soul land: Huo Yuhao Inheriting Centipede Immortal

Nearly a month had passed since the White Lotus Cult rebellion.

In the first two weeks, the Southern Corps, along with the Fourth and Fifth Princes, marched south to suppress the uprising—but both princes were utterly crushed.

Another week later, the Third Prince finally arrived at the battlefield, accompanied by two Beast King Corps, coming to reinforce the front lines.

The delay was due to the complexity of the first wave of suppression, which involved coordinating ordinary army corps, regional garrisons, and the logistics of transporting troops. At that time, no one believed the White Lotus Cult could stir up such a major upheaval.

The second wave of suppression was different. The two Beast King Corps marched at full speed. This time, the Emperor of the Sun-Moon Empire was truly enraged, and no one dared to waste a moment.

Although only two Beast King Corps were dispatched, the total number of Sun-Moon troops confronting the White Lotus forces in the south had multiplied several times.

This was because, in addition to the elite forces, local nobles sent their private armies and regional troops to support the effort—

 Both as a show of loyalty to the Empire and in hopes of earning some military merit.

After all, with the Empire deploying two Beast King Corps, defeat seemed impossible. Naturally, everyone wanted to jump in and share the credit.

As a result, before the two elite corps arrived, no one dared to act rashly.

And if even the Beast King Corps were to be defeated… well, then they'd be better off surrendering quickly, because the Sun-Moon Empire might as well disband.

Of course, the arrival of so many reinforcements also alerted the enemy, causing the White Lotus forces to bolster their defenses in advance.

While the Empire did not typically place much emphasis on regional troops, their combined presence still posed a considerable force.

Eventually, the two Beast King Corps reached the frontlines—but they didn't immediately attack, as that would have been suicidal recklessness.

Who would dare bet they weren't walking into a trap?

As professional forces, the Beast King Corps set up camp and began reconnaissance operations to gather updated intel on the White Lotus Army before formulating a strategy.

They didn't rely solely on the earlier intel from the Southern Corps—if it had been accurate, the Fourth and Fifth Princes wouldn't have perished.

By the time Zhang Lexuan arrived at the White Lotus Army, the two Beast King Corps had already gathered sufficient intelligence and were preparing to strike.

Previously, the White Lotus Army held its ground mainly through a massive Soul Master regiment and a large cache of soul tools acquired from the Southern Provinces.

In the Sun-Moon Empire, even a few hundred ordinary soul engineers could rival a ten-thousand-strong cavalry corps in battle strength. This showed how greatly soul tools could amplify a military's power.

But after the last major battle, the White Lotus Army had mostly exhausted their soul tool stockpile, and any new supplies were far fewer than before.

Thus, after assessing the situation, the Beast King Corps didn't want to waste any more time. If they waited too long, the emperor on the Dragon Throne would grow impatient.

Now, no matter how fervently the White Lotus Army fought, they had no hope of turning the tide.

The two arriving corps were the Terrorclaw Soul Engineer Corps, known for breaking enemy lines head-on, and the Evil Sovereign Soul Engineer Corps, experts in pursuit and slaughter.

As for the Third Prince who came with them—

Although he had been given authority to participate in military affairs, he was more of a figurehead. No one in these two elite corps actually took orders from him.

To their satisfaction, the Third Prince was very well-behaved. He had no intention of interfering and placed full trust in them.

This earned him some goodwill from the corps commanders. While he didn't seem like an exceptional ruler in the making, at least he wasn't both ignorant and meddlesome.

Rumor had it that the Crown Prince was far more controlling—if he became emperor, everyone would need to tread carefully.

Though the Hand of the Nation didn't interfere with imperial succession and served only the sitting emperor, that didn't mean they didn't prefer a good boss.

So, as the war loomed, the commanders brought the Third Prince into their strategy discussions—to help pad his resume a bit.

If the rebellion was successfully crushed, the credit would also go partly to the prince.

In the command tent—

The commander of the Terrorclaw Corps asked, "Your Highness the Third Prince, what is your opinion on the suppression of this rebellion?"

All eyes turned to the prince. Present in the tent were not only the two Beast King commanders, but also representatives from the Southern Corps and local armies—each one a Soul Sage or stronger.

Under the gaze of these powerful figures, the prince showed no nervousness. He calmly straightened his robes and began:

"Then I'll keep it simple. In my view, our army holds ten strengths, while the enemy suffers ten weaknesses…"

Essentially, he praised his own side and criticized the enemy—yet all his points were grounded in fact, not fantasy.

