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1Chapter 840: Eccentric Companions
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5Tang Wulin stared at the little plump man on the screen with his mouth agape. He never took him as an idealist.
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7The fake Ye Xinglan snorted. "We don't even know if we can leave this place alive. Why do you've to consider all the other things? Can't you do it?"
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9Xu Lizhi raised his head abruptly. His gaze suddenly sharpened. "You're not sister Xinglan. Sister Xinglan has protected me since I was little. She'd never say such words that hurt my self-esteem. You're not her!"
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11As he said this, he had already leaped to his feet. However, he did not make his move immediately. When he saw the fake naked Ye Xinglan before him, he was slightly stunned. He said, "Does sister Xinglan look like this when she's nude?" Then, he gulped before he gave the fake Ye Xinglan a slap.
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13Tang Wulin stole a glance at Old Demon Lust beside him. Old Demon Lust's current expression was not pretty.
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15Tang Wulin instinctively looked in another direction He looked at the screen which Ye Xinglan was on.
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17Just as he had expected, Ye Xinglan's willpower was definitely the strongest. Also, she was truly familiar with Xu Lizhi as well.
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19She stabbed through the fake Xu Lizhi's chest with her sword. Ye Xinglan said coldly, "Xu Lizhi's such a coward, how will he dare do such a thing to me? Besides, his heart is pure, he'll never think about having sex with me just because we can't leave this place alive."
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21She was the fifth person. Five people had broken free of her control. Old Demon Lust's willow-shaped eyebrows rose with her hands akimbo. Her expression was furious.
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23Tang Wulin instinctively looked at the screen which Xu Xiaoyan was on.
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25Xu Xiaoyan seemed to have lost herself completely in ecstasy. She was resting in the fake Yue Zhengyu's embrace.
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27The fake Yue Zhengyu said gently, "Xiaoyan, I love you. Although I'm not sure I can take you out of this place alive, I'm willing to give you my everything, and I'm not some playboy. Will you be my first girl?"
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29Xu Xiaoyan's beautiful frame shivered slightly. "I will, but I'm slightly scared. I'm not prepared for this just yet. Zhengyu, can you give me more time?"
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31The fake Yue Zhengyu said softly, "Why do you need more time? What do you want to think about? I'm willing to sacrifice everything for you. I've even used my natural talent Sacrifice for you. Aren't these enough to prove my love for you? I'm even willing to lay down my life for you. Xiaoyan, I love you."
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33As he said this, the fake Yue Zhengyu lowered his head and kissed Xu Xiaoyan's lips.
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35Suddenly, Xu Xiaoyan's eyes turned cold. Starlight flashed on her body and the fake Yue Zhengyu could not move.
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37"You're not Yue Zhengyu. Zhengyu would never persuade me by showing kindness. Who are you?" Xu Xiaoyan said angrily.
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39The fake Yue Zhengyu was about to speak when Xu Xiaoyan slapped him on the face. Then, his body turned into bubbles and vanished.
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41Tang Wulin looked at Old Demon Lust beside him with a slightly peculiar gaze. "You've failed, because you don't know us well enough."
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43Old Demon Lust's breathing was slightly rushed. "No, it's not that I don't know all of you well enough, it's my heart that's at a loss. I was influenced by some of you before this and was flustered toward the end. Damn, damn me! How could I let my emotions be affected by you lot? Fortunately, there's still one successful case!"
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45When she uttered her final sentence, she suddenly smiled. Her smile was seductive, but Tang Wulin's heart grew cold.
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47In the final screen, Yue Zhengyu was already on top of the fake Xu Xiaoyan.
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49The scene started to blur. Tang Wulin could not see the actions clearly, but he could faintly hear the sounds.
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51Zheng Yu…
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53There were seven of them. Six did not fall to the temptation of lust. This was undoubtedly a surprising result. Even if only one of them fell into the clutches of lust, Tang Wulin would still be troubled.
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55Old Demon Lust looked at Tang Wulin with a triumphant expression. "Aren't you dying to know what the consequences are of falling to the temptation of lust?"
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57Tang Wulin's chest tightened and he said furiously, "What do you want to do?"
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59Old Demon Lust snickered. "Wait and see."
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61After a long while, Yue Zhengyu let out a groan of satisfaction. "Xiaoyan, I love you. Don't worry, I'll take responsibility for you. Wherever you are, I'll be there for you."
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63"Are you really willing to take responsibility for me?"
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65The scene cleared up again. Yue Zhengyu and Xu Xiaoyan already had their clothes on. When Xu Xiaoyan said these words, her voice began to change from a melodious tone to a hoarse one. It was as displeasing as hearing the call of the crows.
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67Yue Zhengyu saw with shock that the fake Xu Xiaoyan before him became illusory. She gradually transformed into an old woman akin to a dying candle in the wind.
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69The old woman cackled in a peculiar way, "A youth's body is always nice. Be enamored with the secular world and your desires will be boundless. Hello there, I'm Old Demon Lust, do you still love me?"
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71Yue Zhengyu stared at the old woman in front of him with his mouth agape. His face flushed green, then red. Suddenly, he screamed and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, and dropped to the ground, unconscious.
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73"Snap!" Old Demon Lust beside Tang Wulin snapped her fingers loudly. "That's more like it. That's what I want."
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75Tang Wulin said angrily, "You…"
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77Old Demon Lust turned around and looked at him with a smile, "Desires are boundless. It's not bad to have desires. We only need to keep them in check. We must also maintain a sliver of mindfulness when we unleash our desires. If a man can't even control himself, then he has no one to blame for being tricked. You're fortunate. Otherwise, you'd have ended up like him."
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79After she finished, a pink light flashed. In the next instant, Old Demon Lust and the six lighted screens in front of Tang Wulin vanished.
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81Old Demon Lust, this was the fifth old demon.
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83Zhengyu, he…
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85When he thought about Yue Zhengyu's situation, Tang Wulin felt bouts of chill creep into his heart. Yue Zhengyu did not know that his sexual encounter was only an illusion. The appearance of the old woman was just Old Demon Lust. It was truly a heavy blow for Zhengyu. If it were him, he reckoned that he would not have been much better off.
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87Could he say that Yue Zhengyu's willpower was not strong? Tang Wulin felt that he could not because he was not able to control himself either. He could only say that Yue Zhengyu loved without a care in the world. On the other hand, Ye Xinglan, Xu Lizhi, Yuanen Yehui, and Xie Xie were able to overcome this problem. It was mainly because their relationships were unique.
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89Xu Xiaoyan had luck on her side. Old Demon Lust was not in a good mood, so she did not control the conversation between the fake Yue Zhengyu and Xiaoyan. That was how Xiaoyan discovered her weak spot.
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91However, Yue Zhengyu was unfortunate. It was a heavy blow. He was unsure how he would face the situation after this. If it was Tang Wulin himself, he reckoned that it would be difficult for him to get over this. This was truly a test of their enchantment with the secular world! Zhengyu, you must endure this!
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93Without a doubt, Old Demon Lust would probably not let him meet Yue Zhengyu. Consequently, he would not be able to tell Yue Zhengyu the truth of the matter. He was only fantasizing about Xu Xiaoyan. He did not commit the actual act with her. However, everything that occurred just now was apparently authentic. Tang Wulin still remembered clearly that it was painful when he pinched himself on the thigh.
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95The silhouettes in his surroundings morphed and everything around him became distorted. Tang Wulin returned to the spot at which he arrived when he first came to the valley.
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97He looked around him. There was no one else. He was alone.
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99At this moment, thumping sounds were heard as if a giant beast was coming toward him.
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101"Young man, you've passed," a solid voice echoed within Tang Wulin's ears. Shortly after, out came a huge old man from the forest.
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103He could only be described as huge. This old man was more than three meters in height, and his body was large and firm. Although his skin was wrinkled due to his advanced age, he still appeared younger than those few old demons before him. Naturally, the group of old demons did not include the young version of Old Demon Lust.
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105He passed?
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107Chapter 841: Their Story
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111Tang Wulin squinted his eyes. "According to my estimate, I think I've been here for six months. The academy told me that this was a two-year military training program before I came. Yet, you're telling me I've passed? I'm afraid that you're mistaken if you think you can fool me."
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113The huge old man walked to a spot in front of Tang Wulin. "Why would I fool you? That was meant for ordinary people. Do you think that everyone can complete the task of crossing the sea and hijacking an aircraft in three months like you? Actually, none of your friends can complete it. You're the only person capable of completing it at present. It's impossible to pass without completing that task."
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115"I believe that you have some expectations of your own too. How can Shrek Academy possibly send all of you to your doom? These are all arranged by the academy. As a matter of fact, do you know our past history?" the huge old man spoke smilingly.
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117Past history?
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119Tang Wulin squinted his eyes as he did not have any intention to trust the huge old man.
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121The huge old man chuckled. "It's fine if you don't believe me. When I'm done narrating, I bet you'll begin to believe me. Let me tell you how the Demon Island was formed."
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123He took the liberty to approach Tang Wulin before he took a seat as he was saying that. Despite being seated, he was still slightly taller than Tang Wulin.
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125He waved his right hand once and conjured a table before him. Then, he began pulling a variety of food from thin air and placing them on the table.
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127Tang Wulin took two steps back. A strong fragrance filled his nose making him feel terribly hungry. However, he would not act rashly after having gone through Old Demon Devour's training.
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129The huge old man waved his hands. "Come out, Lust."
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131In the flash of a shadow, the young version of Old Demon Lust appeared out of thin air once again and sat down on one side of the table.
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133The huge old man spoke, "When I'm done, you can begin to teach him those knowledge."
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135Old Demon Lust nodded. "Sure. I think a month should be enough for him with his natural endowments."
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137Tang Wulin was still vigilant despite everything before his eyes appearing genuinely realistic.
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139The huge old man smiled. "Alright. Let's begin right from the beginning. The Demon Archipelago appeared suddenly over a thousand years ago. Its appearance was inevitable but it was by chance also. To be exact, we have no idea what really happened even till now. Of course, we were not truly demons back then. In fact, we were once humans."
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141"The Demon Island was formed after countless fragments fell from the sky into the sea. There are two opposing energies in this Demon Archipelago which I believe you sensed already. One is the incomparably dense life force, while the other is the destructive energy capable of destroying everything. It was brought by the Destruction Fragment which you've seen before."
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143"Old Demon Blight wasn't lying to you. There's a piece of the Destruction Fragment on each island, differing only in size, but there's also a dense life force with each piece of the Destruction Fragment. It's precisely because of the equilibrium between these two energies that resulted in the destructive energy not leaking to the outside and causing a fatal catastrophe on Douluo Continent."
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145"According to our research for many years, we've accumulated a number of discoveries. We suspect that the dense life force and destructive energies don't originate from the continent itself, perhaps not even our planet."
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147Tang Wulin could not help responding to what he heard, "Not from our planet? Could it be that it came from external worlds?" Mankind, with the advancement of science, had discovered that Douluo Continent, where they were living at present, Star Luo Continent, and Heaven Dou Continent were all situated on an enormous planet.
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149The planet was named Douluo Star. At the same time, countless stars were discovered in the vast galaxy through astronomical observations. There were many more things that the current technologies had not discover yet. Nonetheless, Douluo Continent, with the most advanced technology amongst the three continents, was already developing their technology for space exploration.
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151The huge old man spoke, "That's right, it's probably from an external world. Moreover, it could possibly be related to us according to our analysis. You probably know that it has already been a very long time since someone from the human world managed to achieve Godhood, such as Tang Sect's first ancestor Tang San, and Spirit Pagoda's founder Spirit Ice Douluo Huo Yuhao."
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153Tang Wulin asked, "Does the Godhood truly exist?"
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155The huge old man replied without the slightest hesitation, "Yes. There are many detailed ancient recordings about the first ancestor Tang San's Godhood on the continent. There were more than just him who achieved Godhood, the rest of the six people from the Shrek Seven Monsters whom he led had all become Gods and inherited different Godhoods before ascending to the Divine Realm. Even the first ancestor Tang San handed down some information about the Divine Realm too."
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157"To our knowledge, the Divine Realm exists. The so-called Divine Realm is actually the world where the powerhouses lived after they had achieved a certain level in life. That world administers the low-ranking worlds like ours. There are also ranks within the Divine Realm. The lowest rank Godhood is known as God King. The Five God Kings form the council of Divine Realm Committee in the Divine Realm to administer the destiny of the small worlds like ours. However, it seems that due to some legal constraints, they can't interfere too much in our low-ranking world."
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159This was the first time Tang Wulin had ever heard of such a story. Even though he was still vigilant, he was attracted to the huge old man's narrative.
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161The huge old man continued, "After the first ancestor Tang San became a God, he was in one of the Five Great God Kings' good graces and finally became the God King's successor. He inherited the Godhood positions of the Sea God and the Xiu Lo God thereby becoming one of the Five Great God Kings. The remaining four of the Five Great God Kings were the Kindness God, the Evil God, the Life God, and the Destruction God."
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163"The five of them took charge of the Divine Realm. So naturally, they assumed full charge of our Douluo Star as well. For a few millennia, we didn't have any powerhouse capable of sensing the Divine Realm's existence ever since Spirit Ice Douluo's ascension."
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165"There is no need for you to doubt this information that has been passed down from Shrek Academy, Tang Sect, and Spirit Pagoda's high-ranking officials for generations. When the top powerhouses of these three great organizations achieved a certain level, they would attempt to sense the existence of the Divine Realm, but no one has managed to sense that world anymore. I can't think of any other explanation apart from there being something wrong with the Divine Realm itself."
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167Tang Wulin took a deep breath. "So you're saying that the Divine Realm doesn't exist anymore?"
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169The huge old man shook his head. "No one knows the actual situation and no one knows what happened to the Divine Realm. However, we believe that something must have happened to the Divine Realm."
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171Tang Wulin spoke, "So how is that related to the Demon Island then?"
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173The huge old man spoke, "You already heard me earlier that there are the Life God and the Destruction God amongst the Five Great God Kings. Well, can't you make the association?"
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175Tang Wulin was shocked. "So you're saying that the existence of the Demon Island is related to the two Great God Kings?"
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177The huge old man smiled while Old Demon Lust who was by his side spoke, "Precisely. About two thousand years ago, the life force and destructive energies suddenly descended from the sky. The destructive energy made those fragments and formed the Demon Archipelago, while the life force acted as a restraint on the destructive energy."
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179"The antonym of destruction is creation. The final objective of creation is the creation of life. Destruction and creation are opposites, yet they exist side by side and are inseparable. The existence of these two energies produced a massive influence in the sea region around here. The sea soul beasts that were already domineering at the time suddenly had such vast developments that it became a huge threat to the continent's coastal areas. From that time onward, the Northsea Army Corps was assigned here. Later on, our expedition took place."
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181The huge old man smiled. "Of course, Old Demon Nightmare is just messing with all of you. In reality, how can we possibly harm you all? Even though we are truly lonely here, we all originated from the same source."
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183"Same source?"
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185Tang Wulin's chest tightened.
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187The huge old man spoke, "That is because we were the Shrek Seven Monsters back in those days. We were duty bound to explore the mysteries of life and destruction. Thereupon, we were sent here. Needless to say, we had a tragic encounter."
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189Chapter 842: Once... The Shrek Seven Monsters
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193Tang Wulin was shocked when he heard the words 'Shrek Seven Monsters'. Everything that had been inexplicable finally made sense. Moreover, he felt in his heart that every word that this fat old man had said was true.
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195At this point, the old man and Old Demon Lust were quiet. It was apparent that they were reminiscing about the past for this was an extremely painful experience for them.
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197Old Demon Lust sighed. "When we first arrived in the vicinity of the Demon Island, we were quite astonished. There was a tremendous change in the sea over here. The Federation had given us the technology to assist our landing. Nevertheless, there was already a large amount of sea soul beasts in the waters, and they were all monstrously powerful."
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199"The Federation had issued a decree four millennia ago to protect soul beasts and to avoid hunting and killing as much as possible. The sea soul beasts were already the only soul beast branch that had remained largely untouched on the continent. Thus, we couldn't simply slay them. After we had landed, we began a series of inspections. I believe that all of you felt it when you arrived. Life essence couldn't exist in this place. There was only some kind of terrifyingly destructive aura. All vitality seemed to have been stripped from the area. We could tell that we wouldn't survive long over here."
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201"However, the inspection had to continue. We searched through everything on the island earnestly, looking for any living creature and clues that could possibly be found. Finally, we found the Destruction Fragment."
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203"We were rather powerful back then. At the very least, we were much stronger than all of you at the same rank. We found the valley and finally felt the presence of life essence. Our first reaction was that we must have made a lucky discovery. Thereupon, seven of us remained in the valley to carry out a further survey."
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205"However, the situation at the time was different from now. When we arrived on the Demon Island, the island's destructive aura was on the outside while the life aura was contained within the valley. Meanwhile, the Destruction Fragment had yet to erupt. The Fragment was only a chunk of an enormous crystal that seemed to hold unlimited energy. Can you imagine how we felt back then? It was as though we had discovered a treasure. An invaluable one at that."
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207"We belonged to Shrek, so of course we wished to bring this treasure back to the Academy to study it more thoroughly. As a result, we attempted all sorts of methods to retrieve that Destruction Fragment. That was when the disaster happened."
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209The fat old man's face was filled with sorrow as he picked up a chicken leg from the table and vigorously bit off a chunk.
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211Old Demon Lust smiled bitterly as she spoke, "We had triggered the Destruction Fragment. There was almost no time to react before all seven of us were torn to shreds by its horrific power. We were utterly obliterated."
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213"Oh?" Tang Wulin let out a soft gasp.
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215The fat old man sighed and said, "At the time, we didn't feel much pain, but it was as though the entire world had become muddled and bewildering. Our surroundings were sometimes blurred, sometimes clear, sometimes bright and sometimes dark! It felt like everything was moving farther away while heading toward us at full speed."
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217Old Demon Lust continued, "We lost track of time when we finally came to. We were awake, but we had lost our bodies. The bodies we were born with. We only existed in the form of souls on the island. On the other hand, we could exercise control over a portion of life and destruction energy within its boundaries."
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219"Afterward, we studied and discussed in detail that it was possible that the life energy had saved us. Destruction energy cost us our physical bodies, but the life energy preserved our souls. Thus, we became the Old Demons, taking on these ghastly forms. It was this same life energy that extended our longevity to such an extent that we could live for thousands of years."
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221"We have always been guarding this place to prevent curious people from exploring it. Indeed, the Demon Archipelago belonged to Shrek Academy from that moment onward as well. After all, we paid with our lives for it. There was no way for us to leave, because as soon as we left the location of the life force, our souls would dissipate. Hence, we could only remain here, waiting for Shrek Academy to send its most outstanding talents. We helped the academy to carry out certain specialized methods of training."
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223Just as the fat old man had claimed, Tang Wulin believed him when he was done recounting the entire experience. All that he had said made complete and total sense.
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225Old Demon Lust sat there as if she was grieving. "We've lived far longer than ordinary people, yet we can never return to Shrek Academy. We can never see the magnificent Sea God's Island. We can never experience the bits and pieces of the human world ever again. We can only remain here and be old demons."
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227The fat old man spoke, "Our training is genuinely twisted amusement, and it's a painful ordeal for all of you. However, if you were to observe carefully, you'd find that, in truth, these methods greatly aid your development.
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229Not only are we training you physically but also mentally. Only by encountering these harrowing experiences, will you understand that life is precious and learn to face the world even more cautiously. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
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231Tang Wulin nodded slowly. He had learned how to fly an aircraft because of the Old Demon's torturous tricks. He had absorbed the destruction energy and fused it with his body, so now there was an enough destruction in his aura for him to swim in and out of the sea with ease.
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233Even though Old Demon Devour made him consume incomparably disgusting food, undoubtedly, it had given him life force which neutralized the potential damage from the destruction energy. He could fully utilize the process of life and destruction, and this allowed him to elevate himself.
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235Old Demon Loathe used pain to hone their endurance till they could steady their hearts through excruciating agony.
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237In turn, Old Demon Lust taught them the vanity of the world, so they could understand the need to remain in control even when tempted.
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239It was definitely because of these ruthless methods that they had managed to make quantum leaps in such a short period of time. They had gone from adolescents to young adults and even learned how to adapt to society more readily.
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241When he thought about it, Tang Wulin realized that the numerous training methods here were rare opportunities for them. He could never possibly receive this kind of training in the outside world or the academy.
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243The fat old man smiled. "You're the first one to complete the training. Thus, you may now learn something from Lust in a more amicable manner. When you're done, you shall remain on the island and wait for your companions. When all of them have passed the test or if any of them withdraw midway, then all of you shall leave at once. The rule states that those who come together must leave together."
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245Tang Wulin nodded.
