Chapter 300: Armor God Mask

This was a dense rainforest, eerily quiet, with even small animals and demonic beasts being rare.

The surroundings were filled with jagged ferns—iron wire ferns, tree ferns, staghorn ferns, water dragon bones... the serrated fern leaves were stunning yet perilously sharp, almost like blades.

Several Holy Sanctuary disciples were cautiously making their way through this area. With no clear path, they had to weave through the razor-sharp fern leaves.

"Blast it!" one of them cursed under his breath. Despite being careful, his clothes had already been torn in several places. Just now, a gust of wind had caused a serrated fern leaf to swing toward him, and he couldn’t dodge in time. It sliced across his face. He instinctively used his Soul Power to protect himself, reacting quickly, but the leaf was too sharp. It just managed to cut through his protective Soul Power, leaving a shallow cut on his face.

But that wasn’t the end of it. The blood oozing from the cut had a faint, sickly green hue.

"Are you okay?" a companion asked with concern.

"It’s going numb!" the man said, alarmed. He felt more and more green liquid oozing from the wound on his face. In just a few seconds, half of his face had gone numb and swollen. "It’s poisoned!" he cried out.

Swish!

Wu Dao’s blade flashed in front of him, accurately slicing off the skin around the wound that had been contaminated with the green liquid—neither too much nor too little.

Immediately after, a bottle of elixir was handed to him.

It was a man carrying six martial blades on his back. He said calmly, "Put it on."

The injured man, ignoring the pain on his face, clearly trusted the blade-wielding man completely. He quickly took the elixir and applied it to his face.

The elixir spread a soothing coolness over the wound, and the numbness in his face gradually subsided. The burning pain of the wound returned, and though his face was now marred, he knew his life was saved. He sighed in relief and said gratefully, "Thank you, thank you! Old Blade, you saved my skin again. This is really..."

The man smiled faintly, unfazed.

Wu Dao was his name. Though his name meant "no blade," he carried six blades on his back.

The Southern Peak Holy Sanctuary, where he belonged, was once ranked among the top twenty Holy Sanctuaries. It was the earliest established and the most senior, but in recent years, it had declined. As a result, Wu Dao, who had been highly regarded by the Southern Peak Holy Sanctuary, was only ranked thirty-fifth among all Holy Sanctuary disciples.

Wu Dao wasn’t part of the same team as these men; they had just met along the way. Honestly, with his strength, these men weren’t exactly a burden to him, but they couldn’t offer much help either. Still, since they were all fellow Holy Sanctuary disciples, bringing them along was just a matter of convenience.

"Old Blade, what kind of elixir is this?" another Holy Sanctuary disciple asked in admiration. "It’s so effective! His face was swollen, but it went down instantly..."

"The Soul Illusion Realm is largely a projection of reality. At the Sharp Fortress, there’s a sand fern oasis where Sharp Fortress warriors once clashed with the Nine Gods. They’re very familiar with the toxicity of these iron ferns. This is the antidote for it..." Wu Dao paused, his sharp ears catching a faint rustling not far away. He tilted his head to listen.

The poisoned disciple gave a thumbs-up in gratitude. "Old Blade, you’re strong and think more thoroughly than we do. We’re lucky to have you with us..."

Wu Dao waved his hand, cutting him off, and turned to look at a patch of jungle to the left. He said calmly, "We’ve got company."

Everyone looked in that direction and saw a young girl in white War Academy robes cautiously emerging from a cluster of ferns.

On the corner of her clothes was embroidered a cute pink "8," like a mark a mother would sew on her child’s clothes to prevent them from getting lost. She moved cautiously, wary of the razor-sharp ferns. Her movements were nimble, but she was very short, which gave her an advantage since most of the sharp ferns were higher up. She only needed to bend over, and the ferns would pass harmlessly over her head.

The girl was nowhere near as alert as Wu Dao. She had no idea that Holy Sanctuary disciples were waiting for her. When she finally emerged from the ferns, she wiped the sweat from her brow in relief, about to let out a long sigh, but then she saw the four Holy Sanctuary disciples staring at her.

The girl froze.

"It’s someone from the War Academy."

"Is she an exorcist?"

To be honest, exorcists play a crucial role in a mature team. Under specific conditions, they can become very powerful. But when alone and caught off guard in an encounter, exorcists are probably the easiest targets.

"And she’s alone!" The eyes of the Holy Sanctuary disciples lit up, and they couldn’t help but smile.

"Old Blade, she’s yours!" the poisoned disciple who had been saved said eagerly. Wu Dao had helped them a lot on this journey. If it weren’t for him, they wouldn’t know what state they’d be in now. This easy win should go to him.

