Night fell over the Star Luo camp. Hundreds of soldiers stood watch.
Security was tight—but they were ordinary men. To the Speed Clan, Oslo, Zhu Zhuqing and the others, the sentries felt nothing more than a breeze passing. Nothing else.
Camp layout was easy to read. The grand tents at center were for the soul master legions; the largest and most ornate were either Dai Weisi's and Zhu Zhuyun's command tents or those of the Titled Douluo Elders.
Those were Bai He and his team's targets.
In the largest central tent, lights burned bright. Five people gathered in discussion.
They were Dai Weisi, Zhu Zhuyun, and Star Luo's three Elders.
On the left, a short, lecherous-eyed man who kept sneaking peeks at Zhu Zhuyun's graceful figure: the level-91 Double-Serpent Douluo, an agility-type with the tool soul Twin Serpent Daggers.
On the right, a burly giant: the level-92 Mad Bull Douluo, a power-type with the martial soul Mighty Man-Bull.
In the middle, red-haired, of normal build and stern visage: Star Luo's strongest after Dai Tianque, the level-92 Fire Dragon Douluo, martial soul Fire Dragon, a power type named Wu Zhao. His Fire Dragon differed from Liu Erlong's; it was a western fire-breathing dragon, not a mutation of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon.
Perhaps, compared to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, he had some karmic link to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
"Honored elders, we've been stalled at Gengxin City by Tuoba Xi for a year. We can't drag this out. Otherwise, the Spirit Empire will flatten Heaven Dou first," Dai Weisi said, frustrated.
"But we can't brute-force it either. Those bolt-launching weapons alone have cost our soldiers dearly. Those talismans are absurdly powerful—each one not inferior to a Titled Douluo's ninth skill. If Tuoba Xi has many of them, our 700,000 won't be enough," Mad Bull Douluo said.
"He won't have many—otherwise Tuoba Xi would have used them already. But we can't be sure how many remain, so we can't act rashly," Zhu Zhuyun said cautiously. If they sacrificed their army to take one city, it would be a pyrrhic victory.
"Heh, the Crown Princess is right. But I'm guessing they can't last much longer. Their grain must be about exhausted, and we've encircled the city. Even if some fliers smuggle a little in with storage soul tools, how can that feed 160,000 troops? In time, Gengxin will fall without a fight," Double-Serpent Douluo leered. "I hear Tuoba Xi's lover, the Sparrow Bee Sect Master Feng Langdie, is a great beauty. When we take the city, give her to me—no killing."
"Shameless," Fire Dragon Douluo Wu Zhao snapped. "Facing our army, Tuoba Xi held for a year without retreat, even fighting three Titled Douluo to a standstill more than once. He's a hero. We shouldn't insult his wife. After we break the city, I'll cut the couple down openly and bury them together. That's respect for the strong. Anyone who defiles their bodies will answer to me."
"Old dragon, if I could beat you, I'd have stabbed you already," Double-Serpent grumbled. "Respect the enemy? For what?"
"Enough, honored elders, please," Dai Weisi interceded. "Double-Serpent, beauties can wait until after the city falls. Keeping enemies alive invites variables—why court trouble?"
"Fine, I'll give the Crown Prince face. I won't bicker with you, old dragon. By my reckoning, Gengxin's grain will last about ten more days. I propose an all-out assault in twenty. Any objections?" Double-Serpent said sourly.
"No objections," the others agreed—indeed, that would be optimal timing.
"Hmph. Meeting adjourned. I'm going to rest." Double-Serpent waved and left. He couldn't stand working with the overly upright Wu Zhao—it was boring.
"Sigh," Dai Weisi exhaled. The empire's draconian policies had driven most soul masters to Heaven Dou or Spirit Hall. Aside from his father, they had only these three Titled Douluo in the entire nation—and the three didn't get along.
Mad Bull was fine—cruel, but absolutely loyal to the crown, which he appreciated.
The other two—one too upright to brook any sand in his eyes; the other too lustful to function. They were born to clash.
"Tch. Old fire lizard—if I could beat you, I'd have run you through already," Double-Serpent muttered on his way back.
Just then, he sensed killing intent. His body reacted before thought—Twin Serpent Daggers in hand—as a jet-black gleam flashed past, slicing his shoulder. His right arm flew off.
"So this is a Titled Douluo—dodging even in this situation," Bai He thought, impressed. He'd chosen Double-Serpent as the first target precisely because he was also agility-type. If he hit another first, a prepared Double-Serpent would be the hardest to kill.
"Who are you?!" Double-Serpent roared. The speed was terrifying—faster than his Martial Soul True Body. Even after dodging, he still lost an arm. Were there agility masters this fast? Even Spirit Hall's Ghost Leopard Douluo wasn't this quick.
Speed Clan? He immediately thought of Bai He—but no, Bai He wouldn't have such attack power.
Bai He didn't answer. He poured soul power into his sword. The first strike had relied only on Shetian's keen edge for a sneak attack. Now, he would unleash its true power.
"Seventh soul skill—Twin Serpents True Body!" Feeling mortal danger, Double-Serpent activated his Martial Soul True Body. Like Snake Lance Douluo's, it beastified—his twin daggers becoming a red and a green viper.
Bai He didn't care. His figure flickered as he lunged. The Shetian Divine Sword traced the seven inches on both vipers. They instantly snapped in two, clattering to the ground as severed daggers.
"Impossible!" Double-Serpent gaped. Beastified True Bodies were apex among True Body techniques. What kind of attack could be this overwhelming? The Breaking Clan? But how could they have such speed?
While he reeled, Shetian swept across his neck. The lecher's head rolled from his shoulders.
When the Speed Clan's velocity merges with the Breaking Clan's attack power, the result is the strongest assassin in the world.
"Hmph. A bottom-feeding scoundrel—using you to consecrate the Shetian Sword is an insult to the blade," Bai He said coldly.
He practiced Tianlin's creed: when killing, waste no words, no threats, no self-introductions. Strike first; the later the kill, the greater the chance of variables. If you must curse, do it after the target is dead. For an assassin, nothing outranks efficiency.
At the same time, screams erupted across the camp. Centurions, captains, generals, even soul masters—fell one after another to the Shadow Battalion's ghostlike blades.
In moments, the Star Luo camp was in utter chaos.