"Chirp chirp chirp chirp..."
A strange, inhumanly sinister laugh rang out, making everyone who heard it break out in goosebumps as a chill pierced straight down their spines and into their marrow...
The entire avenue had been completely enveloped by the Four-Eyed Demon Fox's Hunting Domain. Heaven and earth were dim, and the only thing visible was a blur of light and shadow extending a few meters around them.
In the darkness, four scarlet, bloodthirsty eyes slowly opened. They were filled with sinister amusement as they fixed firmly on the group.
Sensing the murderous atmosphere permeating the air, Xue Mingqing frowned and instinctively moved Ning Yurong behind him.
He asked solemnly into the Spirit Sea, "Teacher... are you really sure you have a way to deal with this?"
Within the Spirit Sea, Feng Qingyang casually glanced at the outside world and lightly spat out two words: "I've got it covered."
Hearing that, Xue Mingqing's tense shoulders instantly relaxed by half.
With an old man in the family, it was like having a treasure. The ancients truly hadn't deceived me.
The sense of security this old man provided was so solid that it put him completely at ease.
He was calm, but the mercenaries beside him had faces ashen as iron, looking as awful as if they had eaten flies.
"Tsk, what a burden..."
"Who says it isn't? We just picked him up, and he's already caused such a huge disaster!"
Though they complained nonstop, the mercenaries' entire bodies were tense. They instinctively protected Xue Mingqing and Ning Yurong at the very center of the formation.
Hearing that, Wang Chao frowned and, without giving them a chance to keep bickering, shouted, "All of you, shut up! Brothers, release your Martial Souls!"
In an instant, Wang Chao's body expanded by a full circle. A layer of ice-blue fur, sharp as steel needles, sprouted across the backs of his hands and arms.
Ice Wolf Martial Soul, possession!
Two yellow, two purple, and two black—six perfectly proportioned Soul Rings slowly rose from beneath his feet, their radiance flowing brilliantly!
Seeing this, the other mercenaries stopped talking and awakened their Martial Souls one after another.
Ice Thorn, Ice Rhino, Ice Bow... Every one of them was an ice-type Martial Soul from the Extreme North.
Two yellow, two purple, and one black—the light of five standard Soul Rings flickered as the full strength of five Soul Kings unfolded!
Yet this scene inspired not the slightest fear in the Four-Eyed Demon Fox's eyes. Instead, they were filled with disdain.
Just one Soul Emperor and five Soul Kings.
There was no way they could stop it!
The Soul Emperor who had tried to stop it yesterday had already been swallowed whole, without even a scrap of bone left.
With a shrill screech, cold light flashed from the Four-Eyed Demon Fox's claws, and its body suddenly blurred!
Five intercrossing streaks of deadly frost instantly slashed toward the group!
They were blindingly fast!
The five Soul King–level mercenaries could not even catch their shadow!
The weakest, Xue Mingqing and Ning Yurong, could not even sense the wind!
Only Wang Chao, a Level 66 Soul Emperor, could barely make out that trace...
But... it was merely a trace.
An expert revealed the truth with a single move.
From this strike alone, Wang Chao judged that the Four-Eyed Demon Fox had cultivated for at least thirty thousand years! Its strength was comparable to a peak Soul Emperor, or even an early-stage Soul Saint!
Realizing this, how could Wang Chao dare hold anything back?
The first, second, and third Soul Rings beneath his feet suddenly blazed brightly, and three enhancement skills erupted in succession!
His aura surged to more than twice its original strength in an instant!
He stepped forward, and the black Soul Ring beneath his feet suddenly exploded with light!
"Sixth Soul Skill! Ice Wolf Destruction Kill!!!"
With a roar, he thrust both claws forward—
A soul-image of an Ice Wolf, carrying overwhelming ferocity and trailing ice-blue radiance, viciously pounced toward the Four-Eyed Demon Fox!
However, faced with this killing blow, the Four-Eyed Demon Fox let out a mocking laugh.
Its body flashed again, instantly transforming into an afterimage that slipped past the Ice Wolf soul-image!
The Ice Wolf soul-image abruptly froze in midair, while the Four-Eyed Demon Fox had already slid past it!
Only several breaths after the Four-Eyed Demon Fox had passed—
The Ice Wolf soul-image finally let out a delayed, shrill cry before shattering into chunks of ice crystals that scattered and vanished on the wind...
Seeing this, Wang Chao's gaze darkened. He suddenly turned around and roared, "Quick! Young master! Run!"
