Douluo Continent: The Holy Son of the Spirit Hall, who intercepted the immortal herb

Chapter 53 Mysteries of the Crossing of the Rocks: Whose Play Is This?

The night wind, carrying the damp, cold, and fishy smell of the water, swept over us from the riverbed of Luanshi Ferry.

The pale moonlight illuminated the jagged black stones, making them appear like lurking beasts, with a chilling aura emanating from every crevice.

Su Chen, carrying Xiao Wu, and Xu Tinglan stealthily made their way to a giant rock at the edge of the ferry. The oppressive atmosphere in the air was almost palpable.

Xiao Wu shifted restlessly in his arms, her warm breath brushing against his neck, carrying a hint of anxiety and confusion.

"Aren't we going? If we wait any longer, the people in the car will be in danger!"

She had been forcibly carried by Su Chen the whole way, which relieved the soreness in her legs considerably, but the anger in her heart was growing stronger and stronger.

She couldn't help herself, especially when she heard the faint sound of children crying in the distance.

Su Chen's arms, however, were like iron clamps, firmly encircling her waist and pressing her tightly against his chest, his warm chest pressed against her back. He lowered his head, his lips almost brushing against her reddened earlobe, his voice deep and undeniably magnetic.

"Don't move."

"Watching a play."

The two words seemed to carry an electric current, causing Xiao Wu's body to stiffen slightly.

She subconsciously looked up.

Not far away, torches blazed across an open field, where a dilapidated wagon was being besieged by a dozen black-clad Soul Masters. The light of Soul Rings flickered alternately in the night, and the booming sounds of clashing Soul Skills filled the air, making the scene appear incredibly intense.

Inside the carriage, the suppressed, intermittent sobs felt like tiny needles piercing everyone's hearts.

Something's not right.

Xu Tinglan, standing to the side, frowned, her beautiful eyes filled with solemnity and confusion. "Look at their attacks. They are powerful, but the light from their soul skills always just grazes the car body or the bodies of the guards. It's more like—fireworks."

It would have been better if she hadn't said anything, because once she did, Xiaowu also realized the problem.

The so-called "robbers" launched a fierce attack, but their efforts were all bark and no bite. One guard was hit head-on by a soul skill, letting out an exaggerated scream as he flew backward and crashed heavily to the ground.

Just then, Su Chen's voice transmission rang in Xiao Wu's mind.

"Xiao Wu, look at that guard who's fallen to the ground."

Xiao Wu immediately focused her attention and, with her familiarity with throwing techniques, spotted the flaw at a glance.

She immediately responded with her mental power, her voice tinged with realization and disdain: "Fake! He dissipated the force when he fell, his core was tightly engaged. I'm more skilled at throwing people than he is! This guy wasn't seriously injured at all!"

A faint, cold smile appeared on Su Chen's lips.

really.

He looked around the scene again. The eyes of the "robbers" and "guards" occasionally met in the chaos. There was no murderous intent to fight to the death. Instead, there was an undisguised anxiety, as if they were rushing to finish a play that had been rehearsed countless times.

"They're deliberately stalling for time," Xu Tinglan's voice grew even colder. "But why? Are there reinforcements nearby?"

"No."

Su Chen's voice rang in the minds of the two women simultaneously, carrying a hint of mockery.

"They're putting on such a great show, they're not waiting for reinforcements."

"They're waiting for all the audience members to arrive."

at the same time.

On the opposite bank of Luanshi Ferry, behind a hidden reef completely swallowed by the night.

A thin, middle-aged man with sinister eyes was holding a brass telescope, observing everything on the opposite bank with great interest.

He was the true person in charge of this operation, a Soul Master known in the black market of the Heaven Dou Empire for his unparalleled skill in using hidden weapons, codenamed "Ghost Hand".

"The Holy Son of the Spirit Hall? Heh, I thought he was some kind of superhuman being with three heads and six arms."

Ghost Hand put down the soul tool, a thick mockery on his lips.

"He's just a hotheaded brat blinded by anger. Sure enough, using children as bait to deal with these so-called righteous geniuses always works."

