Song Shuhang's imagination started to run wild. What would happen if he were to use the 'shapeshifting brooch' together with the ❮Sea Urchin Warriors' Aura Concealing Technique❯? Perhaps he could complete the technique and make it work?

Should I give it a try?

It's not like I have anything to lose!

Aura concealing techniques were different from cultivation techniques, and one wouldn't suffer from negative effects if he were to misuse them.

After thinking this much, Song Shuhang decided to give it a try.

He operated his mental energy according to the instructions of the ❮Sea Urchin Warriors' Aura Concealing Technique❯ and restrained his true qi.

The final step consisted in using the innate camouflage ability of sea urchin warriors to complete the process. Therefore, Song Shuhang thought of completing this step by relying on the 'shapeshifting brooch'.

But just as he was about to complete the final step, Song Shuhang suddenly thought of something. Eh? Wait a moment. Wouldn't it be a little stupid to turn into a sea urchin?

After all, I'm not in the middle of the ocean, and changing into a sea urchin would look rather strange!

Since I'm on land, instead of a sea urchin, I might as well turn into a caterpillar or something of the sort...

Just as this thought flashed through his mind, strange changes took place.

Eh? Wait a moment!

It was just a random thought, I don't really want to turn into a caterpillar!

I want to turn into a butterfly! Well, if that's too much, I can settle for a chicken!

Even changing into Doudou is better than turning into a caterpillar!

But it was too late… the ❮Sea Urchin Warriors' Aura Concealing Technique❯ (Song Shuhang edition) activated!

In the next moment, Song Shuhang turned into an ugly caterpillar. Naturally, this was just an illusion; his real body didn't change in the slightest. He just appeared as a caterpillar in the eyes of others.

When the altered version of the ❮Sea Urchin Warriors' Aura Concealing Technique❯ was activated, Song Shuhang's aura disappeared, and all his true qi was firmly locked inside his dantian, not leaking out in the slightest.

Now then, in which form would he appear if someone else were to sweep him with their mental energy? In the shape of a caterpillar, or in that of a sea urchin?

Did I succeed for real? Song Shuhang forced a smile.

"I can't waste time, I need to quickly change back! Moreover, I wonder if the battle on the Grievance Settling Platform has come to an end. It would be rather troublesome if Senior White and the others had already left," Song Shuhang muttered to himself.

❄️❄️❄️

Just as he was about to remove his camouflage, several figures quickly closed in from a distant place. Under the detection of his mental energy, he discovered that six 'sea urchins' were quickly bouncing toward his position… More sea urchin warriors are coming over here?

Did they come here by following the Mark of the Urchin Slayer?

Just as he was in deep thoughts, the six sea urchin warriors arrived at the site where the battle took place. They were all in the Second Stage Realm, and the level of their true qi seemed higher than Shuhang's by a notch.

Very soon, they saw their dead companion, the poisonous urchin warrior Sui Qianjun.

"Dammit! One of our companions was killed!" a stout sea urchin warrior said as he clenched his teeth.

Another sea urchin warrior approached Sui Qianjun's corpse and examined it. Afterward, he said in a grave tone, "His blood is still hot, the murderer can't be too far! Find him through the 'Mark of Vengeance'! We must tear him to shreds!"

As soon as the word 'vengeance' was brought up, the remaining sea urchin warriors roared like wild beasts, their eyes bloodshot. To them, vengeance was one of the most important things in life!

It was something engraved in the depths of their souls; revenge, revenge!

When in vengeance-mode, sea urchin warriors would lose their mind. No matter how strong the enemy was, as long as they induced the Mark of Vengeance, they wouldn't be afraid and would immediately enter into action!

It was quite the miracle that a race like theirs had managed to survive up until now.

Song Shuhang quietly retreated inside the nearby grove. This Mark of Vengeance they mentioned earlier should be the Mark of the Sea Urchin Slayer, right?

It just happened that he had a similar mark on his body! If those six sea urchin warriors of the Second Stage were to discover him… it wouldn't be wise to fight them head-on.

Therefore, he had to quickly run toward the Grievance Settling Platform.

With his ❮Virtuous Man's Ten Thousand Mile Walk❯, he should be able to put some distance between these sea urchin warriors and himself. As long as he could reach the Grievance Settling Platform, and the seniors of the Nine Provinces Number One Group were still there, Song Shuhang had nothing to fear!

"I've induced the mark!" said one of the sea urchin warriors in a grave tone.

All the sea urchin warriors looked toward the grove.

Then, they saw a small and adorable caterpillar quickly crawling toward the depths of the grove.

"A caterpillar?"

"It seems that the caterpillar was soaked by mistake in the blood of our dead companion… something of the sort happens in the sea too. The fresh blood that spurts out of our brave sea urchin warriors at the point of death carries the 'Mark of Vengeance'. Sometimes, aside from soaking the murderer, it also soaks small fishes that are merely passing by." The stout sea urchin warrior continued, "Dammit, it seems that the real culprit already got away..."

"They shouldn't have gone too far. I'll try to expand the induction range of the mark… Hmm? Found it! Someone carrying the Mark of Vengeance is flying in the sky and heading toward the Illusory Sword School!" the sea urchin specialized in sensing things shouted.

