I have added this story to my Patreon. You can support me and read the latest and advanced chapters there. It also fed and motivate me to write more chapters!
Link: Patreon.com/AVRKingsTL
—------------------—
Ten days had passed, and the journey was already halfway through.
The night was as dark as ink, pressing heavily upon the land. Due to delays caused by obstacles along the way, the convoy was still dozens of miles from the next city, so they had no choice but to set up camp on the spot.
Campfires flickered in various parts of the camp, their light illuminating tired yet vigilant faces, dispelling some of the cold.
Xuan Ming was still protected in the central area of the Supreme Pontiff's convoy. Over sixty Spirit Emperor-level Holy Emperor Warriors formed a defensive array, and there were also three Titled Douluo overseeing—not to mention assassination or sneak attacks, even getting slightly close was utterly impossible.
Around midnight, most people in the camp had retired to their tents to rest, and the once flickering camp gradually fell silent.
Xuan Ming and Gu Yuena sat side by side by a campfire, not yet asleep.
"After the competition ends, you should be heading back, right?" Xuan Ming said softly.
Gu Yuena paused slightly, then nodded gently: "Mm."
"During this time, what do you think of the human World?"
Gu Yuena was silent for a moment, then simply said: "It's very complex."
"I will do my best to fulfill what I promised." Xuan Ming looked at her, "Even if I can't fully achieve what you wish, at the very least, I will do my best to help."
Gu Yuena's eyes flickered: "What do you mean?"
Xuan Ming looked up at the starry sky: "If I cannot reach the peak, at the very least, I will clear the obstacles below for you."
Gu Yuena's eyes trembled, and she reached out to grab Xuan Ming, but suddenly a gust of cold wind swept over—carrying an eerie aura, it extinguished most of the campfires in an instant with extreme speed!
"All units, be on alert!"
The leader of the Royal Knights roared, and the entire camp instantly woke up.
Immediately after, several dark clouds unexpectedly covered the camp. Before anyone could react, thunderclouds churned, and torrential rain poured down!
The raindrops were cold and dense, making dull thudding sounds as they hit tents and armor.
Xuan Ming and Gu Yuena quickly stood up, vigilantly looking around.
"This isn't ordinary rain." Gu Yuena whispered, her Silver Dragon Spear already in her hand.
Xuan Ming nodded; he could sense the spirit power fluctuations contained in the rainwater—this was clearly the work of a Spirit Master.
A Spirit that could control the weather, similar to Xue Wu of Tianshui Academy, but to cause such a large-scale downpour, the opponent's cultivation was extremely high, at least at the Spirit Saint level.
"Be on alert!"
Yue Guan let out a cold shout, and the Holy Emperor Warriors quickly formed an array, their spirit power circulating, their Spirits attached to their bodies, and a terrifying aura instantly isolated the heavy rain outside.
"These people actually dared to make a move?" Yue Guan narrowed his eyes, looking at the thunderclouds, "They even dared to attack the Supreme Pontiff's convoy? Do they all really think they are Tang Hao?"
Even if Tang Hao himself arrived, facing this current lineup, he would have to think twice!
Bibi Dong walked out of the main tent, looking towards the chaotic direction of the academy convoy.
Groups of black-clad figures emerged from all directions, taking advantage of the night to engage in battle with the Royal Knights, and students from various academies also joined the fight.
"Thieves?" Hu Liena asked, puzzled.
"Have you ever seen thieves who dared to attack the Supreme Pontiff?" Bibi Dong reached out to catch a few raindrops, sensing them carefully.
Seeing the Royal Knights launch a one-sided slaughter against the black-clad figures, Yue Guan's expression gradually solidified: "Your Holiness, it seems they really are ordinary thieves."
"Just a feint." Bibi Dong looked towards where the dark clouds originated, "I'm curious what method they have to break through our defenses here."
Before her words finished, the situation in the academy convoy changed abruptly!
The Royal Knights and students, who had originally been sweeping through, suddenly felt something amiss with their bodies—their throats felt like they were burning with fire, the pain unbearable, followed by dizziness, and their limbs became soft and weak.
"No good! The rainwater is poisonous!" A seasoned Royal Knight cried out in alarm, then immediately fell to the ground.
Before those around him could react, they too began to fall one after another.
In an instant, the fierce battle turned into chaos, with wails rising from all sides.
"Your Holiness, what should be done?" Yue Guan asked urgently.
"No need to bother." Bibi Dong's tone was cold, "The opponent using this method is simply to create chaos and disperse our strength. Their target is Xuan Ming."
"But..." Yue Guan hesitated.
Although the lives of these people had nothing to do with Spirit Hall, if the participating teams were all wiped out here, what face would the Supreme Pontiff have left?
This point, Yue Guan thought of, Bibi Dong naturally also understood.
At this moment, she even began to suspect whether the planner of this attack was Gold Crocodile Douluo.
If these students truly died here, what authority would she have left upon returning to Spirit City?
