C13 The Main Culprit!

Standing beside him, Thunder Wolf's face was ashen. Among the soul beasts locked in combat, any single one was beyond his capability to withstand.

"This is a real battle," Lu Yi remarked, a hint of awe in his voice.

He was aware that the soul beasts of the central region were highly intelligent, on par with humans. Yet the ferocity of their battle was as if they were avenging a murdered father.

Lu Yi's gaze settled on the Taotie, realizing it was one of the Four Great Kings. At that moment, it was relentlessly attacking a Qiongqi with a vengeance, aiming to smash its opponent's skull.

The other two soul beast kings appeared to be engaged in a fierce struggle, but to Lu Yi, they might as well have been treading water. The real fight was between the Taotie and the Qiongqi.

A sly grin played across Lu Yi's lips. There's truth to the saying, "Fortune favors the bold." To him, these four soul beast kings were hardly a challenge. A single execution of the Green Lotus Sword Song would suffice to dispatch them.

Back in Smallfrost, Lu Yi had sensed that the Taotie was being manipulated, its heart not truly set on attacking the city. Now, as the Taotie furiously assailed the Qiongqi, he wondered if the latter was the puppet master.

"If you're in the dark, just capture and interrogate," he mused.

With a mere thought, Lu Yi executed the Green Lotus Sword Song, leaving a vivid sword shadow in his wake.

"What kind of skill is this?" Thunder Wolf gasped in amazement. The sword shadow left by Lu Yi was incredibly lifelike, exuding a chilling sword intent that filled him with a sense of imminent danger.

The four kings had not anticipated an intrusion into their fray.

As the icy sword light descended, the two soul beasts that had been merely posturing turned tail and fled in a display of unexpected understanding.

But for the Taotie and the Qiongqi, still locked in their deadly duel, misfortune struck. The sword light, shrouded in the breath of the reaper, was relentless.

The underlings of the Taotie and the Qiongqi stood no chance against the sevenfold sword light; in an instant, more than half fell, staining the battlefield a deep crimson.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The Taotie and Qiong Qi exerted their full strength in a desperate attempt to escape.

But the bonds of the Green Lotus Sword Song were inescapable.

Battered and wounded by the sword's light, the Taotie and Qiong Qi were swiftly retrieved by Lu Yi and brought back into the sword's shadow.

Thunder Wolf watched as the two savage soul beasts crashed to the ground, swallowing hard. This master was formidable, cutting through enemies as if they were nothing.

Upon recognizing Lu Yi, the Taotie's face twisted in fear.

Qiong Qi, on the other hand, lunged at Lu Yi with ferocity, only to be kicked away effortlessly.

"They were indeed being manipulated," Lu Yi said with a cold smirk, noticing signs of control on Qiong Qi.

"Ding! You have triggered a mission: Uncover the puppeteer behind the beast tide. Reward: 6 skill points."

"Ding! The puppeteer is extremely powerful. Proceed with caution."

Lu Yi was at a loss for words. Whoever was capable of manipulating the beast tide of Kensingtara Hill was clearly no ally.

He should have been heading back to Smallfrost City by now, preparing to lead his troops in a counterattack.

Yet, the system's sudden mission made it clear—it wanted Lu Yi to confront the hidden mastermind.

After being kicked away, Qiong Qi charged once more.

This time, Lu Yi's anger flared. He bellowed at the Taotie, "Finish it off!"

Startled into action, the Taotie complied, swiftly executing the already weakened Qiong Qi. It refrained from consuming the soul beast's crystal, opting instead to present it to Lu Yi.

This turn of events left Thunder Wolf reeling, his worldview upended.

He was, after all, a ruler of the Kensingtara Hill. Since when did he cower before a human?

A pang of bitterness struck Thunder Wolf. Even without their guidance, Lu Yi had managed to reach the central region unscathed.

"Alright, Thunder Wolf, send your men to tidy up the battlefield. Don't forget, these remains are as good as gold!" Lu Yi commanded.

Thunder Wolf's mouth twitched in realization. So this was the true purpose of their journey.

Without further comment, Thunder Wolf complied. The soul beasts were Lu Yi's claim, but the valuable medicinal herbs of the central region—they would be the spoils of the Thunder Wolf Mercenary Group.

"To control these soul beasts, you must be using more than just ordinary methods, right?" Lu Yi inquired, his brow furrowed in thought.

A look of fear crossed the Taotie's face as it shot a yellow beam from its eyes onto the ground, creating a reflective surface that displayed a series of fragmented images.

Lu Yi watched as a man dressed in opulent robes approached Kensingtara Hill alone. He appeared to be in his early twenties, exuding a cold arrogance that suggested he held little regard for his surroundings.

Upon the man's arrival, he was swiftly detected by the soul beasts. They converged from all directions, their roars thunderous as they sought to shred him to pieces. Yet the man merely snorted, not even sparing them a glance.

It was as if the soul beasts had collided with an invisible barrier; they collapsed to the ground, some bleeding from every orifice, others meeting their demise right there.

This commotion caught the attention of the Taotie, the sovereign among them. It swooped down from the heavens, intent on slaying the intruder.

But with a mere glance and a skillful move, the man forced the Taotie to kneel before him like a marionette.

With a light chuckle, marked by a hint of cruelty, the man turned his gaze toward Smallfrost and whispered something into the Taotie's ear. Moments later, the Taotie led a horde of soul beasts out of Kensingtara Hill, launching an assault on Smallfrost.

The imagery ceased, leaving Lu Yi with a profound sense of awe. This man wielded immense power, treating Kensingtara Hill as if it were nothing.

In theory, with such formidable strength, conquering Smallfrost should not pose a significant challenge.

"He's a Beastmaster," the Taotie disclosed, identifying the man's role.

It dawned on Lu Yi—the man was a Beastmaster. Could it be that Smallfrost was on the verge of a Beast Tide?

Beastmasters were a rare breed, yet each one held dominion over the soul beasts. Interestingly, their individual might was not particularly impressive.

It made sense why the man had come to Kensingtara Hill. If he were to attack Smallfrost alone, Xia Shan would easily subdue him.

"First, he took control of the Taotie, then the Qiongqi. This Beastmaster's power doesn't seem all that formidable, and I bet he's still lurking around Kensingtara Hill!" Lu Yi's eyes sparkled with anticipation.

Six skill points—that would significantly boost his strength.

He couldn't pass up such an opportunity.

"Track him down for me!"

As Lu Yi commanded the Taotie to hunt for the Beastmaster, a man in opulent attire was seated in a meditative pose behind a nearby tree.

Perched on the man's shoulder was a small red bird, its eyes a fiery red, radiating an aura that was nothing short of spine-chilling.

"Red Skylark, have we got a bite?"

With a voice tinged with indolence, the Red Skylark responded, "Gu Yan, as a yellow level Beastmaster, you could easily lay waste to Smallfrost. Is there really a need to go to such lengths?"

"You're missing the point," Gu Yan replied with a soft laugh. "There's a certain pleasure in destruction, one piece at a time."