Even High Soul Power Fears a Mob

Watching the blood-colored earthen spikes tearing through the ground toward them, a playful smirk curled the corners of Wang Chao's mouth.

"Scatter!"

With just that single word, the five people led by Wang Chao immediately dispersed; they were not foolish enough to take the Demon Bear's attack head-on.

As for the Ice Rhino, the only defense-type Soul King among the six, he remained in front of Xue Mingqing and Zhang Lexuan.

One reason was to be ready at any moment to block any incoming attacks for the two of them.

The second was to keep an eye on Xue Mingqing, lest he catch them off guard again and charge forward with a sword technique!

Xue Mingqing was naturally unaware of the mercenary Ice Rhino's petty thoughts. At this moment, the Snow Sword in his hand had already dissipated, and he stood quietly with his arms crossed, watching this "Bear Hunting" operation.

And what of the Demon Bear, who was being besieged by the group?

Seeing the six rings flickering beneath the feet of Wang Chao, who was charging at the very front, how could he not see that this Wang Chao was the strategic core of the team!

As long as he captured the leader first and crushed him, the remaining people would surely become like headless flies!

Once that happened, what difficulty would there be in defeating them one by one?!

Having realized this, a flash of cruelty crossed the Demon Bear's eyes.

Since you want to come, then stay here forever!

Lifting his millstone-like bear paw, the Demon Bear's third soul ring suddenly lit up beneath him!

"Third Soul Skill, Demon Bear Palm!"

With a low roar, a brilliant blood-red light erupted from the Demon Bear's paw, intent on swatting Wang Chao to death with a single blow!

In response, Wang Chao acted as if he didn't care at all, ignoring it entirely as he kept his head down and charged straight toward the Demon Bear!

Seeing Wang Chao's reckless, headstrong behavior, the Demon Bear frowned.

Instinctively, he felt something was wrong, but he was unwilling to give up the opportunity to kill Wang Chao right before his eyes.

"Go to hell!"

With his ferocious nature fully exposed, the Demon Bear roared, and the demonic palm, spitting out deadly blood-red light, was about to descend.

However!

Just as the Demon Bear was about to swat Wang Chao to death, Ma Han, the deputy captain of the mercenary team, made his move!

He flicked the Ice Crystal Thorn in his hand, and his fifth soul ring lit up. The Ice Crystal Thorn suddenly shone with a cold, icy light, piercing through the air in an instant. It arrived later but struck first, tightly binding the Demon Bear's paw!

"What?!"

Feeling the inexplicable pulling force on his arm, the Demon Bear was caught off guard, and his attack stalled for a split second!

It was precisely this instant!

Beneath Wang Chao's feet, his first, second, and third soul rings suddenly lit up, erupting with brilliant flowing light!

His entire body expanded by a circle amidst this radiance!

Slamming into the Demon Bear's chest, Wang Chao chuckled.

"I won't miss this time!"

"You, what are you trying to do?!"

"What am I trying to do?"

"Hmph..."

With a cold snort, Wang Chao's sixth soul ring suddenly lit up beneath his feet!

"Sixth Soul Skill, Ice Wolf Destruction Kill!!!"

With both claws hooked into the Demon Bear's body, Wang Chao unleashed his ultimate move at point-blank range, right before the Demon Bear's horrified eyes.

He unleashed his full power!

He poured the entire phantom of a fierce and hideous ice wolf directly into the Demon Bear at zero distance!

"Ahhh--!!"

Boom!

Before the sound of the explosion could even ring out, the Demon Bear's scream came first!

Behold the sky filled with exploding ice and blood!

Under the impact of a point-blank explosion, even a high-defense Soul Saint like the Demon Bear could hardly withstand it.

He was sent flying backward by this ultimate move, leaving trails of icy blood in mid-air.

Even before the Demon Bear could land, while he was still in the air, the Ice Bow Soul King—who had maintained a low presence the entire time—chose the perfect moment!

He chose this exact moment, while the Demon Bear had just taken a full-force ultimate and his body had yet to react—

He drew his ice bow!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Three ice arrows tore through the air, and in the Demon Bear's despairing eyes, they struck his neck, chest, and abdomen with pinpoint accuracy!

With a grunt of "Ugh!", the Demon Bear crashed heavily into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust and debris.

