"Are you looking for me?"
Just then, a leisurely voice arose beside everyone's ears.
Xuanyu Douluo, Herculean Douluo, and Blood Fiend Douluo turned to look and were surprised to find that, unbeknownst to them, Qin Xiao was already standing on a tree trunk less than a hundred meters away.
When everyone's gaze turned to him, a smile appeared on Qin Xiao's face.
"Boy, it seems you know who we are?"
Herculean Douluo grinned, a fierce glint flashing through his eyes.
Qin Xiao nodded slightly, "I know you. You've come all the way from the Xingluo Empire, presumably to kill me, right?"
"Heh, since you know our intent, yet you don't flee, you must think very little of us."
Herculean Douluo sneered, "So should I say you are naive and unaware of danger, or just an overconfident ant shaking a tree?"
"Or perhaps it's all of the above?"
Qin Xiao shook his head disdainfully, "Just with you guys?"
"Impudent brat, clever with words."
Blood Fiend Douluo also huffed coldly, "I really regret it. Had I known it would come to this, I'd have killed you on the spot during the Continental Soul Masters' Tournament."
He truly regretted it, as he had been the referee during the tournament's finals.
He had witnessed that match and even been stunned when he saw Qin Xiao single-handedly turn the tide of the battle.
After that, he had nothing but praise for Qin Xiao.
He had even mentioned to Xu Jiawei in private that it would be great if a prodigy like Qin Xiao were a member of the Xingluo Empire.
And his words had unwittingly come true.
The good news was that Qin Xiao indeed was a citizen of the Xingluo Empire.
The bad news was that Qin Xiao was the enemy of the Xingluo Empire.
What was even more outrageous was that a Fleet Admiral with great achievements for the Empire had just died by his hand.
It was unbearably hateful.
"Gentlemen, enough talk. This kid is standing there way too confidently; he must have already sent a message to the experts of the Sun-Moon Empire using some special method. Let's all strike together and capture him now to prevent any changes from happening later," Xuanyu Douluo said gravely.
"Hahaha, no offense, but if you want to take me down, first you'll have to survive my attack," Qin Xiao burst into laughter upon hearing this.
However, his laughter triggered a significant chain reaction.
Xuanyu Douluo laughed, Herculean Douluo laughed, and so did Blood Fiend Douluo.
They all found the young man before them to be quite amusing.
However.
The next moment, none of them were laughing anymore.
Because Qin Xiao had taken out one Absolute Defense protection after another and wrapped them around himself.
What's going on?
Is he presenting himself to us on a platter?
The douluos were all taken aback.
This kind of Absolute Defense wasn't like the Invincible Shield that would disappear when time was up.
These soul tools had to be broken in order for the person inside to come out.
Otherwise, there was no way to move.
Qin Xiao's move had them all somewhat flabbergasted.
"No good, this kid must have laid out some sort of trap," Xuanyu Douluo's expression suddenly changed, becoming very dark.
He realized that they had likely walked into an ambush.
"What's there to fear?"
Herculean Douluo said, "At most he's a Soul King, a Soul Emperor. Are we, Titled Douluos, afraid of his schemes?"
"I'll take action now and capture him."
As he said this, he rolled up his sleeves and moved to go forward.
But his raised foot suddenly froze in place, unable to touch the ground, as if under a paralysis curse.
A sense of crisis rapidly pricked at his nerves.
"Have you noticed? It's too late," said Qin Xiao, the corners of his mouth turned up in a cold smile.
Without question, he was using himself as bait to attract the attention of the three Titled Douluos, to distract them while the Human-shaped Soul Guidance Devices secretly arranged various powerful Fixed Installment Soul Guided Cannons.
As for the result... it was very successful.
The reason the Titled Douluo-level experts' nerves were on edge was that his setup had been completed, and twenty to thirty Rank 8 Fixed Installment Soul Guided Cannons had been activated at the same time.
"This kid is ambushing us. Quick, activate your Martial Soul, soul skills, and soul tools."
Blood Fiend Douluo let out an angry roar, and he was also the first to take action.
Even Xuanyu Douluo had already started circulating his Soul Power.
Only Herculean Douluo was half a beat too slow.
Boom, boom, boom.
Terrifying powers exploded one after another.
Brilliant lights came from all directions.
They instantly occupied everyone's field of vision.
Boom!
At that moment, all the sounds converged, bursting forth like thunder.
Crack, crack, crack.
The layers of Absolute Defense around Qin Xiao shattered one after another.
But he was not in the least disturbed.
If worse came to worst, could he not just take out some more Absolute Defenses?
After all, he had plenty of them now.
Besides, if he didn't use them up, where would the drive to make more come from?
After a long while.
The storm finally began to subside.
The trees under Qin Xiao's feet had long since turned to ash, and he had fallen from the tree, now standing on the ground.
Even... the forested mountain he was in had turned into flatland.
And Qin Xiao was staring intently ahead.
There were three ragged figures.
Xuanyu Douluo lay on the ground, his body twitching uncontrollably, his fate unknown.
Blood Fiend Douluo swayed unsteadily, also in poor condition, as if he could fall at any moment.
To Qin Xiao's surprise, Herculean Douluo, who seemed the least intelligent of the three, was actually faring the best.
He had some injuries, but they didn't appear to be fatal.
Click, click, click...
Suddenly, a mechanical-like sound of footsteps entered everyone's ears.
Herculean Douluo instinctively turned his head to look, his pupils violently contracting.
"You, what's wrong?" Blood Fiend Douluo didn't dare to turn his head, continuing to stare at Qin Xiao's back while asking Herculean Douluo.
"Huo Yuhao, how can there be two of him?" Herculean Douluo swallowed hard before speaking in shock.
"What?" Blood Fiend Douluo turned his head in astonishment and, as if struck by lightning, exclaimed, "How can there be two Qin Xiaos?"
"Sigh." Qin Xiao suddenly let out a deep sigh, "I didn't want to pile on, but since I couldn't take you down in one fell swoop, I have to show a bit of my power."
"Pile on?"
Blood Fiend Douluo was first startled, then seemed to realize something, "Are you saying that it was you who attacked us just now?"
Soul tool Qin Xiao nodded his head.
"???"
Blood Fiend Douluo opened his mouth, not knowing what to say.
But, in the next moment, Herculean Douluo suddenly put his hand on his shoulder and threw him toward soul tool Qin Xiao.
"Herculean! You despicable traitor!"
Blood Fiend Douluo's face changed dramatically.
"You're badly injured and unlikely to escape, so I might as well be the one to bring back this important news about there being two of you."
As Herculean Douluo spoke, he already leapt up, a very high-grade flying soul guidance device unfolding behind him.
Seeing this, soul tool Qin Xiao's gaze flashed, and he dodged to avoid Blood Fiend Douluo.
With a thought, he took out a pitch-black cannon barrel, about a meter in diameter, with a scope mounted on it.
Then, he pulled the trigger.
Boom!
A dazzling burst of light sprayed out, hitting Herculean Douluo in an instant.
Herculean Douluo's upper body was immediately reduced to ash.
"Gulp."
Blood Fiend Douluo swallowed in shock, "What kind of soul cannon is this?"
Soul tool Qin Xiao shook his head, "This isn't a soul cannon. It has a scope; it's a sniper..."