Carrying Out a Mission

Spirit Hall Enforcement Corps.

Jun Yan stood outside while a Soul Saint-level squad leader checked whether his written orders were genuine.

After confirming his identity, the man let Jun Yan in. "You came at just the right time. Lord Gui Mei is about to head out on a mission, so you can go with him!"

"So soon? I only just got here!" Jun Yan was somewhat surprised.

"You're a grown man. What are you dithering for? Come with me!"

Jun Yan could only follow the deacon into the Enforcement Corps headquarters and on to a courtyard.

"Lord Gui Mei is inside."

He pushed open the courtyard gate and entered. Two men stood in the middle of the courtyard. One wore black armor and a black cloak, with several black stripes on his face that made his features hard to discern. The other was dressed in white, with skin as delicate as a baby's, androgynous looks, and a bearing that was neither masculine nor feminine.

Jun Yan knew that the man in black armor was probably Gui Mei, while the other was undoubtedly Gui Mei's close friend Yue Guan.

When Yue Guan saw Jun Yan enter, he smiled and said, "Old Ghost, he's here. Go carry out your mission, then. I'll be leaving first."

With that, he started to leave the courtyard, but as he passed Jun Yan, he added quietly, "Kid Jun, your father put a lot of thought into getting you here. Work hard!"

"Farewell, Lord Yue Guan!" Jun Yan said, cupping his fists.

Although Yue Guan and Gui Mei had yet to break through to the Soul Douluo level, they were still among the strongest people in Spirit Hall below the Titled Douluo level, so Jun Yan addressed them as lords.

Gui Mei turned and glanced at Jun Yan. "You're here."

Jun Yan stepped forward. "Yes, Lord Gui Mei. Did you want to see me?"

Gui Mei got straight to the point. "Some years ago, Yue Guan and I had some dealings with your father. A few days ago, he came to me and said he wanted you to join the Enforcement Corps for training, so I agreed."

He paused. "For your father's sake, the veterans in the Enforcement Corps won't bully you, but you absolutely must not slack off because of that."

Jun Yan hurriedly said, "Understood!"

Gui Mei nodded, but his face had remained expressionless all along, so it was hard to tell whether he was satisfied.

"Good. According to news from the Heaven Dou Empire, an Evil Soul Master has appeared in Afaluo City. Come with me! Consider it your first mission since joining the corps."

"Yes!" Jun Yan had no objection.

Gui Mei led Jun Yan out of the courtyard, then selected several Soul Saints from the corps. The group set off for the Heaven Dou Empire with the speed of thunder and the force of a gale.

There were ten people on the mission in total: Gui Mei, a rank eighty-nine Soul Douluo; Jun Yan, a rank sixty-one Soul Emperor; and eight Soul Saints, all above rank seventy-five.

According to Spirit Hall's intelligence, the Evil Soul Master had only recently become a Soul Douluo. So, barring any surprises, their current lineup should have little difficulty killing him.

Setting out from Spirit City, they traveled for over ten days before finally reaching Afaluo City.

Afaluo City was also a major city directly governed by the Heaven Dou Empire. It had a Spirit Hall Main Hall, whose hall master was a Soul Saint expert.

After entering the city, Gui Mei led his subordinates to the Spirit Hall Main Hall.

Luse, the master of Afaluo City's Spirit Hall, was a Soul Saint. He was considered an expert here, but in Spirit City, he wouldn't have ranked at all.

"Lord Gui Mei, you've finally arrived. I've prepared a banquet and was just waiting for you all," Luse greeted them, almost ingratiatingly.

"Where is that Evil Soul Master now?" Gui Mei asked as he walked into the Spirit Hall.

Luse said with some difficulty, "My lord, I'm afraid the plan will have to change. Something unexpected has happened."

"What exactly happened?" Gui Mei stopped and asked.

When he stopped, the entire enforcement team stopped with him. Luse had no choice but to stop as well and explain. "That Evil Soul Master has a way to rapidly increase his strength. He last appeared seven days ago, and he was already rank eighty-four then."

Gui Mei pondered. "Three ranks of Soul Power in a month. Those really are the methods of an Evil Soul Master."

Luse nodded repeatedly. "One rank of Soul Power in ten days. Such a method is simply inconceivable. I've already sent more people to Spirit City to request additional reinforcements. Lord Gui Mei, why not stay a few more days and wait for the reinforcements from Spirit City? Then you can all go and eliminate the Evil Soul Master together."

"No," Gui Mei refused flatly.

"No matter how quickly that Evil Soul Master's Soul Power rises, could he possibly break through to become a Titled Douluo? Besides, we still don't know how he's increasing his strength. If it comes at the cost of human lives, more people will die for every day we delay."

Finally, Gui Mei asked directly, "Where is that Evil Soul Master now? I'll take my men there at once."

Luse was still hesitant and tried to persuade him. "My lord, won't you reconsider?"

"No need. Just tell me!" Gui Mei was resolute and not easily dissuaded.

"All right, then. That Evil Soul Master is currently in Basi Valley, thirty li outside the city. He's been staying there for more than half a month. I previously sent a Soul Master squad to gather information, but they were wiped out."

"Good. I'll take my men there now." Gui Mei made an immediate decision and led the enforcement team toward Basi Valley.

A distance of thirty li was not far for Soul Masters, and the ten members of the enforcement team soon reached Basi Valley.

Before entering the valley, Gui Mei called Jun Yan aside and specifically warned him, "Evil Soul Masters' methods are often very strange. Your strength is still limited, so you must be extremely careful. If you really encounter danger, get behind me."

"Rest assured, my lord. I won't treat my own life as a joke." Jun Yan nodded to show he understood.

Gui Mei said indifferently, "As long as you know what you're doing. I don't want to go back and face your father carrying your corpse."

"Let's go in!" Gui Mei said to the group.

"Yes!"

After the ten of them entered the valley, they searched for a long time without finding any sign of the Evil Soul Master's activity.

"Could Afaluo City's intelligence have been wrong? Has that Evil Soul Master already left?"

Gui Mei speculated, and then he made a wrong decision.

"Split into groups of three and search separately. If you find anything, do not engage. Send a signal to notify me first. If you still haven't found anything by sunset, all of you come back."

Gui Mei believed that, with his speed, he could get there to rescue his team members as long as they could hold out for a little while.

At his command, the nine people scattered, splitting into three squads to search different parts of the valley. Jun Yan was no exception, but the two accompanying him were the strongest of the eight Soul Saints.

One Soul Saint suddenly asked, "Do you think that Evil Soul Master might have already fled with his tail between his legs?"

The other nodded. "It's possible. After all, what Evil Soul Master would dare act so arrogantly before Spirit Hall?"

"Jun Yan, what do you think?" the first Soul Saint asked.

Jun Yan thought for a moment before saying, "If he wanted to flee, I'm afraid he would have fled long ago. Since he's stayed here for so long, I'm afraid he has something in mind."