Douluo Continent: The Book of Witness and Peerless Tang Sect

Chapter 173 Soul-Seizing Blood Domain

The prolonged surveillance and stakeouts did indeed yield results. The large stealth guided unmanned reconnaissance aircraft captured images of two elderly men dressed in gray robes with gloomy faces.

"If nothing unexpected happens, these two should be the support personnel sent by the Holy Spirit Cult this time. The location where they came out is right within the detection range of the wasp-type reconnaissance aircraft."

The soul power fluctuations are extremely strong, indicating that the person is at least a Soul Saint-level evil soul master of level 75 or above.

"To be honest, I don't doubt that the Holy Spirit Cult would send out a demonic master of this level for a mission. But I have serious doubts about their ability to carry out this particular mission."

Long You was the one controlling the wasps, so he immediately checked the data fluctuations and then explained the source of his long-standing sense of unease.

"Now that you mention it, it's true. A Soul Saint, and a Soul Saint of level 75 or higher. Considering the combat power of evil Soul Masters, that's at the Soul Douluo level. The Holy Spirit Cult sent such a strong force just to support a bandit group run by a mere Soul King?"

Because Long You "contributed" the method for awakening martial spirit consciousness to the academy (a price he paid to save Old Master Long), he gave Ma Xiaotao a way to completely solve her martial spirit problem. Furthermore, Huo Yuhao, Long You's adopted younger brother, is now Ma Xiaotao's human cooling system. Therefore, Ma Xiaotao is very familiar with and quite close to the outer academy's reserve team.

“Xiao Tao is right. There’s something fishy about this. I remember that the Soul Guidance Department has remotely controlled ground detection vehicles. We now know the exact location of these evil soul masters. Should we send out the detection vehicles to investigate further?”

These words were spoken by Dai Yueheng. After all, this place was guarded by his father, Duke Baihu, and Dai Yueheng absolutely did not want any unresolved issues to remain unresolved after he had handled them.

"How about it, Xiao You? Can you do it?"

"It is possible to do it, but this kind of detection is not as simple as aerial surveillance; it will definitely leave traces."

As everyone just saw, those two gray-robed men were exceptionally vigilant. Let alone a land-based reconnaissance vehicle, even a wasp-shaped vehicle flying in would likely be detected.

Considering that the Holy Spirit Cult members are from the Sun Moon Empire, I find it hard to believe they didn't have some counter-surveillance soul-guided devices at their base. If they did, we'll have a very difficult time getting information.

"I don't mind losing the soul tool, but is it really okay to alert the enemy without getting any useful information?"

"It's fine to stir up trouble, but if you don't get any useful information, it's not worth the trouble."

"Xiao You, there's also a drone following those two gray-robed men, right?"

"Yes, I've deployed a large stealth soul-guided unmanned reconnaissance aircraft to keep an eye on these two at high altitude."

"Then let's not wait any longer and attack these two directly. No matter what they've prepared in their hideout, they'll have to rely on their own abilities to deal with the situation on the road."

Also, when we move out later, the reserve team should keep a safe distance. I know you have long-range killing capabilities; just use those to eliminate the enemy.

"Two evil soul masters with combat power at the Contra Douluo level (actually Soul Saints above level 75), my team and I may not be able to protect you."

Although it's still unclear why these two evil spirit masters from the Holy Spirit Cult have come, there's no need to wait any longer. Whatever their purpose, eliminating them will prevent them from accomplishing anything.

Although we don't know where Master Xuan is now, with such a great master present, when we can't figure out what tricks our opponents are up to, the best approach is to confront them head-on.

The thought of having Elder Xuan as a backer always left Zhang Lexuan and Long You with a slight sense of unease deep down.

Since it was a long-range interference operation, Long You and other members of the reserve team from the outer academy simply did not follow the regular team.

However, before setting off, due to a slight sense of unease in his heart, Long You handed over to Zhang Lexuan an eighth-level soul-guided defensive shield that was given to him by Grandpa Long and triggered by both active and passive abilities.

