Zhang Lexuan: What Did You Do to My Brother?
Outside Shrek City.
In midair.
A black-robed figure streaked past, setting the woods swaying. Behind him, thick, emerald-green vines surged up along his path, carrying two figures in relentless pursuit.
The Class 7 Flying Soul Tool was fast, but Ruomu was a Soul Douluo, after all. With Zhang Lexuan boosting her with her Bright Moon Martial Soul, they stayed close on his heels.
Ruomu, you lunatic...
Lu Cheng felt the corner of his eye twitch and glanced back at Zhang Lexuan, panting beside her.
Clearly, there was still a considerable gap in stamina between a Soul Emperor and a Soul Douluo.
Tonight, then...
"How far do you two intend to chase me?"
Lu Cheng abruptly halted and turned, his blood-red eyes beneath his ghost mask surveying the two women indifferently.
"Lexuan, don't look into his eyes!" Ruomu's pupils contracted. She slammed to a stop as well, shielding Zhang Lexuan behind her.
"Understood!"
Zhang Lexuan's small face was utterly solemn.
Though their hatred for this Holy Son set their teeth on edge, the bizarre abilities he had displayed had also made them understand that they absolutely could not be careless. There was still a chance their boat could capsize in a gutter...
"We only need to hold him here," Ruomu transmitted. "His subordinates are weak. Ling'er and the others should finish them off and come support us soon. There's no need to fight him to the bitter end."
"Heh, to think even the Inner Court's Wood Demon could be so cautious." With his hands clasped behind his back, Lu Cheng landed atop an ancient tree, showing not a trace of discomposure. Instead, a complicated look swept across his eyes as he glanced at Zhang Lexuan, teasing Ruomu in a voice that betrayed neither male nor female.
"..."
Ruomu and Zhang Lexuan exchanged a look of utter astonishment.
Something was wrong with this Holy Son... He actually knew so much about the Shrek Inner Court. Her Inner Court nickname was usually only used by a few fellow disciples when teasing her, so why would a notorious Evil Soul Master Holy Son know the name Wood Demon?
"Who exactly are you?!" Ruomu demanded coldly, standing atop a thick emerald-green vine and staring fixedly at Lu Cheng. "Hiding in Shrek City for so long... This was indeed a failure on our Inspection Corps' part."
"The Inspection Corps certainly failed in its duties," Lu Cheng said leisurely.
"Hmph! That isn't something an Evil Soul Master like you has any right to say!" Ruomu snorted coldly, the killing intent in her eyes growing stronger.
Zhang Lexuan glanced behind her. Seeing several presences rise from Shrek City like long rainbows piercing the sun and approach them, delight flashed in her beautiful eyes. "Senior Sister Ruomu, Sister Ling'er and the others have finished!"
"You scum, let's see where you can run now!" A cold gleam blazed in Ruomu's eyes. A pitch-black Soul Ring rose beneath her feet, and within several li, countless ancient trees seemed to come alive, eerily turning toward her.
"Myriad Tree Sea!"
Ruomu gave a sharp cry.
The next instant, viewed from above, those ancient trees all extended densely packed branches that coiled toward Lu Cheng. Even a peak Rank 89 Soul Douluo would likely have found the sight a headache. Clearly, Ruomu had unleashed a major move.
"Lexuan!"
"Right!"
The sky suddenly brightened for an instant, as though a bright moon had descended into the mortal world. Silvery-white moonlight spilled down, and the black-haired beauty resembled a moonlight fairy, her gaze cool and untouched by worldly dust. Two Soul Rings rose beneath her feet.
"Fifth Soul Skill, Moonfall!"
"Sixth Soul Skill, Moon Silence!"
The enormous bright moon behind her first emitted a dazzling golden light, its first-quarter moon turning into a sickle that attacked Lu Cheng. Then it went pitch-black and silent, a silver halo enveloping him.
It stunned him for an instant, and immediately afterward, a shaft of moonlight fell straight down, dealing piercing damage.
"..."
Boom!!!
