Yue Guan Makes His Move

"What terrifying Soul Power. Even though His Excellency's fifth Soul Ring is only a Thousand-Year Soul Ring, his strength is far beyond anything I can match."

"So this is the strength of a Titled Douluo? Seeing him once really is worth hearing about him a hundred times."

Many high-level Soul Masters in the Library were quietly gauging She Long's strength. They reached only one conclusion: a Titled Douluo could not be defeated.

They thought so because records of battles involving Titled Douluo were too scarce to reveal their true strength. They could only go by first impressions.

And everyone's first impression of a Titled Douluo was the same: powerful.

Against someone like She Long, though, the Star Luo Empire's four Soul Douluo could have put up a real fight together, perhaps even wounded him.

It was not that She Long was especially weak. The weakest Titled Douluo was Dugu Bo.

But Dugu Bo used poison, and his attacks struck whole areas. He was invincible beneath the Titled Douluo level; there was no chance of Soul Douluo surrounding him and dragging the battle into a stalemate.

She Long was different. As a Power Attack System Soul Master, he could only meet his attackers head-on when surrounded.

Almost there. We have to leave Spirit City before Spirit Hall reacts.

Gazing at the Library doors just ahead, Zhu Chen felt as though he had caught sight of dawn's first light.

He had only one task: get Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun out of Spirit City as quickly as possible.

Bang!

Just as Zhu Chen was about to reach the Library doors, someone suddenly walked in from outside.

The newcomer merely released his imposing aura, and Zhu Chen was forced back into the Library.

"How dare you cause trouble in the Library!"

The man narrowed his eyes. His aura abruptly grew heavy, and he struck at Zhu Chen's chest.

What power. If that palm hits me, I'm done for today.

Feeling the force behind the man's palm, Zhu Chen did not dare underestimate him. His mind raced for a way out:

No. We're too close to Spirit Hall. We can't waste another moment.

Zhu Chen's gaze hardened. He decided to stake everything on one move and tossed Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun behind him.

"Su Yu, catch His Highness and the young lady! I'll hold him off. Break through!"

The instant Zhu Chen's feet touched the ground, he turned slightly and avoided the man's attack.

"Fourth Soul Skill: Shadow Rift Surprise Attack!"

Zhu Chen accelerated again. His hands became leopard claws, and his body turned into a black afterimage as he slashed at the man's chest.

"Good speed. Unfortunately, it isn't enough to hurt me."

After delivering his verdict, the man gathered his Soul Power to block the strike. But Zhu Chen suddenly pulled back and retreated.

Zhu Chen's gaze fell on the man's face, then dropped to the collar of his robe. His expression changed drastically as despair flooded his heart.

The man before him had a bewitching face, a lilting, feminine voice, and dark-gold chrysanthemums embroidered on his clothes. His identity was plain to see.

Every high-level Soul Master on the continent knew his fearsome name.

A Spirit Hall Elder and level-95 Titled Douluo: Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan.

At level 95, he had effectively entered the ranks of the Super Douluo, though his domain was still in its infancy. Only upon reaching level 96 would he have a firm foothold among them.

"Ch-Chrysanthemum Douluo..."

Zhu Chen stood rooted to the spot, not daring to move.

The three Soul Douluo behind him stopped as well.

Their eyes settled on Yue Guan. Like Zhu Chen, they were gripped by despair, unable to see any way out.

Two Titled Douluo stood behind them, and an even stronger one blocked the way ahead. Could they survive?

Chu Yan glanced toward a glass window not far from the doors and had a sudden idea.

"Break through the wall! Go out the window!"

Chu Yan moved first. His towering Martial Soul Avatar charged at the nearest wall, ready to smash through it.

They had still wanted to put up a fight against Ci Xue and She Long.

Against Chrysanthemum Douluo, all they wanted was to flee.

The pressure exerted by a Titled Douluo who commanded the power of a domain was far beyond that of an ordinary Titled Douluo.

Unless one possessed a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring...

Qian Zong shouted:

"Elder Ju, you've come at just the right time! These rebels from the Star Luo Empire openly tried to assassinate me, destroyed my Library, and injured the people of Spirit City. Seize them at once!"

Run?

Qian Zong had already had Ci Xue send a message to the two Super Douluo, Qian Jun and Jiang Mo. The Star Luo Empire's people were not getting away.

If She Long failed to stop them, Qian Jun and Jiang Mo would act before they left the Library.

But with Yue Guan here, the two Super Douluo would not need to appear.

What Qian Zong wanted had never been a one-sided slaughter. He wanted prestige and renown.

With prestige and renown, he could give the people someone to believe in.

With their belief, he might have a chance to create a divine position of his own.

Now that three Titled Douluo had appeared in the same Library, the Martial Soul Library's standing would rise to an entirely new height.

Once Soul Masters across the continent heard the news, they would flock to the Library.

After all, what Soul Master would not want to see a Titled Douluo in person?

And Qian Zong, as the Spirit Hall Young Hall Master and director of the Martial Soul Library, would see his name and prestige carried across the continent by that wave.

"What? They dared try to assassinate you?" Yue Guan's eyes widened in shock, and his voice rose sharply.

He looked again at the four from the Star Luo Empire. Murderous intent filled his eyes as he instantly summoned his Martial Soul.

"Let me deal with these fools who don't know what they're doing!"

Yue Guan held nothing back. Nine Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black—appeared beneath his feet as he unleashed his full power from the start.

"Seventh Soul Skill: Martial Soul Avatar!"

"Third Soul Skill: Aura Barrier!"

In an instant, golden light mingled with energy-laden chrysanthemum petals and filled the Library. Even the air seemed to freeze.

Aura Barrier was an area skill that could seal off and suppress the movements of enemies within its range.

Large numbers of Soul Masters below the Soul King level were caught in the crossfire, pressed so hard by Yue Guan's Soul Skill that they could barely breathe.

The Star Luo Empire's group bore the brunt of the attack. They were pinned in place, their bodies as heavy as if filled with lead.

"Fifth Soul Skill: Gathering of Cold Blossoms!"

Golden light poured from Yue Guan's body, and chrysanthemum petals gathered into two Chrysanthemum Battle Blades.

Gripping them tightly, he sprang forward like an arrow loosed from its string and rushed at Zhu Chen, the closest to him.

Crack!

The next instant, a Chrysanthemum Battle Blade pierced Zhu Chen's chest without resistance and punctured his heart.

Pfft—

Zhu Chen's awareness slowly faded. He struggled to turn toward Zhu Zhuyun. His lips moved twice, but he only spat out two mouthfuls of blood before his eyes slowly closed.

A Soul Douluo had died on the spot.

Qian Zong's gaze darkened. He was somewhat displeased.

Zhu Chen was an imperial Soul Douluo, after all. Crippled, he could still have been put to use. Dead, he was worth nothing.

"Forget it. They're all warriors who know only how to cultivate, not how to maneuver for power. I can't blame him," Qian Zong sighed.

The Soul Master World's belief that strength ruled above all else meant powerful Soul Masters inevitably lacked knowledge of political maneuvering.

And because of their power, strong Soul Masters had confidence in themselves as the strong. They might acknowledge another person's intelligence, but they would never admit to lacking political cunning themselves.

Take the Clear Sky Sect and Flender. The former, as the world's foremost sect, saw nothing wrong with bullying the weak, and its subordinate sects behaved the same way.

The latter saw nothing wrong with swindling people out of their money. If they lacked the strength to stop it, they could only suffer the loss.

Soul Masters who possessed both wisdom and courage were exceedingly rare.