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 forest gradually dispersed, revealing damp blades of grass and petals beaded with dew. The fresh scent of earth and grass and trees filled the air, yet it did nothing to ease the tension in the clearing.

The World-Destroying Black Lotus above Lu Jing's head slowly unfurled. The platinum Soul Ring beneath his feet rotated, and the pressure it radiated made Beibei and Tang Ya instinctively step back half a pace. The dark purple light that had been blasted back into the dense forest did not reappear, but everyone knew the person in the shadows would not let this go.

"Who's there?" Beibei abruptly raised his head, his gaze sweeping toward the treetops on the left like lightning.

A black figure stood there silently, though no one knew when he had appeared. He wore a faded black robe, and though his features were ordinary, his jaw was set tight. His eyes were like blades tempered in ice as they stared fixedly at the platinum Soul Ring beneath Lu Jing's feet, a flicker of surprise and doubt 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 malice from him, but he carried the sense of oppression belonging to a strong person. He did not seem like a Soul Beast that had taken human form in the Star Dou Great Forest.

Beibei shook his head, his amber eyes filled with caution. "I'm not sure. I know most of the Academy's teachers, but I've never seen anyone like him."

Even so, he secretly felt a little relieved. Since the other man 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. After all, when they had set out on this mission, Dean Yan Shaozhe had vaguely mentioned that someone would be looking after them.

Lu Jing was not so optimistic. He looked at the man in black on the treetop, then at the instantly relaxed expression on Beibei's face. Understanding suddenly dawned on him, and a mocking smile curled at the corner of his mouth. "So, you're Beibei's backup?"

The man in black did not waste words. He merely nodded coldly, tacitly admitting it. His gaze lingered briefly on the World-Destroying Black Lotus above Lu Jing's head before sweeping over the platinum Soul Ring, and he frowned tighter. This Martial Soul was sinister, and the Soul Ring was even stranger. He could not be allowed to live.

"Just as I thought."

Lu Jing sneered, rolling his wrist as he teased, "Of course. How could the great-grandson of Mu En, the Dragon God Douluo, truly enter the Star Dou Great Forest alone? Without a few experts watching over him from behind the scenes, who would believe it?"

"What did you say?!"

Beibei and the man in black cried out at the same time, their expressions instantly turning extremely ugly.

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

Mu En, the Dragon God Douluo, was the Stabilizing Needle of Shrek Academy, a figure of the highest status. His relationship with Mu En was also the Academy's top secret. Aside from a few deans and direct elders, no outsider could possibly know. How could this country boy, whose Soul Ring was only a hundred years old, know so clearly?

The man in black released a terrifying pressure at once, and the air around him seemed to freeze. He glared at Lu Jing, undisguised killing intent in his voice. "Where did you hear such things?!"

This was no longer a simple ambush or conflict. An unknown child knew Mu En's name and even understood Beibei's background. Something was definitely wrong behind this!

"None of your damn business." Lu Jing curled his lip, utterly fearless. They had already torn face. What did he have left to worry about? When death was at hand, was he supposed to watch the other man's expression?

Tian Meng, can we run? he urgently called out in his mind.

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice carried an unprecedented gravity. Hard! This guy's aura is powerful. He's more than ten times stronger than that Blue Lightning brat from earlier!

After a pause, his tone turned ruthless. But we can try! Better to be seriously injured than die here! I just became someone else's Soul Ring—I haven't enjoyed it enough yet!

Before his words had even faded, the platinum Soul Ring beneath Lu Jing's feet abruptly began rotating faster. The World-Destroying Black Lotus swelled violently, its ink-black petals carrying dense black mist as they swept toward the man in black on the treetop!

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

Soul Sage!

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

The man in black waved a hand, and his third Soul Ring lit up. A pitch-black wind blade appeared from thin air, carrying a sharp howl that seemed to rip through space as it precisely slashed toward the petals of the World-Destroying Black Lotus.

Bang!

The wind blade collided with the black mist, erupting with a piercing roar. A gap was cut into the black mist, but it swiftly closed again, while the wind blade itself was corroded until it became noticeably dimmer.

"Interesting." A flicker of surprise passed through the man in black's eyes. He had not expected this sinister Martial Soul to withstand one of his attacks.

But Lu Jing's heart sank. Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had been right. This guy was far too strong! In that last exchange, it had nearly mobilized half the power of the World-Destroying Black Lotus just to barely block him.

"Hold steady!" Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice exploded in his mind. I've discovered that your Martial Soul is anything but ordinary. Why the hell should we fear him? Just fight!

Indeed, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was most skilled at spiritual pressure and energy control. Even if his opponent was a Soul Sage, as long as he had not reached the level of a Title Douluo, he still had room to maneuver. The black mist moved like living serpents, continuously winding around and corroding the Soul Skills released by the man in black. For a time, they were actually evenly matched.

Seeing this, Beibei wanted to step forward and help, 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 Beibei's Lightning Power joined the fight, it might be restrained instead.

While controlling the World-Destroying Black Lotus, Lu Jing shouted anxiously in his mind, This can't go on! We can't outlast him!

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was also calculating rapidly. A direct clash definitely won't work! We need to find a chance to break through!

His gaze swept across the clearing before finally landing on Tang Ya not far away—there was their opening!

"Her!" Sky Dream Ice Silkworm shouted, controlling the World-Destroying Black Lotus as it abruptly turned. The black mist surged toward Tang Ya like a tide!

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

"Xiao Ya!" Beibei's expression changed drastically. Without a second thought, he rushed forward, blue lightning gathering into a shield before him 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 abruptly—Martial Soul Avatar!

The phantom of a gigantic black wind dragon emerged behind him, carrying an aura that could destroy heaven and earth as it crashed toward the black mist!

Though most of it was blocked, Tang Ya was still sent flying. She coughed up blood and crashed heavily onto the ground.

As a Million-Year Level Soul Beast, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was not good at combat, but in terms of spiritual power usage and reserves, neither Beibei nor a Soul Sage could compare to him. Naturally, he could divide his attention, allowing him to strike Tang Ya before Wang Dong'er could react.