They acted like they owned the place, already eyeing the little girl like she was their next meal.

The little girl grew increasingly frightened, her voice trembling as she said, "Please, don’t kill me. I hate fighting, I’d never hurt you..."

Wu Dao stepped forward, steady and deliberate.

In this illusion, hunting was the only game. There was no hesitation in Wu Dao's eyes. The opponent was an elite selected from hundreds of thousands of War Academy disciples. No matter how innocent she seemed, he couldn’t let his guard down, nor could he show any mercy.

The girl looked utterly helpless, frozen in fear.

But a sharp glint lit up Wu Dao’s eyes.

Only the sharpest could survive here. Anyone who believed her was a fool. Hit first, hit fast!

Swish!

A figure zipped by, a streak of white light slicing through the air, tracing an elliptical arc like a fleeting shadow.

Wu Dao’s blade was back in its sheath in a flash. He didn’t bother looking back—his blade never missed. Yet, in the next second, his brow furrowed.

With a loud clang, two wooden stumps hit the ground, cleanly sliced.

The three Holy Sanctuary disciples watching were stunned.

Now that’s a quick swap!

The girl popped up about twenty feet away, her face now wearing a sly grin, a stark contrast to her earlier innocence.

"Men really only care about fighting and killing. Seeing a delicate little flower like me, all you can think of is killing?" She giggled, pointing at Wu Dao. "How dull!"

She’s good!

The nearby Holy Sanctuary disciples looked shocked, while a fierce glint flashed in Wu Dao’s eyes. He sprang into the air, now wielding two blades.

The Swift Dual Blade Style.

Swish, swish, swish, swish!

Blade shadows crisscrossed, white flashes weaving through the air.

Wu Dao’s technique was straightforward, no frills, focusing solely on speed. When he unleashed his dual blades, even skilled experts found it hard to keep up with his movements.

But the girl, though fragile-looking, moved with incredible agility. Her small frame darted around like a nimble rabbit, always managing to narrowly evade what seemed like certain death.

She laughed and said, "You can’t touch me, you can’t touch me... Quit messing with those blades. They’re so slow, they couldn’t even cut through butter!"

Wu Dao frowned, his shoulders twitching.

With two sharp sounds, two more blades appeared under his arms.

The speed of the blade flashes increased more than twofold, so fast that even the sound of the blades cutting through the air became inaudible. All that could be seen were the crisscrossing flashes of light, like instantaneous lightning.

"Oh, oh, oh!" The little girl was startled. Though she remained agile, she could no longer keep up with the terrifying speed of the blades.

After all, even the strongest exorcist was still just an exorcist. Physical speed was not her forte.

Rip!

A tear suddenly appeared in her clothes.

"This is my new dress!" she said angrily, "I'm telling you, you're toast!"

Her small hands flicked slightly, and soul power surged endlessly from her body. The complex exorcism techniques required no setup or preparation, unleashed instantly in one go.

Fear Spell, Quagmire Spell.

The night grew even darker, the light barely piercing through, carrying an eerie allure. Even with Wu Dao's firm resolve, he felt a pang of unease.

Simultaneously, the ground beneath Wu Dao’s feet turned to a swampy quagmire, hindering his movement. To his horror, thorny mandrake stems emerged from the swamp, quickly wrapping around him. The thorns were veiled in a faint black mist, clearly venomous.

Mandrake Vines!

Wu Dao sensed multiple threats converging on him. His eyes gleamed sharply as he twisted his body and crossed his arms.

The twin blades in his hands and under his armpits traced an elliptical dance in the air.

Quadruple Blade Kill Formation!

Blade light exploded in all directions, shredding the thorns wrapped around him in an instant.

Boom!

He launched into the air, spiraling, but the little girl’s expression wasn’t one of panic.

A translucent, ghostly hand materialized before him, as if it had predicted his every move, lying in wait.

"A Ghost Hand? Already?!"

Wu Dao's pupils contracted sharply.

The Quagmire, Fear, and Thorn Spells were all standard exorcist techniques. But to cast them so swiftly, even three at once, was the hallmark of a master exorcist. He’d had his suspicions earlier, but the Ghost Hand confirmed it—his mind was now crystal clear.

He knew who this little girl was.

Fu Yu, ranked eighth among the War Academy’s top ten spiritualists!

Wu Dao’s pupils narrowed, and his soul power surged in an instant.

No wonder this seemingly ordinary girl moved with such agility. He’d heard of the spiritualist Fu Yu, a little girl, but he never imagined she’d play the fool, feigning weakness to deceive him.

Had he hesitated even a second longer, he might’ve missed his chance to unleash his ultimate move!

