Encirclement of Wei to Rescue Zhao? Then Let's Fight!!

"So they want to take hostages, capture the leader to subdue the bandits? Hmm, no... 'Besiege Wei to rescue Zhao' would be more accurate."

Watching the Shrek group across from him reveal their martial souls and soul rings, Fang Le felt nothing but a massive headache and helplessness.

The naked greed in those fellows' eyes practically screamed that they were waiting to swarm forward and seize the little girl to use as leverage against Di Tian.

One had to say, this really was Shrek's traditional specialty!

He remembered that in the original plot, there was a similar incident.

But that time, it was Xuan Zi who captured Rui'er to threaten the Scarlet King, and he had even shamelessly forced the Auspicious Beast and Huo Yuhao to act as a conduit.

That led to the subsequent tragedy of the soul beasts' luck being stolen and Rui'er's sacrifice.

"Hmm..."

"Uncle Long, hit him hard! Give this old thing a good loosening of his joints!"

As the thought crossed his mind, Fang Le couldn't help but shout toward Di Tian.

"Rest assured! I guarantee I'll make him feel nice and comfortable!"

Hearing this, the strength in Di Tian's hands increased by a few notches.

"It's breaking! It's breaking!"

Beneath his grip, Xuan Zi let out a painful howl. As for what exactly was breaking, Fang Le wasn't quite sure.

One had to know that Fang Le and Rui'er were now bound together; the two of them naturally stood on the same side.

Moreover, after spending some time together, Fang Le had grown quite fond of the little one who was always so clingy toward him.

It was just that the time hadn't come to officially tear off the mask.

Otherwise, if Di Tian knew about the things Xuan Zi had done to Rui'er in the original work, having his tendons pulled and skin peeled would be the least of his worries.

Being beaten a few times like this, Xuan Zi should be content.

This wailing... hmm... it was satisfying.

Seeing that Di Tian knew when to stop, Fang Le nodded and then looked at the seven Shrek members releasing their martial souls not far away.

Three Soul Ancestors and four Soul Elders—setting aside the quality of Shrek's teaching, the students who came out of there were far ahead of their peers in talent and combat power.

Not to mention that Zhang Lexuan was mixed in with this group.

This future inner courtyard senior sister and successor to the Sea God Pavilion.

Don't look at her lack of excessive screen time in the plot; her talent was at least enough to rival Xuan Zi and chase after Mu En.

When she first appeared, she was only twenty-four or twenty-five, yet she had already reached the eight-ring Title Douluo level.

She was truly a prodigy of her generation.

Although it was said that she had damaged her meridians by forcibly absorbing a 100,000-year soul ring, leading to a lack of progress in her later cultivation, it was undeniable that her future breakthrough to Title Douluo would still be as easy as eating and drinking.

By then, she would be one of the rare Title Douluos to possess two 100,000-year soul rings.

In this era without soul spirits, soul spirit ascension, or God Trials to increase soul ring age, that was already the top-tier configuration.

(Excluding those who cheat, and excluding the secret arts of the Holy Spirit Cult.)

In the world today, only a handful of people could suppress her in terms of soul ring quality.

As for soul power cultivation, she was even further ahead.

Her peers, even those who had broken through to Soul Ancestor, had only just reached level 42 or 43. Even Han Ruoruo, who was a year older than Zhang Lexuan, was only level 45.

She, however, had already reached level 49, just one final step away from breaking through to Soul King.

Coupled with the various methods she had learned as Mu En's disciple, it was no exaggeration to say that the current Zhang Lexuan was no different from the official team members of Shrek who had broken through to Soul King and participated in the Soul Master Tournament.

As for the remaining six, although slightly inferior, they were all rare geniuses in the outside world.

Han Ruoruo, with the Gold-Binding Rope martial soul, was a level 45 control-type tool Soul Ancestor.

Wu Ming's martial soul was the Golden Crow, which possessed the bloodline of an ancient divine beast, a level 42 assault-type beast Soul Ancestor.

Both were characters who had made a name for themselves in the original work.