"Brothers, hold the line!"
"Damn it! We've been unlucky for eight lifetimes! Fifth Soul Skill! Ice Guard!"
"Fifth Soul Skill! Frenzy Ice Thorn!"
"Fifth Soul Skill...!"
Soul Rings lit up, and Soul Skills roared as one trump card after another was unleashed at the same time!
Yet faced with the mercenaries' all-out eruption, the Four-Eyed Demon Fox showed not the slightest fear!
At the instant it was about to reach Wang Chao's face, its body suddenly twisted, and it actually concealed itself in the darkness!
"Chirp chirp chirp chirp!"
A sharp, shrill laugh echoed from every direction.
The Four-Eyed Demon Fox, hiding in the darkness, did not immediately pounce on the group of mercenaries.
It seemed... that this time, it wanted to play a little longer. Or perhaps—
It wanted to exhaust the mercenaries' Soul Power!
Seeing this, Xue Mingqing gritted his teeth and hardened his heart. He grabbed Ning Yurong's hand behind him and ran!
The Four-Eyed Demon Fox's target was Ning Yurong. As long as he took her and ran, the mercenaries might still have a sliver of hope...
As for himself?
In any case, Feng Qingyang was still inside him. His teacher couldn't possibly just watch him die!
Having understood the stakes, Xue Mingqing grabbed Ning Yurong's delicate hand almost instantly and shot forward in a single stride!
Caught by the wrist and dragged into flight by Xue Mingqing, Ning Yurong's body jolted. Before she could react, her feet instinctively stumbled!
After running a few steps and recovering, Ning Yurong flipped her wrist—
A magnificent Seven-Story Glazed Pagoda appeared beneath her feet alongside a yellow Soul Ring!
The Soul Ring beneath her feet flashed once, and six yellow streams of light shot out from the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda, entering the bodies of the six people led by Wang Chao!
As the streams of light entered their bodies, the defenses of Wang Chao and the other five rose by fifteen percent!
After providing all the assistance she could, Ning Yurong bit her lip.
She said nothing. After taking one last look at the backs of the mercenaries, she turned and fled alongside Xue Mingqing.
Seeing this, Xue Mingqing unconsciously tightened his grip around Ning Yurong's wrist.
No one wanted the person they had saved to be a venomous snake, and Xue Mingqing was no exception. He did not want to become that foolish farmer.
Ning Yurong's gratitude made Xue Mingqing even more determined to protect her.
Clutching Ning Yurong's wrist, Level 13 Soul Power circulated and swirled through Xue Mingqing's legs.
It actually strengthened and enhanced the power of Xue Mingqing's strides!
Every step he took was like stepping on a spring, carrying him more than ten meters at a time!
After only a few steps, Xue Mingqing and Ning Yurong gradually vanished at the end of the retreating path.
Seeing this, Wang Chao, who had stayed behind to cover their retreat, could not help but relax.
As long as the young master could escape alive, that was enough!
Now that the six of them remained behind to cover the retreat, Xue Mingqing, who was fleeing with Ning Yurong, truly had a chance of getting away!
With their backs against one another, the six mercenaries formed a circle. Their expressions were tense yet carried a hint of tragic resolve as they watched their surroundings, alert for a possible attack from the Four-Eyed Demon Fox at any moment.
With an ugly expression, Ma Han, standing beside Wang Chao, swept his gaze over the surroundings.
"Damn you, Wang Chao! It took you forever to come back with a job for the brothers, and now you're leading us straight into a dead end!"
Hearing this, Wang Chao's expression turned bitter.
He and these brothers had grown up together in Blizzard City, close enough to share the same pair of pants.
When they were young, they had often traveled far and wide together to complete missions.
It was only after they encountered Blizzard City's lord, Xue Ningxian, that Wang Chao became Xue Ningxian's trusted aide and left this small group.
But even after leaving his brothers, Wang Chao had always kept them in his heart.
A few days ago, he heard that Xue Ningxian wanted to find a group of mercenaries to escort the young master to Shrek, so Wang Chao had brought up these brothers.
He had originally planned to land them a big job.
But who could have expected...
Thinking of their current predicament, Wang Chao could not help giving a bitter laugh and shaking his head.
"Sorry, brothers. If we survive this round, I'll buy you all a drink, all right...!"
"Heh... One round won't be enough. We'll drink until a month's wages are gone!"
"Hahahaha! And what of it!"
Before you continue