*****
Star Dou Great Forest,
As one of the three great wild Spirit Beast habitats on the Douluo Continent, the Star Dou Great Forest was naturally one of the places Spirit Masters most desired to visit.
For every Spirit Master who entered this place, there was always the possibility of obtaining a suitable Spirit Ring and taking another step forward in their cultivation.
No one could say exactly how many years the Star Dou Great Forest had existed on the Douluo Continent. However, the moment one entered its depths, the lush vegetation that seemed to stretch endlessly beneath the sky was enough to make it clear that this was an ancient existence.
The towering trees blocked out much of the sunlight, while dense vegetation covered nearly every inch of the forest floor.
As the group continued traveling deeper into the forest, Zhao Wuji began explaining the various dangers they could encounter.
He repeatedly reminded everyone to remain cautious and alert at all times.
The Star Dou Great Forest was filled with danger.
A Spirit Beast that appeared harmless could potentially conceal terrifying strength, and one wrong decision could easily cost them their lives.
As they ventured deeper, they encountered numerous Spirit Beasts of various sizes and ages.
Whenever they encountered one, they would take a detour rather than engage it.
Tang San had explained that even a seemingly insignificant battle could become troublesome. The scent of blood and the noise produced during a fight could attract other, far more powerful Spirit Beasts to their location.
Thus, avoiding unnecessary battles was the safest choice.
After traveling for approximately two hours, Zhao Wuji finally ordered everyone to stop.
It was already noon.
Finding a relatively suitable location, he looked around before speaking.
"Everyone, let's rest for a moment."
Upon hearing the order, Lev and the others immediately began clearing the surrounding area.
With a single sweep of their weapons and Spirit Skills, they cut away the dense brambles and vegetation, creating an open space of nearly one hundred square meters.
Once the area was cleared, everyone sat down beneath the trees.
Some leaned against the trunks while resting, while others quietly talked among themselves.
The peaceful atmosphere, however, didn't last long.
As they rested, Lev, Tang San, and Zhao Wuji suddenly turned their gazes in the same direction.
The others immediately noticed their reactions.
Their expressions became serious.
If all three of them had sensed something at the same time, then something was definitely approaching.
"Get up. Something is approaching."
Zhao Wuji's deep voice immediately broke the silence.
Tang San and the others quickly stood up and formed a battle formation.
Their spirits were released one after another as everyone prepared for an imminent confrontation.
A moment later, they could clearly sense it.
Something was approaching at an astonishing speed.
The sound of vegetation being torn apart grew increasingly loud as the approaching creature rapidly closed the distance.
"Zhu Zhuqing, take a look at what it is."
Zhao Wuji ordered in a low voice.
Zhu Zhuqing nodded.
She immediately leaped onto a nearby tree and climbed rapidly toward its upper branches. From there, she looked toward the direction of the approaching Spirit Beast, trying to get a clear view of it.
It didn't take long.
Her cold, clear voice soon echoed down from the tree.
"It looks like a flying serpent, but it doesn't fly very high. It can only stay about three meters above the ground. There's a crest on its head, and it appears to be even larger than its head itself. It's bright red, almost like blood. Its tail is also unusual. It's fan-shaped."
Zhao Wuji's eyes immediately lit up.
A smile appeared on his face.
"It's a Phoenix-Tail Crest Serpent. This kind of Spirit Beast is extremely rare, and the crest on its head possesses many remarkable properties."
His gaze shifted toward Oscar.
"Oscar, you've been blessed today."
Oscar's eyes widened in excitement.
A Spirit Beast suitable for his cultivation had appeared right in front of them.
The group immediately began discussing how they should approach and capture the incoming Spirit Beast.
Since the Phoenix-Tail Crest Serpent was both rare and particularly compatible with Oscar's abilities, everyone was eager to help him successfully obtain its Spirit Ring.
However, none of them realized that the approaching Spirit Beast was only the beginning of what awaited them deep within the Star Dou Great Forest.
**********
—One minute later—
Zhu Zhuqing suddenly called out from above.
