Dawn in Jin City, Morning Light on the Streets · A Soul-Devouring Calamity in a Dark Alley

The next morning.

A faint aroma of food drifted through the dining room at Qi-Huang Residence.

Long Jinyu and Ma Xiaotao sat across from each other, eating breakfast. On the table were rice noodle rolls and soy milk, which he had cobbled together using what he remembered of Mother Jin's cooking. In just a few days, Ma Xiaotao had gone from initial skepticism to enjoying them without a second thought.

"Senior Sister, the weather's lovely today. It's perfect for going out," Long Jinyu said, slurping up a mouthful of silky rice noodle rolls.

"Mm. We'll leave as soon as we finish." Ma Xiaotao nodded, briskly polishing off her portion. "First, we'll go to Hundred Herbs Hall in the east market. Their medicinal herbs are the most reliable. Then..." She lowered her voice slightly. "We can browse the west street and see if they've gotten any new dresses."

Long Jinyu heard her clearly and thought Xiaotao was especially adorable when she let a little girlish excitement show. He grinned. "Sure. Whatever you say, Senior Sister."

Once they were ready, the two of them left Shrek Academy together.

The streets were bustling. Though Long Jinyu had been to the city before, he still took an interested look at the shops lining the road, where Soul Guidance Technology blended with classical design. Ma Xiaotao occasionally pointed things out, like a temporary tour guide.

The shopping went smoothly. With Long Jinyu's precise energy perception keeping watch, Ma Xiaotao bought some excellent medicinal herbs. Then they headed to a clothing shop on the west street. While Ma Xiaotao tried on dresses, Long Jinyu naturally became her adviser. Drawing on his experience from Blue Star, he had an eye for style that pleased her.

Near noon, the two reached the entrance to a relatively quiet alley that led to the next shop.

Ma Xiaotao was eagerly planning where to go next when the docile Phoenix Flame inside her suddenly stirred without warning. A faint alarm rose within her—the kind of reaction she got only when she encountered a high-level dark, evil presence that shared its origin or opposed it.

Her steps faltered instinctively. Frowning, she swept a sharp gaze over the shadows deep in the alley.

"Senior Sister, what is it?" Long Jinyu immediately noticed something was wrong. His spiritual power far surpassed Ma Xiaotao's, and he had already picked up several deeply concealed fluctuations of Soul Power in the shadows, tinged with a cold, deathly stillness.

System, scan.

[Scan complete. Targets: three Soul Kings, one Soul Emperor. Energy attributes: highly consistent with the characteristics of "Evil Soul Masters." Carrying Soul Tools that release highly concentrated paralyzing poison mist. High-level spatial fluctuations detected nearby (suspected Titled Douluo). Malice directed at: host and Ma Xiaotao (capture priority: Ma Xiaotao ≫ host). Analysis: identified as a Holy Spirit Cult capture squad.]

Evil Soul Masters?! The Holy Spirit Cult?! They're coming for Xiaotao?! Anger surged through Long Jinyu. No, that doesn't make sense... Why? Could it be...

His expression remained calm. He reached out and gently took Ma Xiaotao by the wrist, resting his fingertips casually against her pulse. A wisp of pure, peaceful Ultimate Life energy slipped into her, instantly soothing the slight agitation of her Martial Soul.

Ma Xiaotao was taken aback by his sudden intimacy. A touch of warmth rose to her cheeks, and she was just about to speak when Long Jinyu quickly winked at her. A faint thread of spiritual power carried his message: Senior Sister, there are rats. Don't spook them. Come with me. Let's give them a "surprise."

He led Ma Xiaotao onward, pretending not to notice anything as they chatted and laughed. But their course shifted subtly toward a more secluded, deeper dead-end alley, as if they were looking for a shortcut.

Ma Xiaotao understood at once, her heart tightening. Those Holy Spirit Cult scum dare cause trouble in Shrek City!

But feeling the warmth of Long Jinyu's palm and his unwavering confidence, she suppressed the urge to strike immediately and matched his pace. She even deliberately raised her voice to complain, "Hey, where's that pastry shop you mentioned? Why are we going farther and farther out of the way?"

The dark figures hidden nearby exchanged pleased looks, believing their prey had blundered into the trap. They silently closed in, sealing off the alley entrance—

Thick, pungent poison mist with a sickly-sweet, bloody stench surged from specially made Soul Tools, instantly engulfing Long Jinyu and Ma Xiaotao! The attack was swift and vicious, clearly the work of veterans.

"Watch out!"

