Tang Ya and Beibei

"Third Soul Skill: Sword Wings Soaring!"

A crystal-clear, deep-blue longsword descended from the heavens!

Infused with vast, overwhelming killing intent, the sword cleaved into the Mutated Scaled Beast's crocodile tail. Amid a resounding clash of metal, the two remaining five-pointed stars on the blade lit up simultaneously.

"First Soul Skill: Long Sword Unsheathed!"

"Second Soul Skill: Killing Intent Revealed!"

The longsword shot up from the ground, sending streaks of Sword Qi slicing through the air. A radiant deep-blue character for "kill" shone brilliantly in Tang Ya's sight.

"Buzz—"

Amid the sword's ringing cry, the character for "kill" slashed toward the Mutated Scaled Beast's back! Since that was where it had been wounded by the Godly Zhuge Crossbow, it was naturally the weakest point in its defenses.

"Boom!"

The instant the scales on its back were cut open by the character for "kill," not only did scales and flesh fly everywhere, but the crossbow bolts embedded in its body were also torn out along with its flesh and sent flying by the blow!

At this moment, the Mutated Scaled Beast's vaunted defense had completely vanished.

The longsword suddenly changed direction in midair.

It plunged downward with tremendous force!

The Mutated Scaled Beast was brutally nailed to the ground.

It was on the verge of death and completely unable to escape.

The miserable wailing made the Man Faced Demon Spider, which already feared the aura of light, retreat. Its fierce assault immediately weakened, and even its body began moving backward.

But how could Beibei possibly let such a perfect opportunity slip away? Just then, a gentle voice rang out.

"Seven Treasures Turn Out Glazed Tile."

"First: Speed. Second: Attack!"

"That's the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect!"

Upon hearing the voice, Beibei immediately recognized that the newcomers were from the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.

The wariness he had felt toward the unknown arrivals thus relaxed considerably.

Moreover, after sensing the boost he had received...

"Second Soul Skill: Thunderous Power!"

Overwhelming lightning surged from Beibei's body, instantly sealing off every avenue of retreat for the Man Faced Demon Spider.

Then, the thousand-year Soul Ring around his body flashed, and "Wrath of Thunder" erupted in an instant!

Seeing its escape routes blocked, the Man Faced Demon Spider's ferocity surged!

It immediately turned back. Its upper body rose high as it supported itself on two long legs, while the remaining six spear-like legs glowed with venomous purple light and stabbed toward six different parts of his body!

However, before they could reach him, its movements abruptly halted. Dense lightning coiled around the Man Faced Demon Spider, paralyzing it instantly. Even the human face on its abdomen twisted in pain.

Strike while it's down and finish it!

The Dragon Claw formed through Dragon Transformation slammed into its abdomen, violently sending it flying! Its fatal weakness was exposed before them.

Before the Man Faced Demon Spider could react...

"Blue Silver Entanglement!"

The Blue Silver Grass on the ground instantly grew wildly, binding the Man Faced Demon Spider into a cocoon.

It was given no time to break free. A series of explosive sounds rang out one after another.

Sixteen pitch-black shadows shot through the air and instantly sank into the Man Faced Demon Spider's body!

Before long, the thousand-year Man Faced Demon Spider stopped struggling. Faint purple light spilled from its corpse, then gathered in midair into a purple Soul Ring.

In the end, it still died beneath the Godly Zhuge Crossbow.

"Xiao Ya, are you all right?"

Beibei hurried to Xiao Ya's side, his voice full of concern. Seeing that she was not seriously hurt, he looked gratefully toward the Red Haired Girl standing nearby.

"Little sister, thank you."

It turned out that while Beibei had been fighting the Man Faced Demon Spider, Wu Feng had appeared beside Tang Ya. She had burned away the spiderwebs with flames, rescued Tang Ya, and then given her a Detoxification Pill, allowing her to escape unharmed.

She had also given Tang Ya the opportunity to shoot and kill the Man Faced Demon Spider.

