Tang Ya's Fall!

Dawn finally pierced through the branches and leaves of the Star Dou Great Forest, weaving a mottled net of light across the ground.

The mist in the woods gradually dispersed, revealing damp blades of grass and dew-covered petals. The air was filled with the fresh scent of earth and vegetation, yet it did nothing to ease the tension hanging over the scene.

The World-Annihilating Black Lotus above Lu Jing's head slowly unfurled. The platinum-white soul ring beneath his feet spun, its pressure making Bei Bei and Tang Ya unconsciously retreat half a step. The dark-purple streak of light that had been sent flying back into the forest did not reappear, but everyone knew the person lurking in the shadows would not let this go.

"Who's there?" Bei Bei suddenly looked up, his gaze sweeping toward the treetops on the left like lightning.

A black-clad figure had silently appeared there at some point. He wore a faded black robe, his features ordinary, but his jaw was tightly set. His eyes were like ice-tempered blades as they fixed on the platinum-white soul ring beneath Lu Jing's feet, a flicker of shock and uncertainty passing through his pupils.

Wang Dong'er frowned slightly, the pale-blue wings of light behind her gently fluttering. "This person... is he from Shrek Academy?"

She could sense no hostility from him, but he carried the oppressive aura of an expert. He did not seem like a soul beast from the Star Dou Great Forest that had taken human form.

Bei Bei shook his head, vigilance filling his amber eyes. "I'm not sure. I know most of the Academy's teachers, but I've never seen him before."

Even so, he felt faintly relieved. Since the man had dared to reveal himself openly and had not attacked at once, perhaps he truly was someone the Academy had sent to protect them in secret. When they had left on this mission, Dean Yan Shaozhe had vaguely mentioned that someone would be watching over them.

Lu Jing was far less optimistic. He looked at the man in black atop the tree, then at the way Bei Bei had instantly relaxed, and understanding suddenly dawned on him. A mocking smile curled across his lips. "So, you're Bei Bei's backup?"

The man in black did not waste words. He merely nodded coldly, tacitly admitting it. His gaze lingered on the World-Annihilating Black Lotus above Lu Jing's head before sweeping over the platinum-white soul ring. His frown deepened—this Martial Soul was sinister, and the soul ring even stranger. He could not be allowed to live.

"As expected."

Lu Jing snorted and rolled his wrist, teasing, "Of course. How could the great-grandson of Dragon God Douluo Mu En possibly enter the Star Dou Great Forest alone? If there weren't a few experts keeping watch behind him, who would believe it?"

"What did you say?!"

Bei Bei and the man in black cried out at the same time, their faces instantly turning extremely grim.

Bei Bei's pupils shrank sharply as he stared at Lu Jing as though he had seen a ghost. "You... how do you know?"

Dragon God Douluo Mu En was the pillar of Shrek Academy, his status unimaginably exalted. Bei Bei's relationship with Mu En was one of the Academy's highest secrets. Aside from a few deans and direct elders, no outsider could possibly know it. How could this country boy with only a century-old soul ring know so much?

The man in black instantly unleashed a terrifying pressure. The air around him seemed to freeze as he stared at Lu Jing, undisguised killing intent in his voice. "Where did you hear that?!"

This was no longer a simple sneak attack or conflict. An unknown child knew Mu En's name and even understood Bei Bei's background. Something was deeply wrong here!

"None of your damn business." Lu Jing curled his lip, completely fearless. They had already torn off all pretense. What was there left for him to worry about? Was he supposed to watch their expressions even when death was at his doorstep?

He urgently asked in his mind, "Tian Meng, can we run?"

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice carried an unprecedented gravity. "Hard! This guy's aura is incredibly strong, more than ten times stronger than that Blue Lightning brat from before!"

It paused, its tone turning ruthless. "But we can try! Better to be seriously wounded than die here! I just became someone else's soul ring—I haven't had enough fun yet!"

Before its words had faded, the platinum-white soul ring beneath Lu Jing's feet suddenly spun faster. The World-Annihilating Black Lotus swelled violently, its ink-black petals surging toward the black-clad man in the treetop amid dense black mist!

"You're courting death!" The man in black snorted coldly. He did not move, but dazzling soul rings lit up beneath his feet—two yellow, two purple, and three black. Seven soul rings in total!

A Soul Sage!

Bei Bei and Wang Dong'er both sucked in a sharp breath. The Academy had actually sent a Soul Sage to protect them in secret?

The man in black raised a hand, and his third soul ring lit up. A pitch-black Wind Blade appeared out of thin air, slicing toward the petals of the World-Annihilating Black Lotus with a piercing shriek that seemed to tear through space.

Bang!

The Wind Blade collided with the black mist, erupting in a deafening crash. The mist was cut open, only to swiftly close again, while the Wind Blade itself was corroded until it had dimmed considerably.

"Interesting." A trace of surprise flashed through the black-clad man's eyes. He had not expected this sinister Martial Soul to withstand one of his attacks.

Lu Jing's heart, however, sank. Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had been right. This man was far too strong! That attack had nearly required half the World-Annihilating Black Lotus's power just to barely block.

"Hold steady!" Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice exploded in his mind. "I've realized your Martial Soul is anything but ordinary. What the hell are you afraid of? Just fight!"

Indeed, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm excelled most at Spiritual Power suppression and energy control. Even if the opponent was a Soul Sage, so long as he had not reached the level of a Titled Douluo, it still had room to maneuver. The black mist writhed like living snakes, constantly coiling around and corroding the soul skills released by the man in black. For a time, it actually fought him to a standstill.

Seeing this, Bei Bei wanted to step in, but the man in black stopped him with a shout. "Don't interfere!"

He could tell that the child's Martial Soul restrained elemental attacks. If Bei Bei's Lightning Power entered the fray, it might be restrained instead.

While controlling the World-Annihilating Black Lotus, Lu Jing shouted urgently in his mind, "This won't work! We can't outlast him!"

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was calculating just as quickly. "A direct clash definitely won't work! We need to find a chance to break out!"

Its gaze swept over the battlefield before finally landing on Tang Ya in the distance—there was their opening!

"Her!" Sky Dream Ice Silkworm growled, forcibly turning the World-Annihilating Black Lotus. The black mist surged toward Tang Ya like a tidal wave!

It did not attack Wang Dong'er. Wang Dong'er had warned Lu Jing to evade the earlier sneak attack, and it remembered that favor. Besides, Wang Dong'er's Light Goddess Butterfly Martial Soul carried divinity and restrained sinister energy. She would not be easy to deal with.

"Xiao Ya!" Bei Bei's expression changed drastically. Without a second thought, he rushed over, blue lightning gathering before him into a shield as he tried to block the black mist.

The man in black had not expected Lu Jing to suddenly turn and attack someone weaker. Frowning, his seventh soul ring lit up—Martial Soul Avatar!

A massive phantom of a black wind dragon emerged behind him, carrying an aura capable of destroying heaven and earth as it slammed into the black mist!

Though most of the attack was blocked, Tang Ya was still sent flying. Blood spilled from her mouth as she crashed heavily onto the ground.

As a million-year soul beast, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was not skilled at combat, but when it came to the use and reserves of Spiritual Power, neither Bei Bei nor a Soul Sage could compare. It could naturally divide its attention, allowing it to strike Tang Ya before Wang Dong'er had even had time to react.