Word Count: 2,712 Words
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The brilliant, warm morning sun poured into the room as Ling Bai slowly opened his eyes. The light brown wooden ceiling came into view, and when he lowered his gaze, a peaceful, sleeping face met his.
Fiery red hair cascaded around a radiant and striking face. Slender, willow-like eyebrows, a perfectly shaped nose, and full red lips composed her exquisite features. Her expression in sleep was gentle and serene, but the amorous red marks covering her neck and partially exposed, fair-skinned body told the story of a wild night.
Ling Bai gazed at Ma Xiaotao, a soft smile forming on his lips. It felt as if they had unleashed a year and a half's worth of suppressed desire the night before, their passionate battle continuing wave after wave until this Ultimate Fire Spirit Saint finally raised the white flag. Only then had they collapsed into a peaceful, tangled sleep.
Careful not to disturb Ma Xiaotao's sweet dreams, Ling Bai slipped out into the dawn light and headed for Shrek City's east gate. In addition to the team's leader, Greenshadow Douluo Elder Song, and the two girls hunting for their third spirit rings, Wu Feng and Xiao Xiao, he found two unexpected figures waiting.
"Good morning, Senior Brother!"
Xiao Xiao greeted him politely the moment she saw him. The two had only briefly crossed paths when Ling Bai had single-handedly fought four hundred freshmen. The encounter had ended without any lingering grudges, and Xiao Xiao held a basic respect for him as a powerful senior.
"Hello, Junior Sister Xiao Xiao."
Ling Bai replied with a smiling nod. His gaze then shifted to Wu Feng, who was pointedly ignoring him, and to the two 'guardians' standing beside Xiao Xiao.
Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong.
"What are you two doing here?"
Ling Bai asked, confused. Huo Yuhao had lost many of his fated encounters and his spirit power was only around Rank 27, far from needing a third spirit ring. Wang Dong, meanwhile, had only become a Spirit Elder less than three months ago. Their presence was a genuine surprise.
"We came because we wanted to. What's it to you?!"
The Continental Elite Spirit Master Academy Tournament clearly hadn't changed Wang Dong at all. An inexplicable anger flared in him at the sight of Ling Bai, and his tone was as sharp as daggers.
Wu Feng heard this and could no longer pretend. She stood beside Ling Bai in a flash, furrowed her brows, and pointed at Wang Dong as she scolded, "What's with that foul mouth? Forget to brush your teeth this morning? Can't you understand when someone speaks to you nicely?! Glaring at me? Go on, glare again! See if I don't rip those rotten wings of yours to shreds!"
Though Wu Feng often grumbled about Ling Bai to Ning Tian, she never allowed outsiders to speak ill of him. She knew Ling Bai couldn't be bothered to argue with the irrational Wang Dong, so she took it upon herself to confront him. The atmosphere was filled with the scent of gunpowder, and the team split into two factions before even setting off.
"Enough."
Elder Song separated the two who were butting heads like bulls and explained, "Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong wished to accompany Xiao Xiao into the Star Dou Forest, and Elder Mu approved their request.
On this spirit hunting mission, I am only responsible for ensuring your safety. I will not intervene against any spirit beast below the 50,000-year level. You five must rely on your own cooperation.
Ling Bai, you have the highest spirit power, so you will be the captain of this small team. You are in charge of directing the others."
After speaking, Elder Song dissipated into a gentle breeze and vanished. A triumphant smile spread across Wu Feng's face as she shot a provocative glance at Wang Dong, who clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white, looking ready to start a brawl on the spot.
Ling Bai watched Wu Feng, who was like a fox borrowing the tiger's might, with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. "Alright, let's set off."
The five of them set off toward the Star Dou Forest at full speed. Ling Bai and Wu Feng took the lead, Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao followed behind, and Xiao Xiao, though finding Wang Dong's anger somewhat inexplicable, decided to stay at the rear with her friends. She poked Huo Yuhao's arm and whispered, "Yuhao, the Star Dou Forest is so dangerous. Why did you suddenly decide to come with me?"
Huo Yuhao paused. It had been his idea to accompany Xiao Xiao; Wang Dong was only here for him. After a moment of thought, he replied, "To be honest, I'm not sure myself. I just had this feeling... an intuition that if I didn't come to Star Dou Forest today, I might lose something incredibly important in my life..."
Xiao Xiao nodded, though she didn't fully understand. Hours later, the boundless, dense forest finally appeared on the horizon, and they soon reached its wooden warning sign.
The group reformed into a small triangular formation. Ling Bai acted as the point man, clearing the path, with Wu Feng and Xiao Xiao in the center, and Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong guarding the rear.
