FE—Chapter 142: Just Like This, It's Right to Destroy the Evil Soul Master
Wang Yan saw the reassuring expression on Elder Xuan's face and felt relieved.
"Everyone, prepare for battle. Elder Xuan is here with the Supervisory Group. This so-called Death Hand Bandit Group is just a mob."
Wang Yan spoke loudly, then led the Shrek disciples into the depths of the cave.
Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen looked back... Elder Xuan, who was outside the cave eating chicken and drinking wine, moved his eyes slightly, revealing a hint of complexity. Considering Elder Xuan's superb cultivation, they decided not to say anything.
Beibei stroked his chin thoughtfully. Last time, Xuan Zi hadn't been able to support them because he was busy catching chickens. This time, he said, "Teacher Wang Yan, Master Xuan is at the cave entrance to cover our safety."
"But the evil soul master has a cultivation of a five-ring Soul King, and his methods are strange and unpredictable. The seniors of the regular team are not afraid of him, but what if the reserve team members are attacked by his bizarre soul skills? Will Master Xuan be able to protect us in time?"
Beibei believed in the strength of the inner courtyard disciples, but the cultivation of the reserve team members was only at the third and fourth rings. There was still a significant risk.
He recalled their previous experience when he and Tang Ya followed Xuan Zi's team to hunt for soul rings. They encountered a bizarre mantis-like soul beast—the three-soul Ghost Mantis. Its attacks were unpredictable, causing many injuries and one death among the disciples.
After returning to the academy for a meeting at the Sea God Pavilion and facing Xuan Zi's resignation, the elders advised that after completing certain procedures, Mu En could only choose to retreat. The goal was to minimize the mess he left behind.
They also held hope that next time, Xuan Zi could lead the team with the goal of reducing the death rate from one to zero—zero deaths.
This time, Beibei felt a strange sense of familiarity, but he noticed that Elder Xuan was not far from the team.
Tang Ya's face was serious: "Teacher Wang Yan, if Master Xuan doesn't go in with us, he won't run off to catch something."
Wang Yan's mouth twitched, and he comforted them: "Beibei, Xiaoya, you know that Master Xuan's cultivation level is 98 level Super Douluo."
"He's so fast that he can cross the entire cave in just a blink. He'll protect everyone's safety in time. We must trust Master Xuan."
Beibei and Tang Ya also wanted to trust Elder Xuan, but their previous experience hunting for soul rings made them somewhat cautious about his strength.
However, their last hunt involved a nearly 100,000-year-old soul beast—most disciples were no match for it. The bandit group they faced this time was only a five-ring Soul King at most. Any inner courtyard disciple could handle it easily, so there should be no major issues.
Thinking this, Beibei and Tang Ya gradually relaxed.
Dai Yuheng showed a relaxed smile: "Junior, I've encountered many evil soul masters at the Soul King level."
"I've even fought evil soul masters at the Soul Emperor level during missions. Although their methods are strange and unpredictable, they all end up dead at our hands."
"We, the Shrek Seven Devils, are all top soul masters at the same level. We can fight across levels. Dealing with a five-ring Soul King is a piece of cake."
Dai Yuheng's words received high approval from Chen Zifeng, Yao Haoxuan, and others.
Ling Luochen saw that Tang Ya and Beibei didn't look very relieved, and a hint of coldness appeared on her face: "The methods of evil soul masters are indeed strange and varied. Everyone should stay alert and avoid being ambushed."
She and Ma Xiaotao both knew Zhang Lexuan.
The first time Elder Xuan led Zhang Lexuan and her group of twelve to hunt for soul rings, they were separated by accident, which led to tragedy—only four survived.
Beibei and Tang Ya knew about that second soul ring hunt, so they were especially cautious.
The students in the reserve team nodded repeatedly after hearing Ling Luochen's words. Their cultivation was lower than that of a five-ring Soul King, and it was their first time facing such insidious, cunning evil soul masters. It was only natural for them to feel a bit scared.
Wang Yan naturally didn't say more. It was a good thing for the disciples to be cautious.
Everyone maintained a strict formation. Several strong attack-type disciples from the inner courtyard felt confident, believing that the bandit group didn't even have a Soul Emperor among them. They volunteered to lead the charge toward the bandit's nest deep inside the cave.
Even if the leader of the bandits was a gifted evil soul master, could he be more talented than the Shrek Seven Devils?
