New Killing Intent

Authorization complete. Lan Aotian withdrew his will, and his mind returned to the outside world.

He could feel that a clearer, more solid link had formed between himself and Lan Xin.

Through this link, he could temporarily grant her permission to activate the Summoning Passage.

He could also vaguely sense her condition and location and communicate with her through his mind.

It was as if he had gained several "avatars" or "tentacles" in the outside world that he could command remotely and that were absolutely loyal. Its strategic significance was immense.

Just as he was becoming familiar with this new connection, the Ying Shu scouting ahead returned like a ghost, his expression somewhat grim as he reported in a low voice to Bishop Claude:

"Bishop, ten li ahead, the official road has been destroyed!"

"It looks like a section was blasted apart by a large-scale earth-type Soul Skill. There are also clear traces of battle. The residual Soul Power fluctuations are very mixed, but at least one Soul Saint was involved!"

Everyone's expression darkened at this.

Again?

"And this time, they directly destroyed the road, delaying our journey!"

"Can we take a detour?" Bishop Jason asked solemnly.

Ying Shu shook his head. "There are steep Blackstone Cliffs on both sides. The carriages can't get up them."

"If we take a detour, we'll need at least two extra days. And...that side is an even more remote area of barren valleys."

Claude looked toward Lan Aotian. "Lin Yue, Your Excellency, what do you think...?"

Lan Aotian's Mental Power had already extended ahead, examining the stretch of road Ying Shu had mentioned.

The official road had indeed been completely blocked by collapsed rocks, stretching for nearly a hundred meters.

Among the residual Soul Power fluctuations, besides earth, there were also wind and fire, and even an extremely faint trace of dark corrosive aura that felt somewhat familiar to him...

It came from the same source as the Shadow Demon Wolf Soul Saint's power last night, but was purer and more concealed.

"They aren't the same group of people, but they may be connected." Lan Aotian reached a conclusion. "Their purpose is clear: to delay us, or...force us into a battlefield they have prepared."

He pointed toward a relatively level area of hills on the right, though it was covered with strange rocks. "Go around from there. It will be difficult, but the carriages should be able to manage. Stay alert. That is an ideal place for an ambush."

Claude made the decision without hesitation. "We'll follow Lin Yue, Your Excellency! Change course and go around the hills on the right! Everyone, stay alert!"

The convoy turned away from the official road and entered the rugged, uneven hills.

The ground was full of potholes, making the carriages jolt violently and greatly reducing their speed.

Lan Aotian walked at the very front of the convoy, his Mental Power sweeping over every boulder and every patch of shadow like an exquisitely precise radar.

He faintly sensed that more than one malicious gaze was being cast from deep within the hills, like venomous snakes lying in wait.

The enemy was very patient. They did not attack immediately, seemingly waiting for the convoy to enter their encirclement completely, or...waiting for a certain moment.

Lan Aotian was not afraid. Instead, he was somewhat expectant.

He had been wanting to test how much his newly acquired authorization, as well as Lan Xin and the others, could accomplish in actual combat.

Through the newly established link, he sent a thought to Lan Xin in the Palm World: "Prepare yourselves and stand by at any time. We may need you to come out and 'collect' something."

Lan Xin's response came immediately, carrying a trace of suppressed excitement and absolute loyalty: "Yes, My Emperor! Lan Xin, Lan Yu, and Lan Ye await your orders at any time!"

The convoy slowly ventured deeper into the hills amid a silent and oppressive atmosphere.

The boulders on both sides grew taller and taller, the terrain became increasingly complicated, and the light dimmed somewhat.

Suddenly, Lan Aotian stopped and raised a hand, signaling the convoy to halt.

He looked up at the top of a black boulder several dozen meters high to the front left.

At some point, a figure had appeared there.

The man wore a pitch-black robe that seemed capable of absorbing light. Even his face was hidden beneath the shadow of his hood. Only a pair of eyes that gleamed with a ghostly green light stared down at the convoy like will-o'-the-wisps.

