With Third Elder's promise, Fourth Elder's hesitation vanished. He drew a ghostly green sword as his nine soul rings appeared and charged at Nan Shuishui.
Nan Shuishui's heart sank.
Facing two Title Douluo, even with her powerful Rouge Dragon, she had no chance of victory.
But she would never surrender. Gritting her teeth, she formed a pink Rouge Annihilation Sword and met the green sword head-on.
Sword lights clashed, soul power exploded, and the shockwaves uprooted trees.
Dragon roars, sword cries, and explosions filled the air, turning the once-quiet forest into chaos.
Nan Shuishui was forced into a bitter struggle, while Nan Qiuqiu and the others desperately defended Xu Shenshu as he absorbed his soul ring.
The evil soul masters refrained from lethal attacks, clearly under orders not to kill.
The Earth Dragon Sect quickly realized the attackers' identity—infamous evil soul masters. Their bloody, soul-consuming techniques were unmistakable.
Despair set in. Falling into evil soul masters' hands could only mean a terrible fate.
Exhausted, Nan Qiuqiu, Song Qian, Tian Tian, Xiao Ye, and Feng Jue managed to fend off another attack, but their soul power was almost gone.
"What now, lady boss?" Xiao Ye asked, panting, injured and drained.
"How should I know? We're doomed. If I die, I'll take one with me," Nan Qiuqiu gritted out, unwilling to accept such an end.
Just thinking of all the rumored horrors made her shudder.
"I don't want to be caught. Qiuqiu, if it comes to it, end me quickly," Song Qian gasped, her variant Rouge Dragon soul with lightning attribute having been most effective but now spent.
"Me too! Being caught by evil soul masters is too frightening!" Tian Tian said, pale.
Their beauty and martial souls made their fate particularly grim if captured. Death was preferable.
"Don't give them a break—go!" a scythe-wielding evil Soul Emperor ordered, sending several more at them.
"It's over." Nan Qiuqiu was in despair; she had no soul power left, her Rouge Dragon unsuited for close combat.
Just as the evil soul masters closed in, a sharp sound split the air—a black spear wreathed in black-red lightning slammed into the ground, blocking their path.
A burst of lightning incinerated several attackers instantly. One, luckier, lost an arm and barely escaped.
With a crash, a figure landed, raising a cloud of dust.
"So handsome!" As the dust cleared, Nan Qiuqiu saw a white-haired, red-eyed, spear-wielding youth.
"Hero saving beauty—don't you think that's a bit clichéd?" came a cool voice as Gu Yue, surrounded by blue wind, landed beside Lu Jingming.
Lu Jingming twitched—he'd just made an entrance, and already Gu Yue was annoyed.
"Hmm?" Third Elder frowned. Even as a Title Douluo, he'd sensed nothing until they appeared.
Looking up, he saw Snow Empress floating high above, Ice Empress beside her.
"Kill those two!" Third Elder ordered instantly.
His only concern was Earth Dragon Sect; Lu Jingming and Gu Yue were outsiders.
"Yes, Third Elder!" Several evil Soul Emperors grinned savagely and lunged.
"Die, brat! Who told you to meddle?" The scythe-wielding Soul Emperor charged, his weapon glowing with sickening bloodlust.
"Watch out!" Nan Qiuqiu shouted.
With a flash, Lu Jingming's spear pierced the enemy's throat, lifting him into the air.
"Yeah, I'm meddling. So what?" Lu Jingming said coolly, a flick of his spear reducing the Soul Emperor to ashes.
Blue lightning crackled as he appeared in the midst of the enemy.
"Eternal Corridor!" His second soul ring shone, black light spreading to envelop dozens of meters.
Half the evil soul masters were trapped.
The Soul Kings disintegrated instantly; Soul Emperors, more resistant, died in agony.
Gu Yue shook her head at the massacre. This wasn't the Soul Master Tournament—no need to hold back against evil soul masters.
Against Lu Jingming's unleashed power, even Soul Emperors were like ants.