"Who's there?!"
The deputy commander whirled around—only to see a black-robed figure speeding toward them from behind the legion. Yet when he caught sight of the stranger's face, he didn't recognize him at all.
He had no idea how this man had slipped through their lines—but now that he was here…
He wouldn't be leaving.
"Prepare!"
At his command, most members of several soul engineer squads instantly trained their weapons on the approaching figure.
Just as he was about to order fire, the intruder sensed the threat. A cold snort echoed like thunder in their ears—and a sinister, overwhelming aura erupted!
Yellow! Yellow! Purple! Purple! Black! Black! Black! Black! Black!
Nine soul rings rose slowly beneath the stranger's feet.
"A Title Douluo!"
Shock flashed across the deputy commander's face—but vanished instantly, replaced by grim vigilance.
There was a world of difference between having Title Douluo-level power and being an actual Title Douluo. He was confident his squad could handle Sect Master Nan Shuishui—but against a true Title Douluo? Not a chance.
So he immediately signaled the main force:
"Commander! Requesting backup!"
To his surprise, the reply came instantly—and chillingly:
"Withdraw your squad from that area immediately. Leave the two remaining soul masters to this Title Douluo."
"This… yes, sir!"
Though bewildered, military discipline was absolute. Orders were orders.
Without hesitation, the deputy commander directed his squads to retreat eastward—abandoning Nan Shuishui and Nan Qiuqiu entirely.
Hope flared in Nan Qiuqiu's eyes.
"Mom, let's go! Back to Mingdu!"
Her voice trembled with urgency.
Mingdu was the enemy's stronghold—but paradoxically, it was also the safest place right now.
"Mom?!"
Seeing her mother unresponsive, Nan Qiuqiu called again.
"…Alright. Let's go."
Nan Shuishui had been staring blankly at the black-robed figure, lost in thought. Only at her daughter's second call did she snap back to reality.
—
As the black-robed man passed the retreating soul engineer squads, he let out a disdainful snort. Then, a voice crackled through the communication soul tool in his ear—the legion commander himself:
"You'd better show some restraint. If you dare harm my troops, I won't hesitate to eliminate you right here—even if your wretched Holy Spirit Cult has an alliance with our empire."
Pure disgust dripped from every word. Clearly, no sane person liked evil soul masters.
"Relax," the man—now revealed as the Holy Spirit Cult's Third Elder—replied coolly. "I have no interest in your precious soldiers. I'm only here for her."
His gaze fixed on Nan Shuishui, still in her Rouge Dragon True Form. Through the draconic visage, he seemed to see the elegant, mature beauty beneath.
Then he removed the communicator from his ear.
With a sneer, he added, "Oh, and Commander Li—letting them escape just now was me doing you a favor. Now, pull back all surveillance from this area. My reunion with my old flame isn't something I want spied on. And next time? Don't threaten me. Consider this a warning."
Crack!
The communicator shattered in his grip.
His eyes then tracked the fleeing mother-daughter pair. A twisted smile curled his lips.
"Shuishui… you can't run. Just stand still and wait for me."
He accelerated—but with the leisurely grace of a cat toying with a mouse.
—
Back in the legion's main tent…
Zzzt—zzzt—
Static hissed in Commander Li's earpiece. His face had turned livid. With a furious slam!, his palm struck the metal table—leaving a deep, unmistakable handprint.
"Damn it! Nothing but mad dogs!"
"Commander!"
The tent flap ripped open. The deputy commander stood there, having just returned.
During the mission, he obeyed without question. But now, alone with his superior, he demanded answers: "What the hell was that? Who was he?"
"There's nothing to explain. Just leave him be," Commander Li growled, still seething. "They're those people—and this is one of the privileges His Highness granted them."
"Those people?"
The deputy commander's eyes widened—then darkened with horror as realization struck.
"That fucking Holy Spirit Cult?! And His Highness actually—"
He started cursing again—until—
"Enough!"
Commander Li's roar cut him off, jolting him back to his senses.
Silence fell over the tent.
Finally, with a heavy sigh, Commander Li muttered, "This is a sin…" Then issued new orders: "Redirect all ultra-high-altitude detection soul tools away from that sector."
—
"Shuishui… where do you think you're running?"
Soon, the Third Elder's playful mood faded.
In a flash, he appeared before Nan Shuishui and her daughter. Gazing at her dragon form, his expression turned complex.
Seeing that escape was impossible, Nan Shuishui halted. She, too, stared at him—conflicted.
The Third Elder expected nostalgic words.
Instead, her conflicted look twisted into pure, venomous hatred.
"I never imagined it, Nan Shuishui spat. "Sun Moon Empire has truly allied itself with monsters like you—utterly devoid of conscience!"
"Devoid of conscience…"
The Third Elder's eyes dropped slightly—disappointed.
"I thought… you might say something to remember old times."
Nan Qiuqiu's instincts screamed—Wait, does Mom have history with this evil soul master?!
"Remember old times?" Nan Shuishui's voice dripped with scorn. "What could we possibly have to say to each other?!"
ROAR—!
A dragon's bellow tore through the air. Ignoring her depleted soul power, her eighth ring blazed again. A terrifying Annihilation Storm surged toward him.
"Dark Lightning! Die!"
"Hahahaha—!"
The Third Elder—no, Dark Lightning Douluo—let out a shrill, manic laugh. "So you won't even speak my name anymore! You want to kill me? Give up!"
His ninth ring ignited. Dark thunder crashed down like divine judgment.
The collision of their ultimate techniques unleashed a cataclysmic shockwave.
Nan Shuishui, already exhausted, knew she couldn't fight on. She'd accepted her death—but if her daughter could live, she'd ensure it.
Not through begging. Never.
The Earth Dragon may not be a true celestial dragon—but it carried true dragon pride.
In utter despair, choose death—not shameful survival!
"Trying to flee?"
Dark Lightning Douluo's eyes bulged with fury.
His right hand slammed downward. From his arm erupted a sapphire-black lightning dragon that exploded midair into a vast, crackling net—engulfing the entire area below.
The very air reeked of ozone, as if scorched by relentless sunlight. Paralyzing electricity surged through Nan Shuishui and Nan Qiuqiu's bodies.
This—was the power of a Grade 9 soul engineer!
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