In truth, no one on this battlefield knew both armies' conditions better than the Third Prince—Huo Yuhao.

His "Ten Strengths vs. Ten Weaknesses" analysis stunned everyone present. Even the Beast King commanders were impressed; they gleaned some novel insights from his speech.

They started thinking—perhaps the prince wasn't so mediocre after all.

Later, his analysis spread through the ranks, greatly boosting morale among Sun-Moon soldiers.

Many nobles even sought private audiences with the Third Prince after the meeting, subtly hinting at allegiance. But if they were to truly pledge themselves, the prince still needed to further prove his worth.

In the end, these nobles were investors—he needed to show value to attract their backing.

Though no one had fully aligned with him yet, many were eager to establish ties. Some nobles even offered their daughters to the prince as concubines, or introduced talented female soul masters from their retinues.

All this was due to rumors of the prince's love for partying, which had reached even the southern front. Naturally, people tried to curry favor by playing to his tastes.

The Third Prince welcomed it all—if they looked good, he accepted without hesitation.

This left the two Beast King commanders—who had just started warming to the prince—silent once more, unsure what to think.

Still, lust wasn't a fatal flaw. As long as he wasn't foolish, it was tolerable.

Good thing the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Corps didn't come along this time—being an all-female corps, there's no telling what the Third Prince might have done.

In any case, the Sun-Moon Empire was fully prepared for battle.

Once the sun rose, its rays would shine upon a battlefield soaked in the blood of White Lotus traitors!

However, on the night before the battle, disaster struck. A massive poisoning incident swept through the Sun-Moon army camps. Many ordinary soldiers dropped dead on the spot, and even some soul masters from the two elite corps were poisoned and rendered unable to fight.

Worse still—the poison was extremely difficult to cure!

The fact that even their elite troops were affected left the Beast King commanders furious. They immediately locked down the camps and launched an investigation.

Attack the White Lotus Army now?

They were just hoping not to be attacked first!

Both the Sun-Moon Empire and the White Lotus Cult had misunderstood something—

This battle was not the Empire suppressing a rebellion—

It was a grand performance orchestrated by Huo Yuhao.

He didn't care who won.

He just wanted blood to flow like rivers.

So, when facing a stronger side, Huo Yuhao naturally intervened to level the playing field.

Huo Yuhao: "Time to start micromanaging!"

"Sun-Moon Army camp—five pounds of poison!"

"Rustle… hehehahaha… kyahahaha…"

"Senior Sister, I've never liked you. I only ever saw you as a mother…"

"Zhang Lexuan, from now on, Beibei is mine. He and I will become Evil Soul Masters together, and descend into the abyss… this is my revenge on Shrek Academy…"

"A descendant of Mu En becoming an Evil Soul Master—should be quite the spectacle, don't you think?"

"Senior Sister? Senior Sister! Wake up!"

Someone shook her shoulder. Zhang Lexuan suddenly jolted awake, her heart skipping a beat. For a moment, a flicker of surprise crossed her normally cold and indifferent face. But the emotion quickly vanished—repressed as always. She returned to her usual calmness.

To the current Zhang Lexuan, even emotions like fear and shock had become a luxury.

Looking around, it was clear she was in the middle of a forest. Hidden beneath the veil of night, many others were concealed in the woods alongside her.

The one beside her was none other than Huo Yuhao—he was the one who had shaken her awake.

Seeing Zhang Lexuan awaken, Huo Yuhao withdrew his hand and stopped calling out to her. He spoke with concern, "Senior Sister, are you alright? Have you been too exhausted lately? Want to rest a little longer?"

Zhang Lexuan shook her head lightly, the coldness in her voice returning. "I'm fine."

She immediately shifted focus to their current mission. "Yuhao, what's the status? Did everything go smoothly?"

She didn't mention the nightmare or the whispers in her ear during it. She didn't dwell on it.

To her, it was just a dream. A reflection of her daytime worries invading her night.

She had probably fallen asleep from sheer exhaustion, but she couldn't afford to rest just yet.

If she allowed Beibei to remain within the Holy Spirit Cult, that nightmare might become a reality.

Despite still worrying for her condition, Huo Yuhao dutifully reported, "I've successfully poisoned the Sun Moon Empire's military camp. The chaos has already started to spread. Once the toxins fully circulate, the turmoil in the enemy camp will reach its peak."

