"Sister Cheng'er."
Ye Guyi called out, and Cheng'er closed her eyes briefly before opening them again, her gaze now filled with cold determination.
The Common Alliance and the Holy Spirit Cult only maintained a superficial relationship. With the Holy Angel involved, there was no room for retreat.
"Attack!"
At her soft command, the group that had arrived with Cheng'er instantly moved to encircle Lin Xiao and the others.
"Sir."
Wu Yun and Wu Yu stood back-to-back with Lin Xiao, speaking softly.
"Sir, you saved us back then. You should leave now. We'll hold them off."
Lin Xiao let out a long breath, glancing at the approaching figures.
The Common Alliance had gone to great lengths to protect Ye Guyi. These people all had cultivation levels above six rings, and Cheng'er, not only was her cultivation not low among Soul Emperors, but she also carried several valuable soul tools.
The shield that had protected Ye Guyi earlier was likely a one-time-use consumable soul tool, as nothing else could have blocked an attack at such close range.
"If I said I was also here to track down the evil soul masters causing trouble recently, you probably wouldn't believe me, would you?"
Hearing Lin Xiao's words, Cheng'er blinked thoughtfully, as if something occurred to her. Ye Guyi's expression, however, remained unchanged, clearly unconvinced by his claim.
Lin Xiao shook his head helplessly. He wasn't sure if Ye Guyi was naive or just stubbornly upright. Despite being with the Common Alliance, she seemed completely unaware that their activities weren't exactly legitimate.
Then again, Ye Guyi was just a young girl. How could she be a match for someone like Shangguan Wei'er?
Gently patting the Wu Yun and Wu Yu sisters, Lin Xiao slowly took a step forward.
"Forget it. Words are useless, but things haven't gotten so bad that you need to cover my retreat."
"Hold your breath and focus your mind."
Lin Xiao spoke softly. The next moment, a vast wave of spiritual power spread out. Wu Yun and Wu Yu felt a brief moment of disorientation before noticing the grass at Lin Xiao's feet begin to wither and die.
"Attack now!"
Sensing something amiss, Cheng'er gave the order, and several figures charged at Lin Xiao's group from all directions.
The Vengeful Souls behind Wu Yun and Wu Yu surged forward.
Lin Xiao's first soul ring flared brightly. Raising both hands, a wave of dark red shot outward.
The Common Alliance members were no amateurs. With agile movements, they dodged much of the dark red blood and flesh.
But Lin Xiao wasn't concerned. His second and third soul rings lit up in succession. The scattered blood-flesh seeds took root in the ground and blood, quickly transforming into eerie Higanbana.
Seeing this, Ye Guyi raised her longsword, golden light radiating once more, intending to dispel Lin Xiao's Higanbana as she had before.
But this time, before the flowers could melt away, they seemed to reach the end of their life cycle and wilted on their own.
A heavy stillness emanated from Lin Xiao, slowing the movements of those approaching him.
It wasn't that they were being controlled, but rather that they felt as if they were prematurely aging, facing the inevitable end of life.
Legend has it that on the road to death along the Yellow Springs, blood-red Higanbana Flowers of line the path to the underworld, guiding souls to their destination.
When people see the Higanbana Flowers bloom, it signifies their final death.
Lin Xiao's spiritual sea churned, his spiritual power and soul power pouring out, spreading the power of the Higanbana Flowers.
Everything around him began to die under this influence.
The clothes of the Common Alliance members, as if weathered by endless years, became fragile and tore with the slightest movement, revealing cracks.
Their weapons were covered in mottled rust, as if they too had reached their end.
The grass on the ground, the creatures in the soil, and even the Higanbana Flowers, symbols of death itself, met their fated moment of withering.
Lin Xiao's body was completely shrouded by his black cloak, yet beneath it seemed to lie boundless power.
Combat technique, Withering.
This wasn't a soul skill. It was the result of over a decade of relentless practice, born naturally after breaking the spiritual barrier during his battle with Ji Juechen, honed through two years of constant combat and refinement—a combat technique unique to Lin Xiao.
The world changed in that instant. Day and night ceased to exist, and even darkness vanished, leaving only a desolate gray stillness.
The Common Alliance members moved sluggishly, like elderly figures. A simple raise of a hand required heavy breaths, and taking a step forward left them unable to stand, collapsing lifelessly to the ground.
A faint smile lingered on their faces, as if, in their final moment, they glimpsed cherished memories.
Cheng'er and Ye Guyi's expressions froze, Ye Guyi still holding her sword with both hands.
Bang—
Though it seemed like an eternity, it was but a moment. Something exploded at Cheng'er's chest, snapping her back to reality. She didn't care that a life-saving soul tool was destroyed, instead grabbing Ye Guyi and fleeing into the distance.
Lin Xiao glanced up slightly. A chill ran down Cheng'er's spine, and her once-lustrous hair turned stark white.
As the soul tool thruster on her back flared, her body seemed to buckle under immense pressure, and she spat out a mouthful of blood. But she ultimately escaped Lin Xiao's attack range.
"Sister Cheng'er." Ye Guyi came to her senses, turning to look at her companion. The usually appearance-conscious Cheng'er now had white hair and visible wrinkles, as if years of her life had been stolen.
"I'm sorry, Sister Cheng'er, I…" Ye Guyi hesitated. "I'll definitely avenge you."
Cough, cough. Cheng'er coughed violently at her words.
Dear girl, if you'd just listen to me, there'd be no need for revenge.
But she forced a smile. "No need, Guyi. As long as you're safe, that's enough. Your martial soul is the nemesis of all evil soul masters. You have a greater mission ahead. You can't act recklessly anymore."
"Mm." Ye Guyi looked at Cheng'er and nodded firmly. Her wings unfurled, lifting Cheng'er. She glanced back at the barren ground below before flying away.
The desolate stillness on the ground slowly faded, leaving no trace of blood, as if it were entirely unlike the methods of an evil soul master.
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