Hand of Death Bandit Group

After Wang Yan patiently finished explaining a series of intelligence reports and arrangements regarding the mission.

Most of that intelligence was nothing but drivel about how evil the Hand of Death Bandit Group was and how righteous the Shrek Monitoring Group's duties were.

After accepting the arrangements, the Shrek group set out once more. However, pressed for time this time, there was none of the leisurely, stop-and-go sightseeing trip from the original story.

There was no conversation along the way. The Shrek group traveled at full speed, with the higher-cultivated Inner Court Disciples leading the Outer Court students on a forced march.

After less than half a day, the Shrek group reached the border between the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire. Not far away stood a military camp belonging to the Star Luo Empire.

Dai Yueheng then used his status as the White Tiger Duke's eldest son to borrow a batch of military Flying Soul Tools for everyone.

Naturally, this batch of Flying Soul Tools consisted of outdated models that the Sun Moon Empire had phased out who knew how many generations ago.

Flying Soul Tools had always been scarce, mainly because they were impractical for low-level Soul Masters. Not only were they expensive to manufacture, but they also consumed enormous amounts of Soul Power. Even four-ring Soul Masters faced a tremendous burden when using them.

Furthermore, the Flying Soul Tools used by the three original Douluo Continent nations were not as maneuverable as Soul Masters who possessed flying-type martial souls, so they naturally had little market among low-level Soul Masters.

However, this matter also plainly revealed the conflict between Shrek Academy's Soul Engineering Department and Martial Soul Department.

Logically speaking, Shrek Academy's Soul Engineers were already among the more outstanding Soul Engineers in the three original Douluo Continent nations.

The Soul Tools mass-produced by the Soul Engineering Department were also an important source of financial support for Shrek Academy.

As for why the Main Team and Reserve Team, the faces of Shrek Academy, had not been equipped with a single Soul Tool produced by the Soul Engineering Department—that was a subject no one could touch.

Whether it was because the Martial Soul Department of Shrek Academy could not swallow its pride and lower its head to apply for Soul Tools.

Or because the Soul Engineering Department harbored resentment over its own Main Team disciple being directly replaced after Ma Xiaotao returned, unable to even join the Reserve Team.

In the end, the fact that these Flying Soul Tools for travel had to be borrowed from the military by Dai Yueheng, the White Tiger Duke's eldest son, acting in his capacity outside the academy, was enough to explain everything.

Through the Eye of Truth, Huo Yuhao carefully examined the Flying Soul Tool assigned to him. Within the Eye of Truth's field of vision, its structure was riddled with flaws. Someone had clearly done it deliberately.

In Huo Yuhao's eyes, aside from several main Soul Tool Core Arrays that transformed Soul Power into upward and propulsive airflow, the other Soul Tool Core Arrays in this Flying Soul Tool contained a great deal of redundancy.

It was precisely these redundant Soul Tool Core Arrays that required the Flying Soul Tool to be housed in such a bulky casing, while also reducing the efficiency of Soul Power conversion and increasing the Soul Power consumption required of its user.

Moreover, those redundant Soul Tool Core Arrays had been interwoven and hidden within the main Soul Tool Core Arrays in an extremely covert manner, making them difficult to identify and separate. They were clearly a form of encryption for Soul Tool Core Arrays.

However, with the Eye of Truth's analysis and reconstruction, Huo Yuhao could easily dismantle them. If he were to restore it, both its consumption rate and efficiency could be improved by at least fifty percent.

Furthermore, using the Soul Tool Core Arrays obtained from this Flying Soul Tool, Huo Yuhao could modify his own Soul Power Circuit and gain a certain degree of flight capability ahead of time.

Combined with the Soul Power constantly circulating within Huo Yuhao's body every moment, it would be enough to support him in long-distance flight in an emergency.

Without showing anything, Huo Yuhao strapped the Flying Soul Tool to his back. Following the Inner Court Disciples' instructions, he practiced flying step by step alongside the other Reserve Team members.

Yet Wang Dong, who had originally been extremely resistant to Soul Tools, seemed to have forgotten her distaste for them now that the methods Tang San had left within her Spiritual Sea had fallen dormant. Just as she used a Storage Soul Tool, she happily put on the Flying Soul Tool and began practicing.