But no matter her strength, she was still just an exorcist. The chance to eliminate one of the top ten was within his grasp.

A golden light flashed in Wu Dao’s eyes. The blades under his arms and on his back, guided by an unseen force, synchronized with the blades in his hands, forming six spiraling, deadly arcs in the air.

Six Harmonies Blade Mastery!

"Kill!"

The devastating force hit the Ghost Hand, but it met no resistance, slicing through effortlessly.

Broken?

Fu Yu's face no longer showed panic. She giggled and tugged with her small hand.

The Ghost Hand, seemingly pierced, snapped shut, its thumb and index finger forming an odd, rune-like seal!

And in the air, Wu Dao seemed to be instantly frozen in place, his entire body stiff and unmoving. The flying blades that had accompanied him lost control, clattering to the ground.

"Come, come~"

Fu Yu smirked wickedly, her voice, seductive and haunting, like a summoning chant, as a pale, shadowy figure drifted out of Wu Dao's body and flew straight toward her.

With a small opening of her mouth, the white shadow slid into her mouth with a 'swoosh'!

Gulp...

Her throat, pale as jade, moved slightly as she swallowed, then her entire body shivered uncontrollably, as if in the throes of ecstasy.

"Ah..." She closed her eyes in satisfaction, seemingly savoring the taste: "It has a spicy kick, what a stubborn soul!"

Her eyes snapped open, now brimming with desire and anticipation: "Come, come~"

She began summoning again, and Wu Dao, trapped in the ghostly hand, had no power to resist, not even able to move. A white soul was once again forcibly extracted from his body.

His face, already pale, grew even more gaunt as the soul began to leave his body. His mouth was wide open, his face appeared parched, his eyes bulging, his sockets sunken. His whole body trembled as the white soul gradually left him.

"Devil! This lunatic is a devil!"

"Old Dao!"

"Dao my ass, run!"

The nearby Holy Sanctuary disciples stood frozen in shock, only now snapping out of it. Confronted with death and fear, loyalty was the last thing on their minds as they scattered in all directions. The final spark of hope in Wu Dao's eyes dimmed. Not long ago, he had risked his life to save them...

The soul, nearly extracted from Wu Dao's body, dimmed instantly at this sight. A soul devoid of belief carries a musty stench, how disappointing!

"Thinking of running? In your dreams." She chuckled, ready to meddle a bit, but at the same moment, the ground trembled violently.

"Soul Summoning!" The man who had been slashed earlier leaped into the air, flinging a pale red card.

A massive summoning circle materialized on the ground, and a colossal python, nearly 18 meters long, emerged from it. The enormous snake head reared up, catching the summoner as he landed, while its tail lashed out like a colossal whip towards Fu Yu. Clearly, these individuals had concealed their true strength earlier, as in such a place, the more cards you have, the longer you can survive. Flattery holds little value.

A lone exorcist isn't very strong, lacking much combat power, but this is Fu Yu, a top ten spiritualist... Even Old Dao, ranked 35th, had almost no chance against her!

"This snake is not bad."

Fu Yu giggled, her interest shifting from Wu Dao. She lightly jumped up, dodging the python's tail swipe, and effortlessly floated in the air.

"Everyone, run separately, she can't handle all of us!"

Generally, at the peak of the tiger level, one can only manage simple air stepping, but to float or even fly so easily, that's usually a ghost level skill!

"Is that so? Let's see mine, mine is not bad either!" Her eyes almost narrowed into a line as she waved her small hand.

The ghostly hand, now a shadow in the air, suddenly solidified and quickly gathered into a single point.

"Ritual—Happy Paradise."

Boom!

The ghostly hand exploded into countless tiny lights, creating a terrifying shockwave that spread out in all directions.

The Holy Sanctuary disciples were shocked.

"Snake Spirit Defense!" The summoner raised his hand, and the python instantly coiled up, protecting itself.

Boom...

The ground shook violently, and even the terrifyingly large serpent was blown several meters away from its original position by the shockwave.

But the true terror was only just beginning.

As the white starlight splashed from the explosion of the white figure touched the ground, it was like stones falling into a lake, creating ripples on the hard surface, emitting green light. Summoning runes appeared in the green light, and massive soul power energy surged forth.

"What is that?" Everyone's expression changed abruptly.

In an instant, countless enormous tentacles wildly extended from each ripple, with more thorny small tentacles growing on each of them.

The giant tentacles, without any finesse, relentlessly slammed down on the serpent at the center. Each strike was earth-shattering, each strike shook the ground!

