As those words fell, a shrill scream rang out. A streak of azure sword energy pierced the chest of the violin support-type Soul Master standing beside Zhu Zhuyun, and he collapsed into a pool of blood.
Then a plain-looking, black-haired youth with a high ponytail walked out of the darkness.
He held an emerald-green longsword. His clothes did not seem to fit very well, and he looked disheveled, as though he had spent some time in the Star Dou Great Forest.
Yet his appearance gave Lin Yuan quite a shock.
Before the youth revealed himself, Lin Yuan had failed to sense his presence at any point.
The Supreme Sacred Heaven and Earth Technique and Five Thunder Heavenly Heart Formula he cultivated did not merely give him strength far beyond others at his level, allowing him to fight opponents two or even three rings above him.
They also bestowed spiritual power far beyond that of his peers.
With his current spiritual power, even if he could not rival a Soul Sage, he was no worse than the vast majority of Soul Emperors.
Yet even so, he had failed to detect this person...
As these thoughts raced through his mind, Lin Yuan's gaze settled on the sword in the youth's hand. It was identical to the Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords in the Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality animation, and golden arcs of lightning flickered over it.
Needless to say, this was undoubtedly a transmigrator.
The crucial question was his cheat. Could it be like Lin Tian's, a cultivation technique he had possessed from birth?
And was it Old Devil Han's Immortal Cultivation Technique, at that?
At this thought, Lin Yuan broke into a cold sweat. If that were the case, he would have to be ready to retreat at any moment.
The Five Thunder Heavenly Heart Formula and Supreme Sacred Heaven and Earth Technique were both powerful.
But ultimately, they still fell within the realm of mortal techniques and could not compare to Old Devil Han's Azure Essence Sword Art.
Meanwhile, Zhu Zhuyun and the others were equally startled.
"Bastard, if you know what's good for you, stay out of this. Otherwise, don't blame me for showing no mercy."
Seeing her personal attendant killed beside her, Zhu Zhuyun was both shocked and furious, and she shouted sharply at the newcomer.
Four Soul Rings-yellow, purple, purple, and black-slowly rose from beneath his feet, hovering at different points around his body and enveloping the black-haired youth. Unhurriedly, he said, "What a coincidence. I, Han, am determined to meddle today."
The black-haired youth was naturally Han Li, who had transmigrated into a Soul Beast, a ten-thousand-year golden thunder bamboo, and taken human form.
After leaving that lightning-filled area, he had wandered all over the Star Dou Great Forest.
He had finally encountered a few Soul Masters hunting for Soul Rings, but he had been so occupied robbing them that he accidentally slaughtered them before he could ask for directions.
Thus, he had wandered around the Star Dou Great Forest for several days before arriving here.
Unexpectedly, by sheer coincidence, he had stumbled upon Zhu Zhuyun hunting down Zhu Zhuqing.
As someone who consistently ranked among the top three on Douluo I's must-have list, Zhu Zhuqing naturally presented an opportunity to play the hero rescuing the beauty that Han Li would not pass up.
So, after Zhu Zhuqing had been knocked down and lost the ability to resist, he stepped forward.
The only slight pity was that Zhu Zhuqing had already passed out.
She could not witness him rescuing the beauty herself.
But that did not matter. Once he drove these people away, he would find a cave and take Zhu Zhuqing there to heal her injuries. Some skin-to-skin contact would inevitably occur then. Wouldn't that make the little kitty abandon that useless Dai Mubai and throw herself into his arms instead?
He had cultivated bitterly for ten thousand years and held himself back for so long. Now that he had finally taken human form, he had to enjoy himself properly.
"A ten-thousand-year fourth ring, a thousand-year second ring..."
At the sight of Han Li's extraordinary Soul Ring configuration, the subordinates beside Zhu Zhuyun all sucked in cold breaths.
Amid her shock, Zhu Zhuyun pondered the relationship between this mysterious man and her younger sister, then asked with feigned ease:
"What exactly do you want? Have you taken a fancy to my little sister? Are you looking to play the hero rescuing the beauty?"
"Then what a pity. She already has a fiancé, and he's the Third Prince of the Star Luo Empire."
"Once the Third Prince ascends the throne, she'll be the future empress of the Star Luo Empire. Take this big sister's advice: don't bring disaster down on yourself."
