Night Raid Encounter

The atmosphere in the camp instantly tightened like a drawn bow!

Ling Feng was experienced. He immediately swept up dirt with his foot and quickly smothered the campfire, then barked, "Get behind the rocks!" At the same time, his figure flashed like a leopard melting into the night. He silently concealed himself behind a large tree, his Gale Spear angled toward the ground as he readied himself.

Liu Yue's face went pale, and she was somewhat flustered, but she still followed the instructions at once. Pulling Lin Kun with her, she hid behind a massive boulder and summoned her Moonlight Orchid martial soul. Its faint glow gave her a little courage, but also made her easier to spot.

Lin Kun's heart pounded wildly, but the more dangerous the situation became, the more he forced himself to remain calm. His Insight Skill operated at full power, his Mental Thread spreading toward the source of the warning like radar as he tried to gather clearer information.

Target One: approximately Level 21. Martial Soul: Short Blade. Spirit Rings: White, Yellow. Location: thirty meters to the front-left. Currently sneaking.

Target Two: approximately Level 23. Martial Soul: Vines (?). Spirit Rings: White, Yellow. Location: twenty-five meters directly ahead. Has stopped moving.

Target Three: highest level, approximately Level 25. Martial Soul: Rock Ape (?). Spirit Rings: Yellow, Yellow. Location: twenty meters to the front-right. Slowly approaching! Aura is violent!

Three Great Soul Masters! And their lineup was complete—an Agility Type, a Control Type, and an Assault System! They were clearly here for them!

"One Level 25 Assault System, and two just above Level 20—one Agility Type and one Control Type." Lin Kun relayed the information to Ling Feng on the other side of the boulder in an extremely low, rapid voice.

A flicker of surprise passed through Ling Feng's eyes. He clearly had not expected Lin Kun's senses to be so precise, but he had no time to ask questions. He merely nodded slightly to show that he understood, his gaze turning even sharper.

The enemy clearly realized that they had been exposed and stopped concealing their movements.

"Attack!" The Level 25 Assault System soul master on the right growled. His body suddenly swelled, his skin taking on the color and texture of stone. His huge hands came crashing toward the tree where Ling Feng was hiding, carrying a vicious gale with them! He was clearly planning to take out the strongest one, Ling Feng, first!

At the same time, the Agility Type soul master on the left darted out like a ghost, his short blade aimed straight at Liu Yue behind the boulder! Meanwhile, the Control Type soul master directly ahead raised his yellow Spirit Ring. Several thick vines burst from the earth, coiling like venomous snakes toward Ling Feng and the rocky area to restrict their movements!

Their coordination was seamless, and their assault was ruthless!

Ling Feng reacted with astonishing speed. His first Spirit Ring lit up beneath his feet. "First Soul Skill, Gale Thrust!" His body turned into a streak of green light, narrowly dodging the vines and the Rock Ape's attack. His spear precisely struck toward the Agility Type soul master's short blade!

Clang! Sparks flew everywhere! Using his level and Soul Skill advantage, Ling Feng barely forced his opponent back. However, he himself became entangled by the vines and pursued by the Rock Ape, unable to break free for the moment.

"Yueyue, be careful!" Ling Feng shouted urgently.

The Agility Type soul master who had been forced back sneered, twisted in midair, and lunged at Liu Yue again! Liu Yue's face drained of color in fright. The Moonlight Orchid's glow flickered violently, but it possessed no defensive ability.

At that critical moment—

"Take this!" Lin Kun suddenly poked his head out from behind the boulder. He did not attack. Instead, he used all his strength to hurl the two items he had long been clutching in his hands!

One was the Disposable Soul Tool - Smoke Bomb he had just exchanged for! It landed directly on the open ground between the Agility Type soul master and Liu Yue!

Bang! A dense cloud of blackish-gray smoke with a pungent smell instantly erupted, covering several meters in every direction and completely obscuring their vision!