An unbroken series of explosions rang out.
Surprise flashed in Zhang Lexuan's eyes. "Senior Sister Ruomu, he..."
"He's not dead." Ruomu's expression was calm.
The girl turned back and looked down at the distant center of the encircled battlefield. That black-robed figure slowly emerged, though compared to before, he seemed somewhat more disheveled, as if he had been injured. Yet for some reason, rather than feeling pleased, she felt inexplicably irritated.
A figure involuntarily surfaced in her mind. That stupid blockhead hadn't joined the operation. Who knew where he had gone...
"..."
Blood spilled from the corner of Lu Cheng's mouth. He slowly wiped it away with his hand, a smile curling his lips as a hint of madness flashed through his blood-red eyes.
"If this is all you're capable of, then the name of Shrek Academy has disappointed me far too much..."
"Heh, take a look around."
Ruomu sneered. More than a dozen Inspection Corps members appeared in the distance, their gazes solemn as they surrounded the area.
"I didn't use my full strength earlier because I was afraid you'd slip away. But now..."
"You beast, your time has come!"
"Wood Release: Ultimate Forest Sea!"
Ruomu rapidly formed hand seals, an increasingly terrifying disturbance rising from their surroundings. At that moment, the boundless forest grew at tremendous speed, seemingly forming a terrifying wooden cocoon that enclosed the entire sky.
As the second-strongest disciple in the Shrek Inner Court, she naturally had her own trump cards. Just as she had said, her earlier attacks had indeed been mere skirmishing.
The dozen or so figures surrounding Lu Cheng also began displaying their respective abilities, sparing no effort in their encirclement and assault.
"Pfft..."
Trapped once more by Zhang Lexuan's silver moon, Lu Cheng took a full-force blow from a Soul Saint disciple head-on. He spat out a mouthful of blood, his face growing even paler.
"It's over..." Ruomu's gaze was indifferent. She brought her hands together, and more woody vines rose from the ground, lashing toward Lu Cheng.
Despite his nimble dodging, he still took a hit. He went flying backward and slammed into an ancient tree.
Cracks spread across the ancient tree behind him. Lu Cheng coughed violently, as though he would cough out his organs.
"Any last words before you die?" Ruomu sneered, folding her arms across her chest and looking down indifferently.
More than a dozen Inspection Corps disciples stood scattered across the surrounding ancient trees, all with sharp gazes.
Zhang Lexuan's stunning face remained impassive as she watched the Evil Soul Master Holy Son, condemned to death and clinging to his last breaths. Her thoughts, however, had long since returned to the Inner Court. What was that blockhead doing now? Should she really do as Senior Sister Ruomu had said and launch a night raid on his room...
A faint blush quietly crept up her neck onto her fair cheeks. She lightly patted her face with her delicate hands and glanced around with a guilty conscience. Fortunately, the night was dark, and everyone's attention was on the black-robed man. No one noticed anything unusual.
The beauty's eyes were languid as she unconsciously glanced at the black-robed man. Just as her cool eyes were about to sink back into the question of whether to launch a night raid, an emerald-green jade pendant abruptly caught her attention, leaving her stunned for several seconds.
Wait... Something seemed wrong.
She abruptly looked at the black-clad figure again. At his waist, an emerald-green shadow flickered in and out of sight.
That jade pendant was the token of love she had given her brother after her clan's destruction.
It was also the only surviving keepsake she had found beside her mother's charred corpse when she later returned to the Zhang Clan.
Just as Ruomu sneered and prepared to deliver the killing blow.
A dark sickle blade came crashing down, its tip plunging in beside Lu Cheng's neck. The beauty's eyes were bloodshot, her palm supporting the end of the sickle blade as she held it against the black-clad man's neck like a guillotine.
A trickle of blood flowed from his neck.
Under the dumbfounded gazes of the Shrek disciples, Zhang Lexuan no longer resembled the cool fairy she had been. Utter killing intent flashed in her eyes as she forced out each word.
"What did you do to my brother?!!"
"Speak!"