Return of the Evil Soul Masters

The next morning, Yun Jingheng convened Sea God Pavilion Meeting.

This wasn't the first meeting he'd held since returning, but it was the one with the most attendees.

Yun Ming, Ya Li, Zhuo Shi, Long Yeyue, Cai Yue'er, and Feng Wuyu all arrived.

Wu Zhangkong, Tang Yinmeng, and Lan Muzi were also there.

Ye Xinglan and Gu Yuena sat on either side of Yun Jingheng behind him.

Xie Xie and Yuanen Yehui are no longer at Shrek, but their places are still reserved.

There was no aroma of tea in the meeting room; Lan Muzi hadn't even had time to boil water. Several pages of newly translated intelligence were spread out on the table, each page curled at the edges.

Yun Jingheng picked up the top page, looked at it once, then looked at the second page, without saying a word.

No one else spoke, but Zhuo Shi, sitting below, had already frowned.

"The Holy Spirit Cult has moved us," Yun Jingheng said.

He put the intelligence back on the table, his tone not harsh, but everyone present could tell that this was no longer the playful banter of the past.

Tang Yinmeng said, "Three towns in the west have been attacked at the same time. We have lost contact with two of our intelligence points, and a supply team coming from the south was intercepted near Gray Forest. There were no survivors."

She paused for a moment before continuing, "There are marks left by Evil Soul Master at the scene; they left them intentionally."

Lan Muzi continued, "Another village was completely burned down. From Gray Forest to the North Slope, there was smoke all the way. The people who escaped said that they didn't rob or steal money, they just killed people and then burned them down."

Yun Jingheng didn't speak; of course he knew that the Holy Spirit Cult was the best at waiting.

Zhuo Shi slammed his hand on the armrest. "Shrek isn't so weak that Jing Heng has to take action himself."

Long Yeyue said, "I don't recommend playing your cards so early. If the Holy Spirit Cult dares to counterattack, they must have a backup plan. They've been entrenched for many years, and they can't just be hiding a few Evil Soul Master."

Cai Yue'er also said, "The refugees from the west are coming to Shrek. If they mix in, it will be difficult for us to distinguish them."

Ye Xinglan said, "I'll go to the western front."

Yun Jingheng turned to look at her, Ye Xinglan said, "I won't lead the main force. Let's go to Gray Forest first and separate the supply line from the refugee route."

Yun Jingheng looked at her but didn't respond immediately.

Gu Yuena said, "I'll have the people from the Spirit Pagoda go around to the west side, one in the open and one in the shadows."

Yun Ming said, "Let Chang Kong and Ye Xinglan go to the western front. The people from the Spirit Pagoda will act as undercover agents. Increase patrols within the city. All refugees entering the city should stay in the outer city for three days first."

Yun Jingheng nodded after listening.

He said, "I will not leave the Inner Court. From today onwards, all scheduling for the western front will be handled by Wu Zhangkong and Lan Muzi."

"The Tang Sect will take over the southern supply lines, while the Spirit Pagoda will handle the east and north gates. The Sea God Pavilion Elder will be in charge of the city. If anyone is unsure about anything, come to the east of the lake and ask me. I'll only give advice, not take action."

Everyone responded in unison, while Yun Ming remained silent.

He only added at the end, "Bring Xie Xie and Yuan En back as well."

Yun Jingheng nodded.

The atmosphere finally calmed down at this point in the meeting, but everyone knew that this was just the prelude. Since the Holy Spirit Cult dared to retaliate, they wouldn't just intercept a single supply team.

What they need to see is whether Yun Jingheng will make a move. Shrek must hold up the sky themselves if he doesn't intervene; this is the second half of the Sixth Trial.

It wasn't just his personal tribulation; it was the tribulation of everyone at Shrek, and also the Holy Spirit Cult's final desperate counterattack.

It was still early, but the atmosphere outside the city was already tense. Yun Jingheng sat in his chair and slowly folded the page of intelligence in his hand.

He slowly pressed the folded intelligence report under his palm, then suddenly said, "But why would they dare to come out? Do they think I won't make a move?"

The meeting room fell silent, and everyone looked at him.

Lan Muzi opened her mouth but didn't speak, Wu Zhangkong also stood still.

Yun Jingheng looked up at them. "The Holy Spirit Cult isn't stupid. They chose this time to counterattack because they know I have many restrictions."

He paused, then continued, "But the fact that they know so much is suspicious. Who leaked my information to them? Was it a spy among the refugees in the west, or someone with eyes and ears in the city?"

Yun Ming said in a deep voice, "You suspect that the Holy Spirit Cult has been watching the city for a long time?"

Yun Jingheng said, "It's not a matter of doubt, their supply interception routes are too precise— Gray Forest, North Slope, and the route that bypasses the Tang Sect's checkpoints. Without an inside accomplice, they couldn't have done it."

He spoke very calmly, Tang Yinmeng's expression changed. Lan Muzi immediately said, "I'll go back and screen all the outsiders again."

Yun Jingheng nodded, then added, "Don't alert them. Just remember, don't arrest. Whoever leaves the city first is the lead."

Zhuo Shi said, "Then why were they so certain you couldn't make a move? Not many people know about the God Trial."

Yun Jingheng said, "They don't need to know. They just need to see if I make a move. If I win the bet, Shrek can't withstand it; if I lose, they can retreat. Either way, it's a test."

He paused for a moment, then chuckled, "But they missed one thing."

Long Yeyue asked, "What?"

Yun Jingheng said, "Just because I can't make a move doesn't mean I can't make a move."

Everyone was taken aback.

Ye Xinglan remained silent, and Gu Yuena only stared at him. Yun Jingheng leaned back in his chair, his tone indifferent. "The God Trial forbids me from using martial arts, forbids me from killing. But it doesn't forbid me from lighting lamps, setting up formations, or overseeing things. Just because I didn't go out doesn't mean I didn't do anything."

He paused, then continued, "The Half-Sweet Coffee is still here, the Star Pavilion is still here, and the Evil Soul Master are human. They rely on ghosts, blood energy, poison, and ambushes. What they fear most is sunlight, thunder, and open flames."

He raised his eyes, a thin layer of cold light in them. "I can't fight this battle. But I can make Shrek Academy so brightly lit that they can't even take a step."

Lan Muzi's eyes lit up, and Wu Zhangkong seemed to understand something as well.

Ye Xinglan said, "So you want us to reveal their formation first."

Yun Jingheng nodded. "That's right. The ones who move most secretly at night aren't the Holy Spirit Cult, but those light-phobic bastards."

He looked at Tang Yinmeng and Lan Muzi: "Immediately switch all the tower lights in the outer city to Blue Light Tower patrol mode. Don't move the Underground Plasma Bombardment Array, but send the open flame devices and High-Intensity Soul Guidance Lamp to the western outposts, at least one for each outpost, and have the caravans take them too."

The crowd responded.

Yun Jingheng then looked at Gu Yuena: "The Spirit Pagoda has Soul Power Stabilizer. We'll place it wherever the fluctuations are most chaotic on the western front."

Gu Yuena said, "I'll have them send it over before dawn."

Yun Ming finally spoke, "I will personally oversee the city's defenses."

Ya Li didn't speak; she just looked at Yun Jingheng, her eyes shining slightly. Yun Jingheng stood up.

He said, "They bet I wouldn't move. I deliberately moved to show everyone, just not with my fists."

After he finished speaking, he pulled out a chair, the chair legs making a very soft sound as they scraped against the stone floor.

He walked out of the conference room and headed towards the east of the lake, saying to Half-Sweet Coffee, "From today onwards, all energy signatures of any unusual activity by the Holy Spirit Cult on the western front will be compared using the Star Pavilion, and reported every three hours."

Half-Sweet Coffee is recommended.