The party passed through the thick jungle. After roughly half an hour, a torrent of Life Spiritual Energy, so rich it was almost liquid, washed over them, refreshing their hearts and souls.
The view suddenly opened up, revealing a valley nestled deep within the Dense Forest—their destination, Spirit Grass Valley.
Exotic flowers and herbs carpeted the valley, with rare spirit herbs of every kind growing freely. Emerald leaves and crystalline petals all radiated pure soul power fluctuations. Thousand-year spirit herbs were everywhere, and at the valley's center stood a Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Heart Grass, luminous white from top to bottom and wreathed in spiritual energy—a peerless immortal herb!
Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Heart Grass could temper a soul master's meridians and increase the purity of their soul power, as well as be refined into top-grade Healing Pills. Its benefits for control-type and support-type soul masters defied the heavens. Even Soul Emperors and Soul Saints would covet it.
"It's a Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Heart Grass!"
Someone cried out, and every student's eyes instantly reddened. Their breathing quickened as they stared toward the valley's center with overwhelming desire.
If they obtained such a heaven-defying immortal herb, their cultivation would surely advance by leaps and bounds!
Seeing this, the vice dean immediately barked in a stern voice, "Everyone, enter Spirit Grass Valley in an orderly fashion! No fighting over herbs or turning on one another. The academy will distribute the rare spirit herbs. The Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Heart Grass will remain here until the training expedition ends, when the academy will evaluate who receives it!"
Though reluctant, the students dared not defy the academy's orders. Under their instructors' direction, they entered the valley in an orderly fashion and gathered the hundred-year and thousand-year spirit herbs around its edges, remaining wary of any soul beasts lurking within.
"Qingyuan, Huaxi, gather spirit herbs here to improve your cultivation. I'll take a look farther inside. Remember, don't wander off. If there's any danger, use a soul skill immediately to signal me," Lin Chen instructed softly.
He could sense several concealed yet savage soul power presences beneath the valley's rich Life Spiritual Energy. A faint, elusive killing intent had also quietly locked onto him.
Su Qingyuan and Yue Huaxi nodded obediently. Walking side by side, they gathered suitable spirit herbs along the valley's edge. Their Azure Lotus Martial Soul and Moonlight Spirit Grass Martial Soul unfurled slightly as they remained constantly on guard.
Lin Chen slowly walked into the valley alone. Rather than rushing to seize spirit herbs, he activated his Life Domain and carefully sensed everything around him.
His Life Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul was trembling faintly, resonating strongly with the valley's Life Spiritual Energy. Especially as he approached the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Heart Grass, the stirring in his martial soul origin grew stronger, as though this immortal herb could fully awaken his martial soul's hidden power.
Just as Lin Chen neared the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Heart Grass, a figure suddenly stepped into his path. It was Tang San.
Tang San stared straight at Lin Chen with a resolute gaze, a trace of stubbornness in his voice. "Brother Lin Chen, I have great use for this Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Heart Grass. Could you let me have it?"
Although his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul was not as heaven-defying as Lin Chen's Life Blue Silver Grass, the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Heart Grass could still greatly improve his strength. He was certain this was his perfect chance to catch up to Lin Chen.
Lin Chen gave him an indifferent glance. His voice was calm but brooked no argument. "With fortune before us, we each rely on our own abilities. If you want it, fight for it with your strength."
He had never intended to compete for this Ice Heart Grass, but Tang San's overbearing attitude had extinguished any desire to yield.
The two faced off, soul power quietly surging as the atmosphere instantly became one of drawn swords and bent bows. Seeing this, Dai Mubai and the others hurried forward to restrain Tang San, afraid the two would clash on the spot.
Just then, disaster struck!
"Attack! Don't let a single one escape!"
An icy roar suddenly rang through Spirit Grass Valley. Dozens of black-robed figures burst from underground and between the trees surrounding the once-quiet valley. Soul power erupted around them, their killing intent surging to the heavens as they encircled the entire valley in an instant!
Their leader was wrapped in black robes, his face twisted with menace. Six soul rings—two yellow, two purple, and two black—rose around him with a thunderous surge. The formidable pressure of a level sixty-one power attack system Soul Emperor swept through the valley. It was Ghost Hand, who had fled in panic before!
Unwilling to accept defeat, he had secretly gathered all of Spirit Hall's forces around Heaven Dou City: three Soul Ancestors, ten Soul Elders, and more than twenty Soul Grandmasters. They had slipped into the Star Dou Great Forest and laid an ambush here. He had sworn to kill Lin Chen in this valley and slaughter the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy students along the way, venting his rage and establishing his might!
"They're from Spirit Hall! Ghost Hand actually dared to come back!"
The vice dean's expression changed drastically. The three Soul Emperor instructors instantly darted forward to shield the students, their soul rings rising as they braced for battle.
