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Drip, drip, drip...
Lin Yongming and his two companions silently made their way toward the cave tunnel, their footsteps quieter than the water droplets falling from above.
Slowly and silently, they ventured deeper into the cave for about ten minutes until they heard echoing voices from inside.
"Boss, soul masters are truly the best nourishment. I never expected we'd encounter Spirit Hall's Guardian Knight Team this time. One soul master is worth ten ordinary people."
"Number Two, what you say is true. You absorb soul masters' blood essence with your Blood-Thirsty Demon Vine, while I absorb the vengeful spirits of the dead, especially the vengeful spirits of soul masters, which greatly benefit my Vengeful Spirit martial soul."
Two cruel voices echoed throughout the cave chamber.
"Number Two, Number Three, stop this damn chatter and hurry up with the refinement. These people will sustain us for a few days, but we'll need to leave after that. If these people don't return within a day, they'll realize something's wrong and send reinforcements. So once we finish refining them, we need to leave." Another voice with an authoritative tone warned the two.
"Mmph!" Terrified sounds also came through, but mouths were covered, only able to listen as the three discussed their cruel plans.
"Boss, you still prefer the tender skin of children." Number Two's voice sounded again.
"Of course. Children of this age are so pure. My Demon Eye Magic Locust likes this kind of tender and juicy nourishment. Haha..."
"Damn it!" Bibi Dong clenched her fist as she listened.
"This battle can be fought," Blue Silver Emperor said confidently. "Leave the Blood-Thirsty Demon Vine and Demon Eye Magic Locust to me."
"Kill!" Lin Yongming nodded and silently uttered.
"Who's outside? Come out!"
The fallen cultivators heard Lin Yongming's group talking without any attempt at concealment.
Bibi Dong, unable to contain herself any longer, appeared before them first, with Lin Yongming and the other person immediately flanking her sides.
"You deserve to die!" Bibi Dong coldly stared at the three people opposite them.
In the center of the huge circular cave was a pool of water. Against one cave wall were thirteen captured children, both boys and girls.
On the other side were Spirit Hall members and soldiers. In front of the three fallen cultivators were four corpses—two children and two adults—all drained of blood and turned into dried husks.
"Hiss~ A beauty like I've never seen before, delivering herself to our doorstep. Slurp~" Number Two looked at Bibi Dong, his eyes instantly emitting a red glow of desire.
"Number Two, I prefer this woman in blue. That figure, those breasts, those legs... She has a mature woman's charm, full of flavor. Playing with her should be more enjoyable." Number Three stared at Blue Silver Emperor's appearance with a face full of unrestrained lust.
Lin Yongming's group, disgusted, didn't want to say a single word and directly released their martial souls and soul rings in perfect coordination.
"Damn, two Soul Emperors and one Soul King, so young—how can they possibly have such soul power!"
In fact, the three fallen cultivators opposite them weren't weak either—one Soul Emperor and two Soul Kings.
For the Luben City area, their strength was already formidable. The city's Spirit Hall Bishop Lu was only a Soul King, and most of the Guardian Knight Team were Great Soul Masters, which is why they were completely defeated when encountering these three.
Moreover, this time they had hastily come to Sandy Stone Village to investigate the situation without sending too many people. Spirit Hall only dispatched eight soul masters and about twenty city guard soldiers.
It was only by chance that Lin Yongming's trio happened to pass by here—perhaps it was fate that wanted to punish the extensively evil fallen cultivators.
"Damn, how could such young genius soul masters be in a small place like this!"
"Run!"
"Demon Eye Magic Locust martial soul!"
"Blood-Thirsty Demon Vine!"
"Vengeful Spirit!"
The three fallen cultivators summoned their respective martial souls. Instantly, a thick aura of bloodthirst and evil filled the cave.
The three immediately burst into action, but Lin Yongming noticed their soul power seemed artificially inflated—unstable foundations with inflated power. A 56-level Soul King would at most have the true soul power of a regular soul master who had meditated to reach level 52.
"Trying to run! Martial Soul Domain, Myriad Phenomena!" Blue Silver Emperor directly activated her never-before-used martial soul domain, showing how angry she was.
In an instant, the domain range completely covered the sixty-square-meter cave. The previously lifeless, deathly cold cave was suddenly full of vitality under Blue Silver Emperor's domain, with blue silver grass filling the entire cavern.
"Damn, what kind of blue silver grass is this? My Demon Eye Magic Locust is actually being suppressed." The fallen cultivator leader discovered his martial soul seemed afraid, suppressed in the Myriad Phenomena domain and unable to exert even half its strength.
"Boss, my demon vine is the same. That woman's martial soul seems able to counter plant-type martial souls." The second fallen cultivator also exclaimed in terror.
