The green-haired man's ten fingers simultaneously pierced the rock layer above his head.
The green light in his abdomen surged like a flood bursting its banks, rushing wildly from his arms to his fingertips. Ten eerie green rays of Soul Power silently pierced the rock, causing stone dust to fall in a flurry, and cracks spread in all directions at a visible speed.
He wasn't chiseling a hole—he was digging a collapse.
What he wanted wasn't an escape route, but rather the entire top layer of rock collapsing, sealing off all the side passages with rubble and dust, so he could crawl out from the crack at the top amidst the chaos.
Gravel began to fall. The first Shitou, about the size of a fist, hit the ground with a dull thud, followed by a second and a third, falling in quick succession like hail.
"He's going to collapse this place!" Ji Ning's voice came from the fork in the road ahead.
Feng Xiaotian rushed to the edge of the cave and looked up at the cracking rock ceiling. Green light seeped out from the cracks, making the entire cave look like an overturned coffin. If the ceiling collapsed, everyone would be trapped here.
" Zhong Yue! Hold the top!" Feng Xiaotian shouted. " Shi Yan! Protect the fork in the road!"
Zhong Yue's Fourth Soul Ring lit up, and the tortoise shell formed by the Black Tortoise: Wind Armor flew out of his hand, rapidly enlarging in mid-air, like a giant shield supporting the area below the top of the cave.
Blue wind patterns appeared on the surface of the tortoise shell, each pattern spinning at high speed, deflecting the falling pebbles.
At the same time, the Void Resonance Bell of the Shi Yan rang, and pale golden sonic shields unfolded at the four forks in the road, keeping the collapsing rubble at bay.
The cracks in the top layer of rock are still widening, but it won't collapse anytime soon.
Just then, a white figure shot out from the fork in the road to the left.
It wasn't running, it was charging— Lu Hanxiao's wings were half-folded at the narrow fork in the road, the wingtips almost brushing against the rock walls on both sides, yet his speed was astonishing.
His eyes were fixed on the hunched figure in the center of the cave, his pupils showing no hesitation, only an almost overflowing anxiety.
He was afraid.
They were afraid the Evil Soul Master would escape.
When they were surrounded, Lu Hanxiao could still suppress himself—surrounded on all sides, a tight net, this guy had no way to escape. If they followed the plan and proceeded steadily, he wouldn't be able to get away.
But things are different now. This guy wants to break through the top, to slip away right under his nose.
"You're not getting away!"
Lu Hanxiao's Third Soul Ring lit up, and the Cold Wind · Wing Slash condensed into two huge ice blades on his wings. He held nothing back—he wanted to keep this guy here before the top collapsed and before he could escape.
The moment Lu Qing saw his cousin rush out from his left rear, his brows furrowed sharply.
He grew up with Lu Hanxiao and knew him too well— Lu Hanxiao was never an impulsive person. From childhood to adulthood, no matter what happened, Hanxiao was always the last to act and the first to calm down.
But Hanxiao rushed out now. He didn't wait for instructions, didn't check his teammates' positions, and didn't even consider whether he would be buried by rubble after rushing in.
This is not normal.
Lu Qing didn't have time to think. He drew his twin sickles and rushed out. No matter what, he couldn't let his cousin rush in alone.
Lu Hanxiao's Cold Wind · Wing Slash carried a chilling aura as it slashed straight towards the green-haired man's neck. This attack had no technique, no follow-up moves—it was simply a matter of channeling all his Soul Power into his wings and striking down at the fastest speed and the most ferocious angle.
The green-haired man's ten fingers were still stuck in the rock above his head, but he didn't panic.
He pulled his right hand out of the rock strata, his five fingers grasping at the ball of green light emanating from the crack above his head, which he then flung towards Lu Hanxiao.
The ball of green light exploded in mid-air, transforming into dozens of thin, hair-like green threads that shot towards us like a volley of poisonous needles.
Lu Hanxiao didn't dodge. He slashed down with his wings to meet the silk threads. The ice blades collided with the silk threads, scattering green light fragments. Several silk threads pierced through the gaps, stabbing into his left arm and right shoulder, drawing a string of blood beads. But he didn't even flinch; his speed increased instead of decreasing.
The green-haired man looked into those eyes, then completely pulled his right hand out of the rock stratum.
He gave up on chiseling the roof.
He realized that if he didn't deal with this reckless madman first, he wouldn't be able to escape even if he broke through the roof.
The green-clad figure turned completely around, facing Lu Hanxiao directly. He raised both hands simultaneously, and the green light in his palms condensed into two highly compressed orbs of light, which exploded at the same time—transforming into two semi-transparent green giant hands with their ten fingers spread out, grabbing down at Lu Hanxiao's head.