Panic instantly swept through the students in the valley. They summoned their martial souls, fear written across their faces. None had expected a Spirit Hall ambush this deep in the Star Dou Forest!
"Lin Chen, you little wretch! There's no imperial expert to save you today. Let's see where you can run!" Ghost Hand's sinister gaze fixed relentlessly on Lin Chen, his killing intent almost spilling over. "And you little brats from the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy—you'll all be buried here today!"
With that, Ghost Hand swept his hand outward and gave a shrill command. "Kill!"
Dozens of Spirit Hall soul masters attacked without hesitation. The light of their soul skills crisscrossed as attacks of every color blotted out the sky, bombarding the students and instructors in the valley. Their assault was ruthless, leaving no path to survival!
"Qingyuan, Huaxi, come to me!"
Lin Chen's gaze turned cold. His figure flashed, and he instantly appeared beside the two heroines. Three deep-green soul rings surged upward as he unleashed his life domain at full strength. A pale-green halo instantly enveloped the three of them, then spread outward to suppress Spirit Hall's forces!
"Azure Lotus Protection! Moonlight Amplification!"
Without hesitation, Su Qingyuan and Yue Huaxi simultaneously activated their strongest defensive and amplification soul skills. A snow-white Azure Lotus Shield enveloped them, while silver moonlight power empowered Lin Chen, sending his combat strength soaring once more.
"Myriad Spirit Vine Sea!"
With a thunderous shout, Lin Chen drew upon Spirit Grass Valley's abundant life spiritual energy. Countless strands of life blue silver grass burst madly from the earth, becoming a boundless sea of green vines that surged toward Spirit Hall's attacks. In an instant, they wove an impregnable green barrier that blocked every soul skill!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The crashes of colliding soul power rang out without pause. Every full-force attack from Spirit Hall was stopped by the vine-sea barrier. Shock waves scattered in all directions, yet failed to harm Lin Chen or either woman in the slightest.
"Everyone from Shrek, join forces against the enemy!" Dai Mubai roared. His Evil-Eyed White Tiger Martial Soul manifested, and he charged at the Spirit Hall soul masters first. Oscar, Ma Hongjun, Ning Rongrong, and the others followed close behind, fighting shoulder to shoulder with the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy students.
In moments, the entire Spirit Grass Valley became a battlefield. Soul skills blazed in every direction as beast roars mingled with the shouts of soul masters.
The three academy instructors faced Ghost Hand. Their Soul Emperor-level soul power clashes shook the valley incessantly, sending loose rocks tumbling down. Meanwhile, the other Spirit Hall soul masters battled the students, neither side able to gain the upper hand.
After fighting the academy instructors fiercely for a while without defeating them, Ghost Hand's expression grew even more vicious. He abruptly broke free of the melee and charged straight at Lin Chen. "I'll kill you first, you little wretch!"
Fifth soul skill—Ghost Hand Soul Annihilation!
An enormous pitch-black ghost claw formed once again. Carrying the might to tear souls apart, it snatched savagely at Lin Chen. This full-force strike from a Soul Emperor was far more powerful than before!
Lin Chen's gaze grew grave, but he showed no fear. Green light surged around him, and with a thought, he invoked, "Life Suppression, Myriad Spirit Strangulation!"
Several thick vines instantly split off from the vine sea. Bearing immense life force, they crashed into the ghost claw. At the same time, countless slender strands of blue silver grass swept toward Ghost Hand like sharp blades, coiling around him to strangle and rend him!
"You think you can stop me?" Ghost Hand sneered. He drove his soul power harder, and the ghost claw's might surged.
Just then, Su Qingyuan and Yue Huaxi exchanged a glance. Both poured out all their soul power, merging the strength of their two martial souls. Azure Lotus light intertwined with moonlight, forming a blade of light that was supremely gentle yet incomparably resilient. It slashed fiercely at the ghost claw!
Together, the two heroines actually held the Soul Emperor's attack at bay for a moment!
Lin Chen seized the opening. The light of his martial soul origin blazed between his brows as he unleashed his third soul skill at full power. He absorbed all the Life Spiritual Energy surrounding the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Heart Grass, instantly doubling the vine sea's might!
"Bind him!"
Blue silver grass filled the air, wrapping tightly around Ghost Hand's limbs and torso and trapping him at the center of the vine sea. The power of Life Suppression poured down, sealing his soul power completely!
Ghost Hand's expression changed drastically, tempestuous waves surging through his heart. "Impossible! You're only a Soul Elder! How could you trap me again?"
Lin Chen slowly stepped forward, his gaze as cold as a blade. "This is Spirit Grass Valley, where Life Spiritual Energy reigns—and where I reign. Today is the day you die!"
As his words fell, pure Life Soul Power gathered in Lin Chen's palm and formed a sharp blade of green light. He was about to finish Ghost Hand once and for all, ending any future threat!
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