As for how the poison was administered? Don't ask—he dug a tunnel beneath the camp to do it.

The Sun Moon Empire's military camp was indeed fortified, with soul tools for defense. But their underground defenses were far from perfect.

Hearing the report, Zhang Lexuan nodded, satisfied. She mentally praised him: "Yuhao is becoming more and more dependable."

This whole plan had been Huo Yuhao's idea:

First, secretly poison the Sun Moon Empire's army to cause internal chaos.

Then, while the enemy forces were in disarray, Zhang Lexuan would lead the elite fighters of the White Lotus Army in a sudden strike.

The goal wasn't widespread slaughter—it was a decapitation strike, targeting the commanders of the two Beast King Legions and the Third Prince who had accompanied the army.

If successful, the blow would destabilize the Sun Moon military, creating an opportunity for the White Lotus Army—not to launch a full assault, but to retreat strategically.

After all, if the Beast King Legions were that easy to wipe out, they wouldn't be the cornerstone of the Empire's military might.

Not to mention, the Sun Moon Empire still had three other Beast King Legions and several soul engineer legions. Even if the entire front-line camp were destroyed, the White Lotus Army would pay a heavy price—and then what?

The real goal of the beheading operation was to strike hard, retreat quickly, and go mobile. With the enemy's leadership decapitated and their forces unable to counterattack immediately, the White Lotus Army would shift locations and launch a guerrilla war—buying time and drawing attention.

In other words, trading space for time.

Only then would Zhang Lexuan and Huo Yuhao be able to head north to Mingdu—to rescue Beibei!

Zhang Lexuan, pragmatic and focused on her ultimate goals, had no problem accepting this plan. With Huo Yuhao's strategic brilliance, even if something happened to her, he could still carry the Shrek Academy banner forward.

Now, Zhang Lexuan, Huo Yuhao, and the top commanders of the White Lotus Army were hiding here, waiting to launch their beheading assault.

The poison Huo Yuhao had deployed was one that spread rapidly. He used two soul skills—"Hidden Venom" and "Ghostly Poison Trail"—to accelerate the diffusion.

On top of that, his Ultimate Poison made detoxification nearly impossible for the victims.

Of course, Huo Yuhao had carefully controlled the dosage—he couldn't just wipe out the entire enemy force in one go.

With his current poison mastery, even killing a Titled Douluo wouldn't be difficult, so he had deliberately weakened the poison's lethality.

As the poison spread, the chaos in the enemy camp grew worse. Healers failed to contain the outbreak. Fear and panic only worsened.

The soldiers didn't want to sit around and wait to die.

Were it not for the two Beast King Legions keeping order, a full-blown riot would've already broken out.

Seeing the growing unrest in the enemy camp, Zhang Lexuan knew the time had come. She stood up, took the lead, and issued the order:

"Attack!"

Huo Yuhao followed immediately, not holding back. He shouted loudly, "White Lotus saves the world! The Bright King protects us! Charge with me!"

From the shadows, the White Lotus Army's elite warriors surged forward, full of fighting spirit, shouting their battle cries as they charged the Sun Moon camp.

"White Lotus saves the world! The Bright King protects us!"

"White Lotus saves the world! The Bright King protects us!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!"

—

Inside the Sun Moon Empire camp.

They had finally found the tunnel Huo Yuhao had used to administer the poison. The two Beast King Legion commanders and several other unit commanders stood around the concealed passage, their faces grim.

To have been infiltrated and poisoned—and with the poison now spreading uncontrollably—the situation was dire.

A chorus of angry voices erupted from the commanders:

"Damn it! What were the night guards doing?! How did no one notice the enemy infiltration?!"

"Are the soul tools guarding the camp all broken?! Why didn't they detect intruders?"

"Drag the night guards out and behead them. Check the soul tools immediately! If the tools are broken, execute the maintenance staff too!"

"It's clearly sabotage. Increase alert status. Any soldier not poisoned, prepare for combat!"

"Quarantine the infected and send them to the rear for treatment!"

The Third Prince was also present. He had a stern look but did not interfere with the others' commands.

The commander of the Evil Sovereign Soul Engineer Legion turned to him. "Your Highness, what's your opinion?"

The Third Prince responded coldly, "This must be the White Lotus Army's doing. For them to act first—they're either desperate or planning something. I suspect it's the latter."