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247Even though he was still on his guard, so he could not speak respectfully to them, but he already believed everything that he had heard.
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249The fat old man stood up and nodded to Old Demon Lust before he turned around and walked in the direction of the forest. His rotund body gradually disappeared into the shadows.
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251"How may I address him?" Tang Wulin asked Old Demon Lust.
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253Old Demon Lust shook her head. "There's no need to address him. I don't think you'll be seeing him anymore before you leave. Alright, let's begin, shall we? I can teach you many things. Even though these are not actual combat abilities, they'll vastly enhance your capabilities in battle, such as makeup techniques and disguise techniques."
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255Chapter 843: Learning
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259Old Demon Lust started imparting knowledge to Tang Wulin. It was just as the fat elder had said: the time for torture had passed. From now on, there would only be ordinary instruction.
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261Tang Wulin had never been a negligent pupil. He learned quickly, and he soon found joy in this new undertaking. As Old Demon Lust had explained, although the things she taught him were not fighting skills, they greatly increased his chances of survival. They had, in the truest sense, shaped him into being an all-rounded talent.
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263He was not instructed by Old Demon Lust alone. Soon enough, Old Demon Loathe, Old Demon Blight, Old Demon Nightmare, and Old Demon Devour appeared before him one after another, and taught him numerous complex subjects.
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265The Old Demons recounted a story to Tang Wulin. As early as ten thousand years ago, Shrek Academy had the idea to create a fully capable warrior. The academy wanted to nurture fighters who could adapt to different battlefields and possessed a plethora of abilities.
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267When the plan was implemented, there was only a single case of success in the early stages. That was the founder of Spirit Pagoda, the legend of the generation, Spirit Ice Douluo, Huo Yuhao.
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269Shrek Academy had still not abandoned this concept. The only difference was that the plan was no longer carried out within the academy grounds. It was done on the Demon Island instead.
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271Only those who were able to pass all the tests on the various subjects within one year would qualify to take part in the all-rounded warrior course. Without a doubt, Tang Wulin was one of them, and he had the best performance in a thousand years.
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273Throughout all the previous trials, the part where they had to cultivate their hearts was naturally very taxing. It was hard enough to ensure that he did not collapse, but the most difficult thing, for him, was stealing the aircraft twice.
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275This was especially true during the second time. It required the participant to cross the waters adjacent to the Demon Island, infiltrate the Northsea Army Corps and steal their aircraft. There were very few who were able to accomplish this. In the previous two hundred years, it had only been achieved three times. Those three had all become the Sea God Pavilion's Master in turn. Among them was the current Pavilion Master, Atlas Douluo, Yun Ming.
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277Tang Wulin had always delighted in delving into various branches of knowledge. He started to merge this information and connect them together. He noticed that many things which he had normally taken for granted were actually extensive and profound when he devoted his heart to their study.
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279For example, Old Demon Devour would explain the wonders of various ingredients in detail to Tang Wulin. He taught him such skills as how to completely absorb the energy content in a meal, which was tied very closely to how the food was cooked. He also showed him how to differentiate between food sources, which included plants, animals, aquatic animals, and others. Tang Wulin would be showered with a large number of facts every day.
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281For three whole months, Tang Wulin had practically not slept or rested as he learned and applied his new skills. It was also unknown how the five old demons managed to produce relevant materials for Tang Wulin to study and cultivate.
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283"Alright, we've taught you everything we should. From now on, you must achieve mastery through a comprehensive study. You'll have many more things to experience and learn about on the continent. You'll only be able to better grasp all of it when you're back among civilization.
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285"Thank you, seniors." After these three months, Tang Wulin's disgust for the five old demons was completely gone.
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287Also, he had a clear grasp on his companions' conditions. They were doing well. They had been on the Demon Archipelago for ten months now. Although the others had not progressed as quickly as he had, at least none of them had collapsed.
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289Even if they were unable to learn everything that was taught, they would have undergone a substantial amount of training throughout their time there.
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291Old Demon said, "Stay on the island for your remaining time here. Now you should relax for a while. We have the best food here and a comfortable place for you to stay. When all your companions have finished their trials, you may leave."
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293When Tang Wulin was brought to the living quarters, his entire being was shocked.
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295He felt that to describe his new habitat merely as 'comfortable' did not do it justice.
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297It was a treehouse. Tang Wulin did not know how the treehouse was made, but the life source here was much denser than in the valley. The treehouse was fully furnished with all kinds of equipment. There was even some modern furniture. The huge, comfy bed made him sleepy, and he got the urge to rest just by sitting on it.
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299He had been tortured for six months and had studied for three, so he was truly exhausted. When the Old Demon who sent him here had left, Tang Wulin lay himself down and fell asleep. He did not rise for three days and three nights.
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301When he woke up from his dreams, Old Demon Devour had already served gourmet cuisine brimming with life energy.
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303As he ate, Tang Wulin was touched to the point of tears. He had finally endured everything, all the bitterness had passed, and now came the sweetness!
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305The scenery on the Demon Island was not at all beautiful, but the treehouse Tang Wulin stayed on was a high vantage point. From there, he could see the ocean beyond the borders, and it was breathtaking.
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307Tang Wulin himself had not felt so comfortable in a long time. He was so relaxed that when he had his fill and returned to the bed, he fell into another deep sleep very quickly.
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309What could be more wonderful than this? He had the finest delicacies, comfortable living conditions, and nobody forced him to cultivate. He had freedom. He could leave as soon as his companions came out from their training grounds. All the pressure he had felt before had become nonexistent.
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311Tang Wulin leaned on the sofa in front of the treehouse's door and gazed at the ocean far away. His body felt warm, and he felt an indescribable relaxation and comfort. Even the cries of the insects sounded like music to him.
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313"Urgh!" He stretched his limbs. Sleepiness crept up on him again. This was already his third day here. He spent his days eating and looking at the ocean before he enjoyed a good slumber. What could be more comfortable than this?
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315A faint smile appeared on Tang Wulin's face. He stood up and stretched vigorously before he turned around and returned to his room.
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317With the fat elder as the leader, Old Demon, Old Demon Blight, Old Demon Devour, Old Demon Nightmare, and Old Demon Loathe gathered together. The six demons were sitting inside a cavern.
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319Before them was a frame which showed a scene. What it displayed was Tang Wulin just as he had stretched and gone back to his room.
320
321"Hmm, this young boy is really enjoying his time," said the old man with some pride.
322
323Old Demon pouted. "What are you feeling so proud for? We were the ones who helped you, you know?"
324
325"Still, I've succeeded with my own skills. But this little fellow is not an easy one to fool. We gave him so many things to learn in three months, and he surprisingly soaked it all up like a sponge. His learning abilities are beyond expectations! Alas, even though he's as shrewd as a ghost, did he not still end up drinking the water I used to wash my feet?"
326
327"Hold on, don't you be too pleased with yourself just yet." Old Demon Blight suddenly said with astonishment, "The boy isn't asleep."
328
329The scene changed, and they were looking at the interior of the room. The focus was back on Tang Wulin. He wore a slightly carefree smile on his face, but he did not lie on the bed. Instead, he sat with his legs crossed, with his palms upturned and his hands placed his palm on his knees. His five centers were aligned with the sky. Surprisingly, he had started meditating. It was the standard cultivating pose of the Mysterious Heaven Method.
330
331This…
332
333All six of the old demons stared with their mouths agape.
334
335"With such a comfortable life and luxurious meals rich in life source, this young boy can still think of meditating? This is impossible. I mean, what a relaxing life he has!" The portly old man's expression was one of astonishment and confusion.
336
337Old Demon Blight laughed. "Told you not to be so pleased with yourself. Serves you right!"
338
339Yes, Tang Wulin started meditating.
340
341He silently felt the dense life source in the air. With the flowing of the Mysterious Heaven Method, he slowly absorbed this pure and rich origin energy into his own body.
342
343He did not intentionally accelerate the flowing of the Mysterious Heaven Method. What he did was merely urge it on naturally. Using the Method, he allowed his own bloodline aura to flow slowly.
344
345Tang Wulin was in no hurry. He silently settled the soul power and bloodline power within himself. The reason he for his caution was that he worried that he would break through the Golden Dragon King's ninth seal through carelessness.
346
347If he did not find it necessary, and he did not lose control, he would never simply try to break the seal. The more he absorbed the essence of the Golden Dragon King, the stronger he became. Similarly, Tang Wulin's heart grew more alert as well.
348
349When the Golden Dragon King's essence brought him such incredible power, it also gave him something else. These unfathomable energies had been influencing him silently but surely.
350
351For example, Tang Wulin's fighting style had been constantly changing during his earlier years. Many a time, he had obtained victory through his wits. However, with the strengthening of his Golden Dragon King bloodline, he liked the direct and pure suppression of brute force more and more. Similarly, his emotions were also being affected, and he was more rigid than before.
352
353It had been almost a year since he arrived on Demon Island. In this year, he had undergone various trials and inhuman methods of torture. Throughout the entire process, the thing that had truly improved the most was his attitude. It was an influence on his spiritual side. This also enabled him to be aware of his own problems with greater clarity.
354
355Chapter 844: Soul Power Vortex
356
357
358
359Great power was often accompanied by untold dangers. Tang Wulin had already begun to notice the side effects brought by the Golden Dragon King Bloodline. The Bloodline was potent, but it was only effective if he could rein in such incredible strength. He could never allow himself to lose control.
360
361Thus, Tang Wulin fused his soul power and bloodline constantly through the Mysterious Heaven Method during his cultivation process and relied on the Method's pure continuous growth to filter and refine his bloodline energy.
362
363It may have seemed like this was not elevating his cultivation base, but in reality, it was reducing the possibility of hidden hazards in the future. Moreover, the Mysterious Heaven Method allowed one's soul power to be condensed further. Despite his five-ringed cultivation base, his soul power's density and purity, as compared to his peers of the same rank, was absolutely matchless.
364
365Similar to how he was diligently meditating now, he wished to master the things he had learned over the year through comprehensive self-cultivation, but he was in no rush to increase his soul power.
366
367In the beginning, when Mu Chen was teaching him to forge, the first thing he taught Tang Wulin was to build a strong foundation and elevate himself steadily. He could only advance further in the future by having a firm foundation.
368
369Thus, Tang Wulin was not in a hurry during his meditation. He propelled his soul power and blood essence power slowly, while he sensed even the most minuscule changes in every part of his body.
370
371The human body had endless mysteries, as did martial souls. In silence, he felt the variations in every inch of his physique with such precision that his focus was growing stronger and clearer. The intense sensation gradually brought him to a wondrous meditative state.
372
373"Ten minutes. It has taken him only ten minutes to enter deep meditation? This young boy…" Old Demon Nightmare was speechless while the other five old demons were staring in bewilderment.
374
375"What should we do?"
376
377"What else can we do? Could it be that we're still capable of waking him from deep meditation?"
378
379"This isn't supposed to happen. It shouldn't be like this!" the fat elder cried out in exasperation.
380
381"Serves you right!"
382
383Tang Wulin lost track of how long he sensed his consciousness opening. His soul power circulated naturally, with a rhythmic motion. As he gradually regained consciousness, he was astonished to discover that he was perceiving his body as being transparent.
384
385Everything in his body glowed with a faint golden color and fused together exactly according to his wishes. The golden and white soul power sspiraledin synchronization with his bloodline power and formed a vortex inside his abdomen.
386
387In this small vortex, his soul power was extremely thick and had completely transformed into liquid. The gentle soul power vortex combined perfectly with his bloodline power and quietly spun.
388
389For Tang Wulin, it was obvious that his soul power had grown stronger, and more importantly, all the energy in his body seemed to be in order.
390
391He felt that his bones and internal organs had become translucent like crystal due to the continuous nourishment of his life source, making them even tougher.
392
393What was this…
394
395Even Tang Wulin did not fully comprehend what he had achieved, but he understood that his body had certainly reached a whole new level.
396
397At least, he knew about the creation of soul power vortices. Even so, a soul power vortex was only expected to form after one had attained six rings!
398
399This was because soul masters reached a major plateau when they cultivated to a rank of seven rings. One of the most important issues of this bottleneck was the change in the quality of one's soul power.
400
401A seven-ringed Soul Sage must be able to form a soul core, or their cultivation base would not be able to reach rank-70. Then, the core would immediately be fused with their spirit soul or soul beast soul ring to elevate themselves and allow them to possess a seventh soul skill and enter a brand-new domain.
402
403Only those who had achieved a seven-ringed cultivation base could be known as high order soul masters.
404
405There was no doubt that Tang Wulin was still far from seven rings, but this soul power vortex was essential for him to condense his soul core.
406
407A soul power vortex could also be described as the foundation of a soul core. Upon the appearance of a soul power vortex, a soul master would be able to absorb more origin energy through the spinning of the vortex that continuously condensed one's soul power until it formed a solid soul core.
408
409Tang Wulin's soul power was rank-53 at most right now, with a difference of more than ten ranks before he could achieve seven rings. Nevertheless, a soul master would generally begin to attempt formation of a soul power vortex only when they had reached rank-69. Then, they waited for the soul power vortex to condense into a soul core naturally to complete the qualitative leap. The process was much slower than cultivation at other ranks. This was also the reason why there were so few soul masters with a cultivation base over seven rings.
410
411Once the soul core was formed, a soul master would achieve a massive upgrade in his perception and ability to draw in origin energy, making him incomparably powerful. By then, there was no need to worry about the exhaustion of one's soul power, because the soul core would draw in origin energy as emergency reserves of its own accord. Generally, a Soul Sage's soul power would not run out as long as the battle was not overly exhausting.
412
413Tang Wulin was only rank-53, yet his soul power was already taking form. This not only signified that his soul power condensation rate was far above average, but more importantly, his understanding of his own soul power was similarly beyond expectations.
414
415Tang Wulin immediately knew what the biggest advantage of his soul power vortex would be. He could rely on the pull of the vortex to exercise even better control of his bloodline power such that it would not break through the ninth layer's seal unexpectedly.
416
417This was an unforeseen benefit! Tang Wulin could clearly tell that his soul power was elevated from rank-52 to rank-53 now. Even though he had managed to raise his soul power by only two ranks in one year, his elevation was exceedingly stable. Moreover, he learned so many things in that time.
418
419He decided to finish his meditation, as he had lost track of time.
420
421Just as Tang Wulin was preparing to end his meditation, his body shuddered ever so slightly as a miraculous feeling arose spontaneously.
422
423It felt as if there was a seed in his body, which had germinated and had begun to bloom with its life source.
424
425The sensation was so wonderful that Tang Wulin felt like he was instantly surrounded by incomparable life force. It was as if the life source was so thick it could devour his body completely in one moment.
426
427What was that…
428
429"Buzz…"
430
431All of the old demons raised their heads and looks to the source the noise. The old demons were stupefied with apprehension.
432
433"What's going on?"
434
435They watched as a pillar of green light suddenly surged skyward from the island. The life source that was already so thick on the island suddenly bloomed exponentially.
436
437This was an extremely rare occurrence for them. The old demons could not help feeling shocked.
438
439"Is that the life tide? I thought the life tide had just appeared twenty years ago? Why is it here again?"
440
441The life tide was a phenomenon that happened on the Demon Island once every century. Every time the life tide appeared, it was the period when Demon Island's destructive power was suppressed to its weakest point, and also the moment when its life force was the thickest. As a result, a large amount of sea soul beasts would gather around the Demon Archipelago to absorb this life force so that they could evolve.
442
443This was the reason that so many powerful sea soul beasts lived near the Demon Archipelago. Rather than saying they were isolating the area, one could call them its guardians.
444
445The life tide was more beneficial to soul beasts than mankind because it was capable of causing benign changes in the soul beasts' bloodlines, or more accurately, life tide could refine the sea soul beasts' bloodlines.
446
447It had only been two decades since the last time this event had occurred, yet, to everyone's surprise, the life tide had appeared once again. This was an extraordinary situation.
448
449Streams of shadows flashed as the old demons quickly gathered together.
450
451Chapter 845: Life Tide
452
453
454
455Besides the original six demons, there was one more. This old demon had unusual features with small eyes, a big nose, a huge mouth with an especially long jaw, and a slight hunch. However, the rest of the six old demons stood below him naturally just as he turned up.
456
457"Big brother, why has the life tide appeared all of a sudden?" Old Demon Blight anxiously asked this newly arrived old man.
458
459The elder shook his head with a frown on his face. "I don't understand either. I've been suppressing the destruction energy all along. Usually, the energy abruptly weakens just before the coming of the life tide, but this time it feels different. Under normal circumstances, I can feel the life tide a decade prior to it emerging. It will build up gradually until it finally bursts out. On the other hand, there was utterly no indication for this life tide. Release the few young fellows so they can receive the life tide's baptism. They're very fortunate. It's a lucky chance for them to make it in time for the life tide."
460
461"I'll go!" Old Demon Blight hastily spoke.
462
463"Wait. Look at the life tide's direction," the fat elder suddenly interjected.
464
465"It's from his side?" Old Demon Blight immediately realized as well.
466
467"What's going on?" the leading old man asked in a deep voice.
468
469Old Demon Lust spoke, "It's Tang Wulin. It has already been over three months since he entered deep meditation. It doesn't seem like the life tide's energy is coming out from the Destruction Fragment's surroundings but from the point he is meditating. It's so strange."
470
471"Could it be that his meditation triggered the life tide? How is that possible?" Old Demon Loathe's face was filled with disbelief.
472
473The numerous old demons stood gazing at one another as they could not help feeling shocked.
474
475It had already been over a millennium since they had arrived at this place. They had figured out the natural surroundings and routines of the entire Demon Island on their own. Nevertheless, every time a situation occurred without following a regular pattern, this signified that there was more to understand about the island.
476
477Even though they all existed in the form of energy, the ability to learn everything about the area was the most important task for them as the guardians of the island.
478
479"Go over and take a look!" The lead elder waved his huge hand as radiance flashed over the seven old demons' bodies. In the next moment, they had all vanished.
480
481Tang Wulin was completely unaware of what was going on outside. He could only feel as the life force around him grew thicker and thicker and swaddled him like a cocoon.
482
483It was an extremely wonderful feeling.
484
485It was obvious that he had already lost the ability to breathe, yet it was soothing like nothing he had felt before.
486
487He could not see that a soul ring had slowly started to glow on the surface of his body. It was not the Bluesilver Emperor soul ring nor the Golden Dragon King Bloodline's golden soul ring, but it was actually that green-gold soul ring.
488
489The green-gold soul ring shimmered with an otherworldly radiance. When he first obtained this soul ring, no matter how much he infused his soul power into the soul ring, it would be engulfed into nothingness. He had only managed to launch it once for a short period of time with Atlas Douluo's assistance.
490
491Tang Wulin named the soul skill brought by this soul ring 'Nature's Child'.
492
493At that moment, his fifth soul ring shone more brilliantly than ever while exuding a thick vitality that complemented the life tide that had enveloped him.
494
495The Demon Island began to tremor ever so slightly during the coming of the life tide. In the distance, all sorts of sea soul beasts had gathered and swam around Demon Island. More and more sea soul beasts rushed over and joined the formation to enjoy the benefits of the dense life essence.
496
497Tang Wulin's consciousness was gradually immersed in life source. He was surprised to see scenes playing out like mirages in the depths of his mind.
498
499He saw a colorful ball of light that was shimmering with a strange radiance and halos glowing about it. Every time the light flickered, he felt his spiritual state fluctuate.
500
501The ball of light gradually grew until it was several times its original size. The orb turned translucent as if its surface was becoming thinner.
502
503Tang Wulin could clearly see that there were wispy clouds, rivers, and mountains within the radiant orb. It was very peculiar.
504
505A powerful gust of grey wind blew in from the distance at that exact moment. The wind was so strong that it blotted out the sky and covered the earth. Everything within his field of vision was all blanketed by the wind including the ball of light.
506
507The glowing sphere began to flicker rapidly. Every time it did so, its energy would shake violently as fine cracks began to form. It seemed like the ball of light was about to shatter after being engulfed by the wind.
508
509However, something odd suddenly happened upon the orb's surface. Two shadows, one green, and the other purple, manifested and fused together, forming a peculiar halo. This white halo covered the entire ball, while the cracks healed and the ball shrank once again. Everything on its inside gradually blurred, but it did not break.
510
511The terrifying wind rolled on as it rattled the colorful ball of light, shaking it continuously. The ball merged with the grey wind before it blew into the distance.
512
513For some reason, sorrow arose from the deep within of Tang Wulin's heart at this point. At that point, what he wanted most was to let out a scream and grab the ball of light.
514
515In a blink, he saw three speckles of light just out of the corner of his eye. Two of them were purple and green, only that these two light speckles were much weaker when compared to the purple and green lights that guarded the ball of light earlier. The light speckles collided into each other and gradually became clearer to Yang Wulin's eyes.
