Attack!

After Huo Yuhao bought the Whale Rubber, the group continued browsing the exhibition area.

But bargains like that did not come along every day. Finding one even once was already incredibly lucky.

The exhibition area was enormous, divided into several sections: soul bone, medicinal pill, Soul Tool, medicinal herb, and more.

Jiang Bai circled around several times, looking at ores, herbs, and a few small Soul Tool components, but he never found anything worthwhile that he could buy.

He could not afford anything too expensive, while the cheap stuff was useless to him.

Take those ores, for example. None of them were as precious as what he had in hand, though he could not exactly take those out.

Still, Jiang Bai was quite interested in the Soul Tool section.

The group looked through quite a few Soul Tools. As they passed by, Jiang Bai "coincidentally" recommended that Huo Yuhao buy several practical disposable Soul Tools.

For example, the Invincible Barrier, which might come in handy.

Huo Yuhao took the advice and bought several for himself. He had wanted to buy some for Wang Dong as well, but she did not seem very interested and looked rather reluctant. Even so, she accepted them.

Afterward, Wang Dong also bought quite a few resources to assist her cultivation. Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong felt that they had bought about everything they needed. They exchanged a glance, then looked toward Jiang Bai and Xiao Xiao ahead of them.

The two still seemed to want to keep browsing.

"Xiao Xiao, Brother Jiang, we'll be leaving first. I need to go back and cultivate."

Huo Yuhao bid farewell to Xiao Xiao and Jiang Bai. He still needed to return to cultivate.

"Mm, you two go on ahead."

Jiang Bai waved his hand. The two of them had better leave quickly. He did not dare travel the same road as them, or things would become troublesome.

According to the plot, if nothing unexpected happened, they would be attacked by assassins under Dai Huabin's command on their way back.

At the thought that Dai Huabin was behind the attack, Jiang Bai wanted to make the flames burn even hotter.

As for whether the two of them would be in danger, Jiang Bai was not worried in the slightest. There was simply no need to worry.

Leaving aside the Sea God's mark on Wang Dong, Huo Yuhao had that divine set of equipment on him. Once it was brought out, unless their opponents were Title Douluo-level, the Ice Empress could fight for him, and those Soul Emperor-level opponents would be no match for Huo Yuhao.

It would only cost the Ice Empress a bit of her origin power, and she would probably need to sleep for a while afterward, but that did not matter.

"What else do you want to see?"

Xiao Xiao asked. She had actually seen just about everything herself. She had wandered around and looked at everything worth seeing, as well as glanced at plenty of things that were not.

She had just been thinking of returning with Huo Yuhao and the others to cultivate.

"Let's browse around a little longer."

In the end, Jiang Bai stopped Xiao Xiao from going back. If she really followed them, her chances of dying would be quite high.

This girl did not have any cheat abilities on her.

A two-ring Soul Grandmaster with Twin Martial Souls would not even have a chance to run in front of Soul King-level assassins.

No matter how powerful the Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron was, it could not withstand the siege of six high-level soul masters. When the time came, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong would barely be able to protect themselves. Who would have the spare attention to care for her?

"Then let's go take a look over there."

Xiao Xiao pointed toward a Soul Tool area not far ahead.

"Mm."

"Jiang Bai?"

Up ahead, Ning Tian was browsing the Soul Tool exhibition area with Wu Feng.

Wu Feng followed behind him in a red fitted outfit, wearing that same expression as though everyone owed her money. The moment she saw Jiang Bai, her expression darkened even further.

"Here to buy Soul Tools?"

"Mm. We support-type soul masters are too weak in combat, so we need help from the Soul Tool Department."

Ning Tian nodded. As an established support-type sect, they attached great importance to protecting themselves. They particularly needed defensive Soul Tools, and had even secretly opened a Soul Tool supply channel with the Sun Moon Empire.

"Mm, that's true."

Jiang Bai nodded as well. Support-type soul masters were in a high-risk profession. During team battles, everyone targeted the supports first, then went after everyone else. Without enough means of self-protection, even the strongest support abilities were useless.

There was even an unspoken rule in team battles now: whenever one saw a soul master with the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda martial soul, kill them first.

It had already become an old tradition.

The four of them leisurely browsed the exhibition area inside, while outside, a life-and-death struggle was underway.

Six people—a Soul Emperor and five Soul Kings—were pursuing Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong outside Shrek City.

Huo Yuhao pulled a red signal flare from his robes and yanked it hard. A streak of red light shot into the sky and exploded in the night like a blood-colored firework.

The dazzling light dyed the ground within several hundred meters crimson. Even the soldiers standing guard on the city walls looked up at it.

Upon seeing that red light, several black shadows paused, their steps slowing for half a beat, as though hesitating over whether to continue the pursuit.

But the next second, their attacks became even more frenzied. Soul skills flew out as though they cost nothing, blades and sword lights filling the sky as if they wanted to tear the two apart alive.

"Damn it! Weren't they supposed to be just core disciples? What kind of rescue signal is this?!"

One assassin spoke hoarsely, his voice carrying a trace of panic and fury.

The intelligence they had received clearly stated that they were merely two core disciples from the outer courtyard, at most three-ring cultivators. Yet a rescue signal of this level was something only inner courtyard students were qualified to carry.

"Kill them, then run immediately!" another assassin growled. The black soul ring around him flashed fiercely, and his speed suddenly surged.

All six erupted with their full strength. Six powerful streams of Soul Power converged from different directions, and Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong, flying through the sky, felt unprecedented pressure.

"Yuhao, how are you holding up?"

Wang Dong was currently being carried through the air by Huo Yuhao. He was using a flying Soul Tool, which was much faster than Wang Dong flying on her own.

Through their Haodong Force, Wang Dong could sense that Huo Yuhao was not in good condition.

