A Year Later, the Enemy Reappears

Chu Jin had barely entered the hall when his gaze fell upon the identity plaque in Qian Daoliu's hand.

The plaque had already snapped in two.

The bloodstains on its surface had dried many years ago.

Yet he recognized the name on it at a glance.

Chu Xiao.

His father.

Chu Jin halted.

The soul power that had been circulating steadily within him suddenly accelerated.

Xiao Jin sensed the change in its master's emotions as well. It stopped gnawing on the Huo Yun Crystal and swiftly flew onto his shoulder.

Qian Daoliu looked at Chu Jin.

"The River Valley Town branch hall was attacked by evil soul masters."

"The attackers were the Bloodfang Evil Soul Group."

The atmosphere in the hall abruptly turned heavy.

The Bloodfang Evil Soul Group was not an unfamiliar name.

Three years ago, several villages near Bluestone Town had been massacred. The soul-hunting team Chu Jin's parents belonged to fought the Bloodfang Group, and nearly the entire team was wiped out.

Spirit Hall had subsequently dispatched powerful masters to purge them.

The Bloodfang Group's main force had been killed, but their leader had escaped into the mountains with a number of members.

Over the past three years, they had never made another large-scale appearance.

Everyone had assumed that the remaining evil soul masters had scattered and fled.

Now, it seemed that they had gathered once again.

The middle-aged soul master on the floor struggled to raise his head.

"The Bloodfang Group set up a blood sacrifice formation outside River Valley Town."

"They abducted a large number of villagers and used corpses to refine blood soul puppets. The soul masters stationed at the branch hall fought desperately to break out. I was the only one who managed to send word."

"This identity plaque was given to me by Blood Butcher to bring back."

As he said this, intense fury surfaced in his eyes.

"He said..."

The middle-aged soul master glanced at Chu Jin, his lips trembling slightly.

"He said that Chu Xiao's son had now become a genius of the Consecration Hall."

"He told Chu Jin to personally go to River Valley Town and retrieve his parents' belongings."

The air in the hall instantly turned icy.

Killing intent flashed through Golden Crocodile's eyes.

"A mere evil soul master in his fifties dares to openly provoke the Consecration Hall?"

Yue Guan's expression was equally grim.

"Blood Butcher was only in his forties before. In three years, he used blood sacrifices to break through to Soul King."

"If we continue to let him run free, tens of thousands around River Valley Town will become materials for his cultivation."

Qian Daoliu raised a hand.

A map unfolded at the center of the hall.

River Valley Town lay northwest of Spirit City. It was surrounded by mountains on three sides, with only one main road connecting it to the outside world.

The Bloodfang Group now occupied an abandoned ritual ground in town and controlled the nearby cemetery and underground waterways.

They numbered at least fifty.

Their strongest member, Blood Butcher, was a level fifty-four Soul King.

There were also seven Soul Ancestors, over ten Soul Elders, and the rest were mostly low-level evil soul masters.

Such strength was enough to destroy an ordinary regional branch hall, yet it could not withstand a single blow from Spirit Hall's true powerhouses.

Golden Crocodile spoke directly.

"I'll make the trip."

"Half an hour. I'll crush every last one of them to death."

Qian Daoliu shook his head.

"It would certainly be simple if you acted."

"The Bloodfang Group controls a large number of civilians and corpse puppets within the town. If Blood Butcher discovers a Titled Douluo approaching, he will likely detonate the blood pool in advance."

"Saving people comes first."

Yue Guan continued, "The Papal Hall has already prepared to send a Soul Sage to lead the operation, accompanied by four Soul Ancestors."

"They will relocate the civilians first, then clear out the blood pool and puppets."

"The Soul Sage will handle Blood Butcher."

Chu Jin had not spoken since entering the hall.

He walked to the map, his gaze settling on the valley and cemetery outside River Valley Town.

His Double Pupils manifested on their own under the influence of his emotions.

There was no uncontrolled madness in those dark golden eyes, only an ever-deepening chill.

"I want to participate."

Qian Daoliu looked at him.

"Your reason?"

"Blood Butcher killed my parents."

Chu Jin's voice was calm.

"I want to kill him with my own hands."

Golden Crocodile did not object.

Guang Ling merely stood to the side, waiting for Qian Daoliu's decision.

Qian Daoliu fell silent for a moment.

"Hatred can make someone stronger, but it can also make them lose their judgment."

"You are level nineteen now."

"Blood Butcher is level fifty-four."

"What will you rely on to kill him with your own hands?"

Chu Jin did not say that he could rely on his Double Pupils and Xiao Jin to cross three major realms.