In his hand, he held a strangely shaped black short staff. A gray gemstone embedded in its head spun continuously, radiating a heart-pounding aura of annihilation.

A terrifying pressure far beyond that of the Shadow Demon Wolf Soul Saint from the previous night slowly spread from the Black-robed Man like an invisible mountain, enveloping the entire convoy!

His Soul Power cultivation was at the Soul Douluo level!

And he was absolutely not a newly advanced Soul Douluo!

Claude and Bishop Jason's faces instantly turned deathly pale, cold sweat pouring down their foreheads.

Tie Shan and the other guards found it even harder to breathe, their legs going weak.

The Black-robed Man's ghostly green gaze slowly shifted before finally locking firmly onto Lan Aotian. His hoarse, dry voice echoed through the silent hills like sandpaper scraping against something:

"What an interesting plant...such vigorous and pure life force, yet it carries a trace of an imperial aura that disgusts me... You aren't an ordinary Green Wood Vine Soul Master, are you?"

"Hand over what you're hiding, or...hand yourself over to me."

The Black-robed Soul Douluo's pressure crashed against the minds of everyone in the convoy like tangible waves.

Apart from Lan Aotian, everyone felt their souls trembling, their Soul Power circulation sluggish.

This was the dual suppression of their life levels and Soul Power Levels!

Bishop Claude forced himself to hold on. Seven Soul Rings lit up around him, and the phantom image of an Iron Feather Eagle appeared behind his back.

Trying to resist the omnipresent pressure, he spoke hoarsely: "Senior...we belong to Spirit Hall and are escorting important supplies to Spirit City! By blocking our way like this, are you declaring yourself an enemy of Spirit Hall?"

"Spirit Hall?"

"If I kill you, who will know Old Man did it?"

"These Blackstone Hills are the perfect place to bury a few Spirit Hall lackeys."

The Black-robed Soul Douluo let out a mocking laugh. It sounded like the cry of a night owl and made everyone's scalps prickle.

His ghostly green gaze remained fixed on Lan Aotian, greed and doubt intertwined within it.

"Boy, the aura around you is very unusual."

"Old Man has cultivated the 'Devouring Shadow Secret Art' for decades and is most sensitive to life force."

"Your vitality is so pure that you don't seem human. Instead, you seem like...some kind of top-tier Plant-type Soul Beast?"

"But there are also fluctuations from a human soul... Strange. Truly strange."

The gray gemstone on the black short staff in his hand spun faster, radiating an even denser aura of annihilation. "Hand over the secret you carry. Perhaps Old Man will grant you a quick death and spare these ants."

Lan Aotian slowly raised his head. The shadow beneath his hood concealed most of his face, leaving only the corner of his mouth curved into an icy smile.

"Soul Douluo?"

"With that half-baked Shadow Power of yours and that disgusting cultivation built by devouring other people's life force, you dare spout such nonsense before me?"

His voice was calm, yet it clearly pierced through the other man's pressure and reached everyone's ears.

The moment those words were spoken, the entire scene fell deathly silent!

Claude and the others stared dumbfoundedly, almost wondering if they had heard wrong.

Facing a Soul Douluo of unfathomable strength, Lin Yue, Your Excellency, was not only unafraid but had even taunted him?

This...this was insane!

The Black-robed Soul Douluo was clearly stunned as well. Then he flew into a rage, killing intent surging in his ghostly green eyes. "You ignorant junior! Old Man has changed his mind. I'm going to rip out your soul, crush it inch by inch, and then slowly process your body!"

Before his voice had even faded, he abruptly pointed his short staff forward!

"Seventh Soul Skill, Shadow True Body!"

Majestic black Soul Power shot into the sky, transforming into a gigantic demonic shadow ten meters tall, formed entirely from viscous darkness. Its features were blurred, and only a pair of ghostly green eyes identical to the Black-robed Man's could be seen, radiating suffocating evil and devouring energy.

A Soul Douluo-level Martial Soul Avatar possessed might far beyond that of a Soul Saint!