"It's here."
The next moment, a massive serpent emerged from the dense vegetation.
It was approximately six or seven meters long, its enormous body rapidly slithering through the forest. A bright-red crest protruded from the top of its head, giving it a somewhat fierce and intimidating appearance.
Its incredible speed brought it directly toward Zhu Zhuqing.
Zhu Zhuqing immediately launched an attack, intending to distract the Spirit Beast and slow its advance.
However, the Phoenix-Tail Crest Serpent reacted astonishingly quickly.
It opened its enormous jaws toward Zhu Zhuqing.
Then—
Whoosh!
A thick, seven-colored mist suddenly sprayed from its mouth, rapidly spreading toward her.
"Seven Treasure Words, Second Spoken: Speed!"
Ning Rongrong immediately activated her Spirit Skill.
With the enhancement from Ning Rongrong's support, Zhu Zhuqing's speed increased dramatically, allowing her to narrowly evade the multicolored mist.
However, her situation remained dangerous.
Lev, who was standing on the ground, frowned as he watched her.
'She underestimated it.'
He couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Perhaps Zhu Zhuqing hadn't properly utilized the abilities he had given her.
Or maybe she simply hadn't become accustomed to them yet and was still in the process of adjusting to her newfound strength.
Regardless of the reason, Lev wasn't going to stand by and watch her get hurt.
He suddenly summoned Infinity from his inventory.
The weapon appeared in his hand.
"Transform: Bow."
A faint glow enveloped Infinity.
Within seconds, the weapon mysteriously transformed into an exquisitely designed bow.
However, Lev immediately noticed a problem.
He didn't have any arrows.
Fortunately, he had another solution.
One of his trump cards.
"Elemental Control."
The moment he activated the ability, information from his Soul Bone appeared within his mind.
[Torso Soul Bone: Dragon God]
[Description: A Soul Bone extracted from the Dragon God, the initiator of all Spirit Beasts and the creator of the Divine Dragon Domain.]
[Skills:]
[Elemental Control (Active)]
[Description: Allows the host to create, shape, and manipulate Earth, Fire, Water, and Air elements at will. Additionally, activating this skill increases the host's affinity with the four surrounding elements.]
[Elemental Guard (Active)]
[Description: Allows the host to create a powerful defensive ability by combining the four elements into a shield. The shield can protect not only the host but also other individuals, possessing the ability to defend against powerful attacks.]
As the ability activated, faint dragon scales suddenly appeared across Lev's torso, hidden beneath his clothing.
He immediately reached out and manipulated the surrounding water elements.
The water rapidly condensed.
In the blink of an eye, several sharp ice arrows formed in front of him.
Lev loaded one of the arrows onto Infinity.
He drew the bowstring.
His eyes narrowed.
Then—
Whoosh!
The ice arrow shot through the air.
Lev wasn't particularly skilled in archery, but the arrow possessed tremendous sharpness due to the elemental power condensed within it.
Thud!
It struck the Phoenix-Tail Crest Serpent's wing.
Ice rapidly spread across the point of impact.
Lev immediately fired another arrow.
Then another.
And another.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
One after another, the ice arrows struck the Spirit Beast's wings.
Although his bowmanship wasn't particularly impressive, his control over the elements made up for it.
The ice continued spreading.
Eventually, both of the serpent's wings were completely frozen.
With its wings rendered useless, the Phoenix-Tail Crest Serpent could no longer maintain its flight.
Its enormous body lost balance and plummeted toward the ground.
BOOM!
The massive serpent crashed heavily onto the forest floor, sending dirt and leaves flying into the air.
Lev deactivated his Soul Bone ability, causing the dragon scales to disappear as his body returned to normal.
The sudden silence that followed was broken only by the groaning of the injured Spirit Beast.
Tang San and the others all turned their gazes toward Lev.
His use of a bow had never been part of their plan.
Yet his response to the sudden danger had been remarkably effective.
Zhao Wuji, on the other hand, merely nodded in approval.