516
517They were two figures, but they resembled phantoms. He could vaguely tell that the purple figure seemed to be a man, while the green one was a woman. They were attempting to hold on to each other, but they failed to do so.
518
519Finally, the purple figure disintegrated during the next collision and transformed into countless bits of purple fragments that scattered everywhere. The other green figure seemed to scream out in sorrow as she disintegrated as well. Sparks of green radiance shot out and found those purple fragments and transformed into rings of green energy that entwined like vines around the purple fragments before flying away.
520
521A third spark turned clearer at this time as well. It was a ball of golden light. Tang Wulin felt his heartbeat quicken as it filled with intense anguish and grief when he witnessed the scene unfold.
522
523That golden radiance swiftly enlarged before him. In the next moment, the entire scene vanished completely.
524
525Tang Wulin's body was trembling, and he was quite shaken mentally. It took him a long while to get back to his normal self.
526
527He lost count of how long it had taken for him to recover. Life and destruction. This was precisely what life and destruction felt like.
528
529The purple seemed to represent destruction while green represented life, so what was the golden radiance representing?
530
531What was the ball of light being protected by destruction and creation?
532
533Even though it had only been a short period of time, it felt like a century had passed for Tang Wulin.
534
535He could clearly feel that something had been added to his mind, yet he could not manage to grasp it and figure out what had actually happened.
536
537He exhaled and slowly opened his eyes. It was only then that Tang Wulin was astonished to see that glowing halos of green and purple had surrounded his body and were slowly dissipating.
538
539His body remained unaltered, and he did not feel any different. However, there was a wonderful feeling in his heart. He focused his attention and discovered in that there was something else added to the middle of his recently formed soul power vortex.
540
541There were two tiny spots of light, one green, and the other purple. They were revolving around each other, slowly spinning.
542
543Tang Wulin tried to sense what they were, but his spirit became confused the instant his consciousness approached the green and purple specks. He could not perceive anything clearly.
544
545His perception soon recovered, and he could still see those two light spots.
546
547Was this…brought by life and destruction? Then, why had they entered his body? Was it not crowded enough with the Golden Dragon King Bloodline and the Mysterious Heaven Method soul power already in there?
548
549More importantly, Tang Wulin could not confirm if the addition of this energy to his body was a boon or a bane.
550
551Speechless, Tang Wulin shook his head slightly, then he opened his eyes once again.
552
553"Oh. All of you…" He was startled this time, because seven pairs of eyes were glaring at him in bewilderment from all around, staring attentively.
554
555Other than the six old demons he was acquainted with, there was also one more standing right in front of him now.
556
557"The Life Tide and the Destruction Tide appeared simultaneously, and it was you that triggered it. Tell me at once, what did you actually do?" the old man asked anxiously.
558
559Chapter 846: Love In My Heart
560
561
562
563Tang Wulin was thoroughly confused when he said, "I didn't do anything! I was only meditating. I don't know what happened either." He was genuinely unaware of the events. He did not even plan to inform them about what he had seen earlier either.
564
565"Tell us about the process," Old Demon Blight spoke.
566
567Tang Wulin's lips cracked into a cold smile. "Release me and my companions, and then maybe I'll consider telling you a little."
568
569The old demons were stunned for a moment. The fat elder spoke in a rage, "Brat, have you lost your mind?! Do you not know how to respect your seniors?"
570
571Tang Wulin chuckled. "Respect my seniors? Correct me if I'm wrong, but you must be Old Demon Sloth, right?"
572
573The group of old demons wwastaken aback by his words. The looks on their faces as they stared at Tang Wulin changed as well.
574
575Old Demon Sloth spoke incredulously, "How did you know?"
576
577Tang Wulin smiled triumphantly. "I made a guess. It seems like my guess is correct, huh?"
578
579Tang Wulin spoke, "How can I not figure things out after I was under your influence for so many days? Please allow me to explain it for all of you. Ever since I was tormented in the beginning, especially by Old Demon Lust, I should have already passed the worst hardships. You told me before that all of you had once been the Shrek Seven Monsters. I didn't completely believe it, but I did take note of the number. Seven Monsters so, of course, there must be seven people. Five had already turned into Old Demons, so the other two should be no exception."
580
581Tang Wulin continued to speak as he stared at the fat old man, "Five Old Demons tormented us, while you're the sixth to appear. There's no doubt that you're an Old Demon too, yet you refused to reveal your title. Naturally, I had some suspicions. On the other hand, your story was logical, so I judged that the whole thing must have been true. You were all genuinely testing us while cultivating us at the same time. My guess was confirmed in the following months when all of you began to teach me so many new things, and I genuinely learned a lot. However, I never let my guard down.
582
583"The first five Old Demons were joyously testing us with torture. Could it be that the sixth Demon would go easy on us? I couldn't confirm everything before I meditated. After all, you were each so good to me during those few months that I no longer felt hostile anymore. It wasn't until just now when I opened my eyes and saw all seven of you, seven Old Demons, that I abandoned all doubts that my guess was correct. There are genuinely seven of you. Given that, there had to be a reason for everything that Old Demon Sloth was doing before.
584
585"The reason was that all of you were trying to numb me. The knowledge passed down to me was real, the story was real, so the only question was your identity. You're Old Demon Sloth, and everything that all of you were doing before was to make me complacent. In the end, when I finished learning and had gotten used to being lethargic, I would be completely at ease and, naturally, I'd be less vigilant. With that in mind, all of you provided me with the most comfortable living environment, the best food and an excuse to wait for my companions. All of this were meant to make me lazy. Perhaps all of you are hoping to see if I can still maintain my focus and continue to cultivate persistently under such circumstances. Am I right, Senior Old Demon Sloth?"
586
587The group of old demons' expressions were rather peculiar as they listened to Tang Wulin's detailed analysis. Of course, Old Demon Sloth's expression was the most unpleasant of all.
588
589"That's impossible. I had already sensed that your spirit was completely relaxed at the time, so was your entire person. Even the most diligent person can't stay focused after a year of torment and learning," Old Demon Sloth said in exasperation.
590
591Tang Wulin shrugged. "You're right. I was genuinely relaxed at the time, because, I'm afraid, my spirit couldn't handle much more if I didn't let off some steam. However, I wasn't worried about becoming lazy no matter how easy I was taking it. That's because in my heart, there's always something guiding me so that I dare not slacken."
592
593Old Demon Sloth was stunned. "What's that?"
594
595Tang Wulin looked toward Old Demon Lust. "Senior Lust should know that. There's love in my heart! I must grow more powerful for the one I love, so I'll be able to protect her. Thus, I can rest but only because I want to cultivate even better. As a result, I began to meditate. It seems like my guess was pretty accurate judging by the situation now. Many thanks for all the cultivation you've given me throughout this time. I wonder how I am going to be tested by the final senior Old Demon?"
596
597His gaze fell upon the old demon standing before him which he had never met before with a faint smile on his face.
598
599The old man smiled as he clapped his hands gently for Tang Wulin. "Very good. The academy made the right choice. A hero is nothing but a product of his time. Our Shrek produces great talents, as expected, right when the continent is about to go through some difficult moments. I'm highly gratified. I'm Greed. You can call me Old Demon Greed."
600
601Old Demon Greed! There were seven Old Demons as predicted. Moreover, these seven demons were more or less related to the seven deadly sins.
602
603"So what are you going to test me on?" Tang Wulin asked.
604
605Old Demon Greed smiled. "There's no need for that anymore. You've passed. You have a positive attitude, vigilance and an intelligent mind. Everything else that follows is already meaningless to you. Your Demon Island's special training has ended. Congratulations, your results put you at the top of the list. In the past five centuries, you're the most outstanding."
606
607Tang Wulin did not bother to ask about the person more outstanding than him five centuries ago. He became less tense after that.
608
609Old Demon Greed spoke in all apparent seriousness, "However, we need you to tell us about the change in your body earlier that triggered the life and destruction tides simultaneously. We were baffled enough when the life tide began earlier, but it was utterly astonishing when the destruction tide appeared at the same time. The change can very possibly affect all the islands on Demon Archipelago. Thus, we need to know the truth."
610
611Tang Wulin sighed. "I'm sorry, seniors. Thanks to all your 'positive' training, I've learned not to trust anyone too soon. Because of this, I'm not sure if you're speaking the truth right now, so I can't tell you anything."
612
613Old Demon Greed was rendered speechless, along with the entire group of old demons. They felt like they had lifted a rock only to drop it on their feet.
614
615Old Demon Blight spoke, "So how can we convince you to tell us?"
616
617Tang Wulin spoke, "I'll tell you the moment my companions and I leave this place safely. Frankly, I don't know if I'm in a dream or reality now, because there have been too many experiences here that felt unreal."
618
619Old Demon Nightmare raised his brows. "Not bad. You're actually capable of observing that. So, alright, you'll be awakened from your dream first."
620
621He waved his hand at Tang Wulin as he spoke. All of a sudden, dizziness overwhelmed Tang Wulin, and he watched as his surroundings changed rapidly. The house had vanished, and the comfortable environment disappeared. After recovering from the nausea, he discovered that he was on firm ground. He was standing right at the same place in the mountain valley where he had arrived at the beginning. He saw his companions nearby.
622
623Ye Xinglan, Yuanen Yehui, Xu Lizhi, Yue Zhengu, Xu Xiaoyan and Xie Xie were all there, but they were each doing different actions. Some of them were leaping about while some of them were sitting cross legged with different expressions on their faces.
624
625"Are they immersed in an illusion?" Tang Wulin asked in surprise.
626
627Old Demon Nightmare spoke, "It can be real and it can be an illusion. What is reality and what isn't?"
628
629Chapter 847: Time To Leave
630
631
632
633Tang Wulin took a close look with his inner eye and immediately discovered that the soul power vortex in his body was still there with the two green and purple light spots. All that he had learned was deeply seared into his mind as well.
634
635The illusion was so dreadful that he had managed to live in it for over a year.
636
637"Time in the illusion moves at one-fourth the speed of the outside world, thus you've only been here for just over three months," Old Demon Greed spoke.
638
639"Your companions have yet to complete all the trials, so they'll still need more time. I should let you know that it's not good for them to end the training before they finish all the tests. They'll need to experience the full process and rebuild their mental state. For example, that brat over there." Old Demon Nightmare pointed to Yue Zhengyu.
640
641Tang Wulin immediately recalled Yue Zhengyu's tragic encounter. He looked at the seven old demons surrounding him and felt like he could really trust them now.
642
643"Alright, I'll tell all of you. Firstly, I really don't know how the so-called life tide and destruction tide are triggered. During the end of my meditation, I felt that the life force surrounding my body suddenly became intense, and then I began to see a bizarre scene."
644
645Tang Wulin went on to relate what he had witnessed in the illusion. During the explanation, he hid the fact that after everything had happened, the two sparks of light had appeared in his soul power vortex.
646
647Deep down, he was still on his guard, so naturally, he would not be revealing all that took place. However, he described what he had seen in the hope that the Old Demons could help him analyze it. They understood life and destruction energy more than anybody else, so their analysis was undoubtedly the most dependable.
648
649The seven Old Demons all frowned upon hearing Tang Wulin's description. They seemed to be pondering very deeply.
650
651"There's no doubt that purple should be destruction while green represents life. In other words, it's highly possible that you saw the projections of the Life Goddess and the Destruction God in your vision. On the other hand, there's only one place that they could be guarding, and that must be the Divine Realm. Perhaps, what you saw is precisely why we can't sense the Divine Realm anymore. This is truly of the utmost importance. I'll be recording your description in detail and sending it to the Sea God's Pavilion after you've returned for the Pavilion Master's perusal," Old Demon Greed spoke with all apparent seriousness.
652
653"Sure." Tang Wulin nodded immediately.
654
655Old Demon Greed said, "However, I still don't know why you are triggering these events. Did you feel anything else at the time? How about the golden spark of light?"
656
657Tang Wulin answered, "I don't know either. It was just when I saw that golden light spot, I felt as if I was experiencing emotional turmoil. It was a pang of sadness as though I had encountered some heartbreaking event. It was a little like when my parents suddenly left years ago."
658
659Old Demon Greed nodded ever so slightly, "This is unprecedented and also very difficult to analyze. Alright, you should continue to meditate and see if you can enter that state once again. Sense the illusion while waiting for your companions here. However, you can't return to Nightmare's illusion once you're out, so just wait at this spot."
660
661"Sure," Tang Wulin answered immediately, then he looked toward Old Demon Devour. "Is the scrumptious food of yours real? Do you still have some?"
662
663"No, no. I'm running out of food because of you, brat. Do you know how much you ate? The life force here is so thick, there's utterly no need to eat. Cultivate by yourself. Go!" Old Demon Devour spoke with fury before he vanished into thin air.
664
665Tang Wulin turned and faced Old Demon Sloth. His countenance had remained unpleasant the whole time. He flung his sleeves once before he turned around and disappeared.
666
667Old Demon Lust chuckled. "Sloth is badly rattled by the blow this time. Your companions are truly piteous. They'll certainly infuriate him. Greed, are you truly not planning to give him a test? You're the most incisive one amongst us."
668
669Old Demon Greed shook his head. "There's no need for it anymore. Unless I can erase a part of his memories, it wouldn't be very effective. I doubt this young lad would be blinded by greed."
670
671Meanwhile, Tang Wulin thought to himself, 'My main vice is indeed greed! I've loved money ever since I was young.'
672
673The old demons left in succession leaving Tang Wulin by himself. His companions were still doing various things. At long last, Tang Wulin was relieved to find that his companions were safe and sound. He did not know what else he could do other than continuing his meditation. At the same time, he wished to learn the purpose of those purple and green sparks in his body.
674
675However, it was easier said than done. He did not manage to enter deep meditation anymore, and he could not sense the two sparks' function despite repeated attempts.
676
677His soul power was cultivating normally, his soul power vortex was spinning as usual, but it was as if the green and purple sparks were completely unrelated to Tang Wulin. There was no way for the energy in his body to affect the two specks of light.
678
679One month in real time, which was equal to four months in Old Demon Nightmare's illusion, passed quickly. The remaining six of the Shrek Seven Monsters all ended their nightmarish journeys in turn.
680
681The second person to end Old Demon Nightmare's illusion was Ye Xinglan, followed by Yuanen Yehui, Xie Xie and Xu Xiaoyan.
682
683Yue Zhengyu was the last person.
684
685When his companions learned about Yue Zhengyu's encounter through Tang Wulin's description, Xu Xiaoyan's face was blushing for a full two days, while the rest of them could not laugh about it either. They were still terrified. These Old Demons were truly too frightening. They had already achieved perfection with their test of humanity.
686
687Tang Wulin was feeling a little odd as he looked at his companions. Even though it had only been just over four months here, less than two years in the illusion, everyone seemed to have grown so much from the experience. There was no doubt that this would be the most unforgettable trip of their lives.
688
689Yue Zhengyu finally woke up seven days later.
690
691His body shuddered a little before his gaze turned crystal clear. The first person he saw was Xu Xiaoyan.
692
693Yue Zhengyu's lips twitched as he sat onto the ground. "Xiaoyan, I've let you down." Tears streamed down his face almost instantly.
694
695The group of people had strange looks on their faces. Xu Xiaoyan hastily dashed forward and hugged him. She patted his back gently. "It's over. Everything is over now. You didn't do anything wrong, nothing."
696
697It took more than half an hour before Yue Zhengyu gradually recovered. He could not help clenching his teeth in hatred when Old Demon Lust was mentioned.
698
699"All of you should leave." The seven Old Demons appeared before everybody with a burst of shadow. Their expressions were all different, and they each held a unique posture. Other than Tang Wulin, everybody else could not help feeling fearful upon seeing the entire group of them.
700
701Yes! Their ordeal here was truly horrifying, and they were tormented far too much.
702
703Old Demon Greed smiled. "I trust that all of you will always remember everything you've felt over here. Congratulations, all seven of you have officially graduated. You've managed to endure until the end, and that's no easy task. As the new generation of Shrek Seven Monsters, all of you deserve the title. Now, you're about to carry out your final test. No one is sending you back. You must depend on your own strength. I should also remind all of you that the events that follow are no longer illusions. You'll need to face the Northsea Army Corps on your own. Of course, the aircraft you stole in the illusion earlier isn't fake either. At least I can confirm that the military officers in your illusion absolutely loathe all of you to their very bones. Alright, you're free to leave at anytime.
704
705Chapter 848: Shen Xing’s Nightmare
706
707
708
709Yue Zhengyu, Xu Lizhi, Xie Xie, Yuanen Yehui, Ye Xinglan, Xu Xiaoyan were all relieved. Was it finally time to go? It had taken two whole years! They had had enough of this place.
710
711Tang Wulin looked at the group of old demons before him. For some reason, he saw loneliness in their eyes.
712
713"Seniors, are all of you stuck on the Demon Island forever? Is there no other way for you to leave this place? Or is there any way that I can help you?"
714
715Old Demon Greed shook his head while Old Demon Blight chuckled. "I appreciate your kindness. Our existence is nothing but energy. Without the protection of the destruction and life energy, we'll end up as scattered souls immediately when we leave this place. Even though we're so lonely here, the circumstances allow us to have long lives. There are both pros and cons. In the future, if you're willing, you can come back and visit us. Of course, you can always return to relive your experiences here if that is what you desire..."
716
717"Captain, let's go quickly!" Yue Zhengyu pulled at Tang Wulin.
718
719The corners of Tang Wulin's lips twitched, then he suddenly shouted. "Shrek Seven Monsters, stand at attention."
720
721The remaining six immediate stood upright alongside him. Tang Wulin spoke solemnly, "Salute!"
722
723…
724
725"Oh!" Shen Xing sat up from the bed, panting heavily.
726
727She had already lost count of how many times nightmares awakened her in the past few months.
728
729The dream felt so real. She was only performing her routine inspection at the fixed soul ammunition warehouse when she encountered a situation that was completely beyond her expectations. The man's face was crystal clear in her mind. He held her as a hostage to threaten her sister. She was brought up to the Skywing F-17, and in the end, that bastard ejected her straight out of the aircraft.
730
731The nightmare ended with the intense weightlessness one felt when falling from high altitude. Shen Xing still clearly remembered that she lost control of her bladder the first time when she had awakened from this nightmare. That was truly unacceptable.
732
733The perpetrator was real. He was once detained by the army corps with his companions, and afterward, they escaped by actually hijacking an aircraft. Even so, these incidents were all completely unrelated to her! She did not have any contact with him at that point, so why was she having the nightmare.
734
735It was even stranger that her sister was having the same nightmare, identical to Shen Xing's.
736
737'Damn it, damn it! Get the hell out of my dreams!'
738
739Feeling jittery, Shen Xing gave her mattress two strong punches.
740
741She turned over and got dressed in her military uniform before walking over to the mirror. Dark circles had formed under eyes due to poor sleep. Her training during the day was already tough, so it had become a habit for her to sleep as soon as she had returned. These days, even sleep had become so arduous for her. She had no choice but to spend more time meditating.
742
743Shen Xing made the decision to get some fresh air outside. She would meditate after she came back, and at least she would not be dreaming during meditation.
744
745If the bastard knew what was good for him, he would never come back from the Demon Island. If he did, she would certainly teach him a good lesson, in exchange for all the nightmares.
746
747Shen Xing walked out of the dormitory as she strolled around the base aimlessly. Even though she did not have a high rank, but she had an extremely important inspectorate duty. The patrolling soldiers would immediately salute her when she passed by.
748
749The Northsea Army Corps was located near the ocean. The sea breeze made the night feel cool and refreshing, and Shen Xing felt slightly less worried.
750
751"Huh? How did I come here?" She was surprised to find that she had walked all the way to the warehouse from her dreams without even noticing.
752
753It was the actual spot that was used to store fixed soul ammunitions.
754
755Shen Xing frowned. "Darn it." She turned around and was about to leave when she paused.
756
757'It would be better to take a look. Perhaps it'll be a weight off my shoulders if I were to take a look at the location of my dream. Otherwise, it's truly agonizing not being able to distinguish between dream and reality.'
758
759At that point, she walked into the warehouse of her own accord. She used her high-ranking access pass to use the elevator and quickly arrived underground.
760
761The soldiers on duty saluted her in succession upon seeing her. They gazed at her respectfully all the way to the warehouse.
762
763"Staff officer Shen, are you still inspecting at this time?" the major in charge of warehouse management smiled as he asked her.
764
765Even though Shen Xing was beautiful, he dared not have any improper thoughts for she was the high-ranking regimental commander's sister. It was said that she would soon be recalled to headquarters for another assignment.
766
767"Hmm, I'm here to take a look." Shen Xing nodded in all apparent seriousness.
