After Elder Li heard the news that another high-level Evil Soul Master had appeared in the Heaven Dou Empire, his already anxious expression grew even more troubled.
He rubbed his hands together inside his sleeves without stopping. His breathing had grown ragged with nerves.
"No. With something like this happening near the Great Rock Forest, I can't just sit here and wait." Elder Li looked at Du Busi, his tone utterly resolute.
"Ning Feng, Vina, Mu Xue, and the others are on their first mission. It was dangerous enough already."
"And now this has happened. What if both groups of Evil Soul Masters target them at the same time? That would be a disaster! No, we have to send people to bring them back at once and deal with these Evil Soul Masters!"
Du Busi no longer looked as relaxed as he had while drinking tea.
He had always believed in giving his disciples challenges and opportunities to grow, but there had to be limits. As long as their safety could be ensured, he was happy to let them act boldly.
But if the danger became too great, he wouldn't stubbornly stick to his principles. He would respond immediately.
So Du Busi set his teacup down hard on the table. It clinked sharply.
"You're right," Du Busi said gravely. "We can't just sit back and do nothing about this..."
Du Busi stood up at once and shouted toward the outside of the hall, "Someone!"
Several inner disciples of the Body Sect, dressed in tight-fitting clothes, hurried into the side hall and bowed their heads respectfully as they awaited orders.
"Go to the Great Rock Forest immediately." Du Busi pointed toward the entrance, his voice carrying an unquestionable authority.
"Ning Feng, Vina, and Mu Xue were carrying out a mission there. Their original objective was to hunt down a group of Evil Soul Masters whose average level was only around twenty-five or twenty-six."
"But we just received the latest intelligence. Another group of Evil Soul Masters is gathering in the area, with an average Soul Power level above thirty-five."
"Ning Feng, Vina, Mu Xue, and the others are on their first mission and lack experience. This new group of Evil Soul Masters is also quite powerful..."
"So get over there at once. Find Ning Feng, Vina, Mu Xue, and the others, and make sure they're safe first. Then join forces and kill every last one of the other group of Evil Soul Masters!"
"Yes!" The disciples accepted their orders at once and rushed out of the hall.
Soul Power surged beneath their feet. Their figures became several black streaks as they sped along the mountain road outside the sect, heading toward the Great Rock Forest.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Great Rock Forest.
The three of them had no idea that anything had happened back at the sect.
For the past two days, they had searched the forest from end to end. But apart from some ordinary beasts and low-level Soul Beasts, they had found no trace of any Evil Soul Masters.
"Junior Brother, we've been searching for two days and haven't found a single Evil Soul Master." Vina wiped the sweat from her brow, looking exhausted. She glanced at the sky and suggested, "It seems there shouldn't be any more of them nearby, right?"
Mu Xue agreed. "The princess is right. The sect said there were only about ten Evil Soul Masters before, and we've accounted for that many. There shouldn't be any left."
Ning Feng stopped walking but didn't answer right away.
He crouched down and carefully inspected the plants around them, then stood and looked north.
He was just about to speak when his ears twitched.
On the wind, he caught a faint tremor.
It was the sound of metal clashing, along with someone shouting.
"Shh."
Ning Feng raised a finger to his lips, signaling for Vina and Mu Xue to be quiet.
"Something's happening, just north of here."
Without hesitation, Ning Feng lowered his stance and led the way toward the sound.
Vina and Mu Xue immediately shook off their fatigue and followed close behind him, ready to fight.
They moved through a dense patch of shrubs, using the tree trunks for cover as they advanced about three hundred meters toward the sound.
Less than fifty meters ahead, in a clearing, a life-or-death chase was unfolding.
A girl dressed in red was stumbling through the forest, desperately dodging her pursuers.
She was Nanmen Yun'er of Shrek Academy.
Nanmen Yun'er had been returning home to attend to the funeral arrangements for an elder in her family. She hadn't expected to run into this group of Evil Soul Masters on the route back to Shrek Academy.
One of her arms had a long gash. Blood kept seeping out, staining the sleeve of her clothes.
She urged her Martial Soul—the Emerald Green Bird—to its utmost.
Two pairs of green wings beat frantically behind her as she tried to put some distance between herself and her pursuers.
But her Soul Power was limited, and the fight earlier had already drained most of her strength.
Two Evil Soul Masters, both lean and radiating a chilling aura, followed behind at a leisurely pace, as if they were cats playing with a mouse.
"Run! Keep running!"
"A young girl like you will make a fine offering."
The Evil Soul Masters let out shrill laughter.
Nanmen Yun'er's face was pale.
She tried desperately to escape the area, but the Evil Soul Masters had already blocked off her routes.
They seemed to have anticipated her every move. Whether she veered left or right, an Evil Soul Master was always there to block her path.
As Nanmen Yun'er passed a large tree, she stumbled on a withered vine, her strength giving out.
"Thud!"
She crashed heavily to the ground. A sharp pain shot through her right ankle; she had sprained it.
"Damn it!"
Nanmen Yun'er's heart sank. She instinctively tried to struggle back to her feet, but a fierce gust of wind struck from behind.
She was a fraction too slow to dodge. One of the Evil Soul Masters kicked her squarely in the left shoulder.
The tremendous force sent her flying sideways again, and she slammed into a rock.
She spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed on the ground. The Emerald Green Bird, her Martial Soul, flickered in and out as her Soul Power ran dry.
Seeing her fall, the Evil Soul Masters stopped hiding their murderous intent and closed in at once.
Their expressions were vicious, and the blades in their hands gleamed coldly in the shadows.
Nanmen Yun'er looked at the enemies closing in and gave a bitter smile.
"Grandpa, I think... I'm coming to see you."
She closed her eyes, and two streams of tears slid down her cheeks.
As a new student at Shrek, she had never imagined her journey would end here.
Just as the leader raised the spike in his hand and prepared to drive it into Nanmen Yun'er's throat—
"Boom!"
A heavy thud crashed down from above, like a meteor striking the earth.
In the next instant, a figure radiating tremendous pressure landed between Nanmen Yun'er and the group of Evil Soul Masters, amid a cloud of dust and shattered earth.
Once the figure steadied himself, muscles bulged on either side of his shoulders, and two heads emerged. His six arms spread into a ferociously imposing stance.
It was Ning Feng, in his Three Heads and Six Arms state!
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