Seeing Ma Xiaotao turn into a streak of crimson light and charge forward, the other Inner Court disciples were unwilling to fall behind.
Chen Zifeng's Soul-Severing Sword let out a sharp hum as he moved. Xi Xi's figure flickered like a ghost, vanishing and reappearing in flashes, while Gongyang Mo spread the wings on his back, five-colored light swirling around him.
Every one of them wore an expression filled with confidence—no, excitement.
It was the thrill of hunters spotting their prey.
Watching their figures disappear in an instant, Huo Yuhao let out a helpless sigh, the spirit tool armor in his hands still awkwardly suspended in midair.
"Sigh…"
Just then, a warm, solid hand patted his shoulder.
Huo Yuhao turned and met the gentle smile of Senior Brother Bei Bei.
"Don't space out, Junior Brother."
Bei Bei took the initiative, picking up a set of armor from Huo Yuhao's hands and smoothly fastening it onto himself. He then strapped the small spirit tool shield to his wrist.
"The Inner Court seniors have their pride. It's something they earned with real strength."
"But we trust you even more."
After saying that, Bei Bei turned toward Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nannan, and Xiao Xiao behind him.
"Put them on. It's Yuhao's goodwill—and besides…"
His gaze darkened slightly as he looked toward the depths of the gloomy mountain range.
"I also feel that something about this place isn't right."
"Heh, since Bei Bei says so, I won't stand on ceremony." Xu Sanshi laughed and grabbed two sets. "Nannan, let me help you put yours on!"
"Get lost." Jiang Nannan rolled her eyes, snatched one set away, and equipped it neatly herself.
He Caitou watched the scene with warmth in his heart and gave Huo Yuhao a firm nod.
"Let's go. We should catch up too."
—
Meanwhile, a thousand meters away, high among the clouds.
A slovenly old man lay half-reclined on a cloud, an empty wine gourd dangling from his hand. His cloudy eyes were narrowed as he observed everything below.
It was Xuan Zi.
Watching Ma Xiaotao and the others rush straight toward the enemy without hesitation—and without being stopped by Huo Yuhao's "overcautious" concerns—the corner of Xuan Zi's mouth curved upward in satisfaction.
"Mm, not bad."
"This is how Shrek monsters should be."
He stroked his messy beard, thinking to himself:
"A true powerhouse must possess indomitable momentum. Facing a bunch of gutter rats, if you hesitate and shrink back, how can you talk about forging ahead bravely?"
"Xiaotao may have a fiery temper, but this spirit of hers really takes after me. Hahaha."
Soon, his gaze shifted back to Huo Yuhao and the others, who were carefully equipping their spirit tools. His brows furrowed unconsciously, a trace of disappointment flashing in his eyes.
"Tsk, this Huo Yuhao…"
"His martial spirit is decent, but his courage is far too small."
"And relying so heavily on spirit tools—this is the wrong path."
Xuan Zi shook his head, mentally labeling Huo Yuhao as someone "unlikely to achieve greatness."
"In the end, the foundation of a Spirit Master is their own martial spirit and spirit power."
"Strapping so much metal onto your body slows you down and dulls your fighting will."
"Looks like I'll need to find a chance later to properly knock some sense into this kid and show him the real path."
Just as Xuan Zi was about to continue observing—
Grrr—
A thunderous rumble came from his stomach at the worst possible moment.
His expression stiffened. Instinctively, he raised the wine gourd to his lips.
Empty.
He rummaged through the pockets of his tattered robes.
Aside from a few greasy bone scraps, there wasn't even a chicken butt left.
"Oh no… I'm out."
He smacked his lips, and an overwhelming wave of hunger surged through him, leaving him utterly distracted.
As the possessor of the Taotie Divine Bull martial spirit, his appetite was terrifying. Once hunger struck, focusing became nearly impossible.
"In this barren mountain wilderness…"
Xuan Zi released his spiritual power, scanning the surroundings.
Suddenly, his eyes lit up.
In a valley several dozen li away, he sensed the aura of a boar-type spirit beast with cultivation of around ten thousand years.
"Heh, lucky me."
He glanced once more at the Shrek group, who had already charged into the mountain cave below.
"Those kids aren't weak. Xiaotao's already a Spirit Saint—dealing with a Spirit King–level Evil Soul Master will only take a few minutes."
"And I've checked—there aren't any especially strong auras nearby."
"There shouldn't be any problems."
With that thought, the last shred of responsibility in Xuan Zi's heart was completely crushed by his appetite.
"I'll just go catch a pig, roast it, and come back. It won't take longer than a stick of incense to burn."
"Consider it giving them some room to stretch their legs."
After reassuring himself, Xuan Zi's figure flashed, transforming into a streak of yellow light as he flew off toward the unlucky boar spirit beast.
The sole guardian of this battlefield—
Left.
All for the sake of food.
—
Meanwhile, within the Ming Dou Mountain Range, inside the bandit stronghold.
Boom—!!!
Scorching phoenix flames erupted like a raging dragon, violently shattering the massive stone gate at the cave entrance.
