Chapter 50: "Safe?" That Was a Lie

Elder Xuan's figure instantly turned into a streak of light as he rushed into the cave. He had never expected such devastation from what was supposed to be a simple reconnaissance mission. If another tragedy like Zhang Lexuan's incident were to happen... A sinking feeling spread through his chest. His expression darkened. That past event was a scar on his soul one that would never fade. A Scene of Horror Upon entering the cave, Elder Xuan froze. The floor was littered with shattered flesh and thick pools of blood, transforming the place into a nightmarish hellscape. His eyes frantically searched for survivors. Wang Yan lay in a pool of blood, motionless. Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng were unconscious, their pale faces partially buried under heavy rubble. Ling Luochen was struggling to crawl, spitting out mouthfuls of blood with each agonized movement. Nearby, Gongyang Mo, Yao Haoxuan, and Xi Xi were reduced to nothing but severed heads. Chen Zifeng's upper body remained, but his lower half had been obliterated. Seeing this, Elder Xuan's body trembled violently, his heart twisting in agony. "Again... It's happening again..." "This is all my fault... I failed them..." He muttered these words, his voice hollow with grief. Survivors In contrast, Bei Bei, Wang Dong, Jiang Nannan, Xu Sanshi, and He Caitou were in much better condition. Though they lay on the ground, their complexions pale, their injuries were not life threatening. Wang Dong, still trembling, recalled the moment just before disaster struck. A sudden, overwhelming sense of danger had filled her heart an instinct she couldn't ignore. Without hesitation, she had grabbed the reserve team members and rushed toward the cave entrance. Of course, Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu weren't among them. Dai Huabin had insisted on pursuing more bandits, dragging Zhu Lu deeper into the cave. Now, no one knew whether they had survived. Dai Huabin's Final Moments Deeper inside the cave, Dai Huabin struggled to open his eyes. Through his blurred vision, he saw Elder Xuan approaching. Pain contorted his face. "Elder Xuan... it hurts... It hurts so much..." Elder Xuan rushed forward, examining him. Dai Huabin's torso remained, but his lower body had been completely obliterated. Blood gushed uncontrollably from his severed waist. A Doomed Fate It was over. This kind of wound was beyond saving. Elder Xuan wasn't skilled in healing. If the Healing Douluo were here, maybe there would be a small chance. But the Healing Douluo wasn't here. Elder Xuan sighed deeply, sorrow filling his expression. "Huabin... I can't save you." His voice was hoarse, thick with regret. "You... do you have any last words?" Dai Huabin's breath grew weaker. "L Last words?" "I... I don't want to die... Elder Xuan, I don't want to die..." "I... I haven't defeated my brother yet..." "I haven't become the White Tiger Duke..." Before he could finish his sentence, his breath ceased, and the light vanished from his eyes. "HUABIN!" A piercing wail echoed through the cave. Zhu Lu screamed in anguish, her voice raw with grief. Dai Huabin had sacrificed himself to protect her. Even Dai Yueheng, who had been closer to the explosion, had instinctively shielded her. As a result, she had escaped with only minor injuries. Dai and Zhu families had intermarried for generations. Barring any unexpected events, she was supposed to become Dai Huabin's wife. But now, with Dai Huabin's death, her future as his widow was sealed. Tears streamed down her face, her eyes burning with unrestrained fury. She turned toward Elder Xuan, glaring at him with pure hatred. A Heartbreaking Accusation "Elder Xuan!" "Didn't Teacher Wang Yan say that you'd protect us?" "That you would save our lives?" "Then what is this?!" "Is this your so called promise?" She let out a hysterical laugh, her voice dripping with rage and despair. "A Rank 98 Super Douluo?" "You're nothing but a fraud!" "You couldn't protect anyone!" "You let us die!" "If you were so useless, why did you lie?!" "YOU SHOULD JUST DIE!!!" Her voice echoed through the cave, raw and filled with venom. But Elder Xuan didn't refute her words. He stood there, silent. His shoulders hunched, as though a thousand tons of weight had fallen upon him. His mind was racing what would he tell Duke White Tiger? This powerlessness... It reminded him of that past tragedy The day his students were slaughtered by a 100,000 year old soul beast. By the time he arrived, all he saw were shattered corpses. A violent rage stirred in his heart. A murderous aura exploded from his body. Elder Xuan's Fury "BASTARD!" His palm shot forward, releasing a terrifying gravitational pull. From the depths of the cave, a dark robed figure wearing five soul rings was forcibly yanked toward him. The Death God Envoy. A mere Soul King. Yet he had caused all this devastation. A Battle Between Powerhouses "A Titled Douluo?!" The Death God Envoy's voice twisted in surprise. Despite being yanked toward Elder Xuan, his tone remained eerily calm. "Ha... a Titled Douluo, huh?" "Do you think your status means anything?" "My Corpse Explosion can still kill you!" The Final Threat "WATCH OUT!" Wang Yan's panicked voice rang out. "The bodies THEY'RE GOING TO EXPLODE AGAIN!" Elder Xuan cursed internally. Reluctantly, he ceased his attack, raising both hands. A wave of pure white light burst outward, enveloping the nearby corpses preventing another chain explosion. The Death God Envoy seized his chance. Shadow energy coiled around his body And in an instant, he vanished into the darkness. Wang Dong Captured Before Elder Xuan could react A dark tendril shot out, wrapping tightly around Wang Dong's waist. In the blink of an eye, the Death God Envoy dragged her away. "Consider this payment for my lost corpses!" Wang Dong struggled furiously, but she was helpless. Her seals only prevented her from losing her purity they didn't stop her from being kidnapped. "WANG DONG!" Elder Xuan's eyes widened in horror. This... This was bad. Everyone in the Sea God's Pavilion knew Wang Dong's true identity She was the future heir of the Clear Sky School. If anything happened to her, Clear Sky School would demand justice. Even with their good relations, such an unforgivable mistake would damage their alliance forever. The Bitter Truth Wang Yan turned toward Elder Xuan, his face twisted in rage. "Elder Xuan!" "Why?!" "Didn't you promise me that if we were in danger, you would protect us?" "I believed you!" "I even swore to the students that they would be safe!" "But what happened?!" "Was that promise a lie?!" "You " "YOU SHOULD HAVE ACTED SOONER!" "Under the protection of a Rank 98 Super Douluo..." "WERE WE REALLY SAFE?!" (End of chapter.)Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon. 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