Surrounded by Light Soul Beasts

As assassin-type Soul Masters, they couldn't exactly release their Soul Rings before carrying out an assassination, could they?

How would that be any different from telling the enemy, I'm here to kill you?

That was why families with legacies all possessed certain secret techniques.

Like their Netherworld Family.

Specializing in assassination and concealment, they had their own unique secret technique.

It allowed them to use their martial souls without releasing their Soul Rings, those giant glowing halos.

And they could still freely use their Soul Skills.

Soul Masters liked displaying their Soul Rings during the Soul Master Tournament mainly because the overwhelming advantage of their rings could pressure their opponents, while also serving as a bit of a show.

Aside from releasing her Soul Rings during the first surge of Soul Power that formed the pillar of darkness, Zhu Zhuqing had kept them hidden afterward.

That way, no one would notice anything unusual about her Soul Rings.

However, unleashing her Soul Power at full strength would not only drive away weaker Soul Beasts and attract dark Soul Beasts, but also draw in some excessively curious Soul Masters.

Ordinary Soul Masters would probably understand at a glance from far away that this was not somewhere they could approach.

But to some powerful figures who believed themselves strong enough...

Zhu Zhuqing's strange actions were rather difficult to comprehend.

Confident in their own strength, they would recklessly come over to watch the spectacle.

Of course, it wasn't that they intended to do anything bad. They were simply curious!

Zhu Zhuqing had now encountered such a group.

"Grandfather, what do you think she's doing?"

Meng Yiran tugged at Meng Shu's sleeve and asked curiously.

Wasn't unleashing Soul Power in a Soul Beast forest courting death?

"I don't know. I'm curious too!"

Meng Shu shook his head. A purple Soul Ring coiled around the bottom of the Dragon Head Cane in his hand, and hazy light formed a barrier that protected the three of them.

The closer they were to the dark shockwaves Zhu Zhuqing released, the greater the damage. At this distance, even Meng Shu had no choice but to use a Soul Skill.

Otherwise, he wasn't confident he could protect his granddaughter.

It was a major taboo to rashly observe other Soul Masters in the Star Dou Great Forest.

But Meng Yiran wanted to see, and they were confident enough in their own strength, so they had come over.

"She's amazing. Grandfather, can you tell what level she is?"

Meng Yiran stared at Zhu Zhuqing floating within the dark pillar, her eyes full of stars.

"I can't tell. She seems to be Level 50, but then she seems to be Level 60. No, now she even seems to be Level 70!"

Meng Shu sensed her aura, and his eyes nearly bulged out.

At first, a rough assessment suggested she was Level 50. But upon closer inspection, he felt that these Soul Power fluctuations were not something a Level 50 Soul Master should possess. Yet if she were Level 60, then even he felt that her Soul Power Purity was beyond his own.

This...

What exactly was this little girl?

"You still aren't leaving?"

Zhu Zhuqing turned to look at the three of them and asked with a slight frown.

Enhanced by Soul Power, her voice rippled outward.

Boom!

Crack!

Another dark shockwave struck, and a crack appeared directly in the Dragon Head barrier before Meng Shu and the others.

Hiss!

Thud!

Meng Shu sucked in a breath and hurriedly slammed his Dragon Head Cane down, increasing his Soul Power output.

"My apologies, Your Excellency. We merely came to have a look out of curiosity. We'll leave at once!"

Meng Shu hurriedly cupped his hands toward Zhu Zhuqing and spoke.

Anyone who could nearly break through his defense with just a sentence was definitely no weaker than him.

They had been in the wrong to begin with, so he retreated decisively and directly admitted fault.

After cupping his hands toward Zhu Zhuqing, he prepared to leave with his wife and Meng Yiran.

"It's a little late to leave now."

Zhu Zhuqing spoke calmly as she looked into the distance.

"What?"

Meng Shu's body trembled, and he abruptly turned toward the direction behind him.

They had come out from deeper within the forest after noticing what was happening here. In other words, behind them lay the direction leading into the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest.

And now, he could sense the fluctuations coming from behind them.

Clang!

From the sky came a cry resembling a phoenix's call, filled with the power of light.

From the ground came the sound of countless galloping footsteps, making the earth tremble slightly beneath them.

Extreme darkness did not merely attract dark Soul Beasts; it also drew the Soul Beasts of the light faction, the natural enemies of dark Soul Beasts.

Zhu Zhuqing's dark shockwaves had raged for so long, yet dark Soul Beasts had not arrived first. Instead, Soul Beasts with Bright Divine attributes had rushed over ahead of them.

Zhu Zhuqing's darkness was too extreme. Whether she was human or Soul Beast, these Light Attribute Soul Beasts had rushed over the instant they sensed it.

Clang!

The Light Phoenix Sparrow in the sky spotted Zhu Zhuqing on the ground, as well as Meng Shu not far in front of her.

Its gleaming eyes instantly filled with hostility. With a cry, it immediately fired two golden pillars of light from its beak toward them.

As had been said before, Soul Masters were the most endangered beings in a Soul Beast forest. They had to be wary not only of other Soul Masters; whenever Soul Beasts saw a Soul Master, whether they were natural enemies or not, they would temporarily cease fighting and deal with the human first.

Especially existences like them that had reached ten thousand years of cultivation—their hostility toward humans was practically ingrained in their bones.

"A Fifty Thousand Years sky overlord, the Light Phoenix Sparrow!"

Meng Shu's face darkened as he looked at the enormous phoenix-like bird. Especially with the clouds of dust rolling behind the Light Phoenix Sparrow, it was obvious that a large force was still rushing over.

"Sixth Soul Skill, Dragon Fights in the Wild!"

Facing the attack flying toward him, Meng Shu did not dare slack off in the slightest and immediately used his Sixth Soul Skill.

Boom!

Meng Shu flung out a dragon phantom, which directly collided with the attack heading toward him.

Meng Shu regretted this so badly his intestines were turning green. Why had he come to watch a spectacle when he had nothing better to do?

There was never any spectacle worth watching in the Star Dou Great Forest!

"Go!"

After blocking the attack aimed at the three of them, Meng Shu fled without looking back, taking Chao Tianxiang and Meng Yiran with him.

He swore that if he ever watched another spectacle in this lifetime, he would be a dog!

Meanwhile, Zhu Zhuqing summoned Blade Edge the instant the attack arrived.

Rather than dodge the incoming attack, she swung her blade straight at it.

"Second Soul Skill, Nether Shadow Slash!"

A pitch-black Blade Light flared upon Blade Edge. The incomparably domineering Blade Light shot from the blade, cleaving upward against the golden light in the sky.

The golden light was split in two down the middle, while the Blade Light continued flying toward the Light Phoenix Sparrow.

"She's incredible!"

As Meng Shu dragged her away, Meng Yiran turned back to see the scene, and her eyes shone brightly.

Clang!

The Light Phoenix Sparrow sensed danger and hurriedly darted aside.

Whoosh!

The black blade aura skimmed past its body and flew into the distance.

The Dark Energy and sharpness contained within it made its feathers stand on end.

Clang!

The Bright Phoenix cried toward the Light Soul Beasts that had already arrived below, then flapped its wings and flew after Meng Shu's group.

All humans were enemies. Zhu Zhuqing was so dangerous that it should leave her to the others. It would pursue the fleeing human Soul Masters instead, because... it flew faster!

Rumble!

The Bright Phoenix flew away, but the Light Soul Beasts that arrived afterward surrounded Zhu Zhuqing.

Light Unicorns, Light Sacred Beetles—the Light Attribute Soul Beasts packed tightly around Zhu Zhuqing, layer upon layer, enclosing her completely.