Despite some hesitation, the shadow deep in her heart still made Zhang Lexuan accept the soul-guided defensive shield.

Watching the speed and direction of the two gray-robed figures moving on the soul guidance display screen, Long You and other reserve team members flew towards a mountain peak first.

The mountain was neither high nor steep, and the vegetation was not particularly dense; it didn't seem like a good place for an ambush. But it was precisely in places that didn't look like the best ambush spots that the most likely places to successfully ambush a cautious opponent were the places.

When facing a cautious opponent, one must be well aware of the dangers they might encounter along their route and where those dangers are most likely to be found. Those locations that clearly indicate excellent ambush sites will definitely be given special attention.

Although Long You and the others were quite confident in their hidden methods, in the Douluo world, there were countless martial souls and soul tools with miraculous abilities. No one could say for sure whether their hidden methods might be countered.

After carefully circling around, the seven members of the outer academy's reserve team arrived at the mountain peak they had scouted beforehand. They covered themselves with camouflage cloth and activated their simulated soul-guiding devices.

Bei Bei and the others immediately lay down on the spot, along with sniper rifles—short-range, high-power, single-shot soul tools. Long You and He Caitou assembled a soul tool similar to the giant electromagnetic railgun in the basement of Shrek Academy's soul tool department teaching building.

Of course, an electromagnetic railgun that Long You and He Caitou could assemble together, and that could be concealed by the simulated soul guide device, must be a miniaturized model.

In fact, this thing that looks a lot like an electromagnetic railgun is a high-rate-of-fire fixed-position soul-guided cannon developed by Longyou based on the principles of electromagnetic railguns. With an effective range of ten kilometers, ample ammunition, and proper pre-activation, it can fire three shots per second.

Just as Zhang Lexuan said before, there is a big gap in strength between the reserve team and those two evil soul masters (on the main team, apart from Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng, the others are also just playing a supporting role). For safety, keeping a distance is a necessary measure.

So, if you want to be effective while maintaining distance, then artillery barrage is the best option. The tactic of bombarding infantry before charging with artillery may be silly and rigid, but it works.

The main team members were all carrying signal devices. Long You learned through the signal devices that the main team had already partially surrounded the two gray-robed evil soul masters. Without hesitation, he immediately opened fire.

Under the cover of the silencing soul tools, the initial offensive launched by the reserve team was completely silent. However, the two gray-robed evil soul masters were extremely cautious, powerful, and experienced in combat.

The sound of energy bullets and physical projectiles slicing through the air became the best alarm for the two, and the first salvo attack launched by the reserve team was dodged without any suspense.

It didn't matter; the first round of attacks missing was something the reserve team had already anticipated. In the eyes of the reserve team members, this round of attacks simply served as a positional deterrent.

Each person's attack angle is pre-set, and when all these attack angles converge, along with the precise coordinates of the opponent, the combat assistance AI, or intelligent assistant, can easily calculate the most likely evasive direction for the two evil soul masters.

Next, with just a slight adjustment to the attack angle, the remaining firepower can smoothly cover the area around the evil spirit masters who have just completed their movement, or even directly target them.

In the blink of an eye, two gray-robed evil soul masters, 1.39 kilometers away from the seven reserve team members, were covered by specially designed projectiles fired from the electromagnetic cannon's soul guidance device at an extremely high rate of fire.

The small projectiles, imbued with terrifying kinetic energy, exploded upon passing through a human body due to resistance far greater than that of air. The consequence of this explosion was that a thick, unsettling cloud of blood mist appeared in the scopes of the seven reserve team members.

Without needing to communicate, the moment the two gray-robed evil spirit masters stopped in their tracks and cautiously made a dodging move due to the sudden attack from the reserve team, the main team, along with Zhang Lexuan, rushed out and seized the opportunity to attack the two gray-robed evil spirit masters.

The moment the blood mist rose, the seemingly pure and holy moonlight shone upon the two evil soul masters.

"Let's move on to another place."

