Chapter 461: What Gave You That Misconception
Clink!
At that critical moment, Snow Empress felt something shatter within her mind, like the breaking of a delicate shell.
In the next instant, a terrifying wave of soul power pressure descended upon the scene. Ah Er, being the primary target, was blasted backward by the immense force, his body tumbling dozens of meters away, uncertain if he was dead or alive. The oppressive soul power radiated indiscriminately, causing the nearby vendors and pedestrians to collapse, faces pale with terror, unsure of what was happening.
After all, wasn't Shrek City supposed to be the safest place on the continent?
Suddenly, a figure emerged from a golden light before the trembling Snow Empress, tall and indistinct. Upon seeing this figure, the frightened little Snow Empress's eyes filled with tears, and she leaped forward, hugging him tightly, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Daddy… Snow's scared… Waaah!"
Nestling into her source of comfort, the young Snow Empress cried even louder. Ye Wen, projecting himself through a form condensed from soul power, gently stroked her small head, filled with sympathy.
Since descending to this world, Ye Wen had been careful not to interfere overtly, following the rule that deities should not meddle too openly in mortal affairs. But he would never leave his loved ones unprotected, so he had left certain safeguards in place around his dear students and Snow Empress.
After all, if Tang Shenwang could bend the rules, so could he.
"There, there, Snow. Daddy's here," Ye Wen reassured her.
With Snow Empress finally soothed, Ye Wen cast a glance at the frightened crowd around them and spoke softly, "All of you, leave this place. Some things are about to happen here that aren't meant for you to witness."
The merchants, experienced and intuitive, quickly understood his meaning, and without further delay, they scattered and fled.
Suddenly, the night sky over Shrek City was streaked with flashes of light, and one by one, the elders of Shrek's Sea God Pavilion descended onto the scene.
But Ye Wen ignored them, gently cradling Snow Empress with one hand and raising the other to seize the unconscious Ah Er, lifting him effortlessly. While his divine projection couldn't fully manipulate time and see through cause and effect, reading a soul was within his ability.
For this intruder who had dared harm his loved ones, Ye Wen showed no mercy. He suspected that this seemingly unremarkable Soul Emperor was merely a pawn in a larger plot.
Using a crude yet effective soul searching technique, Ye Wen gleaned the answers he needed.
As some of the elder Shrek guards watched, they quickly deduced Ye Wen's intentions.
"Stop!" one of the elders, known for his authority, barked.
But Ye Wen was done with the interrogation. Releasing his grip, he allowed Ah Er's limp form to collapse to the ground, the man's eyes rolled back, foam at his mouth, his life force swiftly ebbing away.
A heavy silence fell over the scene.
An elder stepped forward, his face darkened with indignation. "How dare you disregard life so carelessly within Shrek's territory! Surrender immediately, or we won't hesitate to destroy you on the spot!"
This aggressive stance made the already frightened Snow Empress cling to Ye Wen even tighter, whimpering. Ye Wen gently calmed her, fully ignoring the elders' words.
His apparent indifference only fueled the elders' resentment. They were unaccustomed to such insolence. To them, not even Snow Empress's charming innocence could redeem such a flagrant insult to Shrek's honor.
But Ye Wen's impassive, cold gaze only sharpened. For a brief moment, his face showed unmistakable killing intent, causing an icy chill to course through the elders' veins.
"Enough," he muttered, his tone filled with icy disdain.
In an instant, all six elders staggered as Ye Wen's soul power pressed upon them, forcing their knees to buckle under the overwhelming weight. They found themselves on the verge of kneeling, a disgrace that filled them with shock and fury.
But just as they were about to suffer a humiliating collapse, a tremendous force descended upon the scene.
Ye Wen raised a curious eyebrow, turning his gaze to the new arrival.
Without a word, the newcomer immediately launched an all out attack, their soul skill activating with overwhelming intensity as if intending to raze the entire street in one move.
The six elders were visibly pleased, hastily activating defensive techniques to shield themselves from the collateral damage.
But to Ye Wen, this assault was almost laughably weak.
"Pathetic."
With a mere flick of his wrist, Ye Wen's energy shielded Snow Empress, his attention only on protecting her peaceful slumber.
Meanwhile, the commercial district around them was utterly wrecked, with the ground upheaved and buildings shattered. In mere seconds, what was once a lively street had been reduced to ruins.
The newly arrived elder, who had arrogantly attacked to defend Shrek's honor, now stood proudly amid the devastation.
"Reckless fool," he sneered. "To defy Shrek is to court death!"
However, the elder's confidence was swiftly shaken when the senior most elder among them shouted out in warning.
"Watch out!"
The Shrek elder flinched, immediately going on guard, trusting the senior elder's instincts.
But he was too late. Ye Wen's power enveloped him in a crushing grip, lifting him off the ground.
The elder struggled, his defenses crumbling as his armor shattered piece by piece under Ye Wen's merciless strength. Blood dripped from his mouth as he gasped for air, his mind racing in disbelief.
"How… How is this possible?" he muttered, shaken to his core. "The energy I sensed earlier… It was strong, but not strong enough to overpower a peak Soul Douluo like this."
The dust settled, revealing Ye Wen cradling the slumbering Snow Empress. To shield her rest, he had muffled her hearing with his soul power, sparing her from the chaos around them. But his expression remained stone cold as he addressed the group of elders.
"What gave you the delusion that I was using my full power just now?" he said icily. "And as for you elders of Shrek, attacking without question… From where I stand, you're no better than the evil soul masters you claim to fight. So, these are the esteemed leaders of the so called 'foremost academy on Douluo Continent'? How disappointingly savage."
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Cortez10