Half a month of intense integration training passed in the blink of an eye.
The reserve members and main team members were no longer as unfamiliar with each other as they initially were. Especially Gu La's hard power, which could rival that of an ordinary Soul King, made all the main team members put away their arrogance and regard him as a truly formidable force.
During the training period, Huo Yuhao developed a tactic: by physical contact, he temporarily "loaned" his Ultimate Ice power to Ling Luochen.
Ling Luochen's nearly Soul Emperor-level soul power, after being infused with this Ultimate attribute, unleashed an ice attack so terrifying that even Ma Xiaotao had to temporarily avoid its edge.
This discovery thrilled everyone. If Ultimate Ice could be borrowed, what about Ultimate Fire?
For this reason, Ma Xiaotao awkwardly approached Gu La once. Clearly, she was still unhappy about losing completely to Gu La but was more tempted by the power. They tried it once.
When Gu La placed his hand on Ma Xiaotao's shoulder, a pure torrent of gold-red flames surged into her body. Ma Xiaotao felt as if she had transformed into a true sun.
A simple line of phoenix fire she casually released contained destructive energy and terrifying heat, instantly vaporizing the specially-made alloy target at the training ground. The power was such that even a typical Soul Douluo might not dare to face it head-on.
"Sss—!"
Everyone inhaled sharply. Dai Yueheng and others' eyes lit up with excitement.
"We're set, absolutely set!" Chen Zifeng clenched his fists in excitement, "With this trump card, who can stop us in the tournament?"
"Yeah, a Soul Saint-level strength can sway the outcome of the soul master tournament. It's like having a Soul Douluo-level destructive cannon right with us," Gongyang Mo excitedly agreed.
Ma Xiaotao felt the overwhelming power within her that could burn everything to ashes, filling her heart with unprecedented pride.
However, immediately afterward, a stronger burning pain and irritability rose from deep within her bones. Her evil fire, like dry wood doused with oil, ignited fiercely.
She grunted, her face flushed red instantly, sweat beads forming on her forehead. She had to quickly break off the connection with Gu La.
"Damn, this flame is too overbearing. Though powerful, it stimulates the evil fire far beyond imagination. Huo Yuhao's bit of Ultimate Ice simply can't suppress the backlash of the evil fire in this state…"
She looked at Huo Yuhao, who also shook his head helplessly. Ultimately, it was decided that this "borrowing fire" tactic could only be used as a last resort, never frequently.
Still, having one more trump card relaxed everyone's minds considerably.
When the training ended, Xuan Zi led the group; fourteen people packed their belongings and set out for Star Luo City, the capital of the Star Luo Empire, to participate in the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Combat Tournament.
However, midway, Xuan Zi stopped in a desolate mountain wilderness.
"Come over."
Xuan Zi took a swig of alcohol, his face unusually serious. He surveyed the young students before him; the youngest, Huo Yuhao, was only twelve, with cultivation just reaching Soul Grandmaster.
"Do you know why we've stopped?" Xuan Zi's voice carried a heavy oppressive feeling, "Have you heard of Shrek's Inspection Corps?"
Ma Xiaotao and others were surprised. Could it be that Elder Xuan wanted to invite the younger students…? But they are too young!
Xuan Zi didn't care; he followed his own thoughts:
"The existence of Shrek's Inspection Corps is to hunt down those evil soul masters who harm the continent and slaughter living beings. This is Shrek's age-old honor and mission."
He began recounting the "glorious" history of the Inspection Corps, how many predecessors sacrificed themselves to this "lofty" mission at the hands of evil soul masters.
His words were highly inflammatory, portraying joining the Inspection Corps as the highest honor and responsibility.
"Joining the Inspection Corps means putting life and death aside. Now, tell me, are you afraid? Is anyone thinking of quitting?!"
Xuan Zi's gaze scanned everyone like lightning, "You can still quit now, I, Xuan Zi, will not stop you, but,"
His tone suddenly turned icy and full of intimidation, "If you fear death, go back to the academy right now. Our Shrek Academy cannot afford such disgrace!"
Gu La internally thought, "Hmph, grandiose talk. Where the tree leaves dance, one shall find flames. And once again, burning tender leaves to illuminate the old trunk?"
"Letting a group of teenagers with varying cultivation levels bear the risk of hunting evil soul masters? This so-called mission is nothing but a tool for Shrek Academy to maintain the 'continent guardian' title and bind the loyalty of graduating students!"
"It's fine to be purely bad, but to cover it with the guise of a 'noble mission' is laughably stupid."
However, Xuan Zi's speech, filled with moral coercion and honor, deeply stirred the blood of the other students.
Bei Bei was the first to stand up, his voice steady and firm: "Shrek's Inspection Corps, duty-bound, Bei Bei joins!"
Huo Yuhao followed closely, his youthful face full of determination: "Defend the academy's glory, safeguard the continent's peace, Huo Yuhao joins."
Xu Sanshi, feeling low due to Jiang Nannan's exclusion, seeing his good brothers stepping forward, heatedly exclaimed: "I join too." He hadn't thought about the dangers.
Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, He Caidou, Ling Luochen... the main team members needed no further words.
Gu La also calmly spoke: "I join."
But inwardly, he had already made up his mind: Killing evil soul masters is fine, but sacrificing myself for this hypocritical mission and someone else's foolish command? Never!
Xuan Zi watched everyone declare their intentions and nodded satisfactorily: "Good, these are the elites of my Shrek, let's go."
He led them to a barren mountain range on the border of the Star Luo Empire, where the White Tiger Duke's White Tiger Legion was stationed.
Xuan Zi entered the military camp alone and returned shortly with intelligence, tossing it casually to Ma Xiaotao:
"The target is in the cave ahead, a five-ring evil Soul King known as the 'Death God Envoy.' Xiaotao, lead the team to eliminate him. Consider it a warm-up before the tournament."
After saying this, Xuan Zi's figure flickered, disappearing to who knows where to drink again.
Ma Xiaotao glanced at the intelligence and sneered: "A mere Soul King dares to call himself the 'Death God Envoy,' what a joke."
She briefly discussed with Dai Yueheng, deciding the main team would take the lead while the reserves would follow behind, entering the cave together to clear it out.
Gu La observed Ma Xiaotao and others' underestimation, inwardly understanding.
"The Death God Envoy… In the original story, he caused great losses for Shrek. The Corpse Explosion technique's power multiplies in narrow spaces. Should I warn them? Warning now would only get me mocked as cowardly, thinking I'm worrying unnecessarily."
"Some lessons can only be truly remembered after experiencing them firsthand, only after suffering deeply." He silently followed the team, quietly placing Xiao Xiao slightly behind him for protection.
The fourteen entered the damp, eerie cave. Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng, being the strongest, charged ahead.
Soon, several lookout bandits were easily dealt with by them. These were just lackeys of the evil soul master, most without any soul power.
Deep in the cave, a gaunt, black-robed figure watched the Shrek uniforms on the intruders, startled at first, then his eyes lit up with cruelty and greed.
"Hahahaha… Shrek's Inspection Corps? A bunch of whelps daring to come to their deaths?"
He let out a piercing cackle, watching the cautious stance of the Shrek group near the killed corpses, raising his bony finger abruptly, "Corpse Explosion Technique! Blow them up!"
"Bad!" Dai Yueheng first noticed the terrifying fluctuations of soul power gathering abnormally on the corpses, his face changing drastically.
But it was too late, a step behind.
"Boom boom boom boom—!"
The fallen bodies, like balloons being inflated instantly, expanded to their limit at an unimaginable speed and then exploded violently in the narrow cave passage.
Flesh, bones, internal organs mixed with a violent wave of soul power, sweeping through the crowded Shrek group like a storm of death.
The confined space amplified the explosion's power tenfold.
"Ahh—!" Screams erupted instantly.
Yao Haoxuan, closest to the corpses, was surrounded by the Corpse Explosion technique. This tall control-type Soul King couldn't make any defense in time, his body torn apart by the violent energy, limbs and blood splattering everywhere.
"Pfft!" Xixi, the agile attacker, had a leg blown off, screaming as she flew backward, crashing heavily against the rock wall.
"My leg!" Gongyang Mo's left leg was severed at the root, blood gushing wildly, his handsome face turning pale from the intense pain and blood loss.
Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng, the strongest, reacted fastest, instantly releasing soul power to protect themselves. However, even they were shaken by the close-range explosion, their blood surging, organs displaced, blood dripping from their mouths, internal injuries sustained.
Chen Zifeng and Ling Luochen were also injured, looking disheveled.
Only Ling Luochen, due to her strained relationship with Ma Xiaotao, stood further back, and Gu La reacted the quickest.
At the moment the Death God Envoy raised his hand, Gu La pulled Xiao Xiao completely behind him.
The Solar Angel martial soul instantly attached, large wings burning with golden-red flames folding forward, tightly wrapping both him and Xiao Xiao.
The scorching Ultimate Fire formed an impenetrable barrier, isolating most of the explosive impact and filthy flesh outside.
Xiao Xiao only felt a wave of scorching air and deafening booms, protected unscathed.
"Haoxuan! Xixi! Gongyang Mo!"
Seeing the instant heavy casualties among their comrades, Ma Xiaotao's eyes bulged with rage, her evil fire fully ignited, "I'll kill you! Sixth Soul Skill, Phoenix Meteor Shower!"
Countless burning meteors with flaming tails crashed toward where the Death God Envoy was hiding.
"Hah, it's not over yet."
The Death God Envoy cackled eerily. In the crisis, he managed to imprint a strange soul power mark on Yao Haoxuan's severed, twitching leg lying on the ground.
"Corpse Explosion Technique! Explode!"
"Boom—!"
Another close-range, targeted terrifying explosion.
This time, although everyone was prepared, their severe injuries hindered movement, and the shockwave and flying bone fragments worsened their wounds.
Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng were also forced to retreat repeatedly, spitting blood.
More fatally, the two explosions caused the cave to shake violently, with large rocks falling and smoke filling the air.
The Death God Envoy seized this chaotic opportunity, darting toward the cave entrance like a ghost.
At this moment, a roar of anger came from the cave entrance: "Bastard!"
Xuan Zi finally arrived belatedly.
At a glance, he saw the hellish scene inside the cave: Yao Haoxuan's fragmented corpse, Xixi and Gongyang Mo crying out in pain with broken legs and arms, every student wounded and disheveled… a tidal wave of rage and regret instantly consumed him!
"Die — !" Xuan Zi's hair and beard bristled, his terrifying soul power erupting like a tsunami, ready to crush the Death God Envoy.
However, the overwhelming pressure from his enraged soul power burst too violently, causing the cave to collapse even more severely.
Massive rocks thunderously fell, temporarily blocking his pursuit path, giving the Death God Envoy a sliver of a chance to escape.
Seeing Xuan Zi's unfathomable aura, the Death God Envoy was terrified, knowing this was his only chance to survive.
His eyes darted urgently, instantly locking onto those standing not far from the cave entrance, appearing the youngest and seemingly the "weakest" — Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, and Gu La protecting Xiao Xiao.
No time to hesitate, upon seeing Gu La's figure, the Death God Envoy couldn't tear his eyes away: "Angel Martial Soul?! Damn it! This sacred aura is most restraining to our Holy Spirit Sect. Meeting you is your misfortune; I'll take you hostage!"
He grinned wickedly, pouncing toward Gu La like a vulture, his claw-like hand swiftly grabbing Gu La's throat.
Gu La's eyes showed no fluctuation, even carrying a hint of… delight?
"Boy, behave, don't move!"
The Death God Envoy successfully grabbed Gu La's neck, using him as a shield, screaming at Xuan Zi, temporarily blocked by the falling rocks:
"Let me go! Or I'll kill him immediately!"
His other hand gathered cold death soul power, preparing to drive it into Gu La's body as intimidation and control.
Yet, the anticipated struggle and fear from Gu La did not appear, nor did Xuan Zi's hesitation.
Instead, he saw the surrounding severely injured Shrek students looking at him with… a strange pity as if looking at a dead man?
Gu La even sighed lightly, his voice terrifyingly calm: "Why grab anyone, why pick me?"
The Death God Envoy froze, not understanding the meaning of these words, when he felt an indescribable burning pain in the hand gripping Gu La's neck, as if he was holding not a human neck but a red-hot branding iron.