"Cough, cough! What the hell is this?!" Caught completely off guard, the Agility Type soul master was swallowed by the smoke. He lost sight of his target and began coughing violently.

The other item was an ordinary packet of... Chili Powder! Lin Kun had bought it earlier for seasoning, but now he scattered it into the smoke like a hidden weapon!

"Ah-choo! Ah-choo! My eyes!" More miserable cries and sneezes came from within the smoke. The Agility Type soul master had clearly been hit and temporarily lost his ability to fight.

This unexpected dirty trick instantly disrupted the enemy's offensive rhythm!

"Nice!" Seeing this, Ling Feng's spirits soared. His second Spirit Ring lit up beneath his feet. "Second Soul Skill, Wind Rending Kill!" The Gale Spear in his hand blazed with green light, transforming into several sharp wind blades that instantly severed the vines around him and forced the Rock Ape to retreat repeatedly.

"Bastard! Kill that brat first!" the Control Type soul master roared, directing his vines toward the boulder where Lin Kun was hiding!

Lin Kun had already ducked back behind the rock, his heart hammering in his chest. He knew he was weak. Fighting head-on would only get him killed, so he could only rely on these unconventional tricks to interfere and sow chaos.

"Little White! Do it again toward where the vines are coming from! Make it lighter!" Lin Kun whispered to Little White in his arms.

Little White seemed to understand that the situation was urgent. It poked out its little head and let out a much weaker but still distinct Mental Shriek toward the front. "Chirp—!"

The Control Type soul master, who was manipulating the vines, felt his mind go blank and his consciousness blur. The vines immediately lost their aim and flopped limply against the boulder.

Though the effect was brief, it created another opportunity for Ling Feng!

With Ling Feng's extensive combat experience, how could he possibly miss such a chance? Breaking free of his restraints, he swept forward like a whirlwind. His Gale Spear accurately thrust toward the Agility Type soul master, who was still rubbing his eyes and sneezing!

"Boss, watch out!" the Control Type soul master cried out.

The Level 25 Assault System soul master roared and tried to rush back to help, but Ling Feng deliberately exposed a weakness to draw his attention, slowing him by half a beat.

If you can't find a book by searching its title, try searching for the author instead. It may have simply been renamed!

Squelch! The Gale Spear drew a streak of blood through the air! The Agility Type soul master screamed as his shoulder was pierced, completely losing his fighting ability.

In the blink of an eye, one member of the enemy trio had been injured and another had been neutralized by the Chili Powder and Smoke Bomb. Only the Level 25 Assault System soul master remained capable of fighting at full strength.

The situation instantly reversed!

Seeing his companions badly injured, the remaining Assault System soul master was both shocked and furious. He stared hatefully at Lin Kun, who had poked his head out from behind the boulder again. "You little bastard! You're asking to die!"

He let out a furious roar, the muscles across his body bulging as his second Spirit Ring lit up. His already stone-like skin became even thicker and heavier, turning him into a humanoid fortress. Ignoring everything else, he charged straight at Lin Kun, intending to crush him by force!

Ling Feng's expression changed. His opponent was going all out! He immediately raised his spear to intercept him. "I'm your opponent!"

However, the Rock Ape martial soul's defense was extraordinarily strong in its berserk state. Ling Feng's Gale Spear could only leave shallow white marks when it struck his body, unable to inflict any real damage. The man endured Ling Feng's attacks and advanced step by step toward the boulder where Lin Kun and Liu Yue stood!

"Lin Kun, be careful!" Liu Yue cried out.

Lin Kun's scalp tingled, but he did not panic. He swiftly took out that precious Concealment Dust from the system space and scattered it around himself and Liu Yue without hesitation!

A strange powder carrying the faint scent of plant ash spread through the air, instantly concealing more than half of their auras.

The Assault System soul master, who had been charging forward, suddenly froze. He lost his clear perception of Lin Kun and Liu Yue's positions! It was as if there was nothing at all behind the boulder! His charge faltered involuntarily.

