeded Sophia’s expectations. Furthermore, his potential had shocked Sophia time and again. However, there was something even more frightening. She could clearly feel that Wang Zhong’s influence was growing bigger and bigger, not just among the Holy Disciples in the Holy City Army and the Exploration Team Department, but also the higher-ups from the Holy Land. She had heard the Heavenly Soul experts using a tone of admiration to talk about this young man when they gathered more than once. Furthermore, he had been deemed not guilty when he killed someone in the base…
Frankly speaking, Sophia did not care much about Wang Zhong at first. He was no more than a dog or a pet who was by her treasured disciple Scarlet’s side. When she was happy, she could allow him to give Scarlet some happiness. When she was unhappy, she could be like a stern parent who took away her disciple’s treasured toy. He was an item, an unimportant plaything who could exist or disappear at any time according to her mood. But now, this unimportant plaything had rapidly grown into a being that even she felt threatened by.
She could not allow him to go on like this. She had to get rid of Wang Zhong, or it would be like nurturing a tiger that invited calamity! To her, Scarlet was far too important. However, the final outcome would definitely not be harmonious.
Furthermore, as Scarlet’s boyfriend, if she allowed Wang Zhong to continue growing at a rapid rate like this, when she encountered problems with Scarlet in the future, this fellow would definitely be a snake in the grass. He might even become her mortal enemy and eventually the source of her death.
Even before this, Sophia had realized this problem when Wang Zhong first killed Warlock Saint Heinrich. However, based on analyses from various perspectives, Wang Zhong had relied more on the threat of Kenso’s Stink Bomb to kill Heinrich. It was a combination of planning and luck. Thus, Sophia did not take him seriously. But even then, Sophia immediately allocated the ‘sure-death’ Shadow Moon Fortress mission to Wang Zhong. Sophia had sent experts there and definitely knew about what was happening in the Shadow Moon Fortress, as well as Sauron’s presence. She even knew about the rewards offered in the black market for killing certain people, including the fact that the one-eyed man’s exploration team had accepted the mission to assassinate Wang Zhong. Nothing could escape Sophia’s eyes.
However, it was a pity that the one-eyed man’s exploration team was too weak. Even the Octopus people were not completely reliable. They could not even kill a mere Heroic Soul. On the contrary, he left them in a tizzy and grew stronger before returning… This time, she would not let outsiders do the work for her!
She stood up and changed into the Great Teacher’s robes. At that moment, someone lightly knocked on her door.
“Yes,” Sophia replied calmly.
Someone opened the door. Disciple Bolton respectfully walked in. “Teacher…”
“I have something to attend to and will go on a journey. I might take at least a month, possibly even longer. I will leave the work in the Exploration Team Department to you for now,” Sophia softly said. “Also, find a way to make Wang Zhong disappear. We have to ensure that nothing bad happens. Make sure your hands and feet are clean as well. Don’t leave behind any chance for investigation.”
“Yes.” There did not seem to be any change in Bolton’s expression.
Bolton was Sophia’s trusted subordinate. Not only was he her trusted disciple, he also had other uses.
As for the aftereffects, although Wang Zhong was not famous, he was only a Teacher in name. He did not have any actual duties in the Holy City Army and did not have any powerful backers among the higher-ups. This kind of person had not truly formed any sense of loyalty to him and his circle from the great forces. If he suddenly died from an accident, even if anyone suspected Sophia, they would not have enough evidence to prove it. It was very unlikely that anyone would cause trouble for her because of him.
She did not talk about any nonsense. A soul glimmered in Sophia’s hand, and she disappeared.
This was a unique fragment world and Sophia’s private territory. Every Sacred Teacher had their own fragment world. Some Sacred Teachers could even have a few fragment worlds. It was extremely rare for a Great Teacher to have a fragment world.
At that moment in the fragment world, snowflakes the size of goose feathers were falling everywhere from the sky, dyeing the entire world snow-white. Right in the center of the world, there was a heavenly lake that looked like an ice crystal. A young person was quietly sitting in the middle of the lake.
Sophia’s gaze swept across the young person’s body. She looked at her plump and voluptuous chest, her pink, milk-white, and smooth skin, her face that was extremely beautiful and full of grace. Her skin was so tender that it seemed like it could break just from a flick. Her thick, black hair was even more intoxicating to Sophia.
