Yun Shan's face was streaked with blood. His eyes, full of fear and unwillingness, slowly closed. At his weakest, he had faced a Heavenly Rank Dou Technique.
Even as a Dou Zong powerhouse, he had been doomed to die.
Watching Yun Shan's aura grow weaker and weaker before finally fading from the sky, Xiao Ze nodded in satisfaction.
With Yun Shan dead, he had given himself and the people of the world an answer.
The Misty Cloud Sect disciples already looked utterly hopeless. With even their sect master dead, carrying on would be nothing but a futile struggle.
"Useless! You're all a bunch of useless fools!" Protector Wu had been happy for less than two seconds before Yun Shan was killed, and that left him furious.
He had paid a huge price to help Yun Shan advance to Dou Zong. Now he hadn't even gotten back the interest. How could he not be enraged?
"Protector Wu, Yun Shan is dead. Now it's your turn!" Xiao Ze turned his gaze and fixed it on Protector Wu.
In his previous life, it had been Protector Wu who orchestrated everything, leading to his father's capture.
So compared to his hatred for Yun Shan, Xiao Ze wanted to tear Protector Wu limb from limb.
"Ke ke ke, without Yun Shan, you think you've got me beaten?" Faced with the threat, Protector Wu only sneered.
After escaping Queen Medusa's pursuit, Protector Wu fixed his eyes on Yun Shan's corpse.
If Yun Shan hadn't acted so rashly, how could he have been exposed so quickly?
"Since you're of no more use, I'll borrow your soul!"
In the next instant, a black shadow streaked across the sky like lightning and appeared beside Yun Shan, trying to snatch back the corpse.
But how could Protector Wu's intentions escape Xiao Ze's notice? The moment he approached Yun Shan, Xiao Ze struck with his palm.
"Great Heaven Creation Palm!"
Protector Wu's heart lurched. Had he been found out?
Seeing no way to dodge, he steeled himself and shoved Yun Shan's corpse in front of him, hoping to use it to block the blow.
After all, Yun Shan had been a Dou Zong powerhouse in life. Though he couldn't truly withstand the attack, even a moment's delay would be enough for Protector Wu to achieve his goal.
"Nine Forest Hundred Soul Devour!"
Protector Wu's hands rapidly formed a series of strange, intricate seals.
The two of them attacked Yun Shan's corpse from either side.
A deep hum rang out, and Yun Shan's corpse was instantly torn apart, scattering into a rain of blood.
Taking advantage of the opening, Protector Wu extracted Yun Shan's soul and swallowed it whole, without a moment's hesitation.
Once he was done, his power visibly surged, and his reaction was almost identical to Yun Shan's earlier.
At that moment, everyone present looked grim.
Yun Shan had gone from Two-Star Dou Zong to Eight-Star Dou Zong by devouring the souls of several Dou Wang powerhouses. What terrifying heights would Protector Wu reach after swallowing the soul of an Eight-Star Dou Zong?
Nine-Star Dou Zong, or even Dou Zun?
"This Protector said that no matter the cost, I would take you back to the Soul Hall today!"
"Xiao Ze, surrender. You're no match for me!" Protector Wu's gaze was cold and sinister.
Yet Xiao Ze remained completely calm. He even looked like he was about to laugh.
He asked, "Protector Wu, don't you feel a little hot?"
"Don't try to confuse me! Come quietly with me back to the Soul Hall, and perhaps you can avoid a beating!" Protector Wu issued his final warning.
But Xiao Ze only looked at him with pity and muttered, "My things aren't so easy to take!"
Finally, as he finished devouring Yun Shan's soul, a powerful aura burst from within him. In the blink of an eye, he broke through Dou Zong and reached Dou Zun!
Feeling the mighty Dou Qi within him, Protector Wu let out a low, sinister chuckle.
"Kid, I already gave you a chance. Since you refuse to see reason, don't blame me!"
With a cold laugh, Protector Wu reached out, ready to seize him in one move.
But just then, a burning heat suddenly welled up inside him, as if his Dou Qi were on fire.
"What's happening?" Protector Wu was dumbfounded.
The heat was completely beyond his control. No matter what means he tried, he still couldn't drive it out.
"Protector Wu, I told you my things weren't so easy to take. That Heavenly Flame must be unpleasant, huh?" A faint smile appeared at the corner of Xiao Ze's mouth.
Yun Shan's soul was a great tonic for people from the Soul Hall. How could Xiao Ze not know that?
So before Protector Wu could steal Yun Shan's soul, Xiao Ze had hidden the Green Lotus Core Flame inside it, waiting for him to devour it.
"You..." At that, Protector Wu felt a chill wash over him.
"You're even more underhanded than I am!"
"Likewise. Besides, in this Dou Qi Continent, who could be more underhanded than you Soul Hall people?"
Their eyes met, and they both recognized a kindred spirit—not someone to take lightly.
But Protector Wu felt like he was about to cough up blood.
Even after devouring Yun Shan's soul and barely reaching Dou Zun, he was still no match for a Heavenly Flame.
As the Green Lotus Core Flame unleashed its power, a piercing scream rang across the heavens, making everyone present shudder.
It was too horrific. They couldn't even imagine what it would be like if it happened to them.
At last, with a boom, Protector Wu erupted in a terrifying explosion from the inside out, and another rain of blood filled the sky.
He met the same end as Yun Shan.
The scene before them was so horrifying that everyone's mouths fell open. They had never imagined that Protector Wu, who had been so invincible moments ago, would be killed in a counterattack like this.
They weren't the only ones caught off guard. The Misty Cloud Sect disciples had also hoped Protector Wu would kill Xiao Ze and avenge their sect master. Now, though, all their hopes had turned to nothing.
The Misty Cloud Sect was finished.
Watching Xiao Ze hover above, looking down on the crowd, Hai Bodong, Ya Fei, and the others finally let out the breath they'd been holding.
One crisis had followed another, and their nerves had tightened with every surge in their enemies' strength. Fortunately, they had made it through unscathed.
Xiao Ze's power had exceeded their expectations.
In the square, Nalan Yanran gazed at the nearly destroyed Misty Cloud Sect, her heart aching.
After this battle, the Misty Cloud Sect had been utterly ruined, and she would become its sinner.
As the sect master, Yun Yun was no better off.
Her master had been killed, and more than half the sect's disciples had been injured or killed. As sect master, she couldn't escape responsibility.
Above the Misty Cloud Sect, Xiao Ze and the others hovered in midair, silently watching the scene below.
"I thought this Protector Wu was supposed to be strong. Didn't expect him to get taken out in one move." Xiao Zi folded his arms, his gaze full of disdain.
And that good-for-nothing Yun Shan had actually thought he could sacrifice his fellow disciples to strengthen himself. He deserved to die.
Hai Bodong was filled with emotion, too. He hadn't expected the mighty Misty Cloud Sect to be destroyed just like that.
And by the hands of the younger generation.
The people in charge of the Jia Ma Empire had now completely changed.
Watching Xiao Ze's figure, each person wore a different expression.
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