Heavenly Punishment

Upon learning this evil soul master's cultivation level, Uncle Mu pondered for a few seconds before shouting, "Everyone, abandon the cargo! Even if you die, you must cover Princess Jiujiu and Master Qing Ya's escape!"

The cargo was insignificant; protecting the safety of the Star Luo Empire's princess was what mattered most.

Upon hearing the order, the guards hesitated only slightly before resuming their defensive formations.

Their faces were filled with terror. Even though they knew they would certainly die here, none dared make the slightest move to flee.

After all, being killed by an evil soul master meant death, but abandoning the imperial princess and running away would mean execution by the king upon their return. Their families might even be implicated. Rather than that, they might as well die protecting the princess, so their families could at least receive compensation.

"Princess Jiujiu, Master Qing Ya, hurry back into the carriage. I'll take you away first."

The Soul King within the caravan spoke to the two women in a low voice.

The Blood Scythe Soul Sage seemed to have recognized Xu Jiujiu's extraordinary status. He licked the bloodstains from his scythe and said sinisterly, "None of you are leaving. I'll turn every last one of you into nourishment for my Bloodthirsty Demon Scythe. Especially those three chicks—once I deal with you, I'll gladly take you for myself. Hehehe!"

As he spoke, the evil soul master rose into the air and darted toward Xu Jiujiu.

"Don't even think about hurting her!"

Seeing him rush over, Uncle Mu immediately leaped into the air with his tiger-patterned staff in hand.

Clang—

Staff and scythe collided violently, and a piercing sonic boom tore through the forest. The Blood Scythe Soul Sage was completely unaffected, while Uncle Mu was blasted dozens of meters away.

Before he could react, the Blood Scythe Soul Sage was already speeding toward Xu Jiujiu once more.

Those Soul Elders could not even catch sight of the evil soul master's movements before they were knocked to the ground by his swinging scythe. Even the Soul King standing before Xu Jiujiu was sent flying by a single slash.

Dozens of guards fell to the ground, blood spraying everywhere and dyeing the surrounding flowers and grass red.

Hehehe, I've got them!

As the Blood Scythe Soul Sage drew closer and closer to his targets, he could not help feeling smug.

His right hand was just about to reach Xu Jiujiu and Yao Shi, ready to seize them.

Boom!

A bolt of lightning suddenly struck before him. The Blood Scythe Soul Sage reacted with remarkable speed, twisting through the air and instantly retreating several steps, narrowly avoiding it.

A deep crater had been left where he had been about to advance. At the sight, the Blood Scythe evil soul master flew into a rage and began scanning his surroundings. "Who? Who dares to ambush me? Get the hell out here!"

This sudden attack stunned not only Xu Jiujiu and Qing Ya, but also Uncle Mu, who had been about to rush forward to rescue Xu Jiujiu.

Could there be an expert nearby secretly helping us?

The thought flashed through all three of their minds.

The atmosphere on the battlefield froze once more, with both sides wary of each other.

Uncle Mu and the others feared the evil soul master's strength, while the Blood Scythe Soul Sage feared the owner of that lightning bolt. At the instant the lightning had appeared, he had felt a fear of death rise from the depths of his heart.

Under everyone's astonished gazes, Yao Shi slowly stepped forward.

Xu Jiujiu's expression stiffened. Trembling, she said, "Yao Shi, what are you doing? Come back quickly! This isn't something you can interfere with!"

Her voice was anxious. She could not understand why Yao Shi, who looked to be only a three-ring Soul Elder at most, would step out at a time like this.

Yao Shi offered no explanation and continued forward at an unhurried pace, seeming to mutter something under his breath.

"Ah... I only wanted to travel in peace. Why do I run into this kind of trouble every day?"

While everyone was still wondering what he had said, Yao Shi suddenly spoke aloud. "Han Xiao."

In an instant, blue-violet lightning spread from his body. His soul power aura rose steadily, soaring all the way to the level of a Titled Douluo. Behind Yao Shi, nine blood-red soul rings unfurled at once.

