"Zhang Meng, scout the flank! Stay alert! Lao Zhou, activate your skill, area perception!"
"learn!"
Zhang Meng responded and his figure darted forward as nimbly as a cat, disappearing into the shadows of the trees in a few leaps.
Old Zhou held his wooden staff horizontally and chanted a soul incantation in a low voice:
"A few stars can guide those who are lost."
Faint, silvery-white light emanated from the staff's tip, spreading slowly outwards like ripples. This was his first soul skill:
Starlight Perception can initially detect fluctuations in the surrounding soul power.
"Young man, follow behind me."
Li Fugui, a fat man holding a square shield about half his height that gleamed with a metallic sheen, walked up to Lin Xia and subtly protected him from behind. His smile faded, and his expression became focused.
Lin Xia took a deep breath, the rich life force mixed with the scent of danger flooding her lungs, and her heart involuntarily quickened its pace.
This is the real Soul Hunter Forest!
It was far more primitive and dangerous than he had imagined! He dared not be negligent in the slightest, and his mind was highly focused. At the same time, he subconsciously looked into the jade pendant space that was being nurtured in his mind—there, a patch of vibrant blue silver grass seemed to sense the primitive aura of the outside world and swayed slightly.
Suddenly, Old Zhou, who was in charge of sensing, exclaimed in a low voice:
"To the left front, a hundred meters away! A surge of soul power is approaching! And it's moving very fast!"
"It's a wolf! About a hundred years old!"
Zhang Meng's warning came back from the tree branches ahead almost simultaneously.
No sooner had he finished speaking than a bluish-gray shadow suddenly leaped out of the bushes to his left! Its target was Lin Xia, who was at the very back of the group and appeared to be the weakest!
A stench filled the air! Sharp claws gleamed coldly in the dim light!
It is a century-old wind wolf with a body length of over seven feet!
"careful!"
Li Fugui roared, and the fine iron shield in his hand instantly burst forth with an earthy yellow light—"Shield Guard!"
He slammed his shield forward, trying to block the wind wolf.
However, the wind wolf was exceptionally cunning. In mid-air, it twisted its body forcefully, making a near right-angle turn to avoid the shield's front. Its sharp claws drew tricky arcs and still managed to grab at Lin Xia's shoulder!
That's too fast!
Lin Xia's pupils suddenly contracted; the threat of death was crystal clear.
But after experiencing the baptism of murderous intent in his confrontation with Tang San, his nerves were stretched to the limit.
He didn't retreat, nor did he have time to retreat.
In the face of life and death, the instinct for survival and the understanding of Blue Silver Grass erupt instantly!
Almost as if struck by inspiration, he poured all his soul power into his right arm. Instantly, the azure grass leaves on his right arm grew wildly, and his arm was firmly wrapped by a layer of intertwined, extremely resilient blue grass stems, forming a thick arm shield!
"Sizzle!"
A piercing metallic scraping sound rang out!
The wind wolf's sharp claws slammed into Lin Xia's right arm, which was covered in vines!
The immense impact caused Lin Xia to stagger back several steps to the side, a sharp pain shooting through her arm as the blue vine shield was torn open with several deep gashes, almost piercing through!
The wolf's claws even drew out a tiny strand of blood!
Lin Xia groaned, feeling her bones go numb.
But he blocked it!
He used the characteristics of his martial soul, Blue Silver Grass, to enhance the resilience and defense of his arm area!
Although it was almost broken through, this temporary response has far exceeded the limit of a Soul Master who has not yet obtained a Soul Ring!
"Well done! Hold on!"
Wang Zhan, who was rushing over, saw this scene and a deep sense of surprise and admiration flashed in his eyes.
This Blue Silver Grass kid's reaction speed far exceeded expectations!
He completed the Martial Soul Possession during his charge—his body grew taller, his powerful muscles bulged dramatically, a layer of dark brown fur covered his body, his hands transformed into giant bear paws, and he let out a deep roar:
"You beast! Get out of my way! First Soul Skill—Gravity Stomp!"
Wang Zhan's enormous bear paw slammed into the ground! Boom!
A visible, yellowish-brown shockwave erupted from him, causing the ground to tremble violently!
Just as the wind wolf was about to pounce on Lin Xia again, it was slammed by the powerful gravity field and shockwave. It let out a mournful cry and was thrown out, crashing into a thick tree trunk and shaking off a leaf.
The forest truly revealed its ferocious face to Lin Xia at this moment, and the battle had only just begun.
Lin Xia steadied herself. The torn blue-gold vines on her right arm twitched slightly, and a tingling sensation came from the wound, as if a weak but gentle life force was quietly seeping in, accelerating the healing process.
This feeling... seems to be more than just the effect of soul power... A thought struck him, and he looked intently at the wind wolf that was struggling to get up, its eyes gleaming with even greater ferocity.
When the wind wolf was sent flying by Wang Zhan's "Gravity Stomp" and crashed heavily into the trunk of the ancient tree, scattering leaves everywhere, the whole scene froze for a moment.
The wolf's low howl was filled with pain and rage as it struggled to get up, its claws leaving deep scratches in the damp mud.
"Surround it! Don't let it get away!"
Wang Zhan's voice was like a bear's roar, and his tall bear-like body exuded a terrifying pressure. He took the first step forward, blocking the wind wolf's retreat route.
He had extensive combat experience and knew that once a spirit beast that excelled in speed was entangled, its threat was reduced by half.
Before Lin Xia could recover from the throbbing pain in his right arm and the burning sensation of the wound, Fatty Li Fugui's fine iron shield slammed down in front of him with a "bang," its surface shimmering with earthen-yellow soul power.
"Young man, hide behind! This beast has cunning claws!"
Zhang Meng's figure appeared like a ghost in the tree branch above where the wounded and curled-up Wind Wolf lay. His fingernails had transformed into sharp leopard claws, swirling with dark blue soul energy, and his eyes gleamed with the cold light unique to a hunter.
"Brother Wang, shall we start fighting?"
His leopard tail hung down behind him like a steel whip, poised to strike. His first soul skill was clearly some kind of sharp claw-like attack.
Old Zhou, holding the Star Staff, retreated to a safe distance slightly behind Lin Xia and Li Fugui. The starlight at the tip of the short staff spread out more densely, and he muttered incantations, seemingly giving his companion some kind of minor buff.
This is his area of expertise: support roles.
"roar--!"
The wind wolf, wounded and surrounded, unleashed its full ferocity.
Its wolf eyes were blood-red as it locked onto the target that had first injured it—the human cub Lin Xia who had blocked its sneak attack with strange vines!
In its simplistic mindset, this small creature is the weakest point of attack and a provocateur that must be torn apart!
With a sudden hunch of its body, its powerful hind legs unleashed an astonishing force, defying Wang Zhan's oppressive aura and the slight restraint of the gravity field, and once again transformed into a swift, bluish-gray lightning bolt!
This time, its charge was fueled by a desperate madness, completely ignoring Li Fugui's shield blocking its path and Wang Zhan's giant hand from the side.
All its strength was concentrated in its forward lunge. Its drooling wolf muzzle opened wide, its fangs pale, aimed directly at Lin Xia's head, which was exposed at the edge of the shield's protection!
The foul-smelling wind once again tousled the stray hairs on Lin Xia's forehead! The ferocious wolf's maw rapidly magnified in his vision!
"Be careful, it might fight desperately!!"
(End of chapter)