Ma Xiaotao cried out, and Phoenix Flame erupted in an instant as she tried to drive away the poison mist.

But Long Jinyu was faster!

"You're asking for death!"

A cold shout rang out like a dragon's roar! The poison mist vanished in an instant. Vast, overwhelming dragon might surged from him, no longer restrained, and expanded with a thunderous crash like a solid tsunami! The aura carried the supreme majesty of the Dragon God, naturally and absolutely suppressing evil and filth!

"Argh!"

The three Evil Soul Masters at Soul King level bore the brunt. Under the pressure, their Evil Martial Souls crumpled like snow beneath the blazing sun. Their spiritual seas were shattered, and they collapsed with blood pouring from their eyes, ears, noses, and mouths.

The Soul Emperor leader managed to hold on through sheer cultivation, but the greed and viciousness in his eyes had already been swallowed by boundless terror! He saw a dragon's shadow circling in Long Jinyu's mismatched eyes, as if he were staring straight at the end of the world!

"Mon... monster! Fall... fall back!"

He roared as he tried to crush a teleportation talisman.

"You came all this way. You're staying!"

How could Long Jinyu let him get away? He simply pointed from afar. A concentrated beam of icy blue light instantly froze the Soul Emperor into an ice sculpture, stopping him in his tracks.

At the same time, his left arm naturally slipped around Ma Xiaotao's waist and gently drew her toward him. His dragon wings spread, shielding her completely.

Ma Xiaotao felt a warm yet irresistible force pull her in. The next instant, she was pressed against a warm, dependable embrace, his fresh, clean scent filling her nose.

She hadn't even seen how he'd struck before the fight was over. Being held so securely made her heart skip a beat, and she even forgot to keep her Phoenix Flame going.

Long Jinyu tightened his arm around her waist and fixed a cold gaze on a patch of seemingly empty shadow at the end of the alley. His voice was icy. "If Your Excellency doesn't come out, I'll have no choice but to 'invite' these 'guests' back to the academy for tea and a long talk!"

The shadow twisted, and a cold snort filled with surprise and wariness came from within it. "Hmph! You've got some bite, kid! I'll remember this! We'll meet again!"

Spatial fluctuations flickered and vanished. The concealed aura of a Titled Douluo instantly fled into the distance and disappeared. Seeing Long Jinyu expose the ambush and dispose of his underlings with overwhelming force—and then call him out directly—the man knew he had no chance of succeeding today. He abandoned his men without hesitation and vanished.

Long Jinyu didn't pursue him. He knew his current strength; chasing a spatial-type Titled Douluo who was set on fleeing would be unwise.

He let the chill at his fingertips fade, then turned toward Ma Xiaotao, who was still a little dazed. His tone softened. "Senior Sister, it's all right now... They're all taken care of."

Ma Xiaotao leaned against him without a word, as if she still hadn't fully come back to herself.

Just then, a lazy, wine-scented voice drifted down from above. "My, my. Young people these days are so quick-tempered. You didn't even give an old man a chance to stretch his limbs..."

Before the last words had faded, a ragged white-haired old man came wobbling down, gnawing on a chicken leg. He glanced at the four Evil Soul Masters neatly dealt with on the ground. Surprise flashed in his eyes, then he returned to his usual disheveled look.

Long Jinyu recognized him and sneered inwardly. As expected of the Holy Spirit Cult's Supreme Elder. If I hadn't been on guard and strong enough, the old man would've taken his sweet time reacting, and it would've been too late...

He showed none of that on his face. Releasing Ma Xiaotao, he bowed slightly. "Elder Xuan. I acted in an emergency and did not fail you. I've captured the miscreants. Please decide how to deal with them."

His tone was respectful, but beneath the calm lay a quiet reproach over the academy's lax security.

Only then did Ma Xiaotao come back to herself. Her cheeks flushed, and she hurriedly took half a step away from Long Jinyu, though the feeling of safety lingered. She quickly reported to Xuan Zi, "Elder Xuan, they were from the Holy Spirit Cult! A Titled Douluo was backing them up!"

Xuan Zi took a bite of his chicken leg and waved a hand. "I know, I know. We'll take these useless fools back and question them at our leisure. Kid, you did well... Mm, very well indeed."

Long Jinyu smiled modestly and said nothing. He crouched down and quickly searched the Soul Emperor, finding several sinister Soul Tools marked with grotesque skulls, some tokens and potions of unknown use, and one thing that made his pupils contract until he nearly lost control—

The Judgment Sword!!!