Hand of Death

As the figures of Elder Xuan and Zhang Lexuan quietly vanished into the towering mountains, the faint sense of security in the air instantly dissipated, replaced by the eerie and oppressive atmosphere unique to the Mingdou Mountain Range.

"All units, stay alert! Maintain formation!" Ma Xiaotao barked a low command, her red robes fluttering as she took the lead.

"Spiritual Detection Sharing, activate!"

Hum--

An invisible wave of psychic energy instantly centered on Huo Yuhao, spreading wildly in all directions like mercury spilled on the ground.

One thousand meters, five thousand meters, ten thousand meters... all the way to twenty thousand meters. A detailed, three-dimensional holographic map instantly appeared in everyone's mind.

Within a twenty-kilometer radius, even the movement of an ant or the fluttering of a leaf was clearly presented in their perception.

"Hiss--"

Everyone drew a sharp breath.

They had experienced Huo Yuhao's support during special training, but that had been limited to the scope of the Soul Fighting Arena.

Now, fully unleashed in this complex terrain, how could this be called a support soul skill?

This was a god-tier tactical skill that granted a literal god's-eye view!

Guided by this "Heavenly Eye," the team advanced at an incredible speed.

"Stop."

Huo Yuhao's voice suddenly echoed in the mental network, "Three thousand meters ahead, I've detected a large patch of Wenlan Trees."

The image zoomed in, revealing a dark woodland filled with strange, pitch-black trees.

"Wenlan Trees prefer cold, damp environments, and their cores possess a cold attribute. But look, the cores of these trees have all been hollowed out, and the cuts are fresh," Huo Yuhao analyzed calmly. "There must be a Soul Master nearby practicing cold-attribute evil arts."

Upon hearing this, killing intent flared in Ma Xiaotao's eyes: "Found them! Follow the trail!"

Guided by Spiritual Detection Sharing, the deeply hidden footprints, broken branches, and even dried bloodstains on the grass became clear beacons.

The group moved rapidly, eventually locking onto a dark cave hidden in a fissure of the cliff face.

"Charge in!"

At Ma Xiaotao's command, Phoenix flames soared into the sky.

The bandits at the cave entrance didn't even have time to react before they were reduced to ash.

The group filed in, but as soon as they entered, a thick, pungent smell of blood hit them.

Deep inside the cave entrance lay over a dozen corpses, scattered in a gruesome state; some were disemboweled, while others were shriveled like firewood, clearly having had their essence and blood drained dry.

"Beasts!" Chen Zifeng cursed, his Soul Chasing Sword turning into a streak of light that instantly pierced the throats of several charging bandits.

The battle erupted instantly.

Though these peripheral bandits were fierce, with several Soul King-level leaders among them, they were like mere straw dogs before the elites of the Shrek Academy inner court.

Huo Yuhao also joined the fray, his movements ghostly. Nine flying knives, thin as cicada wings, hovered behind him, controlled by his Psychic Power like nine silver bolts of lightning weaving through the crowd to reap lives.

Every flash brought forth a spray of blood mist.

Beside him, Jin Nier held the Golden Dragon Spear, thrusting like a dragon; as long as she grazed the enemy, their life force was rapidly devoured.

"Something's wrong!"

Huo Yuhao's Spiritual Detection Sharing suddenly issued a frantic warning; the corpses in the cave were suddenly swelling, their soul power fluctuations turning violent.

"Corpse Explosion Technique! Get back!"

Everyone instinctively dove toward the side walls or behind cover.

"Boom! Boom! Boom--!"

The deafening explosions shook the earth, sending flesh and blood flying as toxic, foul-smelling blood splattered everywhere.

Although the group reacted quickly, the blast radius was too wide, and several reserve team members were still sent flying by the shockwaves, covered in dust and grime.

If not for Huo Yuhao's Spiritual Detection Sharing, at least half of them would likely have been casualties!

Before the smoke and dust could settle, a bone-chilling, cackling laughter echoed from the deepest part of the cave.

"Shrek Academy? Hehehe, what a nourishing gift delivered right to our doorstep!"

Seven figures slowly emerged from the darkness, the thick stench of blood and evil filling the entire space.

Seeing the enemy's lineup, Ma Xiaotao's face turned deathly pale.

The intelligence was wrong! Terribly wrong!

The leader of the Evil Soul Masters wasn't just a single Soul King, but seven powerful experts!

Leading them was a gaunt, withered old man holding a White Bone Staff, with seven soul rings flickering around him--a Spirit Saint!

Beside him stood a burly man with a thick, muscular build, also a seven-ringed Spirit Saint!