He removed the soul tool at his waist and placed several files beside the map.

The first was his practical combat assessment from the past year at Spirit Academy.

The second was a combat capability evaluation jointly signed by Golden Crocodile and Guang Ling.

The third was a survival record from the soul beast forest.

The fourth was his preliminary analysis of River Valley Town's terrain.

"I won't charge in alone."

Chu Jin pointed at the map.

"The Bloodfang Group specializes in controlling blood and corpses. Their direct combat strength is not particularly great. Their greatest support lies in the civilians in town, the underground blood pool, and their large number of puppets."

"First cut off the cemetery and ritual ground, then seal the water source and relocate the civilians."

"Once Blood Butcher loses the blood pool's supply, he is merely an ordinary level fifty-four Soul King."

Qian Daoliu asked, "Even then, he is not someone a level nineteen soul master can handle."

"That is why we need a team."

Chu Jin did not evade the gap in their levels.

"The Soul Sage will suppress Blood Butcher."

"The Soul Ancestors will destroy the formation."

"I will command the lower-level guards, rescue the civilians, and locate Blood Butcher's soul power weakness."

"Leave the final strike to me."

The plan was extremely clear.

He had not lost his reason to hatred, nor had he made any unrealistic demands.

Qian Daoliu looked at Golden Crocodile.

"Do you believe he can enter a true battlefield?"

Golden Crocodile answered without hesitation.

"Yes."

Guang Ling added, "In one year, he completed seventeen practical battles against soul beasts, including three in which he led the team."

"The battle on the mountain road near Bluestone Town already proved that he can maintain his judgment amid chaos."

"If Blood Butcher truly takes him for an ordinary child, he will only die faster."

Qian Daoliu then looked at Yue Guan.

"What is the Papal Hall's opinion?"

Yue Guan pondered for a moment.

"A candidate for Holy Son will have to face evil soul masters sooner or later."

"If this hatred remains buried within him, it will not benefit his future cultivation."

"I will have the Soul Sage leading the team prioritize Chu Jin's safety."

Qian Daoliu did not agree immediately.

"You may kill Blood Butcher."

"But first, you must prove that you can still follow orders after seeing him."

Chu Jin nodded.

"Fine."

"What if the battlefield conditions do not permit you to act?"

"Saving people comes first."

"What if Blood Butcher uses your parents' belongings to provoke you?"

"Win first."

Just two words.

At last, a trace of approval appeared in Qian Daoliu's eyes.

"Approved."

"You may participate in this mission."

Chu Jin reached out and took back his father's identity plaque.

When his palm touched the dried bloodstains, a long-forgotten yet unfamiliar emotion surged from his chest.

Three years ago, he had not witnessed his parents' deaths.

He had not even found their bodies.

There had only been two damaged uniforms sent back by the branch hall and a death notice.

Now, the person who had killed his parents had appeared of his own accord.

He had even sent his father's identity plaque to Spirit City.

Xiao Jin lay on Chu Jin's shoulder and let out a low dragon roar.

It could sense its master's killing intent.

Footsteps sounded at the entrance to the hall.

Qian Renxue hurried in.

She had clearly already received the news. She was still wearing her fitted white-and-gold training outfit, her long golden hair tied behind her head, her breathing slightly rushed.

"I'll participate in this mission too."

Qian Daoliu frowned.

"Xue'er."

"The Bloodfang Group consists of evil soul masters."

Qian Renxue walked to Chu Jin's side.

"The Six-Winged Angel has a natural advantage against blood souls, corpse puppets, and evil attributes."

"I have already reached level thirty-three. I meet the requirements to participate."

Over the past year, Qian Renxue had refined part of the Angel Temple's holy light, raising her soul power to level thirty-three.

The power of her Seraphim Martial Soul made her frontal combat strength far surpass that of ordinary Soul Elders of the same level.

Qian Daoliu looked at his granddaughter, then at Chu Jin.

When the two stood together, the first Faith Anchor of the Overlord Army began to fluctuate on its own.

They had trained together for an entire year.

In terms of coordination alone, it would be difficult to find another person among Spirit Hall's younger generation who matched Chu Jin so well.

"Fine."

Qian Daoliu finally nodded.

"Remember, on the battlefield, obey the captain and Chu Jin's command."

Qian Renxue showed no dissatisfaction at those final words.

She turned to Chu Jin.

"When do we leave?"

"In one hour."

Chu Jin put away the identity plaque.

"I'll break through to level twenty first."

He was only one final step away from level twenty.

Since Blood Butcher had taken the initiative to wait for him—

then he could make him wait one more hour.