Soul Emperor Awakening

Two of the Tu Family's strongest experts arrived, a terrifying Martial Intent erupting from their bodies. The two of them alone were a match for two or three Core Formation Stage experts.

In an instant, the tides turned once more. The sudden arrival of two peak Core Formation Stage experts shifted the balance. Tuo Shengfeng, in particular, was a truly Heaven-Defying existence. His Cultivation surpassed Hai Tiansheng's, and as someone from the Demon Cloud Sea, his physique was overwhelmingly superior. Although he hadn't learned a Soul Ultimate Skill, his Martial Intent was of a similar nature and equally tyrannical.

"Island Master!" Lin Xuan was overjoyed to see Tuo Shengfeng. 'I can't believe he rushed over at a time like this! He really kept his promise, and even Grand Elder Tuo Zhanhong came along. This is an incredible gift.'

Tuo Yunhai leaped from Tuo Shengfeng's arms and threw himself into Lin Xuan's, crying out in delight, "Brother Lin, we're here!"

"So, what do you think now that you've left the Demon Cloud Sea? I wanted to bring you out last time. How does it feel now?" Lin Xuan hugged Tuo Yunhai, genuinely fond of the boy who was like a little brother to him.

"It's so beautiful out here! The sun is gorgeous, and so warm!" Tuo Yunhai was beside himself with excitement, his little face flushed red. Everything felt so new and bright.

The two caught up as if the massive army before them didn't even exist, causing Hai Tiansheng and his men's faces to turn ashen. They were being completely ignored.

In truth, they didn't dare to act rashly. The sheer presence of two more supremely powerful experts was enough to suppress them. The crucial question was their background; if they provoked a Super Race, their own forces would be the ones getting flattened.

"May I ask which sect you two gentlemen are from?" Hai Tiansheng asked cautiously. "This is a life-and-death battle between us and Qingcheng Mansion. If you were hired, we can offer you even greater compensation. If you're here to help them, I suggest you reconsider. Getting too involved would not be a wise decision."

They were certainly not willing to leave just like that. They had come all this way, and they weren't about to turn back with their tails between their legs. They had already lost face once; they had no intention of losing it a second time.

"Compensation, you say? They have indeed paid their price... But I wonder, what kind of compensation can you offer?" Tuo Shengfeng said, a faint smile playing on his lips as he gazed at the crowd. There were many Core Formation Stage experts present, but he felt no fear. He'd seen plenty of scenes like this.

As soon as he said this, Hai Tiansheng and his men's faces lit up. As long as compensation was on the table, they knew they had an opening. Qing Deyun's expression, however, darkened. He kept glancing toward Lin Xuan, waiting to see what he would say.

Lin Xuan remained perfectly calm, saying nothing. He seemed completely unconcerned by the exchange.

"Then what compensation do you desire?" Hai Tiansheng said hastily. "Name your price. As long as it's within our means, it's not a problem!"

He was making his most generous offer. If these experts left, Qingcheng Mansion would be theirs for the taking. The considerable resources of Qingcheng Mansion made it entirely worthwhile.

"What I want is very simple. It's your lives!" Tuo Shengfeng sneered, pulling a Yanyue Saber from his Storage Ring as his Martial Intent flared to life. "So, are you willing to give them to me?"

With that, the people from the Divine Seal Sect immediately realized they'd been played. These newcomers weren't moved by compensation at all; they were here to help!

Qing Deyun and his allies breathed a sigh of relief. 'These new reinforcements certainly have a sense of humor,' he thought, 'but it's not the funny kind...'

Lin Xuan, of course, knew Tuo Shengfeng wouldn't betray him. He believed Tuo Shengfeng was a man of his word. Since he had come personally, he wouldn't be swayed by some paltry compensation.

'Of course, if the enemy could offer an irresistibly tempting reward, he might be moved. For example, a way to become a Void Spirit Stage expert. But is that even possible? If Hai Tiansheng knew how to easily reach the Void Spirit Stage, would he still be wasting his breath on Qingcheng Mansion?'

