Tactics and the Remaining Team Members

Deep in the Jingyang Mountain Range.

The night was as dark as ink. Only a solitary moon hung high overhead, its cold light spilling across the rolling ridgelines and glinting off the metal-rich veins in a uniquely harsh sheen.

Vegetation was sparse, and jagged rocks littered the terrain. The air carried a faint scent of rust and an aura of danger.

"Right up ahead."

Gu Yuejin stopped, golden light flickering in his eyes.

With Spiritual Power vast enough to rival that of a Titled Douluo, he could sense every movement of wind and grass within a ten-mile radius.

Huo Yuhao held his breath and followed his master's gaze.

Hundreds of ghostly green eyes glimmered in the darkness in a mountain hollow ahead, eerie as will-o'-the-wisps.

They belonged to a pack of enormous wolves with silvery-white coats and fur standing stiff as steel needles.

Silver Moon Wolves.

At the center of the pack, a giant beast stood proudly atop a massive outcropping of rock. It was more than five meters long.

Its fur was no ordinary silver-white. It shimmered like flowing quicksilver beneath the moonlight. Most extraordinary of all, a tuft of golden fur grew at the center of its forehead, forming a crescent moon. It radiated a mental presence so dazzling it could make one's head swim.

"A Ten Thousand Year Silver Moon Wolf King."

Gu Yuejin's voice was calm, but held the satisfaction of a hunter spotting his prey.

"It has a spiritual attribute. Its cultivation centers on illusions and mental attacks, and it's no slouch in close combat either."

"Yuhao, it'll make more than enough for your Third Soul Ring."

"Awoooo—!!!"

As if it had sensed the intruders, the Wolf King threw back its head and howled.

In an instant, hundreds of Silver Moon Wolves surged forward together, rolling toward master and apprentice like a silver tide, their killing intent soaring.

Faced with a pack that would have sent even an ordinary Soul Emperor running, Huo Yuhao instinctively prepared to activate Spiritual Detection Share and fight back.

But a hand came down on his shoulder.

"These trash mobs aren't worth your trouble."

Gu Yuejin stepped forward, the corner of his mouth curling into a cold smile.

"Watch closely. Clearing the battlefield is an art, too."

Boom—!

Before the words had even faded, Gu Yuejin vanished from where he stood.

Like a black wraith, he plunged into the silver tide in an instant.

He didn't use his Martial Soul Avatar. He didn't even release a single soul skill.

He relied only on the extreme attributes granted by the Water Fire Dragon King Soul Bone and the terrifying body Immortal Herbs had reforged.

His left hand blazed crimson, setting the land ablaze. His right turned ice-blue, freezing everything in its path.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

He strolled through the wolves at his leisure. With each strike, a Silver Moon Wolf flew away howling, either charred to a crisp or frozen into an ice statue.

The once-ferocious pack was as fragile as paper before him.

He moved through them as if no one could stop him!

He cut through them as casually as mowing grass!

Within mere dozens of breaths, he had wiped out most of the densely packed pack. The survivors tucked their tails between their legs and whimpered as they backed away, their eyes full of terror.

The Ten Thousand Year Silver Moon Wolf King atop the rock finally couldn't sit still.

It roared, and the crescent marking on its forehead blazed with light. A visible Spiritual Shockwave shot straight toward Gu Yuejin's brow.

"Trying to show off in front of an expert."

Gu Yuejin snorted, and golden light flashed in his eyes.

An even more domineering mental pressure instantly rebounded against the Wolf King.

"Awo—!"

The Wolf King shrieked as its massive body tumbled from the rock. Blood poured from its eyes, ears, nose, and mouth; its Sea of Consciousness had taken a grievous blow.

Before it could get back up, a foot came down hard on its head.

"Yuhao, come over."

Gu Yuejin called to his apprentice from where he stood, one foot planted on the barely conscious Wolf King.

"You can have the final blow."

Huo Yuhao took a deep breath, trying to steady himself after the shock.

No matter how many times he witnessed his master's strength, it still felt as lofty as a mountain.

He drew the White Tiger Dagger from his waist, hurried over, gathered his Soul Power, and aimed at the Wolf King's vital spot.

Just then—

"Ah—!! Help!!"

A piercing cry for help suddenly rang out from the other side of the mountain range.

It was filled with despair and terror, and sounded especially jarring in the stillness of the night.

It was followed by a series of nauseating bursts of Soul Power and a sinister, grating laugh.

"Heh heh heh... Run, little girl! Let's see how far you get!"

Huo Yuhao's dagger abruptly stopped. He turned to Gu Yuejin instinctively.