The rest—the Xuanming Turtle, the Vajra Bear, the Life Tree, and the Shadow Leopard—were all formidable high-level martial souls.

"The bear and the turtle are for frontal assault and defense, the fire bird and the moon should be artillery mages, the rope is for control, and the leopard looks like an assassin. The tree is likely a support, perhaps with some control capabilities; it's highly probable it's the Life Tree Soul Saint who appears in the later plot."

Without systematic training, Fang Le couldn't fully identify the martial souls of the seven people opposite him.

But he could roughly guess their characteristics.

One frontal assault, two long-range artillery, a controller, an assassin, a tank, and a healer—it was a very comprehensive team.

The difficulty of these seven fighting in coordination was definitely not something that could be compared to the mindless zombies he had encountered before.

With their team working in unison, even an average Soul Emperor could be cut down by them.

"What a real pain! But... I didn't want to cause trouble, but do you really think I have no temper? Hmm... I wonder if I can hold my own?!"

Looking at the Shrek group poised for action before him, Fang Le spoke of trouble.

Yet, the Twin Star that quietly appeared in his hand, pointed straight ahead, and the edge faintly hidden in his tone suggested otherwise.

Hmm... it didn't seem quite so distressing after all.

Fang Le didn't mind a good fight.

However, there was one thing that made him... well... want to improve.

Having never learned combat techniques or methods to subdue enemies, Fang Le couldn't control his own power very well.

He particularly disliked the uncontrolled violence displayed during battles, triggered by hormones or whatever else.

It was like water without a channel; before Fang Le could clearly perceive it, it would sweep him into a gutter he had no desire to enter.

But!

Nothing could make Fang Le go where he didn't want to go, or do what he didn't want to do.

Not the water flow, not the hormones and ferocity, and not that other brutal self hidden deep within his heart.

He was the master of this body now, and his will was the primary directive this shell had to obey.

Whether it was letting Mi Hu go at the city gate or ordering the death of those two brothers in front of the courtyard just moments ago.

Those were decisions Fang Le had made himself, choices of his own will, and steps toward seeing through and mastering himself.

And now, a battle where the strength was equal, or even one where he, Fang Le, was at a disadvantage, was the best way to hone himself.

Accumulate and release in battle, then come to understand and control the violence in his chest through that same battle. After all, when he read novels, that was how the protagonists did it.

If those protagonists could do it, why couldn't he, Fang Le?

Now he was going to give it a try and see just how far he could go.

"Brother Fang..."

Fang Le wanted to enjoy the battle, but the little girl behind him had a completely different mindset.

Jiang Nannan tugged at the corner of the young boy's cloth garment, her voice soft and sweet. In those three short words, the worry from the bottom of her heart spilled out, impossible to conceal.

"Don't worry, I'm very strong.

Once I deal with these guys, we'll go cure Auntie's illness! It's our promise, let's pinky swear..."

Facing the little girl's worry, Fang Le patted his chest confidently to comfort her.

Children were easy to coax; with a promise and a pinky swear, the mood that was about to turn to rain immediately cleared up.

However, that was only from Fang Le's perspective; to him, it was just a big brother's promise to a little kid.

But in Jiang Nannan's eyes, it was a completely different scene.

The way Fang Le smiled confidently as he made the promise made his small figure seem to transform into a brilliant light in the eyes of the anxious girl, a light she wanted to follow for all eternity.

Facing his extended thumb, Jiang Nannan couldn't help but hook her own around it, revealing a bright smile.

"Mm... pinky swear!!"

"A hundred years, no changing it!!"

"I want to, I want to too! Fang Le, I want to pinky swear too!"

Seeing this scene from the side, Rui'er didn't know what they were doing, but its natural curiosity made it want to join in.

It nudged its little head against Fang Le's body, rubbing against him to act spoiled.

"I really can't do anything with you, come on then!"

Pushing the rubbing cat-head away with effort, Fang Le said just as generously.

"Ew... Rui'er, you should wash your paws more! They're all dusty!"

"Hehe! I'll definitely do it next time!"