768
769"Sure. Come, open the door."
770
771Such an important warehouse used for fixed soul ammunition required three keys and a specific passcode to unlock the door. Two lieutenants holding the keys were called upon by the major, in addition to the passcode and Shen Xing's iris scan before the door slowly opened.
772
773A warehouse storing so much fixed soul ammunition naturally possessed an atmosphere that felt quite ominous. Although there was no hyper strategic type fixed soul ammunitions here, but the value of the ones they had was enormous. It was one of the most important warehouses of the Northsea Army Corps.
774
775She walked into the warehouse and felt the familiarity of her dream arise spontaneously. Shen Xing's feeling of familiarity with this place was especially intense because she had been dreaming about it every night.
776
777She Xing looked at the ammammunition her surroundings absentmindedly upon walking inside the warehouse. All of a sudden, she stopped in her tracks. "There should be four rank-5 fixed soul ammunitions here. Why are they missing? Show me the warehouse records."
778
779The spot where she stopped happened to be a shelf with a tidy arrangement of ammunition on it. However, there should have been an additional four fixed soul ammunitions, according to Shen Xing's memories. She could clearly remember that the bastard who had held her hostage had once hidden here for a moment in her dreams. Thus, she had an especially vivid memory of this.
780
781However, she immediately regretted asking just before she had done so, seeing that it was just a dream! She was actually inquiring in real life about her nightmares. This was truly…
782
783Even so, there was no answer forthcoming. Shen Xing turned around to look at the major in charge of the warehouse and saw shock flash past his eyes.
784
785'How can she know that there should be four rank-5 fixed soul ammunitions over here? This is impossible! It has been a few months since her last visit here.'
786
787The classifications and ranks of fixed soul ammunitions followed extremely strict storage rules, so its positions could not be changed simply unless it was used for service.
788
789"I'm talking to you." the highly intelligent Shen Xing could immediately sense a problem. She spoke quickly while her voice was turning stern.
790
791The major immediately smiled apologetically and said, "The ammunitions were used for service. Please wait for a moment for the warehouse records. I'll get them it now."
792
793Shen Xing commanded, "Bring it to me stat."
794
795The major hastily nodded repeatedly. "Please hold on. I'm going now." He turned around as he was speaking and exchanged glances with his two lieutenants.
796
797The three of them walked toward the outside in quick strides.
798
799"Why is everyone leaving? One person will do," Shen Xing shouted.
800
801"Yes." The major stopped walking. When he turned around again, there was a flash of light. Shen Xing shuddered as an intense numbness instantly spread through every part of her body. She slowly slumped down to the floor.
802
803Her eyes widened as she could not believe that the situation before her was really happening.
804
805A person capable of becoming a fixed soul ammunition warehouse supervisor would have had to pass through strict vetting, but there was no doubt that something had gone wrong with this man and his two lieutenants.
806
807The major's expression turned slightly ferocious as he walked to Shen Xing and pulled off the communicator on her chest. He did it so forcefully such that he tore off the top two buttons on Shen Xing's military uniform.
808
809As the buttons hit the ground, the snowy white complexion of her chest was revealed, but her entire body was so numb that she could not even shout.
810
811The warehouse supervisor was breathing rapidly. "Why, why do you have to remember so clearly? Even I can't possibly remember how many ammunitions there are on each shelf."
812
813Shen Xing could not speak, but only glared at him with a fierce gaze.
814
815The warehouse supervisor spoke with a disappointed expression, "I didn't wish for this to happen either. I know that it's a serious offense to resell fixed soul ammunitions, but I had no choice. They took my family. My son is still in their hands. I'm completely helpless, and I have no other options. I'll definitely have to take you as well, seeing that you're the general's biological sister. I suspect that you'll surely be of great value to them, so it should be to my benefit. Help Staff Officer Shen to stand up. We must leave now. Thank god it's still night time. Notify our escape route to make the preparations. We depart immediately."
816
817Chapter 849: It's Him Again
818
819
820
821The warehouse supervisor regained his composure. He grabbed Shen Xing and pulled her up from the ground.
822
823It was at this moment that the warehouse supervisor suddenly stumbled. He felt as if something was lifted from underneath his feet. He staggered to the side together with Shen Xing.
824
825Then, the major and his two lieutenants watched in bewilderment as a metal brick on the warehouse floor slowly rose up as a figure stepped out from underneath.
826
827The first thing that appeared was his pair of shimmering golden arms covered in diamond-shaped scales. The thick and heavy metal brick felt like nothing in his hands and was pushed aside easily. With a flash, he had already leaped from the ground.
828
829Under normal circumstances, the warehouse supervisor would immediately activate the alarm system, but his secret had just been discovered by Shen Xin. He would not dare to sound the alarm this time!
830
831"Who are you?!" the supervisor shouted softly while firing the stun ray in his hand at the golden figure.
832
833The stun ray accurately struck the intruder's crossed arms. The golden scales were emitting faint halos after being shot by the stun ray. The figure flung out his hands and muttered to himself, "It tickles a little!"
834
835Soon after, an aura of indescribably terrifying domination burst out from the intruder's body. The warehouse supervisor felt as if he was not confronting a man but a monstrous beast, and his blood ran cold.
836
837Streams of shadows scurried out from the hole in the ground. The warehouse supervisor blacked out and lost consciousness.
838
839Tang Wulin looked at Shen Xing lying on the ground in astonishment.
840
841Even though it had already been so long since his time within the illusion, he could still recognize the staff officer he had held hostage in the dream instantly.
842
843This was truly a small world! He did not expect that he would meet her so soon after leaving the Demon Island and sneaking into this place as he had done before.
844
845Tang Wulin had conversed with his companions when they were leaving the Demon Island, and they had decided that the best method for them to enter was through the underground tunnel he had dug. After all, they would not be discovered easily, and it was much easier to leave from the inside of the Northsea Army Corps. Moreover, they combined everyone's experience of infiltrating the Corps from their nightmares, and they could roughly estimate that the warehouse was closest to the mainland. Their escape would be shortest from the Northsea Army Corps' range.
846
847They also had one more advantage and that was that they did not fear being captured at all.
848
849Their training on the Demon Island had ended.
850
851They did not mind being delayed. They had genuinely flown a Skywing F-17 from this place back in the beginning, but it was the only one that was real. The rest were all simulated by Old Demon Nightmare in their dreams. They had committed a major offense, but the military would not be doing anything to them because of their identity as the Shrek Seven Monsters. At the worst they would only notify the academy.
852
853Hence, allowing themselves to be caught after crossing the sea and then fabricating a believable story would get them home free as well. However, that approach would have taken more time.
854
855Their individual personalities would not allow them to return to the academy in defeat. If they were to do that, what was the point of their many days of torment on the Demon Island? They had learned a great deal, so now they had to apply it in the real world.
856
857Even so, they did not expect to get caught up in such an incident as soon as they exited the tunnel.
858
859Tang Wulin had already heard about some of the things that were going on while he was still underground, which was why he made his appearance at such a crucial moment.
860
861He saw the same Staff Officer Shen Xing he once abducted in his dream, and it felt a bit odd. At the same time, he could not help admiring Old Demon Nightmare. Though he was just a soul, Nightmare's spiritual power was so great that he could exercise such control over the entire Northsea Army Corps. Given his spiritual rank, he could certainly topple the entire Army Corps with ease!
862
863Shen Xing was staring at Tang Wulin in shock because she simply could not believe her eyes at all. When her entire body was completely numb, and she heard that the warehouse supervisor was about to abduct her and send her to an unknown enemy, she felt like she was going to have an emotional breakdown. Of course, she was well aware of how terrifying it was to be nabbed by the enemy and used as a hostage to threaten her sister. It was not only a disaster for herself but for her entire clan.
864
865Her sister once compromised herself when she was Tang Wulin's hostage in the nightmare. In reality, she believed that her sister would do anything for her. The bond between sisters was that strong.
866
867The sisters grew up together from childhood, and they had an exceedingly close relationship. She understood that her sister was definitely someone that prioritized relationships over reason. The sister was more sensible at that crucial moment.
868
869Nevertheless, it would be catastrophic for her clan if her sister were to commit such an offense for her. Thus, she wished that she could just die at that moment, rather than being snatched away by Major Chen, the warehouse supervisor.
870
871There was always a savior figure in every young woman's heart, especially when she was in distress. Who would not wish that a hero would suddenly arrive to save her? It had never occurred to Shen Xing that the person who came forward to save her, would be the same one she wished to cut into a million pieces, the one who had tormented her for a few months in her dreams.
872
873"It seems like your situation is not looking that good, huh?!" Tang Wulin cracked a smile as he looked at Shen Xing.
874
875Shen Xing stared at him with a nervous expression. She loathed Tang Wulin, but it was just a dream after all. Moreover, she was well aware of the identities of all these youths before her. What a coincidence. How did they appear in the warehouse right at this moment? Could it be that she was still dreaming now?
876
877Tang Wulin looked at his companions and said, "Remove their clothes and begin."
878
879'Remove...remove their clothes?'
880
881Shen Xing's charming face turned ghastly pale instantly. 'What are they going to do? They, they…'
882
883The despair on her face that had faded earlier reappeared. 'Am I jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire?'
884
885Tang Wulin, Xie Xie and Yue Zhengyu dragged the warehouse supervisor and the two lieutenants aside and removed their clothes rapidly. Yuanen Yehui and Xu Xiaoyan blocked Shen Xing from view, while Ye Xinglan began to remove her clothes.
886
887Shen Xing was completely stunned. She watched helplessly as her clothes were swiftly stripped off, her mind thoroughly befuddled.
888
889Ye Xinglan made a rough comparison of her shape and size and found that they were quite similar in height and body type.
890
891Ye Xinglan removed her clothes rapidly with Xu Xiaoyan and Yuanen Yehui shielding them. She changed into Shen Xing's uniform then put her clothes on Shen Xing.
892
893"Don't worry. We're only borrowing your clothes for a while. You got shot by a stun ray, so it'll only take twenty minutes more at most to return to normal. You can deal with those scoundrels by yourself by then." Ye Xinglan patted Shen Xing's shoulder and stood up.
894
895She then began to rub her face gently, looking at Shen Xing occasionally while doing so. Meanwhile, Xu Xiaoyan stood behind her and began to do up Ye Xinglan's hair, which happened to be the same color as Shen Xing's. Soon, Ye Xinglan had the exact same hairstyle as Shen Xing.
896
897When Yuanen Yehui brought the cap over and put it on Ye Xinglan, she had already relaxed her hand. Shen Xing was staring in confusion at this other person standing before her that looked like a duplicate of herself. She really was exactly the same. It felt like she was looking at her reflection in a mirror.
898
899What…
900
901"Done?" Tang Wulin's voice echoed.
902
903"Done. We're still missing three sets of clothes," Yuanen Yehui said to him.
904
905Shen Xing's eyes rolled to the side as she glimpsed three people walking over, dressed in military uniforms. They looked like the warehouse supervisor, Major Chen, and his two lieutenants.
906
907Chapter 850: Breakaway, Return
908
909
910
911Tang Wulin's voice came out of Major Chen's mouth. "It's my first time using this, so I'm not very used to it, especially the skeletal change, but I think I'll be fine once I've adapted. Xie Xie, go and summon a few people. Remember to look for someone slightly fatter, or else it won't be easy to disguise Lizhi."
912
913"Sure!"
914
915Xie Xie turned around and walked out of the warehouse door as he spoke to the three nearby soldiers on patrol duty just outside, "You, you and you. All three of you come in and assist in taking inventory."
916
917The following procedure was even easier. Soon, there were Major Chen, Staff Officer Shen, two lieutenants and three soldiers standing inside the warehouse.
918
919On the other hand, there were seven identical people lying on the ground. They appeared exactly the same on the surface, at least.
920
921Tang Wulin squatted next to Shen Xing. "You've witnessed so many secrets of ours. Should we kill you to prevent them from being shared?"
922
923Shen Xing's eyes rolled about because she could not speak nor move, but the terror in her face was very obvious.
924
925Tang Wulin burst out laughing. "I'm joking. Let's go. See you again if we're destined. That warehouse supervisor won't be waking up for a day. You can deal with him by yourself when you've recovered. Consider our aircraft theft incident forgotten now that we've helped the Northsea Army Corps clear out some double-agents this time around. Go!"
926
927With that, Tang Wulin stood up and gestured 'please' to Ye Xinglan by his side. Seven people filed out of the warehouse.
928
929Ye Xinglan had already mastered Shen Xing's mannerisms within a short period of time. She puffed up her chest and raised her head. There was arrogance on her charming face as she marched in great strides toward the exterior.
930
931They got out of the warehouse and closed the door. Of course, this was mainly for stealth, because no one really understood the operation of such a complicated door.
932
933Tang Wulin followed by her side and spoke with an apologetic smile on his face, "Staff Officer Shen, don't be angry. It's genuinely quite chaotic in the warehouse this time, but I'll make sure they rectify this and shape up immediately. Don't worry. It'll be fine soon."
934
935Ye Xinglan snorted dismissively. "I'll be reporting this incident, as it is. It's best that you settle everything before the higher-ups dispatch an investigation unit. Otherwise, you will have to face the consequences."
936
937"Yes, yes!" Tang Wulin agreed repeatedly. The group had already arrived at the elevator while they were talking.
938
939"All of you stay back. There's no need to accompany me," Ye Xinglan spoke with intention.
940
941Tang Wulin hastily replied, "How can I do that? We'll escort you up. Staff Officer Shen, please help to put in a few good words for me with the regimental officer!"
942
943They were passing by a lot of soldiers, but their conversation was carried out flawlessly. Even their voices sounded exactly the same as Major Chen and Shen Xing.
944
945The seven Old Demons not only taught them a few simple tricks but also some in-depth skills such as changing one's body shape, speech pattern, behavior and voice. All these skills were not difficult under the influence of adequate soul power. It was quite an agonizing training process, but what was it when compared to being tormented by the Old Demons?
946
947"Ding!" The elevator door opened as Tang Wulin continued making a pleading gesture to Ye Xinglan. Her head held high, she was the first person to step into the elevator, while Tang Wulin and the rest followed behind closely.
948
949The elevator door closed and ascended swiftly.
950
951No one spoke anymore during the entire process because there was a surveillance camera in the elevator. It was better for them not to speak than say too much and have a slip of the tongue.
952
953Soon, the elevator sent them back to ground level. They got out of the warehouse with ease by relying on their access pass. Tang Wulin gave Ye Xinglan a look as they made a rough identification of the direction, then moved together swiftly.
954
955They walked into a darkened corner before Tang Wulin pointed to a military vehicle nearby. It seemed like it had just driven over for a patrol and was coming in their direction.
956
957Ye Xinglan spoke, "I'll go."
958
959"Together." Tang Wulin made a hand gesture.
960
961The seven of them advanced swiftly with Ye Xinglan at the front. She removed the officer badge displayed on her chest. "Stop the car."
962
963The epaulet on Shen Xing's shoulder and her extreme popularity in the Northsea Army Corps were her most identifiable features. She was the beloved, beautiful officer known for being the rose of the military. Of course, the lieutenant and the soldiers driving the car recognized her.
964
965The vehicle quickly stopped as he jumped down from the car and saluted Ye Xinglan. "Staff Officer Shen."
966
967Ye Xinglan spoke with a deep voice, "We're attending to an urgent task on the outside. I require the use of your military vehicle temporary. Hand over the car immediately.
968
969"Yes!" the lieutenant answered without the slightest hesitation.
970
971Another major in her place would have been questioned before the military vehicle was handed over, but Shen Xing was the regimental officer's sister and also the target of many low-ranking military officers' affections. The opportunity for him to express himself like this did not come often, so he agreed without the slightest hesitation.
972
973The soldiers in the military vehicle swiftly got down from the car. Ye Xinglan made a hand gesture at Tang Wulin to which he nodded in response. The group gradually boarded the car. Xie Xie was in charge of driving, Ye Xinglan got into the front passenger seat, while Tang Wulin and the rest sat behind.
974
975No one said anything else to the soldiers. Xie xie controlled the steering wheel skillfully as he turned the car on the spot and drove straight for Northsea Army Corps' entrance door at full speed.
976
977Her lashes fluttered. Shen Xing could finally blink her eyes and gradually move her fingers as well. The numbness on her body was fading quickly.
978
979She inhaled a deep breath with great effort as she urged the soul power in her body to circulate her bloodline, dispersing the numbness rapidly.
980
981She struggled in an attempt to sit up on the ground. She then saw Major Chen with his two lieutenants and three other soldiers that were stripped naked nearby. She could not help having a mix of emotions at once.
982
983The crisis was considered managed, but at the same time, she was overwhelmed by many different feelings. It had never occurred to her that the man in her nightmares would save her life.
984
985A piercing siren echoed through the entire warehouse at once. Soon after, it spread out to the entire Northsea Army Corps base.
986
987The fixed soul ammunition warehouse was a vital location for the military. The internal warning system was the most cutting-edge available, but Shen Xing was well aware that those youths would have already escaped after such a long time.
988
989Of course, Tang Wulin and his companions had left.
990
991They had gained victory without bloodshed for they had managed to leave the place without a battle of any kind. They had already departed from the Northsea Army Corps in the military vehicle as they drove at full speed on the highway heading away from Northsea City.
992
993He could not help feeling that the military vehicle's specifications were much better than a civilian vehicle. Not only was the car equipped with an advanced navigation system, but its acceleration was also extremely impressive. Xie Xie pushed the military vehicle to maximum velocity.
994
995"It's almost time. Be prepared to abandon the vehicle. Drive the car to a concealed spot," Tang Wulin spoke to Xie Xie.
996
997Xie Xie replied with slightly unwillingly, "The car is great. It would be nice if I could drive it all the way back."
998
999Yuanen Yehui spoke with an unpleasant tone, "Are you out of your mind? You'll get a taste of the military's mecha squad when they come and shoot us with missiles later. Quick, leave the highway and look for a spot for us to stop."
1000
1001Xie Xie took the next exit and headed toward a small town. He drove the vehicle into a forest. The group hastily got out and dashed wildly into the darkness according to the position which Tang Wulin found on the navigation system earlier. They ran straight to their destination.
1002
1003Their target was simple. It was also a place that Tang Wulin and his companions were not keen to go. It was the soul train station.
1004
1005It was impossible for them to distance themselves away from the Northsea Army Corps without some means of transportation. Tang Wulin had no doubt that Northsea Army Corps would soon close the nearby borders. They could not continue their journey with the military vehicle either. Thus, the best method was to use some mode of public transport to travel, and the soul train was the fastest one. Therefore, they had no other choice.
1006
1007As they ran, they removed the disguises on their faces. One of them purchased a few sets of clothing from a shop close to the soul train station. They removed their military uniforms and changed into casual wear, while also altering their appearances briefly. Only then did they enter the soul express train.
1008
1009The seven of them bought their tickets separately on the first train available. They walked separately, gathering together only when they reached the platform.
1010
1011The platform was slightly old and unsophisticated because it was a stopover station. It did not even have a roof. The night wind felt slightly cool and refreshing.
1012
1013Tang Wulin had his hands in his pockets as he stood there. There was only the few of them on the deserted platform, all in a similar state.
1014
1015"Big brother, do you know that I feel like I've finally survived something? We're not still in a nightmare, right?" Xie Xie suddenly asked Tang Wulin.
1016
1017Tang Wulin gave a bitter smile and answered, "I don't know."
1018
1019The torment on the Demon Island had genuinely left a highly profound impression on their minds, such that their spirits still had yet to recover. Yue Zhengyu had been especially affected. He had become absentminded and could occasionally be found in a daze, even up to that point.
1020
1021Chapter 851: The Shen Sisters
1022
1023
1024
1025Xu Lizhi spoke, "Now I understand why our teachers had those looks on their faces when we left the academy. And that senior we met from War God Hall. I really don't want to return to that place for all eternity."
1026
1027When they found out that they were allowed to leave the island, they almost could not contain themselves and jumped into the sea impatiently, heading as far away as possible.
1028
1029"Actually, the Old Demons are rather piteous," Xu Xiaoyan spoke.
1030
1031Yue Zhengyu's expression changed. "If they're piteous, then what are we? Did we not get enough of their torture?"
1032
1033"Zhengyu, calm down." Tang Wulin spoke, "We were ruthlessly tortured, but I have to admit that we improved by leaps and bounds within such a short period of time. We've all grown, and I truly felt like I'm no longer a child but an adult the moment we left that place."
1034
1035"Yes! We've all grown," Yuanen Yehui chuckled as she spoke.
1036
1037Tang Wulin spoke leisurely, "Oh right, I've seen everyone's reaction during Old Demon Lust's test, other than Zhengyu who had an accident. It was Old Demon Lust who showed it to me intentionally. Say, would all of you like to know each other's reaction?"
