Soul Emperor Awakening

Before even entering, he had already summoned the statue of the Demon Evil Monarch. The rescue had to be swift and decisive, with no room for delay. That was why he’d summoned the Monarch immediately, waiting to deliver a fatal blow while the enemy’s attention was focused on Lin Xuan.

"W-what’s happening?!" Zhang Bin stared at his companion in horror. The terrifying Palm Seal made even him tremble. The crimson figure before them exuded an aura of fear; its Cultivation alone was a cut above his own. ’How can we possibly fight this?’

Of course, there were Minotaurs at the Peak of Essence Pill Stage who could intercept it, but when he saw the Palm Seal on his companion’s back, a chill ran down his own spine.

A crimson Palm Seal was imprinted on his back, and a surge of scarlet Elemental Power seeped into his body, corroding it from within. The attack had been so devastating, he was as good as dead. Even if they had Elixir Pills, there was no time to save him now. Lin Xuan was already preparing his most ferocious assault.

"Illusionary Charm Domain!"

Lin Xuan immediately channeled the Fox King’s soul via Soul Possession. Without a moment’s hesitation, he unleashed his Illusionary Charm Domain at full power, aiming for maximum speed! The moment the Domain activated, anyone who met his gaze was plunged into an Illusion Technique. The world before their eyes transformed; they could no longer see their real surroundings. Instead, they were in a terrifying vision of Hell, with magma bubbling up from the ground and rolling out in every direction.

The effect was so realistic they could feel the temperature of the surrounding Flame rising rapidly! They knew instantly that they had been caught in an Illusion Technique.

’Th-this is an Illusion Technique! I have to calm down and break it!’ Despite his inner panic, Zhang Bin quickly composed himself, circulating the Elemental Power in his body to dispel the illusion. ’If I can’t break free, I won’t be able to see anything.’

’My only option is to rely on my instincts to counterattack, but this Illusion Technique feels like a mix of real and fake, making it hard to distinguish. The best method is to shatter it completely!’

"Didn’t you want the Yulan Pearl?" Lin Xuan’s cold voice echoed in his ear. "I can’t give you the pearl, but I can give you a taste of the Yulan Sacred Fire. I forgot to mention, I’m the one who killed the Liao Brothers. Do you really think you lot are strong enough to stop me?"

Zhang Bin tried to launch a counterattack, but it was too late. A pair of eyes, filled with blue flames, suddenly materialized in the void. Before he could react, a rod had already pierced his heart, and a bone-deep chill surged through his body.

He opened his mouth to scream, only to find that the terrifying Yulan Sacred Fire had already enveloped him, freezing his body solid—even his open mouth was locked in place. Then, his vision slowly faded to black. Only at that moment could he see the real world again, where Lin Xuan stood, Chi Dragon Heavens Rod in hand, gazing at him coldly.

BANG!

His body exploded in midair, shattering into a pile of icy fragments. An effortless one-hit kill! Wielding the Illusionary Charm Domain was almost like being invincible. As long as the difference in Cultivation wasn’t too vast, the result was always an instant kill!

"Soul Martial Intent!"

Lin Xuan didn’t stop. He immediately unleashed his most powerful burst. In an instant, all his souls—except for those of the Demon Evil Monarch and the Phoenix—fused into his body. He then released them all at once, transforming them into colossal phantoms that attacked the enemies around him.

In a flash, the enemies saw several phantoms lunging at them. Though they appeared illusory, their explosive power was astonishing, slamming their targets into the ground and leaving them either dead or grievously wounded. Crucially, these Martial Spirits were infused with the Yulan Sacred Fire, and the phantoms were tinged with an eerie blue light.

Whether they were struck directly or merely came into contact with the Soul Martial Intent while counterattacking, they were momentarily frozen by the Yulan Sacred Fire. Even if they weren’t frozen solid, their movements were severely restricted.

Meanwhile, the summoned Demon Evil Monarch and Phoenix were rapidly reaping the lives of the surrounding Minotaur Race, instantly plunging the Minotaurs into chaos and disarray.

This terrifying scene left Hu Hong and the others, who were hiding in the distance, completely stunned. Heaven-Defying! This was absolutely Heaven-Defying! One man was fighting a whole group and showed no signs of being at a disadvantage!

"G-gods! Is that really the power of the Fourth Layer of Essence Pill Stage? It’s terrifying! The Minotaur Race can’t stand against him at all!"

"I know... A moment ago, I doubted whether this human was up to the task. I see now that I was wrong..."

"He’s... he’s too strong. So much stronger than us... I want to be with him!"

...

The Demon Foxes, waiting nearby for their chance to act, were all voicing their utter shock. Who could have imagined he would be so domineering? This was far beyond anything they had imagined!

It was precisely because Lin Xuan had reached the Fourth Layer of Essence Pill Stage that he could unleash his power so freely. Absorbing the Yulan Pearl had allowed him to break through from the Third Layer to the Fourth Layer, a startlingly fast progression. Had he not made this breakthrough, he would not have been able to unleash such continuous bursts of power. The toll was simply too ferocious; even at his current level, he was finding it difficult to bear.

Consequently, after that series of attacks, he had consumed a massive amount of not only his Spiritual Power, but also his Elemental Power. The dual drain left his face looking pale.

"Of course he’s powerful. If he weren’t, how could he be our Guardian God?" Hu Hong’s beautiful eyes brightened. Without another word, she immediately led her people to perform the rescue.

With Lin Xuan’s help, the rescue went smoothly. Once Hu Hong freed the prisoners, she immediately led them in their escape. Before leaving, she shot a hand signal to the embattled Lin Xuan, indicating their success.

"GET LOST!"

Lin Xuan roared, swinging the Chi Dragon Heavens Rod down with all his might. However, a Minotaur parried the blow with its Giant Axe, the overwhelming force sending him staggering back. He was slightly outmatched! ’Just as I thought. I have no advantage going head-to-head against a Minotaur with higher Cultivation.’

However, he used the force of the rebound to retreat into the forest, then turned and fled. As for the Demon Evil Monarch and the Phoenix, he left them behind to continue the slaughter, hoping they would keep the enemy occupied and prevent them from giving chase.

Of course, he soon recalled the Phoenix, but he left the Demon Evil Monarch behind with no intention of summoning it back. He had decided to abandon one of the statues. There were simply too many Minotaurs—at least seventy or eighty of them. The only reason he had been able to hold out for so long was thanks to his two statues and his Illusionary Charm Domain.

’To keep drawing their fire, I have to leave a statue behind. Otherwise, they’ll definitely catch up.’

As he rounded a corner, the excessive drain on his energy made him sway, and he nearly collapsed. Just then, a fiery red figure drifted over and caught him. He didn’t even need to look to know it was Hu Hong.

He looked down at Hu Hong, who was supporting his weight with her petite frame, and smiled faintly. "What are you doing here? Don’t you have faith in me?"

"You’re my hero!" Hu Hong’s beautiful eyes sparkled. "I like you!"