"If they're flying in the sky, they should be a cultivator of the Fourth Stage, right? Moreover, they're heading toward the Illusory Sword School? Hmph, they're bringing about their own destruction!" the stout sea urchin warrior said coldly. "Let's return to the Illusory Sword School. After our brave sea urchin warriors are done massacring the Illusory Sword School and collecting enough 'true blood', we'll kill this person that dared to kill our companion, too!"

After saying this much, the stout sea urchin warrior took the lead and headed toward the Illusory Sword School.

Amongst the remaining five, four followed suit and left.

Song Shuhang looked at the sea urchin warriors that were disappearing in the distance and furrowed his brows… They want to kill the cultivators of the Illusory Sword School?

Aren't the cultivators of the Illusory Sword School allied with these sea urchin warriors?

At first, Song Shuhang thought that the Illusory Sword School had drawn out the Chu Family with the excuse of the Grievance Settling Platform. That way, the sea urchin warriors and that mister could easily sneak inside the Chu Family and do their thing. At the time, he thought that the two sides were allied.

But now, the sea urchin warriors wanted to kill the people of the Illusory Sword School…?

Does it mean that they weren't allied? Or is there some sort of internal strife?

In any case, I must first return to the Grievance Settling Platform and converge with Senior White and the others, Song Shuhang thought to himself.

❄️❄️❄️

At this time, while the other sea urchin warriors left, the last one moved toward Song Shuhang with large strides.

"Hmph. Even if you're a caterpillar that got carelessly soaked in the blood of our companion, as long as you have the Mark of Vengeance on your body, you're not allowed to continue living in this world!" the sea urchin warrior said with a fierce look on his face. "Therefore, accept the punishment of us sea urchin warriors! If you want to blame someone, you can only blame yourself for being an ordinary caterpillar that got soaked in the blood of our companion! Being weak is also a sin!"

After saying these pre-prepared lines, the sea urchin warrior squatted in front of Song Shuhang and stretched his hand, trying to crush Song Shuhang's toe with his finger!

The illusory art was active, and what looked like to be a caterpillar was in truth Song Shuhang's toe.

Anyway, how cruel! They didn't want to let off even a small and adorable caterpillar!

Poke! Poke to death!

The finger of the sea urchin warrior ruthlessly poked Song Shuhang's toe, making his toe hurt a little...

Eh? Strange, something feels off.

The sea urchin warrior was confused. What he was poking didn't feel like a caterpillar at all...

Aaaaah! Strange, my head hurts a lot.

It feels as though a hot liquid is flowing out of my head… I feel dizzy.

Eh? I don't only feel dizzy, even the world before my eyes is going black?

Strange, just what's happening?

Just in this fashion, this sea urchin warrior that was poking the caterpillar fell to the ground, very dead.

"..." Song Shuhang.

Congratulations! After you obtained the title of Sea Urchin Slayer three times, it evolved into a new title. You're now a Heroic Sea Urchin Slayer!

❄️❄️❄️

In the sky, toward the direction of the Illusory Sword School.

After getting away from the Grievance Settling Platform, the two Spiritual Emperors that were previously helping the Illusory Sword School heaved a sigh of relief.

It seemed that those powerful cultivators that had descended from the sky in the form of meteors didn't want to pick a fight with them. No one was chasing or trying to kill them.

"Let's quickly leave this hornet's nest," the middle-aged Spiritual Emperor said in a grave tone.

The white-haired but healthy Spiritual Emperor heaved a sigh and said, "At first, I was just planning to return 'mister' that favor and earn some spirit stones while at it. I didn't expect that the situation would turn out to be this troublesome. Under these circumstances, the favor we owned to 'mister' probably became even bigger."

"We'll return the favor at the next opportunity. We cannot be blamed for what happened this time," the middle-aged Spiritual Emperor said.

The white-haired but healthy Spiritual Emperor agreed, "This is also true. We did our best, after all."

The two of them looked at each other and sighed once more.

Then, just as they were adjusting the direction of their flying swords and preparing to leave...

...a lazy voice transmitted from the place behind them. "Fellow Daoists, wait a moment!"

The two Spiritual Emperors turned their heads around and looked behind them.

They saw a young man sitting cross-legged on a sword light, currently flying toward them.

The man looked handsome and very elegant. At first glance, he seemed to be an elite disciple from a large sect, but those half-close and half-open sleepy eyes greatly weakened his elegant bearing.

After seeing him, one would immediately think of the word 'lazy'! He was giving off a lazy feeling from each cell of his body!

As soon as they saw him, the two Spiritual Emperors quietly induced his realm.

Fourth Stage Innate Realm?

After inducing his realm, the two calmed down a bit. The middle-aged Spiritual Emperor took the lead and asked, "Fellow Daoist, is there something you need?"

The lazy man yawned and stretched out his hand to wipe the tears from the corner of his eye. "Since I'm a bit tired, let's make it short."

After saying this much, he stood up and continued, "Fellow Daoists, I ask you not to resist and let me beat you up, as well as to allow me to take a photo and post it on my public account. How does that sound?"

The middle-aged Spiritual Emperor was speechless.

The white-haired but healthy Spiritual Emperor was likewise speechless.