1038
1039The group of people became quiet, while Yue Zhengyu widened his eyes in surprise.
1040
1041Soon after, the other five almost yelled in unison, "Shut up!"
1042
1043The soul train arrived with a honk that finally brought light to the deserted, little train station. Tang Wulin clasped his hands at the back of his head as he looked at the familiar train and recalled every single encounter. He walked onto it first.
1044
1045It was, at last, time to go back. The arduous days were finally behind them.
1046
1047In the end, he did not talk about the things he had witnessed on that day. Some things were better left unsaid.
1048
1049In the Northsea Army Corps, Shen Yue's expression was dark as she listened to the reports from her inferior. She was in the worst of moods.
1050
1051She was shocked to find that there were hidden traitors in the Northsea Army Corps with such important posts. She was bound by unshirkable duty as a regimental officer. More importantly, her sister was almost taken hostage. She would certainly get to the bottom of this incident and remove the infiltration by its roots.
1052
1053"Dispatch my orders. Launch cleanup operations immediately. Vet the army corps' internal officers strictly."
1054
1055"Yes!"
1056
1057Obviously, Major Chen and his partners were removed from the military. After an inventory count, it was found that over two hundred fixed soul ammunitions were missing. That was enough to annihilate a small city.
1058
1059Shen Xing looked at her sister. She still had yet to completely regain her composure.
1060
1061"Sister, don't be too stressed out." Everyone had left the room, so Shen Xing addressed Shen Yue casually.
1062
1063Shen Yue frowned. "This is already not an issue of stress anymore. Someone infiltrated our Northsea Army Corps, so what about the other army corps? How about the entire Northeast Military Region? I can't hide this incident, so I must report it. I'm afraid that I'll be reprimanded. As for you, I'll detail your meritorious service accordingly. It was you that discovered the issue anyhow. Moreover, you managed to stop those traitors from escaping. I won't mention the Shrek Seven Monsters. I'll say that it was all your doing."
1064
1065"Sister, then what about you? What sort of punishment will you be getting?" Shen Xing asked anxiously.
1066
1067Shen Yue smiled bitterly while shaking her head. "I don't know. I can only take one step at a time. The incident this time is very serious, so I'm afraid that my position as the regimental office is at stake. I'll be transferring you as soon as possible once your merit is approved. It's time for you to take charge."
1068
1069Shen Xing nodded gently. For some reason, she did not have anymore nightmares when she slept after the whole incident.
1070
1071Shen Yue did not send someone to pursue the Shrek Seven Monsters, because there was no need for her to do so. It was meaningless. What could she do even if Tang Wulin's group of seven was caught? It would only bring greater scandal to the Northsea Army Corps. It was better for everyone to leave them be. After all, the conflict between Imperial Sun Moon Soul Master Academy and Shrek Academy was only a personal dispute. On the other hand, she would need to consider many things in the long-term as a high-ranking military officer.
1072
1073After changing trains twice, Tang Wulin and his companions boarded the correct train as they headed straight for Shrek Academy. This time, they did not encounter any surprises, and their journey was safe and sound.
1074
1075Tang Wulin felt like tears were about to stream down his face as the soul train came to a firm stop on Shrek City's tracks. A soul train journey with no incidents was truly unprecedented. He had been on tenterhooks the whole time!
1076
1077He got off the train and stretched his whole body.
1078
1079"We're finally back. Are we going to check-in straight away or do all of you have your own matters to attend to?" Tang Wulin asked his companions.
1080
1081Xie Xie spoke, "I don't plan on returning to the academy so soon. I need to take a long rest. I can't take it anymore because of how serious it is this time. I plan to go home. It's been too long. Yuanen, let's go back to my home together. An ugly wife will meet the in-laws anyhow. Ouch!"
1082
1083Yuanen Yehui twisted Xie Xie's ear with a murderous look on her face. "Who are you calling an ugly wife?"
1084
1085"I'm ugly, I'm ugly. You're the most beautiful one." When it came to love, Xie Xie had never been a person of good morals.
1086
1087Yue Zhengyu said gleefully, "Serves you right. Xiaoyan, are you going to invite me to your home? I'm not ugly, am I?"
1088
1089Xie Xie furiously replied, "Are you picking a fight?"
1090
1091Xu Xiaoyan giggled. "Sure! I come from the same place as Xie Xie, so you can follow me as we return to Eastsea City. I'll show you around my home."
1092
1093Yue Zhengyu and Xie Xie glared at each other with disgust, but they did not fight.
1094
1095Tang Wulin could not help laughing and shook his head. He turned to Ye Xinglan and Xu Lizhi. "How about the both of you?"
1096
1097Xu Lizhi looked toward Ye Xinglan. Ye Xinglan answered, "We'll be better off returning to the academy. We've really learned so much this time. I plan to go back and consolidate the knowledge and so does Lizhi. Our gains from this trip have been abundant, so I'll be helping him to strengthen his cultivation base."
1098
1099"Alright."
1100
1101Tang Wulin spoke, "We shall gather at the academy in one month's time. After that, I want all of us to train together as a team. Does everyone agree?"
1102
1103Xie Xie answered, "Fine with me."
1104
1105Yuanen Yehui nodded.
1106
1107Yue Zhengyu spoke, "Fine with me too. Moreover, I think that Big Brother made the right decision. I plan to enlist with you once we've graduated from inner court."
1108
1109Xie Xie looked at Yue Zhengyu in astonishment and spoke, "I didn't expect you to be so patriotic. I don't normally see that!"
1110
1111Xu Xiaoyan laughed softly. "He thinks that the military uniform looks good on him. He has been talking about that quite a few times ever since he was dressed in military uniform the other day."
1112
1113Yue Zhengyu was immediately dejected. "Wifey, you shouldn't let me down like that!"
1114
1115Xu Xiaoyan rolled her eyes at him. "Since when was I your wife?"
1116
1117Yue Zhengyu sniggered. "We've already made a deal. How are you not my wife yet?
1118
1119I already consider the version of you from the illusion to be just like the actual you. After all, Old Demon Lust's simulation is so real. Heh-heh-heh-heh."
1120
1121Xu Xiaoyan's charming face blushed when she saw him sniggering cunningly. "Hey, you're not going home with me if you're going to behave like this!"
1122
1123Yue Zhengyu hastily stopped speaking.
1124
1125Ye Xinglan smiled and spoke, "It's fine with me as well. We're a team so we should have real joint training. Moreover, I'm also quite interested in enlisting. I've only genuinely understood that our individual strength is minuscule compared to an army after seeing the situation in the Northsea Army Corps. Even though we won't always be in the military, I feel that it's essential that we understand the standards of the modern armed forces. I think that Xu Lizhi and I will be enlisting as well after graduation.
1126
1127Chapter 852: Parting Ways Temporarily
1128
1129
1130
1131Tang Wulin was overjoyed that he did not need to part ways with his comrades. It was truly amazing.
1132
1133He turned around and looked at Xie Xie and Yuanen Yehui.
1134
1135Xie Xie was also looking at Yuanen Yehui. There was no doubt that the henpecked husband Xie Xie would follow Yuanen Yehui's choice.
1136
1137Yuanen Yehui's gaze turned desolated as she shook her head. "I can't enlist as I have some important matters to attend to after graduation."
1138
1139She turned around and left upon saying that. Xie Xie was astounded, then he smiled apologetically at Tang Wulin before he turned around and chased after her.
1140
1141As he gazed at their receding figures, Tang Wulin muttered to himself, "Yuanen seems to be troubled by something, but she has never mentioned it before."
1142
1143Ye Xinglan spoke, "It's probably related to her family background. Don't you feel it's odd that she possesses two types of top grade martial souls? Her Fallen Angel is supposedly an extremely powerful martial soul that could become an evil soul master. Yuanen joined as a working student at the beginning, so it's probable that she has some secrets."
1144
1145Tang Wulin spoke, "We ought to have a talk with Yuanen when they return. We are a team regardless of what happens. We're obliged to help her."
1146
1147"Big brother, we need to leave too." Yue Zhengyu held Xu Xiaoyan's hand and waved at Tang Wulin.
1148
1149Ye Xinglan asked Tang Wulin, "We have our own respective places to go, how about you? What are you going to do?"
1150
1151Tang Wulin answered, "I'll be heading to Tang Sect first, then I'll stay at my uncle master's place for some time. I've a lot of contemplating to do regarding our experience on Demon Island. I'd like to seize this opportunity to become a rank-7 saint craftsman. If I succeed, then I'll have the foundation to produce our three-word battle armors in the future."
1152
1153Ye Xinglan's eyes glowed. "You've already made the necessary preparations?"
1154
1155Tang Wulin smiled. "It's a wonderful feeling that I have right now. As to whether it works or not, I'll know when I've tried it. However, I think that it should not be too difficult with my uncle master's guidance."
1156
1157A rank-6 saint craftsman would have fainted from rage had he listened to Tang Wulin's words. How could a rank-6 blacksmith dare say that it should not be too difficult to break through to saint craftsman? It could only be Tang Wulin who was daring enough to claim so.
1158
1159Soul forging was not so easily accomplished!
1160
1161It was much more difficult to channel intelligence than to channel life into a metal.
1162
1163The most important factor in the early part of producing a battle armor was designing, followed by crafting, and lastly forging. However, forging was the critical process for a high rank battle armor because the initial component for a battle armor upgrade was its material.
1164
1165The group of people were still using one-word battle armors at present. They could only graduate from the inner court once they become two-word battle armor masters. A three-word battle armor would be an important attribute that determined if they could become the new generation of powerhouses in the future.
1166
1167Ye Xinglan spoke, "You've already prepared the foundation for us. We'll need to work together when we upgrade our battle armor. We can begin when you return next month."
1168
1169Tang Wulin nodded. "This is also the reason why I'm striving to be a saint craftsman. It'll be much easier for us to upgrade with a saint craftsman's forging ability and also help reduce your stress."
1170
1171"Hmm." Ye Xinglan nodded. Even though she was a rank-6 maker, there was still a huge gap before she could be a rank-7 maker. She could not possibly advance for another two or three years. If Tang Wulin could use his saint craftsman's forging skills as a foundation for their work together in making the battle armors, then their success rate would be much higher. More importantly, every battle armor's quality would be higher. The group's cultivation base was already at rank-50 and above, so it was time for them to upgrade their battle armors.
1172
1173"Alright. We shall part ways at this point."
1174
1175The three of them parted ways after they exited the soul train station. Tang Wulin headed straight to Tang Sect.
1176
1177He was heading to Tang Sect because he wished to check at the Battle Soul Hall whether there was any mission for him to complete. He needed to show up anyhow having been away for so long. Moreover, he was already a one-word battle armor master now. More importantly, he had not upgraded his fighter rank in the Battle Soul Hall. He was still a white fighter. With his current status as a one-word battle armor master, he should already be a yellow fighter.
1178
1179Tang Wulin suddenly remembered that he was not dressed in fighter attire when he arrived at the Tang Sect headquarters. Many of his items had been confiscated by the academy, but he should have returned to the academy first actually.
1180
1181He had forgotten to bring along his items including his soul communicator and rare metals which were still in the academy, having been away for so long.
1182
1183Everyone seemed to have forgotten. He wondered if Xie Xie and the rest remembered on their way home.
1184
1185Anyway, he would enter and have a look since he was already at Tang Sect.
1186
1187Tang Wulin discovered in astonishment upon entering the door that there were more people at Tang Sect than he expected. Everyone seemed to be in a rush entering and leaving the place.
1188
1189Tang Wulin was barely acquainted with anyone there because he rarely came to Tang Sect. Out of the blue, he saw a familiar face as he was walking forward.
1190
1191It was the big, bald Branchmaster Zhao with a muscular body who walked out from within.
1192
1193Tang Wulin recognized him. He had met the man before when Wu Zhangkong brought him along for a visit.
1194
1195"Branchmaster Zhao." Tang Wulin saluted him respectfully.
1196
1197Branchmaster Zhao's name was Zhao Song. He was one of the Tang Sect's three halls, Power Hall's branchmaster.
1198
1199Zhao Song was slightly stunned upon seeing him. "You are…"
1200
1201Tang Wulin spent three years in Star Luo Empire and had engaged in closed door cultivation upon returning, so it had been many years since Zhao Song had seen him. He was also at the onset of puberty then, so his once cute appearance had now turned into a tall, handsome youth.
1202
1203"Branchmaster Zhao, I'm Tang Wulin."
1204
1205"Tang Wulin? Oh, it's you!" Zhao Song finally recalled. He immediately smiled and spoke, "It's been many years since I last saw you, child. You're so tall now. Alright, I can't talk much now because I have some urgent matters to attend to outside. Go inside, Guo Xiaoxu is there." He left in a rush upon saying that.
1206
1207Guo Xiaoxu was the Battle Soul Hall's branchmaster, also Tang Wulin's top superior. He had brought Tang Wulin into the Battle Soul Hall back at the beginning.
1208
1209The Battle Soul Hall's door was open when Tang Wulin arrived. There were many people in there. Judging by their masks, there were quite a number of yellow and purple fighters to Tang Wulin's surprise. In fact, there was even more than one black fighter.
1210
1211Tang Wulin stuck his head in and wondered if he should enter the place because he was not dressed in fighter attire when he was stopped by a yellow fighter's raised hand.
1212
1213"Who are you? Don't you know that the Battle Soul Hall is a restricted area?" the yellow fighter spoke in a deep voice.
1214
1215Tang Wulin spoke, "I'm sorry. I'm a fighter too but I didn't bring my fighter attire today. So…"
1216
1217"You're a fighter too? Don't you know the rule that one is not a fighter without one's attire? Leave this place quick." The yellow fighter entered the Battle Soul Hall in a rush upon saying that.
1218
1219Tang Wulin was feeling frustrated because he was curious about the situation. There were nearly a hundred fighters at the Battle Soul Hall with the majority of fighters being yellow rank and above. Of all things, he did not bring his fighter attire, so he was not allowed to enter!
1220
1221Just as he was about to leave in frustration, a man wearing a red mask walked out of the Battle Soul Hall.
1222
1223Red fighter? Tang Wulin was shocked. Let alone meet one, he had never before heard of a red fighter in the Battle Soul Hall.
1224
1225Judging from the fighter's rank and the color of his soul ring, there was no doubt that the red fighter was even more powerful than a black fighter. Tang Wulin felt somewhat stressed upon seeing the short, red fighter.
1226
1227He hastily stepped to the side and made way for him. The red fighter stopped walking and gave out a soft 'huh'.
1228
1229"Tang Wulin?"
1230
1231Tang Wulin was surprised that the other person called out his name. "You know me?"
1232
1233The red fighter raised his hand and removed the mask on his face revealing a familiar face. It was the Battle Soul Hall's branchmaster, Guo Xiaoxu.
1234
1235Tang Wulin felt elucidated in his heart. No wonder the man could wear a red mask. It turned out that he was the Battle Soul Hall's branchmaster.
1236
1237"Branchmaster Guo, hello."
1238
1239Guo Xiaoxu smiled. "Why did you come? Where's your fighter attire? Oh yes, I heard that you're already a one-word battle armor master, so you can change your attire. Come, this is just the right time for me to upgrade your fighter rank." He turned around and walked toward the Battle Soul Hall's operating zone on the side upon saying that.
1240
1241Tang Wulin hastily followed behind and asked softly, "Branchmaster Guo, why does our Battle Soul Hall seem like it's very busy?"
1242
1243Guo Xiaoxu sighed softly. "A very serious incident happened in the Federation. How can we not be busy? After all, our Battle Soul Hall has been responsible for protecting the Federation all along."
1244
1245Tang Wulin was stunned. "A serious incident happened?"
1246
1247Guo Xiaoxu was equally astonished and said, "Don't you know?"
1248
1249Chapter 853: Terrorist Attack
1250
1251
1252
1253Tang Wulin gave a forced smile and said, "My companions and I have just returned from the academy's military training. I don't even have the time to go back to the academy before I came here. So, I won't know what happened!"
1254
1255Guo Xiaoxu took a glance at him and spoke with a deep voice, "Ten days ago, there was a terrorist attack in Heaven Dou City. Many people were killed. Heaven Dou City's administrative office was levelled to the ground. The public announcement was that over a thousand people were killed. In reality, there were more than four thousand dead and over ten thousand casualties."
1256
1257"Oh?" Tang Wulin's mouth was wide open in surprise.
1258
1259Heaven Dou City?
1260
1261He could still remember vividly that the chief executive was Sister Mo Lan's father. Heaven Dou City was under a terrorist attack. Furthermore, there were so many fatalities?
1262
1263"Then how about the chief executive of Heaven Dou City?" Tang Wulin hastily inquired.
1264
1265Guo Xiaoxu sighed. "He was sacrificed on duty. The attack was too sudden with no warning signs. A total of sixty rank-5 fixed soul ammunitions were detonated at different places of Heaven Dou City and caused massive chaos in the city. Then, a fighter aircraft appeared out of nowhere in the sky above Heaven Dou City's Administrative Office and released a rank-9 fixed soul ammunition which resulted in the heaviest casualties. The incident shocked the entire Federation. The Federation was now in a rank-1 state of alert and has despatched a large number of staff to investigate the incident. Our Tang Sect's Battle Soul Hall received a call for assistance from the Federation's War God Hall to work with them and join in the investigation."
1266
1267Tang Wulin took a deep breath as fear enveloped him upon hearing Guo Xiaoxu's words. The incident happened so suddenly, and it was such a catastrophe! This prompted him to think about the Northsea Army Corps' stolen ammunitions. So, he hastily described his discovery at the Northsea Army Corps' base.
1268
1269Guo Xiaoxu frown grew more serious as he listened to Tang Wulin. "We have yet to receive this information. It seems like the army is covering up the incident. I'm afraid the theft at the Northsea Army Corps' fixed soul ammunition warehouse wasn't a one-off incident! It's absolutely a massive catastrophe if a large amount of fixed soul ammunitions were channeled externally."
1270
1271Tang Wulin spoke, "Do we know which organization is responsible?"
1272
1273Guo Xiaoxu spoke, "We already knew. The Holy Spirit Cult announced that it was responsible for the attack."
1274
1275Tang Wulin clenched his fists tightly. "The Holy Spirit Cult again."
1276
1277He had encountered this evil soul master's sect more than once. It had been a narrow escape for Tang Wulin. He did not expect to hear of the Holy Spirit Cult so soon. Moreover, the Holy Spirit Cult was more aggressive now.
1278
1279Guo Xiaoxu spoke, "For the past six months, the Holy Spirit Cult launched a number of terrorist attacks in a haphazard manner and caused tremendous losses. When the attacks first began, the Federation attempted to suppress the news with great effort. However, they could no longer cover up anymore when a large scale attack such as this took place. I don't expect the Federation to be so calm when it's already corrupted to such an extent."
1280
1281When he heard the dissatisfaction and rage in his voice, Tang Wulin asked, "Branchmaster Guo, are you saying these terrorist attacks are related to the Federation itself?"
1282
1283Guo Xiaoyu laughed coldly. "Of course. How many evil soul masters are there in the Holy Spirit Cult? Do you think they can grow so strong in such a short time without some higher authority's support? There is no doubt that someone is behind the attacks, only that we don't know whether the person is from the Holy Spirit Cult itself or someone outside who controls the Holy Spirit Cult. There is certainly a group of people behind the Holy Spirit Cult who we must find as soon as possible. Otherwise, there will only be more fear. Fortunately, we found out from you today that something happened at the army or else we wouldn't have known."
1284
1285The procedure to become a yellow fighter from a white fighter was quite simple. Tang Wulin displayed his one-word battle armor with Guo Xiaoxu's support. He was immediately upgraded to his new fighter rank, and he subsequently changed into a yellow fighter's black robes and yellow mask. He immediately felt at ease after donning the robes as he would not be chased out of the Battle Soul Hall anymore.
1286
1287"Wulin, follow me." Guo Xiaoxu brought Tang Wulin along as they returned to the Battle Soul Hall once again.
1288
1289"Our Battle Soul Hall took over many missions from the Federation. We are searching for the Holy Spirit Cult based on the information received. You have combat experiences with the Holy Spirit Cult, so I think you should join some of the missions. This will be good training for you too. Well? Are you willing to join a reconnoitre squadron?"
1290
1291Tang Wulin replied without the slightest hesitation, "It's my duty."
1292
1293He loathes the Holy Spirit Cult to his bones. In addition, the Holy Spirit Cult launched a terrorist attack that killed so many innocent people. It would be a meritorious deed to eliminate evil.
1294
1295Guo Xiaoxu soon completed the arrangements for Tang Wulin to join a reconnoitre squadron of five people. The squadron was led by a purple fighter with four other yellow fighters including Tang Wulin.
