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Night fell, and the sky was instantly dyed a deep ink-black. After a day of relentless marching, Yue Guan and his companions gradually came to a stop.
Glancing at the demoralized Soul Master troops, Yue Guan couldn't help but let out a helpless sigh.
This time, the Eight Elders had all joined the battle and brought along ten thousand Soul Masters, each with at least the cultivation level of a Soul King. They had launched a night raid against the Hao Tian Sect, taking full advantage of timing, terrain, and popular support.
Yet the outcome? At first, they had achieved a decisive victory—at the cost of the Ninth Elder, they had slain the Fifth and Sixth Elders of the Hao Tian Sect, severely wounded Tang Xiao, and wiped out hundreds of Hao Tian disciples in one fell swoop.
However, when Dai Pojun and his wife led the fearless White Tiger soldiers onto the battlefield, the situation immediately reversed. The Snake Spear Douluo and Porcupine Douluo were killed, the Ghost Leopard Douluo was captured, and even the Spirit Kite Douluo was gravely injured, teetering on the brink of death.
More than half of the ten thousand Soul Masters were lost, leaving just over four thousand, fewer than five thousand.
Although the Hao Tian Sect had suffered heavy losses, Spirit Hall's forces were also severely depleted.
"Damn it! How could this happen? Damn it!" Yue Guan's delicate face contorted with rage, his eyes flashing a terrifying chill as he swore aloud.
"Dai Weisi, mark my words! One day, I will slaughter you!"
Thinking of how Dai Weisi had escaped his grasp time and time again, and how he had consumed the very Velvet Heavenly Chrysanthemum that Yue Guan longed for, Yue Guan's heart seethed with envy, jealousy, and hatred.
If his thoughts alone could kill, Dai Weisi would have died thousands of times over by now.
Watching his partner's furious outburst, Gui Mei sighed and raised a hand, gently patting Yue Guan's shoulder in consolation.
"Alright, Chrysanthemum Guan, don't dwell on it. No matter what, the Hao Tian Sect has already been gravely wounded. Without a Supreme Douluo defending it, the Hao Tian Sect is no longer a threat.
"Although our losses are severe, we have still accomplished the task set by Her Holiness, the Supreme Pontiff. Our immediate priority is to rush back to support Spirit City.
"Otherwise, it will be trouble if the Star Luo Empire's three-hundred-thousand-strong army launches an attack… and…"
Gui Mei turned to the Spirit Kite Douluo on Demon Bear Douluo's back. She was unconscious and heavily wounded, her bones exposed through gaping wounds. Blood flowed like a stream, completely soaking Demon Bear Douluo's garments.
Frowning, he said, "Our urgent priority is to treat Spirit Kite immediately. We've already lost four Titled Douluo; we cannot let anything happen to her.
"First, let's find a place to rest and heal her, then we move on."
"Very well." Yue Guan gathered his soul power, condensing it in his throat as he shouted, "All healing-type Soul Masters, to me!"
In moments, fifty healing Soul Masters had aligned neatly before him.
"Heal Elder Spirit Kite at once. If anything happens to her, you will answer with your heads!"
The captain of the medical team nodded solemnly. "As you command!"
They immediately unleashed their Martial Souls, each casting their most potent healing soul techniques. With so many healing Soul Masters working together, it was said that anyone, so long as they were not yet dead, could be saved.
Not only did Spirit Kite Douluo's bleeding stop, but the flesh of her wounds also began to regenerate at a visible rate, returning to normal in a short while.
Additionally, support-type Soul Masters worked to restore her soul power. However, as a Titled Douluo, her soul power was immense; the assistance from Soul King- and Soul Emperor-level techniques was but a drop in a bucket, hardly enough to return her to peak condition.
While everyone worked to heal the Spirit Kite Douluo, Yue Guan summoned all the agility-attack type Soul Masters. He commanded, "You are the fastest and are skilled in concealment and reconnaissance. Go scout the pursuing forces, set some traps, and cause as much trouble for them as you can. Don't let them catch up to us easily." "As you command!"
With that, more than ten agility-attack Soul Masters leaped into motion, dashing toward the White Tiger Legion.
"Elder Chrysanthemum, Elder Ghost, I saw with my own eyes that the one leading the pursuit is Star Luo Crown Prince Dai Weisi. Let's turn back and hit them with a counterattack, then…"
After saying this, Demon Bear Douluo made a throat-slitting gesture, clearly signaling his intent to eliminate the threat of Dai Weisi for good.
After all, Dai Weisi's talent was too terrifying. If he were allowed to fully mature, he would be unstoppable!
"Kill him…"
"Or capture him to exchange for Elder Ghost Leopard. Elder Ghost, what do you think?"
"..."
Gui Mei lowered his head, silent. After pondering for a moment, he gently shook his head. "I doubt it would succeed. Although I haven't personally fought their Star Luo Sacred Tiger, just two of its clones were able to hold me off for so long. The main body is undoubtedly far more formidable. Chrysanthemum Guan, you should have a deep understanding of this, right?"
As he finished, Gui Mei glanced at Yue Guan. At his words, Yue Guan furrowed his delicate brows. Despite his unwillingness, he had to admit that in a one-on-one fight, he was no match for the Star Luo Sacred Tiger.
"That domain is too devious. I couldn't use my strength to its fullest extent; otherwise, I could have put up a fight against him."
"Indeed. Dai Weisi's domain is the strongest I have ever seen, perhaps even more powerful than the Supreme Pontiff's Deathgod Domain," Gui Mei analyzed. "Since that's the case, we shouldn't go looking for trouble. Once everyone has recovered their stamina, we must leave this place at once.
"Even if the three of us were to go, we might be able to defeat them, but if they decide to flee, we would be powerless to stop them. If we were to delay the Supreme Pontiff's grand plan because of this, it would be disastrous."
"Sigh, this is the only way now!" Yue Guan and Demon Bear Douluo both agreed with Gui Mei's assessment.
Soon, the Spirit Kite Douluo slowly regained consciousness and recovered some of her soul power. After resting for two hours, the Soul Master army once again advanced at full speed.
Behind them, Dai Weisi led the White Tiger Legion in close pursuit. Thanks to their scouting party reconnoitering ahead, the traps laid by the agility-attack Soul Masters did not cause them much trouble.
After clearing the traps, they continued to follow Yue Guan's group, maintaining a distance of twenty li and forcing them toward Lin Qiuyang's encirclement.
Finally, after three days and nights of being pursued, the Soul Master troops led by Yue Guan arrived at the border valley between the Heaven Dou Empire and Spirit City.
In the original story, Yue Guan and Gui Mei ambushed Tang San and the Shrek Seven here. Now, Lin Qiuyang lay in ambush for them.
"Reporting, Dean Lin, Spirit Hall's Soul Master troops are approaching. They are led by Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo. Their numbers are over four thousand but less than five thousand!"
A Soul Master scout from the Speed Clan reported the situation to Lin Qiuyang, who was lying in ambush above the valley.
Hearing this, Lin Qiuyang chuckled. "As expected of His Highness, the Crown Prince. To think he reduced Spirit Hall's ten-thousand-strong Soul Master army to less than five thousand…
"Relay my orders! When I fire the signal flare, all artillery units are to immediately fire upon the valley below! The rest of you, throw incendiary bombs! We must strike Spirit Hall a heavy blow in a single assault!"
(End of Chapter)