Chapter 73: Tragedy at the Death God's Lair
Many among the Shrek Seven Devils were reluctant to use the soul shields provided to them. Dai Yueheng wanted to persuade them at least to take the shields with them, but before he could even open his mouth, a heavy and powerful hand clapped him on the shoulder.
"What are you doing, kid? It's fine if they don't want to use them. Why would a bunch of martial spirits need soul guides anyway? Besides, with me here, could anything possibly go wrong?"
Xuan Lao's voice sounded behind Dai Yueheng, making him stop his attempt to persuade the others, albeit helplessly.
Xuan Lao had spoken. If anyone wanted to defy him, they could simply leave Shrek Academy.
"I still believe in Master Xuan's ability. I just thought that using a soul shield would be safer. Since they refused, forget it. If anyone changes their mind, come find me," Dai Yueheng said, making one last effort to offer help.
However, none of the Shrek Seven Devils heeded his words. They had temporarily forgotten Xuan Lao's impressive reputation.
Thus, Dai Yueheng carried a pile of soul shields and invincibility passes that no one took, and the group quickly found the lair of the Death God Messenger.
Master Xuan carefully sensed the area and confirmed that there was only one evil soul master with a cultivation above the fiftieth level present. Relieved, he took a final look at the Shrek Seven Devils, then flew off to a flat area nearby, lay down, and prepared to take a nap.
"Yueheng, what's wrong with you today? Aren't you being a bit too cautious?" Chen Zifeng asked, noticing that their progress was unusually slow.
"After all, my younger brother and future brother-in-law are here too. I have to be a little more careful," Dai Yueheng replied with a bitter smile.
"There's no need to be that cautious. It's just a five-ringed Soul King," Xixi said casually. Encouraged, everyone subconsciously sped up their movements, forcing Dai Yueheng to quicken his pace as well.
Suddenly, a crazed laugh echoed from within the cave.
"Hahaha! How dare you come trouble me, the Death God! I'll turn all of you into my corpse slaves!"
As soon as the Death God Messenger appeared, Dai Yueheng immediately sprang into action. Without hesitation, he pulled Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu into his arms and activated his soul bone skill—Absolute Defense—to shield them from any accidents. At the same time, he activated a soul guide shield, doing everything he could to ensure maximum safety.
The other Shrek Seven Devils didn't understand Dai Yueheng's extreme caution, but they had little time to ponder it.
Without Huo Yuhao's early warnings this time, they charged forward recklessly—completely unprepared for the Death God Messenger's devastating corpse explosion.
BOOM!
The sudden explosion startled Xuan Lao, who had been resting. He immediately realized something was wrong and transformed into a beam of light, flying swiftly toward the cave.
When Xuan Lao saw the carnage inside, he was stunned.
Dai Yueheng, using the protection of Absolute Defense and the soul shield, had managed to protect himself and his siblings.
Ma Xiaotao had held back due to her increasingly unstable Evil Fire problem, which had also burned away surrounding corpses, preventing worse injuries.
Ling Luochen, seeing Dai Yueheng's defensive actions, had reacted in time to create her own defense. Though lacking a soul bone's buffer and being less adept with a soul shield, she had still managed to minimize her injuries.
But the other members of the Shrek Seven Devils weren't so lucky.
In the original timeline, some had died while others survived only barely. Here, the situation was even more tragic. Some bodies were incomplete. Others were beyond recognition.
"You dare die in front of me!"
Xuan Lao roared, releasing his martial soul. His soul ring configuration—two yellow, two purple, four black, and one red—flared into view, his soul power condensing heavily.
He immediately suppressed the Death God Messenger, but the already-damaged corpse of Gong Yang Mo began to swell, about to detonate again.
Xuan Lao was forced to use soul power to stabilize Gong Yang Mo's corpse, preventing a second explosion. However, this distraction gave the evil Soul King the chance he needed to flee.
In a flash, the evil soul master activated his fifth ring—his last purple soul ring—and slipped through Xuan Lao's grasp, heading straight for Ning Tian of the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect.
Against a mere three-ringed support-type soul master, the five-ringed Death God Messenger had no trouble.
In a blink, he captured Ning Tian.
In that moment of being seized, Ning Tian's heart sank into despair.
She shouldn't have asked too much…
A Super Douluo, possessing the ultimate soul ring combination and a cultivation of level 98, had actually allowed a Five Ring Soul King to escape and capture someone under his very nose.
This isn't an accident. Xuan Lao deliberately let it happen!
Ning Tian realized the cruel reality. Now, the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect would have no choice but to swallow this humiliation, acknowledge her "accident," and quietly appoint a new young master.
"Senior, let me go! The Nine Treasures Glazed Sect can offer you better rewards if you kill me!" Ning Tian shouted desperately.
"Shut up. I'm not in the mood to listen to your nonsense," the Death God Messenger sneered.
Dragging her into a side room filled with corpse slaves, he threw her to the ground.
"Take her. Run in that direction. If that old man doesn't catch up, eat her alive!" he ordered coldly.
After giving instructions, the Death God Messenger laughed madly and ran in the opposite direction.
"Hehehehe! Old man, what will you choose? Chase me or save her? If you're even a little late, she won't survive intact! Hehehehe!"
His mocking voice echoed toward Xuan Lao.
Xuan Lao cursed furiously and immediately rushed in the direction where Ning Tian was taken.
When he found her, a corpse slave had already bitten into her calf.
Xuan Lao acted quickly, saving Ning Tian just in time.
The rescued Ning Tian collapsed onto her knees before Xuan Lao.
"Thank you, Master Xuan! The Nine Treasures Glazed Sect will never forget your kindness. We will forever be a loyal supporter of Shrek Academy!"
Xuan Lao sighed heavily.
"Alas, this is my fault…"
"No, Master Xuan! If not for you, I would already be dead at the hands of the Death God Messenger. The one who harmed me was him. The one who saved me was you. I can tell right from wrong!" Ning Tian said firmly.
Xuan Lao nodded slightly.
"It's good that you understand."
By now, the Death God Messenger had already escaped far away, and it would not be easy to track him down again.
Gathering the remaining survivors, Xuan Lao spoke solemnly.
"Yueheng, you lead the others to Star Luo City and participate in the tournament.
I will return to Shrek Academy… and accept punishment."