The two Beast King commanders nodded quietly. They had come to the same conclusion but asked the prince to test his judgment. It seemed the prince wasn't just ruled by lust after all.

After the rebellion was put down, they might consider supporting the prince more closely.

Even in the face of the crisis, the two commanders didn't panic. They remained calm.

Such is the confidence that comes with strength.

"Don't worry, Your Highness. With our legions present, all of the White Lotus Army's schemes will be utterly crushed!" declared the commander of the Terrorclaw Legion, full of bravado.

The very next second—

"Report!"

"Bad news! The White Lotus Army is attacking!"

...

Outside the Sun Moon Empire's military camp, the moment poisoning incidents began occurring within the camp, the highest level of defense was immediately activated. Large-scale defensive soul tools were even deployed to shield the entire camp in anticipation of a possible assault.

As it turned out, these precautions were indeed necessary.

The moment Zhang Lexuan and the others approached, the guards on duty detected them and quickly raised the alarm, preparing to meet the enemy head-on.

Though many soldiers within the camp had been poisoned, a significant number still retained their combat capabilities.

Zhang Lexuan and Huo Yuhao didn't stop advancing. For the sake of ultimately rescuing Bei Bei, how could they possibly give up now?

Moreover, since Huo Yuhao had managed to infiltrate and poison the camp earlier, he also took the opportunity to plant some devices.

Huo Yuhao was intimately familiar with the layout of the camp. After all, the defenses weren't designed to guard against the Third Prince himself.

He pressed the control switch in his hand.

The next moment—

Boom—Boom—Boom!

A series of explosions erupted across the Sun Moon Empire's military camp. The planted fixed-installation soul tools had been remotely triggered by Huo Yuhao. The blasts not only injured soldiers but also destroyed key defensive soul tools, shattering the composure of all the camp's regiment commanders.

Some of the less elite soldiers completely lost their nerve, tossed away their weapons, and fled in panic. These were mostly ordinary troops—not the main fighting force.

The true backbone of the army had always been the soul engineer regiments.

"What's going on?!"

"Nightclaw Soul Engineer Regiment, assemble! Follow me to engage the enemy!"

"Demonic Sovereign Soul Engineer Regiment, rally up! Exterminate all intruders!"

"Southern Legion, to arms—!"

"Form ranks!"

The moment the defensive soul tools were destroyed, every regiment commander realized they could no longer fight a positional war. They were forced into open confrontation.

Worse yet, they were now the side with lower morale.

Nevertheless, their only option was to swiftly regroup their forces. Soul engineer regiments could only fight at full strength when operating as cohesive units.

As soon as the Sun Moon camp's defenses fell, the White Lotus Army's morale soared. Roars of excitement rang out as the zealous White Lotus soldiers surged into the camp behind Zhang Lexuan and Huo Yuhao, initiating their assault.

The White Lotus soldiers taking part in this decapitation mission were all commanders and senior commanders—meaning their minimum cultivation was Soul Sage level.

They numbered over two hundred.

Just one charge nearly overwhelmed even the two elite Beast King regiments.

These two hundred-plus warriors were all strengthened with White Lotus resources. Many had sacrificed years of their lifespan to achieve their power and had trained in offensive techniques provided by the sect. Their combat strength was nothing to scoff at.

Additionally, for tonight's assassination mission, the bulk of the White Lotus Army's soul tools had been allocated to them. In short bursts, they could unleash staggering amounts of power.

Of course, this was also due to the two Beast King regiments being weakened.

These two elite regiments, along with the Southern Legion, had been Huo Yuhao's prime targets. At least a third of their soldiers were now unfit for combat.

Even so, as true elites, they did not panic in the face of sudden chaos. Their formations held firm, and under the command of their officers, they quickly regrouped for battle.

In contrast, other regiments—especially local militias and noble-led private troops—fared far worse. Many hadn't even completed battle preparations.

These troops had also suffered from the poisoning. Already in disarray, the additional explosions pushed them further into chaos. The fact that they hadn't collapsed entirely was a testament to their training.

As for the units composed of ordinary civilians, they had become irrelevant. No one was paying them any mind anymore—they were incapable of contributing to the battle.

Among all the remaining intact regiments, the one led by the Third Prince was in the best shape.

Naturally, since he was marching with the army, the Third Prince had been assigned a full regiment. His unit was far stronger than those under the Fourth or Fifth Princes, bolstered further by his own personal guard.