"Holy Emperor Warriors, heed my command! Annihilate the enemy!"
After weighing her options, Bibi Dong still ordered the Holy Emperor Warriors to go to the rescue, leaving only Ju Gui, the two Douluo, to guard.
She didn't believe anyone in the World could break through the defenses of their three Titled Douluo!
The Holy Emperor Warriors charged out upon receiving the order, their spirit power erupting like tigers unleashed, cutting brilliant trajectories through the rainy night. Wherever they passed, the black-clad thieves instantly perished.
However, the good times didn't last; the Holy Emperor Warriors who had charged out also began to feel unwell.
Many Spirit Masters were mixed among the thieves, and in this poisonous rain, even the Holy Emperor Warriors began to suffer casualties.
"Your Holiness, this poisonous rain has special characteristics; its lethality is not strong, but prolonged exposure will cause general weakness and hinder spirit power circulation. Without precautions, at least Spirit Saint-level is required to resist it." Yue Guan reported.
"If this continues, the Holy Emperor Warriors won't last much longer."
Most of the Holy Emperor Warriors were Spirit Emperors; when assembled, they could resist the poisonous rain, but fighting dispersed and unprepared, they would likely collapse soon.
"The source of the rain is over there."
Xuan Ming, who had been sensing the spirit power of the rainwater, suddenly opened his eyes and pointed to a dense forest about a thousand meters away.
"Yue Guan." Bibi Dong said coldly.
Yue Guan responded and moved, transforming into a stream of light and rushing straight towards the dense forest. He left streaks of afterimages in the rain curtain, disappearing from sight in the blink of an eye.
"Large-scale poisonous rain, with an extremely strong paralyzing effect; this crowd control ability is almost comparable to Dugu Bo's." Xuan Ming said to Bibi Dong, "Spirit Hall has no information about such a person?"
Bibi Dong shook her head: "None."
In the past, the Spirit Master's world was full of disputes; the so-called "Number One Tool Spirit in the World" and "Number One Beast Spirit in the World" were all titles earned through battle.
But in recent decades, not only because Qian Daoliu, as the Elder of Judgment, purged Titled Douluo who defied Spirit Hall, but also due to Spirit Hall's expansion, more and more Spirit Master families chose to go into hiding.
They no longer displayed their abilities, fearing being targeted by Spirit Hall.
How many of the Seven Great Families were hidden, Spirit Hall did not know.
How many of the Xingluo Empire were hidden, Spirit Hall also did not know.
Everyone was hiding!
This made Spirit Hall's prestige in the Spirit Master's world unchallenged, but it also led to huge gaps in its information control over the Spirit Master's world.
Just like the person releasing the poisonous rain now, they had no clues whatsoever!
"Although the Holy Emperor Warriors are injured but not dead, it seems the opponent doesn't intend to completely fall out with Spirit Hall." Gui Mei observed the battle situation in the distance.
This poisonous rain had an extremely strong paralyzing effect and was highly concealed; by the time the Holy Emperor Warriors noticed the abnormality, it was already too late to react.
"You all stay here; I'll go take a look." Xuan Ming summoned his Blood Spear.
"What are you going to do?" Bibi Dong grabbed him.
"Since I am the target, this attack will definitely not be so simple." Xuan Ming calmly analyzed, "If you keep guarding me, the opponent will likely use other methods, such as kidnapping people around me to force me to appear. Just thinking about it is troublesome."
"It's better if I take the initiative and draw them all out."
"No." Bibi Dong still held on tightly, "We don't know how many people the opponent has or what their backup plans are. What if there are other dirty tricks?"
Xuan Ming was indeed powerful; even a Titled Douluo would find it difficult to pose a fatal threat head-on.
But what if it was a silent assassination like before, or other special Spirits or strange Spirit Abilities?
An obvious spear is easy to dodge, but a hidden arrow is hard to guard against!
Xuan Ming gently held Bibi Dong's hand, "You have to have faith in me; I'm not that fragile."
"Besides, this feeling of being targeted as prey from the shadows is too disgusting. No matter how strong their concealment ability is, they will inevitably expose themselves after making a move. I'll go be the bait, and you seize that opportunity to act."
Bibi Dong frowned slightly, "But..."
"Trust me, okay?" Xuan Ming said.
Bibi Dong was silent for a moment, then finally let go, "Be careful."
"You two stay here too; don't run around." Xuan Ming looked at Gu Yuena and Hu Liena.
"I..." Hu Liena was about to speak when Bibi Dong patted her hand, signaling her to obey.
Gu Yuena didn't say much, just nodded gently.
Xuan Ming nodded slightly, his figure flickered, turning into a bloody light and rushing towards the academy convoy.
As he approached, he saw that most of the once vibrant students were now sprawled on the ground, and members of the Royal Knights and Holy Emperor Warriors were struggling to resist the attacks of the black-clad thieves while also enduring the erosion of the poisonous rain.