It was a scene of brutal, unrelenting violence. In just four or five seconds, the serpent had been pounded into pulp. Four desperate Holy Sanctuary disciples didn't even have a chance to scream; their flesh and blood had already mixed with the serpent, indistinguishable from each other.

But the giant tentacles hadn't dispersed yet. Streams of white energy were continuously absorbed by the tentacles from the shattered flesh and blood.

Fuyu felt ecstatic. She closed her eyes and spread her hands, as if welcoming some kind of descent and replenishment. Her small face became even more pure and white, delicate and charming, with lips as red as fresh blood.

Soon, the battered earth returned to calm. Nothing was left on the ground; the flesh and blood had been devoured by the tentacles, leaving only a half-dead Wu Dao. Fuyu glanced at him with indifference, a sweet smile playing on her lips, and she floated away barefoot, her feet as white as jade...

...

Old Wang hid in the hollowed-out 'stem house' all afternoon, keeping track of all movements around him. Seven or eight groups of disciples had passed by the 'Cockscomb Forest' on either side, but none had discovered his presence.

Outside, the battle raged, but Old Wang slept comfortably through the afternoon, feeling utterly content.

But as night descended, an uneasy feeling crept in.

From the information fed back by the scattered ice bees high in the sky, Old Wang could clearly sense the changes in this world as night fell.

The soul power of this world waned, while a dark force grew. The demonic beasts in the forests and mountains had dwindled, as if they had hidden or been consumed by illusions, transforming into something else. In a few spots, eerie glows flickered, subtle but unmistakable to the ice bees...

This night was likely to be extraordinary.

Old Wang pondered, rousing himself slightly, and kept a vigilant eye on the surroundings. But before he could discern anything, he noticed something he couldn't ignore.

A sentry ice bee spotted it about three or four miles east of the forest. Two figures were chasing each other, one in front and one behind. The one in front was a Holy Sanctuary disciple, clearly injured, fleeing in panic.

Andy from Judgment.

Though a genius soul beast master in Aurora City, he ranked only 451st in the Holy Sanctuary. To most, he was little more than cannon fodder. Luckily, the War Academy guy chasing him didn't seem particularly formidable. Although he was a fire witch not skilled in speed, he had been chasing Andy, ranked 451, for a while, likely around the 400th mark.

"Lucky bastard!" Old Wang smirked, grinning.

Old Wang had seen several Holy Sanctuary disciples killed before, and he had remained indifferent. Coming here meant being prepared to die, but this was an acquaintance after all...

Honestly, although fooling Anbolin was a matter of course and mutual consent, he had taken advantage of him quite a bit. If he let his only nephew die right before his eyes, it would be inexcusable. Of course, the most important thing was that it was easy to save.

The fire witch chasing him was clearly weak, likely ranked around 300th to 400th in the War Academy—perfect for testing his move!

Old Wang excitedly pulled out the mask he had previously crafted, modeled after Hei Wukai. It felt incredibly thin, like some kind of skin, beyond the realm of forging, somewhere between forging and alchemy. It was the best he could get under the conditions in Aurora City.

As soon as the specially consecrated material touched his face, soul power poured in, and countless tiny suction-cupped tendrils extended from the mask, firmly attaching to his face, seamlessly blending with Old Wang's skin, changing his appearance.

The tree hole was pitch black, and there was no mirror to check for any flaws. Fortunately, it was night, and if there was anything off, the other party probably wouldn't notice. He casually changed into Hei Wukai's clothes and the counterfeit Yecha Wolf Fang Sword that Patu had made.

Then Old Wang lazily stuffed his hands into his open pockets, secretly gripping two Sky-Blasting Thunderbolts, and casually stuck a weed in his mouth. His lazy demeanor made him a dead ringer for Hei Wukai.

Truth be told, Old Wang thought he was pretty good at mimicking others.

Unfortunately, there was no mirror around, and this wasn’t the time for self-admiration. He ambled toward the direction where Andy and his pursuer were approaching.

"Panting heavily..." Andy felt his legs growing heavier and his breathing becoming more labored.

The burn on his waist wasn’t the most severe; the real damage was to his soul.

He had been ambushed by his opponent and injured right from the start. Although the Golden Demon Ape had held out for a while, the fire warlock’s relentless combat prowess was overwhelming, eventually burning the ape into dissipation and causing severe damage. As the host connected to the ape’s soul, backlash was inevitable. That he could still push himself to run over ten miles spoke volumes about his sheer determination.

Andy persisted, hoping his last bit of endurance would lead him to a teammate from Judgment. But clearly, the odds of that were slim. After running just over ten miles, he had reached his limit.

He never expected to lose his life on the very first day, and with it, the hope of the An family.

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