Battle in the Night!

After dinner, everyone returned to their rooms to rest.

There were only a limited number of rooms in the stronghold, so Lan Aotian and Tie Shan were assigned to the same stone house.

The stone house was not large, containing only two simple wooden plank beds.

The moment Tie Shan touched the bed, he fell asleep, his snores thundering like rolling waves.

Lan Aotian sat cross-legged on his bed. He did not sleep, instead continuing to use his Mental Power to sense the movements inside and outside the stronghold.

The night was quiet, with only the footsteps of patrolling soldiers and the faint roars of beasts drifting from the distant hills.

Around midnight, Lan Aotian's tightly closed eyes suddenly opened.

They're here.

At the edge of his Mental Power's perception, several obscure yet powerful auras were quietly approaching from the darkness outside the stronghold like ghosts.

They moved extremely fast and barely stirred the wind, clearly skilled in stealth.

Unlike the frontal assault during the day, the attackers this time were experts.

At least two Soul Saints, three Soul Emperors, and several Soul Kings.

They had avoided the sentries at the main entrance and infiltrated the stronghold through a relatively weak point in its side defenses.

Their target... doesn't seem to be the cargo warehouse, but... the room where the two Red Robe Cardinals rest?

Lan Aotian's heart stirred.

An assassination attempt against the commanders?

Or do they have another purpose?

He did not intend to act immediately.

He wanted to see how this Spirit Hall stronghold and the two Red Robe Cardinals would respond.

He also wanted to see the methods and identities of these Night Attackers.

Soon, those auras had already slipped into the stronghold, coming within several dozen meters of the stone house where Claude and Jason were staying.

Just as they were about to launch a thunderous strike—

"Hmph! You rats who hide your heads and show your tails, get out here!"

A furious shout suddenly rang out. It was the voice of Bishop Claude!

The roof of the stone house where he and Bishop Jason were staying exploded with a boom. Two figures shot into the sky, seven Soul Rings shining beneath the Night Sky!

Claude's Iron Feather Eagle Martial Soul spread its wings, whipping up a raging wind. Bishop Jason summoned a long sword wreathed in flames, its firelight illuminating half the stronghold!

Almost simultaneously, several Soul Power radiances lit up around the stronghold. The hidden Spirit Hall Soul Masters on guard also reacted, sounding the alarm.

"We've been discovered! Attack!"

Among the Night Attackers, a black-robed man at the front shouted in a low voice. He stopped hiding, and seven Soul Rings suddenly lit up around him. His Martial Soul was actually a ferocious Shadow Demon Wolf!

Another Soul Saint was a woman whose Martial Soul consisted of two dark-blue daggers. Her figure was like smoke as she lunged straight at Bishop Jason in midair.

The other Soul Emperors and Soul Kings also revealed themselves and unleashed their Soul Skills. Some attacked the two cardinals, while others charged at the Spirit Hall guards rushing over after hearing the alarm. The scene instantly descended into chaos!

The battle erupted inside the stronghold. The booming collisions of Soul Skills, screams, and the sounds of collapsing buildings rang out without pause.

Although the Spirit Hall side had been caught off guard, both Red Robe Cardinals were formidable Soul Saints, and the Soul Masters inside the stronghold resisted desperately. For the moment, they did not immediately collapse.

The stone house where Lan Aotian and Tie Shan were staying was somewhat distant from the center of the battlefield, but it was still caught in the aftermath.

Several shock waves from Soul Skills shattered the walls. Tie Shan jolted awake, roared as he flipped to his feet, and activated Martial Soul Possession.

"Damn it, can't you people let us sleep at night?!"

Tie Shan looked at the chaotic battle outside, then at Lan Aotian, who was still sitting cross-legged, and asked anxiously, "Brother Lin, are we joining in or not?"

Lan Aotian glanced at the battlefield.

The two attacking Soul Saints were extremely powerful, especially the Shadow Demon Wolf Soul Saint. Her attacks were strange and her speed astonishing. As she battled Bishop Claude, she even faintly held the upper hand.

The Female Soul Saint was also locked in an even fight with Bishop Jason.