Gu Yuejin furrowed his brows. The foot on the Wolf King's head pressed down slightly, knocking it unconscious and keeping it from moving.

"Someone else is out here in the middle of nowhere?"

He closed his eyes, and his vast Spiritual Power spread outward like a tide.

A few breaths later—

Gu Yuejin's eyes snapped open. A trace of surprise and gravity flashed in his Golden Eyes.

"Well, this is interesting..."

Through his Spiritual Perception, he sensed someone in a valley several miles away.

A girl of about fifteen or sixteen was fleeing for her life.

She wore a bloodstained white outfit. Her face was as pale as paper, yet her stunning, refined features remained unmistakable.

Her Martial Soul was the most striking thing about her.

It was a long, slender Light Sword, and behind it shimmered the phantom of a divine angel, radiating a pure, radiant aura.

Each time she swung the sword, it sent a wave of golden sacred flames toward her pursuers, giving them no small amount of trouble.

"Is that... the Holy Angel Martial Soul?"

As a Transmigrator who had read the Original Work thoroughly, Gu Yuejin recognized the iconic Martial Soul at a glance.

"Ye Guyi?"

His thoughts stirred.

The Holy Angel Soul Master from the Original Work—a supreme genius with a Martial Soul that could powerfully counter Evil Soul Masters—had really appeared here and now?

And the three people pursuing her...

They were cloaked in black robes, surrounded by Black Mist that mingled the stench of blood with resentment. Their Soul Power was strange and sinister.

"Evil Soul Masters."

Gu Yuejin looked surprised.

The three worked well together, closing in on her in a triangular formation. They were clearly savoring the thrill of a cat-and-mouse chase and weren't in a hurry to finish her off.

Even so, every attack left another wound on Ye Guyi, deep enough to expose the bone.

The black-robed man leading them gave off the aura of a Soul Emperor. He watched the girl's desperate struggle with a mocking grin.

"The Angel Martial Soul... The natural enemy of Evil Soul Masters, and the perfect nourishment."

A flood of thoughts raced through Gu Yuejin's mind.

The Reserve Team already had control, burst damage, and defense. What it lacked was a "purifier" who could counter Evil Soul Masters.

And when it came to future tournaments and the fate of the continent, the Holy Spirit Cult was a blight they couldn't avoid.

If he could bring Ye Guyi over to their side...

"Yuhao, forget the Wolf King for now. It won't die."

Gu Yuejin made a snap decision and grabbed Huo Yuhao by the shoulder.

"Come. I'll show you what true 'darkness' looks like."

"And find you a new teammate while we're at it."

Boom!

Before the words had even faded, Gu Yuejin pushed off with his foot and shot toward the cries for help like a streak of light.

A few breaths later, the two crossed the ridgeline and arrived at the scene.

Gu Yuejin didn't reveal himself at once. He led Huo Yuhao behind a massive boulder and concealed their presence, suppressing every trace of their auras.

In the valley below, Ye Guyi had already been driven into a corner.

With her back against a sheer cliff, she held a dimming Light Sword. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. Her eyes were filled with despair, yet she still clung stubbornly to her refusal to yield.

"Holy Light naturally counters evil."

"Unfortunately, her Soul Power Level is too low. She's only around a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor."

"And her opponents..."

Gu Yuejin swept his gaze over the three black-robed men and instantly assessed their strength.

"Two Soul Kings and one Soul Emperor."

"A well-coordinated squad of Evil Soul Masters."

For Ye Guyi as she was now, this really was a fight to the death.

"Master, are those... Evil Soul Masters?"

Huo Yuhao looked at the bloody scene below. Feeling the nauseating evil aura, his eyes filled with disgust and murderous intent.

"That's right."

Gu Yuejin nodded, his voice low and composed.

"Yuhao, are you ready?"

"These three are perfect for testing the results of your recent training."

He turned to Huo Yuhao and gave him his orders:

"Activate Spiritual Detection Share. I want you to transmit every movement they make and every trace of Soul Power flowing through them directly into my mind."

"Work with me to save her."

"And... this will also be the first practical trial of your new combat system."

Huo Yuhao took a deep breath. The panic vanished from his eyes, replaced by a composure as cold as ice and snow.

"Yes, Master!"

Buzz—

Purple-gold light shone in his eyes.

Spirit Eyes, fully activated!

An invisible wave of Spiritual Power instantly spread across the entire valley battlefield, relaying every detail of the three Evil Soul Masters and Ye Guyi to Gu Yuejin without missing a thing.

"Good."

Feeling the crystal-clear, all-seeing perspective, Gu Yuejin's lips curled into a bloodthirsty smile.

"The hunt begins."