He collapsed, motionless.

The seven sinister, brilliant soul rings beneath him slowly flickered out as he fell.

Witnessing the entire scene, Xue Mingqing's mouth twitched uncontrollably.

He looked at the Ice Rhino shielding him and asked, "Uncle Ice Rhino, are you guys always this savage? You can actually gang up and kill a seven-ring Soul Saint?"

Hearing this, the Ice Rhino nodded silently. Not being one for words, he spoke in a dry, clipped tone.

"Thanks to the harsh environment of the Far North, soul masters from our region are generally stronger than those from elsewhere."

"If a Soul Saint gets latched onto by a group of mercenaries like us who lick blood off the blade, and they're unprepared or lack intelligence on us, they'll likely meet their end."

Xue Mingqing blinked.

"Then why couldn't you beat the Four-Eyed Demon Fox?"

At Xue Mingqing's question, the Ice Rhino fell silent for a moment.

A short while later, he spoke awkwardly.

"The Four-Eyed Demon Fox is a speed-type. Our team is nothing but power-attack and control types; even I only count as half a defensive type, so..."

After hearing the Ice Rhino's explanation, the corner of Xue Mingqing's mouth twitched even more violently.

So this team was just a bunch of brawlers.

To put it simply, this team was like five Dian Weis—they might not fear anyone if they just put their heads down and charged, but the moment they ran into a skilled Jing, they'd be forced to behave.

Dian Wei could indeed one-shot Jing, but that was only if he could actually land a hit.

Realizing that the life-or-death crisis he had just faced was simply because his team of five were all specialized fighters with glaring weaknesses, Xue Mingqing couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.

Thinking of the shortcomings of specialized fighters, he felt all the more grateful for having developed his self-created soul skill, Snow Transforms Into All Things.

No matter how specialized others were, he possessed the talent for infinite versatility—infinite versatility meant that no matter how things changed, he could counter them!

With a twitch of his lips, just as Xue Mingqing was about to give instructions to Wang Chao and the others, a thud came from behind him!

Startled, Xue Mingqing turned around.

He saw the young girl he had saved kneeling behind him, her beautiful eyes brimming with tears.

Eyes wide, Xue Mingqing asked in confusion.

"Big sister, what is the meaning of this...?"

Zhang Lexuan closed her eyes, and two trails of clear tears slid down her cheeks, falling onto the ground and shattering with a soft patter.

"This girl, Zhang Lexuan, thanks Young Master Xue for your righteous intervention and for avenging me!"

Hearing this, Xue Mingqing froze. Once he regained his composure, he looked at Zhang Lexuan before him, sizing her up.

Black hair reaching her waist, beautiful eyes with a hint of moonlight silver within the black, a face both delicate and resolute, and a youthful figure—he estimated she was no older than fifteen.

This was actually the image of Zhang Lexuan from the original story!

Recognizing the Zhang Lexuan before him, his pupils couldn't help but tremble!

Zhang Lexuan? Huh?

Had he arrived at the moment in the original story when Zhang Lexuan's family was wiped out?

Wait, buddy, wasn't it supposed to be Mu En, the Wheelchair Douluo, who saved Zhang Lexuan in the original?

Had his transmigration and rebirth caused such a massive shift in the world line? That couldn't be right—he hadn't even stepped foot outside of Wind Snow Village before; how could he have changed the world line?

Could it be that he just happened to arrive at the right time?

Yes, yes, that had to be it!

Zhang Lexuan, kneeling on the ground, had no idea that in these few short seconds, Xue Mingqing's thoughts had wandered from the Hundred Herb Garden to the Three-Flavor Study.

She bit her lip, as if having made a decision, and spoke.

"I thank Young Master Xue for the grace of saving my life and avenging me. For such great kindness, Lexuan is all alone and has nothing to repay you with. I am willing to follow by your side to repay this debt..."

Hearing this, Xue Mingqing snapped back to reality, stunned.

He looked at the Ice Rhino beside him, his mouth twitching uncontrollably.

"I must have misheard. Uncle Ice Rhino, help me translate—what did she just say?"

The Ice Rhino repeated, expressionless.

"She said she wants to follow you, Young Master. Is there a problem with that?"

"The problem is huge!"