"No wonder Grandpa Gu and the old monster suddenly changed routes!"
Xu Yang had a realization. On the Douluo Continent, aside from a few rare individuals or special circumstances, almost no one would meddle in other people's business—especially in battles between soul masters. Interfering would only result in a lose-lose situation, causing unnecessary trouble.
But there was one exception—encountering Evil Soul Masters (now called the Fallen). Whenever they were encountered, they had to be eradicated. This was an unspoken rule recognized by all soul masters.
Gu Rong and Dugu Bo weren't the type to care about others' business—especially Dugu Bo, who would rarely act unless directly provoked. Now, however, they had suddenly agreed to change course. Xu Yang realized they must have sensed the presence of the Fallen and wanted to completely eliminate the ones in the nearby village.
As they drew closer, the stench of blood grew thicker. Scattered along the roads and fields were corpses—strangely, they all appeared desiccated, completely devoid of blood.
"Why don't Grandpa Gu and the old monster just go in and wipe out the Evil Soul Masters? Why are we approaching so slowly?"
"Could it be…"
Xu Yang's gaze sharpened as he looked toward the village, realization dawning on him. A chilling thought struck him—there were no survivors left in the village. This was likely the reason the two Titled Douluo hadn't acted rashly.
Sure enough, the deeper they advanced, the more corpses littered the surroundings, devoid of any sign of life. Only within the largest building at the village's center did faint blood-red light swirl and converge.
"Yang'er, those three Fallen are yours and Yan'er's to handle!"
As the carriage stopped, Xu Yang heard Gu Rong's voice in his ear. He nodded, leaping off the carriage, eyes locked on the central building. His expression was unusually solemn. In all his years on the Douluo Continent, though he had killed soul beasts and fought other soul masters, this would be his first time taking human life.
Seeing the hellish scene in the village, he had thought himself mentally prepared, but standing there, heart pounding, he felt hesitation and fear.
"I thought I had steeled myself, but now, facing this moment, doubt and fear rise within me."
Xu Yang gave a bitter smile.
Dugu Yan joined him, fully entering her martial spirit possession state, ready for battle.
"Big brother, it seems someone's approaching!"
Inside the central building, three Evil Soul Masters, crazed from refining blood to boost their soul power, opened their eyes. Piles of corpses surrounded them, their blood pooling into a crimson pond, steadily absorbed by the three.
The youngest of the three licked his lips with a twisted smile, his eyes gleaming with blood-red light.
"Be careful. To come this far after seeing the village's condition, these intruders likely possess some skill."
The oldest of the three wore a grim expression, though his eyes flashed with contempt and madness. After all, at just twenty-four years old, he had already reached the fifty-eighth rank, a Soul King. Even among Spirit Hall's geniuses, few could match his level. He was confident in his path to Titled Douluo, determined to stand at the pinnacle of the continent.
"Come on, let's see which fools dare challenge us brothers!"
He beckoned his two brothers, stepping through the pool of blood toward the building's entrance.
"Forget it. Let's fight first and talk later."
Xu Yang forcibly steadied himself, watching as the three blood-eyed Evil Soul Masters emerged. For the first time, a flicker of killing intent ignited within his gaze.
The three, dressed in black robes, concealed their faces. But as they stepped outside, the stench of blood doubled. Activating his Sun Golden Eyes, Xu Yang saw that their robes were drenched in dried blood, a testament to their countless murders.
"So it's just two little brats," one sneered upon seeing Xu Yang and Dugu Yan's youthful faces. As their blood-red soul power surged like a storm, its cold, sinister aura was enough to churn the stomach.
Ning Haiyan, along with Gu Rong and Dugu Bo, withdrew into the carriage, suppressing their soul power to silently observe the battle. Their role was to guard and provide support if necessary.
Dugu Yan, already using her soul power to seal her nasal passages against the foul stench, revealed a pale complexion that betrayed her fear.
These three Evil Soul Masters were simply too terrifying.
Xu Yang, however, remained silent in the face of their ridicule, his emotions steady. He quietly summoned his Sun Martial Spirit. Four soul rings—yellow, purple, black, and black—appeared beneath his feet, pulsating with power. In his hand, the Sun Sacred Blade materialized.
"Rise!"
With a murmur, the Sun Martial Spirit soared into the air. His second soul ring lit up, and the martial spirit split, creating six additional suns. A total of seven golden suns hovered over a hundred meters in the sky, releasing brilliant light and searing heat.
The surrounding temperature soared.
"A ten-thousand-year third ring? Second and third brothers, be careful. This kid isn't ordinary!"
The eldest's reminder was unnecessary—his two younger brothers had already sensed the threat. Xu Yang's soul ring configuration and his martial spirit's attributes clearly countered them. They activated their martial spirits. Blood-red soul power coalesced into countless crimson bats, merging with their bodies. As a result, they sprouted bat wings five meters long, their faces morphing into pig-like snouts, with long fangs protruding from their mouths.
Four soul rings appeared beneath each—white, yellow, purple, purple—and their blood-red soul power formed a storm, rushing forward.
"So, it's the Pig-faced Bat Martial Spirit. No wonder they turned into Evil Soul Masters."
Bat-type martial spirits inherently leaned toward darkness and corruption. If a soul master's heart strayed from the righteous path, they could easily descend into evil, as these three clearly had.
"Yan'er, focus on protecting yourself. Leave the rest to me!"
Before Dugu Yan could respond, Xu Yang stepped forward, his body engulfed in golden-red flames. The flames condensed and solidified into a set of golden-red armor. His aura surged dramatically, and his fierce soul power erupted, neutralizing the storm of soul power unleashed by the three Evil Soul Masters.
"Brat, you're courting death!"
The eldest Evil Soul Master bellowed, unleashing his full Soul King-level soul power. His Pig-faced Bat Martial Spirit completed possession, revealing five optimal soul rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black—beneath his feet. His pressure surged overwhelmingly toward Xu Yang.
"Hah…"
Xu Yang exhaled slowly, steadying his mind. The soul power pressure meant nothing to him. As long as he maintained his composure, he could endure. His soul power surged, pushing back the oppressive force of the eldest Evil Soul Master.
Then, with a burst of power, Xu Yang launched himself like a cannonball toward the three Evil Soul Masters.
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin