Leng Shuang led the people from Skywater Academy along the road back to the academy.
Suddenly, a swarm of black bats flew over the heads of everyone on Skywater Team.
Leng Shuang barked, "Enemies!"
Everyone on Skywater Team instantly entered Combat State. Soul Power swirled around them in blue halos, and yellow and purple Soul Rings flickered into view.
Their expressions tense, the team quickly formed a defensive formation back-to-back.
At the same time, Leng Shuang took out a signal flare and launched it. Brilliant fireworks burst across the sky.
The swarm of black bats seemed to receive some kind of command. They shrieked and dived, their black claws glinting coldly in the dusk. Like a black tide blotting out the sky, they swooped straight toward Skywater Team.
Soul Power surged around Leng Shuang as her first, second, and fifth Soul Rings lit up in succession.
The Ice Crystal Rose in her hand grew ever more translucent. One after another, icy roses appeared beside the members of Skywater Team and shot toward the black bats overhead.
But against the overwhelming numbers of the Evil Soul Masters, they were little more than a drop in the ocean. Countless Black Shadows instantly engulfed the team.
Just as chaos took hold, an Evil Soul Master with a pair of blood-red bat wings on his back appeared above Skywater Team. Two yellow, two purple, and two black Soul Rings shimmered around him.
A hoarse voice rang out. "Fourth! Move!"
As soon as he spoke, an Evil Soul Master with rat-like whiskers poked his head up from the ground. Seeing his target, Shui Bing'er, his beady red eyes locked onto her in the crowd and gleamed with greed.
He shrank down and burrowed underground like a mole, rapidly tunneling toward Shui Bing'er. Only a faint trail of disturbed earth marked his path.
At that moment, Shui Bing'er was surrounded by a hazy blue glow. The phantom of a Frost Phoenix floated behind her, encircled by a dazzling ring of blue light.
She fired arrow after arrow of ice, holding back the bats as they swarmed in.
At the same time, she slowly edged toward Xue Wu. She knew that in this situation, only a Martial Soul Fusion Skill could help them break through the encirclement.
But just as she was about to touch Xue Wu's arm, the ground beneath her feet suddenly split open!
A hand covered in black fur, its nails gleaming with a bloody light, shot out and clamped around her ankle.
Shui Bing'er's heart jumped. She was about to use her Soul Power to break free when the hand gave a vicious yank, dragging her straight down into the pitch-black earth.
"Sis!" "Big Sis!"
The members of Skywater Team tried to rescue her, but the swarm of bats blocked their way.
The instant she plunged underground,
blue light shimmered around Shui Bing'er, and the first Soul Ring on her body lit up.
A concentrated beam of icy blue light shot from her palm, radiating bone-chilling cold as it streaked toward the Evil Soul Master who had grabbed her.
The rat-faced Evil Soul Master called Fourth flashed with blood-red light. His third Soul Ring lit up, and a layer of black earthen armor appeared over his body, blocking the icy blue beam.
A vicious glint flashed in Fourth's eyes. He raised his left hand and flung a cloud of pink powder at Shui Bing'er.
Shui Bing'er immediately held her breath and drew on her Soul Power, preparing to strike again.
But she hadn't expected the pink powder to silently seep through her Martial Soul and into her body as soon as she used her Soul Power.
An indescribable heat spread through her entire body.
Shui Bing'er felt all the strength drain from her. Her legs buckled, and she collapsed heavily to the ground.
Gritting her teeth, she struggled to prop herself up on her arms. As she watched Fourth approach step by step, resolve flashed in her eyes.
Just as she was about to detonate her Soul Power,
a Black Shadow suddenly burst through the earthen wall behind her.
The Evil Soul Master moved as swiftly as a ghost, landing a precise strike to the back of Shui Bing'er's neck.
The moment the Hand Blade struck, Shui Bing'er's body went limp. Her eyes slowly closed, and she lost consciousness completely.
"Second Brother!" The rat-faced Evil Soul Master looked at the unconscious Shui Bing'er and breathed a sigh of relief.
The Evil Soul Master called Second Brother said coldly, "I'll deal with you when we get back! You were dawdling so much, you nearly ruined everything!"
As he spoke, he bent down, hoisted Shui Bing'er over his shoulder, and leaped out through the opening in the ground, landing steadily on the surface.
"Third, don't get caught up fighting! The signal flare will bring people from City Lord's Mansion here soon. Let's go!"
Before he'd even finished speaking, dense blood mist surged around him. Dozens of hideous Blood Fiends appeared in the mist, shrieking miserably as they rushed toward Leng Shuang.
Seeing this, the Evil Soul Master controlling the bats in the sky turned into a streak of blood-red light and fled.
"Bing'er!"
Leng Shuang watched Shui Bing'er being carried away and tried to charge after her, but the Blood Fiends blocked her. She could only watch helplessly as Shui Bing'er was abducted!
Inside a cave near the Far North.
Lu Chen quietly stayed beside Tuoba Jie, while two other Evil Soul Masters stood guard in front of him.
Lu Chen appeared to be resting with his eyes closed, but in fact, he was figuring out how to escape from these Evil Soul Masters.
"Old Eight..."
Tuoba Jie suddenly stirred. His cloudy gaze fell on Lu Chen, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Old Eight, go wait at the cave entrance for Second and the others!"
Lu Chen stood and looked at Tuoba Jie, his eyes betraying his exasperation. You're the Old Eight! Your whole family's the Old Eight!
"Yes!"
Lu Chen turned and headed toward the cave entrance.
As soon as Lu Chen stepped outside, Second Brother tossed Shui Bing'er onto the ground. Disgust showed on his face. "Disgusting!"
Shui Bing'er's pretty face was as red as plum blossoms in the depths of winter. Despite the snow and ice all around, her body was burning hot.
She gasped for breath, her long legs curling and twisting uncontrollably.
Her body glistened with sweat from the heat. Much of her clothing was soaked through and clung tightly to her, revealing tantalizing glimpses of her skin.
Her eyes were glassy as she stared at everything around her. She wanted to use her Soul Power to kill herself, but she found she couldn't even summon it. Her body had no strength left, either.
"Second Brother, you really don't know how to appreciate a beauty, do you?" Fourth rubbed his hands together and sidled over. His shifty eyes roamed over Shui Bing'er as he leered. "Can't you see the poor little beauty's about to give out? Let me 'take care' of her..."
As he spoke, he reached for the collar of Shui Bing'er's clothes.
Shui Bing'er strained with all her might to draw back, but her limbs wouldn't respond. She couldn't even turn her head.
At the thought of what was about to happen, two streams of tears slid from the corners of her eyes.
A sharp flash of force sliced through the skin. Blood Beads fell onto the snow, vivid against the white.
"Blood Sword! What the hell are you doing?"
Fourth jerked his hand back in shock. He stared at the bead of blood on his fingertip, his expression darkening instantly.
Lu Chen walked slowly in front of Shui Bing'er, shielding her with his body. He said coldly, "She's the one the Eldest Boss wants. You're not fit to touch her!"
"You're asking for death!" Fourth flew into a rage and was about to attack.
But Bat Third, standing beside him, stopped him. "Old Eight's right!"
Lu Chen rolled his eyes at Third and gave him a cold look. Then he bent down and lifted Shui Bing'er's limp body into his arms...
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