The streets of Heaven Dou City were still bustling with traffic, but beneath the surface, dark currents were already surging.
News that Lin Chen had crippled five Soul Elders from Spirit Hall in the streets swept through the city as though it had grown wings. From noble Soul Masters to market vendors, everyone was discussing this heaven-defying youth who dared openly challenge Spirit Hall. Awe, amazement, and worry filled every street and alley.
Inside the Soul Master Market, Lin Chen was carefully selecting Life Spirit Grass for Su Qingyuan and Yue Huaxi to cultivate with. His fingertips brushed over immortal herbs containing pure soul power, his gaze focused and gentle. He had already sensed several concealed yet powerful soul power auras rapidly approaching from every direction, quietly encircling the market. Their dense killing intent was unmistakable even from several streets away.
“They're here.” A cold smile curved Lin Chen's lips. Without stopping what he was doing, he quietly told the two beside him, “Stay close to me in a moment. Don't leave the range of my Life Domain.”
Su Qingyuan and Yue Huaxi exchanged a glance and nodded together, without the slightest panic.
After several battles, they had long since shed their inexperience. Soul power quietly circulated around them as their Azure Lotus Martial Soul and Moonlight Spirit Grass Martial Soul appeared simultaneously. Their soul rings gleamed as they prepared to fight with everything they had.
Just as the three finished speaking, several dark figures suddenly descended from above, landing on the rooftops and alley entrances around the market, completely sealing off every escape route!
Their leader was none other than the Blood Demon Soul Ancestor, master of the Spirit Hall Heaven Dou Branch. Subtle blood-red patterns marked his purple robes, and his face was as sinister as a hawk's. Four soul rings—two yellow, one purple, and one black—surged upward around him. The formidable aura of a level forty-three Power Attack System Soul Ancestor erupted without restraint, sweeping through the entire market. His pressure was so overwhelming that nearby vendors and passersby scattered in terror, clearing the entire area in an instant.
Eight more Spirit Hall experts followed close behind: three Soul Elders and five Soul Grandmasters. Every one of them radiated a savage aura and wore a vicious expression as they surrounded Lin Chen and the two women, their killing intent reaching the heavens.
“Lin Chen, you little scoundrel! You injured our Spirit Hall members in Heaven Dou City and openly challenged Spirit Hall's authority. Today is the day you die!” the Blood Demon Soul Ancestor roared, his voice carrying a bone-piercing chill. His gaze locked onto Lin Chen as though he wanted to swallow him alive and strip off his skin. “Let's see what waves a mere Soul Grandmaster can stir up!”
He had run rampant through Heaven Dou City for years and had never suffered such humiliation. His subordinates had been crippled one after another; once word spread, he would lose all dignity as branch master. Only by killing Lin Chen with his own hands today could he quell the fury in his heart.
The passersby and Soul Masters who had not yet gone far hid at a distance to watch, their faces filled with horror.
Spirit Hall's branch master had personally come with nearly ten experts to surround and kill a level twenty-two Soul Grandmaster. This was practically using an ox-cleaving blade to kill a chicken! Many secretly shook their heads. No matter how heaven-defying Lin Chen's talent was, they believed he was certain to die today. There was no way he could escape a Soul Ancestor.
“Branch master, why waste words on this brat? Just slaughter him and take those two women back to the branch to deal with!” one Soul Elder shouted harshly, his greedy gaze sweeping over Su Qingyuan and Yue Huaxi, his face full of malice.
At those words, the gentle Life Soul Power surrounding Lin Chen instantly turned icy. Killing intent surged in his eyes, and a pale green halo burst outward around him as his Life Domain fully opened!
The ten-meter domain instantly enveloped every Spirit Hall expert. The ultimate Life Force transformed into peerless suppressive force, bearing down mercilessly on each of them!
[Life Domain triggered: enemy soul power suppressed by 45%, martial soul strength weakened by 40%!]
The expressions of the Blood Demon Soul Ancestor and his companions changed dramatically. Their soul power suddenly grew sluggish, circulating as though it were trudging forward under a heavy burden. Waves of weakness came from their martial souls, and their formerly surging momentum was cut in half. Even activating their soul skills smoothly became difficult!
