In midsummer, even the daylight in the dense forest was steeped in an oppressive gloom. Towering ancient trees tangled overhead, their branches slicing the sunlight into shattered fragments that fell to the ground as dappled shadows. Even the wind seemed sluggish among the trees. Damp, decaying earth reeked from the overgrown underbrush, and an eerie silence hung over everything. Only the occasional bird darted past, briefly breaking the quiet before vanishing again, leaving the forest seeming all the deeper.
Three dark figures, nearly indistinguishable from the shadows, crouched like long-dormant ferocious beasts in the canopy of a thousand-year-old cypress. Layer upon layer of branches concealed them completely. Even a Soul Emperor's spiritual sense would have failed to notice anything amiss without a deliberate, careful search. Their leader was Ghost Fiend, head of the covert guards directly attached to Spirit Hall's Tribunal Hall. A level 58 Soul Emperor, he had long since reached the pinnacle of assassination, concealment, and reconnaissance. He had never failed a single assassination or infiltration mission, and was renowned for his steady, ruthless temperament.
The two deputies behind him were both level 53 Soul Kings, death warriors carefully trained by Spirit Hall. The three synchronized their breathing and Soul Power, suppressing their presence to the utmost until they blended completely with the surrounding trees, soil, and air. This was a secret Spirit Hall technique for concealing one's aura, one that even an ordinary Soul Saint would struggle to see through. Yet Ghost Fiend's brow remained tightly furrowed, apprehension churning in his heart.
That apprehension did not come from their impending target, Tang San, but from the Dark Iron Dart message that had appeared out of nowhere the night before.
As a secret Spirit Hall outpost, the cliffside message point in this forest was known to only a handful of people. Only Spirit Hall's higher-ups and a few covert-guard leaders knew of it, and it was perpetually protected by a concealed Soul Power alarm. Even a Soul Douluo who infiltrated the area would trigger it instantly. Yet last night, a Dark Iron Dart bearing no Soul Power imprint and leaving not the slightest trace of an aura had silently lodged itself in a notch in the message cliff. It had triggered none of the alarms and left no trace. By the time the guards on shift discovered it, the message was already lying there in silence.
The message was brief, but every word was precise: Tang San, son of the Clear Sky Sect remnant Tang Hao, would soon break through to level 40 and become a Soul Ancestor. He would then head to Shrek Academy to carry out a purge. Dispatch covert guards to lie in wait and seize him the moment he struck. Do not disturb anyone uninvolved at Shrek Academy, and under no circumstances investigate the sender's identity.
Those few words had enraged Spirit Hall's higher-ups. They had immediately ordered Ghost Fiend to lead a team and capture Tang San alive, then track down the Clear Sky Sect remnants. They had also filled Ghost Fiend with dread. Anyone capable of doing this possessed top-tier strength, intelligence, and concealment skills—at least the level of a Titled Douluo, perhaps even some ancient monster who had lived in seclusion for years. He was no one he could afford to provoke.
Ever since arriving in the forest, Ghost Fiend had poured his Soul Emperor's spiritual sense over every inch of Shrek Academy, searching again and again—from the training grounds and dormitories to the forbidden grounds behind the mountain and the abandoned school buildings. He had even searched the drainage channels beneath the academy, hoping to find a trace of the mysterious sender. But hours of probing had turned up nothing. Instead, they only convinced him further that this mysterious figure was an unfathomable powerhouse, concealed somewhere beyond ordinary reach and controlling the entire game from the shadows.
"Captain, there's still no unusual fluctuation within range of our spiritual senses. The strongest soul masters at Shrek Academy are Flender and Zhao Wuji, both Soul Saints. Their auras are steady, and they haven't made a move." The Soul King covert guard on the left reported in a hushed voice through Soul Power, his tone full of confusion. "Should we keep searching?"
Ghost Fiend gave a slight shake of his head, his gaze as cold and grave as ice. "There's no point wasting our effort. This mysterious figure has unfathomable methods; we won't be able to find him easily. Stay concealed and keep a close watch on Shrek's entrances. Wait for the target to appear. Remember, don't make a move without orders. Follow the message's instructions to the letter."
As soon as he finished speaking, an extraordinarily abrupt surge of Soul Power erupted from a barren slope three li to the northwest!
The surge was turbulent and violent, as if breaking through a bottleneck. Though it was forcibly suppressed in an instant, the aura of the Clear Sky Sect's martial soul origin—a hammer, weighty as a mountain—shone like a beacon in the night. Ghost Fiend's spiritual sense locked onto it at once, and it could no longer escape him.
"He's here!" A cold glint flashed in Ghost Fiend's eyes as his spiritual sense swept out like a tide and settled precisely on a figure behind the barren slope.
Tang San was crouched behind a pile of rocks, surrounded by the faint purple glow of his fourth Soul Ring as Soul Power surged around him. His aura, once that of a level 39 Soul Elder, had climbed to that of a level 40 Power Attack System Soul Ancestor. He had clearly broken through just before reaching Shrek Academy and had only just stabilized his new level. The exhilaration of his breakthrough and a trace of malice still lingered on his face.
His fists clenched tight, knuckles whitening, while murderous intent and venom churned in his eyes. He silently roared in his heart: Lin Chen, I've finally broken through to level 40 and become a Soul Ancestor. And with the Clear Sky Hammer techniques my father personally taught me, I'll tear you limb from limb when I return to Shrek. Everyone who knows my secret will be wiped out, root and branch!
Lost in the thrill of his newfound strength and his obsessive plan to silence witnesses, Tang San desperately reined in his aura, convinced he had concealed himself perfectly. He had no idea the Spirit Hall covert guards could see his every move—even the murderous intent in his heart—as clearly as day.