That momentary hesitation was all it took!

Ling Feng seized the opportunity and poured all his Soul Power into the Gale Spear. He unleashed his first Soul Skill again, targeting the joints that had become relatively vulnerable due to his opponent's berserk transformation!

Squelch! This time, the Gale Spear finally pierced his defenses and plunged deeply into the back of his knee!

"Aaargh!" The Assault System soul master let out a pained howl. His massive body crashed to its knees, and his stone transformation began to fade.

Ling Feng pressed his advantage. With a flick of his spear, he leveled it at the man's throat and demanded coldly, "Talk! Who sent you?!"

The soul master gritted his teeth, his eyes shifting as though he was still hesitating.

Seeing this, Lin Kun stepped out from behind the boulder with another packet of Chili Powder in hand. "Not talking? Want another taste of this? Or should I have the little guy in my arms give you another mental attack?" Little White cooperatively bared its teeth in his arms, though it was not especially intimidating.

Remembering the burning agony in his eyes, the tears and snot streaming down his face, and that strange Spirit Shock, the soul master finally broke down. "Don't! Don't! I'll talk! It was the eldest young master of the Xiao family—Xiao Chenyu! He paid us to do it! He said to cripple that brat and take his soul beast!"

So it really was him! Lin Kun and Ling Feng exchanged glances, both seeing the chill in the other's eyes. They had not expected Xiao Chenyu to be so vindictive and so vicious in his methods. He had actually hired thugs to make a deadly move in the Spirit Hunting Forest!

"Get lost!" Ling Feng withdrew his spear and kicked him away. "Go back and tell Xiao Chenyu that if there's a next time, I, Ling Feng, will personally pay him a visit!"

The three soul masters felt as though they had been granted a pardon. Supporting one another, they disappeared into the dark forest in a miserable state.

With the crisis over, the camp was a complete mess. Liu Yue's legs had gone weak from fright, and she sat on the ground, gasping for breath. Ling Feng had also spent a great deal of energy, and his face was somewhat pale.

Lin Kun put away the Chili Powder and looked regretfully at the nearly exhausted Concealment Dust and Smoke Bombs—only one remained. But more than regret, he felt lingering fear and anger. That had truly been a narrow escape!

"Thank you, Lin Kun." Ling Feng walked up to him and thanked him solemnly. The contempt in his eyes had long vanished, replaced by acknowledgment and a hint of curiosity. "If not for those... unusual methods of yours, we might not have survived tonight." He truly could not think of how else to describe tactics involving Chili Powder and Smoke Bombs.

"You're too polite, Brother Ling Feng. We're a team." Lin Kun shook his head, though inwardly he was bleeding. My points!

"This is no place to stay. They may return with reinforcements." Ling Feng quickly made his decision. "We'll pack up immediately and set up camp somewhere else."

The three swiftly packed their luggage and headed deeper into the forest overnight. After fighting side by side, their relationship had clearly grown much closer. Ling Feng, in particular, treated Lin Kun far more warmly. He occasionally asked how Lin Kun had so accurately detected enemy information and Soul Skills.

Lin Kun continued to brush it off with the excuse of "special martial soul senses," but Ling Feng no longer pressed the matter. The curiosity in his eyes only deepened.

By the time they found a better-concealed cave and settled in, the sky had already begun to lighten at the horizon.

After an entire night of turmoil and fright, all three of them were exhausted. Yet Lin Kun could not sleep. As he watched the sky outside the cave gradually brighten, the worry in his heart only grew.

Xiao Chenyu's retaliation was only the beginning. The Spirit Hunting Forest was far more dangerous than he had imagined. Not only did they have to face soul beasts, but they also had to guard against the even more sinister hearts of men.

His soul-hunting journey had begun with such difficulty. Could he still successfully obtain his first Spirit Ring?

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