Soul Hunting Squad

"They are here."

"Are those the seniors from the Inner Court?"

"Yes." Lin Feng nodded toward Wang Dong, his gaze shifting to the three figures approaching from not far away.

The one in the middle was particularly eye-catching; her icy blue hair swayed slightly as she walked, and her cold, aloof temperament made her stand out in the crowd.

It was none other than Ling Luochen, whom Lin Feng had met at the Inner Court cafeteria two days prior.

The three of them quickly noticed the pair. When Ling Luochen's gaze fell upon Lin Feng, a look of joy appeared on her face, and she raised her hand to wave gently.

"You know each other?" Chen Zifeng, standing to the side, raised an eyebrow.

"We just met recently. Those two are the junior disciples who will be going out on this training mission with us," Ling Luochen replied, lowering her hand with a pleased expression.

Soon, the five of them met at the academy gate.

"Greetings, Seniors. I am Wang Dong from New Student Class Nine, a level 30 Assault System Battle Soul Master," Wang Dong stepped forward and spoke first, his attitude polite. "I've come along this time to ask for your help in obtaining my third Soul Ring."

"Level 30?" Chen Zifeng, standing at the front, flashed a look of surprise upon hearing this, then let out a hearty laugh. "This year's new students are truly full of hidden talents. I am Chen Zifeng from the Inner Court, a level 57 Assault System Battle Soul King."

"Inner Court, Ling Luochen." The woman with icy blue hair nodded slightly, her gaze lingering briefly on Lin Feng. "Level 55 Control System Battle Soul King. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Inner Court, Xixi, level 56 Agility System Battle Soul King." The plain-looking girl standing slightly behind them spoke in a low, simple tone. Her aura was so well-concealed that it would be easy to overlook her existence if one weren't deliberately sensing it.

"Greetings, Seniors," Lin Feng also stepped forward, a relaxed smile on his face. "I am also from Class Nine. My name is Lin Feng. I am currently... currently a level 47 Assault System Battle Soul Ancestor."

The moment his words fell, a brief silence descended upon the scene.

"What?" Xixi suddenly looked up at Lin Feng, her voice filled with unconcealable astonishment; she was clearly startled by his level.

"Level 47... Soul Ancestor?!" The smile on Chen Zifeng's face stiffened. He scrutinized Lin Feng carefully, his tone growing even more surprised. "Judging by your age, you're only twelve or thirteen, right? This cultivation... I'm afraid it already surpasses the Outer Court's twin stars, Beibei and Xu Sanshi. There's someone like you among the new students?"

"It's quite normal. He is, after all, Dean Yan's personal disciple and Ma Xiaotao's favorite Junior Disciple Brother."

Compared to the shock of the other two, Ling Luochen's reaction was much calmer.

She had already learned some information about Lin Feng from Yan Shaozhe, so while she felt a sense of admiration upon hearing his specific level, she was not surprised.

"You seniors are too kind; I still have much to learn and emulate from you," Lin Feng said modestly.

Wang Dong curled his lips to the side, muttering to himself: This guy, he has to startle someone every time he reports his level.

The simple introductions made the atmosphere of this temporarily formed Soul Hunting Squad feel somewhat subtle.

After several days of trekking, the Soul Hunting Squad finally arrived at the outer perimeter of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Towering ancient trees gradually replaced the flat roads, and the air was filled with the primitive scent of grass, wood, and soil. Faint roars of beasts and the chirping of insects drifted from deep within the forest, reminding everyone that they had stepped into the territory of Soul Beasts.

"Actually, our main purpose for coming out this time isn't just for simple training," Chen Zifeng said, leaning against an ancient tree, his expression more serious than before. "The academy received intelligence that a squad of Evil Soul Masters has been active in this vicinity recently. Their methods are cruel; they have already attacked several nearby villages, causing significant casualties."

Ling Luochen took over, her voice cold: "According to our investigation, the leader is a Soul Elder, and there are many Soul Grand Masters under his command. They are elusive, specifically targeting villages with weak defenses to plunder resources and practice evil arts. The academy sent us here for two reasons: first, to uncover their background and motives, and second... to eliminate this scourge if possible."