Simultaneously, Huo Yuhao activated his Spiritual Detection Sharing, instantly projecting a three-dimensional map into their minds that revealed every detail within a 150-meter radius.
No matter how much he disliked Ling Bai, Huo Yuhao would never jeopardize the team in a place as dangerous as the Star Dou Forest.
The group advanced in a straight line, gradually penetrating the Outer Region of Star Dou Forest. They walked for nearly half an hour without encountering any spirit beast attacks.
Elder Song maintained a distance of about five hundred meters from them. Each of these five students was more talented than the last, with an equally impressive background. Having learned from Elder Xuan's painful lesson, she dared not relax for a single moment, ensuring she could reach them within a second if true danger arose.
"Spirit beasts approaching."
Ling Bai suddenly announced. His Spider Emperor Sense had a far greater range than Spiritual Detection Sharing, and he had detected six red dots closing in on them in an organized, disciplined manner.
Everyone readied themselves for battle. Before long, six jet-black leopards appeared in the three-dimensional space of Spiritual Detection Sharing. The leader possessed a cultivation of roughly 5,000 years, while the others were between 2,000 and 3,000 years. They fanned out, methodically closing in.
"Ink Leopards."
Huo Yuhao said in a low voice.
The Ink Leopards had limbs thicker than those of ordinary leopard-type spirit beasts. Each of their four paws was as large as those of lions or tigers, and their claws could reach up to a foot in length when extended. They were incredibly swift and possessed a few moderately powerful darkness-attribute spirit skills.
The six Ink Leopards approached but held back from attacking immediately. They slowed their pace at a hundred meters, their cold beast eyes fixed on the humans as they began moving sideways.
A hundred meters was but a flash for the speed-specialized Ink Leopards. They sought to find a flaw in the five's formation to deliver a lethal strike.
"Light of the Butterfly Goddess!"
Wang Dong took the initiative, unable to stand the pressure of being surrounded. His Light Goddess Butterfly spread its wings as the middle 1,000-year spirit ring among his yellow and two purple rings lit up. Clusters of light spheres shot toward the six Ink Leopards.
Six black shadows sprang up like dark lightning, each dodging in a different direction.
Enormous claws extended from their paws as they avoided the attack. The leopards emitted a layer of dark green mist. It was their innate skill, Dark Mist, which interfered with vision and carried mild toxicity.
But Dark Mist was laughable in the face of Spiritual Detection Sharing. The six Ink Leopards had nowhere to hide. The Three Lives Soul Sealing Cauldron clanged three times, striking the heads of three leopards and leaving them dizzy and barely able to stand. Huo Yuhao seized the opening, finishing them with a Spiritual Shock that shattered their skulls. The headless corpses crumpled to the ground.
Wu Feng's approach was far more direct. Red Dragon Flames erupted from her dragon claws, tearing through the defenses of two 3,000-year Ink Leopards. The scorching dragon flames ravaged their bodies, and before long, they were coughing up blood and on the brink of death.
The 5,000-year Ink Leopard leader was terrified beyond belief. It never imagined encountering such a formidable human group. In the blink of an eye, its comrades were all dead. It screeched to a halt and tried to flee with its tail between its legs.
Ling Bai had no intention of showing mercy to a spirit beast that had initiated an attack. He casually swung his Angel Sword, sending a streak of holy sword energy. The fleeing Ink Leopard leader suddenly shuddered, and a purple spirit ring rose above its fallen body.
Wu Feng required a dragon-type, fire-attribute spirit beast for her spirit ring, while Xiao Xiao needed a defense-specialized spirit beast. Ling Bai himself was aiming to hunt a 100,000-year spirit beast for his sixth spirit ring. These Ink Leopards clearly didn't meet their requirements, so they needed to venture deeper into Star Dou Forest.
Given the extreme dangers of Star Dou Forest, Spirit Masters needed to recover their energy after each battle to maintain at least eighty percent of their spirit power. The five of them took shelter behind a large tree to meditate. While they recovered, Huo Yuhao held hands with Wang Dong and activated his second spirit skill, Imitation, camouflaging the group to look like the surrounding foliage.
"A spirit beast is approaching. It's probably attracted by the blood scent from the Ink Leopard corpses."
Ling Bai reminded them. The four others awoke from their meditation. A jet-black bear-type spirit beast was pushing through the trees, its nose constantly twitching as if sniffing for something. Judging by its surging vitality and spirit power fluctuations, this was a 2,000-year spirit beast.
The bear was over three meters long with an extremely muscular build. The black fur covering its body gleamed with a subtle metallic luster, and the blades on its paws extended over two feet.
The giant bear quickly found the place where the group had fought earlier using its keen sense of smell. Its gaze was immediately drawn to the six Ink Leopard corpses.
