The Squad's First Battle

The group had no time to heed Wei Lin's warning, because the "things" Zhang Ping had mentioned had already appeared.

More than a dozen pairs of green eyes emerged from the shadows of the dense forest like ghostly flames. Though it was still daytime, Zhang Ping and Hu Liena both felt a chill spread through their bodies.

Zhang Ping unconsciously bit her lower lip, her face turning a little pale. Hu Liena was no better off. Though she looked no different on the surface, Zhou You noticed that her breathing had grown somewhat rapid.

It wasn't just the two girls. Even Xie Yue and Yan were somewhat nervous, their mouths dry and their palms sweaty. Fortunately, they hadn't forgotten that they were Soul Masters.

The next moment, both summoned their Martial Souls in unison. One held a pair of blades, while the other used Martial Soul Possession. The feeling of power filling their bodies seemed to dispel the fear in their hearts as well.

Zhou You noticed that Wei Lin had left the group at some point and found himself a shady spot, where he stood with his arms folded. His meaning was clear.

It's up to you.

A moment later, several low beastly growls sounded, and the enemies in the forest finally emerged slowly from the shadows.

They had enormous heads and long, narrow, horse-like faces, with shaggy gray-black fur covering their bodies like tangled felt. From afar, they looked like men; up close, they resembled dogs.

The beasts' faces were eerily vivid. Their crimson noses looked as though they had been branded by fire, while blue stripes ran down both sides of their long faces, ridged and furrowed like the lines of a bizarre painted mask.

Zhou You looked up and met one's gaze. Its eyes were dark, and ghastly white fangs slowly protruded from between its lips.

The beast leaned forward slightly, its powerful forelimbs braced against the ground. Its heavy breathing seemed to churn the damp air of the forest, and its massive frame exuded a savage ferocity.

I've finally run into one, Zhou You thought.

He had been in this world for six years, and he had finally encountered a truly dangerous Soul Beast. Without a doubt, this Soul Beast was a predator.

Drawing on his memory, Zhou You quickly identified the Soul Beast and immediately warned his teammates.

"These are Ghost Baboons, a Soul Beast species that lives in groups. They're extremely fast, move without a sound, and have tremendous strength, but they're weak against fire."

Hearing this, the group immediately understood what to do.

Yan stepped forward without hesitation. His only Yellow Soul Ring lit up, and his Soul Skill was ready to unleash.

But he wasn't the first to act. It was Xie Yue! He initiated the fight.

Activating his First Soul Skill, Xie Yue suddenly slashed with his Moon Blades. Two crescent-shaped blades of Blade Qi flew straight at the largest Ghost Baboon at the front.

The Ghost Baboon in the lead seemed startled. It hastily sprang away on all fours, dodging the Blade Qi at incredible speed.

Xie Yue's gaze darkened slightly. The beast was faster than he had expected.

Zhou You made no move, but he didn't stop observing. He knew the contents of the Soul Beast Illustrated Guide by heart, and used that knowledge to judge the Ghost Baboon's cultivation age.

"Careful. This Ghost Baboon's cultivation may be approaching a hundred years, or it may have already passed a hundred. It's very likely awakened a second innate ability. Its howl can briefly daze people."

As soon as Zhou You finished speaking, the beast made its move.

Xie Yue's attack seemed to have enraged it. It suddenly let out a long howl, a grating, unpleasant sound like a ghost's wail, but immensely penetrating. Just as Zhou You had said, its demonic cry left everyone momentarily dazed.

Then their vision blurred, and the Ghost Baboon vanished from sight.

While the others were still bewildered, Zhou You had already gripped an iron umbrella that was black from end to end. He took a sliding step and moved to Yan's side.

Yan only felt the light above him darken as the umbrella opened over his head.

The next moment, a dull impact sounded against the canopy.

Zhou You lowered the handle slightly, then thrust it upward at lightning speed, activating his First Soul Skill. The force of the Ghost Baboon's impact against the canopy was returned in full. Caught off guard, it took its own full-strength blow and was flung into the air.

In that position, it had no way to dodge. But the beast was experienced. Its chest immediately swelled as it drew a great breath, preparing to unleash a stronger sonic attack.