Xixi nodded silently from the side. Although she remained a woman of few words, her eyes had also turned grave.

Upon hearing this, the relaxed expression on Wang Dong's face vanished, and he frowned slightly.

Dealing with Evil Soul Masters was far more dangerous and complex than simply hunting Soul Beasts.

Although the Soul Hunting Squad now boasted three Soul Kings, one Soul Ancestor, and one Soul Grand Master, their overall strength was significantly higher than the Evil Soul Master squad mentioned in the intelligence.

Lin Feng nodded thoughtfully, showing no signs of fear. Instead, he asked, "Does the intelligence indicate their general range of activity or any specific characteristics?"

Chen Zifeng glanced at him, appreciating Lin Feng's composure, and replied, "They are active right here on the edge of the mixed zone, with no fixed itinerary. However, because they practice evil arts, their aura is cold and sinister, and the traces they leave behind are different from those of ordinary Soul Masters or Soul Beasts. If we search carefully, we should be able to find clues."

After half a day of tracking and investigation, relying on Lin Feng's spiritual detection ability, which far surpassed that of other spiritual Soul Masters of his rank, the Soul Hunting Squad finally locked onto their target.

At the entrance of a hidden mine cave tucked behind a pile of rocks in a mountain hollow, a cold, foul aura faintly drifted out.

"The intelligence was wrong," Lin Feng withdrew his detection and lowered his voice to those beside him. "Based on the soul power fluctuations inside the cave, there are at least two Soul Elders and seven Soul Grand Masters. There are no guards at the entrance; they must have gone to move supplies."

"No matter," a sharp glint flashed in Chen Zifeng's eyes, devoid of fear. "We have three Soul Kings on our side; the advantage is ours."

"I will be responsible for sealing the cave entrance to prevent them from escaping, and I will provide control support depending on the situation," Ling Luochen said concisely, faint ice mist already swirling around her body.

Chen Zifeng quickly laid out the plan: "Lin Feng, Wang Dong, once the battle starts, your priority is to pin down those seven Soul Grand Masters so they don't interfere with the main battlefield. Xixi, Luochen, and I will take out the three leading Soul Elders as quickly as possible. Move fast; catch them off guard."

The five of them slipped silently into the depths of the mine.

In the dim light, in a slightly wider cavern ahead, two figures draped in black robes with cold, sinister auras were indeed conversing—they were two of the three Evil Soul Elders.

"Kill!"

Chen Zifeng let out a low shout and was the first to strike.

A thick, viscous, blood-red light suddenly soared into the sky from his body.

The moment the red light appeared, Lin Feng felt an aura of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, so intense it felt tangible, rushing toward his face.

Had he not known Chen Zifeng's identity, this momentum would have seemed even more sinister than that of the Evil Soul Masters themselves.

Chen Zifeng suddenly tilted his head back, his eyes transforming into a terrifying blood-red in an instant, carrying a sharp, peerless murderous intent.

He pressed his index and middle fingers of his right hand together and pointed into the air.

"Clang!"

A clear, resonant sword hum rang out.

A condensed beam of crimson light erupted from his fingertips.

Only then did Lin Feng see clearly that within the crimson light was actually a strange, slender sword.

The sword was three feet and six inches long, barely an inch wide, with a sleek and fluid blade that lacked a crossguard, its surface marked by three deep, shocking blood grooves.

Even more bizarrely, the five Soul Rings on Chen Zifeng were not circling his own body, but were instead pulsing around the crimson blade.

The crimson sword paused slightly in mid-air before a brilliant, ghastly blood-red rainbow tore through the air, streaking across the void at a speed that surpassed the limits of reaction.

It was nearly silent...

The Evil Soul Master leader, whose Soul Rings had only just ignited, had his body cleaved right down the center by the crimson sword light, killing him on the spot.

Thick, foul blood mixed with sinister soul power sprayed in every direction.