'A 2,000-year Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear...'
The corners of Ling Bai's mouth curved upward. His own luck might be rotten, but someone else's was clearly excellent!
With Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong here, it seemed fated encounters would deliver themselves right to their door! If this Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear didn't drop a Dark Gold Terror Claw Right Palm Bone, Ling Bai would personally demonstrate how to eat a bear in three bites!
The Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear, known among Spirit Masters as the Earth Render, was one of the top-level spirit beast species in Star Dou Forest. A pair of terrifying blades and a coat of dense fur granted them formidable offensive and defensive capabilities.
Xiao Xiao knew its reputation well. A top-level spirit beast excelling in both offense and defense would perfectly complement her Three Lives Soul Sealing Cauldron. It represented the ideal choice for her third spirit ring. Her eyes now practically sparkled with excitement.
"Please, please, can I be the one to absorb this big guy?"
Xiao Xiao was the most harmless member of the group. Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao were her friends, and Ling Bai and Wu Feng had no reason to oppose her. No one objected to her request.
At that moment, the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear was tearing into the leopard corpses, greedily devouring the spirit power-rich flesh and blood. It was so engrossed in its feast that it had no idea five sneaky humans were hiding in the bushes fifty meters behind it. Its rear was raised high, pointing directly at them, swaying left and right in a strangely enticing manner.
The group exchanged a look. Ling Bai summoned his Angel Sword. "The defense of a Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear is too strong for you to break. I'll handle it."
"Who are you looking down on? Just watch me!"
Determined to prove herself, Wu Feng took a deep breath, her expression suddenly serene.
Ling Bai watched, startled. Could she have developed some incredible secret technique in the two months since he last saw her?!
Huo Yuhao and the others shared the same thought. Four pairs of eyes were fixed on Wu Feng as she condensed her dragon flames into a long spear, taking aim at that round, tempting center point…
She locked on, leaned back to gather power, and then lunged forward with the speed of the wind!
"A-DA!"
"AWOOOO!!!"
The mighty Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear let out a miserable howl more befitting a wolf than a bear. It clutched its butt and leaped three meters into the air before crashing heavily to the ground. Its bell-sized bear eyes revealed a human-like expression of grief and indignation.
Who could possibly understand its pain? Simply enjoying a meal when suddenly its most vulnerable spot was violated!
Seeing the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear in such a pitiful state caused Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao to swallow hard and break out in a cold sweat. They stared at Wu Feng in horror, as if seeing her for the very first time.
"Ahem…"
Wu Feng coughed, trying to break the awkward silence. "Why are you all looking at me like that? It was just a sneak attack. Perfectly normal."
The corners of the three youths' mouths twitched uncontrollably. A sneak attack was fine, but the spot she chose was just too... well, too specific.
Bullseye!
The tip of the flame spear had plunged right in, a sight that made them all instinctively cover their own rears.
Let alone these three twelve-year-old youths, even Elder Song, secretly observing from a tree, nearly stumbled and fell headfirst at the sight.
"Ling Bai, you know me. I'm a good person..." Wu Feng attempted to justify herself.
"Don't believe it," Ling Bai shook his head from side to side.
"I'm just asking, did I break its defense or not?"
"You certainly did, but you also broke through our mental defenses. I'm going to keep Xiao Tian far away from you from now on."
"No, don't! Please don't tell Ning Tian, I'm begging you..."
Sploosh!
On the other side, the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear yanked the flame spear free. A spray of blood gushed out and landed on the ground in the shape of a blooming chrysanthemum—bizarrely beautiful in its own way.
"ROAR—"
The Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear finally let out a proper bear roar of fury. Thanks to Wu Feng's dishonorable sneak attack, it had spotted them. It would tear these audacious humans to shreds for daring to attack its vital point!
A dark golden light surged across its thick hide. Its fur stood on end like steel needles as it raised its enormous claws menacingly. The original two-foot claws were already intimidating, but now, infused with spirit power, the group truly understood the meaning of 'terror claws'. They expanded to over six feet long. The terrifying blades flashed with dark golden light as they slashed toward the five of them.
Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear's Innate Spirit Skill: Dark Gold Terror Claw!
Reality, however, was often cruel. The tragic Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear was destined for misfortune. With only 2,000 years of cultivation, it was merely a plaything for Ling Bai.
An Evil-Banishing Slash cleaved through the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear's all-out attack. He then rushed forward, knocked the unlucky beast out with a single punch, and dragged it in front of Xiao Xiao.
Xiao Xiao understood his intention. The Three Lives Soul Sealing Cauldron struck several times with resounding 'bangs', forcefully beating the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear to death. She then sat cross-legged on the ground to absorb her ideal third spirit ring.