Ordinary Alliance, Ye Guyi

Long Zhanye frowned slightly, his vigilance rising even further.

The other party was so composed. Either she was far stronger than him, or she had something to rely on.

He ignored her greeting, his cold gaze sweeping the surroundings to confirm whether anyone else was lying in wait.

Seeing that Long Zhanye did not answer and merely stared at her with hostile eyes, Ye Guyi was not embarrassed.

She maintained her smile and continued, "From a distance just now, I happened to see your Martial Soul and soul skill display..."

"Very special. Truly very special. That power... seems to have a restraining effect on the sinister aura of Evil Soul Masters?"

She paused, observing Long Zhanye's reaction, then said sincerely, "I'm from the Ordinary Alliance."

"An organization dedicated to fighting Evil Soul Masters and protecting peace across the continent."

"We have always been searching for like-minded companions with the ability to fight Evil Soul Masters."

"If you're interested, you can visit our Ordinary Alliance. Perhaps we can become comrades who fight side by side."

Long Zhanye's expression did not change in the slightest.

Evil Soul Masters?

They were the enemies of the entire continent, but at that moment, only his sect's commandment remained in his heart—

No one who knew his secret could be allowed to leave alive!

He spoke coldly, cutting Ye Guyi off directly. "Whether they are Evil Soul Masters or not has nothing to do with me."

"I only know that you saw something you shouldn't have."

The smile on Ye Guyi's face stiffened slightly, and her brows drew together.

She could sense that the youth before her, who appeared three or four years younger than she was, harbored immense, almost obsessive hostility toward her.

That hostility seemed to have appeared without reason, yet it was difficult to put into words.

She took a deep breath, trying to explain and persuade him. "Whether you join the Ordinary Alliance is indeed not something I can force."

"But."

"You possess the ability to possibly restrain Evil Soul Masters."

"If you join us and receive the organization's protection, it would also be a safeguard for you."

"The Evil Soul Master faction is powerful and ruthless. Fighting alone can easily put you in danger. It is always better to have someone to rely on."

However, Long Zhanye did not want to hear another word from her.

In his heart, the sect's rules and Old Man Gu's judgment were iron laws.

This woman named Ye Guyi, regardless of what organization she came from, had seen the secret of the Son of Mingling. She had to be eliminated!

Without any warning.

A cold gleam flashed through Long Zhanye's eyes, and his right hand swept across his waist.

The Level 4 close-combat Soul Tool, the Azure Underworld Dagger, was already in his hand!

Soul Power suddenly erupted beneath his feet. His body shot forward like lightning, crossing several meters in a single stride.

The dagger in his hand drew a deadly streak of cold light as it stabbed straight for Ye Guyi's throat!

His movements were decisive and clean, without the slightest hesitation, brimming with killing intent!

"You—!" Ye Guyi's expression changed drastically, her beautiful eyes filled with incredulous shock!

She had never expected that this youth would not even bother to exchange a few more words before directly trying to kill her!!

Yet even in her haste, she reacted with astonishing speed!

With a flick of her jade-like hand, a long, silver-white sword instantly appeared in her grasp. Its slender blade was inscribed with intricate Soul Guidance circuits.

The sword radiated gentle yet resilient Soul Power fluctuations—this was a Level 5 Soul Guidance Longsword!

Clang!

A crisp metallic ring sounded!

Ye Guyi twisted her wrist and barely managed to deflect Long Zhanye's fatal strike at her throat with the flat of her blade!

The Azure Underworld Dagger scraped across the Soul Guidance Longsword, sending sparks flying.

The tremendous impact forced Ye Guyi half a step back.

Shock and anger flashed through her eyes as she shouted, "You're a Soul Engineer? Are you from the Sun Moon Empire too?"

She tried to find clues in his identity and resolve this inexplicable conflict.

Long Zhanye ignored her. When his strike failed, he did not pause for even an instant. His footwork shifted, and he closed in once more!

The Azure Underworld Dagger turned into specks of azure light in his hand, targeting Ye Guyi's vital points from treacherous angles with incredible speed!