'Just how much combat experience does this kid have to react that quickly?'
He couldn't help but be impressed.
Lev's reaction had been almost instantaneous.
However, the others were now staring at Infinity.
Their curiosity was obvious.
They had never seen Lev use a weapon like that before.
And more importantly…
Where had those arrows come from?
Tang San's eyes narrowed slightly as he examined the strange bow and the remaining traces of ice.
The others were equally puzzled.
None of them had seen Lev prepare the arrows.
Yet somehow, he had produced them out of thin air.
"Thank you."
Zhu Zhuqing expressed her gratitude while steadying herself. She gritted her teeth as she thought about what might have happened if Lev hadn't intervened.
'If he hadn't helped me, I might not have escaped without injuries.'
"If you don't hurry, the Spirit Beast might die."
Lev nodded toward the Phoenix-Tail Crest Serpent lying on the ground.
Without offering any further explanation, he simply returned Infinity to his inventory.
Hearing Lev's warning, Zhao Wuji immediately snapped back to reality.
"Oscar! Quickly! Kill the Spirit Beast and absorb its Spirit Ring!"
Without wasting another second, Oscar rushed forward.
He summoned his weapon and thrust it directly into the Phoenix-Tail Crest Serpent's throat.
The Spirit Beast struggled for approximately three seconds before finally becoming still.
As its life force faded, a purple Spirit Ring slowly emerged from its body, floating above the corpse.
Oscar glanced toward Zhao Wuji.
Seeing his teacher nod, Oscar immediately sat down and began meditating, focusing all of his attention on absorbing the Spirit Ring.
However, before he could make much progress, two figures suddenly leaped out from the direction the Phoenix-Tail Crest Serpent had originally come from.
They landed in front of the group.
It was a pair consisting of an elderly woman and a young woman.
The moment the two women saw Oscar sitting there, clearly absorbing the Spirit Ring of the Spirit Beast they had been pursuing, the elderly woman's expression immediately darkened.
"What's the matter?"
Zhao Wuji stood up and looked toward the two women.
His expression became serious as he instinctively sensed that trouble might be coming.
The elderly woman frowned before looking directly at Zhao Wuji.
"Fellow Spirit Master, this Spirit Beast was originally hunted by us. Unfortunately, it escaped while we were pursuing it. We followed it all the way here, only to discover that you people had killed it."
Her gaze shifted toward Oscar.
"Shouldn't you provide us with some compensation?"
"Compensation?"
Zhao Wuji raised an eyebrow.
"Even if you can prove that you were the ones who hunted it first, the Spirit Beast has already been killed, and one of my students is currently absorbing its Spirit Ring."
His voice gradually became colder.
"What exactly do you expect us to do about it?"
Zhao Wuji had already recognized that these two women had come looking for trouble.
He subtly positioned himself between them and his students.
If a fight broke out, protecting the children would be his first priority.
"Tsk."
The elderly woman clicked her tongue.
She apparently wasn't satisfied with Zhao Wuji's response.
Without another word, she released her spirit.
Six Spirit Rings slowly rose from beneath her feet and began spiraling around her body.
Seeing this, Zhao Wuji felt that his patience had been challenged.
A powerful aura suddenly erupted from him.
He released his own spirit.
"Only a Spirit Emperor, and you still have the courage to provoke me?"
Seven Spirit Rings appeared around Zhao Wuji.
The atmosphere instantly became tense.
The elderly woman and the young woman both froze.
Their expressions changed dramatically as they stared at the seven Spirit Rings surrounding Zhao Wuji.
They had never expected to encounter such a powerful expert in the Star Dou Great Forest.
The elderly woman's arrogance disappeared instantly.
Nervousness and fear appeared on both women's faces.
The elderly woman quickly coughed and softened her expression.
"Greetings, respected Spirit Saint. I apologize for my sudden actions."
She immediately understood the difference between their strengths.
There was no point provoking someone far stronger than herself.
The elderly woman carefully pulled the young woman closer to her.