1296
1297Purple fighters were two-word battle armor masters while a yellow fighter only had a one-word battle armor master's cultivation base according to the Battle Soul Hall's internal system. Even though there were only a few purple fighters, their fighting capacity was rather impressive.
1298
1299Tang Wulin was surprised to learn that the fighter point was doubled for the reconnoitre mission due to the urgency of the matter being related to the Holy Spirit Cult.
1300
1301This was a beneficial event because the fighter points could be used to exchange for all sorts of resources from the Battle Soul Hall. The resources included various kinds of rare and precious materials as well as the Tang Sect Techniques.
1302
1303It was rare for ordinary Tang Sect disciples to exchange heaven and earth treasures of ten-thousand years. Even a thousand-year heaven and earth treasure was considered highly valuable. The Battle Soul Hall was the largest concentrate of resources for Tang Sect. In any case, the Tang Sect points could not be used as only fighter points were acccepted.
1304
1305After all, the Battle Soul Hall's fighters were the true core of Tang Sect.
1306
1307Tang Wulin was not concerned about breaking through the ninth layer of the Golden Dragon King Seal at present. He would need resources of astronomical figures to break through to the Golden Dragon King Seal later in the future. Not only did he require heaven and earth treasures of ten-thousand years and above, he would also need it in extremely large quantities. Just three or four types would not make the cut.
1308
1309Even though he was considered a blacksmith close to saint craftsman rank, he still felt the pressure.
1310
1311He would need to cultivate anyhow and could not focus all his energy on forging in exchange for money. There was no doubt that the fastest way was to complete the Tang Sect fighter's mission.
1312
1313How could he miss such a great opportunity for double points?
1314
1315Tang Wulin and his squadron were assigned the mission to investigate an abandoned factory in Heaven Dou City's western suburbs. They would need to find clues and traces of the Holy Spirit Cult to complete the mission. According to trustworthy sources, the Holy Spirit Cult's people had been seen around the area.
1316
1317The abandoned factory was used to produced rare metals in the past. It was extremely huge, but it was abandoned later due to an explosion that resulted in large amounts of hazardous substances being leaked which polluted the land. The authorities did not have any solution to clean up the pollution. So, the land had been left unused until now.
1318
1319Hence, they had to put on protective gear to shield them from the hazardous substances after they embarked on the mission. Naturally, the ability of a soul master to resist hazardous substances far exceeded an ordinary person.
1320
1321The purple fighter leader stood at the front as he looked toward the four yellow fighters including Tang Wulin and spoke, "Begin the operation immediately. Check your communicator later. My code name for this operation is Purple One. The rest of you will be Yellow One, Yellow Two, Yellow Three, and Yellow Four respectively."
1322
1323He pointed to the four people while he was saying that. Tang Wulin found it amusing that he was assigned the number three again. He had an affinity to the number three, the only difference now being his initial White Three had become Yellow Three.
1324
1325"Let's get to know each other briefly. I'm an assault-type soul master, how about all of you?" Purple One asked.
1326
1327Yellow One spoke, "I'm an agility-type soul master."
1328
1329Yellow Two spoke, "I'm a recovery-type soul master." The person sounded like a young female. A recovery-type soul master capable of becoming a one-word battle armor master at a young age was apparently no ordinary being.
1330
1331Tang Wulin spoke, "Assault control-type soul master."
1332
1333Chapter 854: Tang Sect Combat Vehicle
1334
1335
1336
1337Yellow Four spoke, "I'm a defense-type soul master."
1338
1339Satisfied with everyone's answers, Purple One nodded. Even though the identity of each fighter was kept secret, and soul masters were not allowed to question each other's ability, at least knowing their area of expertise would be beneficial when working together as a team.
1340
1341"Very well. Then, Yellow Three, what is the level of your control?"
1342
1343Tang Wulin answered, "Vine-type control, skilled in Bind that controls the entire area. Also with a certain level of attacking ability."
1344
1345Purple One spoke, "Alright, then you shall be our squadron's master-control soul master for the time being. I'll be the head of the arrow, Yellow Two, you'll be healing at the back, while Yellow One is in charge of reconnaissance. Yellow Four's top priority is protecting Yellow Two and Yellow Three. Understood?"
1346
1347"Understood."
1348
1349The members of the group were capable of being yellow fighters because they were all elite. It only took a simple exchange to complete the details of the mission.
1350
1351"Depart!" Purple One did not waste time with idle talk. At the wave of his huge hand, the five of them left the Battle Soul Hall and boarded the soul car specially prepared by the Tang Sect.
1352
1353The Tang Sect's soul car was completely blue. It was said that the color was meant to commemorate the sect's first ancestor, Tang San. It was no ordinary blue pigment, as the car was able to change color with such precision that it could easily camouflage in numerous situations. Moreover, the car, specially built for the Tang Sect, was also equipped with other types of functions.
1354
1355Tang Wulin had never seen Tang Sect's high-tech equipment before, because he had been just a white fighter. Before this, he had only come across the Tang Sect Combat Vehicle's rate on the exchange list. It was very costly! It was even comparable to rare thousand-year spirit items!
1356
1357Purple One personally drove them. Tang Wulin soon noticed the advantages of using the Combat Vehicle. It was fast and very stable and, from within, he could not hear any noise from outside. The vehicle was five-seated, so everyone could adjust their own seat into a comfortable position.
1358
1359Purple One and Yellow One sat in the front while Tang Wulin, Yellow Two and Yellow Four sat in the rear seats. Soon after leaving the Sect's headquarters, Purple One drove the car onto a highway as they headed straight toward Heaven Dou City.
1360
1361The 'Tang' logo was placed on the front of the Tang Sect Combat Vehicle. Upon reaching the highway, the logo lit up and began making a siren-like sound. Tang Wulin was astonishmed to find that Combat Vehicle continued to accelerate until it was several times faster than a soul train.
1362
1363The rest of the soul cars on the highway avoided them. They gave way to the vehicle by vacating the innermost lane upon hearing the sound of the siren.
1364
1365Was this a privilege? Could a soul car really travel that fast?
1366
1367Tang Wulin was greatly surprised. As a person encountering accidents on a soul train all the time, he would truly appreciate if he could possess a car capable of driving at such speed and with such privilege. It would be easy and convenient for him to travel anywhere.
1368
1369"Purple One, do we have the privilege of exceeding the speed limit and of having others make way when we drive the Tang Sect Combat Vehicle?" Tang Wulin could not help asking.
1370
1371Purple One spoke, "What's on your mind, huh? We're only allowed to do so when we are performing special missions with the sect's permission and the federation's knowledge. Our Tang Sect doesn't have any privileges."
1372
1373'I see.' Even though Tang Wulin was slightly disappointed, he thought it was reasonable. After all, there were quite a lot of Tang Sect fighters. If each one was allowed to drive with such privileges, a careless driver could possibly cause a traffic accident. It made more sense that they were only allowed to do so for special missions.
1374
1375Purple One continued, "However, that's not always strictly the case. If you were to make special contributions to both the Sect and the Federation, you'll be awarded the special contribution medal by the Federation that is used together with our Combat Vehicle, and that might grant you some privileges. Of course, this must be formally applied too. I believe there are a few fighters with such vehicles in our Battle Soul Hall. You can check the information database for the specific requirements when you return."
1376
1377"Thank you," Tang Wulin answered. This was a good development! He would give it more consideration after he had gone back and looked into it.
1378
1379It was possible to possess such privileges at Tang Sect, as in Shrek Academy. At this point, Tang Wulin could not help thinking about his yellow mecha. He should actually upgrade it with his current forging skill. It would be much easier to commute with the mecha.
1380
1381There were so many things he really wanted to do! He cracked a slight smile thinking about the possibilities open to him.
1382
1383Purple One was an extremely skilled driver. He could handle the Tang Sect Combat Vehicle at high speed, going even faster than a soul express train as they entered Heaven Dou City.
1384
1385It was already getting dark. The car slowed down and got off the highway as Purple One drove the car into Heaven Dou City. At the same time, he initiated the Combat Vehicle's camouflage system, so it instantly turned into an ordinary car and did not appear that conspicuous anymore.
1386
1387Tang Wulin could not help feeling dispirited upon entering the city. He could see many camps and makeshift shelters on both sides of the road. With his sharp ears, he would occasionally hear crying voices. All sorts of Federation rescue vehicles could be seen everywhere. He could only imagine how catastrophic this terrorist attack had been on Heaven Dou City.
1388
1389The ancient city that had existed for over twenty thousand years had been ravaged. The Holy Spirit Cult was truly an abomination.
1390
1391Purple One spoke with a deep voice, "It's a little late now. Are any of you not trained for night operations?"
1392
1393No one uttered a word.
1394
1395"Very well. We shall immediately head to the abandoned factory area to carry out our search. I don't know how long it will take us to find some clues, so we ought to begin early. Yellow Two, are you alright physically?"
1396
1397"I'm fine," Yellow Two answered with a crisp voice. Purple One asked because she was a recovery-type soul master.
1398
1399Purple One took a glance at the vehicle-mounted navigation system. He turned the steering wheel and drove them onto a path. Not many cars were on it, so the vehicle gradually gained speed as it headed for the suburb.
1400
1401Tang Wulin closed his eyes to rest. His right hand subconsciously pressed against the yellow fighter's badge he had just received earlier.
1402
1403The yellow fighter's badge could elevate one's spiritual power to a certain extent, and it had multiple other capabilities such as positioning, locating and low-range radar. With an attached communicator that was connected to the badge's internal database, it was highly functional despite its small size.
1404
1405There was a vast difference between yellow rank and white rank when it came to the bearer's benefits.
1406
1407If white fighters were described as reserve officers, then yellow fighters were the Battle Soul Hall's main combat force.
1408
1409Finally, the Tang Sect Combat Vehicle arrived at a region that was obviously abandoned when the sky had completely darkened. One could see the shadows of the factory buildings from afar.
1410
1411There was no lighting, so the place appeared desolate and bleak. As soon as the car had driven into the area, one could feel a chilly sensation flooding into one's chest.
1412
1413Purple One stopped the Combat Vehicle and spoke softly, "Check your communicator."
1414
1415The group of them pressed onto their own badge separately and verified one by one according to the numerical sequence.
1416
1417"Communication effective. Exit the vehicle," Purple One instructed and then got out of the car while shutting off all the car lights.
1418
1419The group left the vehicle in succession. The frosty gloominess felt unusually apparent now.
1420
1421Purple One looked at his surroundings and said, "Yellow Two, team with Yellow Four. Yellow One, Yellow Three and myself will make up four teams to spread out and search. Immediately report if you make any discovery. Don't act rashly if you discover an evil soul master. Call out to your teammates first. Remember, prioritize your safety before anything else. Understood?"
1422
1423"Understood!"
1424
1425It was apparent that the abandoned factory district was huge. Every one of them was given a blueprint. Purple One spread his out and divided the search area, reserving the deepest part for himself.
1426
1427"Move."
1428
1429Purple One waved his hand once at the Tang Sect Combat Vehicle. With a flicker of radiance, the car was placed in the ring on his finger. He then led them as they made their way to the factory.
1430
1431Tang Wulin had a storage ring of his own. The enormous space inside the ring was enough to store even a mecha, but he had left it in the academy before the military training.
1432
1433Yellow One swiftly merged into the darkness. Tang Wulin glanced at his map and advanced in his assigned direction.
1434
1435There was a violet flash in his eyes as he utilized the Purple Demon Eyes to observe his surroundings clearly without the need for any lighting equipment. The Purple Demon Eyes was the Tang Sect technique almost all of their fighters were skilled in.
1436
1437Purple One did not make a conscious effort to instruct everyone to wear the protective clothing because he was confident in them. Everyone possessed battle armor, and the armor was more useful than any protective clothing.
1438
1439Tang Wulin did not feel uncomfortable at all. His Golden Dragon King Bloodline was so powerful that ordinarily hazardous substances could not invade his body!
1440
1441Tang Wulin advanced rapidly. He initiated his yellow badge's micro-radar function as he was walking and sensing everything in his surroundings.
1442
1443It was his first time using the micro-radar, which was capable of detecting within a range of one-hundred meters in diameter and use the data to project a three-dimensional image into his Spirit Sea. It was said the design was inspired by the spiritual detection of Spirit Ice Douluo Huo Yuhao's Spirit Eye soul skill. Of course, the detection range was much smaller compared to the Spirit Ice Douluo.
1444
1445Chapter 855: Wasted Trip?
1446
1447
1448
1449The micro-radar came with a heat detector that was especially effective in detecting living things, making it very convenient.
1450
1451Tang Wulin turned on the radar and kept his soul power infused. A tthree-dimensionalimage of the area within a range of one hundred meters immediately appeared in his mind. His surroundings were all shabby factories and facilities, and it felt extremely bleak and desolate.
1452
1453It was described as searching, but Tang Wulin would actually only need to walk around the factory and rely on the micro-radar to complete the basic search.
1454
1455Tang Wulin advanced swiftly while he controlled his soul power to seal his pores and aura simultaneously, allowing him to move agilely and make as little noise as possible.
1456
1457Tang Wulin picked up the Silent skill from Old Demon Blight on Demon Island. The most important part about sneaking into a place was to ensure that the enemy had no way to discover him. Old Demon Blight's skill was extremely sophisticated. Not only was he capable of silencing his breath, he was also capable of manipulating his soul power and destruction energy, fusing them together until his body temperature could be concealed. He could even avoid being detected by a heat sensor.
1458
1459Tang Wulin was applying what he had learned. Even if someone was to use all sorts of detectors right now, there was no way for anyone to discover him after he had completely sealed his breath, soul power and altered his body temperature.
1460
1461Old Demon Blight told Tang Wulin that everyone only had one life to live, so he would need to be most vigilant at all times to confront possible threats. There was no time for regret when a mistake happened, because he would already be dead.
1462
1463Tang Wulin remembered especially clearly of all the Demons' teachings, due to the many kinds of torment he faced there. Thus, he used the Silent skill and was concealing himself as much as possible as he advanced soundlessly. He was even using his soul power to minimize the signature of the micro-radar's energy fluctuation.
1464
1465Tang Wulin was the fastest at learning the Silent skill among the Shrek Seven Monsters because his spiritual power was the strongest. His Spirit Abyss-ranked spiritual power allowed him to have the precise controls necessary to complete the skill.
1466
1467Tang Wulin quickly searched a large area, but there was nothing to be found. There was not even an insect or pest of any kind in the place, perhaps due to the hazardous materials. It was genuinely dead silent.
1468
1469"Inner zone search is complete. All clear," a voice echoed from the communicator in his ear.
1470
1471"East zone search is complete. All clear," followed Yellow One.
1472
1473Tang Wulin pressed onto his communicator and spoke, "West zone search is complete. All clear."
1474
1475Yellow Two's voice sounded, "Searching south zone now."
1476
1477Purple One spoke, "Yellow One, Yellow Three, both of you head to south zone to rendezvous with Yellow Two and Yellow Four. I'll search the north zone before rejoining all of you."
1478
1479"Yes!"
1480
1481As captain, Purple One naturally undertook a heavier workload than everybody else. This was the Battle Soul Hall's rule that everybody could naturally execute.
1482
1483Tang Wulin advanced toward the south zone swiftly, relying on the yellow badge's positioning device to locate Yellow Two and Yellow Four. Yellow One arrived one step earlier than him because agility-type soul masters would always be slightly faster.
1484
1485"It looks like there's nothing here!" Yellow One spoke with slight disappointment.
1486
1487According to this mission's criteria, one must discover something before the mission was considered complete. Otherwise, one could only score one-third of the reward promised.
1488
1489Yellow Two smiled. "I hope that Purple One will bring us good news."
1490
1491"Hmm." Tang Wulin could only nod.
1492
1493He was frowning ever so slightly under his mask. Even though he found nothing in his search earlier, he had had a feeling that something was not right the whole time. He had fought evil soul masters on numerous occasions, and he was highly perceptive. He sensed that there was an unseen force in the factory that made him very uneasy.
1494
1495It had not taken long before a figure confronted them. Tang Wulin and his teammates instinctively got into a defensive formation while examining their badges.
1496
1497It was Purple One.
1498
1499Purple One's body moved in a flash. "All clear. The abandoned factory is completely empty. The heat sensors aren't detecting anything either."
1500
1501Yellow One spoke, "So what do we do? Was this a waste of time?"
1502
1503Purple One considered for a moment. "It seems like this is it. Logically, the evil soul masters should have retreated to a distant location after launching an attack on this scale. They wouldn't be staying near Heaven Dou City anymore. Anyway, the army already searched this place, and they also didn't find anything."
1504
1505Frustrated, Yellow Two sighed softly. Yellow Four did not speak and neither did Tang Wulin.
1506
1507Purple One pondered for a moment before he said, "Alright, let's withdraw. We can't remain here for no reason. Our search using the fighter's badge is extremely reliable. If the badge's micro radar didn't manage to pick up anything, then it's difficult for us to discover anything more even if we were to stay here. We must return first before we discuss any further."
1508
1509"Boohoo…" a soft weeping sound suddenly echoed at that exact moment.
1510
1511At once, the five fighters reacted to the sound, looking toward the direction where the crying was coming from. The sobbing that suddenly echoed within the abandoned factory in the pitch black night made the hairs on the back of their necks stand up immediately.
1512
1513Tang Wulin was the calmest one because he had seen way too many dubious situations on the Demon Island.
1514
1515"Who's there?" Purple One shouted sternly while initiating the micro-radar on his fighter's badge. He was astonished that there was no trace of any life form at all within his micro-radar's over three hundred-meter range.
1516
1517"Boohoo…" the sobbing sound continued.
1518
1519Tang Wulin frowned ever so slightly as if he suddenly recalled something.
1520
1521Soon after, the mournful noise was heard loudly from all around as if countless people were crying. The crying echoed and made the surrounding factories seemed to become disturbed as well. Shadows overlapped at once while those abandoned facilities seemed to become alive and were swaying gently.
1522
1523"Be careful, everyone!" Purple One shouted in a deep voice while unleashing his martial soul. A total of seven soul rings arose from underneath his feet. Tang Wulin was surprised to learn that he was a seven-ringed Soul Sage.
1524
1525There was no doubt that the Battle Soul Hall was extremely cautious when it came to arranging missions. Every fighter was precious to the Hall. Hence, even though they were only a reconnaissance squadron, they were paired with a seven-ringed Soul Sage battle armor master. Being both a seven-ringed Soul Sages as well as a two-word battle armor master made him capable of possessing power that exceeded an ordinary Title Douluo, so he could easily handle whatever perilous situation came his way.
1526
1527Yellow One, Yellow Two and Yellow Four each unleashed their five-ringed martial souls. Yellow Four retreated to the rear, with her back against Yellow Two. Yellow One and Tang Wulin stood on either side while Purple One stood at the front and forming a standard cross-combat formation.
1528
1529Tang Wulin also unleashed his two yellow and three purple soul rings. His five soul rings appeared slightly different from the rest of the three yellow fighters.
1530
1531It was the Disguise skill! Perhaps it should be called the Soul Ring Disguise skill that originated from Old Demon Nightmare.
1532
1533The most direct manner for soul masters to identify each other's power was by looking at the color and quantity of their soul rings. Different colors represented different cultivation bases while soul rings also clearly revealed a soul master's strength or weakness.
1534
1535Because of this, Old Demon Nightmare passed on the Disguise skill to Tang Wulin which allowed him to fuse together, control and warp a person's field of vision through his spiritual and destructive power. In other words, the radiance emitted from his soul rings was refracted making the others see them as having different colors.
1536
1537The Disguise skill was ineffective in actual combat, but it was very useful, especially after Tang Wulin acquired the strange green-gold soul ring from Nature's Child.
1538
1539He appeared no different from an ordinary soul master.
1540
1541"Boohoo… Boohoo... Boohoo…" The sobbing sound was growing more and more bitter. One could not help shivering upon hearing it.
1542
1543Chapter 856: Spiritual Illusion
1544
1545
1546
1547Purple One spoke coldly, "Stop acting like a ghost. Come out!" He pointed his right hand to the sky as he was saying that. A ball of white light surged skyward despite his soul ring which had not even been triggered. The mass of white light was condensed. It surged upright to the sky fifty meters above before it suddenly exploded and transformed into a white halo ring that illuminated the surrounding ground.
1548
1549He had such powerful control over his soul power. Tang Wulin was shocked because Purple One lived up to his reputation as a purple fighter. The effect was obviously launched with his Mysterious Heaven Method soul power. It conserved soul power as compared to using his soul skill. At the same time, it had an illuminating effect. It appeared to consume massive power, but in reality, the soul power that was expended was insignificant.