After a bit of training, Xuan Zi stepped forward. Taking a gulp of wine, he said to everyone, "All right, you've more or less adapted, haven't you? Just don't throw up once we get into the air."

Because the team had been recovering from injuries sustained during their previous internal sparring, Xuan Zi did not intend to let everyone slowly adapt this time.

"This mission is rather urgent. I'll take you directly to the destination for the rest of the journey. Everyone, get ready."

Before Xuan Zi could continue giving instructions, Wang Yan took a specially made long rope from his Storage Soul Tool and handed it to everyone.

Very quickly, everyone followed Wang Yan's instructions and tied the safety ropes around their chests, abdomens, thighs, and arms.

Then, using the clasps, everyone was connected by the ropes left hanging at their waists, while the end of the long rope was tied around Xuan Zi's waist.

Xuan Zi then directly used Soul Power to lift everyone into the air, while also taking out his own Flying Soul Tool and fastening it to his back.

Then, an irresistible force dragged everyone rapidly forward, sending them "flying" ahead as fierce winds howled like blades.

Rather than flying, it would have been more accurate to call it dragging. It was brute force creating miracles, with no regard whatsoever for airflow or wind-breaking principles. Only Soul Masters' stronger physiques compared to ordinary people allowed them to withstand such abuse.

Even so, everyone had to activate Soul Power to protect their bodies. Otherwise, they simply could not withstand the biting wind that cut like blades. This manner of flight was nothing more than charging ahead blindly.

Even then, their actual flying speed was nowhere near the speed of sound. Though everyone was holding him back, whether a Super Douluo in Douluo Continent could achieve supersonic flight using only their physical body remained unknown.

After all, even a ninth-grade Flying Soul Tool could only allow its wearer to reach speeds between Mach one and Mach three.

After continuously "flying" like they were on a roller coaster for two hours, everyone finally reached their destination under Xuan Zi's pull.

The moment they landed, only the stronger Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng remained standing, though their faces were pale.

Nearly everyone else vomited one after another. With their stomachs churning violently, they wanted nothing more than to throw up everything inside them.

Huo Yuhao's face was pale as well, and he dry-heaved twice. However, with the Demonic Potion still active in his body and his Soul Power continuously circulating, he recovered quickly.

"Hmph, look at how pathetic you all are." Xuan Zi, the culprit behind it all, made snide remarks from the side before turning toward Dai Yueheng. "Little Dai, I made quite a commotion when I landed. The military people will probably be here soon."

Xuan Zi then muttered, "I'll leave things here to you. This old man is going to take a nap first."

After stretching lazily, Xuan Zi abandoned everyone and vanished without a trace.

Seeing this, Dai Yueheng felt the burning internal injury in his chest flare up again. Still, helplessly, he could only sigh and accept it.

There was not much more to say about what followed. Though the White Tiger Duke's Mansion had lost the struggle for the throne, it still retained considerable resources and remained watchful of the current Xu Imperial Clan.

After years of operation, the Western Group Army could practically be considered the White Tiger Duke's private army. Furthermore, the White Tiger line had originally been the Star Luo Empire's imperial family.

Due to the Deities who had once ascended behind the Evil Eye White Tiger and Hell Spirit Cat, the current Xu Imperial Clan had merely restricted some of those two clans' rights rather than wiping them out completely, resulting in the current situation.

Since they were practically family, with Dai Yueheng stepping forward, everyone was soon led by a general to the military's main camp.

They had hurried on their journey, and night had already fallen. But as Soul Masters, their energy far surpassed that of ordinary people, so staying up all night was no great issue.

Moreover, compared with the mostly ordinary bandits under the Evil Soul Masters, covert operations at night were more suitable for the Shrek group.

They arrived at a hide tent in the very center of the military formation. Though it was already nighttime, the camp remained brightly lit.

The general responsible for guiding them bowed to the man reading documents by lamplight inside the tent. "Marshal, the eldest young master and the members of Shrek Academy have arrived."

The man was handsome and resolute, and his eyes shone with double pupils. He was naturally Dai Yueheng's father, the current White Tiger Duke, Dai Hao.

He was also the original owner's father, the person for whom the original owner had retained the most complicated feelings when his consciousness faded—both hatred and longing.

