Corpse Explosion Technique

The next second, this shadowy figure radiating sinister energy launched an underhanded sneak attack—bang.

Even though Zhou Yi had activated her martial soul to defend, one was a Six-Ring Soul Emperor and the other a seventy-eighth-level Soul Saint.

Zhou Yi simply couldn't withstand Li Qiang's strike; it slammed into her body.

The immense force sent Zhou Yi flying backward.

Moreover, Li Qiang cultivated the path of an Evil Soul Master.

After the attack hit Zhou Yi, his violent, dark soul power rampaged inside her.

Pfft.

A mouthful of thick blood sprayed from Zhou Yi's lips, her appearance utterly wretched and pitiful.

Yet despite how battered she was, Zhou Yi showed no panic. Instead, a cold smirk curled involuntarily at the corner of her mouth—a look of glee at a successful scheme.

Finally!! Finally he'd taken the bait!!

She had only just left Shrek City when this seventy-eighth-level Evil Soul Master had targeted her.

All she'd done was expel those students and ruin their lives, hadn't she?

Did they really hate her that much?

If she hadn't gone to Fan Yu and begged him to ask Xuan Zi to protect her in secret, without a doubt, she would have died at this Evil Soul Master's hands.

But there were no "ifs." With Xuan Zi, a ninety-eighth-level Super Douluo, protecting her...

No matter how much this seventy-eighth-level Evil Soul Master hated her, no matter how strong he was, even if he tried to drag her down in a self-destruction, it was impossible.

After all, protecting her was the renowned Taotie Douluo—a terrifying existence who could crush this seventy-eighth-level Evil Soul Master to dust with a single thought.

This time, she, Zhou Yi, had won!

Now, staring at the black-qi-shrouded Evil Soul Master Li Qiang before her, Zhou Yi's expression twisted as she shouted again:

"Elder Xuan, the Evil Soul Master is here! Come out now!!"

Silence. Stillness.

After several long seconds, only this seventy-eighth-level Evil Soul Master, here for revenge, stood before Zhou Yi.

As for anyone else—not a single shadow.

"Huh????"

A massive question mark appeared on Zhou Yi's face, her expression blank and confused.

She froze, then turned to scan her surroundings, staring in disbelief at the empty space behind her.

"Elder... Elder Xuan? You... where are you?"

Seeing that Xuan Zi, who should have suppressed this seventy-eighth-level Evil Soul Master with lightning speed, had yet to appear, Zhou Yi's heart completely panicked.

Where was he?

What the hell was going on!!!

But what exactly was this Xuan Zi, who was supposed to be protecting Zhou Yi in secret, doing right now?

Hadn't they agreed earlier—she, Zhou Yi, would act as bait alone to lure out this seventy-eighth-level Evil Soul Master, and then Xuan Zi, hiding in the shadows, would strike like the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind?

He was supposed to kill this Evil Soul Master who sought revenge on her outright.

But the Evil Soul Master had been lured out—so where was Xuan Zi?!!

At the same time, this Xuan Zi, who should have been protecting Zhou Yi, was hugging a gourd of wine, gnawing on a chicken leg, and watching the scenes on the Heavenly Curtain with great relish.

"Interesting, very interesting. I never thought Ancestor Tang San had such a past."

"Tsk tsk tsk, after watching Yu Xiaogang, who nurtured a god ten thousand years ago, and the Sea God Tang San, it seems I, Xuan Zi, am not such a failure after all."

That's right, Xuan Zi figured the Heavenly Curtain had just started showing the Evil Soul Master seeking revenge on Zhou Yi, so he definitely couldn't have gotten there yet.

Rather than staring at Zhou Yi the whole time, he might as well watch the Heavenly Curtain to pass the time.

After all, seeing those cringe-worthy scenes recorded on the Heavenly Curtain, Xuan Zi felt like he was back in form.

His past mistake of accidentally causing the deaths of a few students wasn't such a big deal anymore.

After all, who could guarantee they'd never slipped up?

He swore, last time was definitely an accident—a tragedy caused by a moment of carelessness.

It would never happen again.

Thinking this, Xuan Zi took another huge bite of his chicken leg and let out a satisfied sigh:

"Chicken legs taste even better!"

But right at that moment, a piercing scream rang out from afar:

"Help! Help!!!"

Hearing this, Xuan Zi, who had been eating with gusto, paused mid-motion.

He was puzzled—who was calling for help? And why did the voice sound so familiar?

At the same time, Xuan Zi vaguely felt like he had forgotten something.

Just as Xuan Zi was lost in confusion, that miserable voice rang in his ears again, this time even clearer.

"Elder Xuan, Elder Xuan, save me!!"

In an instant, Xuan Zi suddenly snapped to attention, his expression shifting drastically.

No good! Zhou Yi was in danger.

The Xuan Zi who had been standing still vanished, flying toward the direction of Zhou Yi's cries.

But by the time Xuan Zi reached Zhou Yi, it was already a bit too late.

Zhou Yi had already been captured by the Evil Soul Master. Without hesitation, Xuan Zi followed the trail left by the Evil Soul Master and Zhou Yi, chasing after them urgently.

In the end, the traces of the two led to an underground cavern.

Staring at the pitch-black entrance, Xuan Zi's heart felt a chill for a moment.

But then he remembered—he was a ninety-eighth-level Super Douluo. What was there to fear from a seventy-eighth-level Evil Soul Master?

So, Xuan Zi strode directly into the cavern.

Instantly, a thick stench of blood flooded his senses of taste and smell.

The cavern's terrain was somewhat enclosed, and everywhere around him were densely packed corpses.

Seeing the bleached white bones hanging on the walls, Xuan Zi felt a gust of eerie wind rush toward him, involuntarily shuddering.

Following the cavern deeper, Xuan Zi finally spotted Zhou Yi and that Evil Soul Master.

Xuan Zi crept forward cautiously, but the moment he saw Zhou Yi, his pupils contracted sharply.

Zhou Yi's condition was utterly horrific. Her right arm had been torn off, and her body was soaked in the Evil Soul Master's venom.

Under the corrosion of the venom, Zhou Yi's skin had been eaten away, making her look terrifying.

At this rate, if Zhou Yi ever went back to teach at Shrek Academy, she wouldn't need to disguise herself as an old woman anymore.

Because now, Zhou Yi's face was completely ruined, hideous to behold.

"AHHH!!!"

In an instant, a murderous intent so dense it could almost solidify erupted from Xuan Zi.

"Stop! Release Zhou Yi this instant, old man!!!"

At that moment, hearing Xuan Zi's shout, Li Qiang fixed his pitch-black eyes on Xuan Zi with a playful smirk.

Facing the legendary Taotie Douluo, he showed no fear. Instead, his expression was manic and excited, his entire body trembling.

In a mocking tone, he sneered:

"All those years we were expelled by Zhou Yi, and you, the so-called Taotie Douluo, never showed up. Now that Zhou Yi's hurt, you come rushing over to save her."

"How disgusting!"

Hearing Li Qiang's words, a flash of killing intent flickered in Xuan Zi's eyes.

Without a single word of nonsense, Xuan Zi shot forward like a streak of blood light.

Seeing Xuan Zi closing in, a hint of triumph gleamed in Li Qiang's eyes.

He hurled the half-dead, tortured Zhou Yi directly at Xuan Zi.

The moment Xuan Zi instinctively caught her, a sharp, raspy voice rang out.

"Corpse Explosion Technique, rise!"