"Captain, target confirmed: Tang San, level 40 Soul Ancestor. He just broke through, so his Soul Power hasn't fully stabilized. His murderous intent is intense, and he could infiltrate Shrek at any moment." The Soul King covert guard on the right reported through Soul Power, his voice tinged with disdain. Tang San's concealment was child's play to them, riddled with openings.
Ghost Fiend gave a slight nod, his gaze icy, but still did not order them to act. He merely watched Tang San closely while once again turning his spiritual sense toward Shrek's training grounds, searching for a trace of the mysterious figure. This time, his gaze fell on Lin Chen among the crowd.
The training grounds at Shrek Academy were bustling. Dai Mubai, Oscar, and the others were engaged in sparring, panting and drenched in sweat. Lin Chen alone stood quietly in a corner, his expression calm, with the faint Soul Power fluctuations of a Soul Elder in his thirties. From time to time, he spoke softly with Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong. His tone was warm, his manner unremarkable. He looked like nothing more than an ordinary Shrek student.
The instant Tang San broke through to level 40, the system's cool voice suddenly sounded in Lin Chen's mind:
``` [Ding! Enemy target Tang San has completed a breakthrough. Current Soul Power level: Level 40 Power Attack System Soul Ancestor; fourth Soul Ring absorption complete; Soul Power in the initial stage of stabilization.]
[Ding! Host's current true Soul Power level: Level 62 Control System Soul Emperor. The medicinal power of the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, Star Hidden Grass, and other Immortal Herbs within the host has not been fully refined and remains sealed and dormant; extreme concealment buff remains active, completely masking the host's figure, aura, and Soul Power fluctuations. No powerhouse at or below the Titled Douluo level can detect anything unusual.]
The system's notifications vanished as quickly as they had appeared. Lin Chen's eyelashes did not even tremble, and not a ripple stirred in his heart. He maintained his gentle expression, lightly rubbing the cuff of his sleeve as he silently sealed away the immense level 62 Soul Power of a Soul Emperor within him, along with the vast, dormant medicinal power of the Immortal Herbs in his dantian. The concealment power of the Star Hidden Grass spread fully, disguising him as an ordinary, harmless student without a single flaw.
But in Ghost Fiend's eyes, all this only dispelled the last trace of suspicion he had about Lin Chen. He even struck Lin Chen from his list of possible mysterious figures, growing all the more certain that the sender was someone else entirely.
In Ghost Fiend's mind, the mysterious person who had sent Spirit Hall a message without a sound and accurately tracked Tang San's movements and breakthrough had to be a top-tier powerhouse with profound cultivation, a restrained aura, and a piercing gaze. Even if they deliberately concealed their presence, they would still exude an authority and depth that ordinary people could not detect. But Lin Chen's eyes were clear and gentle, his Soul Power fluctuations shallow and plain, his every gesture no different from those of an ordinary youth. He was focused on the trivialities of the training grounds, with none of the cunning or bearing of someone directing a game. However Ghost Fiend looked at him, Lin Chen was merely an ordinary pawn targeted by Tang San. He could not possibly be the mysterious sender!
"This mysterious lord must be a supreme elder hidden at Shrek, or a reclusive Titled Douluo with a blood feud against the Clear Sky Sect. He doesn't want to act personally, so he's using Spirit Hall to eliminate Tang San." Ghost Fiend reasoned to himself, growing more convinced with every thought. "He deliberately stays in the shadows and leaves no trace because he doesn't want his identity exposed. We only need to follow orders and capture Tang San. We absolutely must not go looking for the lord, lest we incur his wrath."
The two deputies behind him completely agreed. They turned their spiritual senses away from Lin Chen and resumed searching the deeper, more hidden parts of Shrek Academy, intent on finding that "reclusive mysterious powerhouse." They paid no further attention to the seemingly ordinary youth.
For a time, the situation between the three sides grew bizarre:
Tang San was consumed by murderous intent. Believing he had concealed himself successfully, he crept toward Shrek Academy's wall, thinking only of silencing Lin Chen;
The three Spirit Hall covert guards lurked in the forest shadows, watching Tang San while reverently searching for a nonexistent "reclusive mysterious figure." They completely overlooked the true player behind the scenes, Lin Chen;
And Lin Chen stood in a corner of the training grounds, concealing his level 62 Soul Emperor cultivation with his peerless stealth and posing as an ordinary student. He sat firmly in the heart of the game, watching everything unfold with cool eyes and keeping the whole match firmly in his hands.
Soul Power gathered silently in Ghost Fiend's palm, the might of a Soul Emperor poised to strike. His eyes stayed fixed on Tang San as he crept closer to Shrek Academy's wall, and he kept his breathing feather-light, daring not to make the slightest move. He had only one thought: wait for Tang San to act, then seize him at once and complete the mission. He must not disturb that mysterious lord, much less provoke the people of Shrek Academy whom the lord wished to protect.
Sunlight filtered through the branches, falling on Lin Chen's gentle profile, on the cold faces of the Spirit Hall covert guards in the forest shadows, and on Tang San's sinister expression as he crept forward.
Clouds of doubt veiled the whole game. Everyone was searching for the mysterious sender behind the scenes, unaware that the true hidden one stood in the sunlight, concealed in plain sight. In the most inconspicuous guise, he controlled every undercurrent, unknown and undetected by all. And the game surrounding Tang San's planned purge, Spirit Hall's attempt to capture him, and Lin Chen's schemes was about to erupt.
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