"Got it!"
Ma Xiaotao responded, signaling to the main representative team. Then, she shot forward like a streak of lightning, with Dai Yueheng and Chen Zifeng flanking her on both sides. The other four inner court disciples quickly followed, maintaining a tight formation as they advanced silently. After Ma Xiaotao and her team disappeared, Wang Yan waved his hand, leading the reserve team to follow. As the captain, Bei Bei naturally took the lead at the forefront, while Xu Sanshi brought up the rear. The two strongest members were positioned at the front and back to ensure the team's safety. He Caitou and Jiang Nannan guarded the flanks, while Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu stayed close together, slightly behind. Ning Tian, a support-type soul master, was protected in the very center. The reserve team was there mainly to gain experience and provide backup, so self-preservation was their priority.
Far behind, Yan Shaozhe trailed them, his gaze fixed on the reserve team. Although the main team was strong enough to handle themselves, he was more concerned about the inexperienced reserve team. These rookies had never seen real combat before—who knew what might happen? He had to stay vigilant, ready to intervene if necessary. After all, these children were the treasures of the academy.
Ma Xiaotao and her team moved at a speed far beyond what Wang Yan's group could manage. By the time the reserve team arrived at the hillside, the seven had already vanished. The area below the slope was eerily quiet. Wang Yan frowned slightly.
"Let's go down and prepare for battle."
He exchanged a look with Bei Bei, who understood immediately. Bei Bei swiftly released his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul and charged down the slope first. The others quickly unleashed their martial souls and followed him.
Soon, they discovered a vine-covered cave entrance, clearly the bandits' hideout. At the cave's entrance, numerous bandit corpses lay strewn about—a clear testament to Ma Xiaotao's team's handiwork. Their silent approach had eliminated everyone without raising an alarm—true stealth at work.
"It seems Ma Xiaotao's group has already gone in. Stay alert and prepare for battle," Wang Yan cautioned before leading the group inside. Just then, muffled explosions and furious shouting echoed from deep within the cave, accompanied by the sound of fierce soul power clashes.
"They've engaged the enemy. Let's move!"
Wang Yan signaled, and the group hurried into the cave.
Outside, Yan Shaozhe suddenly appeared at the entrance.
"Rumble!"
Strangely, just as Yan Shaozhe arrived, the weather changed. The sky was suddenly shrouded in darkness. Heavy clouds gathered, blocking out the sun and creating a stifling atmosphere. A fierce wind roared, casting the world into gloom.
"What's with this sudden weather change? Is it about to rain heavily?"
Yan Shaozhe muttered as he entered the cave.
By now, the reserve team had ventured deep into the cave. Every fifty meters or so, they came across corpses, and the thick stench of blood made many of them pale.
"Ah!"
Jiang Nannan screamed suddenly. Looking up, she noticed dozens of human skins hanging from the cave walls, some even belonging to infants. She had been startled when blood from one of the corpses above dripped down.
"These monsters!"
Bei Bei's usual refined demeanor evaporated, replaced by fury at the horrifying sight. Most of the team was equally outraged, their righteous anger evident. For humanity, the thought of harming babies was utterly unforgivable. Even so, a few remained indifferent, hiding their true thoughts. Not everyone in the Shrek reserve team could be considered virtuous; some noble families had committed atrocities rivaling those of evil soul masters. But outside the academy, everyone wore masks. So long as no one spoke up, no one would know their true thoughts.
As they moved further, the walls remained lined with human skins, some dried into a ghastly black. The team also encountered more grotesque corpses of bandits, all killed by Ma Xiaotao's group. Yet no sympathy was given—these inhumane bandits deserved worse than death.
Finally, the tunnel opened into a wider chamber, revealing the first sight of battle. Soul rings of various colors flashed brilliantly, dazzling the eye. In the center, Ma Xiaotao stood out with her Evil Fire Phoenix martial soul, radiant and fierce. Her blazing flames incinerated the bandits, leaving their bodies scattered around her. Under her explosive power, the bandits stood no chance. Her six teammates supported her, slaughtering without mercy. Most of these bandits were soul masters of only one or two rings, with barely any three-ring soul masters among them. Many weren't soul masters at all—just ordinary bandits. Ma Xiaotao's group had already dealt with the strongest opponents.
Seeing this, Wang Yan raised his hand decisively.
"Charge!"
The reserve team surged forward. Bei Bei unleashed lightning as he dove into the fray. Jiang Nannan followed, her agility skills slicing through the chaos. Dai Huabin charged wildly, even more ferocious than Bei Bei. At his side, Zhu Lu darted through the shadows, her claws slicing throats with precision.
"Seven treasures shine; the first is strength!"
Ning Tian chanted, using her Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda to enhance her teammates. With her support, the reserve team's combat strength surged, pushing the bandits back steadily.
From a distance, Yan Shaozhe observed the reserve team, nodding in satisfaction at their performance.
"Not bad. These young ones show promise. Shrek Academy has a bright future ahead."
As he envisioned the academy's glory, a sharp cry suddenly erupted from the cave's depths.
"Who dares oppose the servants of Death? You will all die and become my undead slaves!"