The Shrek Seven Devils had always been invincible at the same level. With a Soul Emperor in the team, facing a five-ring evil soul master of a lower level was an easy victory. No matter how strange the means, they were nothing in front of absolute strength, and their suppression of combat power was absolute.
"Rustle." A faint sound.
On the dark rock wall at the cave's edge, pairs of eyes flashed with evil light, and wisps of black air floated in the air, gradually condensing into various strange shapes.
These bandit groups had already released their martial souls and launched a fierce attack.
Suddenly, Wang Yan felt a warning and shouted: "Everyone, go ahead! These evil soul masters are deeply sinful and unforgivable. None of them can be spared—prevent future troubles!"
"No problem, leave it to us."
Ma Xiaotao's crimson eyeshadow glowed brighter, and a fanatical flame seemed to ignite in her eyes. A pair of blazing red phoenix wings appeared on her back, and she rushed forward.
"Zifeng, Haoxuan, go!" Dai Yaoheng and the other two strong attack-type Soul Kings also grew excited. The white tiger scattered sharp white light and charged at the evil soul masters who revealed themselves.
Most of these bandits had only three rings of cultivation.
The blazing dark red phoenix and the sharp white tiger claws swept through the group of evil soul masters, indiscriminately killing. All the minions were slain wherever they passed.
Chen Zifeng's eyes were sharp. He controlled the Soul Chaser Sword and swiftly cut down several evil soul masters. He said confidently: "Disappointing. I thought these evil soul masters would be more formidable. That's it? Too weak."
Yao Haoxuan's body grew enormous. He swung his fists violently, smashing several evil soul masters, and chuckled: "That's right. I haven't even warmed up yet, and I've already taken out two with one punch. This isn't satisfying. Let's use some tougher opponents."
---
At the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy, the 1v1 competition between Meng Hongchen and Di Rachel had just ended. Di Rachel summoned the silver dragon king to fight Meng Hongchen, who was wearing her one-word battle armor.
The Silver Dragon King simply defended casually, resulting in a draw.
Seeing his sister's strength, Xiao Hongchen fell to his knees, crying for his grandfather to make him a set of battle armor. But he soon learned it was made by Yuhao and his sister.
Xiao Hongchen suddenly realized: "So it was Yuhao who made it..."
Before he could finish, his tone suddenly turned incredulous: "What?! Made by Yuhao?!"
He looked at Huo Yuhao and Meng Hongchen, his face changing drastically. How could Yuhao, just a Soul Elder, craft armor capable of boosting the strength of the user to the seventh ring? That was too unbelievable and unscientific.
Meng Hongchen's hand, wrapped in silver-white gauntlets, fiddled with her hair, smiling: "What? Brother, don't you believe it? The fight I just had with sister Rachel wasn't fake."
Xiao Hongchen glanced at his sister, who was nearly 1.9 meters tall, and dressed in silver-blue armor that radiated a powerful aura.
He shuddered, feeling uncomfortable: "Meng, did Yuhao and you make this together?"
"Yes."
"Can it give you the strength of a seven-ring Soul Saint?"
"Hmm..." Meng Hongchen nodded and smiled. She activated her soul power, causing the surface of her full-body battle armor to shimmer with gorgeous silver-white and ice-blue patterns.
Xiao Hongchen saw this scene, covered his chest, and looked as if he were about to faint. Jealousy made him almost unrecognizable.
He looked again at Meng Hongchen's armor, took a deep breath, and slowly asked: "Sister, do you think you match this armor?"
"This armor is a rare treasure. Sister, isn't it a waste of natural resources for you to wear it?"
The more Xiao Hongchen looked at her battle armor, the more upset he became. He found it hard to accept.
"Xiao, shut up!" Meng Hongchen's hand, wrapped in her battle armor, wielded a knife and chopped directly at Xiao Hongchen's head.
Xiao Hongchen's head buzzed, and his eyes cleared: "Sister, you can't just take it if Yuhao gives it to you."
"It's not right. Yuhao himself doesn't wear battle armor, and you wear one so comfortably. Don't you feel embarrassed?"
"Yeah, that's true." Di Rachel, angry with Meng Hongchen, nodded repeatedly beside her. "What Xiao said makes sense."
Meng Hongchen glanced at Di Rachel, knowing she was just envious. A smile appeared on her face, but her battle armor radiated a chilling aura that made Xiao Hongchen feel uneasy. Her tone was cold.
"Brother, do you want to participate in the competition in a wheelchair?"
