Messenger of Death

Messenger of Death

These were Inner Court disciples who were supposed to represent the academy at this year's Soul Fighting Tournament—the elite Shrek's Seven Devils! Yet three of them had fallen during this mission.

The Shrek Inspection Team's missions were always dangerous, and casualties were to be expected. But this time, Xuan Zi had been leading the team!

If they had been gravely wounded by a Titled Douluo or someone even stronger, that would have been one thing. But facing a Five-Ring Soul King, Xuan Zi hadn't even managed to keep them safe.

Only now did a flash of yellow light appear at the cave entrance, and Xuan Zi materialized there. His white beard trembled with fury, but Wang Yan felt not the slightest stir of emotion.

He had watched students who'd been chatting with him just moments ago end up in such a state. No matter how much his heart might roil later, right now he felt numb.

Besides... Everyone knew Xuan Zi was the strongest person at Shrek beneath Mu En. As the future successor to the Sea God Pavilion, he wouldn't bear much practical responsibility for this failure. Even if he wanted to take responsibility, Mu En would stop him.

So who would take the blame? What backing did he, Wang Yan, have? He was nothing more than a senior teacher in the Outer Court. It was always the same: Shrek's glory didn't belong to the Outer Court.

And he was the teacher leading the team at this year's tournament!

Xuan Zi's face was livid. He grabbed at the air, and a figure flew out from deep within the cave. The man wore a black robe, and five Soul Rings glimmered eerily beside him. His body looked withered, and green will-o'-the-wisps flickered in his eyes.

Xuan Zi's eyes widened in fury, and he was about to tighten his grip when the man's fourth and fifth Soul Rings lit up.

First, his body became a wisp of purple smoke, slipping lightly out of Xuan Zi's grasp. At the same time, the remaining half of Yao Haoxuan's corpse began to swell and turn red.

"Elder Xuan—" Wang Yan cried out in anguish.

Hearing him, Xuan Zi had no choice but to withdraw his hand and stop Yao Haoxuan's body from exploding. Meanwhile, the wisp of purple smoke swept over the unconscious Xi Xi. The Agility Attack-type Soul Master, who had bravely shielded the reserve team's juniors from the explosion, vanished along with the Soul King.

Wang Yan was certain this was the leader of Death's Hand: the Messenger of Death.

"Wang Yan, take care of the other students. I'm going after that bastard!"

Xuan Zi's eyes were nearly popping out of their sockets. Fury and grief were almost overwhelming his reason. The last time the Shrek Inner Court had suffered such devastating casualties, it had also happened while he was leading the team. He had failed those children!

After saying that, he unleashed his Martial Soul. His body swelled enormously, and with a sweep of his hand, the remaining bandits burst apart on the spot. Then he rushed out of the cave and gave chase to the Messenger of Death.

The cave fell silent once more.

Wang Yan could only manage a bitter smile. He was badly injured himself, and Zhu Lu, whom he'd shielded, stared at the torn flesh on his back, her hands trembling uncontrollably.

"I'm all right," Wang Yan told Zhu Lu through gritted teeth. "Don't worry. I'll go check on the other students now."

Xie Huanyue was still alive, though only just. He owed his survival to his sturdy Martial Soul. Dai Huabin had been shielded by Xie Huanyue. His life wasn't in danger, but half his shoulder had been corroded by corpse poison.

Ma Xiaotao had burned away the poisoned blood in her body with her own Evil Fire, but she still couldn't move much. Her eyes, usually as blazing as flames, were now blank after the bloodshed.

Dai Yueheng could move. He was struggling to crawl toward Dai Huabin, trying to check on his younger brother. Wang Yan walked over and gently pressed down on his hand. "Huabin is alive. Don't move. Rest for a while."

At that, Dai Yueheng slowly stopped moving. Only then did his fingers begin to tremble.

Ling Luochеn had injured her leg. Wang Yan quickly called over the reserve team members who could still move and had them clear the rubble crushing it. The explosion and Xuan Zi's rampage inside the cave had both caused cave-ins, worsening her injury.

Xu Sanshi had used nearly all his Soul Power defending against the explosion, and his face looked dreadful. Bei Bei and He Caitou helped him lean against the wall so he could recover urgently. Even Jiang Nannan, who usually couldn't stand him, had no time to think about that now and focused on protecting him as he cultivated.

Once everyone was settled, Wang Yan looked at the cave, nearly drenched in blood. Despair showed in his eyes. How could he not remember that disaster from before, when Xuan Zi had led a team out and a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast had slaughtered everyone except Zhang Lexuan?

Suddenly, he thought of Huo Yuhao, the boy who'd taken leave and left after failing to become a core disciple, only to be expelled by the academy. He had always believed in that boy, but in the Spirit Department, his words carried little weight. And there was Chi Qiu, who had left with him, and Wang Dong, who had angrily withdrawn from school because the two of them had been expelled...

At that moment, he felt glad that Huo Yuhao and the others had left, even though he had no idea where they had gone. Anywhere was fine, as long as they didn't have to face this tragedy.

He looked over at He Caitou, who had come away with the lightest injuries. The reason he was the calmest person there was the three trigger-activated Defensive Soul Tools he had on him.

The Spirit Department's arrogance meant they never bothered to equip themselves with Defensive Soul Tools when they went out. Wasn't this tragedy the price of that arrogance?

At the thought, Wang Yan shut his eyes in pain. The pain in his body and heart burned within him.

He truly had no idea what to do next.

"That guy's actually stronger than a Titled Douluo. Damn it, he's right on my heels."

The Messenger of Death cursed under his breath. Judging by their clothes, he'd already guessed who they were: the Shrek Inspection Team that had given them no end of trouble.

The Shrek Inspection Team usually operated only within the Douluo Three Kingdoms and rarely entered the Sun Moon Empire. After all, the Douluo Three Kingdoms might have no choice but to tolerate interference in another country's affairs, but the Sun Moon Empire wouldn't put up with it.

That was exactly what the Messenger of Death was counting on. The Mingdou Mountain Range lay along the border between the Star Luo Empire and the Sun Moon Empire. Once he crossed the border, even the Titled Douluo behind him wouldn't be able to do anything. Was that man really going to cross into another country to enforce the law?

Besides, there were other Evil Soul Master organizations in the Sun Moon Empire. He'd have no trouble fitting in there.

Xi Xi was still unconscious in his hands. She was perfect material for a Corpse Slave. If he could refine one with cultivation at her level, he figured it wouldn't take him many more years of training before he could go toe-to-toe with a Titled Douluo.

But he had still underestimated Xuan Zi's cultivation. Xuan Zi was no ordinary Titled Douluo.

Just as the Messenger of Death was about to reach the Sun Moon border, he felt a force seize him. His body was yanked backward, and pain forced his hand open. Xi Xi slipped from his grasp and plunged straight toward the ground from high in the air.

"Bastard!"

Xuan Zi roared furiously and reached out to catch Xi Xi. But the fluctuations of his Soul Power were too powerful, triggering the Sun Moon Empire's reconnaissance Soul Tools. Their preprogrammed counterattack activated at once. It couldn't harm someone of Xuan Zi's cultivation, but it did at least slow him down.

His hand closed on empty air, and he could only watch Xi Xi fall toward the forest on the Sun Moon Empire's side.

The next second, a terrifying wave of Soul Power charged with fury swept toward the Messenger of Death, tearing the Evil Soul Master to pieces before he could even scream.