Lu Hanxiao did not retreat. His Cold Wind · Wing Slash met one of the giant hands, the icy blade cutting into the center of the palm, but only slicing it in half.
Lu Qing's Wind Scythe struck from the flank, precisely slicing through the giant hand's wrist. The Wind Scythe's blade vibrated rapidly, severing the giant hand. He stepped in front of Lu Hanxiao, about to tell him to back off—
Then.
Lu Hanxiao had already rushed past him. Not by circling around, but by charging straight at him. The remaining green light threads of the Green Light Man were piercing towards his chest from another direction.
Lu Hanxiao still didn't dodge. He didn't even slow down. The Cold Wind · Wing Slash on his wings didn't retract, and the speed was still increasing—he wanted to strike the green-haired man at the same time that the silk thread pierced his chest.
He was risking his life for another.
Lu Qing's pupils suddenly contracted.
Lu Hanxiao was only nine years old when his uncle died at the hands of Evil Soul Master. From then on, this once calm boy changed.
He became less talkative, focusing solely on cultivating and becoming stronger. He didn't say anything, but every time he heard the words " Evil Soul Master," a barely perceptible dark light would flash in his eyes.
Lu Qing had always known, but he never expected Hanxiao to erupt at this moment.
" A Xiao!"
Lu Qing's voice wasn't a reprimand, but a shout that was almost distorted. The two scythes flew out of his hands, deflecting the green light thread that was piercing Lu Hanxiao's chest.
The Wind Scythe collided with the silk thread, and green light exploded. Lu Qing grabbed Lu Hanxiao by the back of his collar and forcefully pulled him back a step.
"Are you crazy?!"
Lu Hanxiao was pulled and staggered, his wings lost their balance, and the Cold Wind · Wing Slash went astray, grazing past the green-haired man's shoulder.
After he steadied himself, he turned around and met Lu Qing's eyes.
Those usually calm eyes were now burning with a fire—not anger, but resentment, hatred, something that had been suppressed for countless years and could no longer be contained.
Looking into those eyes, Lu Qing swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue.
"Cooperate first, don't act alone." Lu Qing released his collar, sheathed his double scythes, and said in a low voice, "We'll talk about other things after we're done fighting."
Lu Hanxiao did not answer, but turned back to face the green-clad figure again. The Cold Wind · Wing Slash on his wings condensed once more, brighter and colder than before.
But his stance changed—no longer a desperate charge, but instead he retreated to Lu Qing's side, standing shoulder to shoulder with him.
The green-haired man watched this scene, his yellow eyes darting around.
His gaze fell on Lu Hanxiao's face, pausing for a moment. A glimmer of light flashed in those cloudy eyes—not the light of Soul Power, but the light of memory.
He remembered.
Many years ago, on a night when he wasn't yet known as the " Puppet Master," someone stared at him with the same look.
That person chased him all night, from the foot of the mountain to the top, and he couldn't shake him off no matter what he did.
In the end, he used traps, poison, and all sorts of underhanded methods to kill the man in a mountain stream.
When that person died, their eyes were still open. It was that look in their eyes—not anger, not fear, but a stubbornness that said, "Even as a ghost, I will never let you go."
That person's face bore a striking resemblance to the boy in front of him.
The green-lighted man's lips slowly parted, revealing jagged, yellow teeth. The green light within his abdomen flickered, and his voice was hoarse, as if squeezed from the depths of his throat:
"So it's... the son of an old friend."
He tilted his head, as if examining an interesting work of art.
You and your father look so alike.
Lu Hanxiao's pupils suddenly contracted.
He understood.
This man knew his father. He hadn't just heard about him, nor did he learn of it from elsewhere—he had seen him with his own eyes. He had been there during that battle.
He is not just an Evil Soul Master.
Or perhaps, his father's killer.
Moreover, he wasn't the only one. Back then, my father led a group of men in pursuit, and it's impossible for one person to kill everyone—he had others behind him.
Lu Hanxiao took a deep breath. The fire in his chest burned even brighter, but his mind was clearer than ever before.
He turned his head to the side, his voice so soft that only Lu Qing beside him could hear it:
"Brother, spare them alive."
Lu Qing glanced at him and nodded.
Lu Hanxiao raised his head again, looking at the green-clad figure. The fire in his eyes hadn't died down, but now it was covered with a layer of ice.
"Then you should know," his voice was calm, so calm it didn't sound like he was speaking to his father's killer, "That you won't live much longer."
It's not a threat.
It is a statement.
The air in the cave suddenly became still for a moment. The pebbles were still falling, the tortoise shell was still spinning at the top, and everyone's eyes were focused on Lu Hanxiao.
The green-clad man stared at him, the smile slowly fading from his lips.
For the first time, he saw something in this group of young people that made him uncomfortable.
It's not about ability.
It is determination.