But that had nothing to do with the current transmigrated Huo Yuhao. Huo Yuhao merely stood among the crowd and calmly watched him.

For the current Huo Yuhao, helping with revenge was fine, but acknowledging his ancestry was entirely unnecessary. If he said he would kill Dai Hao's whole family, then he would kill Dai Hao's whole family. He was a man of his word.

After Dai Hao and Dai Yueheng exchanged a few words, Dai Hao smiled at the group. "Welcome, Teacher Wang Yan and Shrek Academy's outstanding students, to carry out this Monitoring Group mission."

"You have all had a difficult journey. Why not have a meal in our camp and allow me to offer some hospitality?"

Wang Yan did not refuse. They had been rushing nonstop and had not had time to eat anything. Furthermore, after being carried by Xuan Zi earlier, whatever had been in their stomachs had more or less been vomited out.

After eating and meditating to regulate their breathing for two hours, the night had grown deep. At the same time, the White Tiger Duke's men delivered the intelligence they had gathered.

In short, apart from learning that the Hand of Death Bandit Group might currently be active deep within the Mingdou Mountain Range, the Shrek students obtained no useful intelligence whatsoever.

"Time is tight. We still have to participate in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament. Although it is late at night, darkness will not hinder Shrek Academy's elites. In fact, it will make those bandits more likely to let down their guard."

After sweeping his gaze over everyone present, Wang Yan continued, "We need to end this quickly. We already have the map, so let us head to the Mingdou Mountain Range and begin searching. If we are lucky, we can settle everything before noon tomorrow."

Everyone nodded at those words, while Huo Yuhao began considering which members of the Main Team would be best to preserve first.

There was no need to worry about Ma Xiaotao. Between her and an Evil Soul Master, it was hard to say who was more evil.

There was no need to worry about Dai Yueheng either. Dead sooner or later, he was going to die anyway. Whether he died or not was up to him.

Gongyang Mo was best saved if possible. After all, he was currently equivalent to a high-end version of Ning Tian.

Chen Zifeng depended on the situation. As an Assault Type Soul Master, if he could be saved, he could compete in either the individual or doubles matches.

Forget Yao Haoxuan. Neither his support-type nor Control Type methods were particularly outstanding, so he could do as he pleased.

There was no need to worry about Ling Luochen. Given her fighting style, she should not run into any problems.

As for Xixi, she was too fragile. And if Chen Zifeng was to be protected, Spiritual Erosion would be better focused on him, since he was on the front line. There would not be much spare energy to affect Xixi that way.

There are a bit too many people I want to save this time. My Spiritual Power probably won't be enough, but perhaps I can take another approach. If I let one person step on all the mines, wouldn't that solve everything? With that thought broadening his perspective, Huo Yuhao stopped dwelling on it.

"All right. If no one has any objections, we will move out immediately. Dai Yueheng, you will serve as the captain and direct the operation from start to finish. I will be responsible for protecting the weaker Reserve Team members."

"Understood, Teacher Wang." Dai Yueheng still wore that smile on his face, but perhaps he would soon be unable to smile anymore.

Time passed, and deep within the Mingdou Mountain Range.

Dai Yueheng, Ma Xiaotao, and Chen Zifeng led the way, while the others were in the middle. Beibei and Xu Sanshi brought up the rear. The group advanced in a line formation and had already ventured into the Mingdou Mountain Range for an hour, but they had yet to gain anything.

However, after using the Eye of Truth to identify the traces in the surrounding environment, Huo Yuhao spoke up. "I found something. Look."

Huo Yuhao pointed at a snapped tree branch. "The break is still somewhat moist, so it should have been broken recently. And branches at this height do not seem like something a Soul Beast active in the forest would have caused."

Dai Yueheng nodded at those words and said to everyone, "Be careful. Search the area first, and be careful not to alert them."

Before long, under Huo Yuhao's guidance, Wang Yan discovered a grove of Warm Mist Trees. Then, following the trajectory of the original story, Wang Yan led everyone in deducing the approximate area where the Hand of Death Bandit Group operated.

Huo Yuhao also reported the results of his observations to Wang Yan. After another hour, the group found the cave where the Hand of Death Bandit Group was hiding.