"You dare to toy with us? Attack!"

Hai Tiansheng roared, no longer able to contain his rage, and led the charge straight toward Tuo Shengfeng. A great battle was now inevitable.

"Sometimes, compensation isn't what decides things!" Tuo Shengfeng bellowed, leading his own charge. The blood of a Martial God coursing through his veins had long made him eager for battle.

Qing Deyun laughed heartily. "Magnificent! Friend, I, Qing, will say no more. After this is all over, we will absolutely not let you leave unrewarded!"

Led by the powerhouses on each side, the great battle finally erupted into a fierce melee.

Lin Xuan quickly sent his summoned statues charging forward. They were utterly fearless. After all, if they were destroyed, he could just summon more. He had no worries about running out of Five-Colored Spirit Wood.

"Yunhai, go and hide off to the side! Leave this to us." Lin Xuan himself stayed back behind the group of experts, a strange light flashing in his eyes. 'Spirit God Technique!'

The surging Soul Power in his mind shot toward a Core Formation Stage expert fighting at the front. The opponent was also skilled in Soul Attacks, but against Lin Xuan's, he was still outmatched!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

With Lin Xuan's interference, several Core Formation Stage experts were easily blasted away, either dead or grievously wounded! In the blink of an eye, Qingcheng Mansion's side had seized a massive advantage. Tuo Zhanhong alone was enough to counter Hai Tiansheng. The strongest of them, Tuo Shengfeng, was on another level entirely. Facing Hai Qingdong, he was so brutally violent that he beat his opponent to the point of coughing up blood repeatedly, completely unable to resist.

As for any Soul Attacks, they couldn't even penetrate the Martial Intent surrounding Tuo Shengfeng; in fact, they were reflected right back!

With Lin Xuan also interfering from the sidelines, the forces of the Divine Seal Sect and the Royal Family were forced into a steady retreat. They desperately wanted to take out Lin Xuan first, since he was constantly harassing them, but the Core Formation Stage experts at the front were like an iron wall, firmly blocking any attempts to get through, frustrating them to no end.

Lin Xuan's own cultivation wasn't high enough to join the fray directly, but there was nothing wrong with providing support. This was his way of joining the battle.

In a short while, the Divine Seal Sect and the Royal Family had suffered heavy casualties. Their Core Formation Stage experts were either grievously wounded or dead, their numbers plummeting from ten to a mere three!

The Spirit Pill Stage experts fared even worse. How could they possibly withstand Lin Xuan's overwhelming summoned statues? In an instant, the forces of the Royal Family and the Divine Seal Sect were on the verge of a complete rout.

"Retreat! Retreat!"

Hai Tiansheng let out an indignant roar. He turned and fled, activating his Elemental Power Wings without a second thought for his sect brothers. He was being so thoroughly suppressed by Tuo Zhanhong that he could barely breathe. They never expected the two reinforcements to be so Heaven-Defying. They were monsters!

'I can't believe we've actually been defeated...'

Hai Qingdong gritted his teeth, preparing to escape, when Lin Xuan's haunting voice echoed from behind him.

"Thinking of escaping? Not so fast!" Lin Xuan sneered as he furiously unleashed his Spirit God Technique. An invisible wave of Soul Power surged forward and flooded into the man's mind.

"Bastard!" Hai Qingdong roared, forced to desperately resist the mental assault. Although Lin Xuan's attack couldn't deal a fatal blow on its own, it was more than enough to interfere with his escape.

However, even without his interference, Tuo Shengfeng and the others were more than strong enough to intercept them.

"Did you think you could escape?" Tuo Shengfeng blocked Hai Qingdong's path. He raised his Yanyue Saber and brought it slashing down, a colossal wave of Martial Intent descending with the blade. "Stay a while, our guest!"