“Domain power? You're only a Soul Grandmaster, yet you really awakened a domain!” The Blood Demon Soul Ancestor's pupils contracted sharply. Shock filled his face, and for the first time, a trace of apprehension rose in his heart.
A domain was an ability only Soul Saints had a chance of awakening. For Lin Chen to possess one as a Soul Grandmaster, his talent had already exceeded anything the Blood Demon Soul Ancestor could comprehend!
“So what if you have a domain? The gap between a Soul Ancestor and a Soul Grandmaster isn't something a mere domain can bridge!” the Blood Demon Soul Ancestor roared. He forcibly drove his soul power to break free of part of the suppression and unleashed his fourth soul skill. “Fourth soul skill—Blood Demon Heaven-Splitting Claw!”
Blood-red soul power condensed into an enormous demonic claw. With a shrill howl that tore through the air, it lunged viciously toward Lin Chen. A Soul Ancestor's all-out strike carried enough power to shatter the bluestone ground. An ordinary Soul Grandmaster would die the instant it touched them!
The three Soul Elders dared not hold anything back either. They activated their third soul skills simultaneously, sending attacks of various colors howling forth. Together with the Blood Demon Soul Ancestor's strike, they formed an encircling killing blow that sealed off every avenue of evasion!
"Qingyuan, activate Azure Lotus Protection and protect Xi'er! Xi'er, use Moonlight Tracelessness to disrupt their vision!"
Lin Chen issued his orders sharply. His steps remained steady as he advanced instead of retreating. Two deep green soul rings soared from beneath his feet, their dazzling radiance revealing ages of three thousand eight hundred years and five thousand years. Those soul ring ages, far beyond the norm, utterly overwhelmed the rings of every Spirit Hall expert present and made their martial souls tremble!
Without hesitation, Su Qingyuan unleashed her first soul skill at full strength. Azure Lotus Protection instantly spread out, its pure white lotus shield securely protecting all three of them. Gentle Life Force fused with the shield, greatly enhancing its defensive power; at the same time, Yue Huaxi activated her second soul skill. Moonlight Tracelessness released a vast bank of silver mist, instantly disrupting the Spirit Hall group's vision and perception!
"Second soul skill—Life Suppression!"
Lin Chen bellowed. His five-thousand-year soul ring blazed with light as boundless Life Force transformed into an invisible mountain and crashed head-on into the blood-red demonic claw and the other soul skills!
There was no earth-shaking explosion, only the hum of colliding soul power!
Under the combined suppression of Lin Chen's five-thousand-year soul skill and Life Domain, the Soul Ancestor's fourth soul skill and the three Soul Elders' third soul skills were forcibly blocked. Then they unraveled layer by layer and vanished into nothing!
"Impossible! This is absolutely impossible!" The Blood Demon Soul Ancestor's eyes nearly split with fury, his face full of disbelief. His all-out strike had actually been blocked with ease by a Soul Grandmaster. This completely overturned his understanding of Soul Master cultivation!
Lin Chen's gaze was icy. Giving his opponents no chance to react, he took the offensive!
"First soul skill—Life Entanglement!"
Countless strands of Life Blue Silver Grass, tougher than steel, burst wildly through the ground. Like enraged dragons, they swept toward the Spirit Hall group.
With their senses disrupted by the moonlight mist and their power suppressed by the Life Domain, the Spirit Hall experts had no way to dodge. The five Soul Grandmasters were instantly bound like tightly wrapped dumplings by the blue silver grass. Their soul power was completely sealed, stripping them of their ability to fight; two Soul Elders also had their limbs entangled and could not struggle free!
In just a few breaths, nearly half of Spirit Hall's experts had been taken down in an instant!
The Blood Demon Soul Ancestor was frightened out of his wits. All his earlier arrogance vanished, and he turned to flee!
He finally understood that he was not facing some gifted youth, but a monster through and through! Lin Chen had the cultivation of a Soul Grandmaster, yet possessed combat strength comparable to a Soul Ancestor. With that heaven-defying domain on top of it, the Blood Demon Soul Ancestor was no match for him!
"Trying to run? I told you—if you dared provoke me again, I'd raze your Spirit Hall Branch to the ground!"
Lin Chen snorted coldly. His figure flashed with blinding speed, instantly catching up to the Blood Demon Soul Ancestor. Life Blue Silver Grass tightly bound the man's legs as the full force of Life Suppression poured down upon him!
Bam!
The level forty-three Blood Demon Soul Ancestor was smashed straight into the ground. His bones creaked throughout his body, and his soul power completely scattered. He could no longer summon even a fraction of it!
Lin Chen slowly walked up to him, the soul rings beneath his feet revolving gently. His gaze was as cold as a blade. "Spirit Hall has targeted me again and again and harassed the people I care about. Leaving your branch standing would only invite more trouble."
As his words fell, soul power surged at Lin Chen's fingertips. He was about to cripple the Blood Demon Soul Ancestor and eliminate any future threat.
"Lin Chen, show mercy!"
Just then, an urgent voice rang out. Two figures hurried over: an instructor from Qinglan Academy's Heaven Dou City branch and Li Ran from Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
"Lin Chen, this man is a Spirit Hall branch master. If you kill him, Spirit Hall will certainly send even stronger experts, and the trouble will be much greater. Why not spare his life and make him swear never to harass you again? Our Qinglan branch and Heaven Dou Imperial Academy will both bear witness for you!" the branch instructor hurriedly urged.
Lin Chen's brows drew together slightly. After a moment's thought, he withdrew his soul power.
He knew his cultivation was still shallow. If he truly killed a Spirit Hall branch master, it would inevitably invite Spirit Hall's frenzied retaliation. They might even dispatch experts at the Soul King or Soul Emperor level. When that happened, not only he but also Su Qingyuan and Yue Huaxi would be driven into a hopeless situation.
"I'll spare your life today. Swear a blood oath immediately: for the rest of your life, you will never trouble me or anyone beside me again, nor retaliate against Qinglan Academy or Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Otherwise, may heaven punish you and annihilate your martial soul!" Lin Chen's tone was icy and allowed no argument.
The Blood Demon Soul Ancestor was so terrified that his face had drained of all color. He dared not disobey in the slightest. He immediately swore a blood oath, then fled with his subordinates, stumbling and scrambling away, no longer daring to harbor any covetous thoughts.
The crisis was completely resolved.
The distant spectators erupted. Applause and cries of amazement rose one after another, and their gazes were filled with awe as they looked at Lin Chen. A Soul Grandmaster had fought a Soul Ancestor head-on and swept aside an entire group of Spirit Hall experts. Such a feat was destined to shake all of Heaven Dou City!
Li Ran and the branch instructor hurried forward, full of admiration for Lin Chen. Both invited him to visit their branches to rest and recover.
Lin Chen politely declined. Taking Su Qingyuan and Yue Huaxi by the hand, he turned and left the battlefield.
The moment the three walked out of the market, the soul power inside Lin Chen suddenly churned violently. The soul power and Life Spiritual Energy he had absorbed during the fierce battle broke through his cultivation barrier in an instant!
Pale green light surged around him, and the density of his Life Soul Power doubled. His cultivation, previously at level twenty-two, broke through directly!
Level twenty-three Soul Grandmaster!
After this battle, Lin Chen's cultivation had advanced once more, and his control over his Life Domain and soul skills had become increasingly refined. He was another step closer to the Soul Elder realm!
Sensing Lin Chen's breakthrough, Su Qingyuan and Yue Huaxi beamed with joy and nestled close beside him.
Lin Chen raised his head and looked toward the Spirit Hall Branch, his gaze deep.
Today's affair had only been settled for the moment. He would remember his grudge against Spirit Hall.
Meanwhile, inside the inn where Shrek was temporarily staying, Tang San had sensed the powerful soul power fluctuations from the fierce battle. After learning that Lin Chen had fought Spirit Hall's Soul Ancestor head-on, his expression grew increasingly grave. The sense of crisis in his heart was stronger than ever before.
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