Han Xiao was the name Yao Shi had given Thunder Spirit, and these nine hundred-thousand-year soul rings were spontaneously simulated by her possession of his body.

!!!!

A Titled Douluo!

Nine hundred-thousand-year soul rings?

Had he released that lightning just now?

Everyone present was stunned. The aura radiating from those hundred-thousand-year soul rings pressed down on them so heavily that they could barely breathe.

Surprise flashed through the eyes of Xu Jiujiu and the other two. They could not imagine that the boy before them, one or two years younger than themselves and chatting cheerfully with them just moments ago, was actually a Titled Douluo.

Meanwhile, within the Glazed Abundance Pure Land.

"Xue'er, don't you think Yao Shi is being a little too ostentatious?"

Ice Empress watched the lightning surrounding Yao Shi outside and the exaggerated nine hundred-thousand-year soul rings behind him. Rubbing her forehead helplessly, she spoke to Snow Empress beside her.

Snow Empress merely pursed her lips before giggling. "He is being a little ostentatious, indeed. But little Yao Shi is still a child. He should take more risks while he's young. Besides, when dealing with an evil soul master like that, it's best to intimidate him first with absolute strength."

Ice Empress sighed and said nothing further.

With strength like that, does this guy really need my protection?

Outside, the Blood Scythe Soul Sage stared sharply at Yao Shi, who radiated the aura of a Titled Douluo, and at the nine hundred-thousand-year soul rings behind him. His teeth clenched tightly. He had never imagined that the one who had nearly struck him dead with lightning was a teenage girl.

"Fake! It's all fake!" he roared furiously. "How could you possibly be a Titled Douluo? Your soul rings can't all be hundred-thousand-year ones!"

Although the evil soul master had forced himself to remain composed before, the aura radiating from Yao Shi's hundred-thousand-year soul rings was telling him one thing—he was going to die!

Under the pressure Yao Shi exuded, the Blood Scythe Soul Sage's mental defenses finally collapsed. His breathing grew rapid, his chest heaving violently. For a moment, he did not even think of fleeing. Instead, he immediately swung his blood scythe and charged at Yao Shi.

He leaped toward Yao Shi and shouted, "Sixth Soul Skill, Blood Scythe Wraiths, devour him!" As his words fell, the several hundred resentful spirits that had previously circled the Bloodthirsty Demon Scythe multiplied into thousands and rushed toward Yao Shi.

"I refuse to believe a teenage girl like you is really a Titled Douluo! That attack earlier must have been a coincidence. If you've got the ability, strike me dead now!"

At that moment, Yao Shi moved as well. Watching the Blood Scythe Soul Sage command thousands of blood-colored resentful spirits toward him, he gently raised a hand. Healing green light washed over the spirits, instantly erasing their resentment and restoring them to ordinary souls.

Yao Shi did not directly use lightning because Thunder Spirit's lightning was heavenly tribulation lightning. It could not only destroy the flesh, but also annihilate the soul.

The resentful spirits controlled by the Blood Scythe evil soul master had merely been ordinary people harmed in life. If Yao Shi truly used lightning to obliterate their souls, they would not even have the chance to reincarnate. They would truly vanish from heaven and earth.

"No, no! What did you do to me?"

"My resentful spirits! My nourishment!"

As Yao Shi purified those resentful spirits, the Blood Scythe Soul Sage's aura began to plummet. In the end, it dropped directly to that of a Soul King, and he immediately flew into a helpless rage.

"Bastard! You're courting death!"

Feeling his cultivation fall and having lost his resentful spirits, the Blood Scythe evil soul master charged at Yao Shi as if unafraid of death.

"Those who disregard life do not deserve to live." Yao Shi dismissed his attack with utter contempt. To him, this evil soul master, now with only Soul King-level cultivation, moved as slowly as a turtle.

Yao Shi's expression was cold as he softly uttered,

"Heavenly Punishment!"

Boom—

A bolt of lightning, larger and fiercer than when it had first been unleashed, crashed down and struck directly at the Blood Scythe evil soul master.

Aaaah—

Amid miserable screams, the lightning of heavenly tribulation utterly destroyed both his body and soul.