Chapter 572.1. Perfect Surprise Attack

No one expected this explosion at all. This was because they couldn’t sense any soul power undulations coming from outside earlier. Given this, none of them were prepared. Furthermore, all of them were also affected by the extreme chill. They weren’t able to unleash their soul power to the greatest of their abilities.

When this huge explosion occurred, the weakest four soul engineer teams, who were also closest to the layer of ice, were instantly torn to pieces!

Forty soul engineers were blown apart just like that! Xia Xuanchen, who was about to rush out, was also flung back by the terrifying explosive force.

Suddenly, chaos ensued.

They unleashed their defense to their maximum capabilities!

Blinding golden light shone, and Xu Tianyuan shot out a beam of golden light from his chest. This beam of golden light turned into a barrier that attempted to resist the falling snowflakes. He quickly rushed to Xia Xuanchen’s side. Both of them joined forces to lift a protective soul barrier and rushed forward.

The explosion came too quickly, and it was terrifying. However, it also disappeared very quickly.

After the explosive force vanished, they found that three more out of the thirty-plus soul engineer small teams had their protective soul barriers crushed, as they weren’t strong enough. Although they weren’t directly blown apart, they all froze into ice statues due to the extremely low temperature.

The more frightening thing was that they blew apart just after they turned into ice statues, and the remnants of their corpses scattered across the ground. It was a complete mess.

Seventy soul engineers had turned into dust just like that. The protective soul barriers of a few small teams were also blown apart. However, they tried their best to summon their soul power, and managed to seal their barriers amidst the chaos. This was the reason why they managed to avert disaster.

As they rushed out from the ice and snow, the two Class 9 soul engineers unleashed their strongest attacks at the same time. They swept in all directions. Soul rays and cannons fired everywhere.

At this moment, the two beast lord-ranked soul engineer legions still demonstrated their quality even though they had suffered heavy losses. Every small team chose to rise into the sky at the first instant. In addition, they stuck very close to one another too.

Xu Tianyuan, Xia Xuanchen and the four vice-legion commanders were the last to fly up. They showed why they were the commanders, as they watched the retreat of their troops.

Just like Xia Xuanchen had predicted earlier, the chill in the air gradually disappeared after they rose five hundred meters into the air. Everything reverted to normal.

However, most of the soul engineers were also pale from being frozen.

Seventy out of the three hundred soul engineers had been lost. There were two soul engineer legions at the start, but now there was only one left.

Xia Xuanchen looked very grim. He was completely pale. The reason was very simple. Among the seven small teams that had been wiped out earlier, six of them had belonged to his Evileye Tyrant Soul Engineer Legion.

The Evileye Tyrant Soul Engineer Legion was the most adept at speed. However, there was still a gap between the Evileye Tyrant Soul Engineer Legion and the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion in terms of absolute ability. As a result, the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion fully demonstrated their advantage in terms of overall abilities right now. They sustained considerably fewer losses.

Xu Tianyuan scanned the area, and found out what the problem was. He tapped Xia Xuanchen’s shoulder. “Old Xia, don’t panic. When we return, we’ll give you more men from the reserve regiment. We have to use our linked defensive formation. We must not let our enemies take advantage of us again.”

This explosion came too abruptly, leaving them at a loss as to what to do. Xia Xuanchen and Xu Tianyuan thought that they were already being very cautious. However, who knew that they were still tricked. Even up until now, they didn’t know where that explosion, which was as strong as a Class 8 stationary soul cannon shell, came from, and how those blocks of ice were blown apart.

They re-activated their linked defensive formation. For safety’s sake, the soul engineers from the two soul engineer legions unleashed this formation together. The light that came from their protective soul barrier was also extremely pure.

“Come on, let’s fly further first before speaking. For someone to have created that situation earlier, it must be some kind of domain-type ability. Such an ability is also very draining. Although we can’t find those scoundrels, I believe it won’t be easy for them to pursue us. Let’s leave this place first.”

The soul engineer legions quickly flew toward the west. It was very draining for two soul engineer legions to maintain a protective soul barrier and fly at the same time. They couldn’t continue flying for too long. However, they couldn’t be bothered about that at this point. It was paramount for them to leave this dangerous region.

Xu Tianyuan looked much better than Xia Xuanchen. At least his side didn’t suffer as much. Xia Xuanchen might have felt a little better after being comforted by Xu Tianyuan, but he was still very grim. The difference between the reserve troops and the official troops was still very big. A lot of time was needed to nurture a qualified member of the Evileye Tyrant Soul Engineer Legion. This time, he had really incurred a huge loss! Almost two-thirds of the Evileye Tyrant Soul Engineer Legion was gone.

