At Chen Fan's request, Chen Jianjun, the Grand Sect Master, hadn't come along.
By custom, as an elder, he was supposed to remain at the Seven Kill Sect and wait for the wedding procession to return, so he could serve as the groom's honored elder.
Of course.
Even though Chen Fan had said so, Chen Jianjun was still uneasy. He had sent more than half of the elders along.
At the same time.
There were also dozens of elite disciples from the Seven Kill Sect, every one of them a Soul Master above Soul King rank.
A force like this could even sweep through sects without a Titled Douluo guarding them. There was no denying they'd brought quite a show of strength.
Still... to be fair.
Compared with Chen Fan's wariness, some of the elders seemed much more relaxed.
That was the subconscious drawback of spending so many years in seclusion.
"Hey, Lao Shan, why do you think the Sect Master took a fancy to that red-robed cardinal?"
The Seventh Elder sidled over and asked in a low voice.
"What's it to you?"
Elder Lao Shan rolled his eyes. "If the Sect Master likes her, that's all that matters."
"That's not what I meant."
The Seventh Elder gave an awkward smile. "I just think, with the Sect Master's standing, he could marry a saintess without even trying..."
"Shut your mouth."
The Third Elder, leading the group, darkened his expression. "Don't say things like that."
The Seventh Elder shrank his neck and didn't dare say another word.
The procession headed slowly north, toward the Seven Kill Sect.
But just then!
"Roar—!"
A deafening beast's roar exploded from the dense forest!
Immediately afterward, dozens of pairs of scarlet eyes lit up in the shadowy woods, like blood-red lanterns.
"Something's happening! Everyone, stay alert!"
The First Elder bellowed and released his Martial Soul first. Eight Soul Rings appeared in succession.
The other elders reacted as well, surging with Soul Power as they protected the entire wedding procession in their midst.
The procession hurriedly braced itself.
"Hmm?"
"They're all Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts?"
"Wait!"
Chen Fan, riding on horseback, saw the attacking Soul Beasts and narrowed his eyes!
These wolf-like Soul Beasts seemed off.
Chen Fan noticed their eyes were blood-red and drool ran from their mouths. Even under the Soul Douluo pressure released by several elders, they didn't care at all, attacking the wedding procession like mad.
"Protect the bride!"
The elders immediately gathered around the sedan chair, striking out to repel the attacking Soul Beasts one by one.
With several elders guarding the sedan chair, it was naturally safe.
The curtains didn't move at all, and the person inside didn't even cry out.
But just then.
Several wolf-like Soul Beasts, each with cultivation ranging from thirty thousand to fifty thousand years, suddenly sprang out of the woods and lunged at the sedan chair.
"Look out!"
The elders' expressions changed drastically. They quickly activated their Martial Soul Avatars and desperately blocked the ambush.
However!
They had only just killed those wolf-like Soul Beasts when several rhinoceros-like Soul Beasts suddenly charged out from the other side and slammed into the horse Chen Fan was riding.
"Moo!"
At the sound, the leading Third Elder's expression changed drastically. "This is bad!"
"Quick, protect the Sect Master!"
However.
That moo sounded like some kind of signal.
Several similar rhinoceros-like Soul Beasts swiftly charged out of the woods. Like a beast tide, they bellowed madly, mooing as they raced forward!
"It's over!"
"Be careful, Sect Master!"
The Third Elder was shocked. He tried to rush over and save Chen Fan, but two Iron-Horned Rhinoceroses held him fast.
"Damn it... Which genius came up with this kind of stunt?"
Chen Fan had already dismounted and released his Martial Soul. With the Seven Kill Sword in hand, he cursed inwardly at the sight.
However.
With only forty-nine levels of Soul Power, there was no way he could face the rhinoceros herd head-on. All he could do was weave and dodge, narrowly avoiding one of them.