Originally, the Third Prince commanded a five-hundred-strong soul engineer regiment—second only to the Southern Legion in power. Even after the poisoning, over three hundred combat-ready soldiers remained.

To maintain his cover, he had to "share" the poison's effects as well.

But his remaining force was still formidable.

Most importantly, alongside the Third Prince were his two consecrated guards—three Titled Douluo in total.

Of course, few knew the Third Prince himself was a Titled Douluo.

"Stay calm. We'll hold the rear," said the Third Prince. With Shadow Douluo and Celadon Douluo flanking him, he led his troops behind the Beast King regiments and the Southern Legion.

Shadow Douluo and Celadon Douluo offered no objection. They loyally guarded the Third Prince's flanks, ensuring his safety.

The soldiers too had no complaints, although they appeared visibly tense, warily scanning their surroundings—clearly unaware of the full situation and still in shock.

Meanwhile, the two Beast King regiments and the Southern Legion had already engaged the White Lotus forces.

Both Beast King regiments were aerial units, each soldier equipped with a flying-type soul tool. Even after sustaining losses, they managed to regroup about three hundred fighters.

The Southern Legion was also well-equipped with soul tools and boasted impressive combat power.

The White Lotus Army, similarly, consisted of airborne units. Based in the southern province, they easily deployed over two hundred flying-type soul tools. They were also supplied with various fixed-installation soul tool bombs.

Beyond equipment, their soul masters were strong combatants in their own right.

Thus, despite being outnumbered, the White Lotus forces were fighting the three regiments to a standstill—for now.

But everyone knew the White Lotus Army's strength was temporary. Their soul tool bombs would eventually run out, and their soul power would be depleted.

In contrast, once the other soul engineer regiments recovered, they would swiftly encircle and annihilate the White Lotus forces.

To many regiment commanders, this White Lotus assault appeared incredibly foolish.

Time was running out for Zhang Lexuan and Huo Yuhao.

They didn't join the frontline battle. Instead, they searched rapidly for their target—only to discover that the Third Prince was in the rear. The frontlines held only the three commanders of the Beast King and Southern Legions.

That meant their only option was to decapitate these three leaders first.

Though all three were Titled Douluo equipped with soul tools, Zhang Lexuan and Huo Yuhao were undaunted.

After all, these were just ordinary Titled Douluo.

They exchanged a glance—

Then each charged toward one of the Beast King regiment commanders.

Meanwhile, the White Lotus Army concentrated its attacks on the Southern Legion, keeping its commander occupied.

As the two Beast King commanders issued orders mid-battle, a barrage of fixed-installation soul tool bombs suddenly rained down upon them.

Both immediately sensed the threat—their pupils constricted as they roared, "Defend!"

Though they were powerful and had superior soul tools, capable of defending themselves in time, the surrounding soldiers weren't so fortunate.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A series of violent explosions rocked the battlefield. Golden shields of invincibility flared around the two commanders, but many of their nearby troops were killed or wounded.

Before the smoke and soul power residue could dissipate, two attacks burst through the glowing light—

One bathed in blood-red moonlight, the other radiating icy chill.

"Eighth Soul Skill—Blood Moon Eclipse!"

"Extreme Ice—Frost Centipede Fist!"

The Blood Moon Eclipse and Frost Wyrm Fist simultaneously struck toward the two regiment commanders.

Naturally, neither of the commanders just sat still and waited to die.

The commander of the Terrorclaw Soul Engineer Regiment, Liao Mengkai, a burly middle-aged man, drew the twin blades from his back and slashed out two arcs of black light, shattering the blood-red moonlight.

The twin blades in his hands were clearly Grade-9 Soul Tools!

 Even so, the collision of forces still triggered a violent explosion. Liao Mengkai, taking the brunt of it, was instantly engulfed—but a Grade-9 Soul Tool barrier rose around him, shielding him from all harm.

As a Grade-9 Soul Engineer and Titled Douluo, as well as the commander of the First Regiment of the Hand of the Nation, Liao Mengkai possessed not just one Grade-9 Soul Tool—but a whole set.

After withstanding the ambush, Liao Mengkai didn't hesitate. Powered by the Grade-9 flying soul tool on his back, he shot straight toward Zhang Lexuan.

