Tang Yiran's eyes widened in surprise as she noticed the black-robed elder's attire.
"Those clothes... Are you from the Demon Sect?" she asked cautiously.
The old man in the black robe let out a sinister chuckle. "Heh... Sharp eyes, little girl."
However, his expression shifted when he saw the Clear Sky Hammer in Tang Yiran's hand. His eyes narrowed slightly. "Clear Sky Sect?"
Tang Yiran's demeanor instantly changed. She stepped forward, her presence commanding. "Since you know of the Clear Sky Sect, I suggest you leave before it's too late."
Six soul rings materialized around her, glowing ominously.
The old man, Ge Lao, sneered. "A Soul Emperor, huh? So what? If I kill you here and drain you dry, the Clear Sky Sect will never know it was me."
A wicked grin spread across his face as he stomped the ground. Six soul rings of his own appeared, and two leathery bat wings sprouted from his back. His eyes turned blood-red.
Lin Fan, standing nearby, observed the scene with growing concern. "Another Soul Emperor? This is bad. I need to absorb this soul ring quickly. I hope Sister Yiran can hold out."
He placed his Shadow Battle Axe on the Ten Thousand-Year Black Soul Ring. The axe hummed and vibrated as it began absorbing the energy from the ring.
Lin Fan recalled what he had learned about the Demon Sect from the memories of his body's original owner. His parents had told him about them when he was a child. In the original timeline, this organization should have been wiped out when Tang San was just seven years old.
Yet here they were—a force of darkness thriving in this chaotic world.
The Demon Sect was known for its brutality. While not as powerful as the Clear Sky Sect or the Spirit Hall, they operated in the shadows, striking from within empires and leaving behind trails of death. Their leader, a Titled Douluo known as Devouring Douluo, possessed a terrifying martial soul—a vampire bat that could absorb both soul power and life force. Those who wielded this martial soul didn't need to cultivate; they simply slaughtered soul masters, consuming their strength to grow stronger.
The Sect's ranks had swelled over time, attracting those who craved power through bloodshed. Their presence was a major reason for the instability in the soul master world.
Tang Yiran turned to Lin Fan, her voice filled with concern. "Xiao Fan, are you sure you can handle a Ten Thousand-Year Soul Ring? If not, don't push yourself—hide instead."
Lin Fan remained focused. The absorption process was going smoother than expected, as if the axe wasn't even his martial soul.
Ge Lao cackled. "Interesting... That boy has some skills. If I drain both of you, I might even reach the rank of Soul Sage."
With a chilling shriek, the vampire bat on his back unleashed a cloud of black mist.
Lin Fan's eyes widened in alarm. He tightened his grip on the Shadow Battle Axe while simultaneously activating his first martial soul—the Purple Flame Tiger.
"Purple Fire!"
A stream of violet flames erupted from Lin Fan, burning through the toxic mist.
"You dare resist?" Ge Lao growled.
Tang Yiran swung the Clear Sky Hammer and charged forward, forcing the other three Demon Sect members to scatter. Ge Lao, however, held his ground and activated his fifth soul skill.
"Blood Shield!"
A crimson barrier enveloped his body, barely deflecting Tang Yiran's powerful strike. He stumbled back, his face twisted in frustration.
Tang Yiran smirked. "One strike, and you already need a defensive skill? You cowards dare to ambush us?"
Ge Lao gritted his teeth. "The Clear Sky Hammer is powerful, I admit... But that doesn't mean I'll lose!"
With a dark incantation, his sixth soul ring flared to life.
"Bloodthirsty Devil!"
A swarm of vampire bats erupted from his body, their blood-red eyes glowing in the night. Each one spewed venomous droplets as they lunged at Tang Yiran.
"Third Soul Skill—Hammer of Gale!"
Tang Yiran hurled her Clear Sky Hammer into the air. It spun rapidly, generating a powerful storm of soul power that repelled the bats. She lunged forward, knocking three enemies away with a single swing.
Ge Lao barely dodged in time. A sinister grin spread across his face as he retrieved a small red vial.
"To think I'd need to use the Demon Sect's ultimate poison—Eight-Tailed Venom—just to handle a girl like you."
He hurled the vial like a dagger.
Tang Yiran, recognizing the attack, smashed it mid-air with her hammer. However, the vial exploded, releasing a red mist that rapidly engulfed her.
She coughed violently, her body weakening. "This poison... It's draining my soul power..."
Her knees buckled, and she struggled to lift the Clear Sky Hammer. The mist clouded her vision, making it difficult to see.
Ge Lao's laughter echoed through the night. "Hehehe… The Clear Sky Hammer truly is fearsome. If we fought head-on, even as a Soul Sage, I might have lost. But this poison was personally crafted by our Sect Master. No one below the rank of Soul Douluo can resist it."
He took a step closer. "Now, my dear, it's time for me to drain you dry."
"Not so fast!"
A thunderous roar split the air. Liu Erlong surged forward, her Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex martial soul flaring with power.
"Fourth Soul Skill—Bloodthirsty Flames!"
A wave of dragon fire rushed toward Ge Lao. He barely managed to summon his blood-red shield in time.
Shui Yue'er appeared beside Liu Erlong, summoning an Ice Phoenix.
"Second Soul Skill—Frost Blades!"
The phoenix soared, launching razor-sharp icicles toward Ge Lao.
The old man grinned. "Heh… The Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex and the Ice Phoenix? My luck just keeps getting better! More fresh soul power for me!"
Just as he was about to counterattack, a sudden shift in the air made his eyes widen.
A figure emerged behind him.
Lin Fan.
"Ten Thousand-Year Soul Skill—Masterstroke!"
Lin Fan's Shadow Battle Axe slashed through the darkness. A ten-meter-wide Green Lotus Sword Formation erupted around them. Six ethereal swords materialized, striking Ge Lao repeatedly.
"One second... Two seconds... Three seconds..."
Ge Lao's blood barrier shattered. He coughed up blood, desperately trying to escape. But as he reached the edge of the formation, his body stiffened—paralyzed.
"I... I..." he gasped.
Lin Fan raised his axe and brought it down on Ge Lao's neck.
The old man's eyes bulged. "I refuse... to die... like this! Blood Explosion—!"
Boom!
Ge Lao's body detonated into a swarm of venomous bats. Lin Fan instinctively leapt back, narrowly avoiding the deadly fragments. His body flickered as his invincible state ended.
Panting, he looked down at his axe. "That was close... So this is the power of Masterstroke after advancement?"
The technique had changed. His invincibility extended to five seconds, his body turning transparent while allowing him to attack freely. The Green Lotus Sword Formation could now strike enemies sixty times in ten seconds, piercing through most defenses.
But he had no time to dwell on it.
"Sister Yiran!"
He rushed to Tang Yiran's side. The red mist had dissipated, but her body was burning with fever.
"Teacher Yiran, stay with me!" Lin Fan shook her gently.
Her fingers weakly gripped his hand. "Xiao Fan... You're... safe... I'm glad..."
Lin Fan's heart pounded. "Don't say that! We need to get you back to the Clear Sky Sect—"
"It's too late..." Her voice was barely a whisper.
Lin Fan clenched his fists. "No! There must be a way!"
Then, he remembered.
"The system... Healing cards...!"
Checking his inventory, his heart sank. He had used all three.
"Ling'er, I need to draw a lottery! Give me a healing card!"
"Ding! Master, as you've ranked up, you now have two lottery chances. Would you like to use them?"
"NOW!"