After sending Shui Bing'er off, Li Chang'an found himself under the deadly glares of the other girls.
"Chang'an, just how many more young ladies do you plan on charming?" Hu Liena asked with a sweet but dangerous smile.
"Ah, I really was just trying to help…" Li Chang'an began to make excuses, but suddenly his expression turned serious.
A chilling aura drifted in from the distance.
The group had mostly been traveling along official roads, only taking shortcuts when necessary. At the moment, they were camped near a gorge—between two low hills. Passing through this area could save them dozens of miles, and although the mountain path was narrow, it was relatively smooth—easy enough even for carriages to pass through.
The cold aura emanated from both sides of the mountain path. Li Chang'an wasn't the only one to notice. The captain of the Royal Knights immediately leaped to his feet and shouted, "Everyone, on guard! There's something out there!"
The knights responsible for protecting the spirit masters instantly raised their long spears, while the students from the various spirit master academies looked relaxed, even amused.
With so many gifted spirit masters present, what was there to fear? In numbers, they were far fewer than the Royal Knights, but in terms of strength, the difference was overwhelming.
Moreover, among the accompanying instructors were many powerful figures—spirit masters in the sixties and seventies. Such a force could stand against an army of ten thousand.
Then, without warning, countless boulders came crashing down from the hills on both sides—like a rain of stone. The falling rocks were strangely synchronized, as if launched by design, tumbling rapidly toward the canyon below.
The terrain was unfavorable for the entire group. The Royal Knights' captain immediately ordered a full-speed advance, while his soldiers took charge of defending against the falling rocks.
It was in moments like this that the Royal Knights' discipline shone through. Though most of them were not spirit masters, their collective strength and coordination were remarkable.
The hills weren't particularly tall, so the falling rocks didn't carry unstoppable force. The knights stepped back in formation, leaving a clear path in the middle while raising their long spears. One after another, they deflected and redirected the falling stones—five hundred knights forming a steel wall. For a time, not a single rock reached the spirit masters behind them.
The students from the fifteen academies, led by their instructors, quickly moved toward the exit of the gorge. For speed, they abandoned the carriages and tents—everything nonessential. The priority was simple: get out of this death trap as fast as possible.
Everyone wanted to know—who would dare to ambush even the Royal Knights here, deep within the borders of the Heaven Dou Empire? Bandits? Impossible. No bandit would have the courage—or the numbers—to attack a force like this.
Soon, however, the Royal Knights began to falter. Larger stones came crashing down, and despite their defense, some broke through.
That was when the true power of the spirit masters revealed itself. The elite students of the Heaven Dou academies remained calm. Soul rings flashed as they summoned their martial souls, the defensive and assault types forming a protective line while the support types stayed in the center. Incoming boulders were shattered one after another without slowing their retreat.
They were almost through the pass, and the knights at the rear had begun their own withdrawal—when suddenly a sharp whistle cut through the air.
From both hillsides, hundreds—no, thousands—of black-clad figures appeared, charging down with terrifying speed.
The Royal Knights were still repositioning, leaving the spirit masters to fend for themselves.
Li Chang'an didn't immediately strike. Instead, he expanded his spiritual sense to observe the attackers—his brow furrowing deeper by the second.
Something was wrong.
Their auras were lifeless—hollow. Though they were spirit masters, there was no vitality within them, as if something else was controlling their bodies.
'Could this be… the Abyss?'
Li Chang'an wasn't certain, but only an otherworldly force like the Abyss could manipulate living beings in such a manner. Abyssal beasts had no physical form of their own—they were entities of corruption.
'Had the Abyss resurfaced after all these years?'
And their strength was considerable. Some among the enemy were genuine experts. The academies' forces might actually be at a disadvantage.
As the realization struck, colorful lights burst across the field. Soul rings flared. One by one, the spirit masters unleashed their martial souls, ready for battle.
Though there was no coordination among the fifteen academies, each school naturally formed its own group. Instead of retreating, the young spirit masters surged forward—fired up by the enemy's sudden attack.
But as they clashed, shock swept through the students.
The black-clad enemies were terrifyingly organized. Despite their overwhelming numbers—fifteen hundred against two hundred—they moved in perfect unison. Groups of three or four surrounded individual spirit masters, striking with ruthless precision.
Most academy students had only fought in small skirmishes; few had ever experienced large-scale battles. Their usual techniques failed against such relentless coordination.
Dazzling spirit techniques filled the air, but the black-clad warriors dodged and countered with astonishing agility. Worse still, dozens among them were powerful spirit kings and spirit emperors—some even beyond the fiftieth rank. Whenever a strong attack appeared, these elites would intercept it without hesitation.
It was as though an invisible commander was orchestrating every move from the shadows.
Each academy faced roughly two enemy spirit masters, supported by swarms of ordinary fighters. The enemy's pack-like tactics were devastating. The battle quickly descended into chaos and stalemate.
Whoever was behind this had remarkable tactical insight—someone at least of Titled Douluo level. Li Chang'an made that judgment instantly.
Spreading his spiritual power to its fullest, he began scanning for the mastermind. If he could locate and capture that person, this entire ambush could be resolved in an instant.
Then—
"They're wearing the insignia of the Star Luo Empire!" a soldier cried. "They're from Star Luo—they're here to slaughter our young spirit masters and assassinate His Highness the Crown Prince!"
Framing and deception—classic tactics to sow chaos and war!
Just then, three figures appeared midway up the mountainside, their spirit power surging with the force of Spirit Douluo!
On the Heaven Dou side, two figures rose to meet them—a massive azure serpent and a dazzling blade.
Poison Douluo, Dugu Bo. Sword Douluo, Chen Xin!
At the same time, a radiant Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda lit up, eight soul rings rising into the sky.
The world's greatest support spirit master—Ning Fengzhi!
With Ning Fengzhi's assistance, two titled Douluo could easily suppress three Spirit Douluo.
But before victory could come, three more powerful figures emerged from the shadows—each exuding the unmistakable aura of a Titled Douluo.
A chilling voice echoed across the canyon:
"Pathetic insects of the Heaven Dou Empire… since you've uncovered our identities, none of you will leave here alive!"