At this moment, an anxious voice sounded. “Commander, this comrade seems to be unable to hold on anymore.”

Xu Tianyuan turned his head, and saw a soul engineer of the Imperial Soul Engineer Legion carrying another person not far behind him. The soul engineer that was being carried looked very pale. One of his arms and one of his legs were broken. He looked terrifyingly pale, as he had lost too much blood. Even his eyes were dim and lifeless.

Xu Tianyuan’s face contorted a little. He also turned a little gloomy. He drifted to the side of this soul engineer and sighed, “Comrade, have a safe journey. When we return, I’ll think of a way to avenge you.”

As he spoke, he lifted his head and pressed it against that injured soul engineer’s forehead.

This was a rule in the army. If an injured person couldn’t be saved in time, his commander could help him die, and he would die as a hero on the battlefield. Not only would he be given a grand burial after he returned, but his family would also be given a generous pension. Even his commander had to personally extend his condolences to his family.

That soul engineer revealed a comforted look on his face. He shut his eyes and was ready to accept his imminent death.

Xu Tianyuan didn’t use too much strength. He had originally planned to retract his soul power the moment he touched this soul engineer’s forehead. Otherwise, he might destroy the soul engineer’s corpse if he used too much strength. He was also a comrade. Xu Tianyuan couldn’t bear to lay his hands on him.

Xia Xuanchen turned around. No matter who, he wouldn’t be willing to see something like this. The rest of the soul engineers all lowered their heads.

At this moment, Xu Tianyuan’s body shook. That injured soul engineer silently pressed his palm on his chest.

Xu Tianyuan had originally thought it was a subconscious action. However, an indescribable sense of crisis rose in his heart in the next moment.

He didn’t even need to react before his automatic protective soul barrier and Invincible Barrier activated.

Blinding lights and intense soul power undulations alarmed everyone.

It was a pity that they reacted too late.

A deep-blue whirlpool had silently appeared on Xu Tianyuan’s chest. He was a Class 9 soul engineer, but his protective soul barrier and Invincible Barrier were both torn to pieces by this whirlpool. That pale-white hand also pressed against Xu Tianyuan’s chest at this point.

Following this, a terrifying Spiritual Blast exploded out from the center of the injured soul engineer’s body.

The soul engineers that were closest to him were immediately blown apart. Even the vice-legion commanders were flung far away by the frightening impact of the spiritual power.

Xia Xuanchen was no exception. He was flung dozens of meters away.

His body stiffened in mid-air. His flying-type soul tool also immediately went out.

That injured soul engineer and the soul engineer who had reported earlier were instantly vaporized.

After this, the linked defensive barrier distorted slightly. Two figures also disappeared completely.

The linked defensive barrier only served to isolate external attacks. It couldn’t defend against any attacks that came from within. The people inside could leave, but no one from the outside could enter.

Only the linked defensive barrier of a soul formation could be controlled to work both externally and internally.

It was only after those two figures disappeared that Xu Tianyuan knocked into the barrier just like the other soul engineers.

Xia Xuanchen rushed over instantly and tried to pull him back.

However, it was too late!

“Boom!” Xu Tianyuan’s body instantly blew apart and turned into countless pieces, scattering all around.

Xia Xuanchen’s protective soul barrier was immediately activated, which protected him from harm. However, many soul engineers around him were blown up or injured. Those two people had actually escaped without leaving any traces.

“Bastards! Bastards­——!” Xia Xuanchen roared furiously. All the soul engineers from the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion were all reacting sorrowfully too.

Xu Tianyuan had commanded this soul engineer legion for a long time now. Now that he was dead, the impact on the entire Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion was very great.

Who would have expected that a Class 9 soul engineer and a prince of the empire would die just like this? He couldn’t resist his enemies at all.

Every soul engineer let out sorrowful cries. However, they didn’t even see their enemies clearly. They didn’t even know how their enemies had snuck in.

A few thousand meters away, Huo Yuhao slowly appeared as he held Tang Wutong’s hand. Of course, only they could see each other. Those from the Sun Moon Empire couldn’t see them at all.

Without a doubt, those two that had attacked Xu Tianyuan earlier were Huo Yuhao and Tang Wutong. More accurately speaking, it was a perfect surprise attack and assassination.