After all, the Star Dou Great Forest was a dangerous place, and anything could happen.
For the sake of her granddaughter's safety, she had no intention of taking unnecessary risks.
Seeing the old woman's sudden change in attitude, Zhao Wuji relaxed his own aura and recalled his spirit.
He didn't want to start an unnecessary fight with her.
Judging from the fact that the two women had dared to venture this deep into the Star Dou Great Forest, Zhao Wuji suspected that they might come from a prestigious clan or possess some kind of powerful background.
He looked at the elderly woman before speaking.
"Well, we apologize as well. However, this Spirit Beast happened to be suitable for one of my students."
The elderly woman glanced toward Oscar.
Seeing how young he was, she estimated that he was even younger than her granddaughter.
She then looked around at the other members of the group.
There were several young Spirit Masters gathered together, and judging from their strength and abilities, they were clearly not ordinary children.
'They must all be geniuses from some powerful background.'
With that thought, the elderly woman decided not to pursue the matter any further.
"Then, we shall leave and search for another suitable Spirit Beast."
Although the young woman still appeared dissatisfied, she didn't dare argue with her grandmother.
She followed the elderly woman as the two of them turned around and left.
Once the two women had disappeared from sight, Zhao Wuji and the others finally relaxed.
They found another suitable location and settled down while waiting for Oscar to completely absorb his Spirit Ring.
Lev, however, couldn't help but regret his earlier decision.
'Tsk. I shouldn't have interfered.'
He glanced toward the direction where the Phoenix-Tail Crest Serpent had fallen.
'I should have waited a little longer. I could have learned more skills from that elderly woman and her granddaughter.'
Lev sighed inwardly.
Still, there was no point dwelling on it.
'Whatever. There's no need to rush. The main event hasn't even happened yet.'
A faint smile gradually appeared on his face.
'When that time comes, I'll probably have plenty of opportunities to learn Zhao Wuji's skills.'
With that thought, Lev quietly waited.
He knew that the real opportunity was still ahead.
**********
—Night—
After waiting and protecting Oscar for several hours, the sky had already darkened.
Night had completely descended upon the Star Dou Great Forest, and with it came an even greater sense of danger.
The group remained vigilant as they waited.
They deliberately refrained from lighting a fire, knowing that the light and smoke could attract unwanted attention from the Spirit Beasts lurking in the darkness.
Time slowly passed.
Then, amid their long wait, Oscar finally opened his eyes.
In that instant, a remarkable change occurred.
The pink light surrounding his body suddenly intensified, transforming into a beautiful, radiant glow that completely enveloped him.
Three Spirit Rings slowly rose from beneath his feet and began circling his body.
Three Spirit Rings.
This could only mean one thing.
Oscar had successfully broken through and become a Spirit Elder.
"Congratulations!"
Seeing the change, everyone immediately gathered around Oscar.
They congratulated him on his breakthrough before urging him to demonstrate his newly acquired third Spirit Ability.
Oscar was ecstatic.
He proudly showed off his new ability before activating it and explaining its effects, including how it could be used and the benefits gained from consuming it.
Dai Mubai and the others were greatly surprised.
The ability was far more useful than they had initially expected.
Lev was equally pleased.
Although his reasons were different from everyone else's, the result was still the same.
A system notification soon echoed inside his mind.
[Spirit Ability: Swift Flight Mushroom Sausage has been learned.]
'Another one.'
A satisfied smile appeared on Lev's face.
After discussing Oscar's new ability for a while, Zhao Wuji finally spoke.
"Alright. We should leave immediately."
However, before anyone could move, Tang San suddenly interrupted.
"Teacher, I also need a Spirit Ring."
Everyone froze.
Zhao Wuji and the others turned toward Tang San in surprise.
"You've reached the next rank?"
Dai Mubai asked incredulously.
Tang San nodded and answered their questions, explaining when he had broken through and why he needed a new Spirit Ring.
Once everyone understood the situation, they realized that there was no reason to rush back yet.
