on Tianhan City.
At this moment, Tianhan City Lord Luo Lan gazed at the distant sound of arrows, his face filled with anxiety and helplessness.
For some time now, the roaming hunting of an unknown soul beast clan had caused him immense suffering.
Initially, they only attacked merchant caravans on the official roads, but gradually their attacks spread to the surrounding villages, inching closer to Tianhan City.
Tianhan City was just a small city, with a population of only a few square kilometers, and city walls no more than four or five meters high.
The garrisoned army was even smaller.
If this roaming soul beast clan had a leader over ten thousand years old, then tonight the city might be in danger of being breached.
At this moment, Bishop Sai Dong of the Martial Soul Hall
arrived late, panting heavily. Even as a three-ring Soul Master, his physical strength had declined significantly with age.
"Huff—huff, what's the situation? Was it those soul beasts?"
Bishop Saidong, one hand on his waist and the other clenched into a fist, began to pound his back as he looked at Loran, who paced back and forth, occasionally gazing into the distance.
"How should I know? Not a single patrolling soldier has returned since that signal arrow was fired."
"If nothing unexpected happens, they should be like those merchant caravans—not a single one survived."
After saying this, Lord Loran began to sigh repeatedly, his face filled with fear and helplessness.
As a hereditary nobleman, he naturally inherited his family's title after his father's death and became the lord of Tianhan City.
Although he had studied at the Soul Master Academy for a few years, at nearly sixty years old, he was only a level thirty-two Soul Master, and even his soul rings were only one white and two yellow.
In terms of actual combat power, he might not even be able to defeat a slightly older hundred-year-old soul beast.
So how could he not panic in the face of the current situation?
"Alright, how many Spirit Hall deacons are coming over?"
Bishop Saidong took a slow breath, thinking carefully before speaking.
"Including myself, there are twenty-three people in total: one Soul Master, four Great Soul Masters, and the rest are Soul Masters."
Lord Loran calculated the numbers based on Bishop Saidong's statement and his own side.
However, the result made Lord Loran's face even more desperate.
"Even with my side, there are less than sixty people in total, and less than ten Great Soul Masters."
"If even a few thousand-year-old Soul Beasts of advanced age come, we might not be able to defeat them."
"What are we going to do?"
Bishop Saidong looked at Lord Loran with a face full of anger.
"You ask me what to do? How would I know?"
"I told you to send someone to inform the main city a long time ago. Who told you to dawdle like that? Now look what's happened! What are we supposed to do if those soul beasts attack the city?"
"Don't forget, there was a merchant guild before, with a Soul Sect expert in charge, but the entire guild was still wiped out."
Lord Loran, his face red with anger, began to argue with Bishop Sai Dong.
"That's your fault! When the guild was attacked the first time, I asked you, didn't you say that soul beast groups like this usually don't stay in one place?"
"Why are they attacking the city now? Don't you, old man, bear any responsibility for all this?"
The two men, both in their fifties or sixties, began to shift blame and criticize each other for their shortcomings.
Just then, Mu Ci's voice pierced the night and reached their ears, causing the two still arguing to realize their mistake.
"Aren't you two thinking about how to handle things, instead of shirking responsibility?"
Seeing the young man slowly approaching, the Lord of Loran City, without a word, shifted his pent-up anger towards Mu Ci.
"Who are you? Who let you up here? I'm talking to His Holiness the Bishop, is it your place to interrupt?"
"Guards! Guards! Arrest this man and lock him in the dungeon!"
But as soon as the Lord of Loran City's shouts fell, an immense, mountain-like soul pressure emanated from Mu Ci. In a single exchange, the Lord of Loran City instantly knelt on the ground, unable to hold on for even a second.
As the soul pressure intensified, three soul rings—one white and two yellow—began to circulate across the Lord of Loran City's body.
Snow-white fur began to appear on his skin, and two tusks emerged from the corners of his mouth.
The Snow Pig Martial Soul had passively possessed him!
Even so, the Lord of Loran City still couldn't get up from the ground, and didn't even have the strength to move.
"My lord, may I ask who you are?"
Looking at this young and powerful figure, Bishop Saidong asked cautiously.
He had no intention of pleading for Lord Loran.
To be able to render a Soul Master powerless with soul pressure alone—what incredible strength!
At least in his memory, only the cardinals of the main hall could accomplish such a feat, but those powerful figures were all top-tier Soul Douluo level experts.
Yet this person before him, judging from his appearance, was not even twenty years old—what a genius!
Hearing the question from the sub-hall bishop, Mu Ci flipped her hand and took out a token from her soul tool, tossing it into the bishop's hand. This was an elder's token representing the authority of the Spirit Hall, which Lin Ya had obtained from Spirit Kite Douluo when she practiced medicine.
The moment Bishop Saidong saw the phoenix-like relief, he recognized the meaning of the token.
He respectfully returned the token with both hands, speaking with a mixture of flattery and hope.
"Greetings, Your Excellency. May I ask what brings you to Tianhan City, and is there anything the Martial Soul Hall can do for you?"
Mu Ci glanced at the respectful bishop, accepted the token, and stored it in his soul tool, simultaneously withdrawing the soul pressure that had been pressing down on Lord Loran.
"You don't need to know what I'm here for, but I'd like to know what you've been doing these past few days."
"Do you know that if I hadn't come to Tianhan City today, the Heavenly Dou City court would be discussing the matter of soul beasts breaching the city in a few dozen days?"
Upon hearing this, both Lord Loran and Bishop Sai Dong were speechless, unsure how to respond.
Suddenly, Lord Loran nudged Bishop Sai Dong's hand twice, clearly signaling him to speak.
Looking at Loran beside him, who was bowing his head in fear, Sai Dong sighed and explained to Mu Ci,
"Your Excellency, we have indeed reported the situation here to the main city, but we don't know why no one has come to deal with it yet."
Mu Ci frowned.
"When did this happen?"
"Seven days ago."
Sai Dong's answer startled Mu Ci. Seven days was enough time to travel from Tianhan City to the main city and back, let alone send a message by fast horse.
It was clear the messenger had likely already met with misfortune.
"Among these soul beasts, there are highly intelligent individuals who not only know to leave no survivors but also to intercept communications,"
Mu Ci thought to herself. Such a group of soul beasts posed a tremendous threat to this small border town.
At this moment, Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er had also changed into their gear and released their martial soul power to run up to the city wall.