Robbing Shrek!

Tang Ya stared blankly at the boy who had suddenly appeared behind the two of them, unable to react for a moment.

Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi had already felt the weight of the hand resting on each of their shoulders. It was not heavy, yet it made the circulation of their Soul Power falter for an instant.

Lu Ren stood between them, an arm around each, smiling like a child whose prank had just succeeded.

Then the force in his hands began to increase.

Crack, crack.

The sound of bones being compressed was clearly audible.

Bei Bei's and Xu Sanshi's expressions changed at the same time.

Without using his Martial Soul, he could actually suppress them like this through physical strength alone?

Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi were instantly drenched in sweat.

This guy was actually this strong?

"Why aren't you talking anymore?"

Lu Ren tilted his head as he studied them.

"You were discussing me so enthusiastically just now. Did you leave your vocal cords at home?"

Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi exchanged a glance.

There was no need to communicate. Both nodded at once, instantly unleashing their Martial Souls.

Blue-violet lightning exploded. Bei Bei's right arm rapidly swelled, dense scales covering it as his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul awakened.

Two yellow Soul Rings and one purple rose from beneath his feet.

Not to be outdone, Xu Sanshi's body abruptly expanded, stretching his school uniform taut. An enormous tortoiseshell shield manifested with a boom in his right hand-his Xuanming Turtle Martial Soul.

At the same time, Tang Ya gave a sharp cry behind them, unleashing her Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul as two yellow Soul Rings lit up.

"First Soul Skill, Entanglement!"

Several long blue vines coiled toward Lu Ren like living snakes.

Lu Ren did not move at all.

He merely raised his eyes to glance at the vines.

Slash, Dismantle!

The next second, an invisible blade appeared, slicing through the air.

Shhk, shhk, shhk.

Every vine was cut to pieces in midair, their severed ends so even they looked as though they had been measured with a ruler.

The slash continued unabated, striking Tang Ya directly and sending her flying. She rolled several times across the ground.

"Xiaoya!"

Bei Bei's expression changed drastically.

A low boom erupted from his body.

Intense blue-violet lightning surged wildly, and the scales on his right arm rapidly spread across his body, covering the right side of his chest as well.

His purple third Soul Ring burst into dazzling light.

Third Soul Skill, Thunderclap Fury.

His lightning attributes doubled, and the effectiveness of his Soul Power attacks increased by more than fifty percent.

At that moment, Bei Bei could put up a fight even against an ordinary Four-Ring Soul Ancestor.

A fist wrapped in raging lightning blasted toward Lu Ren's chest.

Nothing happened.

Lightning exploded across Lu Ren's body, blue-violet arcs crackling with blinding light.

But when the lightning faded, Lu Ren stood where he had been, without so much as a wrinkle in his clothes.

He even looked down at his chest before raising his head toward Bei Bei, his eyes plainly saying, That's it?

Bei Bei's pupils contracted violently.

How was that possible?

On the other side, Xu Sanshi attacked at the same time.

Third Soul Skill, Xuanming Power, likewise an enhancement-type Soul Skill.

He immediately followed it with his First Soul Skill, Xuanming Shock, an area knockback that also inflicted a stun.

The tortoiseshell shield slammed into the ground, and a visible shock wave burst outward.

Then it struck Lu Ren.

Lu Ren still did not budge.

He even yawned.

"Finished? Then it's my turn to say a few words."

The next second, Lu Ren's hands abruptly tightened on their shoulders.

Crack!

The sharp sound of shattering bones rang out from both of them at once.

Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi screamed simultaneously, cold sweat instantly beading on their foreheads.

This guy was absurdly strong!

One of them had the outer court's strongest offense, the other its strongest defense, yet hitting him was like scratching an itch?

"I've always been straightforward, so I'll get right to the point."

Lu Ren spoke nonchalantly, his tone utterly casual, not taking either of them seriously in the slightest.

"Hand over everything valuable you have, and I'll let you go."

He paused, then added:

"Then you can go hunt your Soul Beasts, and I'll pack up and leave right away. That way, we both win. How about it?"

Bei Bei gritted his teeth. "Dream on!"

His Second Soul Ring abruptly lit up.

Second Soul Skill, Thunderous Might!

