Salas's Failed Escape

Salas panicked. He sprang from his chair in an instant and began pacing back and forth within the hall.

"What is to be done? What is to be done?" he muttered frantically, sweat beginning to bead on his forehead. He was merely an eighty-ninth-rank Soul Douluo with no real combat prowess; how could he possibly withstand a monster like Xue Hen, who was at the ninety-eighth rank?

"Bishop, should we summon the Holy Temple Knights to lie in ambush and catch Xue Hen off guard?" a High-Level Deacon suggested to Salas.

"Ambush? Did you not see the Sky Screen showing that guy obliterating a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast with a single sword strike? You want a group of fiftieth or sixtieth-rank Holy Temple Knights to ambush him? Do you think they are Title Douluo?" Salas shouted at the deacon.

The High-Level Deacon hung his head, scolded, and retreated a few steps.

"No, I cannot sit here and wait for death. Xue Hen must have seen the Sky Screen last night and realized that the Pope considers him an enemy and wants him eliminated, which is why he has come to cause trouble for me. After all, I am the Pope's right-hand man!" Salas muttered to himself.

His eyes then narrowed, a look of determination crossing his face as he instructed the High-Level Deacon beside him: "Pass down the order: close the temple gates and post a notice stating that This Seat has received orders from the Pope and has returned to Martial Soul City to report for duty. During this time, the Heaven Dou City Martial Soul Holy Hall will suspend all external activities!"

"Ah?" The High-Level Deacon was stunned. So, the 'not sitting and waiting for death' you spoke of just means running away?

"Ah what? Go, quickly!" Salas urged him.

"Oh, oh, yes, Bishop." The deacon bowed and retreated.

"I am leaving right now!" Watching the deacon leave, Salas said to himself, then turned to exit through the back door.

However...

When he stepped out of the back door of the Martial Soul Holy Hall, he found two people guarding the exit, blocking his path.

"Bishop Salas, where are you going?" Ning Fengzhi leaned on his cane and smiled at him.

"Sect Master Ning?" Seeing the man before him, a flash of surprise crossed Salas's eyes. When he spotted the Sword Douluo following closely behind, he suddenly understood, and his expression turned extremely ugly.

This... they specifically came to block the back door so I couldn't escape!

"Bishop Salas, His Excellency Xue Hen is currently walking toward the Martial Soul Holy Hall. I imagine he has something to discuss with you. If you leave so suddenly, he will have made a wasted trip. Be careful, or he might hold a grudge against you for it." Ning Fengzhi smiled at Salas, feigning concern.

If I don't run, I'm afraid I'll be cleaved in two by his sword! Salas gritted his teeth, thinking to himself.

"Go back, Bishop Salas." Ning Fengzhi gestured for him to return.

"Ning Fengzhi, are you trying to make an enemy of my Martial Soul Hall?" Salas threatened, furious.

Hearing this, the smile on Ning Fengzhi's face vanished instantly, turning icy cold. "An enemy? Have you already forgotten that the Sky Screen showed the Martial Soul Hall slaughtering my disciples and destroying my sect in the future? Bishop, I am merely returning the favor."

"Those things have not happened yet! My Martial Soul Hall has not destroyed your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!" Salas emphasized.

To offend the Martial Soul Hall over a 'future' that hasn't happened yet—this is not a wise move!

"It will be too late once it happens! Besides, it is not the first day I have known of the Martial Soul Hall's ambitions and methods. As for what the Sky Screen said, I have my own judgment on whether you would truly do those things in the future," Ning Fengzhi said coldly.

"You..."

"Whoosh!" Salas wanted to say more, but Chen Xin, standing behind Ning Fengzhi, opened his right hand and summoned his Seven Kill Sword martial soul. He pointed the tip of the blade at Salas and warned, "Go back, or suffer my sword!"

"..." Salas had a clear understanding of his own strength. He could not withstand a strike from Xue Hen, nor could he withstand a strike from Chen Xin. Looking at the Seven Kill Sword pointed directly at him, he subconsciously took two steps back, his body trembling uncontrollably.

It was a mix of fear and rage.

"Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo Chen Xin, you will definitely pay the price for today's actions!" Salas declared.

"Bishop Salas, you should survive today's crisis before making such claims," Ning Fengzhi said calmly.

"Boom!" At that moment, a loud crash erupted behind them, accompanied by the screams of many people.

"Fengzhi, Xue Hen has arrived," Chen Xin said to Ning Fengzhi.

"Understood. Uncle Sword, send Bishop Salas back," Ning Fengzhi nodded and said.

"Boom!" As he spoke, Chen Xin immediately swung the Seven Kill Sword toward the ground in front of Salas. Terrifying sword energy swept across the earth, creating a shockwave that rippled outward. With a bang, Salas was sent flying back the way he came.

"Hmph, Uncle Sword, let's go." Watching Salas being sent flying, Ning Fengzhi gave a light huff and spoke to Chen Xin.

"Mm." Chen Xin nodded, guarding Ning Fengzhi as they turned and left.

Meanwhile, Xue Hen, who had already arrived in front of the Martial Soul Holy Hall, looked at the gates he had cleaved open with a single strike. Clutching the Imperial Power Sword, he stepped onto the stairs and walked inside, step by step.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, red, red—nine Soul Rings appeared beneath his feet, moving along with him.

"Your, Your Excellency... our Bishop is not here. He has returned to Martial Soul City to report for duty," the High-Level Deacon, who had been struck by the sword energy and was lying injured on the ground, said with difficulty, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth as he watched Xue Hen walk into the hall.

He hoped that Xue Hen would be like he was at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, where he was tricked by Gu Rong into leaving, and would turn back after hearing his words.

However...

Times had changed. Back then, Xue Hen had left the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect on purpose, but this time, why would he leave?

Besides...

"Bang!"

"Ouch~"

Watching the figure that had been sent flying from the back of the hall, crashing to the ground with a cry of pain, Xue Hen said calmly, "Not here? Then who is this?"

Xue Hen had never met Salas and did not recognize him, but he recognized the Platinum Bishop uniform he was wearing.

"This, this..." Looking at the figure, the High-Level Deacon of the Martial Soul Holy Hall did not know how to answer Xue Hen's question for a moment. He did not understand—hadn't the Bishop run away? Why was he back?

"Whoosh!" The next second, a flash of sword light passed by, and he no longer needed to ponder these questions.

A gash appeared on his neck, and a large amount of blood sprayed out. Then, his eyes widened, and he opened his mouth as if to say something, but before he could utter a single word, he collapsed to the ground with a thud, losing his breath.

"Daring to lie to me, you really are tired of living," Xue Hen said coldly.

Then, he turned his gaze toward Salas, who was currently crawling up from the ground...