Since Tang San also needed to obtain a suitable Spirit Beast, they decided to remain in the Star Dou Great Forest and continue their search the following day.
With that decision made, the group settled down once again.
The night passed without further incident.
**********
—Two days later—
After getting enough rest, the group resumed their search for a suitable Spirit Beast.
This time, however, Tang San was the one who needed a Spirit Ring.
Yet things didn't go as they had expected.
Two full days passed.
Despite Zhao Wuji leading them through the forest and conducting a careful search, they still hadn't found a suitable Spirit Beast for Tang San.
By nightfall, everyone was exhausted.
They eventually found a relatively safe location, where they set up several tents and prepared to rest for the night.
However, just as everyone was about to settle down, a deep roar suddenly echoed from somewhere within the depths of the forest.
ROOOAAARRR!
The sound was so powerful that the ground seemed to tremble beneath their feet.
Zhao Wuji's expression immediately changed.
Without hesitation, he summoned his spirit.
"Vigorous Vajra Bear!"
His body rapidly underwent Spirit Possession, and in an instant, he completed his Body Enhancement.
"Everyone! Get out of the tents immediately and stand behind me!"
The others didn't dare hesitate.
After two days of traveling together, they had developed a certain understanding of one another and immediately followed Zhao Wuji's command.
They quickly moved behind him.
Yet even after several seconds had passed, the hairs on their bodies remained standing.
Whatever was approaching was enough to instinctively trigger their survival instincts.
'Finally.'
Lev, however, was thinking something entirely different.
He knew exactly what was coming.
He knew what kind of Spirit Beast was approaching.
This was one of the events that had left a deep impression on him when he first encountered the story.
An event he would never forget.
In the direction Zhao Wuji was staring, two enormous trees suddenly began slowly parting to either side.
Then, an enormous silhouette silently emerged from between them.
The moment they saw the creature, it felt as though everyone had stopped breathing.
The overwhelming pressure emanating from its body made their hearts tremble.
Now, they finally understood what had caused Zhao Wuji to react so seriously.
Tang San stared at the enormous creature.
His pupils contracted.
After recognizing its appearance and aura, he immediately identified it.
"I-It's actually the Forest King…"
His voice trembled.
"The Titan Giant Ape!"
The enormous beast stood like a mountain, its terrifying presence causing the surrounding atmosphere to become unbearably oppressive.
Zhao Wuji immediately stepped forward.
"Respected Forest King, we had no intention of offending you. If this is your territory, we will immediately withdraw."
His voice remained low and respectful.
Zhao Wuji knew that the Titan Giant Ape possessed intelligence and was capable of understanding human speech.
If they could reason with it, perhaps they could avoid a confrontation.
Unfortunately—
The Titan Giant Ape didn't even acknowledge him.
It simply continued walking forward.
Zhao Wuji's expression changed.
"Run! Quickly!!!"
He knew there was no longer any time to negotiate.
Zhao Wuji decided to remain behind and buy time for Tang San and the others to escape.
He immediately unleashed several Spirit Abilities and charged toward the Titan Giant Ape.
The two enormous forces collided.
BOOM!
A terrifying shockwave erupted through the forest.
Trees were uprooted.
Branches shattered.
The ground cracked beneath the tremendous force of their clash.
Lev, however, had no intention of leaving.
Instead, he stood at a distance and watched the battle with a faint smile.
Of course, he had more than one reason for staying.
Aside from wanting to copy Zhao Wuji's abilities, Lev also wanted to see the Titan Giant Ape with his own eyes.
This was his first time encountering a genuine hundred-thousand-year-old Spirit Beast.
While everyone else was terrified, excitement surged through Lev's heart.
'So this is a hundred-thousand-year-old Spirit Beast…'
Another massive shockwave swept through the forest.
Lev's eyes gleamed as the battle continued.
Then, one notification after another echoed inside his mind.
[Initial Skill: Vigorous Vajra Bear has been learned.]
[Spirit Ability: Spirit Avatar — Vigorous Vajra Bear has been learned.]
[Spirit Ability: Gravity Crush has been learned.]