Her eyes narrowed slightly. Her slender legs, covered with silver-white battle armor, glowed as the metal arcs from her thighs shone down to her combat boots.
The looming glow of her ten-thousand-year soul ring made her look like she was about to kick someone to death with her Ice Venom Dragon's Corkscrew.
Xiao Hongchen was instantly frightened and quickly changed his mind: "Sister, don't get me wrong. I didn't mean that. Yuhao, do you think what I said just now makes sense?"
Huo Yuhao pursed his lips: "There's nothing to be embarrassed about. Sister Meng and I were just joking."
"That's right." Meng Hongchen smiled. "Yuhao is my boyfriend. We've slept in the same bed. What's wrong with me wearing the battle armor he made?"
Xiao Hongchen finally accepted this reality and sighed.
Though he couldn't give Yuhao what Meng Hongchen could, he shamelessly asked: "Yuhao, since I'm your future brother-in-law, can you make me a set of battle armor?"
Just as Huo Yuhao was about to answer, a deep, commanding voice sounded from nearby:
"Master Hongchen, I heard you're not studying that technology now and are going to accompany the team to protect the students in this competition. In that case, let's set off now."
The speaker was Ma Rulong's grandfather, Elder Ma.
Elder Ma sensed Meng Hongchen's aura and suddenly exclaimed loudly: "Fuck! Seven-Ring Soul Saint!!"
---
In the Death Hand Bandit Group's cave in the Mingdu Mountains...
Gong Yangmo released his Rainbow Dragon Martial Soul. He frowned slightly, saying: "Chen Zifeng, Yao Haoxuan, you two are too far from the team. Don't act alone. Come back."
He used his soul skills, and a dazzling multicolored light emanated from his body. All the disciples of the regular and reserve teams had strange halos appearing in the sky, which instantly descended and lingered around everyone.
"Xiao Ya, just focus on controlling the middle of the team. Don't run around." Bei Bei reminded her.
The formation of the reserve team centered on Tang Ya. This time, her third ring absorbed a thousand-year-old soul-binding vine, and she followed the 'life' route.
Her control style was similar to her ancestor Tang San. She released green vines, which wrapped around each team member's waist, and attacked, entangled, and controlled the evil soul master.
"Sanshi, you protect Xiaoya, Dai Huabin, and the others. We'll deal with the fish that escaped our sight earlier."
Meng Miao, who had the snake-staff martial soul, was Xu Sanshi's girlfriend. Because Xuan Zi was dissatisfied with Jiang Nannan's six-month leave, he canceled her reserve team status.
With Xu Sanshi's help, Meng Miao defeated the team formed by Xie Huanyue and became a reserve team member.
The seven inner courtyard students were fully engaged, and the reserve team was not needed at the moment.
Without Huo Yuhao's spiritual detection, they wouldn't discovered the evil soul master in advance.
But these minions posed little threat right now.
Gong Yangmo, a fifty-nine-level auxiliary Soul King, took command and felt an inexplicable unease.
"Xiao Tao, Dai Yaoheng, eliminate these minions quickly. Why hasn't the five-ring Soul King mentioned in the intelligence shown up yet?" Gong Yangmo felt a strange sense of foreboding.
"Phoenix Meteor Shower!"
"White Tiger Meteor Shower!"
Ma Xiaotao's blazing red feathers and Dai Yaoheng's dozens of sharp white lights launched a devastating attack, destroying the bandits with cultivation around the third ring.
Outside the cave, Elder Xuan shook his wine gourd, already drunk, muttering: "This extermination task I've chosen is quite suitable—moderate difficulty, perfect for both the regular and reserve teams."
Xuan Zi's mouth curled into a slight smile, murmuring lazily: "It's right to let these kids come here and do the job..."
"Participating in the soul master competition after experiencing the blood baptism from exterminating evil soul masters will greatly boost their fighting spirit. It'll make our team more confident in combat."
Xuan Zi was in a good mood, taking another sip of wine. When drunk, he almost revealed what was truly on his mind.
Shrek Academy always fought openly and honorably, rarely resorting to vicious tactics like killing opponents on the field.
"According to White Tiger Duke's intelligence, the leader of this bandit group is just a five-ring Soul King—no big waves."
"The entire bandit group is nothing more than a locust swarm in front of Taotie Douluo. They're not worth mentioning."
In Xuan Zi's view, students like Chen Zifeng and Yao Haoxuan, who were strong attacking Soul Kings, could easily handle such opponents.
(End of this chapter)