Ambushed on the Road Again!

They had obtained the Soul Bone and set out once more, leaving Blizzard City.

Unlike last time, Xue Mingqing was riding a horse this time.

As he rode a white steed, his long gray hair and green robes fluttered behind him in the wind, making him seem like an immortal.

Watching the scene, Zhang Lexuan rested her cheek on her hand, unspeakable thoughts hidden in her dark eyes.

Noticing Zhang Lexuan's strange expression, Lu Xiaoxiao, seated beside her in the carriage with her eyes closed as she rested, spoke softly and teased her.

"If you like him, tell him. If you don't say it, aren't you afraid someone else will snatch him away?"

At that, Zhang Lexuan instinctively froze. When she realized what Lu Xiaoxiao meant, a deep blush instantly spread across her fair, delicate face.

She instinctively looked away and lowered her head.

Her ears reddened, but she didn't offer some excuse like, "I don't like him."

Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz as she stammered, "Mingqing... ahem... he's still too young... I'm a full eleven years older than him..."

Lu Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow and opened her long, dark eyes. She gave Zhang Lexuan a casual glance, yet that single look seemed to see right through her.

Zhang Lexuan instinctively lowered her head even further, like a thief caught in the act, not daring to meet Lu Xiaoxiao's gaze.

Just as she hung her head in embarrassment, unsure what to say,

Lu Xiaoxiao spoke again.

"Fine, do as you like... Just don't cry if someone else snatches him away."

After hearing Lu Xiaoxiao's words, Zhang Lexuan pressed her lips together. Gradually, the figure of a breathtakingly beautiful young woman appeared in her mind...

Thinking of Xue Mingqing's relationship with that girl, and the way she treated him, Zhang Lexuan felt a pang in her heart...

She bit her lip and lifted her eyes, looking through the carriage window at the young man.

After a long silence, it seemed she had made up her mind...

But just as she was secretly making her decision,

the sound of hooves and wheels outside the carriage came to a halt.

Then Xue Mingqing's wary voice rang out.

"Who are you? What are you trying to do...?"

Hearing him, the two women in the carriage froze. They exchanged a glance, then leaned out to look.

At a glance, they saw that Wang Chao, Ma Han, Ice Bow, Ice Rhino, and three other mercenaries were mounted around their carriage, protecting it.

At the head of the mounted party, Xue Mingqing sat proudly atop a white steed, brimming with youthful heroism.

Not far in front of him stood three black-robed figures with their arms folded.

The one on the left was tall and slender.

The one in the middle was neither tall nor short.

The one on the right was shaped like a squat melon, broad as he was short.

They stood in the middle of the road, blocking the party's way.

Looking at the three black-robed figures, Xue Mingqing furrowed his brow. A faint unease stirred within him.

His keen senses had noticed...

The people across from them didn't seem to have come in peace...?

Sure enough, after Xue Mingqing asked his question, Soul Rings lit beneath the three figures' feet without so much as a word.

When Xue Mingqing saw how many rings they had, his pupils constricted.

Because...

The two figures on the left and right of the black-robed trio each had seven rings beneath their feet...

The black-robed figure in the center, occupying the spotlight, had no fewer than eight!

Two Soul Saints... and one Soul Douluo!

Seeing this, Wang Chao and Ma Han, half a horse-length behind Xue Mingqing, urged their mounts a step forward.

Their brows knitted into deep furrows, every muscle in their bodies taut. Their sixth sense as powerful fighters was screaming that danger was coming, but...

They still moved to stand on either side of Xue Mingqing, shielding him!

After risking their lives to escort Xue Mingqing half a year ago, they had all been formally accepted as Soul Masters under Xue Ningxian.

With Xue Ningxian directing resources their way, Wang Chao had already reached level 71, becoming a Soul Saint.

Ma Han, Ice Bow, Ice Rhino, and the other three had all advanced from Soul Kings to Soul Emperors.

They had thought that escorting Xue Mingqing this time would be as easy as pulling weeds and catching bugs.

But...

Looking at the three powerful foes who clearly meant them harm, Wang Chao could only feel speechless.

Was their young master some kind of walking disaster?

Why did trouble find him wherever he went...?

Wang Chao closed his eyes briefly, then cupped his hands to the three figures, his manner courteous. "May I ask why you've blocked our way?"

The three fell silent for a moment. Then the tall black-robed figure on the left spoke.

It was a woman's voice, flippant and teasing.

"Hehehe... It's nothing much. We just want to borrow something from you..."

Hearing the woman's voice, Xue Mingqing instinctively furrowed his brow. Wang Chao and Ma Han did the same, as did Zhang Lexuan, Lu Xiaoxiao, and the others who had caught up behind them.

Because...

There was something strange and sinister in the woman's voice, something they couldn't quite put into words...

She was clearly an Evil Soul Master!

Realizing this, Wang Chao and Ma Han exchanged a glance and immediately made their decision.

Years of working together had forged an unspoken understanding between them. Without needing a word, the other mercenaries urged their horses forward, moving to shield Xue Mingqing and the others.

Once they were in position to protect those behind them, Wang Chao cupped his hands again.

"May I ask... what you want...?"

"Hehehehehe..."

A bewitching, seductive laugh rang out. The female Evil Soul Master sneered and raised a jade finger tipped with blood-red nail polish, gently tracing her blood-red lips beneath her hood.

"Borrow..."

"Your young master's head!"

With that, the female Evil Soul Master pushed off the ground. Like a ghost, she surged toward Wang Chao and the others, leaving behind trails of phantom images that blurred between real and unreal.

Seeing this, Wang Chao's expression darkened. He pushed off with his legs, and seven Soul Rings lit beneath his feet as he leaped straight from his horse and charged at the three opponents!

"Brothers, hold the line!"

"Seventh Soul Skill, Ice Plains Dire Wolf!"

With a shout, the Seventh Soul Ring beneath Wang Chao suddenly lit up as he hung in midair!

Under its abyss-black glow, his burly, solid body swiftly transformed into a three-meter-tall Ice Plains Dire Wolf, its body covered in ice spikes and its expression savage and ferocious!

With a boom, the massive wolf hit the ground, sending snowflakes and dust flying in every direction!

As the Ice Wolf landed, Ma Han and the other four summoned their Martial Souls in succession. Their Soul Rings shone beneath them as they fearlessly dismounted and surged forward, ready to charge the three opponents alongside Wang Chao in his Martial Soul Avatar form!

As if they'd be scared! Six months ago, the six of them had dared to charge a Soul Saint with one Soul Emperor and five Soul Kings.

Now they had one Soul Saint and five Soul Emperors. So what if they were charging two Soul Saints and one Soul Douluo?

Maybe they couldn't win, but—

They sure as hell had to fight with the swagger of men who had the advantage! That was the spirit of men from the Extreme North!

With all four paws planted on the ground, the burly Ice Wolf's bloody eyes glinted with keen, icy light. Each fang in its gaping jaws gleamed with the chill of extreme cold...

Staring fixedly at the fearless Ghost Woman charging straight at him with her head down, Wang Chao snorted.

"Brothers... get them!!!"