But by then, Hu Liena had recovered thanks to her stronger mental resistance, and she saw the signal Zhou You gave her with his eyes.

She immediately used Martial Soul Possession. Red light flashed in her eyes as she looked up and met the Ghost Baboon's gaze in midair. Charm activated!

The Ghost Baboon's body stiffened, and its howl was forcibly blocked in its throat.

Zhou You circulated Qi to his fingertip and struck an acupoint at Yan's waist with the Ghost Gate Needle. A burst of cold shot upward, making Yan shudder and snap awake.

At the same time, Zhou You closed the umbrella again. The Ghost Baboon, frozen in midair, immediately filled Yan's field of vision. As though startled into action, he instinctively unleashed his First Soul Skill. Flaming Meteor engulfed the Ghost Baboon, giving it a bath of fire.

A piercing scream erupted, its shrill sound leaving Yan dizzy and lightheaded.

Zhou You shoved him aside, twisted his waist, and drove his hips forward. Force surged to his fingertips and passed into the Heaven- and Earth-Harmonizing Umbrella. A fierce wind whipped through the air as a tremendous force struck the burning Ghost Baboon like a giant hammer.

Immediately afterward, it plunged like a cannonball into the Ghost Baboons in the forest, setting off more than a dozen screams.

"Don't let a single one escape!" Zhou You turned to Xie Yue. "These things hold grudges. They're probably just scouts. Ghost Baboon troops usually number five or six hundred."

Hearing this, Xie Yue forcibly suppressed the discomfort in his head. His second Soul Ring immediately lit up, and countless Moon Blades poured down like rain, all landing among the Ghost Baboons. The stench of blood filled the air.

His Blade Qi killed several instantly. From this, Zhou You judged that apart from the one just now, the other Ghost Baboons should only be ten-year rank.

Of course, ten years of cultivation counted as ten-year rank, but so did ninety years. Their varying strength meant that some of the Ghost Baboons died on the spot, while others suffered injuries ranging from light to severe.

Some of those with lighter injuries decisively chose to flee, moving at tremendous speed.

Zhang Ping immediately moved closer to Zhou You and pointed in several directions. "This way, this way, and over there too. Three got away."

Zhou You glanced at the Golden-Waisted Flying Swallow in the sky and said crisply, "Lead the way."

With that, he left the group and raced deeper into the forest at a speed no slower than the Ghost Baboons'.

The others could handle the few remaining ten-year Ghost Baboons. Zhou You had to kill every one that had escaped, or they might bring a troop of Ghost Baboons back for revenge.

A Ghost Baboon acting as the chief scout was already hundred-year rank, so what rank would the actual leader be?

Thousand-year-rank Soul Beasts possessed greater intelligence, and primates like Ghost Baboons were already smarter than ordinary Soul Beasts.

Even ordinary baboon troops were highly social, and Ghost Baboon troops would only be more so. A Ghost Baboon King that might be thousand-year rank, leading an unknown number of hundred-year Ghost Baboon chiefs, plus several hundred ten-year Ghost Baboons...

Unless they wiped out the fleeing Ghost Baboons, they would probably have no peace to eat or sleep for some time to come.

Zhou You had just reached the edge of the dense forest when several howling Ghost Baboons suddenly leaped up and bit at his thighs and groin with their sharp canines, a viciously underhanded move.

They had deliberately lain on the ground, pretending to be unable to move, and waited for an enemy to approach before launching a surprise attack.

The tactical execution these Ghost Baboons displayed was already no different from that of humans. Because of that, Zhou You's expression remained calm, but the killing intent in his heart grew even stronger.

Holding the Heaven- and Earth-Harmonizing Umbrella, he gave it a gentle shake. A whistling sound rang through the air, and several hard skulls burst apart in an instant. White and gray matter splattered in every direction, and several headless corpses fell to the ground, as though paving the way for him.

Following the Golden-Waisted Flying Swallow's guidance, Zhou You continued his pursuit deeper into the forest.

Watching from the side, Wei Lin frowned slightly.

He glanced at the others, who were working to finish off the remaining Ghost Baboons, then looked in the direction Zhou You had gone and hesitated for a moment.