Countless thick, serpentine bolts of lightning exploded outward from Bei Bei, weaving a dense electric net that swept over Lu Ren's head and face.

Lu Ren finally let go.

But rather than step back, he laced his hands behind his head. Invisible slashes gathered beneath his feet, carrying him smoothly backward as though he were riding a skateboard.

He looked as leisurely as someone out skating.

The lightning struck empty air, dissipating with a crackle.

"Honestly."

Lu Ren glided some distance away before stopping. He sighed, then muttered under his breath:

"I'm really short on money. I'm heading to the Sun Moon Empire, after all. Without connections or channels along the way, it's going to cost a lot, you know? You just had to make this so troublesome."

He looked at the two panting boys with the hint of a smile and raised his voice:

"I don't want to kill anyone. I assume you don't want to throw your lives away for nothing either?"

Bei Bei had no time to reply. He turned and rushed to Tang Ya, crouching beside her and checking her injuries in a fluster.

"Xiaoya! How are you?"

Tang Ya struggled to get up, blood at the corner of her mouth, but still shook her head.

"I'm fine... watch out!"

Seeing that she only had superficial injuries, Bei Bei let out a breath of relief. But at Tang Ya's warning, he hurriedly turned back, just in time to see Xu Sanshi charging toward Lu Ren with his tortoiseshell shield raised.

"You idiot, don't go alone!"

Bei Bei shouted, his body already rushing forward on instinct.

Watching the two charge toward him one after another, Lu Ren raised a hand and brushed aside the loose hair over his forehead.

At that very instant, a massive slash swept through the air.

It was not aimed at them, but swept horizontally above their heads.

Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi instinctively threw themselves to the ground.

The slash skimmed over their heads and struck the woods behind them.

Rumble...

Amid a string of thunderous crashes, seven or eight large trees were severed at the waist, their crowns crashing to the ground and throwing dust into the sky.

Lying on the ground, Bei Bei stared at the neatly severed stumps, his Adam's apple bobbing.

That power... was definitely no weaker than a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor's full-force strike!

And judging by the boy's unruffled manner, it had clearly been nothing more than a casual wave.

In the instant he was distracted, Lu Ren flashed in front of them.

He raised his hand, held two fingers together, and lightly swept them toward Xu Sanshi.

Xu Sanshi's expression changed drastically, and he instinctively held his tortoiseshell shield across his body.

Crack!

The slash landed on the shield. The Xuanming Turtle shield, famed for its unparalleled defense, shattered into four or five pieces.

Xu Sanshi flew backward, spraying a mouthful of blood through the air before crashing heavily to the ground. He struggled twice but failed to get up.

Bei Bei froze.

He looked at the shield fragments scattered across the ground, then at Xu Sanshi, who could not get up in the distance, and finally at the utterly nonchalant boy before him.

Then he slowly raised both hands.

"I surrender."

His voice was crisp and decisive.

"I agree with what you said. I'm willing to hand over everything valuable I have."

What a joke.

He knew Xu Sanshi's defensive strength better than anyone. When Xu Sanshi got serious, even an ordinary Soul Ancestor could not break through.

This guy had shattered Xu Sanshi's shield with a casual strike. What was there left to fight?

Was he supposed to fight this guy alone? Seriously?

Lu Ren raised an eyebrow, seemingly a little surprised.

"That readily?"

"What else can I do?" Bei Bei smiled bitterly. "I'm not going to seek my own death."

Lu Ren smiled, withdrew his hand, and patted Bei Bei's shoulder.

Naturally, he patted the other side, the one that had not been broken.

"I like how you know that a wise man bends with the times. This saves everyone time."

He turned toward Tang Ya, who had just climbed to her feet, then glanced at Xu Sanshi, who was clutching his shoulder and wailing in the distance, before finally returning his gaze to Bei Bei.

"So, can you pay the protection fee now?"

Bei Bei took a deep breath and resignedly reached for the Storage Soul Tool at his waist.

"Here. This is everything I own."

In the distance, Xu Sanshi was still wailing:

"Bei Bei, you traitor..."

Bei Bei did not even turn around.

"What do you mean, traitor? If you're so capable, go fight him again. Win, and I'll call you Dad."

Xu Sanshi: "..."