She had a perfect body and was the perfect age… The only imperfection was that this foolish girl had given her virginity to that damned fellow. But it did not matter. Sophia did not particularly care about this. However, that fellow had also entered the body she was about to enter. Thus, she felt slightly disgusted…
That was right. She was about to exchange her body with Scarlet’s! This was also the sole reason why she had taken Scarlet in as her disciple and thought highly of her. She had personally guided her to raise her strength, brought her to various secret realms, and exerted all her mental and physical strength to nurture her all for this!
She was already very old and could be considered one of the oldest Heavenly Souls. She had not died because of the soul transfer technique, also known as body seizing. It was not a secret among the higher-ups, but these people were all Sacred Teachers and would not care about her actions. Scarlet was the best body she had ever seen. Once she occupied her body, she would have the chance to challenge the Heavenly Calamity once again. This would be her third time doing so.
Of course, body seizing was a taboo in the Holy Land, and she could not show this off. As she looked at this perfect body, her mouth started drooling with greed.
She had wanted to wait for a while for Scarlet to naturally advance to the Heavenly Soul Stage before seizing her body. However, her body was rapidly aging. Furthermore, there were many uncertain factors. She could no longer wait that long.
Steam rose from the heavenly lake. She had put together various natural treasures she had collected in the recent decades in the lake. She wanted to help Scarlet overcome the obstacles she faced in advancing to the Heavenly Soul Stage by force. Only the body of a Heavenly Soul expert could endure her massive soul!
“Teacher.”
Scarlet, who had been closing her eyes and meditating in the middle of the lake, had sensed Sophia’s arrival and opened her eyes.
The greed and lust in Sophia’s eyes immediately disappeared. She simply waved her hand calmly. “Pay attention to your own matter, the Revolving Soul Drawing Technique. I will help you to guide your soul. Once you achieve the Heavenly Soul Stage, you will have a proper standing in the Holy Battle!”
Scarlet’s eyes were full of gratitude. The various encounters ahead of Wang Zhong had caused her to be annoyed that she was too weak and could not help him. She did not expect her Teacher to suddenly respond to her inner desires. Now, she was soaking with the natural treasures in the heavenly lake. Scarlet even felt that this great luxury was a sin. For her sake, her Teacher had actually…
“Close your eyes and concentrate! You cannot be distracted!” Sophia’s reprimanding voice sounded beside her ear.
“Yes!” Scarlet knew that this opportunity was hard to come by and did not dare to be careless. She quickly calmed her mind.
The steam from the heavenly lake grew stronger, causing her milky and smooth skin to turn slightly red. Mist gradually concealed the figures of the master and apprentice.
Back in the base, Wang Zhong had the qualifications to own his own house as a Teacher. The Exploration Team Department quickly started work on his residence. Of course, whether Wang Zhong lived in the house or not was none of their business. He could even let Simba out to relax inside.
Right now, the Holy Battle was stuck in a stalemate. Over at the southern battlefield, the Holy City Army noticed that more and more Octopus people Saints had appeared. As a result, the high-leveled powers in the Holy City Army felt that they had too many difficulties to deal with and were in an awkward position. Thus, they waited for high-leveled reinforcements to arrive from the Holy Land as they maintained a solid defense. On the other hand, they continued to push for the spread of the Soul Power Circuit in the army. To be honest, if it was not for the appearance of the Soul Power Circuit, the humans’ Holy Battle might have already turned into a joke.
No matter whether it was because of the strong push from the higher-ups, or the enthusiasm from the lower levels to learn, the Soul Power Circuit had become the hottest topic in the two battlefields. Admittedly, the grassroots version of the Soul Power Circuit did not allow them to achieve the dazzling realm like Wang Zhong’s that they wanted to achieve, as they did not have the Soul Core at the center of their training. However, as a practical technique that could be learned and mastered easily, a 30% increase in their combat level was enough for a Heroic Soul soldier to go crazy.
However, they gradually felt the limits of the grassroots version.
This was a perfect new system, but only had the basic Three Circuits: speed, power, and agility. Was there no possibility of any improvements? Many people conducted research and tests… However, it was a pity that they did not yield any results. The Three Circuits were simple operations that Wang Zhong had stripped from the Soul Power Circuit that was established from the Soul Core. Thus, looking at the Three Circuits alone, they seemed easy, but this simplicity was only achieved through multiple accumulations of the essence of the soul. Only those who had grasped the core could continue to draw a conclusion, while the others lost their existing abilities while trying to acquire a new technique. If they wanted to work backward, it would become a completely different matter. It would even be more difficult than inventing the Soul Power Circuit from scratch.