The Demonic Owl Borrows a Sword to Devour the Phoenix Flame; Cleansing the Turbid World in Sacrifice to the Dragon Court

The moment Long Jinyu recognized the familiar patterns on the sword hilt—the ones dripping with ironic "justice"—his movements abruptly froze!

No... This can't be!!!

The Judgment Sword?!

The name exploded in his mind! How could this thing be here? In the hands of an Evil Soul Master from the Holy Spirit Cult?!

His shock lasted only an instant. His thoughts whipped through the clues like loose pages caught in a gale, connecting them all at once—the Holy Spirit Cult, the targeted ambush, Ma Xiaotao, the Judgment Sword... The answer was glaringly obvious!

A Transmigrator! There must be someone in the Holy Spirit Cult who knows the original story! He knows Xiaotao's future! He knows the Judgment Sword is the key to unleashing the darkness inside her! He wants to recreate that tragedy—or make it even worse!

An anger far more violent and colder than anything he'd felt during the battle surged up. It first choked him, as if time itself had stopped, then erupted from the depths of his heart like magma bursting from a volcano dormant for ten thousand years!

His anger wasn't just because the enemy had targeted Ma Xiaotao. It also came from a deep, indescribable disappointment and utter contempt toward one of his own kind for falling so low!

He bent down and clamped his fingers around the hilt of the Judgment Sword like an iron vise. His fingertips turned faintly white from the force... His knuckles creaked.

You're helping the wicked... Someone who lived through the Information Age and received a basic education could actually do something more beastly than an animal?!

"Crack... crack..."

Long Jinyu didn't roar or shout. He didn't even make any obvious movement. Yet, centered on him, the temperature throughout the entire alley plunged to freezing! The moisture in the air instantly crystallized into fine ice that pattered to the ground.

A wisp of dragon might, purer and more savage than during the battle, brimming with the will to destroy, leaked out of him uncontrollably!

This wisp of pressure seemed to contain the Dragon God's ancient authority to look down on all living things and command life and death. Its very nature surpassed the realm of Soul Power pressure.

The air around them seemed to freeze! The bluestone slabs on the ground gave off faint cracks under the unbearable strain!

Xuan Zi, who had been gnawing on a chicken leg, froze. His cloudy old eyes flashed with light as he stared hard at Long Jinyu's back, startled. How can this be? That kid... The killing intent he just unleashed, even I...

What he sensed wasn't Soul Power running amok, but something... closer to the fundamental laws of existence: an absolute, bone-chilling fury!

Ma Xiaotao, standing nearest to him, felt it most strongly. The terrifying pressure made the Phoenix Flame within her cower. She had never seen Long Jinyu lose control like this, and the cold emanating from his back made her heart tighten.

"Kid!"

Ignoring her own discomfort, she instinctively stepped forward and gripped Long Jinyu's arm with her cold hand. Her voice carried a note of worry and urgency.

The chill of her touch and the sound of her voice poured into Long Jinyu's Spiritual Sea like a clear spring, reaching the depths nearly consumed by his fury.

He snapped back to his senses, realizing he had almost lost control. His savage dragon might and bone-piercing chill quickly receded.

He took a deep breath and turned to look at Ma Xiaotao, meeting her worried phoenix eyes.

The storm of destruction in his eyes quickly subsided. He gently took her cool hand in his, offering comfort with the warmth of his palm.

"I'm fine, senior."

His voice had returned to calm, but an eternal frost that would never melt had settled deep in his mismatched eyes.

At the same time, he hurriedly contacted the System through his Spiritual Sea. System, immediately sense the Soul Power mark I left on that gold card. Confirm Tang Ya's location and vital signs!

[Command confirmed. Scanning... Target "Tang Ya" is in the outer courtyard teaching area of Shrek Academy. Vital signs stable, mental fluctuations steady, no abnormal conditions. Overall assessment: target is completely safe. Core algorithm analysis: enemy capture priority assessment (Ma Xiaotao > Tang Ya ≫ host)]

The System's response eased Long Jinyu's mind somewhat. Looks like they want to capture Xiaotao first and haven't gone after Tang Ya yet. Tsk... Using their information advantage to deliberately destroy two girls who could've had bright futures... I... [automatically censored]!

He turned and raised the Judgment Sword in his hand before Xuan Zi. His voice was terrifyingly calm.

"Elder Xuan, this item is called the Judgment Sword. It definitely didn't originate with the Holy Spirit Cult. Its appearance means the enemy we're facing knows us better than we thought. They're more insidious and more dangerous, too."

"Today's incident was no coincidence. Their target was clear—it was senior Xiaotao. I suspect there's a 'prophet' within the Holy Spirit Cult." He deliberately emphasized the last two words. "We need to interrogate them as soon as possible and uncover the mastermind."

He didn't say "Transmigrator," but the word "prophet" was enough to put Xuan Zi on the highest alert.

The drunkenness had long since vanished from Xuan Zi's face, replaced by gravity. He looked at the Judgment Sword and sensed its strange aura. "A 'prophet'... If that's true, this is a matter of the utmost importance!" He made up his mind at once. "You two, come back to the Sea God Pavilion with me immediately! We need to discuss this thoroughly!"

