The Shrek team turned pale, their bodies growing cold from head to toe with a deep sense of helplessness.
Two Soul Emperors were manageable, but adding a Soul Douluo-level powerhouse to the mix seemed overkill for dealing with a small group of low-level Soul Masters.
Dai Mubai bit his lip, tasting blood in his mouth as he tried to stay calm. He couldn't understand why the enemy would mobilize such powerful forces just to eliminate them—what could they possibly gain?
Tang San felt equally puzzled. Shrek Team had always acted cautiously, avoiding conflicts, so why would they attract such formidable foes?
Confronted by this powerful enemy, all members of Shrek activated their martial spirits. The oppressive aura from their opponents was overwhelming, with even a hint of killing intent sending shivers down their spines.
Chen Xuan, observing from the sidelines, felt the pressure too. Dai Mubai and the others weren't mistaken—the black-clad man was indeed at the Soul Douluo level, at the peak of eighty-ninth level, just a step away from the title rank. His name was Lordiala, one of the strongest Soul Douluos from the Spirit Hall.
"Go, test their skills," the black-clad leader said with a tone full of disdain.
"Yes."
The two Soul Emperors laughed, moving closer to the Shrek team.
"Everyone, gather around!" Tang San shouted.
The team quickly assembled near him, preparing the Zhuge Divine Crossbow, ready to fire at any moment.
"Tyrone, Mubai, Zhuqing, hold one of them off. Xiao Wu, Fatty, and I will take on the other. Rongrong and Xiao Ao, you'll support us!" Tang San instructed calmly.
Within seconds, he formulated a strategy and assigned roles accordingly.
"Mubai, Tyrone, just stall them for a while. I have a plan to handle him," Tang San said, taking out two small metal balls from his pocket.
"Leave it to me, San! I've got Tyrone covered," Tyrone said, rubbing his fists together fearlessly.
The black-clad Soul Saints overheard their strategy and scoffed. "You plan to fight us with just a few low-level Soul Masters? Hahaha!"
The other Soul Saint laughed with disdain. "We don't need our leader for this. Give us a minute, and we'll wipe them out."
Chen Xuan covered his face. The opponents were Soul Emperors; Dai Mubai and Tyrone, despite their efforts, were no match. Only Zhuqing, who had reached level 47, stood a chance.
Boom!
The Shrek team clashed with the black-clad Soul Saints below. The air churned with soul power as both sides unleashed their full strength.
Both Soul Emperors had beast-type martial spirits, and though they refrained from using their soul skills, Dai Mubai and Tyrone, who were expending all their soul skills, couldn't last a minute against them.
Tang San faced off against the other Soul Emperor, deploying six "Soul-Chasing Daggers," his deadliest hidden weapon aside from the "King's Token." The poison in them could incapacitate the enemy, even if it couldn't kill him.
Hidden weapons were his source of confidence.
Ma Hongjun soared above, launching ranged attacks to support Tang San. Meanwhile, Ning Rongrong summoned her Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, activating her four soul rings and enhancing her teammates with four buffs.
The six "Soul-Chasing Daggers" collided in mid-air, triggering a mechanism that released a poisonous mist, enveloping a thirty-meter radius.
The Shrek team quickly retreated; with poison in play, Tang San's domain was in full effect, and they could only stay back.
Within the poisonous mist, countless fine, needle-thin projectiles coated in venom formed a web, shooting toward the black-clad Soul Emperor.
"Help Mubai. I'll handle things here!" Tang San, resolute, held two Zhuge Divine Crossbows, ready to use every skill from the Tang Sect.
Meanwhile, Dai Mubai and Tyrone were on the brink of defeat. The black-clad Soul Emperor, though not of the agility type, was incredibly fast, using his superior level to dominate them.
"Third Soul Skill: White Tiger Vajra Transformation!"
"Fourth Soul Skill: White Tiger Meteor Shower!" Dai Mubai unleashed his most powerful attacks.
But with a couple of blows, both Dai Mubai and Tyrone felt the impact on their heads, buzzing with pain and almost fainting.
Thud, thud!
The two coughed up blood, their faces pale as they flew backward, crashing at Xiao Wu and Rongrong's feet, nearly unconscious.
Only Zhu Zhuqing, thanks to her speed, avoided the enemy's attack.
Oscar took out his sausage charms and quickly fed them to the two, bringing some color back to their faces.
Zhu Zhuqing glanced at the injured Dai Mubai, then at Tang San, who was still fighting fiercely. She sighed, feeling a hint of disappointment.
While she knew it wasn't fair to compare Dai Mubai with a Soul Emperor, her fiancé's lackluster performance, especially in the presence of two exceptionally strong peers, left her disheartened.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk," the black-clad Soul Emperor sneered, his gaze wandering over Zhu Zhuqing's figure with a lecherous look.
"Young lady, just spend a night with me, and I might convince my leader to spare your friends. How about it?" He laughed, completely disregarding Dai Mubai's feelings.
Zhu Zhuqing's expression darkened with disgust. The men around her filled her with revulsion.
"No need to rush. I'll give you ten seconds to decide." He laughed, his gaze trailing shamelessly over her curves.
Dai Mubai clenched his teeth, fists shaking in frustration. He was powerless to make the man stop.
"Zhuqing, don't agree to his demands!" Dai Mubai looked at her, a trace of desperation in his eyes.
Zhu Zhuqing's face grew cold as she retorted icily, "Do you take me for someone like you, dirty and shameless?"
Seeing the disappointing choices Dai Mubai had been making since Chen Xuan arrived made her feel a deep sense of frustration.
"Have you decided?" The black-clad Soul Emperor stepped closer, his gaze filled with predatory intent.
With a sinister smile, he taunted, "You're a smart girl. Come now, surrender to me, and I'll show you some real affection. Hahaha."
"Enough! I can't take this anymore!" Chen Xuan yelled, leaping down from the cliff to land a flying kick.
"Hm?" The black-clad Soul Emperor, vigilant, looked up to see the young man rushing toward him.
He detected Chen Xuan's energy and scoffed, seeing only a low-level Soul Master.
The man planted his hands on the ground, springing upward to deliver a lethal kick, convinced his move would kill.
Chen Xuan instantly snapped to full alert, realizing his mistake in forgetting the man's true strength. Facing such a powerful Soul Emperor was a deadly risk.
He channeled all his energy, surrounding himself in an electric field that condensed into purple lightning at his feet, unleashing an enhanced attack.
In the split-second before impact, his Sharingan evolved, completing the Mangekyo Sharingan.
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