Facing the furious charge, Zhang Lexuan activated her second hundred-thousand-year soul skill: her eighth soul skill—Moonlight Radiance, covering a wide area and enveloping Liao Mengkai as the two began to clash.

Meanwhile.

The commander of the Evil Sovereign Soul Engineer Regiment, Wang Yiheng, a hook-nosed elder, tried to dodge the Frost Wyrm Fist using his speed and aimed to counterattack. But he overestimated himself—and underestimated Huo Yuhao.

After the Frost Wyrm Fist came a barrage of afterimages:

Ice Mirage Fists.

Fortunately, Wang Yiheng also activated his Grade-9 soul tool barrier in time and escaped injury.

Realizing Huo Yuhao's strength, Wang Yiheng immediately equipped his full set of Grade-9 soul tools: Blazing Skynets—a ring of 365 blazing pearls swirling around him, radiating intense heat.

He attempted to pull back and strike from afar.

Distance was key to unleashing his full strength.

This was also the specialty of the Evil Soul Engineer Regiment—long-range, high-damage, high-heat soul tools. Without room to maneuver, his attacks could become self-destructive.

But Huo Yuhao seemed to have long understood his tactics. He chose to close in. The chill of his Ultimate Ice attribute suppressed the fire-based Blazing Skynets, dulling their effect.

This realization darkened Wang Yiheng's expression. Though his Blazing Skynets ranked around 11th or 12th among Grade-9 soul tools—not even in the top ten—that ranking included stationary soul cannon shells.

Wang Yiheng had designed and crafted the Blazing Skynets himself. They were the reason for his current status and fame in the Sun Moon Empire.

Now, they were being countered by Huo Yuhao's attributes—how could he not be shaken?

Still, Wang Yiheng roared and unleashed the full might of the Blazing Skynets. They turned into meteor-like fireballs raining down on Huo Yuhao. As a Titled Douluo and Grade-9 Soul Engineer, he was no pushover, and definitely not someone who would retreat easily.

But he had picked the wrong opponent.

Golden light flared from Huo Yuhao's body.

Sovereign's Reign—activated.

In the next instant, thunder erupted beneath his feet as he used Spring Thunder Step, charging headlong into the fireball swarm—yet, in an eerily fluid motion, he slipped right through the flaming barrage and rushed directly at Wang Yiheng's true body.

Wang Yiheng's pupils shrank.

"Impossible!"

What no one saw was the Golden Heartguard Mirror in Huo Yuhao's robes gleaming brilliantly.

As he neared, Huo Yuhao didn't forget to taunt,

 "Just skimming the edge, Master?"

Wang Yiheng snorted coldly, but didn't panic—his soul tool barrier was still up, and under his control, the Blazing Skynets boomeranged back and began gathering again, preparing for an even more powerful strike.

But just then, Huo Yuhao threw another punch.

Still the Ice Mirage Fist, but this time—imbued with spiritual power.

Phantasmal Ice Mirage Fist!

The fist was blocked by the soul tool barrier, but the spiritual energy infused in it pierced through, slamming directly into Wang Yiheng's mind, making his eyes glaze over in an instant.

A faint smile appeared on Huo Yuhao's lips.

Soul tool barriers can't block spiritual power.

The Phantasmal Ice Mirage Fist wasn't just about spiritual damage—it delivered a mental imprint of Sovereign's Reign, embedding it into the enemy's mind and enabling mind control.

The overwhelming aura of Sovereign's Reign made mental manipulation much easier.

Huo Yuhao had once used this move to lull the noisy Jin Qiu'er into a baby-like sleep—even Mu En had praised it.

To be fair, although the decapitation strike plan was Huo Yuhao's idea, its success rate wasn't high. But even if it ultimately failed, this ambush would still deal a heavy blow to the Sun Moon Empire's camp—and buy precious time.

That was why Zhang Lexuan agreed to it.

Her four handmaidens had already begun evacuating the White Lotus Army. As long as their guerrilla tactics worked, they could trade space for time and divert the enemy's attention.

If the White Lotus Army tried to retreat and was discovered, the Sun Moon Empire might launch a devastating attack. So rather than wait to be hit, it was better to strike first.

But Huo Yuhao didn't think this was enough. The Third Prince's death remained uncertain—but the lives of these two commanders?

He would take them.

While Huo Yuhao succeeded on his end, Zhang Lexuan's fight was locked in a deadlock.

Liao Mengkai's strength was astonishing.