Because of the vast difference in strength, it would be difficult to resist once they encountered an enemy, so the reserve team did not intend to stay in this exposed position. After all, for snipers lying in ambush, unless there was absolutely no way to move, not moving after firing is simply gambling.

"Just by looking at it, our results are remarkable!"

He lifted the electromagnetic cannon that was nailed to the ground and said with a slightly self-deprecating tone.

"Well, it's not like we gained nothing at all. At least now we know that the special abilities of these two evil soul masters are related to blood, and that they can control blood."

"This is a really troublesome ability."

"Trust the main team. The battle has already begun, and it's difficult for us to get involved."

Send the suicide airships carrying plasma bombs over there, and we'll retreat further away.

Knowing that the two gray-robed evil spirit masters' special abilities were related to blood, and fearing that the blood flowing in their bodies would directly expose their location, the reserve team abandoned their previous plan to take advantage of the chaos by getting close.

They found a new spot five kilometers away, lay down, and set up the electromagnetic cannon. The seven members of the reserve team watched the images fed back by their soul-guided detectors.

"We can't see anything. But judging from the fact that the fluctuations of the blood mist have been consistently uniform, the surprise attack by the main team was definitely within those two people's expectations."

"Given the blood-related abilities, the fact that Senior Sister led the main team to such a close distance definitely means she was discovered."

The only consolation was that we, a kilometer away, were completely unexpected by these two evil spirit masters. Our attack did indeed disrupt them.

"Senior Gongyang shouldn't be there. Even if he has a defensive soul tool on him, given his range of support, he should actually be with us."

Five minutes passed, and the main team had been fighting the two gray-robed evil spirit masters for about ten minutes. With no clear picture of the battle's progress, the reserve team was starting to get anxious.

The churning blood mist worried the reserve team, wondering if Gongyang Mo, a support-type character, could withstand it.

"The situation may be developing in a direction we don't want to see. The area covered by the blood mist has expanded, but the momentum of the senior students has not changed."

"Should we remind the senior students? They might not notice the change in the area covered by the blood mist while they are in the middle of the battle?"

"A word of caution: we don't know what abilities this blood mist has, or what its expansion means, but the senior students who are in the thick of it might already know its capabilities. A simple reminder will be enough for them to know what to be wary of."

As soon as Long You finished speaking, Bei Bei connected the team's communication system to the main team, which was five kilometers away.

"Attention! The blood mist is expanding! Attention! The blood mist is expanding!"

Beibei's voice was converted into an electrical signal, which, after a brief delay, successfully entered the ears of the seven members of the main team.

The seven members of the main team, who were already showing signs of becoming engrossed in the battle and whose eyes were gradually turning red, were all jolted when they heard this voice.

The lively spirit that had disappeared from the eyes of the main team members reappeared, and everyone, including Zhang Lexuan, looked a little grim.

"Oh? They actually noticed? Were they those little bugs that were attacking us from afar?"

It seems Mingde Hall is doomed! Shrek Academy has managed to master stable long-distance communication first.

A hoarse, unpleasant voice rang out from the depths shrouded in blood mist.

If any outsiders could witness the battle within the blood mist, they would likely know that, concealed by the thick blood mist, only Zhang Lexuan was consistently able to apply her attacks to the two evil soul masters.

Even Zhang Lexuan wasn't able to stay conscious the whole time. At least until the reserve team woke everyone up via communication, Zhang Lexuan didn't realize that her teammates had unknowingly lost their targets and started recklessly expending their soul power.

"Xi Xi, Luo Chen, take the ram and leave."

Responding to the evil spirit master's taunts was no longer the most important thing; the most important thing was to avoid casualties on their side.

Zhang Lexuan decisively ordered the agility-type and control-type Soul Masters in the team to retreat first, leading the support-type Soul Masters.

However, Zhang Lexuan's plan ultimately failed.

"Hehehe, we brothers have been preparing for so long, how could we let you leave so easily?"

"Soul-Stealing Blood Domain, take shape!"

The hoarse voice that made one feel uncomfortable rang out again, and the churning blood mist suddenly became viscous.