[Spirit Ability: Position Trace has been learned.]
[Spirit Ability: Gravity Increase has been learned.]
[Spirit Ability: Vigorous Vajra Palm has been learned.]
[Spirit Ability: Motionless Bright King Body has been learned.]
Lev's smile widened.
'Excellent.'
Meanwhile, Zhao Wuji was struggling to hold back the Titan Giant Ape.
"What are you still doing there?!"
He roared at the top of his lungs.
"RUNNNNNNNNN!!!!!"
His voice was filled with anger and urgency as he continued enduring the Titan Giant Ape's attacks.
He couldn't believe Tang San and the others were still standing there.
Not only had they failed to escape, but they were still wasting precious time watching the battle.
"Damn it!"
Zhao Wuji gritted his teeth.
Only then did Tang San and the others finally snap out of their stupor.
They immediately turned around and began fleeing.
Everyone moved as quickly as they could.
However, two people remained behind.
Xiao Wu.
And Lev.
With everyone else having already left, Lev turned his attention toward Xiao Wu.
His mind began racing through numerous possibilities.
'Should I try convincing her again? Or should I use the ability of my Soul Bone to suppress this beast?'
His gaze shifted toward the Titan Giant Ape.
'I don't know if it would actually work. Dugu Bo might have been the only exception, but there's nothing to lose by trying, right?'
Lev briefly considered testing the limits of his Soul Bone.
"What are you going to do now, Xiao Wu?"
He sighed and looked back toward the Titan Giant Ape.
Although he wanted to test just how effective his Soul Bone would be against such a powerful existence, he ultimately decided that tonight wasn't the right time.
Doing so would likely attract the attention of a certain terrifying existence deep within the forest.
'I'll wait until I'm strong enough.'
There was no reason to take such an unnecessary risk.
Xiao Wu stiffened when she heard Lev's question.
She looked at him but didn't answer.
"I know why this Spirit Beast came here."
Lev continued, his gaze shifting toward Zhao Wuji, who was desperately struggling against the Titan Giant Ape.
"Because of you, Teacher Zhao Wuji is now in such a miserable state, while the others are running for their lives."
Xiao Wu's eyes began to glisten with tears.
She already knew.
Just like Lev, she understood exactly why the Titan Giant Ape had appeared.
And deep down, she knew that all of this had happened because of her.
Meanwhile, the others continued running.
Tang San suddenly realized something.
Xiao Wu was missing.
He abruptly stopped and looked back.
His eyes widened when he saw Xiao Wu and Lev still standing in the same place.
"Xiao Wu!"
Without hesitation, Tang San turned around and rushed back toward her.
However, before he could reach them, Xiao Wu suddenly shouted.
"Er Ming, stop!"
Her voice echoed through the forest.
Dai Mubai and the others immediately stopped as well, turning around in confusion to see what was happening.
The Titan Giant Ape—Er Ming—heard Xiao Wu's voice.
He immediately stopped attacking Zhao Wuji.
BOOM!
A final punch sent Zhao Wuji flying backward.
Er Ming then turned toward Xiao Wu.
With one enormous hand, he grabbed her and gently placed her on his shoulder.
"Everyone…"
Xiao Wu's voice trembled.
"I-I'm so sorry."
Tears began streaming down her cheeks.
"I-I'm sorry for hiding this from all of you, but… I-I'm actually a Spirit Beast."
Everyone froze.
Xiao Wu continued through her tears.
"And Er Ming… he's my best friend. I-I never thought that he would come here after sensing my aura."
She lowered her head.
The words Lev had spoken to her earlier continued echoing in her mind.
Then she looked down and met Tang San's gaze.
"Brother San…"
Her voice trembled even more.
"I just wanted you to know that living with you has been the happiest time of my life."
Tears continued falling.
"But my presence will only cause trouble for all of you from now on. I-I hope… I hope I can see everyone again someday."
She wiped at her tears, but they continued to fall.
"Once again… I'm sorry."
She knew what her identity meant.
