Ambush Outside the City: Ice and Holy Light
"Your Highness, I've arranged for people to escort the Soul Bone back to the palace. I've also sent someone to tell His Majesty that you can't return for the time being!"
Porcupinefish Douluo reappeared in front of Qian Renxue's carriage and quietly told her what he had arranged.
The frown on Qian Renxue's face eased when she heard this. Once she reached the place, she only needed to reveal her true form, and she could eliminate that heretic!
"Deacon Wang, hasn't the guard returned yet? If he doesn't return in time, what will become of my safety when I travel later?"
With other people still around them, Qian Renxue and Porcupinefish Douluo continued to speak in character.
"I'll go and find the guard at once. Please be patient, Your Highness!"
With an excuse to leave, Porcupinefish Douluo immediately slipped away from the convoy and followed Snake Lance Douluo's presence to find him.
To get the fish to bite, Yang Xingchen and Dugu Bo had not been moving very quickly, so Snake Lance Douluo, who was following them, had naturally not gone far.
The moment Porcupinefish Douluo found Snake Lance Douluo, he told him the plan Qian Renxue had devised.
"The young mistress has ordered you to draw Dugu Bo, that weakest of Titled Douluo, away on your own. I'll take her to eliminate that menace!"
Neither Pufferfish nor Snake Lance questioned what Qian Renxue had said. They, too, assumed Yang Xingchen was someone who needed to be purified by the angel.
Back then, Qian Daoliu had often led them out to deal with people who needed to be purified by the angel.
Now Qian Renxue had even been chosen by Qian Daoliu, the high priest, as the Angel God's successor, so it was only natural for her to deal with unclean people from time to time.
"All right, but while you're with the young mistress, remember to keep the commotion from the fight under control. Don't let anyone else discover you."
Qian Renxue's identity had long been concealed by Spirit Hall, and Qian Daoliu had taken that into account when he agreed to let her come to the Heaven Dou Empire. It could never be exposed.
"I'll take care of that. As long as you draw that troublesome Dugu Bo away, it'll be easy for the young mistress to deal with a twelve-year-old child, given her cultivation!"
Were it not to ensure that Qian Renxue was seen revealing her true form, Porcupinefish Douluo felt there was no need for him to go at all.
Qian Renxue's cultivation had now reached the Soul Saint level. Purifying Yang Xingchen, a Soul Master who had yet to obtain his fifth Soul Ring, would be effortless from start to finish.
"All right, then return to the young mistress. I'll go draw Dugu Bo away now."
Having exchanged information, Snake Lance Douluo took his leave of Porcupinefish Douluo, summoned his Martial Soul, and went all out to catch up with Yang Xingchen and Dugu Bo, who had been on their way for a while.
Meanwhile, Yang Xingchen, who was still chatting with Dugu Bo, sensed Snake Lance Douluo's presence and immediately teased Dugu Bo:
"Poison Douluo, it looks like you have a visitor behind us. Remember to put on a good show later!"
Through the Snow Empress's senses, Yang Xingchen learned that the Titled Douluo behind him had a Soul Power Level two levels lower than Dugu Bo's.
Even at the same level, a Titled Douluo of ordinary strength would be suppressed by Dugu Bo, who possessed a Poison Core, to say nothing of an opponent whose Soul Power Level was now two levels lower than his.
However, to get the big fish Qian Renxue to bite, Yang Xingchen naturally did not want Dugu Bo and the approaching Titled Douluo to finish their fight too early.
"Relax. I haven't sparred with a Titled Douluo since I condensed my Poison Core. Now that I have the chance, I certainly won't let it go to waste."
As he spoke, Dugu Bo summoned his Poison Core, a wicked smile on his face. He had been wondering where to test the new poisons he had recently developed.
Now that he had encountered a fine "lab rat," Dugu Bo would certainly take good care of him.
Not long after Dugu Bo finished speaking, Snake Lance Douluo raised his Martial Soul and stabbed at his back.
"Didn't anyone ever teach you that ambushing someone from behind is very rude?"
Snake Lance Douluo's bluish-purple snake lance stopped a foot from Dugu Bo's back. A shield made of snake scales had blocked the attack.
