Ruthless and Decisive!

"Damn it! What the hell is this?"

The One-Eyed Soul Emperor was terrified. He desperately circulated his Soul Power, trying to break free, only to discover that he was trapped as if in a swamp.

"If you won't talk, then forget it."

Lan Aotian had lost his patience.

With a thought.

Countless Vine Spikes, each as sharp as Steel Needles, suddenly shot out from the cage's inner walls, flying at the enemies trapped inside from every direction!

Puchi, puchi, puchi, puchi—!

While paralyzed, those Soul Kings had no time to mount an effective defense. In an instant, the Vine Spikes pierced them into sieves, and their screams abruptly ceased.

The One-Eyed Soul Emperor's eyes nearly split open. He roared and swung his blade to block, but his movements were sluggish and his Soul Power insufficient. Although he deflected most of the Vine Spikes, several that slipped through still pierced his shoulder and thigh, leaving him drenched in blood.

"I... I'll talk! It was..."

The fear of death finally overwhelmed everything. The One-Eyed Soul Emperor wanted to beg for mercy.

But Lan Aotian no longer wanted to listen.

From the moment he attacked the convoy, the outcome had already been decided.

Mercy toward an enemy was cruelty toward oneself and the mission.

"Too late."

The Vine Prison suddenly contracted inward, squeezing tight like a gigantic meat grinder.

"No—!!!"

Amid the One-Eyed Soul Emperor's despairing roar, the sturdy vines closed together with tremendous force.

Crack... Puchi...

The grating sounds of splintering bones and crushed flesh came from within the ball of vines.

A few seconds later, the ball of vines loosened and transformed into Light Points that dissipated.

Only a puddle of mangled flesh and several damaged Soul Tool fragments remained on the ground. Not even an intact corpse could be found.

One Soul Emperor and seven or eight Soul Kings had been completely annihilated under Lan Aotian's two seemingly effortless soul skills, leaving not even whole corpses behind!

This scene not only terrified the attackers fighting fiercely in the distance, but also left the convoy's people dumbfounded.

Tie Shan had just smashed a Soul King's head apart at the cost of sustaining an injury. He looked over while panting heavily, his eyes filled with shock.

Bishop Claude in the air could not help glancing over as well, his Pupils contracting slightly.

This "Lin Yue" was definitely far more than a mere Level 69 Soul Emperor!

The vines' strength, control, and the bizarre Poison Mist they carried were simply horrifying!

With their leader dead, the remaining attackers' morale instantly collapsed.

"Retreat! Hurry, retreat!"

Someone shouted, and the more than twenty surviving attackers, as if granted a reprieve, desperately broke away from their opponents and fled toward the depths of the hills in panic.

The Spirit Hall guards wanted to pursue them, but Bishop Claude stopped them with a shout. "Do not pursue desperate enemies. Protecting the convoy is more important! Check our losses, then leave this place as soon as possible!"

He landed beside Lan Aotian and gave him a long look, his tone complicated. "Soul Emperor Lin Yue, impressive skills."

Lan Aotian dusted off nonexistent dirt from his clothes and jumped down from the carriage shaft, his expression unchanged. "You flatter me, Bishop. I was only doing my duty."

The convoy quickly cleaned up the battlefield and treated their wounded. They found that although the cargo wagons had suffered some damage, there was no serious harm.

The attackers had left behind more than twenty corpses. The convoy recovered some scattered Soul Tools and valuables, but no clear identifying marks.

After this battle, everyone in the convoy looked at Lan Aotian with awe.

Tie Shan came over and said with a broad grin, "Brother Lin, you're incredible! That move just now was brutal! Look after me if you get the chance in the future!"

Lan Aotian merely nodded faintly.

The convoy set out again, but the atmosphere was far more tense than before.

Everyone knew that this attack had been no coincidence.

Those attackers had a clear target: destroying the cargo.

Moreover, being able to deploy three Soul Emperors and multiple Soul Kings was a force that could not be underestimated.

Lan Aotian returned to his seat, his gaze deep and inscrutable.

He had not used his true strength just now. He had not even revealed his Soul Rings. He had merely used soul skills simulating the Green Wood Vine martial soul, combined with a trace of the Blue Silver Emperor Origin's absolute control over plants, and had achieved an overwhelming result.

As for the attackers' origins... although he had not managed to question them, he could more or less guess.

They were either hostile forces of Spirit Hall or people who did not want this shipment to arrive safely at Spirit City.

They might even be connected to the nobles in Sylvester City who had colluded with Spirit Hall, putting on a show of "catching a thief while crying thief" to test the convoy's defensive strength—or perhaps they had some other scheme.

However, none of that had anything to do with him.

His goal was to reach the direction of Spirit City safely and find an opportunity to make contact with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

As long as no one provoked him, he could not be bothered with these intrigues.

But if they came again... he did not mind letting this journey become stained with more blood.

The convoy continued forward in silence, and the Blackstone Hills gradually fell behind them.

The Setting Sun sank in the west, dyeing the horizon blood-red as it illuminated the convoy that had just endured a bloody battle, creating a kind of brutal tranquility.

Lan Aotian leaned against the carriage and closed his eyes, as if the brief slaughter just now had never happened.

Only the faint scent of blood that had yet to completely disperse proved that it had not all been an illusion.

Before night fell, the convoy reached its planned stopping point.

It was a small Spirit Hall Stronghold on the edge of the Blackstone Hills.

Calling it a Stronghold was somewhat generous; it was more like an enhanced relay station.

Its Outer Perimeter was enclosed by rocks and wooden fences. Inside were several stone houses and stables, permanently staffed by more than a dozen low-level Deacons and soldiers from Spirit Hall.

It was one of the important transfer stations connecting Sylvester City with several northern provinces.

Although the convoy had not lost any cargo in the daytime attack, several guards had suffered serious injuries, and the horses had been frightened and needed calming.

Bishop Claude decided to rest there for the night and set out again early the next morning.

The Stronghold's person in charge, a Deacon at the Soul King level, had already received word. He respectfully welcomed the convoy inside and arranged lodging and meals.

Dinner took place in the Stronghold's crude dining hall. The food was simple but plentiful, consisting of roasted meat, flatbread, and vegetable soup.

After the day's battle, everyone was somewhat exhausted, and they ate in silence.

Claude and Jason, the two Red Robe Cardinals, sat at the main table and spoke in low voices, their expressions solemn.

Clearly, the daytime attack had made them uneasy. The enemy's scale and determination had exceeded their expectations.

Lan Aotian (Lin Yue) sat alone in a corner, eating slowly and methodically, as if the thunderous methods he had displayed during the day had nothing to do with him.

Tie Shan carried his tray over and dropped into the seat beside him.

"Brother Lin, we owe you one today."

"Those bastards were vicious—three Soul Emperors!"

"If you hadn't dealt with their leader so quickly, quite a few of us would probably have died."

Tie Shan lowered his voice, his face filled with admiration and lingering fear.

He had also been shocked by the formidable strength Lan Aotian had displayed.

He admired and respected the strong.

Lan Aotian glanced at him and said indifferently, "No need to thank me. I was only doing a job for money."

Tie Shan chuckled, not bothered by his coldness. He continued, "Who do you think did it? They're incredibly bold, daring to target even Spirit Hall's supplies."

"I don't know." Lan Aotian's answer was brief.

He truly did not care, as long as they did not threaten his plans.

When Tie Shan realized he could not get anything out of him, he began boasting about his own bravery during the day, talking about how he had tangled with a Soul Emperor and so on.

Lan Aotian merely listened, occasionally responding with an "Mm."