"Damn, we can only go all out. I'll have to escape on my own!" The third fallen cultivator glanced at his teammates as a gray humanoid martial soul appeared behind him with red glowing eyes.
"Fifth Soul Skill, Submerged Resentment!" The entangled third fallen cultivator transformed into a gray mist with a pair of glowing red eyes inside, breaking free from Blue Silver Emperor's vine restraints.
"Number Three, well done! Quick, save me." The leader said when he saw this.
"Boss, life and death are fated. I'll go first and remember you both." Number Three said gleefully, planning to escape through a crack in the cave.
"Little Ming, only your lightning attribute soul power can counter the vengeful spirit martial soul!" Blue Silver Emperor immediately reminded him.
"Trying to run? Third Soul Skill, Peerless Lightning Movement." Crackling lightning power attacked the mist, instantly forming a lightning vortex that absorbed the misty cloud.
"Pure lightning power, how is this possible!" Number Three only now became terrified.
"Break!" Lin Yongming said coldly, controlling the lightning vortex to explode instantly. Countless lightning bolts scattered the mist.
With a bang, the third fallen cultivator slammed against the cave wall.
Before he could stand up, a blade of lightning pierced through his body. The fallen cultivator disintegrated to ash on the spot.
"Fourth Soul Skill, Blue Silver Piercing Formation!" Blue Silver Emperor also struck at the other two. Golden vines directly pierced through their hearts.
"Hey, couldn't you have left one for me?" Bibi Dong glared at Blue Silver Emperor with wide eyes, as if seeing her for the first time.
"Stop talking nonsense. There are still children here. The cave is damp and cold, and we can't let them stay here any longer or it will affect them. Psychologically, they've probably been terrified by these fallen cultivators." Blue Silver Emperor replied impatiently.
Fortunately, when Blue Silver Emperor activated her martial soul domain Myriad Phenomena, she gently released a green light that put the thirteen children into a deep sleep.
"Indeed. Let's untie them and take these children out of here." Lin Yongming sensed that the three fallen cultivators were completely dead.
The one with the Vengeful Spirit martial soul had disintegrated to ash under Lin Yongming's lightning power.
"Okay."
Subsequently, Blue Silver Emperor went to help free the thirteen children from the restraints placed on them by the fallen cultivators.
Meanwhile, Bibi Dong helped the city guards and Spirit Hall members.
"Thank you, thank you so much." Those who regained their freedom, after tearing off the duct tape covering their mouths, hurriedly expressed their gratitude.
"Stop talking. Each of you carry one child and leave this cave." Bibi Dong immediately ordered.
"Yes, my lady."
The return journey wasn't easy. Each person carried a child to make it easier to leave the mountains.
"My three lords, my name is Hemo, the leader of the eight-person squad. Are you from Spirit Hall?" After leaving the dark, damp cave, one of them cautiously asked.
"We are members of Spirit Hall's Judgment Team, passing through Luben City when we learned of this matter," Bibi Dong answered.
"But since you discovered they were fallen cultivators, why didn't you send someone back to report to Bishop Lu after a whole day? Since you're the squad leader, how could you not understand this simple matter? You got your entire squad wiped out. What kind of leader are you?" Bibi Dong immediately questioned with a serious face.
"Yes, my lady. This mistake is indeed mine. But when we arrived at Sandy Stone Village, we didn't see any traces of fallen cultivators. The villagers only said their children had been taken to the mountains behind the village. At that moment, I was too anxious and didn't consider thoroughly." The squad leader explained very sincerely.
"Fine. Considering you were also thinking of the children and made this decision in haste, I'll let it go. But regardless, you should have left someone at the original location to provide support. This should be a bloody lesson." Bibi Dong's tone softened.
"Alright, stop lecturing them. It's almost dark. Let's hurry." Blue Silver Emperor reminded them.
"Those behind, keep up!"
Halfway through the mountains, it became completely dark, making it even more difficult to walk, especially for the soldiers without soul power who found it more taxing.
Subsequently, Bibi Dong summoned her Eight-Winged Purple Light, flew above everyone, and took out a soul tool that provided light to illuminate the path for all.
It was nearly nine o'clock when everyone left the mountains and arrived at Sandy Stone Village. The areas in the village that had been on fire were already extinguished.
"Look, they've come out!"
"My child!"
Villagers responded to the sound and gathered at the back of the village.
"I'm sorry. Two children have already been killed. We arrived too late." Bibi Dong said somewhat dejectedly.
"My poor child, only seven years old."
Two families immediately broke down in sorrowful crying.
Others hurriedly thanked Lin Yongming and his group.
Finally, Lin Yongming's trio returned to Luben City after ten o'clock.
