Xu Hui snorted coldly. "Since we can't reach an agreement, we'll have to settle this with our fists! Brothers, summon your Martial Souls and show our Emperor what real strength looks like!"
The Worship Hall disciples who had followed him were almost all from the previous generation or even the one before that. Their Soul Power was generally above the Soul King level, and several were Soul Emperors. Together, these twenty Soul Masters could even hunt down an eighty-thousand-year-old Soul Beast.
"Brother Lin Chen, let's fight them!"
Huo Wu's pretty face darkened. "Right, let's fight! I refuse to believe they can do anything to us!"
The women were all extremely worried about Lin Chen, since he was still injured. Although they had seen him slash Tang Hao with his sword before, they didn't think he could unleash another attack that powerful.
Lin Chen said calmly, "Rongrong, stay and provide support. The rest of you, get back."
Although Hu Liena, Shui Bing'er, and the other women were baffled, they obediently retreated. To them, Lin Chen's word was an imperial decree.
When Xu Hui saw that Lin Chen intended to face them alone, his anger flared three feet high. Who was he? He had been a heaven's chosen of Spirit Hall's previous generation. When had he ever suffered such contempt?
"Lin Chen, I'll make you kneel before me!!!"
"Sixth Soul Skill, Spear's Wrath!"
His tool Martial Soul was a spear, a top-tier Martial Soul among tool Martial Souls. Holding his spear, he turned his Soul Power into a massive red dragon that swiftly charged at Lin Chen.
"Sixth Soul Skill, Gravity Domain!"
"Fifth Soul Skill, Flying Sand and Raging Flames!" Yan roared, his attack following close behind. He was now full of hatred for Lin Chen. In his mind, if Lin Chen had never appeared, Hu Liena would already have been his lover!
"Hmph!" Lin Chen's face was icy as Soul Power surged around him. He shouted, "Tool Soul Avatar, Red Firmament Sword!"
"Nine Treasures Have Names, Third: Soul!"
Lin Chen's Soul Power was already close to the peak of the Soul Emperor level. With Ning Rongrong's forty percent boost, it broke straight through the level-seventy threshold and reached the Soul Saint level.
Hum, hum, hum...
A white greatsword nearly a hundred zhang long slowly took shape. Its immense pressure made the Worship Hall disciples freeze, hesitant to advance.
"Th-this... how is this possible?!" Xu Yan's mind reeled. Wasn't he injured?! Wasn't he unable to use his Martial Soul Avatar?!
Lin Chen had not used his Tool Soul Avatar during the battle with the giant python, so Xu Yan had assumed he could no longer use it. And since Lin Chen was injured, what better time was there to strike?
But what he hadn't expected was that Lin Chen had never taken the giant python seriously. He had only wanted to use it to identify the weaknesses in his current fighting style and, while he was at it, hone the women's coordination.
Lin Chen gripped the sword in both hands and slashed horizontally at them. "Die!!!"
Crack! Crack! Boom, boom, boom...
Every giant tree within nearly a hundred zhang was cut in half, while the Worship Hall disciples' Soul Skills shattered on contact.
How could the light of fireflies compete with the brilliance of the bright moon?
"Aaaah..."
More than a dozen Worship Hall disciples were sent flying in an instant, blood spraying from their mouths. They were filled with regret. If only we'd known, we wouldn't have waded into these muddy waters with Xu Hui.
"Quick, run!!"
"We can't fight the Emperor head-on! Get out of here!"
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...
The dozen or so young men scrambled to their feet and ran for their lives, not daring to look back.
Xu Hui trembled as he struggled to his feet. Just as he was about to flee, a tall figure blocked his path. "The leader of Spirit Hall's previous Golden Generation, and this is all you've got?"
"Y-you... what are you going to do?!"
Xu Hui collapsed to the ground, his legs kicking as he scrambled backward. "Don't... don't come any closer! Spirit Hall has rules. You can't hurt me!"
"Who said I was going to hurt you?" The corners of Lin Chen's mouth rose slightly. "Huo Wu, come here..."
