Yue Ling frowned-or rather, his brow had never relaxed.
Slow. Far too slow.
These villagers were all old, frail, sick, or infirm. Not only were they unsteady on their feet, but their stamina was terribly poor.
Of course, that was hardly their fault. Age did that to everyone.
Now wasn't the time to dwell on that!
If the Evil Soul Masters noticed something amiss, they could easily follow everyone's traces and catch up.
Once I get caught up in a fight, I won't be able to look after the villagers!
Watching the crowd trudge onward in silence, sweat dripping from their foreheads, he sighed inwardly.
No! I need a plan.
If the Evil Soul Masters come after us, I need an effective way to protect them...
But how can I protect them...?
Yue Ling glanced around. The ground here was uneven, with plenty of trees and undergrowth.
Then inspiration struck.
Ah... I've got it!
A smile curled his lips as he involuntarily recalled his experiences with his eldest senior sister in the Star Dou Great Forest.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the village.
Old Eight and Old Six stood frozen in the deserted village, utterly at a loss.
The two hurriedly searched their surroundings, their hearts filled with shock and suspicion.
"Where is everyone? Where did all the villagers go? There's not a soul here!"
Amid his panic, Old Eight suddenly glimpsed two figures on the ground nearby and called out sharply, "Look! Over there!"
Their pupils contracted, and they rushed forward.
When he saw the two corpses lying on the ground clearly, shock instantly flooded his face.
"This... this is..."
Old Six crouched down, pressed his fingers to their pulses, then withdrew them and spoke gravely.
"It's Old Nine and Old Seven. They're both dead, and both