1550
1551There was nothing on the ground. With his Purple Demon Eyes, he did not see anything suspicious within his visual field.
1552
1553Purple One spoke with a deep voice, "Follow me." As he was saying that, he walked outside in quick strides.
1554
1555There was no doubt that the peculiar situation was only happening within the factory. It would be better for them to leave the place.
1556
1557"Boohoo… boohoo… boohoo…" the sobbing echoed once again while the surrounding air turned bleak and cold.
1558
1559Just as Purple One and the four yellow fighters were about to head out from the factory zone, the surrounding space began to warp violently that they could not distinguish their direction anymore. Everyone felt dizzy as if the sky and land were churning as a whole. An unknown fear and spiritual stress suddenly overwhelmed them akin to rising tidewater rushing in and overpowering them.
1560
1561Meanwhile, they had yet to discover where the enemy was coming from.
1562
1563Purple One spoke with a deep voice, "It's a spiritual illusion. It's possibly an enemy skilled in spiritual power. I can't reach the headquarters. Be careful, everyone. Stay together."
1564
1565He noticed that a vine had wound around his waist. Instinctively, he turned his head to find Tang Wulin making a hand gesture at him.
1566
1567The most scary part about being in an illusion was that they would lose communication with one another after they were forcefully separated by the enemy. Tang Wulin managed to unleash his Bluesilver Emperor to solve this issue.
1568
1569The sobbing grew louder while the surroundings were spinning rapidly akin to being on a merry-go-round. Purple One attempted to launch an attack but his attack dissipated as soon as it struck the illusion just like clay oxen going into the sea.
1570
1571Purple One stopped acting rashly. He felt like he had sunk into the deepest valley for falling into the enemy's deadly illusion. An illusion of this stature was definitely not something that could be unleashed by an ordinary soul master. This had to be done by a person with domain abilities. It would be extremely difficult for them to break away from the enemy's domain. It was apparent that the enemy was attempting to cut off their communications with headquarters requesting for reinforcements.
1572
1573Meanwhile, Tang Wulin's voice echoed in Purple One's ears, "Purple One, it's Yellow Three here. I know how to break the illusion temporarily. Get us out of here using the fastest method when I'm diffusing the illusion."
1574
1575"Okay!" He did not question how Tang Wulin was going to diffuse the illusion. A Tang Sect fighter's steady composure was undoubtedly revealed at this time.
1576
1577Tang Wulin's voice was heard simultaneously in the ears of his fellow fighters. In the next moment, he spoke softly, "Three, two, one!"
1578
1579The group was pulled together in unison following Tang Wulin's count of three. Soon after, Tang Wulin straightened his body. There appeared to be no change in the five soul rings on his body. In reality, it had already been replaced with the Golden Dragon King's four bloodline soul rings.
1580
1581"Roar…" a raging roar that shook the heaven and earth was heard that it shut out the sobbing sound instantly.
1582
1583A terrifying and deafening roar was unleashed as if an enormous golden dragon head was about to surge skyward. The illusion was at once shattered akin to a bubble popping while the surrounding factory area seemed to have returned to normal instantly.
1584
1585There was no need for Tang Wulin to speak. Purple One had already leaped and pulled at the Bluesilver Emperor on his body with both his hands simultaneously. He had relied on his seven-ring Soul Sage cultivation base to gather Tang Wulin and the rest to dash out swiftly.
1586
1587The sudden turn of events took the concealed enemy hiding in a dark corner by surprise. Their speeds were unusually swift as they dashed out of the factory zone.
1588
1589"Argh…" a seemingly sad scream pierced the air. A gigantic skull suddenly bored out of the ground just as they were about to dash out of the factory.
1590
1591The skull was ten meters high with green flames darting from its eye sockets. A puff of green flames shot out toward Tang Wulin's group of five as it opened its mouth.
1592
1593Although it was not hot, the five people felt an intense piercing pain permeating their souls simultaneously. It was as if the soul fire was burning in their minds.
1594
1595What trick was this?
1596
1597Purple One roared in rage as purple radiance shot out violently from his eyes. He had already perfected his Purple Demon Eyes. At the same time, pieces of battle armor turned around swiftly on his body. A pair of wings spread open behind his back to block the green flames from hurting the four people behind him.
1598
1599A muffled humph was heard as Purple One staggered once. The dark brown battle armor covering his body was tainted by the green flames much to everyone's surprise.
1600
1601Yellow One shouted in her pleasing voice as a stream of pure white flames swept across Purple One's body, "Spiritual Heal!"
1602
1603Her execution was precise because there was no doubt that the green flames were aimed at attacking one's sea of spirit. The green flames on Purple One's body were subdued as expected. However, the flames spurting out from the gigantic skull had spread out in all directions and were sweeping toward them.
1604
1605Yellow Four shouted as the fourth soul ring on his body glowed brightly. A revolving, circular shield appeared. The shield was covered with a layer of strange scales when it was conjured. The strange scales rapidly spread out and transformed into a protective shield that enshrouded the whole group.
1606
1607At the same time, everyone's battle armor was already unleashed to enhance their defenses.
1608
1609Purple One roared once as the sixth soul ring on his body shimmered. Finally, the group of people found out his martial soul.
1610
1611A purple giant dragon flew into the sky following a loud and distinct cry. It flapped its wings in the sky as a purple energy storm swept across an area a hundred meters ahead of them abruptly.
1612
1613The Purple Jade Divine Eagle was a species of extremely powerful flying-type soul beasts. Purple One was launching his sixth soul skill at present which was known as the Divine Eagle Heavenly Dance.
1614
1615The Divine Eagle Heavenly Dance was capable of unleashing the Purple Jade Storm. The dual spiritual and physical attack storm was released as a siege attack that was capable of attacking a large area.
1616
1617The Purple Storm lashed into the giant skull's green flames. However, it only managed to block the flames from continuing to lash at the group but was incapable of launching an attack.
1618
1619It was at that moment they understood that the enemy they were fighting was far more powerful than them. They had not even seen the person, yet they were already in an inferior position.
1620
1621The calmest person at the moment was Tang Wulin. After his horrendous experiences on Demon Island, his mental strength far exceeded the ordinary folks.
1622
1623Tang Wulin was not in a rush to attack as he was observing the gigantic skull closely when Purple One and Purple Four were resisting the enemy's attack.
1624
1625He realized that there was a ring of faint green radiance that was continually accumulating in the skull's direction whenever the giant skull spurted green flames. It was as if the skull was absorbing something from its surroundings.
1626
1627Tang Wulin grew more certain of his judgment when he witnessed the scene.
1628
1629"Roar…" His third soul ring shimmered as the Golden Dragon Roar was heard once again.
1630
1631The green flames spurting from the skull's mouth flickered slightly but it did not appear to be weakening. However, one would notice the faint green radiance around the skull vanish each time the Golden Dragon Roar was unleashed.
1632
1633Meanwhile, Tang Wulin leaped from the side. The Golden Dragon Spear had already appeared in his right palm flashing with a golden radiance. The piercing golden radiance emanated from his body as he flung his arm transforming the Golden Dragon Spear into a golden electrode that shot straight into the skull's forehead.
1634
1635The entire process from launching the Golden Dragon Roar to hurling the Golden Dragon Spear was completed by the time it took to blink one's eyes twice.
1636
1637It was apparent that the giant skull was affected by the Golden Dragon Roar. Meanwhile, the Golden Dragon Spear had already arrived at the center of the skull's forehead within a split second.
1638
1639A green light shield appeared simultaneously, but nonetheless, it was penetrated by the Golden Dragon Spear. The shield vanished in a flash the moment it came into contact with the Golden Dragon Spear's tip.
1640
1641The Golden Dragon Spear was equipped with three special abilities that were puncture, penetrate, and devour. Each time Tang Wulin broke through a layer of the Golden Dragon King Seal, his control and comprehension of the Golden Dragon Spear would be elevated by a rank.
1642
1643The giant skull tilted backward due to the momentum created by the Golden Dragon Spear after it penetrated the shield. The green flames in its mouth spurted into the sky.
1644
1645Tang Wulin let out a loud and distinct dragon's roar while he was in the air. A flash of golden shadow appeared in midair as he launched the Golden Dragon Flies!
1646
1647Chapter 857: Valiance
1648
1649
1650
1651Tang Wulin immediately tossed out the Golden Dragon Spear before urging the Golden Dragon Flies to the side of the giant skull as he flung his right hand brazenly.
1652
1653Five streams of dark golden, seven-meter long blade radiances flashed once as the radiances pounded into the giant skull. Scraping and shattering noises were heard simultaneously. The green radiance dissipated at once as countless flames shot out intensely.
1654
1655Tang Wulin crossed his arms to protect himself as the golden radiance enshrouded his body. He somersaulted backward landing on the ground. He waved his right hand once to conjure a stream of golden radiance that shot forward before returning to his hand like a boomerang. It was the Golden Dragon Spear which had rendered its outstanding performance earlier.
1656
1657Let alone Yellow One, Yellow Two, and Yellow Four, even Purple One was stunned from witnessing the present scene.
1658
1659The entire episode only took two breaths from the moment when Tang Wulin had an outburst until he crushed the skull. The skull that had given them much trouble was finally shattered. It was simply unbelievable.
1660
1661"Go, quick!" Tang Wulin shouted aloud to jolt his comrades out of their daze. They immediately reacted and quickly dashed out from the factory zone together with him.
1662
1663The terrifying, overbearing force vanished as soon as they exited the factory. There was no enemy chasing after them either.
1664
1665Purple One flung his hand and out shot the Tang Sect Combat Vehicle. He took the lead and leaped into the vehicle while the rest jumped into the vehicle in succession. He stepped on the accelerator to its maximum as he drove them at full speed back to where they came from.
1666
1667In the factory district.
1668
1669A figure emerged silently from afar. He appeared to be a middle-aged man over forty with seven soul rings shimmering on his body. He had two yellow, two purple, and three black soul rings. His right hand was holding a pitch black staff with a light orb which appeared as a mist of green light floating on top of the staff.
1670
1671His expression was unpleasant and gloomy.
1672
1673"He broke my Devil Devour Skull. I'm afraid that the people from Tang Sect will be coming soon. We can't handle everything for we must leave immediately after we've collected all the grieving souls here."
1674
1675"Yes!" A large stretch of skulls which were densely arranged flew up from around him. Each skull was shimmering with green flames in its eye sockets. These skulls which were much smaller than the giant skull flew out rapidly in all directions.
1676
1677The Tang Sect Combat Vehicle drove at high speed. The group's battle armors were gradually retracted into their bodies accompanied by streams of radiances.
1678
1679Yellow Four could not help staring at Tang Wulin in surprise. "Yellow Three, how did you do that? The attack earlier was simply amazing. The skull exploded into pieces at one go. Oh my god, you're truly impressive."
1680
1681Tang Wulin spoke, "It's not that I'm impressive, it's just that the skull wasn't as powerful as you imagined."
1682
1683Purple One had just completed his report to the headquarters. The communications signal had returned to normal upon leaving the factory district. He could not help turning around upon hearing Tang Wulin's words and asked, "Tell us what happened."
1684
1685Tang Wulin answered, "When the sobbing sounds appeared, we hadn't spotted any signs of life. This indicated the sounds weren't produced by a life form. I've recently witnessed some peculiar situations. Thus, I made a bold guess that the sobbing sounds were probably made by vengeful spirits within the factory."
1686
1687"Judging by our mission, the target factory was involved in a major hazardous substance leakage incident so there was bound to be a lot of fatalities. Those innocent victims who were accidentally killed could have become vengeful spirits. These vengeful spirits were supposed to perish naturally but they could exist for a longer period of time if someone were to manipulate their existence intentionally, such as evil soul masters!"
1688
1689"Thus, I made a bold speculation that those were vengeful spirits when we couldn't determine the source of the sobbing sound. It was probably the vengeful spirits of those people who died in the factory earlier. The illusion that appeared later could have been triggered by the vengeful spirits."
1690
1691"One would require an enormous amount of spiritual power to control the vengeful spirits. We couldn't tell where our enemy was hiding. In order to leave the tight encirclement, we had to disrupt the enemy's control of the vengeful spirits. Hence, I used the sound soul skill of mine. The raging roar's dual sonic and spiritual shocking effects made the vengeful spirits lose control momentarily such that we could escape from the place. Although the giant skull has a powerful attacking ability, I noticed that there was a lot of radiance which was similar to the vengeful spirits which scared us gathering underneath the skull. Hence, I made a wild guess that the source of the giant skull's energy was most likely from the vengeful spirits in the factory. If my guess was right, then the enemy hiding in the dark corner was possibly not as powerful as we had imagined for he was only relying on the vengeful spirits in the factory to become so powerful."
1692
1693Tang Wulin paused for a moment before he continued, "If he wasn't that powerful, then the skull which he unleashed would naturally be flawed in its defense as well. I used this knowledge to launch an attack. As expected, it was easily destroyed after the channeling of the vengeful spirits was halted. My guess was confirmed when no one chased after us after we left that place. The enemy was certainly not that powerful. He wasn't a worthy opponent outside of the factory."
1694
1695The people in the Tang Sect Combat Vehicle became silent after listening to Tang Wulin's analysis.
1696
1697After a long while, Purple One who was driving the vehicle spoke slowly, "Did you truly enter the same factory as us?" It was obvious that his voice sounded rather bitter.
1698
1699He was the mission's captain, yet he did not discover the enemy's true purpose and made a proper judgment of the situation when they were confronted by danger. If it were not for Tang Wulin's correct hunch and his heroic effort to turn the tide during the crucial moments, they would possibly still be trapped in that place.
1700
1701Yellow One, Yellow Two, and Yellow Four were also looking at Tang Wulin as if he were a monster.
1702
1703His fighting capacity was impressive, but his analytical ability was even more incredible.
1704
1705Tang Wulin scratched his head. He did not think it was anything out of the ordinary. In fact, it felt quite normal for him. Why were his teammates in awe of him?
1706
1707He was unaware that he had changed into a different person after undergoing the special training on Demon Island which included his ability to observe, react to emergencies, and make quick decisions. He had far exceeded the abilities of any ordinary person and even the Tang Sect fighters. The extraordinary ability which he had unintentionally revealed was enough to shock his teammates.
1708
1709The Tang Sect Combat Vehicle stopped after it was driven into the city. They waited for the arrival of reinforcements. It did not take long before two black fighters appeared silently.
1710
1711The two black fighters looked at Tang Wulin approvingly before they vanished into the night.
1712
1713"So, what are we going to do now?" Yellow One asked Purple One.
1714
1715Purple One replied, "We shall wait here for the result. At the same time, we can also check if our mission is completed. Everyone can rest for a while in the car if you're tired. I'll be on watch."
1716
1717While he was a little envious of Tang Wulin's ability, he also felt guilty. If it were not for Tang Wulin's resolute effort to turn the tide, they would have suffered a great loss this time. Moreover, they could have been annihilated. If that were the case, he could not absolve himself from being accountable as the captain.
1718
1719Tang Wulin walked toward Purple One and was about to say something when Purple One shook his head at Tang Wulin. "I'm fine. There's no need to console me. I'm very glad to have a teammate like you. Also, I realize that we're still lacking in many areas to fight the evil soul masters. I'll work hard to compensate for the inadequacies when I return to the headquarters."
1720
1721Tang Wulin gave him a thumbs up for he had proven himself to be a fighter!
1722
1723There were a few reasons that resulted in Purple One's failure to react to the emergency situation today. One was because it happened abruptly, while the other was his lack of understanding of the evil soul masters. In addition to the fact that he was not a calm person, he also lacked the experience to fight the evil soul masters.
1724
1725Chapter 858: Teachings of the Pavilion Master
1726
1727
1728
1729However, all these things did not affect his outstanding qualities. Fighting against the evil soul masters was a long, arduous journey. Tang Wulin's performance had annoyed him a little. Nevertheless, as long as he remained a fighter, he would continue to improve himself.
1730
1731Yellow One, Yellow Two, and Yellow Four came over and thanked Tang Wulin.
1732
1733The situation over at the factory was uncertain. No one had any intention of taking a rest, so they could only wait here patiently. They waited until the skies were almost bright when the two black fighters returned with the news.
1734
1735The evil soul masters within the factory had left. Tang Wulin's judgment was correct. The evil soul masters had used the wraiths within the factory. There was also an altar deep beneath the factory. Judging from the altar's use, the wraiths of the factory had been exorcized. Many souls of the casualties in the terror attack had been exorcized at the altar by the evil soul masters.
1736
1737Everyone had a heavy heart upon receiving the information. At the same time, the two black fighters also announced that their mission was accomplished.
1738
1739For Tang Wulin's outstanding performance throughout the mission, he was awarded half of the mission's rewards while the other four fighters divided the remaining half among themselves.
1740
1741One could not decline the rewards given despite one's modesty. When the superior fighters had decided, the lower-ranked fighters had no choice but to obey. Also, Purple One and the others sincerely thought that Tang Wulin deserved the rewards.
1742
1743The rewards of the mission were already doubled to begin with. Now that he had half of it for himself, Tang Wulin definitely reaped a more than generous reward. However, the mission had also left an indelible mark in his heart. He had seen the savageries of the Holy Spirit Cult.
1744
1745Even with the Federation's strength, there was nothing it could do to the Holy Spirit Cult. Although the attack had happened a long time ago, they were still unable to locate the main forces of the current Holy Spirit Cult's mission. This time, they had finally gotten hold of some clues after all the trouble, but the evil soul masters still managed to get away. Indeed, it would be difficult to believe that they did not receive any outside assistance. The inner network of the Holy Spirit Cult was truly terrifying.
1746
1747Purple One drove the Tang Sect's fighting vehicle back to Shrek City. After he reported on the mission's completion and claimed his points, the whole team was disbanded.
1748
1749Tang Wulin did not accept any more missions. Instead, he headed back to the academy. He wanted to go back and retrieve his things before anything else. Then, he planned to go to Heaven Dou City where his uncle master was.
1750
1751When he had accomplished the mission, he knew that the Blacksmith's Association was not affected by the great explosion. This turned out to be a great fortune amidst misfortune.
1752
1753Everything within Shrek Academy remained the same. Tang Wulin went to the inner court. He proceeded to Sea God's Island to report himself.
1754
1755He had barely reached Sea God's Island when he was shocked to see someone waiting at the shores.
1756
1757The person wore a white garment and had his hands behind his back. His handsome face had a faint coldness to it. When he saw Tang Wulin coming over, he was hardly perturbed. Instead, he waved at him.
1758
1759Tang Wulin tapped the water's surface with the tip of his toes and landed steadily on the shore. Then, he quickly bowed and paid his respects. "Elder Yun."
1760
1761The person who was waiting on the shores was none other than Shrek Academy's current Pavilion Master, Atlas Douluo Yun Ming.
1762
1763Yun Ming nodded slightly toward him. "Come with me." He turned around and walked toward the inner parts of Sea God's Island.
1764
1765Tang Wulin hastily followed after him.
1766
1767Outwardly, Yun Ming did not seem to be walking very fast. However, Tang Wulin had to run with all his might just to keep up with him.
1768
1769Sea God's Island was not that big. In no time, Tang Wulin had followed him to the Sea God Pavilion.
1770
1771They entered the Sea God Pavilion, but Yun Ming did not stop in the hall. Instead, he walked up the stairs. Tang Wulin followed behind him and looked curiously at his surroundings.
1772
1773He was not familiar with the Sea God Pavilion which made him highly curious regarding the place. The wooden hut was not spacious and was built leaning on the Gold Tree. It was one of the most revered places on the entire Douluo Continent!
1774
1775Yun Ming brought Tang Wulin all the way up to the Sea God Pavilion's third floor. They went into an empty room.
1776
1777There was no furniture inside the room, only two rush cushions on the floor.
1778
1779Yun Ming sat on the one further inside the room. He pointed at the cushion opposite. "Sit."
1780
1781Tang Wulin obeyed and sat down. He was feeling both shock and curious. 'Could it be that Elder Yun was waiting for me by the shore?'
1782
1783He was not in the least surprised that Yun Ming knew about his return. With Elder Yun's cultivation base, he reckoned that Elder Yun would have known the instant he set foot in Shrek City.
1784
1785"Do you have any news of Na'er?" asked Yun Ming with his lowered voice.
1786
1787Tang Wulin shuddered inwardly, but he shook his head with a bitter smile. He did not have any news, whether it was about Na'er or Gu Yue!
1788
1789Yun Ming suddenly said, "You've formed a soul power vortex already?"
1790
1791Tang Wulin looked at him with astonishment. He then nodded. Although he could not quite comprehend Yun Ming's rank, he was wondering about the capability of his eyes that could see a person's soul power vortex just by looking at the person. It was as if his body could be seen through by Yun Ming's gaze.