Amid the flying debris, Ma Xiaotao charged in, clad in red, like a fiery war goddess.
"You scum inside—come out and die!"
With her sharp cry, terrifying heat swept through the entire tunnel.
The ordinary bandits guarding the entrance didn't even have time to scream before they were reduced to ashes.
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"
"Ah—! It's so hot!"
Chaos instantly broke out inside the cave.
Close behind came Dai Yueheng's tank-like charge.
"White Tiger Vajra Transformation! White Tiger Demon God Transformation!"
His muscles swelled, black-and-white fur covering his body. With a swing of his tiger claws, he tore two charging Soul Elder bandits cleanly apart.
Chen Zifeng's Soul-Severing Sword became a streak of blood-red light, weaving through the crowd. Each flash claimed a life.
It was a massacre.
A completely one-sided slaughter.
Though numerous, the bandits were no more than clay chickens and porcelain dogs before these elite disciples of Shrek Academy.
"Hahahaha! This feels great!"
Ma Xiaotao laughed loudly, waving her hand as she unleashed Phoenix Meteor Shower, blasting a group of enemies who tried to resist into complete disarray.
In just a few short minutes, the group had already fought their way from the entrance deep into the cave.
The ground was a mess, corpses strewn everywhere, blood soaking the stone floor.
"So this is the so-called Evil Soul Master group?" Gongyang Mo floated in midair, yawning in boredom.
"Marshal Dai Hao is being way too cautious. Trash like this—I could wipe them out alone."
Xi Xi sheathed her dagger, her expression relaxed.
"Looks like this mission was just an errand. No challenge at all."
The Inner Court disciples all wore easy, confident expressions.
Their earlier judgment had been correct.
In the face of overwhelming power, all schemes and tricks were meaningless.
Spirit tools, caution—completely unnecessary.
However—
At that moment.
Huo Yuhao, who had been following at the very back, suddenly stopped.
Golden light flickered in his eyes.
Mental Detection Sharing had been active the entire time, covering the whole battlefield.
The earlier chaos of battle had masked that strange sensation.
Now that things had calmed down, the chilling feeling surged back with terrifying clarity.
"Something's wrong…"
Huo Yuhao's gaze locked onto the corpses scattered across the ground.
Within his mental perception—
The spirit power inside those bodies, which should have dissipated after death, had not vanished.
Instead…
It was gathering, swelling, and growing at an alarming rate!
At the same time, a miserable green light—nearly invisible to the naked eye—began seeping out from every corpse.
That light carried an overwhelming aura of resentment and death.
"Everyone, be careful!"
Huo Yuhao suddenly shouted, his voice laced with unprecedented fear.
"Retreat immediately! These corpses aren't right!"
His voice echoed through the hollow cave.
But—
The Inner Court disciples, still basking in the joy of victory, didn't react at once.
Ma Xiaotao turned around, frowned at the panicked Huo Yuhao, and said irritably:
"Huo Yuhao, what is it with you again?"
"Everyone's dead. What could possibly be wrong with the corpses?"
"Exactly." Chen Zifeng also looked impatient. "In an Evil Soul Master's lair, isn't a bit of Yin energy normal? Can you stop being so jumpy?"
In their eyes, this was just Huo Yuhao being inexperienced and timid.
"That's not it!"
Huo Yuhao was drenched in sweat, pointing desperately at the bodies.
"That green light—it's an energy reaction! An extremely unstable energy reaction!"
"Leave now! If we don't, it'll be too late!"
Just as everyone began to think Huo Yuhao had lost his mind—
Suddenly.
The temperature in the cave plunged to freezing.
A suffocating, terrifying pressure erupted from the deepest part of the cavern.
It was an aura steeped in decay, death, and pure evil.
Immediately afterward, an eerie voice—like something crawling out of the Nine Nether Hell—echoed from all directions.
"Gagagaga…"
"I didn't expect so many tender little dolls to come."
"And all of them are top-grade martial spirits…"
The hoarse, piercing voice made everyone's scalp prickle.
Ma Xiaotao's expression changed. Flames flared violently around her as she scanned her surroundings.
"Stop pretending to be mysterious! Get out here!"
"Get out here?"
The voice turned venomous, laced with manic laughter.
"Hmph! You damned brats, killing so many of my subordinates…"
"Since you want me dead, I won't let any of you off either!"
"This place is the graveyard I prepared just for you!"
Before the words even faded—
The strange green light on the corpses suddenly flared!
The shriveled bodies inflated like balloons, skin stretched taut as dark green poisonous gas and violent energy churned inside.
Huo Yuhao's pupils shrank to pinpoints.
That's—
"Oh no! It's Corpse Explosion!!!"
Almost at the same instant, from deep within the cave, the Death God Envoy's crazed roar burst forth like a soul-reaping incantation:
"Taste this move of mine! Explode!!!"
"Corpse Explosion Technique!!!"
-------------Author---------------
Read 50 advanced chapter
👉 patreon.com/Master_fic
U can read 10 chapters ahead just for 5$