She was a hundred-thousand-year-old Spirit Beast that had taken human form.
After being exposed, she could no longer remain with them as though nothing had happened.
Er Ming let out a deep roar.
Then, carrying Xiao Wu on his shoulder, he turned around and disappeared into the depths of the forest.
Dai Mubai and the others remained completely frozen.
None of them could immediately process what they had just heard.
Xiao Wu was actually a Spirit Beast.
They knew exactly what it meant for a Spirit Beast to take human form.
And to think that they had been living alongside one this entire time…
The revelation left them utterly stunned.
Tang San, however, was devastated.
"Xiao Wu!"
He shouted her name repeatedly.
Tears streamed down his face as he watched her disappear.
He had known for a long time that Xiao Wu wasn't human.
Yet he had accepted her without hesitation.
To him, her identity had never mattered.
All he remembered were the countless memories they had shared together.
The happiness.
The laughter.
The battles.
The years they had spent together.
But now she was being taken away.
A deep hatred suddenly erupted within Tang San's heart.
His gaze shifted toward Lev.
'He knew.'
Without thinking any further, Tang San suddenly rushed toward Lev.
Hidden weapons flashed from his hands as he launched an attack.
Lev had anticipated something like this.
He easily dodged the incoming projectiles and quickly moved several meters away.
His expression darkened as he stared at Tang San.
He had always known that the two of them weren't exactly on good terms.
But seeing Tang San genuinely trying to kill him still came as a surprise.
'So this is how far his hatred goes…'
Seeing everything unfold so quickly, Dai Mubai and the others were completely stunned.
None of them understood why Tang San had suddenly attacked Lev.
"Tang San! What are you doing?!"
Dai Mubai immediately rushed forward, intending to stop him.
However, Tang San was already consumed by anger.
He continued charging toward Lev and launched another attack.
Lev calmly watched him approach.
There was no hesitation in Tang San's movements.
He was genuinely trying to kill him.
Lev clicked his tongue.
"Spirit Ability: Bind."
The moment the words left his mouth, countless Blue Silver Grass vines suddenly erupted from the ground.
They rapidly wrapped around Tang San's body, binding his arms and legs and completely restricting his movements.
Everyone froze.
Their eyes widened in disbelief.
It wasn't only because Tang San had been restrained.
It was because Lev had just used another Spirit Ability.
'How is that possible?!'
Their minds were thrown into complete chaos.
Lev didn't stop there.
"Spirit Ability: Parasite."
More Blue Silver Grass suddenly emerged from Tang San's body, further reinforcing the restraints.
Lev stared at Tang San with a faint smile.
He had never seriously considered this possibility before.
But now, a strange curiosity had emerged within him.
'What would happen if I actually killed Tang San—the protagonist of this world?'
He wanted to know.
And right now, he intended to find out.
Tang San was completely caught off guard.
He struggled desperately against the countless vines wrapped around his body, but the more he resisted, the tighter they became.
'Damn it!'
He couldn't understand what was happening.
Why could Lev use Blue Silver Grass?
And why were his abilities so similar to his own?
Before Tang San could figure anything out, Lev raised both hands.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
He was genuinely looking forward to what would happen next.
'Let's see what happens when the Destiny's Child dies.'
Lev activated two more Spirit Abilities.
"Spirit Ability: Phoenix Fire Wire."
"Spirit Ability: White Tiger Intense Light Wave."
Two powerful attacks erupted simultaneously.
One came from Lev's right hand—a blazing, straight-line stream of fire.
The other came from his left hand—a brilliant beam of intense light.
The two attacks tore through the air as they converged toward Tang San.
Tang San's pupils contracted.
He immediately recognized the attacks.
They were abilities he had seen before.
'Those are…'
His body remained completely immobilized.
There was no way to dodge.
The blazing flames and terrifying light rapidly approached.
For the first time, Tang San felt genuinely helpless.
'Is this… really the end?'
His eyes widened as the two devastating attacks closed in.
He could only watch as the impending disaster descended upon him.