Han Li said disdainfully, "Isn't he just that playboy who clings to life and fears death, who abandoned his fiancée and ran away alone? What's so impressive about him? Enough. Don't think I don't know what you're plotting. I've been courteous enough to you. If you don't leave now, I'll kill every last one of you."
"Then let's see whether you have what it takes." Zhu Zhuyun still could not feel at ease leaving her younger sister with him just like that.
If he really was her sister's friend, or was genuinely stepping forward to uphold justice, that would naturally be best. After all, she had never intended to kill Zhu Zhuqing.
In fact, if the person before her had not appeared just now, she had been planning to treat her sister's injuries before quietly leaving.
But if he was simply lusting after her beauty, then no matter what happened today, she would not hand her younger sister over to him.
As she spoke, Zhu Zhuqing held her left hand beneath her chest, kept her right upper arm against her waist, and raised her hand to point lightly and elegantly.
The two- and three-ring Soul Masters who had surrounded Zhu Zhuqing earlier all rushed Han Li.
"Courting death." Han Li flew into a rage. His first Soul Ring shone continuously as he swung the Bamboo Cloudswarm Sword in his hand, slashing freely.
Streaks of azure sword energy tore through the air toward Zhu Zhuyun's attendants, cutting them down in a single exchange.
Looking at her attendants lying in pools of blood, Zhu Zhuyun finally lost all her initial composure and shouted sharply, "Uncle Biao!"
As her words fell, the ground trembled, and a powerfully built old man strode over, six Soul Rings-three yellow, two purple, and one black-circling his body.
Each stride carried him two or three meters and made the ground shake. With a final leap, his third Soul Ring lit up, and his hands turned into the enormous phantoms of bear paws that slammed toward Han Li.
At this sight, Lin Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly, staring fixedly at Han Li to see how he would respond.
He had long since spotted this old man called Uncle Biao hiding nearby. His Soul Power was comparable to that of the Dean of the Suotuo City Intermediate Soul Master Academy, probably around rank sixty-two or sixty-three.
But his martial soul was far more formidable than the latter's: the Mighty Demon Bear, a subspecies of the Mighty Vajra Bear. It possessed quite impressive attack and defense.
Faced with the old man's sudden attack, Han Li showed no fear. His second Soul Ring lit up, and four phantom Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords revolved around him.
Golden arcs of lightning surged wildly around his body.
They formed a protective barrier.
The instant the Mighty Demon Bear's phantom paws touched the golden lightning, they shattered with a bang.
Han Li seized the opportunity to put some distance between himself and Uncle Biao. Then his third Soul Ring lit up, and a layer of azure light immediately enveloped his entire body. He became translucent, then split into five.
The five "Han Lis" charged the old man in unison, washing over his body like streaks of lightning and battering him until he had no power to resist.
Finally, the five azure, translucent phantoms merged into one. Han Li revealed his true body, his fourth Soul Ring lit up, and the Bamboo Cloudswarm Sword in his hand grew enormous.
Han Li brought it down with the force to cleave Mount Hua. The old man had been utterly suppressed by the Evil-Exorcising Divine Thunder throughout and could not withstand it at all. The golden lightning spewing from the giant sword blasted him apart, leaving not even his bones behind.
Azure Essence Sword Ray, Azure Essence Sword Shield, Giant Sword Technique, plus the animated Han Li's Clone skill, and the Evil-Exorcising Divine Thunder that specifically counters demonic cultivators, ghost cultivators, corpses, and sinister entities? With "demon" in this old man's martial soul, the Evil-Exorcising Divine Thunder really did suppress him completely.
After watching the battle between Han Li and the old man, Lin Yuan let out a long breath. It turned out that this suddenly appearing transmigrator had not inherited Han Li's cultivation techniques.
He had merely awakened the Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords as his martial soul. Otherwise, he would have long since controlled his sword to attack his enemies.
In a world like the Douluo Continent, where even hidden weapons could run rampant, that would be an absolute dimensional crushing blow.
Presumably, like Azure Essence Sword Ray, Azure Essence Sword Shield, Giant Sword Technique, and the animated version's Clone ability, it was unlocked through Soul Rings or domains.
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