"Taotie, the Holy Spirit Sect's Supreme Elder?"
At the title, Jing Hongchen's heart felt as if an invisible hand had seized it in a crushing grip! How could anyone know about the Holy Spirit Sect?
The Holy Spirit Sect!
To most people on the Douluo Continent, that name was unfamiliar. But as a high-ranking official of the Sun Moon Empire and the master of Mingde Hall, Jing Hongchen knew all too well what those three words meant!
It was a terrifying organization made up of the most evil and deranged Evil Soul Masters! It was also one of the Sun Moon Empire's most important "partners" in secret! It was even the empire's state-protected religion!
This matter was the empire's highest-level secret! Only a handful of people knew about it! The empire intended to use them to disrupt the balance of the continent, but it had never considered bringing this band of madmen out into the open.
Yet the Xuan Zi before him, who should have been an elder of Shrek Academy, had not only become this sinister and imposing, but had also openly named the "Holy Spirit Sect" and even called himself its "Supreme Elder"?
Could it be... that the Holy Spirit Sect had successfully recruited him?
Countless thoughts raced through Jing Hongchen's mind, leaving him momentarily dazed.
Just then, an extremely faint yet unusually clear mental pulse slipped silently into his mind.
"Senior."
It was Huo Hao's voice! His tone was as calm as ever.
"From what I've observed and inferred, this Xuan Zi may also be like us. He jumped into that Divine River and was split off from the original. He isn't Shrek Academy's Xuan Zi."
So that was it!
He abruptly looked toward the tranquil Small River, a flicker of understanding and apprehension in his eyes.
Could this river really split even an existence like Xuan Zi into three?
If Huo Hao was right, then this Xuan Zi, who called himself "Taotie of the Holy Spirit Sect," might belong to a different "Holy Spirit Sect" than the one Jing Hongchen knew! An uncontrollable Evil Soul Master—this was going to be a huge problem!
Jing Hongchen's expression turned grave. He was just about to say something when Evil Qi Xuan Zi across from him had already run out of patience!
"Ke ke... What are you waiting for? Since you refuse to submit, then become this old man's nourishment!"
With a sinister laugh, Evil Qi Xuan Zi moved!
His gaunt figure seemed to tear through space, appearing before Jing Hongchen in an instant!
He used no flashy Soul Skill, only a withered claw wrapped in Thick Black Qi, thrusting straight for Jing Hongchen's heart!
He saw clearly that Jing Hongchen was the only one present who posed even the slightest threat to him. Capture the leader first!
The claw struck with unimaginable speed! In almost the blink of an eye, it was right in front of Jing Hongchen.
So fast!
Jing Hongchen's pupils contracted, but he was, after all, a level ninety-four Titled Douluo who stood at the pinnacle of the continent. His combat instincts had long been ingrained in his very bones!
"Clang!"
At the critical moment, an invisible, dark-red barrier instantly enveloped him—Red Dust Protection, a level-nine trigger-type Defensive Soul Tool!
"Boom—!"
Evil Qi Xuan Zi's claw slammed into the barrier, unleashing a deafening crash! A violent shock wave burst outward from the two of them, knocking the surrounding guards and soldiers off their feet!
Jing Hongchen felt an overwhelming force surge from the barrier. He was thrown backward, sliding more than ten meters as his feet carved two deep furrows in the ground!
He was horrified!
That strength... was incredible! Far greater than Shrek Academy's Xuan Zi!
"Everyone, stand back! This isn't a fight you can take part in!"
Jing Hongchen shouted sharply at those behind him.
Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen were deathly pale. They knew that in a battle at this level, staying would only make them a burden to their grandfather.
Xiao Hongchen acted at once, pulling along his sister, who still wanted to say something, and leading all the guards as they quickly retreated into the distance.
Huo Yuhao and his two brothers, however, did not move.
"Senior, we may be able to help a little!"
Huo Yuhao's clear voice rang out, and then brilliant purplish-gold light flared in his eyes!
Spiritual Detection Sharing!
In an instant, an incredibly clear, three-dimensional view of the entire battlefield appeared directly in Jing Hongchen's mind!
What was this...?
Jing Hongchen was deeply shocked!
The range was limited, but in their current situation, even the slightest help was invaluable!
"Ke ke, what interesting little bugs!"
Evil Qi Xuan Zi gave a sinister laugh. The Fifth Soul Ring behind him blazed with light!
"Fifth Soul Skill, Taotie's Devour!"
A gigantic Taotie Phantom made of pure black qi appeared behind him and opened its cavernous maw. A terrifying suction force instantly enveloped the entire battlefield, as if it would swallow everything in the world!
Jing Hongchen felt his Soul Power draining uncontrollably from his body, and his expression changed at once!
At this critical moment—
"Freeze!"
Huo Hao barked. Deep in his eyes, two gray shackles seemed to flicker into view!
The terrifying suction force covering the battlefield stalled for a fraction of a second! Evil Qi Xuan Zi's movements also stiffened for an instant!
It was an incredibly brief opening, but for a powerful expert like Jing Hongchen, it was more than enough!
"Now!"
Jing Hongchen seized the fleeting opportunity. The terrifying aura of a level-ninety-four Power Attack System Titled Douluo burst forth from him! The Seventh Soul Ring on his body suddenly blazed with light!
"Seventh Soul Skill, Toad True Body!"
With a low roar, Jing Hongchen's body rapidly swelled under the shroud of Soul Power. In the blink of an eye, a toad over fifteen meters tall, dark golden all over and covered in huge bumps, appeared on the battlefield!
He swept out a hand, and the level-eight close-combat Soul Tool, the Sword of Judgment, appeared in his grasp.
But Evil Qi Xuan Zi reacted even faster!
He broke free almost the moment he was restrained. As the Sword of Judgment came slashing toward him, a look of disdain flashed through his eyes.
Just as he was about to take the blow head-on, an invisible Mental Impact slammed into his Sea of Consciousness once more!
It was Huo Yu! A strange light shone in his eyes. Guided by Huo Yuhao's precise Spiritual Sharing, his mental attack hit its target!
Evil Qi Xuan Zi staggered again, the bloodlust in his eyes growing stronger!
Three annoying flies!
Their attacks couldn't cause him any real harm, but their successive interruptions were making him furious!
It was that momentary frustration and hesitation that let Jing Hongchen's attack land on Xuan Zi!
"Boom—!"
With the force of a world-splitting blow, the Sword of Judgment struck the Taotie Phantom Evil Qi Xuan Zi had hurriedly summoned!
This time, the attack wasn't brushed aside as easily as before.
"Crack—!"
A clear fissure appeared in the Taotie Phantom where the Sword of Judgment had struck!
Evil Qi Xuan Zi himself grunted. For the first time, he was knocked back half a step, and much of the black qi swirling around his arm was cut away!
The Soul Skills these three boys displayed were truly divine, providing flawless support. Jing Hongchen felt as if he'd struck gold.
"Very good... You've... successfully angered me!"
Evil Qi Xuan Zi's blood-red gaze passed over Jing Hongchen and fixed firmly on the three Huo brothers.
"Three little flies... You're so annoying!"
In his eyes, he would never have been injured if those three brats hadn't kept interfering!
He would make them pay the most terrible price!
"Die!"
With a furious roar, he vanished from where he stood!
His target was no longer Jing Hongchen, but the three brothers!
In an instant, his gaunt figure crossed a hundred meters and appeared right before the three Huo brothers!
That terrifying claw, carrying the force to destroy everything, swept down toward their heads!
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