Though the Terrorclaw Regiment ranked at the bottom among the Hand of the Nation's five regiments, Liao Mengkai himself was one of its strongest commanders—and unusually young for a Grade-9 Soul Engineer.

Among all Grade-9 engineers, he was certainly a rare "youth."

His vitality was unmatched, even greater than many same-rank power-type soul masters from the original three Douluo nations. He specialized in direct, close-range combat.

Using melee soul tools, he wielded a pair of dark black Grade-9 battle sabers with superb technique. Their inky blades reflected no light, emanating an aura of total annihilation. The sharp energy they radiated could be felt even from afar, carving thin scars into the air itself.

Even Zhang Lexuan's moonlight attacks couldn't penetrate the saber wind. Instead, she was being steadily forced back, her situation growing increasingly dire.

Escaping now meant braving Liao Mengkai's storm-like assault—an almost certain risk of serious injury.

"Saintess of the White Lotus," Liao Mengkai said coldly, "Since you dared to invade my camp, then stay here forever!"

"That depends on whether you have the skill to make me!"

Zhang Lexuan had already driven the amplification of her silver tattoos to the limit. After casting multiple hundred-thousand-year soul skills, she was feeling the toll.

While she could hold her own against an average Titled Douluo—maybe even kill one—against a dual-type powerhouse like Liao Mengkai (Grade-9 Engineer and Titled Douluo), she realized she had been too optimistic.

Regardless, she could no longer continue the fight. Even if it meant serious injury, it was time to retreat.

Fortunately, they had prepared fallback options for this very scenario.

Knowing the plan had a low chance of success, the team had pre-arranged escape contingencies.

Although the assassination failed, they had bought enough time—and dealt enough damage to the Sun Moon Empire's forces.

But suddenly—an unexpected twist.

 It wasn't caused by the two Beast King Regiments, but by the false core nestled in Zhang Lexuan's lower dantian.

Sensing her soul power nearly depleted, the false core mutated.

A strange force flowed from it into Zhang Lexuan, replenishing her energy.

The cost?

Her emotions were further suppressed—to the point of cold, ruthless detachment.

"Saintess of the White Lotus, your soul power must be nearly depleted by now! Surrender! For the sake of your talent, the Empire might just spare your life!"

 Liao Mengkai, who had been relentlessly pursuing Zhang Lexuan, suddenly tried to persuade her to give up.

Behind Zhang Lexuan, soul engineers from the Terrorclaw Soul Engineering Corps were closing in to capture her alive.

Having battled Zhang Lexuan for a long time, Liao Mengkai had come to recognize her strength. In fact, she was the strongest Soul Douluo he had ever encountered.

What's more, she possessed a hundred-thousand-year eighth soul ring—something unusual for a soul master of the Sun Moon Empire. He suspected she hailed from one of the three other nations.

If that were true, then the White Lotus Sect's rebellion demanded closer scrutiny. Could it be that the other three countries were backing the sect to destabilize the Sun Moon Empire from within?

In any case, Liao Mengkai was convinced that capturing Zhang Lexuan alive would be far more valuable.

And the conditions to do so were ripe.

He could tell that Zhang Lexuan was using some kind of soul power amplification. Without it, she wouldn't be able to contend with him. Once that effect wore off and her strength waned, it would be the perfect moment to capture her.

Moreover, reinforcements from the Terrorclaw Soul Engineering Corps had arrived and surrounded her.

On top of all that, Zhang Lexuan's martial soul was the Moon. The royal family of the Sun Moon Empire also had a moon-based martial soul, which made Liao Mengkai even more suspicious. Could this woman from a foreign land be connected to the imperial bloodline?

In short, capturing her alive would bring tremendous merit.

And rightly so—if nothing else, just the fact that Zhang Lexuan was the top senior disciple of Shrek Academy's inner court would be a huge discovery. If the Sun Moon Empire could exploit this—either to target Shrek or extract cultivation knowledge—it would be immensely beneficial.

But what Liao Mengkai didn't realize…

 Zhang Lexuan had a cheat!

The pseudo-soul core in her lower dantian began pulsing wildly. Each beat tugged on her hypersensitive nerves, and thick, potent energy surged forth from it, flooding her meridians.

In moments, the previously exhausted Zhang Lexuan was restored to peak condition. And more than that—her entire being entered a strange state…

She felt almost divine, utterly calm and devoid of desire.

"This is… an Intent Realm?"