Ye Guyi wielded her longsword, forming a dense web of sword light that blocked every one of Long Zhanye's attacks.

Her swordsmanship was exquisite, clearly the product of systematic training, and her Soul Power was exceptionally solid as well.

After several exchanges, although Long Zhanye's assault was fierce, in a pure close-range Soul Tool clash—

The Level 4 Azure Underworld Dagger in his hand was inferior to Ye Guyi's Level 5 Soul Guidance Longsword.

Whether in durability, Core Array, or attack range, it was slightly lacking. He had gradually fallen into a disadvantage.

"I have no grudge against you! Why are you trying to kill me over just a few words?!"

As Ye Guyi defended herself, she questioned him in anger and urgency. She simply could not understand his logic.

Long Zhanye remained expressionless, but his attacks grew ever fiercer.

Taking advantage of a crossing of blades, he uttered several words. "Because you saw my secret. So you must die."

Those words, cold to the extreme and treating human life as worthless, chilled Ye Guyi's heart. Her pretty face instantly turned frosty.

She finally realized that the youth before her might not be an ordinary Spirit Master. His way of thinking and his code of conduct were nearly obsessive and insane!

"Madman!" Ye Guyi muttered coldly, abandoning any lingering hope.

The longsword in her hand shone brightly. As Soul Power flooded into it, its sword intent suddenly became incomparably sharp!

Her swordsmanship, which had previously focused on defense and probing, instantly shifted into an aggressive assault!

Sword light poured down like a waterfall, carrying a holy yet piercing aura as it engulfed Long Zhanye instead!

Under her suddenly intensified offensive and the suppression of a higher-grade Soul Tool, the Azure Underworld Dagger in Long Zhanye's hand immediately struggled to cope. Several times, he nearly took a sweep from the longsword.

Seeing that he was at a disadvantage in close-combat Soul Tool combat, Long Zhanye's eyes narrowed, and he stopped insisting on it.

He retreated swiftly, simultaneously putting away the Azure Underworld Dagger.

The next moment.

Light flashed in both his hands, and two Soul Tools whose design and aura vastly surpassed the previous one appeared in his grasp!

In his left hand was the Level 6 long-range Soul Tool that had once severely wounded the Double-Eyed Cyclops—the Corrosive Ray Cannon!

In his right hand was a Level 6 defensive Soul Tool—the Soul Power Backlash Shield!

"What?! You... you're actually a Level 6 Soul Engineer?!" Ye Guyi's beautiful eyes widened as she cried out in shock!

Level 6 Soul Engineers were considered backbone forces even in the Sun Moon Empire, and were rarer than phoenix feathers in the other three nations!

This youth looked so young. How could he possibly possess the strength of a Level 6 Soul Engineer, along with such precious Soul Tool equipment?!

Before her shock had even subsided, Long Zhanye had already launched his attack!

Whoosh—!

A dark green Corrosive Ray, carrying a thick, foul stench, shot toward Ye Guyi in an instant!

Ye Guyi's expression changed drastically. She knew full well how terrifying such a high-level corrosive Soul Guidance Ray was!

She did not dare take it head-on. Soul Power surged beneath her feet as she darted to the side like a butterfly flitting among flowers!

Bang! The corrosive ray grazed the edge of her clothing and struck a large tree behind her.

A gaping hole that emitted black smoke and sizzled incessantly was instantly corroded through the trunk. It rapidly widened and decayed at a visible rate.

Long Zhanye showed no mercy.

He made a slight adjustment to the cannon in his left hand, firing several more Corrosive Rays in succession to seal off Ye Guyi's evasive routes!

Meanwhile, he held the Soul Power Backlash Shield in his right hand and steadily pressed forward.

Under such dense and fierce long-range suppression, Ye Guyi could only keep dodging, leaping, and using the terrain to evade.

She was forced back again and again, her situation becoming increasingly perilous. Fragrant sweat had already soaked her temples and back.

If this continued, she would sooner or later be struck by those terrifying corrosive rays, or forced into a dead end.