1792
1793Yun Ming's brows were slightly furrowed. He seemed to be pondering something.
1794
1795Finally, he spoke after a long while, "Are there any problems?"
1796
1797Tang Wulin shook his head. "It's just as teacher said. The soul power vortex is normal. I, myself am unsure why the soul power vortex formed at my rank. I thought that it would only appear just before I attain rank-7."
1798
1799Yun Ming said, "In truth, the soul power vortex and ranks are unrelated. It's only related to the density of one's soul power. Once your soul power has reached a certain concentration level, it will increasingly resemble a solid. However, there's no such thing as a soul power in solid form. Hence, the soul power that's nearly solid will exist in such a unique state, and that is a vortex."
1800
1801"Simply put, if you have highly concentrated chocolate syrup, and you leave it alone in its natural state, it'll quickly form into chunks. Or, imagine a cup of hypersaline water, crystals will quickly form and settle at the bottom of the cup. However, when you stir them constantly and maintain the stirring, they will stay in their liquid state. Such liquids can maintain their high density and are also evenly distributed."
1802
1803"It's the same with soul power. After your soul power reaches a certain level, your body will naturally manage it. At the same time, your body will guide it to form a vortex. It is a natural process of soul power cultivation until the condensation of a soul core. The soul power vortex itself possesses a strong attractive force. It attracts the soul power within you, and it has a very powerful pull on the outer world's origin energy. This can help you obtain twice the results with half the effort in your cultivation. It's very rare for you to be able to form a soul power vortex with your five-ring cultivation base. Back then, I'd also formed the soul power vortex when I was at rank-59. After that, the rate of my cultivation from rank-60 to rank-70 wasn't much different from rank-50 to rank-60."
1804
1805After hearing Yun Ming's words, Tang Wulin had newfound knowledge about the soul power vortex. Also, he was astonished that the Sea God Pavilion's Pavilion Master Elder Yun had imparted his knowledge to him. 'He formed his soul power vortex at rank-59? Does this mean that I'm going to surpass him in this aspect?'
1806
1807Although he was startled, Tang Wulin remembered everything Yun Ming said. These were the teachings of a person who was regarded as the best under the heavens! The majority of soul masters would never have such a chance in their lifetimes.
1808
1809When Yun Ming saw that Tang Wulin was listening keenly, he continued, "From now on, all you have to do is just cultivate conventionally. With the soul power vortex as your foundation, your cultivation base will increase very quickly. If you have any problems, you can come and ask me in the Sea God Pavilion."
1810
1811"Understood. Thank you, Elder Yun," said Tang Wulin in reverence.
1812
1813Yun Ming looked at him with a slightly complicated gaze, "I'm a very emotional person. Because of what happened to Na'er, that's why I don't like you."
1814
1815Tang Wulin was stunned, but he could only respond with a bitter smile. Regarding Na'er, his heart was also filled with regret.
1816
1817Yun Ming continued, "When I take the academy into consideration, I know I shouldn't feel that way. This time, the effects of your military training on Demon Island were very good. I received word from them that your results even surpassed most of your seniors."
1818
1819Tang Wulin made no reply. 'Is he praising me?'
1820
1821Yun Ming paused as if he was pondering over something. However, it seemed like he did not have a conclusion. He waved his hand and said, "You may leave."
1822
1823"Alright." Tang Wulin stood up hastily. After bowing to Yun Ming once again, he turned around and left.
1824
1825As he looked at Tang Wulin receding, Yun Ming sighed softly and massaged his brows.
1826
1827A small door on the side of the room opened. The Holy Spirit Douluo Yali walked out from within. She moved behind Yun Ming and kneaded his shoulders lightly.
1828
1829"You still can't make up your mind? This child is truly outstanding. With his temperament and abilities, he can surely shoulder great responsibilities."
1830
1831Yun Ming shook his head. "I still don't like him. We'll see."
1832
1833Yali sighed softly. "Don't you push him too far away!"
1834
1835Chapter 859: Broadcast of The Grandteacher
1836
1837
1838
1839A faint smile showed on Yun Ming's face. "I'm not worried about that. He isn't only one of the academy's Shrek Seven Monsters, he's also a Tang Sect fighter at the same time. My actions this time have violated the rules set by the academy. Just think of it as putting him through additional trials. Arrange a meeting to inform the others that we'll consider Tang Wulin as a prospective Sea God Pavilion resident elder. But, this information mustn't reach the outsiders, including Tang Wulin himself."
1840
1841"Understood."
1842
1843Yun Ming stood up and held his wife's hand. "Actually, I'm looking forward to the miracles that he might create in the future. The previous Sea God Pavilion Masters had to endure countless cycles of hardship before they were finally able to shoulder the heavy responsibility."
1844
1845Yali smiled. "I like this child very much. I believe he can do it. According to the regulations set by the academy, a person who passes all the trials on Demon Island is qualified to become a Sea God Pavilion resident elder. If the person manages to break the record as well, then the person will be the next Sea God Pavilion Master. His results are obvious to all."
1846
1847Yun Ming smiled. "I have my plans."
1848
1849Tang Wulin exited the Sea God Pavilion, but he still felt puzzled. Did the Sea God Pavilion Master, Elder Yun come to fetch him by the shore just to give him a few tips on the cultivation method of his soul power vortex? He could feel that Yun Ming had something to say but refrained himself. Nonetheless, he did not know what it was that Yun Ming wanted to say.
1850
1851In any case, Elder Yun seemed to have accepted him to some degree. This was good news.
1852
1853Tang Wulin returned home and carried everything which he had stored with him. Then, he went to the wooden house where Scarlet Dragon Douluo Zhuo Shi lived.
1854
1855"Grandteacher."
1856
1857Zhuo Shi was basking in the yard. When one had achieved one's cultivation base, there was no longer a need to cultivate all the time. More time was spent on understanding the world. Instant enlightenment was the insight needed for a breakthrough.
1858
1859When Zhuo Shi saw him, he was not shocked in the least. He smiled and asked, "Did you meet the Pavilion Master?"
1860
1861Tang Wulin answered curiously, "You knew?"
1862
1863Zhuo Shi said with a smile. "It's only natural that he finds you. Come and sit by your grandteacher's side," he said as he pointed at the seat beside him.
1864
1865Tang Wulin went beside Zhuo Shi and sat down. Zhuo Shi said, "Tell me about your experiences during this trip." After he finished, he closed his eyes.
1866
1867There was nothing that Tang Wulin needed to hide from his grandteacher. He then recounted the encounters he had together with his comrades. From the incident on the soul express train fighting powerful evil soul masters to their arrival in the Northsea City and their horrendous experiences on the Demon Island, he narrated the whole story in detail. The only thing he left out was the Tang Sect fighters' mission in which he had participated after his military training.
1868
1869Zhuo Shi listened to him with his eyes closed. He only opened his eyes after Tang Wulin had finished his narration.
1870
1871Zhuo Shi sighed softly and said, "The peace in the continent seems to be coming to its end. My generation is old. The responsibility of transforming and protecting the continent lies on the young shoulders of your generation."
1872
1873Tang Wulin looked at him with shock. "Grandteacher, is it really that serious?"
1874
1875Zhuo Shi lowered his voice and said, "It's more serious than you imagine. There are some problems among the higher-ups of the Federation. Some of them are openly infighting themselves within the Federation. On the surface, the Federation is still calm and peaceful, but in truth, the infighting is quite serious. The incident of Heaven Dou City this time is a result of the infighting. As a Federation congressman, Mo Wu was a potential successor, but he died in the Holy Spirit Cult's surprise attack. This escalated the conflict further among the members of the Congress. Although we can't be sure which congressman is affiliated to the Holy Spirit Cult, there's no doubt there's an insider among the congressmen who protects them. Otherwise, there's no way that the Holy Spirit Cult can hide while the Federation is powerless to act against a sect of the evil soul masters."
1876
1877"It seems like we'll be having troubled times soon. The Federation isn't the only one facing problems. I've heard that there's also an inner conflict in Spirit Pagoda. Even on Star Luo Empire's side, the Green Skeleton Rebellion seemed to have received some form of support. Their war with the Star Luo Empire's officials is escalating. It seems that the entire Douluo Star is going through troubled times."
1878
1879Tang Wulin's brain was in overdrive thinking about it. However, he was as puzzled as ever. After all, he had only been a mere student of Shrek Academy. He was not too familiar with the continent's situation. He worked very hard and focused mainly on his cultivation.
1880
1881Zhuo Shi said, "There's no need for you to trouble yourself with this matter yet. You'll at least have to wait after your graduation from the inner court before you're involved in any of this. But, you must remember, as the leader of this generation's Shrek Seven Monsters, there's no way you can evade this responsibility. Shrek Academy has always been neutral, but that's during peaceful times. Once there's a threat that can cause upheavals on the continent and endanger the lives of common people, the academy will take precautionary actions. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"
1882
1883Tang Wulin nodded slightly. Without a doubt, Shrek Academy's heritage had for tens of thousands of years been deeply ingrained on Douluo Continent. The outstanding graduates of the academy were everywhere holding various influential posts on the continent. Once the academy made a clarion call, the power it would amass was formidable.
1884
1885Zhuo Shi raised a hand and pressed down on Tang Wulin's shoulder. "In the future, the pressure you'll be under will only increase. You'll then truly understand the benefits you've gained from your trip to the Demon Island. I only hope that the greater the pressure, the more motivated you will be. Come, tell me about the problems you faced while you were cultivating including the Golden Dragon Nine Moves."
1886
1887Tang Wulin stayed in Zhuo Shi's wooden house until evening came. After Zhuo Shi's instructions, he overcame all the problems that had surfaced recently.
1888
1889He stayed on Sea God's Island that night.
1890
1891He stayed in the wooden house Gu Yue left him. He sat on the edge of the bed and looked at the clear and bright moonlight outside the window. Her beautiful face surfaced in his mind. He seemed to feel her presence.
1892
1893The silver dragon scale on his chest reflected the gentle moonlight's glow. He was sleepless during the night.
1894
1895The next day, Tang Wulin left the academy early in the morning. He had mentioned to Zhuo Shi that he would be in Heaven Dou City for a month. He would go there and learn to forge from the Divine Craftsman, Zhen Hua.
1896
1897His forging level had reached a crucial bottleneck currently. Once he could accomplish Soul Refinement, he would enter a new realm in the field of forging. As the youngest rank-6 blacksmith of the current forging world, once he achieved a breakthrough, he would have limitless possibilities in terms of forging.
1898
1899After he exited the academy, Tang Wulin did not go to the soul express train station to board the soul train. He was genuinely afraid of soul trains now, especially the route between Shrek City and Heaven Dou City. He had lost count of the incidents he had encountered on this route alone. For the safety of the passengers and himself, he decided that it was better not to board the soul train.
1900
1901He arrived at the Battle Soul Hall of Tang Sect. Tang Wulin proceeded to redeem a Tang Sect fighter vehicle with his points.
1902
1903After his prior experience riding a fighter vehicle, Tang Wulin had taken a liking to this mode of transportation. Its high speed aside, it was very stable. The only shortcoming was that it had no special features. Even so, the equipment on the vehicle far surpassed other ordinary cars.
1904
1905As for his mecha, he had retrieved it already. Now, he only needed to wait for it to be upgraded. Mechas and cars were different after all. The Federation had strict regulations on mechas, especially during an emergency.
1906
1907Tang Wulin had a lot of fighter points. He still had a large balance after redeeming a Tang Sect fighter vehicle. He stored the fighter vehicle in his storage ring and only released it after he was out the door.
1908
1909Unlike the fighter vehicle he rode the other day, he had redeemed one with three rows of seats. It was a Tang Sect fighter vehicle that could carry eight passengers at maximum capacity. Its speed was not as fast as the previous one, but it had better cross-country capabilities.
1910
1911There were seven members among the Shrek Seven Monsters. The extra seat was naturally kept for her
1912
1913Chapter 860: Suppressing Disturbances with Wisdom
1914
1915
1916
1917He drove the car and went on his way. The camouflage system on the Tang Sect fighter vehicle was activated. The surface of the vehicle was covered by a layer of dark blue paint. Under low light, it appeared black. It showed a deep sapphire-like luster under the sun, and was extracted from a mineral. The color was known as cavansite blue. It was corrosion-resistant, and its application strengthened the metals. Some mechas also opted for these materials as their cover paint.
1918
1919Tang Wulin drove the Tang Sect fighter vehicle and went on the highway at lightning speed. He was headed toward Heaven Dou City.
1920
1921The feeling between driving a vehicle and riding in one was different. Tang Wulin noticed that the Tang Sect fighter vehicle was very stable and easy to control. He could easily attain the state of being one with the vehicle.
1922
1923Although it ran at high speeds, it was still stable. In merely two hours, the landmark of Heaven Dou City could already be seen from afar.
1924
1925It was not known if the Battle Soul Hall had arrested the evil soul masters from the Holy Spirit Cult. The incident at the abandoned factory still weighed heavily on Tang Wulin's heart. The more he understood the Holy Spirit Cult, the more he realized how threatening they were to society and the Federation at large. Those crooks must be dealt with as soon as possible!
1926
1927Tang Wulin exited the highway and drove onto the main road leading to Heaven Dou City. The situation was almost similar to the day before yesterday. There were still many victims on both sides of the road. However, they were being taken care of by the official agencies, and their numbers had decreased.
1928
1929He reckoned that the reconstruction work would take a long time. After all, the damage done was quite extensive. It was inevitable that the Federation harbored animosity toward the Holy Spirit Cult.
1930
1931As he thought about this, Tang Wulin had already driven into the city center. There was order in the city as police cars were prevalent throughout.
1932
1933If the police cars were truly effective, there would not have been a surprise attack. Tang Wulin sighed inwardly. In any case, it was better than nothing. At the very least, the city folks would be at ease.
1934
1935Heaven Dou City's Blacksmith's Association remained as the headquarters of the Blacksmith's Association. Tang Wulin drove his car near the building and stopped after he made a turn into an alley. He alighted from the vehicle and stored it into his storage ring and walked toward the Blacksmith's Association.
1936
1937He made it as far as the door before he stopped in his tracks. It was not that he did not want to go in, but the main entrance of the Blacksmith's Association was jam-packed like a can of sardines.
1938
1939"Hand over the murderers! Hand over the murderers!" There were at least a thousand people blocking the entrance to the Blacksmith's Association as they shouted madly. The more agitated folks even picked up stones and began tossing them at the Blacksmith's Association.
1940
1941A yellow tape was pulled across the association's doors. There were policemen stationed behind the yellow tapes trying to maintain order. It was quite obvious that they would soon be overwhelmed by the frenzied crowd.
1942
1943Tang Wulin was shocked by the scene. He pulled a guy on the periphery aside and was informed by the guy that the Blacksmith's Association was in deep trouble.
1944
1945According to the surveillance displays, before the surprise attack on Heaven Dou City occurred, at least a dozen of the terrorists who detonated the fixed soul ammunition were last seen heading into the Blacksmith's Association.
1946
1947For a big city such as Heaven Dou City, soul surveillance cameras practically monitored all the major streets. That was why the terrorists were caught on camera.
1948
1949Even though there was no evidence that the Blacksmith's Association was related to the Holy Spirit Cult, the footage was leaked by someone who had an agenda. The upset citizens of Heaven Dou City had found a scapegoat and came to the Blacksmith's Association.
1950
1951The Blacksmith's Association's headquarters had been besieged for many days. The main doors were shut tight currently. There was no question that the incident had dealt a great blow to the reputation of the Blacksmith's Association.
1952
1953Tang Wulin's brows were tightly knitted together. He trusted his uncle master completely. How could the Blacksmith's Association possibly have any relationship with the evil soul masters? Moreover, how could the surveillance footage be so easily accessed by the public? At the very least, it should not have been made public before the investigation was completed.
1954
1955When he analyzed the situation calmly, it was obvious that someone had an intention to frame the Blacksmith's Association!
1956
1957Tang Wulin could still vividly recall the assassination of his uncle master. Without a doubt, the assassination was related to the Holy Spirit Cult. As the only Divine Craftsman on the continent, his uncle master was a thorn in their side because he would not take instructions from the Holy Spirit Cult. Hence, it was better for them to dispose of him.
1958
1959The majority of the citizens were driven by their emotions especially those who had lost their loved ones. It was tough for them to control their emotions. It was especially true when the Heaven Dou City's administrative building was blown up. Almost all the high-ranking city administrative officials died. The new, inexperienced officials blundered as they tried to handle the incident. Who would be in the position to defend the Blacksmith's Association?
1960
1961It was under such circumstances that the pressure on the Blacksmith's Association grew.
1962
1963What should he do? Tang Wulin's gaze reflected he was deep in thought. Since he came to know of the problem, he had to think of a way to assist his uncle master.
1964
1965He was in no hurry to enter the Blacksmith's Association. Instead, he went to an inconspicuous corner and observed silently.
1966
1967There were probably a thousand citizens gathered here, and their emotions were running high while they lingered in the vicinity. They had been here for days creating such scenes. Most of the glass windows on the side of the Blacksmith's Association's building were shattered.
1968
1969What was their objective for making such a scene?
1970
1971If one wanted to handle an incident, one must first analyze it calmly. This was what Old Demon Sloth taught Tang Wulin. His notion was 'the most brilliant people in the world are the laziest because only the lazy ones will think of ways to conserve time and effort'.
1972
1973If one did things recklessly when faced with a situation, one would only be wasting time and effort. Only by focusing on a target and achieving victory in one fell swoop could one conserve time and energy. Only then would one have more time to do other things, for instance, sleep.
1974
1975Tang Wulin did not completely agree with Old Demon Sloth's statement. Nonetheless, he learned a lot from him on how to go about doing things.
1976
1977Previously, he would not have any idea on what he should do. He could only go in to look for his master uncle and ask about the Blacksmith's Association's current situation.
1978
1979However, he was much calmer now than he was before. He remained at the hidden corner and observed each and every citizen present who was causing havoc.
1980
1981With his Spirit Abyss realm spiritual cultivation base, he could easily scrutinize a person in detail. The first thing he did was to ascertain whether there were any soul masters amidst the crowd.
1982
1983There was not a single soul master to be found among the troublemakers. They were all ordinary people.
1984
1985However, he did not give up. Instead, he continued his surveillance. After a while, Tang Wulin noticed that there were a few leaders among the citizens who were making a scene.
1986
1987Each time the shouting citizens took a breather, the leaders would voice out their protests and set off a new wave of uproars.
1988
1989There were sixteen of them. They distributed themselves throughout the area occupied by the thousand-strong group. Tang Wulin also noticed that these people wore advanced micro-communicators on their ears.
1990
1991Tang Wulin was quite familiar with this tool's value. It was not something an ordinary person could afford or would want to buy.
1992
1993When he concluded his findings, they did not mean a thing when viewed individually, but collectively, a number of things could be proven.
1994
1995Tang Wulin had no need for detailed evidence.
1996
1997He turned around and left. He walked toward the darker areas of the street.
1998
1999"Hand over the murderers! Punish the Blacksmith's Association!" shouted the citizens at the top of their voices.
2000
2001"Bring the president of the Blacksmith's Association out here to give us an explanation!"
2002
2003"The members of the Blacksmith's Association should be sent to the guillotine! You band of evil soul masters should just die…"
2004
2005Shouts of curses punctuated the air.
2006
2007Suddenly, a figure charged into the crowd quick as lightning. He appeared in an instant. A formless energy was unleashed from his body. Wherever he passed, the crowd was being pushed aside.
2008
2009A yellow cloak and a yellow mask. He wore a Tang Sect yellow fighter's badge on his chest.
2010
2011He raised a hand and grabbed someone from the crowd who was shouting for justice to be served to the murderers.
2012
2013Shortly after, without waiting for the crowd to react, he suddenly shouted, "There's nowhere you can run!" Circles of soul rings shone brightly on his body. There were eight rings in total. Two yellows, two purples, and four blacks. The extremely domineering aura erupted from his body.
2014
2015Gigantic bluish-golden vines which appeared like huge dragons shot out with a whistle. They shot into the skies at first, then they plunged into the crowds. They wrapped themselves firmly around their targets whom they had locked onto earlier.
2016
2017The thousand-odd people shrieked hysterically because of the sudden, shocking turn of events.
2018
2019"The Tang Sect's Battle Soul Hall is capturing the evil soul masters of the Holy Spirit Cult. There's no need to be alarmed." A stunning, spiritual force of the Golden Dragon Roar was contained within Tang Wulin's voice. He managed to suppress the surprised shouts of the crowd in no time.
2020
2021The policemen behind the yellow tape ran quickly toward him. When they saw Tang Wulin's attire, the fighter's badge on his chest, and the soul rings on his body, they stopped in their tracks abruptly and went no further.