In his view, Su Chen's hasty pursuit here had completely fallen into the first trap he had set.

"And that Xu Tinglan—" He glanced at the aloof figure in the soul tool, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes, "A good dog of the Ministry of Justice, her brain probably can't hold anything but murder cases. She has no idea what kind of 'goods' we're really sending away tonight."

He smiled dismissively and patted a black iron box tightly wrapped in oilcloth next to him.

"Thump!"

The box made a dull thud that seemed disproportionate to its size, clearly indicating that the contents inside were extremely heavy.

"Boss, it's almost time," a subordinate who was about to row urged in a low voice.

"Wait another fifteen minutes."

Ghost Hand raised the telescope again, his voice radiating a sense of superiority and confidence.

"Let's wait until they fight even more fiercely, until that Holy Son is completely engrossed, before we leave. After tonight, those lords in Heaven Dou City will owe our 'Shadow Society' an even greater debt of gratitude."

His gaze, through the lens, precisely locked onto Su Chen.

At this moment, Su Chen seemed unable to hold back any longer, his face showing an "anxious" expression, and he was about to rush out.

Seeing this, Ghost Hand's mocking smile deepened.

"look."

He said smugly to his men.

"They've taken the bait."

Just when Ghost Hand thought everything was under control, a sudden change occurred!

The "robber" leader seemed to have run out of patience after a long and arduous assault. Suddenly, he let out a furious roar, pulled a cloth bag from his pocket, and hurled it forward violently!

laugh-!

The cloth bag exploded in the air, and large amounts of green powder spread with the wind, instantly filling the air with a sweet and eerie smell.

"not good!"

Xu Tinglan's expression changed drastically the moment she smelled the odor, and she exclaimed in shock, "It's the Muscle-Weakening Powder! This stuff has an extremely strong corrosive effect on soul power; the higher the soul power, the deeper the poisoning!"

Before the words were even finished, the poisonous powder had already drifted to the center of the battle.

Xiao Wu, "single-mindedly trying to save lives," was the closest to the carriage. She seemed completely unprepared for the other party's use of such methods and rushed towards the carriage to protect the child, but "accidentally" inhaled a large mouthful of poison powder.

"Well----"

She felt her body go limp, her movements became incredibly sluggish, and the surging soul power within her seemed to be blocked. She couldn't even stand steadily and almost fell to the ground.

"Chance!"

Upon seeing this, the feigned anxiety in the eyes of the "robber" leader was instantly replaced by a real, ferocious murderous intent!

Acting? If you mess it up, it becomes real!

Killing this troublesome woman would be a great achievement!

"Kill her!"

He roared, his spirit rings shining brightly, and a bone blade coated with black poison appeared in his hand. He slashed at Xiao Wu's face at a tricky angle!

At this moment, he truly had the intention to kill!

"Xiao Wu!"

Xu Tinglan was terrified and immediately wanted to rush forward to help, but the few "actors" around her also erupted at the moment the leader gave the order, holding her tightly and leaving her unable to do anything.

She could only watch helplessly as the poisoned bone blade magnified in Xiao Wu's beautiful pupils, her eyes reddening with anxiety. She let out a piercing cry in Su Chen's direction: "Su Chen!"

On the opposite bank, Ghost Hand clearly saw this scene through his telescopic soul guide.

His heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down completely, and a thoroughly satisfied cold smile appeared on his face.

"Fool, you got yourself into trouble trying to save a woman."

He put down the soul tool, losing all interest in watching any longer. He waved to his subordinates, his voice cold and resolute.

"Send word: Prepare to set sail!"

'

At the critical moment!

Under Xu Tinglan's despairing gaze, and with Ghost Hand's confident turn, Su Chen finally moved.

He looked at Xiao Wu, who was trapped in a "desperate situation," and there was no panic on his handsome face. Instead, a cold glint flashed in his deep eyes.

He suddenly turned his head and gave an order to Xu Tinglan, who was anxiously waiting beside him, which surprised everyone.

"Xu Tinglan————"

His voice wasn't loud, but it exploded in Xu Tinglan's mind like a thunderclap.

"Protect Xiao Wu!"

"Holy crap—"