Along the way, Bibi Dong's mood was somewhat low, and she silently returned to her room.
Seeing this, Lin Yongming and Blue Silver Emperor followed Bibi Dong into her room.
"Why are you following me in?" Bibi Dong asked softly.
"Bibi Dong, are you okay?" Lin Yongming asked gently.
"I'm fine. I just didn't expect the fallen cultivators' methods to be so cruel, and on my first encounter with fallen cultivators during my training journey, I couldn't save those two children." Bibi Dong sighed.
"This isn't your fault. If there's blame, it should be on those soul masters with evil hearts who willingly fell from grace. The world is vast, and all we can do is save who we encounter and try to minimize unnecessary deaths." Blue Silver Emperor sat beside Bibi Dong, patting her shoulder to console her.
"Yes, isn't this why the Pope asked us to come out for training? Everyone has days of sadness and parting. Facing various life experiences, what we need to do is try to perfect ourselves in this imperfect world." Lin Yongming also spoke up.
"I understand all this. I just still have trouble accepting it. You two go back first, let me think by myself." Bibi Dong nodded.
"Alright, we'll go then. You'll feel better after a night's rest." Blue Silver Emperor nodded.
The two closed the door for Bibi Dong and returned to their own room.
"Ah Silver, do you think Bibi Dong will be able to get over this?" Back in the room, Lin Yongming couldn't help but ask.
"Ha! You're underestimating her too much! She's the high and mighty Holy Maiden of Spirit Hall. What situations hasn't she seen?"
"She just feels some self-blame for the deaths of those two children. I believe she'll be energetic and lively again when she wakes up tomorrow morning." Blue Silver Emperor helplessly tapped Lin Yongming's head.
"That's good. We've only completed three months of our three-year training journey. We might encounter situations more difficult than today's in the future." Lin Yongming nodded.
He realized he had been overthinking. After all, that was Bibi Dong, the future Pope.
Subsequently, the tired duo simply washed up and went to bed.
The next day, as Blue Silver Emperor had predicted, Bibi Dong came bouncing into Lin Yongming's room with breakfast in hand.
"Little Ming, didn't I tell you about her? She'd be fine after a night's sleep." Blue Silver Emperor smiled gently.
"Bibi Dong, why are you up so early, and you even bought breakfast?" Lin Yongming asked curiously.
"Surprised? Come on, let's eat. I must thank you both for your words last night."
"You're right. In life, one just needs to be clear in conscience." Bibi Dong smiled.
"Good, good. Let's eat breakfast!" Blue Silver Emperor immediately came to Bibi Dong's side to help.
"By the way, are we leaving Luben City today?" she asked subsequently.
"Let's go to the next place. The subsequent reconstruction of Sandy Stone Village will be handled by Luben City's mayor. After all, Spirit Hall is just a soul master organization; other matters should be resolved by the kingdom." Bibi Dong explained.
"The next city is Coastal City near the ocean, a second-tier city. Growing up all these years, I can finally see the sea." Blue Silver Emperor immediately became excited.
"Yes, I haven't seen the ocean either. Let's spend a couple more days in Coastal City to enjoy it." Bibi Dong also smiled.
"Ah, but someone won't have this good fortune." Blue Silver Emperor sighed.
"Yes, no eye candy for him!"
"It's just the ocean. What's so special about it?" Lin Yongming said with a black line of annoyance on his face.
"Do I need to tell you that I've swum in the Pacific Ocean before?" Lin Yongming grumbled inwardly.
"Little Ming, you're the only Soul King here. Keep training hard. I believe as your strength increases, your eyes will definitely improve. Then we can all go to the seaside together to see the ocean." Bibi Dong teased.
"Stop it, you're annoying me to death." Lin Yongming directly pulled up the blanket to cover himself.
"Alright, no more teasing. Hurry up and eat breakfast. I'll describe it to you later." Blue Silver Emperor walked over and pulled back the blanket.
"No, unless you give me a kiss." Lin Yongming turned his head away.
"Get lost! Bibi Dong, don't mind him. Let's eat by ourselves. Let him starve." Blue Silver Emperor spat and walked directly to Bibi Dong's side.
"Right, let him starve. It's not like I'm the one who should care." Bibi Dong nodded seriously.
"Fine! Then you go kiss him. I don't mind." Blue Silver Emperor rolled her eyes.
"You brought it up first, you're responsible." Bibi Dong retorted.
In the end, when the two women were halfway through eating, Lin Yongming couldn't stand it anymore and got up to eat. After finishing, they left Luben City for Coastal City.
Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 237 on my patreon, go check it out and remember that if we reach the goal of 90 power stones I will publish the next chapter.