Jiang Chen let out a soft sigh.
He had never expected to run into this bunch after all.
These Evil Soul Masters really were ghosts that refused to leave him alone. He ran into them wherever he went.
It seemed they were plotting something big in the area again.
Jiang Chen planned to find out what they were doing near the mountain range, gather intelligence for the academy, and have Mu En deal with these Evil Soul Masters.
Just then, Ling Luochеn raised her head and noticed the outsiders too, but she failed to see through their disguises and simply assumed they belonged to some sect in the Heaven Dou Empire.
Surprised to find Jiang Chen looking so grave, she asked, "You...?"
Before she could finish, Jiang Chen gave her a meaningful look, and Ling Luochеn immediately fell silent.
She understood what his eyes were telling her.
Something was wrong with these outsiders.
Then the two lowered their heads and continued shoveling down their food.
Not far away, Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng had noticed nothing amiss. They kept asking around for information, hoping to finish their mission quickly, completely unaware that Nangong Wan, Yan Feng, and the others already had their eyes on them.
Nangong Wan's cold, sinister gaze swept over the two.
These Shrek brats really are ghosts that refuse to leave us alone. They caught up and started asking questions so quickly. It looks like the Holy Cult's plans are about to be disrupted again.
Nangong Wan promptly exchanged a look with Yan Feng and the cult members, then turned and went up to the inn's second floor.
Only after all the Evil Soul Masters had left did Jiang Chen breathe a sigh of relief. He caught Ling Luochеn by the wrist and said, "Come with me."
Ling Luochеn immediately left the inn with Jiang Chen.
Once they reached the street, Jiang Chen repeatedly checked that Nangong Wan had not noticed him. Only after looking all around did he say, "That group was made up of Evil Soul Masters."
Ling Luochеn's pupils abruptly contracted, and her breathing quickened.
Evil Soul Masters!
They had actually run into Evil Soul Masters, and there were so many of them, including several Soul Saint-level experts.
Ling Luochеn immediately said, "Then let's inform the Elders. There are so many Evil Soul Masters, and those leading them are so powerful. We're definitely no match for them. We can only ask the academy for help."
Jiang Chen shook his head. "We're a long way from the academy. Even if the Elders can come, these Evil Soul Masters will have slipped away long before they arrive."
"Rather than having the Elders deal with them, we should let the Heaven Dou border troops stationed here handle it. That way, we'll have exceeded our mission requirements too."
Ling Luochеn also felt that Jiang Chen made a great deal of sense.
By now, she could see the situation clearly. Matters within the Heaven Dou Empire should be left to its imperial family. The academy should not stretch its hand too far.
Otherwise, what would His Majesty the Emperor think?
He was already the ruler of a nation, standing above countless millions, yet he still had Shrek pressing down on him. Anyone would harbor resentment.
Afterward, Jiang Chen sent Ling Luochеn to notify the Heaven Dou border troops, while he disguised himself and returned to the inn to see what these Evil Soul Masters were up to this time.
As for Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng, it was best not to contact them for now.
Meanwhile, on the inn's second floor.
The Holy Spirit Cult's Elder Nangong Wan, Yan Feng, and numerous cult members sat in a room, their expressions exceedingly grave.
Yan Feng was the first to rise. With a somber expression, he said, "Second Elder, these Shrek brats already have their eyes on us. Why don't you kill them yourself and root out any future trouble?"
However, neither Nangong Wan nor the cult members accepted his suggestion.
Although Yan Feng was the Cult Leader's disciple, he was ultimately just a teenage boy. What could he understand about the bigger picture?
When it came to major decisions, an elder still had to make the call.
Nangong Wan took a sip of tea and said calmly, "Yan Feng, you simply hate the people of Shrek too much. Although I want to kill them as well, we're inside the Heaven Dou Empire. Do you think we can kill those two and walk away unscathed?"
"Every member of their Inspection Corps bears a spiritual imprint, and Elders accompany them on every mission. Killing them is extremely troublesome."
"Even if I killed them, would the Body Sect, the Heaven Dou Empire, and those lunatics from Shrek let us off? There would be nowhere for us to hide in the Three Great Empires."
"You're too young to understand. In truth, Shrek's strongest man isn't Xuan Zi, who stands in the public eye, but Dragon God Douluo Mu En, who rose to fame two hundred years ago and has since vanished without a trace. As long as that old bastard lives, we absolutely dare not reveal ourselves. Even the Supreme Cult Leader doesn't want to face him."
Yan Feng felt unconvinced as he listened.
They were the largest organization of Evil Soul Masters, yet they were actually afraid of a single Dragon God Douluo?
Cult Leader Zhongli feared neither heaven nor earth.
Yan Feng immediately said indignantly, "Then are we just supposed to pretend we haven't seen them and let them track us down?"
Nangong Wan remained unfazed, waving a hand with a faint smile. "They're merely a bunch of children. If it really came to a fight, I could slap them dead with one hand. But I'm no match for the Elders behind them."
"Since things have come to this, don't stir the grass and startle the snake. Our mission matters most. Don't forget the Cult Leader's instructions. We must bring all these secretly mined minerals back to the Holy Cult to strengthen our forces. When the day comes for us to reveal ourselves fully, we'll give the continent an enormous surprise."
After hearing that, Yan Feng could only agree.
Forget it!
If we can't kill them, so be it. Let's just carry out the mission.
Before dawn, the Holy Spirit Cult's team slipped away, leaving Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng behind at the inn.
Jiang Chen followed them in secret, trusting that the Lord Auspicious Beast's good fortune would keep him safe.
The moment he noticed anything wrong, he would activate Ice Empress Possession and flee.
And so, Jiang Chen followed these Evil Soul Masters as they crept into the heart of the Lingshan Mountain Range.
Only when Nangong Wan and the others reached the entrance to a vast valley did Jiang Chen stop, hiding at the edge of a cliff to watch these Evil Soul Masters.
The situation was even worse than he had anticipated.
There were actually over a hundred low-ranking Evil Soul Masters inside the valley. Everyone coming and going had to undergo identity checks. It was obvious at a glance that these Evil Soul Masters had been stationed here for a long time, and explosions from Soul Tool Bombs occasionally rang out from within.
Jiang Chen pondered in silence, then murmured, "With all that noise... could they be stealing ore?"
Although the Sun Moon Empire was rich in minerals, it still had to mine certain kinds in the Three Great Empires. It was not that the Sun Moon Empire lacked them entirely, but that they were too scarce. The Three Great Empires' disregard for Soul Tools had conveniently given them an opening to exploit.
Just then, Jiang Chen noticed Nangong Wan and several Evil Soul Masters exchanging Storage Soul Tools, confirming that they were indeed mining.
These fellows were secretly exploiting an ore vein.
At that thought, Jiang Chen quietly withdrew, concealing himself as he waited for reinforcements from the Heaven Dou Empire.
He had successfully completed this inspection mission. He might even receive a reward from the Heaven Dou Empire.
Yet two hours passed, and the Heaven Dou Empire's men still had not arrived. Jiang Chen could not help growing anxious.
Could Ling Luochеn have run into trouble along the way?
At that moment, Nangong Wan clasped his hands behind his back outside the valley. A smile appeared on his face as he said, "At last, I can go back to drink with the Cult Leader and bed some beauties. The handover is complete. Let's withdraw."
Yan Feng and the others acknowledged the order and withdrew from the valley, leaving along their planned route.
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