His gathered death soul power vanished instantly upon touching Gu La's skin, purified cleanly by an extremely yang and righteous holy power.
"What… what?!" The Death God Envoy turned pale with horror.
"Kill him." Gu La calmly uttered three words, as if instructing a trivial matter.
Behind him, the eyes of the Solar Angel spirit soul glowed brightly with golden light. A sword of pure sacred purification condensed instantly, carrying the supreme authority of judging evil. Ignoring spatial distance, it pierced through the Death God Envoy's forehead amidst his terrified and desperate gaze.
"Uh…" The Death God Envoy's body stiffened abruptly, the light in his eyes rapidly dimming. His hand gripping Gu La's neck went limp.
The evil and death aura around him melted like snow meeting the sun, a pure and vast sacred energy feeding back to the Solar Angel spirit soul, extracted and fed back to Gu La.
Gu La nodded inwardly: "Sacred power… a versatile thing. The safest way to boost cultivation; the angel spirit soul's years can be resolved at the Spirit Ascension Platform."
Without hesitation, he guided this power into his soul circulation. The bottleneck stagnating at Level 67 instantly loosened, quietly breaking through to Level 68, matching Ma Xiaotao.
"Gu La, are you okay?" Xiao Xiao, Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and others gathered anxiously.
"I'm fine." Gu La shook his head, scanning the chaotic scene, looking at Xixi and Gongyang Mo with broken limbs, wailing in pain, and Yao Haoxuan's gruesome remains, "It's just Senior Haoxuan…"
He could have saved them, but ultimately, the emotional bond wasn't strong enough; they weren't worth Gu La's effort.
Dai Yueheng's face turned as pale as paper, looking at Yao Haoxuan's remains, tears filling his tiger-like eyes, shaking his head painfully: "Amputation… this injury can't regenerate…"
Upon hearing this, Xixi and Gongyang Mo's eyes filled with despair.
At this moment, Xuan Zi, the culprit of all this, finally pushed through the fallen rocks and rushed in. Seeing the scene before him, especially Yao Haoxuan's corpse, his old face lost all color, his body swaying.
"All… it's all my fault… I was careless… I failed my duty…"
Xuan Zi's voice was hoarse, filled with pain and regret, "Xiaotao…" He looked at the swaying Ma Xiaotao.
Tears welled up in Ma Xiaotao's eyes, filled with anger, sorrow, and confusion.
"You… you take them to Star Luo City for the competition…" Xuan Zi seemed to age ten years instantly, his voice unbearably heavy, "I will return to the academy immediately to ask for punishment from Sea God Pavilion… to accept the harshest penalty."
After saying this, he didn't dare look at the students again, especially the severely injured and Yao Haoxuan's remains. His figure flickered, disappearing into the shadows of the cave like an escapee, leaving behind chaos and mentally and physically wounded young students.
Everyone looked in the direction Xuan Zi disappeared, then at the horrors around them, falling into a deathly silence. The air was thick with the stench of blood and despair.
Gu La, like everyone else, was speechless.
"Hmph, asking for punishment? What's the use of talking about it?"
"Making mistakes and not thinking about compensation, but first thinking about responsibility and punishment, in the end, what Xuan Zi cares about is that the students got injured and may miss out on defending the championship. Not because his carelessness led to the students' deaths and severe injuries."
"And running away, leaving this mess to a bunch of kids. This is the proud 'Sea God Pavilion Elder' of Shrek. No matter how high his cultivation, wielding absolute power and status, the 'green leaves' remain naive, not even qualified to question."
He looked at the silent and grieving crowd, especially the soulless Ma Xiaotao and the lifeless eyes of Xixi and Gongyang Mo, shaking his head. He hadn't yet created a healing avatar, and there really was no way to handle this situation.
All they could do was have Ling Luochen freeze their wounds to stop the bleeding, preventing excessive blood loss while waiting for reinforcements from Shrek Academy.
Fortunately, Xuan Zi, though senile, hadn't gone completely foolish. After walking a while, he realized he should bring the severely injured back to the academy for treatment and returned to the cave, making everyone exchange glances, speechless.
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