At the sound of this voice, the remaining bandits didn't seem emboldened; instead, they retreated in terror, their bodies trembling.
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
A series of explosions erupted deeper within the cave, sending blood and flesh flying amidst the chaos. The injuries sustained by the reserve team were not severe, as they had not ventured too deep. However, Dai Huabin, having charged ahead recklessly, failed to dodge in time and sustained severe injuries. His lower body was drenched in blood, and he lay on the ground wailing in agony.
The official representative team, however, was hit much harder. They had ventured too deeply, and the suddenness of the corpse explosions caught them off guard. With countless corpses around them, the terrifying blasts almost completely engulfed them, causing screams of anguish to echo throughout the cave.
"Ah!!!"
"Not good!"
Yan Shaozhe, startled by the commotion, felt a jolt in his heart and rushed forward. He first checked on the reserve team members, and finding them mostly unscathed, he hurried deeper into the cave. From within the depths, a sharp and triumphant voice rang out.
"Ke ke ke, how does the taste of my corpse explosions feel? No matter how strong you are, none of you can escape death under my chain of corpse explosions. If the blasts don't kill you, the poison surely will!"
"Ke ke ke ke ke!"
The cave was filled with a heavy stench of blood and a damp sensation. Almost everyone was covered in a layer of bloody residue. The corpses of over a hundred bandits, previously slain, had exploded violently. The explosions showed no discrimination, injuring not only the Shrek Academy students but also many of the surviving bandits. Some of the bandits seemed prepared and quickly took cover in recessed areas of the cave walls, avoiding the worst of the blasts.
The most horrifying aspect was that the liquid produced by the explosions was highly corrosive, akin to strong acid. Hissing sounds of corrosion echoed throughout the cave as the liquid ate away at the ceiling and walls. It was clear that these corpse explosions were not only powerful but also laced with venom.
The seven members of the Shrek representative team instinctively activated their soul power to protect themselves at the moment of the explosion. However, their differing levels of strength led to varying outcomes. Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yaoheng, although blasted away and heavily injured, managed to survive with their limbs intact. Ling Luochen, being at the rear and constantly using her ice armor, was fortunate not to be touched by the toxic blood. While she too was severely injured, her life was not in danger.
The others were not so lucky. Support-type soul master Gongyang Mo, caught at the explosion's center, was instantly obliterated. Similarly, Yao Haoxuan, due to his large frame, bore the brunt of the blast; half his body was blown away, and he showed no signs of life. Chen Zifeng, the Soulchasing Sword, lacked significant defense and was directly blown in half, with his lower body vanishing entirely, leaving him barely alive with mere minutes to live. Xi Xi, the agility-type soul master, lost an arm and suffered a massive wound in her abdomen, with blood pooling around her. Combined with the corrosive poison, she too was beyond saving.
Witnessing this scene, Yan Shaozhe's heart filled with anguish. His eyes turned blood-red.
"Bastard! You deserve to die!"
He unleashed his martial soul, the Bright Phoenix, enveloping himself in golden light. The overwhelming brilliance instantly annihilated the low-level bandits hiding nearby, while the stronger ones were slain one by one with a single strike. The golden light filled the entire cave, neutralizing the corrosive poison blood.
Yan Shaozhe then raised his right hand in a claw-like gesture, pulling from the depths of the cave. A terrifying suction force emerged from his palm, and a cloaked figure was yanked out of the cave and dragged toward him. The figure, thin and clad in a black robe, revealed nothing of its appearance but radiated the light of three yellow and two purple soul rings—merely a Soul King. Yet this Soul King had orchestrated the shocking scene, severely injuring the Shrek team and claiming several lives.
Yan Shaozhe's heart burned with sorrow and rage, his gaze filled with murderous intent. He lunged to finish off the evil soul master. The Soul King, no match for Yan Shaozhe, was about to be slain when suddenly, the bodies of Chen Zifeng and Xi Xi began to swell. Yan Shaozhe's expression changed, and he hurriedly released two beams of golden light to suppress the swelling. But at that moment, the Soul King's fifth soul ring lit up, and his body transformed into a wisp of smoke, fleeing into the distance.
Just as Yan Shaozhe was about to give chase, other corpses in the cave began swelling as well. Another wave of corpse explosions was imminent. Yan Shaozhe had no choice but to abandon the chase, instead using his golden light to shield the injured team members. He summoned his full martial soul power to protect every reserve team member as they rushed out of the cave.
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
Explosions erupted behind them, collapsing the cave and shaking the entire mountain. Yan Shaozhe led everyone out just before the cave collapsed, narrowly escaping danger. However, the evil soul master had already disappeared without a trace. Unwilling to let the matter rest, Yan Shaozhe instructed Wang Yan to care for the wounded and took to the skies, tracking the Soul King from above.
Despite entering the Sun Moon Empire's territory, Yan Shaozhe pursued relentlessly, his resolve unwavering. The downpour intensified, with thunder rumbling and dark clouds looming as he pressed on. Eventually, he located the Soul King's trail now within the Sun Moon Empire's borders. Though the rain poured heavily, Yan Shaozhe's fury burned brighter, determined to bring this wicked enemy to justice.