Blocking the Shrek Group

Zhao Wuji let out a miserable scream, staggering forward and nearly collapsing to the ground.

But he did not dare linger for even a moment. Enduring the agonizing pain, he led the Shrek group away in a bedraggled retreat into the depths of the forest.

Shen Lian slowly sheathed his blade, his gaze cold as he watched the direction in which they fled.

Zhu Zhuqing walked to his side, her silver eyes gleaming with admiration and reverence.

The woods returned to a brief silence. Only the blood dripping from Zhao Wuji stained the dead leaves with vivid red blossoms, silently recounting this breathtaking battle.

Shen Lian watched the direction in which Zhao Wuji and the others had fled, a confident smile curling at his lips.

Shen Lian knew perfectly well that Zhao Wuji, burdened with a penetrating wound, could not get far, especially while dragging along several burdens.

"Zhuqing, let's go."

Before his words had faded, the Vermilion Bird Wings unfurled blazing behind his back. A torrid current of Soul Power swept Zhu Zhuqing into the air with him, like a burning meteor streaking across the night sky.

The biting night wind howled past. Zhu Zhuqing nestled tightly in Shen Lian's embrace, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath his chest.

The forest below became a dark green river rushing backward. Her silver eyes narrowed slightly as she clearly caught sight of several fleeing figures ahead.

Zhao Wuji's steps were visibly unsteady. Each time he landed, he left a bloody footprint on the ground, while the long trail of blood behind him looked beneath the moonlight like a road sign leading to death.

Under the terrifying speed of the Vermilion Bird Wings, Shen Lian caught up to Zhao Wuji and the others in front of them within moments.

Shen Lian descended slowly, the gusts raised by his blazing wings making the surrounding trees sway violently.

Zhao Wuji suddenly raised his head. Seeing that familiar figure blocking the way like the god of death, the last trace of luck in his heart completely shattered.

Zhao Wuji stopped, panting heavily. The wound on his back continued to seep blood, dyeing much of his clothing red.

"Kid, I admit defeat this time."

Zhao Wuji's voice was hoarse and weary, his eyes full of unwillingness and despair. Then he shouted to Shen Lian again:

"But this has nothing to do with these students of mine. Let them leave, and I'll let you deal with me however you want."

Zhao Wuji's massive body trembled slightly, whether from pain or fear. But at this moment, he was willing to trade his own life for his students' chance to survive.

At that moment, Dai Mubai suddenly broke free from Oscar's grip and staggered in front of Zhao Wuji.

He looked at Shen Lian, a trace of resolve flashing through his eyes, then shouted:

"I caused all of this, Shen Lian. If you have the guts, let them go. If you want to kill someone, kill me."

After suffering that crushing defeat and humiliation, Dai Mubai seemed to have matured greatly overnight. At this moment, he even showed a measure of responsibility.

"Boss Dai, don't say that!"

Oscar and Ma Hongjun immediately stepped forward to pull him back, their faces filled with anxiety and concern. Then they said to Dai Mubai:

"We'll stand with you!"

Their brotherhood showed itself fully in that moment. Even before the threat of death, they were unwilling to abandon one another.

Yet amid this tense atmosphere, Tang San seemed completely out of place.

His brows were tightly furrowed, his gaze unfocused. He paid no attention to the danger before him as he kept muttering:

"Xiao Wu... Xiao Wu was taken by the Titan Giant Ape... I have to find Xiao Wu..."

In Tang San's heart, Xiao Wu's safety after being taken by a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast had already surpassed everything else, even his own life.

This nearly obsessive fixation on Xiao Wu made him turn a blind eye to the life-or-death crisis before him.

Shen Lian coldly swept his gaze over everyone before him. His eyes paused briefly on Tang San before returning to Zhao Wuji.

The flames of the Vermilion Bird Wings danced behind him, illuminating his sharply defined profile. There was not the slightest hint of pity in his eyes.

Shen Lian's Dragon-Slaying Blade glinted with a chilling light beneath the moon. His hawk-like gaze swept over the group before finally settling on Zhao Wuji and Dai Mubai, his voice so cold it seemed capable of freezing the air.

"They can all leave, but the two of you are not going anywhere."

As those words fell, the atmosphere in the woods instantly froze. Even the occasional chirps of insects abruptly ceased.

Oscar still held his Sausage Martial Soul in his hand. His trembling fingertips betrayed the tension in his heart, yet he stepped forward without hesitation and stood before Zhao Wuji and Dai Mubai.

Ma Hongjun's bulky body followed closely behind. His Fire Turkey Martial Soul possessed him, flames blazing around his body and casting a red glow across his flushed face.

"We of Shrek live together, and we die together!"

Oscar waved the sausage. Though his voice trembled slightly, it carried a fierce edge as he shouted:

"Even if we die today, we'll fight you to the death!"

Ma Hongjun panted heavily, and the flames grew fiercer with every breath he took.

"That's right! If you want to touch Boss Dai and Teacher Zhao, step over our corpses first!"

His eyes were full of resolve, utterly disregarding the fact that Shen Lian, standing across from them, was a terrifyingly powerful Soul Emperor.

Seeing the scene before him, Shen Lian could not help feeling somewhat moved.

The night wind brushed past the hem of his clothes, and the flames of the Vermilion Bird Wings swayed gently. He raised a brow slightly, his tone carrying both mockery and sentiment.

"As expected of Shrek's original three students. Your relationship really is good."

After saying that, he turned his gaze toward Zhao Wuji and Dai Mubai again and sneered:

"Look at your students and brothers. They're ready to die alongside you."

Zhao Wuji's Adam's apple moved with difficulty. The wound on his back still seeped blood, and the agonizing pain made every movement unbearably difficult. Yet as he looked at the resolute backs of the two students in front of him, a strange light appeared in his clouded eyes.

Complex emotions also flashed through Dai Mubai's eyes: gratitude, guilt, and an unshakable determination to live and die with his brothers.

Oscar and Ma Hongjun turned around and met the gazes of Zhao Wuji and Dai Mubai.

In their four pairs of eyes passed trust and understanding that needed no words. They nodded firmly, then assumed fighting stances.

Oscar's Sausage Martial Soul shone brightly, Ma Hongjun's Fire Turkey Martial Soul sent flames soaring into the sky, Zhao Wuji endured the pain as the Vajra Bear Martial Soul possessed him once more, and Dai Mubai's White Tiger Martial Soul let out an angry roar. The Soul Power around the four of them intertwined, forming an aura not to be underestimated.

At that very tense moment, perhaps Ning Rongrong had been easily moved by Dai Mubai and the others, or perhaps she simply could not stand seeing someone act so arrogantly in front of her, so she stepped out from behind the group.

The little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was usually charming and adorable, but now her face was full of anger. Her delicate little face had turned red with rage.

She lifted her chin high, her eyes full of pride and threat.

"I order you to let all of us go right now!"

She paused, raised her voice sharply, and continued:

"Otherwise, no matter who you are, I'll have Grandpa Sword and Grandpa Bone teach you a lesson!"

As she spoke, the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda in Ning Rongrong's hand shone brilliantly, as if displaying the formidable strength of the sect behind her.