The Real Danger

Half an hour passed quickly. Tie Li and Zhang Yang each held a piece of whale glue. Based on their assessment, the whale glue in their hands was likely around eight hundred years old.

Everyone kept track of the time. If they could not find satisfactory spirit materials, they would take the materials they had previously marked as alternatives. Of course, it would be best if they found what they actually needed.

Before they left the treasury, Supervisor Ao would conduct a routine inspection. Only after confirming that no one had secretly hidden any additional spirit materials would he let them leave.

After returning to the venue, everyone thought Kaiqi would take them away from Benoa City the next day.

"Weren't Zhang Yang and Tie Li the only ones you had? Why did you add two more?"

"Do I need to report everything I do to you?" The icy voice made Kaiqi's body tremble.

The difference in status between the two was enormous. In his eyes, Kaiqi was merely an insignificant figure who could be discarded at any time.

"Get out!"

"Yes."

The next day, besides leaving behind Tie Li and Zhang Yang, Kaiqi also left Youhe and Dolangbu behind.

As for the specific reason, Kaiqi offered no explanation. She merely told them to follow Supervisor Ao's instructions.

They remained at the Great Soul Arena in Benoa City for seven days. On the night of the seventh day, Supervisor Ao summoned them to his office.

The moment Tie Li and the other three entered the room, they saw the usually aloof Supervisor Ao standing to the side like a servant.

An old man sat smiling on a comfortable couch.

"Little Ao, have you told them?"

"Not yet," Supervisor Ao replied respectfully.

"Then tell them now. There's no need to trouble this old man with such work."

"Yes."

From their conversation alone, anyone with eyes could see the vast difference in status between them.

Was this really the Supervisor Ao they knew?

"This is Elder Cheng, an honored guest of our Great Soul Arena. Next, you will follow Elder Cheng and temporarily leave the world of soul masters."

"Are we going to Howling Cave Island?" Zhang Yang asked excitedly. He had learned some relevant information from Supervisor Fu.

Howling Cave Island was where the Great Soul Arena trained its own soul masters.

It might not compare to Martial Soul Hall or the Seven Great Sects, but it was certainly no simple place. It possessed unique methods for nurturing soul masters.

"That's right. You were born commoners, and you cannot obtain cultivation resources by relying on yourselves alone. Even if your talent is decent, you will miss the best period for cultivation because of it.

"If you enter Howling Cave Island to cultivate, the Great Soul Arena will devote resources to you. In return, your future interests will be bound to those of the Great Soul Arena."

The recruitment of a major power was almost impossible for a soul master of common birth to refuse.

Soul masters from commoner backgrounds found it difficult to obtain cultivation resources. If they did not attach themselves to a major power and instead relied solely on their talent to advance, there would eventually come a day when they ran out of strength.

"This is an opportunity for you," Supervisor Ao added.

"Enough. I won't waste words. Tonight, I'll take you away." The old man's tone was even more domineering, leaving no room for refusal.

But none of the four would refuse such a thing.

Tie Li felt that something was strange, yet he could not put his finger on it.

When the night deepened, the old man prepared to take the four of them out of Benoa City.

Dense soul power wrapped around their bodies.

Whoosh!

The air exploded beside their ears, and everything before them blurred.

"Hahaha! Old Ghost Dove, we finally caught you!"

Before Tie Li and the others could react, the scene before them became clear again. The discomfort in their bodies made them drop to one knee and vomit.

The old man had been intercepted.

The leader radiated an extremely powerful fluctuation of soul power, and dozens of soul masters stood beside him.

One of them was none other than Ambro, the man who had destroyed the Gold Strength Clan.

"You people from Martial Soul Hall haven't left Benoa City yet?" The old man's voice stiffened slightly. The information he had received had clearly stated that Martial Soul Hall's red-clad bishop had left Benoa City long ago.

"How could I bear to leave before catching you? To create this illusion, I paid an enormous price to calm the anger of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

"But I believe that as long as I capture you, I can make up for my losses." Niergé stared at the Ghost Dove, his heart burning with anticipation.

A ten-thousand-year soul bone. This was a ten-thousand-year soul bone! As long as he absorbed it, he would have a chance to challenge the Title Douluo realm in the future.

He had even thought of his future title already.

The old man's expression darkened. With so many Martial Soul Hall soul masters brought along, he might not be able to protect the soul bone.

If the soul bone in his body had not been from the same body part as this one, then after absorbing both soul bones, he would not have feared Niergé at all, even if his soul power rank was lower.

He glanced at the four beside him, then took four iron boxes from his robes and placed one in each of their arms.

Soul power wrapped around their bodies. The old man suddenly exerted force and blasted the four of them in four different directions. In merely three breaths, they vanished beyond the horizon.

"Take the soul bones and leave. Wait for this old man to find you."

"Hahaha! Old Ghost Dove, you think you can fool me with that trick? Don't worry. Not one of you will escape today."

Niergé signaled to the soul masters beside him, telling them to pursue the four.

He himself stayed behind to deal with the Ghost Dove. Niergé did not believe the old man had truly placed the soul bone on those four.

But to be safe, he still sent four soul masters after them.

Niergé made the first move. Two yellow, three purple, and three black soul rings appeared around him. He was clearly an eight-ringed Soul Douluo.

The old man did not dare lower his guard. They were both eight-ringed Soul Douluos, but Niergé's soul power rank was significantly higher than his.

Three yellow, two purple, and three black!

Wisps of ghostly energy curled around the old man. He spread his wings to evade Niergé's attacks while searching for a chance to escape.

Damn it. Tie Li cursed inwardly.

He had already sensed a powerful fluctuation of soul power rapidly approaching from behind.

He held the old man's iron box in his hand, but there was nothing inside it. It was just an empty box.

The old man's soul power around his body gradually dissipated. The instant Tie Li landed, he immediately fled forward.

He was only a Grand Soul Master, and as a power-focused assault-type soul master, he was far inferior in speed.

"Kid, hand over the iron box on you." The voice came from not far behind him and was getting closer.

Tie Li did not hesitate to throw out the iron box. The pursuing soul master froze for a moment.

But when he opened it, he found it completely empty.

"Bastard! Give me the soul bone!"

"There's no soul bone in my iron box. It's just an empty box."

Unfortunately, the other party clearly did not believe Tie Li's explanation.

Suddenly, a deadly sense of danger surged into his heart.

He shifted his body with all his strength.

Screech!

A scorching spear pierced through him from one side behind his back. Although he had failed to evade it, fortunately, it had not struck a vital point.

Blazing soul power flooded into his organs, wantonly destroying the life force within his body.

Severely wounded, Tie Li rolled to the side, blood covering the corners of his mouth.