The remaining Soul Emperors and Soul Kings were eliminating Spirit Hall's guards. It was clear that the guards were about to be unable to hold out.

If the two Red Robe Cardinals died and the stronghold was slaughtered, his mission as a "guard" would count as a failure, and the journey to Spirit City would be fraught with additional complications.

"You stay here. I'll go help."

Lan Aotian stood up and said this to Tie Shan. With a flicker of his figure, he had already left the damaged stone house and merged into the night.

He did not charge directly into the Soul Saint battle. Instead, he swept toward the Night Attack Soul Emperors and Soul Kings who were hunting down the Spirit Hall guards like a ghost.

A Night Attack Soul Emperor had just torn out the throat of a Spirit Hall Soul Ancestor with his claws, a cruel smile on his face, when he suddenly felt a chill around his neck.

He looked down in astonishment and saw a section of jade green vine wrapped around his neck like a poisonous snake. The tip of the vine gleamed with a metallic chill.

"What..."

Puchi!

With a faint crack, the vine suddenly tightened!

The Soul Emperor's protective Soul Power was torn apart like paper. His cervical spine snapped instantly, and his head lolled to one side at an eerie angle. The light in his eyes quickly faded as his body crumpled to the ground.

Lan Aotian's figure flashed behind him and vanished, lunging toward another target.

His movements were too fast. Under the cover of the chaotic battlefield and night, he was like a true god of death. Each time he appeared, the vital points of a Night Attack Soul King or Soul Emperor were pierced, wrapped, or cut apart by jade green vines!

Those vines appeared and disappeared unpredictably. Sometimes they drilled out of the ground; sometimes they shot from the shadows. They were incredibly tough and carried a powerful Paralytic Toxin. Anyone struck immediately found their Soul Power sluggish and their movements slow, followed by a fatal blow.

In just a dozen breaths, three Soul Kings and one Soul Emperor had died silently!

"Be careful! There's a powerful guy using vines!"

At last, one of the Night Attackers noticed that something was wrong and cried out in alarm.

A Night Attack Soul Emperor who was fighting a Spirit Hall Soul Emperor heard this. His heart tightened, and he hurriedly forced back his opponent before warily looking around.

Suddenly, the ground beneath his feet softened. Several thick vines burst out like giant pythons, instantly wrapping around his legs. Their tremendous strength tried to drag him underground!

"Get lost!"

The Soul Emperor was both shocked and furious. His Sixth Soul Ring lit up, and the long blade in his hand erupted with blazing radiance as he slashed viciously at the vines.

Clang!

Sparks flew in all directions!

The vines were cut deeply, but they did not break. Instead, they tightened further, while more thorn-covered vines lashed in from every direction.

The Soul Emperor struggled desperately, battered and disheveled. His heart filled with horror. These vines are absurdly tough!

As he became distracted defending against the vines, a cold figure appeared like a ghost at his side and rear. With two fingers extended like a sword, it pointed toward his back.

The Soul Emperor sensed a deadly crisis and roared as he tried to turn and block, but his legs were bound, slowing him by half a beat.

Puchi!

A jade green finger force condensed to the extreme easily pierced through his protective Soul Power and the armor across his back, emerging from his chest and leaving behind a bloody hole.

The Soul Emperor's body stiffened. He lowered his head and stared at the blood gushing from his chest, disbelief filling his eyes. Then he breathed his last.

Lan Aotian withdrew his fingers without even looking at the fallen corpse, turning his gaze toward the fiercest battle in the air.

At this moment, Bishop Claude's situation was somewhat unfavorable.

The Shadow Demon Wolf Soul Saint's attack style was far too strange.

Her figure appeared and disappeared in the darkness.

Her claws carried corrosive Shadow Energy.

They continuously left wounds on Claude's body.

Although they were not deep, they greatly accelerated the depletion of Claude's Soul Power, and the feathers of his Iron Feather Eagle had also grown much dimmer.

"Claude, I'll help you!"

Lan Aotian's cold voice rang out. He did not fly into the air. Instead, he formed hand seals with both hands and pressed them against the ground.

He was deliberately doing this for others to see.

After all, he was disguised right now.

Naturally, he could not do anything too outrageous.

That was also one of the ways to play among mortals.