"I'm fine."

His Soul Power was merely somewhat depleted, but this was still within Huo Yuhao's expectations. His control over the Soul Power within his body was extremely precise.

"Yuhao, do you want me to act? I guarantee none of them will survive."

The Ice Empress spoke angrily from within his spiritual sea. If she acted, she would consume a bit of origin power, but she could recover that small amount after taking a few breaths of the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow.

Because of this, the Ice Empress did not need to sleep as frequently as she had in the original story.

Being chased around by these ants truly enraged her!!

"No. Ice Empress, just help me activate the soul bone skill."

Huo Yuhao already had a plan.

At the same time, several people who had seen the rescue signal had begun moving to provide aid.

Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi, two Soul Ancestors, along with Jiang Nannan, a Soul Elder, rushed toward the location of the distress signal. The three charged out through the city gate, leaving three blurred shadows in the darkness.

Jiang Bai and Xiao Xiao followed behind them.

"Is it Yuhao?"

Xiao Xiao asked as she ran, her breathing a little hurried. She had the same rescue signal, and after connecting the dots, she immediately thought of Huo Yuhao.

"Probably."

Watching the three ahead race farther and farther away, Jiang Bai felt that if they stayed this slow, they would not even make it in time to catch the excitement while it was still fresh.

"Let's go!"

Grabbing Xiao Xiao by the arm, Jiang Bai circulated the Soul Power within his body and activated his Self-Created Soul Skill.

Snow Treading Without Trace.

A thin mist carried the two of them straight past Bei Bei and the other three, making them even faster.

The group arrived together atop a city wall.

"Perfect timing."

They looked up to see green light erupt around Huo Yuhao, instantly freezing several assassins. However, those farther away were not affected much, especially the Soul Emperor, who was now frantically circulating his Soul Power.

Under this icy aura, the battle was no longer one they could participate in.

Xiao Xiao suddenly felt her arm grow light. She turned to Jiang Bai and saw that a longbow had appeared in his hand.

The bow was entirely silver-white, with graceful curves. Its string was as thin as a strand of hair and almost invisible beneath the moonlight. Complex formation patterns were carved into its limbs, glowing faintly in the darkness like silver snakes coiling around it.

Level 7 Soul Tool: Silver Moon Longbow

Function: Gathers Soul Power and fires arrows.

Setting the bow to its fifth level, Jiang Bai said to Bei Bei ahead of him, "Senior Bei Bei, Soul Power."

"Alright."

Seeing the longbow in Jiang Bai's hand, Bei Bei guessed what he intended to do and poured his Soul Power into it. Xiao Xiao and Xu Sanshi beside him followed suit.

Jiang Nannan, who stood closer, extended her hand. The next instant, another large hand covered hers.

Jiang Nannan: "..."

"Hehe."

Xu Sanshi placed his hand over Jiang Nannan's, but did nothing else, seriously channeling his Soul Power.

Seeing Xu Sanshi behave so properly, Jiang Nannan bit her lip and decided that saving people came first.

Jiang Bai drew the bow and loosed an arrow. A deep-blue streak of light shot forth, and his arrow pierced straight through the Soul Emperor.

"What?"

Feeling the hollow wound in his chest, the Soul Emperor lowered his head and immediately spotted Jiang Bai's group.

But he was a Soul Emperor, after all. Such an injury was not fatal to him, and he could still escape if he fled now.

Several Soul Kings in the distance were preparing to launch another attack, but Huo Yuhao promptly activated an Invincible Barrier. A golden shield covered him and Wang Dong completely, like an upside-down golden bowl.

The assassins' soul skills slammed into the barrier, sending rings of golden ripples spreading across it. Yet the shield did not budge, and not even a single crack appeared on its surface.

"They're finally here."

Huo Yuhao looked toward a blazing light ahead that filled the sky.

"An inner courtyard senior has arrived. Let's go get Yuhao."

Recognizing who had come, Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi spoke to Jiang Bai and the others. Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong's Soul Power was likely unable to support them any longer. If they did not go help, the two might fall and suffer serious injuries.

The night was enveloped by the scorching aura in the sky. Though Ma Xiaotao's martial soul had severe problems, her strength remained beyond doubt.

"Take this."

After Bei Bei set Huo Yuhao down and Jiang Nannan set Wang Dong down, Jiang Bai handed each of them a medicinal pill.

"Thank you."

The pill melted as soon as it entered his mouth. A warm sensation slid down Huo Yuhao's throat and slowly flowed through his chest, abdomen, and limbs.

After resting for a while, Huo Yuhao finally felt his strength gradually return.

Wang Dong leaned against his shoulder, her face pale, her breathing ragged, and her chest heaving violently. Only when the medicine took effect did her complexion improve slightly, a little color returning to her lips.

That had been close. If rescue had not arrived soon, the Ice Empress would have had to act.

Unless it was necessary, Huo Yuhao did not want the Ice Empress to take action. He wanted to avoid letting others see through him. Shrek was full of powerful experts, so it was better to be careful.

"Will Xiaotao be alright if she keeps fighting like this?"

Xu Sanshi looked at Ma Xiaotao, who had transformed into a fiery demon in the sky, and could not help shuddering. He knew about Ma Xiaotao's problem.

"She should be fine."

Bei Bei glanced at Huo Yuhao. With the help of their junior brother, Xiaotao's martial soul flaw should have eased considerably. At the very least, she could cultivate normally now.

In the end, just as in the original story, Ma Xiaotao left none alive, though leaving them alive would have been useless anyway.

"Yuhao, who did you offend? Why would they send several Soul Kings and a Soul Emperor to kill you?"

"I... don't know."

Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong thought about it, and the same name appeared in both their minds.

Dai Huabin!