"Meng, see? I told you those evil soul masters can't be trusted. Grandpa told me not to get involved, but if we hadn't come tonight, these stragglers would've gotten away."
The ones standing before Lin Xiao were none other than Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen, the sibling pair. No wonder the voice had sounded unusually young.
As for the people they brought, their attire didn't resemble that of Illustrious Virtue Hall or the capital's guards. They looked more like private guards from Jing Hongchen's own household.
"Though I only caught bits and pieces from their reports to Grandpa, I know your crimes have all been committed around the capital, so your hideout must be within the city itself."
"Am I right?"
Xiao Hongchen's face carried a hint of arrogance as he looked at Lin Xiao, who stood at the forefront of the trio.
"So when I got word tonight, I came here early. I've brought this up to Grandpa multiple times, but he told me not to interfere. Now that I've caught you, let's see what he says."
Lin Xiao adjusted his mask, making his voice more muffled. "Who's your grandfather?"
"Hmph, you don't need to know that yet. Attack!"
At Xiao Hongchen's command, the surrounding guards rushed forward.
Chosen by Jing Hongchen as guards, these men naturally had their strengths. Though their cultivation wasn't particularly high, their coordination was remarkably tight.
Attacks, paralysis, piercing… various types of soul guidance rays shot out from them in succession, instantly forming a net that enveloped Lin Xiao.
Lin Xiao dodged while his gaze swept over the soul engineers.
He wasn't sure if this was a tactic developed by Jing Hongchen. Despite studying soul tools at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy for so long, this was the first time Lin Xiao had seen soul tools used in such a way.
If two people used this tactic, it could produce the effect of three. With over ten people acting together now, it felt like facing an entire well-trained army.
The diverse soul guidance rays required him to expend mental energy to discern their attack patterns, deciding whether to dodge or defend while staying alert.
Lin Xiao even felt that their soul power and spiritual energy were somehow interconnected, or their coordination wouldn't be so seamless.
No, that's not right.
A glint flashed in Lin Xiao's eyes. He wasn't sure about their spiritual energy, but their soul power might indeed be linked. His gaze swept over them again, sensing the flow of soul power. What they were using might be a prototype of the array soul tools of the future.
Though their cultivation wasn't high, Lin Xiao had already expended much of his energy earlier. If this continued, he might actually be captured.
"Hold them off for a moment."
Lin Xiao glanced at Xiao Hongchen and spoke softly to Wu Yun.
With a slight nod, Wu Yun and Wu Yu exchanged a look. A piercing wail erupted from their mouths.
Even with protective soul tools, these guards were less resistant to mental attacks.
A moment's disorientation was enough for Lin Xiao.
If Xiao Hongchen had only sent these guards with their prototype array soul tools to fight him, they might have trapped him. But by showing up in person, even with Lin Xiao's soul power running low, he still had a way to escape.
Seeing Lin Xiao's gaze turn toward him, Xiao Hongchen showed no trace of panic. Instead, he summoned his martial soul. Two yellow and two purple soul rings rose around him, as if he were eager to test himself against Lin Xiao.
Xiao Hongchen's confidence was justified. He was well aware of his talent. Even compared to the students of the so-called top academy on the continent, Shrek Academy, he believed their talent couldn't match his.
Though he had only recently broken through to Soul Ancestor, Xiao Hongchen was confident he could hold his own against a Soul Emperor.
Not to mention, he and Meng Hongchen had other tricks up their sleeves.
However, as Lin Xiao drew closer and his six soul rings rose one by one, Xiao Hongchen felt a pang of unease.
Six ten-thousand-year soul rings—what kind of monster was this?
Instinctively, Xiao Hongchen raised a handful of golden powder. Under his martial soul's control, the powder instantly formed soul guidance cannons that hung on his body, weightless. The cannon muzzles glowed, clearly ready to fire.
Even with a gap in soul power, at such close range, a single hit would be tough for Lin Xiao to endure.
But behind Lin Xiao, the soul tool thruster flared, boosting his speed sharply. His left hand lightly brushed Xiao Hongchen's cannon barrel, and the soul guidance cannons instantly went limp.
Even true soul tools would be devoured and absorbed by the power of Lin Xiao's left arm bone. Xiao Hongchen's cannons, formed by his martial soul, were no match when Lin Xiao's soul power surpassed his. Disabling them was effortless.
"Meng!"
Xiao Hongchen was just an eleven- or twelve-year-old boy. With his talent and training under Jing Hongchen, he had rarely faced setbacks and naturally assumed he could handle an evil soul master.
But now, facing real danger, he couldn't hide the panic on his face.
His cry reached Meng Hongchen, but Lin Xiao heard it too. How could he not know what the siblings were planning?
Seeing Meng Hongchen rush forward at Xiao Hongchen's call, Lin Xiao suddenly turned, extending his right arm.
Xiao Hongchen flinched, a golden shield enveloping him.
But the shield blocked nothing—Lin Xiao's target wasn't him. As his right arm swung back, he had already scooped Meng Hongchen into his grasp, his right hand tightly gripping her delicate neck.
"Everyone, stop!"
"Meng!" Xiao Hongchen cried out, not daring to advance.
"You're right about most things, but you overlooked one point: your cultivation isn't enough to stop us," Lin Xiao said, looking at Xiao Hongchen.
"If you've got the guts, let her go and say that again!"
"This isn't your little arena games with other kids. There's more than one way to settle a fight."
Lin Xiao's right hand tightened slightly, and Meng Hongchen coughed softly.
"So, can you let us go now?"
"My grandfather is Jing Hongchen, Hallmaster of Illustrious Virtue Hall."
"Didn't you just say you wouldn't tell me?" Lin Xiao chuckled, suddenly sensing something and glancing back. "Releasing her is easy, but I'm a bit short on soul tools while out here…"
Xiao Hongchen glanced at Meng Hongchen, hesitating briefly before responding, "I can give you some."
"I don't want yours." Lin Xiao raised his voice. "I see the soul tools on your guards are quite nice. Could I borrow one to study?"
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