Countless rocks fell like raindrops from the hills on both sides. Not only were they sudden, but they also fell in an incredibly organized manner.
At this moment, the true strength of the Royal Knights was revealed. Though not all of them were soul masters, their collective power was formidable.
The hills on both sides weren't particularly high, so the falling rocks weren't too overwhelming in terms of gravity. The Royal Knights took a few steps back, leaving a narrow passage in the middle for passage. They raised their knight lances high, facing the incoming barrage of stones.
As their spears moved, the rocks fell. They used their lances to deflect the falling stones, pushing them aside. The combined efforts of the five hundred knights formed a nearly impenetrable line of defense. Even in such difficult terrain, they managed to prevent a single stone from passing in front of them for a time. It was a clear sign of their elite training.
However, as more rocks fell, the knights began to struggle. Some particularly large rocks had already crashed into the various teams, separating them from each other.
This was precisely the intention of their assailants. These rocks weren't intended to attack but to create barriers, forcing the knights to focus on specific threats.
Nevertheless, the students from the major academies were undeterred. One by one, they disembarked from their carriages. These weren't just ordinary people but the most elite young spirit masters.
Suddenly, thousands of men dressed in black appeared on the hills, charging toward the academies at an alarming speed.
Colorful halos flashed as the students of each academy activated their martial spirits and prepared for battle.
Some took the initiative to strike at these masked men, thinking they could easily defeat them, but they were immediately struck down by the enemy's overwhelming power.
Among these men in black, there were a significant number of soul masters, including dozens of Soul Kings above level 50. Such a large force couldn't have been mobilized by just any organization. The teachers from the various academies quickly realized that this wasn't a simple robbery but an organized attack.
The Emperor Team, in particular, faced the fewest enemies, with only dozens of men in black before them. However, the danger was the greatest, as three of the attackers were especially powerful. Their presence caused Qin Ming, a level 68 Soul Emperor, to feel uneasy.
"Three people, all of them are Soul Saints." Qin Ming's face darkened "Which force could dispatch three Soul Saints so easily?"
"Teacher, why aren't they releasing their martial spirits?" Dugu Yan asked, puzzled
"To conceal their identities. Don't be careless. Even without releasing their martial spirits, their strength won't be weaker than mine." Qin Ming activated his martial spirit and barked "Students, deal with the other men in black. Leave these three to me."
Qin Ming couldn't let the students face the Soul Saints alone. He was prepared to confront them, even if it meant fighting one against three. As long as he could breathe, he wouldn't let anything happen to his students.
Fortunately, his girlfriend Zhou Yan wasn't here today—this was his only consolation.
"Teacher Qin, what are you afraid of? They're just three Soul Saints. I'll fight with you today." Jun Tianlin, standing beside Qin Ming, gripped his demon sword tightly.
Qin Ming wanted to dissuade him, but then he realized that Tianlin's fighting ability was no less than his own. With Tianlin's help, it would be much safer for the other students.
"Brother Tianmeng, what are the martial spirits of these three?" Jun Tianlin asked, needing to understand the enemies' abilities and tactics before the battle.
'Let me sense them. One has a battle axe, one has a snow wolf, and one has a painting.' Tianmeng Ice Silkworm responded.
"So, two attackers and one controller," Jun Tianlin mused. "The painting probably lures enemies into an illusion, just like Shi Nian's martial spirit."
Jun Tianlin turned to Qin Ming and whispered, "Teacher Qin, the man on the left has a Snow Wolf, which is weak to your Fiery Wolf. You take care of him, and I'll handle the other two—one with an axe and one with a painting."
Qin Ming's eyes widened at the mention of these martial spirits "axe, snow painful, painting? You mean, painting…"
The three Soul Saints were famous figures across the continent. They had joined the Spirit Hall long ago, and their reputations were legendary, even when they were Soul Emperors. No wonder they wore masks and didn't release their martial spirits—they were trying to hide their identities.
Qin Ming had almost blurted out their names, but he quickly regained control of his emotions.
He wasn't a fool. If the Spirit Hall was attacking and hiding their identities, it wasn't to massacre everyone—it was to target someone specific. But if he revealed their names, everyone would be in danger, and he would only be putting everyone at risk.
'Since the attack isn't aimed at a massacre, they must be targeting someone. Could it be Xiaotian?' Qin Ming glanced at Jun Tianlin beside him. 'No, if it was Xiaotian, three Soul Saints wouldn't be enough. They wouldn't even need to hide their martial spirits. This must be part of a larger plan. The real target is someone else.'
"Tang San!" Qin Ming's thoughts rapidly connected the dots."Tang San is the most likely target—he has twin spirits and was born in the Haotian Sect. That's why they're here."
Jun Tianlin understood "Understood, Teacher Qin. We need to focus on defense. Their target isn't us. If we delay them, we'll be fine."
At that moment, the leader of the men in black pointed at Qin Ming and sneered "This man just seemed to discover our identities."
He overheard the word "Wu."
"Then he must die." The burliest of the three Soul Saints, clearly the Giant Axe Soul Saint, raised his fist to strike.
"Your opponent is me!" Jun Tianlin stepped forward, sword in hand, to face the punch.
Qin Ming immediately launched a blaze of fire at the Soul Saint on the other side, the one with the Snow Wolf.
Meanwhile, the rest of Emperor's team engaged in battle with the black-clad men. Though their opponents had the advantage in level, none of them released their martial spirits. For the moment, the students from Huang Dou were holding their own.
"Hmph, you're just a Soul King, and you dare challenge me in strength? Get back!" The Giant Axe Soul Saint roared, his power causing the ground to tremble.
"Haha, retreat? You can't even use your marital spirit and if you can make me retreat a step, I'll call myselffool today" Jun Tianlin chuckled confidently, pushing forward with his demon sword.
"What?" The Giant Axe Soul Saint was shocked to find that his massive, soul-powered punch seemed to be nothing against Jun Tianlin's sword. Just in time, he summoned his giant axe to block the magic sword.
The Soul Saint's seven soul rings, two yellow, three purple, and two black, flashed as the first soul ring activated