Playing with his Poison Core, Dugu Bo turned to look at the man before him, his smile not reaching his eyes.
Although Dugu Bo had never met Snake Lance Douluo, he had more or less guessed his identity.
These days, only Spirit Hall had a group of Titled Douluo whose names and Martial Souls were unknown to the outside world.
What truly puzzled Dugu Bo was why Spirit Hall would suddenly make a move against a little brat like Yang Xingchen.
Could it be that the current Pope, Bibi Dong, had also been tricked by Yang Xingchen?
Unfortunately, Snake Lance Douluo had none of a villain's professionalism. He did not even give Yang Xingchen and Dugu Bo a detailed explanation of their motives and objectives.
When Snake Lance Douluo saw that Dugu Bo dared to let his mind wander while fighting him, he immediately used a Soul Skill to break the shield and attacked him.
Having confirmed that the Titled Douluo before him intended to draw him away, Dugu Bo stopped defending and fought with Snake Lance Douluo, gradually moving farther away from Yang Xingchen.
Yang Xingchen hid to one side, pretending to be nervous, and watched Dugu Bo and Snake Lance Douluo fight their way into the distance.
"More people are coming. This time it's a Soul Saint and a Titled Douluo. This Titled Douluo's presence is weaker than the last one's."
The Snow Empress calmly reported Qian Renxue and her companion's location to Yang Xingchen.
If Yang Xingchen had not said he had a plan to carry out, the Snow Empress would have dealt with the three of them long ago.
"Stop right there and explain why you have such an evil presence about you!"
With her Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul possessing her, Qian Renxue appeared before Yang Xingchen, holding a longsword and blocking his retreat.
"An evil presence? Miss, I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just an ordinary ice-attribute Soul Master. What's evil about me?"
"If we're talking about who's evil, I'd say you're more evil for stopping someone for no reason."
When Qian Renxue blocked his path, Yang Xingchen answered as though he knew nothing.
For Yang Xingchen's plan to succeed, Qian Renxue absolutely could not be too calm. If she were, she might notice the flaws.
"Hmph! Utter nonsense. I was going to give you a chance, but I didn't expect you to be so ungrateful!"
Qian Renxue had originally intended to hold back, considering that Yang Xingchen was young and might not know that his Martial Soul had an evil presence.
But from Yang Xingchen's tone just now, Qian Renxue had confirmed that he absolutely knew what evil presence she meant.
Qian Renxue swung her longsword, sending a streak of sword Qi wrapped in flames hurtling toward Yang Xingchen.
Bang!
An ice wall half a meter thick instantly appeared in front of Yang Xingchen. Qian Renxue's attack shattered the moment it struck the wall.
"Fifth Soul Skill, Sacred Sword!"
Although surprised that her casual attack had been neutralized, Qian Renxue was not angry and immediately used her fifth Soul Skill.
The longsword in Qian Renxue's hand fused with a longsword formed from sacred fire. The six wings on her back beat once, and she lunged fiercely at Yang Xingchen.
Emperor Sword: Ice Extreme Peerless!
Yang Xingchen held his ice-crystal longsword across his body, and the two swords locked in their hands.
Unlike Yang Xingchen's calm expression, Qian Renxue showed a clear trace of surprise. She did not understand how he had formed the longsword.
"Hey, it's very rude to let your mind wander during a fight. Didn't your mother ever tell you that?"
Yang Xingchen's words struck a scar Qian Renxue did not want touched.
"Who are you to tell me what to do?!"
Knowing that remaining locked in place was useless, Qian Renxue shouted in anger, then abruptly leaped back several steps and flicked out four or five streaks of sword Qi wrapped in flames.
Faced with Qian Renxue's flame slashes, Yang Xingchen swung out ice blades to shatter them all, then politely returned the favor with three extra ice blades.
Seeing the ice blades approaching in a triangular formation, Qian Renxue beat her wings and flew upward, just avoiding Yang Xingchen's attack.
"Tsk, you think you're so great because you can fly? Do you really think you're the only one here who can?!"
Yang Xingchen held his ice-crystal longsword in his left hand and gripped the Undead Soul-Devouring Pearl in his right. Behind him, the gate to the Undead Demiplane suddenly opened, and a dragon's roar rang out from within.