Beyond them were three Spirit Emperors and two Spirit Kings!

This wasn't a bandit suppression mission; this was a suicide mission!

"Reserve team, retreat! Nier, take them and go!" Huo Yuhao made a split-second decision and roared.

In a battle of this caliber, Wang Dong and the others would only be cannon fodder if they stayed.

"I'm not leaving!" Jin Nier shook her Golden Dragon Spear, her golden hair dancing as she stood firmly by Huo Yuhao's side. "If we die, we die together!"

Huo Yuhao was slightly surprised, then chuckled softly, "Don't worry, I won't let you die."

Subsequently, Wang Dong led Xiao Xiao and the others to evacuate first, while Huo Yuhao and Jin Nier remained to resist the enemy alongside the core team members.

"Want to run? Stay and become my corpse puppets!" The gaunt Spirit Saint gave a cold, sinister laugh, waving his White Bone Staff as countless vengeful spirits shrieked and surged forth.

"Your opponent is me!" Ma Xiaotao shouted sharply, her Phoenix flames transforming into a sea of fire as she forcefully withstood the attacks of two Spirit Saints.

But fighting two at once, especially against Evil Soul Masters with such bizarre methods, she soon fell into a disadvantage and found herself in constant peril.

The remaining three Spirit Emperors and two Spirit Kings pounced on the core team members like starving wolves.

The core team members were already injured and their spirit power was severely depleted; facing Evil Soul Masters in their prime who used such cruel tactics, they collapsed instantly.

"Ah--!"

Gongyang Mo let out a miserable scream as a Spirit Master's Blood Claw tore through his chest, leaving him drenched in blood.

The situation was hanging by a thread!

"Soul Shock!"

Golden light surged from Huo Yuhao's eyes, and a beam of purple-gold radiance ruthlessly pierced into the mind of a Spirit King who was pouncing toward Gongyang Mo.

The Spirit King didn't even have time to scream before his head exploded like a watermelon.

Instant kill!

On the other side, Ling Luochen had been forced into a corner by a Spirit Emperor; her ice wall shattered, and she was on the verge of death.

"Ice Heaven Snow Empress--Blessing!"

Huo Yuhao appeared instantly behind Ling Luochen, slamming his hands onto her back.

The aura of Ultimate Ice poured into her frantically.

Ling Luochen felt her martial soul instantly sublimate, the ordinary ice elements within her transforming into Ultimate Ice that made even her soul tremble.

"Freeze!" She instinctively waved her staff, and the terrifying cold instantly froze the Spirit Emperor into an ice sculpture.

After saving Ling Luochen, Huo Yuhao did not pause for a second, his gaze locking onto the gaunt Spirit Saint who was besieging Ma Xiaotao.

"Sister Xiaotao, I'm here to help you!"

Huo Yuhao's figure erupted, his entire body covered in a jade-green glow.

Ice Emperor's Bodyguard!

"A mere Spirit Ancestor, seeking your own death!" The gaunt Spirit Saint waved a streak of blood-red light with disdain.

However, Huo Yuhao did not dodge or evade, slamming his right palm outward.

"Great Cold No Snow!"

The extreme chill collided with the blood-red light, actually freezing it solid before shattering it into pieces!

The gaunt Spirit Saint's pupils constricted: "Ultimate Ice!"

Huo Yuhao seized the momentum to close in, bringing down the Emperor Sword: Ice Extreme Peerless with a fierce strike.

Although there was a massive gap in cultivation, Ultimate attributes allowed for fighting across ranks, and Huo Yuhao himself could not be measured by conventional logic; he managed to force his way into the battle between the three Spirit Saints, relieving the pressure on Ma Xiaotao.

But this was already his limit.

While Huo Yuhao was strong, his strength lay in his foundation; whether it was the spirit rings and spirit bones of the Ice and Snow Emperors or the mental power of the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, these were merely his potential, not yet fully converted into raw power.

Therefore, he could kill a Spirit King and fight a Spirit Emperor, but facing a Spirit Saint—especially an Evil Soul Master—the thirty-level gap in spirit power was like a chasm.

With every collision, injuries appeared on Huo Yuhao's body, though he could guarantee that the enemy was having a hard time as well.

"Hehe, kid, your martial soul is quite good; I'm going to dig it out!"

The gaunt Spirit Saint sneered as countless white bone claws erupted from the ground, trapping Huo Yuhao tightly.

Ma Xiaotao's eyes were wide with fury, and Jin Nier was incensed.

Yet, at that very moment, a chill that seemed capable of freezing time itself erupted.

"Snow Empress Three Absolutes: Emperor Cold Heaven: Snow Dance Shining Sun!"