Huo Wu skipped over with her hands behind her back. "Coming! What would you like me to do, young master?"
"Restrict his Soul Power, then make him go all the way around the lake on his knees!"
"Hee-hee... that sounds fun. Leave it to me!"
Meanwhile,
Xie Yue and the others had been rescued and were punching and kicking Yan. If he hadn't been a traitor, Xie Yue's entire team could never have been wiped out.
"Enough!"
Xie Yue looked at Yan, who lay on the ground battered and bruised, and frowned deeply. "Let him go. From now on, we have nothing more to do with him."
Sun Chuantao gave Yan another vicious kick to the head. "Get the fuck out! If Boss Xie Yue hadn't spoken up, I'd have crippled you, you damned traitor!"
Once the battle was over, Hu Liena didn't so much as glance at Yan. She ran straight to Lin Chen's side and began asking after him.
That sent the Qi and blood surging through Yan, who was already badly injured. He spat out a mouthful of blood and passed out on the spot...
Sun Chuantao jumped in fright. "Boss Xie Yue, d-did we beat him to death?"
Most of the Worship Hall disciples had escaped. If Yan really had died, His Holiness the Pope would never spare Sun Chuantao, for the sake of upholding Spirit Hall's iron laws.
Xie Yue felt Yan's pulse. "He's still breathing. Leave him here for now. Once Xu Hui finishes kneeling around the lake, have him take Yan away."
"All right."
Half a day later, beside the nameless lake.
Lin Chen sat cross-legged against an ancient tree, cultivating, while Hu Liena and Xiao Wu kept watch nearby. After the battle, the small team led by Xie Yue had continued deeper in. Although the spiritual Qi here was abundant, Lin Chen's team had fought to claim this place, so they were too embarrassed to stay.
Even if Xie Yue had been shameless enough to stay, the others were too embarrassed under Yu Hairou and Huo Wu's piercing stares. It was already generous of the Emperor to save them; did they really expect to stay and share his fortuitous encounter? In the end, they knew better and left.
After this battle, Lin Chen had gained a rough understanding of his limits and knew where his weaknesses lay. Next, he would improve his overall combat strength. He opened the system panel.
[Host: Lin Chen] [Villain Value: 320,000] [Ding! Congratulations, host. Redeem a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone (right leg). It can increase the host's movement speed. Soul Bone skill: So Close, Yet Worlds Apart. Maximum range: thirty li in an instant. The distance can be freely adjusted by controlling Soul Power. Price: 100,000 Villain Value.] [Ding! Congratulations, host. Redeem a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone (right arm). It can increase the speed at which the host uses Soul Skills. Soul Bone skill: Sky-Piercing Strike. Its attack power increases as the host's Soul Power rises.]
Two flashes of light passed over Lin Chen, and a mysterious force fused the two Soul Bones into his body.
With the boost from these two Soul Bones, if he encountered the giant python again, Lin Chen could easily slaughter it, even without the women and Ning Rongrong's support.
"Whew..."
Seeing Lin Chen finish cultivating, Hu Liena walked over with a catlike gait and settled into his arms. She then handed him the Soul Bone she had collected earlier. "Brother Chen, what are you going to do with this Soul Bone?"
Lin Chen's left hand roamed over her delicate body while his right took the Soul Bone and examined it. He said calmly, "It's a water-attribute Torso Soul Bone, but it isn't complete. If it were complete, a Torso Soul Bone would be worth only slightly less than an External Soul Bone."
"Give it to Bing'er. Her talent is no less than Rongrong's or yours."
Hu Liena gazed at him with seductive eyes, letting out a low moan from time to time. "It's your Soul Bone, Brother Chen. Nana will do whatever you say."
Splash... splash...
Just then, splashing came from the lake as several stunningly beautiful young women swam toward the shore.
"Big sister, wait for me!"
"Giggle... Yue'er, have a taste of what Sister Hairou can do!"
Splash...
"Ah... Sister Hairou, you're so mean!"
The women played for quite a while before coming ashore, each carrying several spiritual fruits that were half green and half red.