Having been taught by Mu En, Zhang Lexuan immediately recognized it. And because she understood it, she was all the more aware of how dangerous an external Intent Realm could be.

The ability Sovereign's Reign invaded the opponent's mind with one's own martial intent, making the target feel utterly incapable of resisting the user. The mental impact was incredibly difficult to dispel.

Feeling this unfamiliar Intent Realm, Zhang Lexuan suddenly understood why her emotions had been so muted—it was this foreign intent suppressing them.

But now she had a direction to resolve this issue—and perhaps even gained something valuable in the process.

Still, now wasn't the time to dwell on it.

Her emotionless state prevented panic. Instead, with absolute clarity, she made a bold decision:

Feign weakness, lure the enemy in, then strike back with everything she had.

This decision was prompted by Liao Mengkai's attempt to convince her to surrender.

The odds of success weren't high—but if it worked, the payoff would be huge.

Since she was already affected by this foreign Intent Realm, why not make the most of it and gamble big?

Even if it failed, she still had pre-prepared escape methods she could fall back on.

Zhang Lexuan's soul power appeared to weaken. Liao Mengkai noticed and sensed her nearing her limit. Still cautious, he continued probing with increasingly lethal attacks, even wounding her to confirm she was truly out of strength.

What he couldn't imagine was this:

Under the influence of the Intent Realm, Zhang Lexuan could see through every one of his moves and strategies. She forcibly suppressed her natural reflexes, using only the faintest of power to block attacks that could have ended her life.

It made her realize just how terrifying this Intent Realm was—someone with such a state would be an unshakeable killing machine in battle, absolutely incapable of making a mistake.

Had she entered this state earlier, Zhang Lexuan believed she could have seriously injured Liao Mengkai. Unfortunately, now that the Terrorclaw Soul Engineering Corps had arrived, one-on-one combat was no longer possible—she had to rely on strategy.

Finally, Liao Mengkai confirmed that Zhang Lexuan had reached her limit. Dropping his guard, he retracted his twin blades and reached out to seize her.

At that instant, a cold gleam flashed deep in Zhang Lexuan's eyes.

A surge of danger rose from the pit of Liao Mengkai's stomach—his instincts screamed at him, but too late. Zhang Lexuan's act had been too perfect.

Her absolute calm allowed for perfect execution.

Boom—!

A terrifying surge of soul power erupted from Zhang Lexuan. She unleashed a blood-red crescent slash from her hundred-thousand-year soul bone ability.

"Not good!"

 Liao Mengkai's face contorted in horror. He had no time to react as the soul bone technique slammed into his Tier 9 soul shield, sending him flying.

The shield successfully absorbed the attack—but shattered in the process.

Zhang Lexuan closed in like a flash of lightning, silver lines on her body glowing fiercely. Her next strike would be devastating.

Liao Mengkai roared in fury, face twisted with rage.

 "Open fire!"

Forget capturing her alive—he just wanted her dead now.

The soul engineers of the Terrorclaw Corps immediately took aim, preparing to annihilate her.

Zhang Lexuan's gaze remained icy—everything was going according to plan.

Trading a severe injury for Liao Mengkai's life? Worth it.

And at that moment, a loud shout rang out from the side:

"Saintess!"

It was Huo Yuhao's voice.

A bull-like roar followed.

In the next second, a massive beastly martial soul true body crashed into the soul engineers, throwing their coordinated attacks into disarray.

It was Huo Yuhao—he had hurled Wang Yiheng, who had activated his martial soul true body, directly into the enemy ranks. Then he raced to Zhang Lexuan's side to assist her.

Zhang Lexuan didn't know how he'd managed it—but she only had one thought:

Well done.

Without hesitation, she unleashed another soul bone technique and charged at Liao Mengkai.

Liao Mengkai, gritting his teeth, drew his twin blades once more. If he could block this strike, he'd have a chance to recover.

But he didn't expect the icy chill that burst forth behind him—

"Extreme Ice—Frost Centipede Fist!"

Wounded and flanked, Liao Mengkai had no room to escape.

He managed to block Zhang Lexuan's soul bone strike—

But then the cold bit into his bones.

Realization dawned in his final moments.

"Ultimate… Ice… Shrek…"

 Crack.

Before he could finish the sentence, the extreme ice froze him completely, ending his life.

Liao Mengkai, commander of the Terrorclaw Soul Engineering Corps—dead.