"Elder Xuan, wait." Long Jinyu stepped forward, speaking with a reasoned composure that inspired confidence. "The enemy came prepared, so we need to be even more cautious. I suggest we split up to make sure nothing goes wrong."

He pointed to the four unconscious Evil Soul Masters on the ground. "You can take these three Soul Kings back to the academy for interrogation. What they know will be enough to put the academy on alert and verify my suspicions."

Then his gaze fell on the Soul Emperor, who was barely clinging to life. "He's the core of this operation and must know the most. He's badly wounded, so I'll personally guard him and take him to the nearby Yanhuang Lingyun Medical Mansion for emergency treatment and further interrogation."

Before Xuan Zi could object, Long Jinyu offered the most important reason. "A senior has established a special barrier around that Medical Mansion. It's utterly righteous and full of positive energy; no evil aura can approach it of its own accord. It's safer than anywhere else, with absolutely no risk of the witness being silenced. This is the best way to ensure we get his testimony."

Xuan Zi furrowed his brows. He was clearly displeased that Long Jinyu wanted to take the most important witness beyond the academy's control. He was about to insist—

Then, an unexpected change occurred!

"Mm..."

Ma Xiaotao, who had been struggling to stand behind Long Jinyu, suddenly swayed. Her cheeks, usually flushed by the Phoenix Flame, instantly drained of color and turned deathly pale.

She let out a muffled groan, closed her eyes, and crumpled forward like a puppet with its strings cut.

"Senior!"

Long Jinyu reacted with lightning speed, his heart lurching in alarm. He turned sideways almost instinctively and swept an arm around her, catching her limp, warm body in his arms.

Feeling her abnormal temperature and faint breathing, he was gripped by a tangle of heartache, anger, and anxiety.

"She was struck by that Evil Soul Master's mental power earlier, and it's taking effect now!" Long Jinyu made an immediate decision, his voice urgent and leaving no room for argument. "She needs treatment right away! The Yanhuang Lingyun Medical Mansion is nearby, and it has the best healers on the continent, experts in guiding and treating the mind. I'm taking her there now!"

"Nonsense!" Xuan Zi was shocked. He took a step forward, letting the pressure of a Super Douluo flow naturally from him. His tone was firm. "The Sea God Pavilion has the best treatment available in the world. With Elder Zhuang there, we can ensure Xiaotao's safety! We must return to the academy!"

"The Sea God Pavilion?"

In an instant, a scene from the original story flashed through Long Jinyu's mind: it was in the Sea God Pavilion that Ma Xiaotao had been secretly controlled by the Evil Soul Masters and Jing Hongchen!

His profound distrust of Shrek's internal security, together with his worry for Ma Xiaotao's safety, ignited the last shred of his patience.

He stopped trying to explain. Dragon might surged through his mismatched eyes once more, but this time it didn't spread in a savage wave. Instead, it gathered into two icy beams, as solid as matter, stabbing straight into Xuan Zi's eyes!

A supreme majesty, rooted in the very source of life and transcending all living beings! It was as if the ancient Dragon God had opened his eyes just a crack.

With a single glance—

Xuan Zi, a level-98 Super Douluo, felt an unprecedented shudder deep in his soul. The Soul Power throughout his body seemed to freeze, its circulation sluggish!

The step he'd been about to take was nailed to the spot. His throat felt as if packed with ice, leaving him unable to utter a single word. Even the Godly Taotie Bull Martial Soul within him let out a frightened whimper.

Xuan Zi: "..."

Long Jinyu's voice was now terrifyingly calm, but it carried an absolute will that permitted no dissent. Each word struck the ground like an icicle, leaving no room for negotiation.

"I. Said. We're. Going. To. The. Medical. Mansion."

"I'll take full responsibility for her safety."

Leaving those cold words behind, he didn't spare Xuan Zi another glance. He carefully adjusted his hold to make Ma Xiaotao more comfortable, then used a gentle stream of Soul Power to lift the unconscious Soul Emperor from the ground.

With a flash, he became a streak of light and shot toward the Yanhuang Lingyun Medical Mansion, leaving Xuan Zi alone behind him, his expression shifting as turbulent waves surged in his heart.

As he flew, a barrier of condensed Soul Power kept the raging wind at bay, but it couldn't keep the coldness and anger in Long Jinyu's heart from rising. He looked down at Ma Xiaotao's pale, lovely face and held her more tightly against him.

Alas... There were differences even among Transmigrators...

Long Jinyu sighed.

Some of my fellow countrymen had left behind a Core Flame in another world, saving lives and healing the wounded.

Others, in this living hell, didn't think of destroying the den of evil. Instead, they couldn't wait to join the wicked.

Who says the birth rate is low? I'd say it's doing pretty well.

...Whoever you are, you've succeeded in making me furious. You want to play? Then I'll play along.

Until I wipe you—and the Holy Spirit Cult—from this world... for good!