"There's no need to thank me. You should thank Ning Tian and Sword... Brother Junting instead." Wu Feng waved her hand. After swallowing the words she had nearly blurted out, she gestured toward the woods over there.

Beibei and Tang Ya followed her gaze.

"Wow! He's so handsome!"

Almost instinctively, Tang Ya blurted it out.

Beibei immediately felt helpless beside her.

Still, Tang Ya's assessment was undeniably accurate. The white-haired boy possessed an indescribable air about him. He resembled a sharp sword that could be unsheathed at any moment.

Just look at the Mutated Scaled Beast pinned to the ground...

His strength was clearly not to be underestimated.

However, he focused more of his attention on the girl being protected by the boy.

She had been born with an air of wealth and nobility. A Seven Colored Treasure Pagoda over a foot tall stood upright in her right palm, with two yellow Soul Rings revolving around it.

As expected, she was from the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect!

Beibei tugged at Tang Ya's sleeve and said in a low voice,

"Xiao Ya, that's enough."

He then cupped his fists toward Chen Junting and Ning Tian.

"Beibei of Shrek Academy thanks you both for coming to our aid."

"Tang Ya of Shrek Academy thanks you both."

"There's no need to be so polite."

Ning Tian chuckled lightly. While remaining courteous, she also used her words to draw the two sides closer.

"After all, we're about to become new students at Shrek as well. Helping Senior Brother and Senior Sister was only natural. Besides, I need the Soul Ring of the Scaled Beast too."

"What!?"

Upon hearing this, shock appeared in the eyes of both Beibei and Tang Ya. Tang Ya even cried out in surprise!

She was about to become a Soul Elder!?

And she was also about to become a new student at Shrek Academy!?

Wouldn't that mean she was only eleven years old!?

In response to their astonishment, Ning Tian merely smiled politely. She then walked to the Mutated Scaled Beast and used a Soul Guidance Ray to end its life. Otherwise, the Scaled Beast would not have lasted much longer.

Even before death, its eyes revealed a look of relief.

"A two-thousand-year Third Soul Ring, and an eleven-year-old Support System Soul Elder at that. Now that's a true monster." Beibei watched Ning Tian's back and could not help sighing.

After seeing Tang Ya run over to the Red Haired Girl and the other Thin Boy, Beibei went alone to Chen Junting's side.

"Thank you for coming to our aid just now, Junior Brother."

At that moment, Chen Junting had just withdrawn the Seven Kills Sword.

Seeing the Tang Sect's eldest disciple approach, his usually stern face revealed a rare smile toward an outsider. "There's no need for you to thank me, Senior Brother. It was only a small effort."

"You can't put it that way."

Remembering the life-or-death crisis from earlier, Beibei still felt lingering fear, and his tone became solemn. "If Junior Brother hadn't intervened, we probably would have been doomed. If there's anything we can help with in the future, Xiao Ya and I definitely won't refuse."

"Heh, you flatter me."

Chen Junting chuckled lightly. He seemed neither to accept nor reject the offer, but in reality, he had accepted the favor Beibei and Tang Ya now owed him.

"May I ask your name, little brother?"

"Chen Junting."

"Oh!? The surname Chen!"

Upon hearing the surname, Beibei instinctively looked toward the Mutated Scaled Beast's back. The longsword that had pinned it there was already gone. "Could it be that your Martial Soul, Brother Chen, is the Seven Kills Sword passed down from Sword Dao Chen Xin ten thousand years ago?"

"My Martial Soul is indeed the Seven Kills Sword."

Chen Junting did not conceal it. However, he explained that Beibei had mistaken him for a descendant of Sword Dao Chen Xin.

"I see."

Just then...

"Beibei, come protect me while I cultivate."

Tang Ya had finished chatting with Wu Feng and Huo Yuhao. Only then did she remember that she needed to absorb the Man Faced Demon Spider's Soul Ring.

She hurriedly called for Beibei.

Seeing this, Chen Junting withdrew his gaze and continued standing guard beside Ning Tian without saying a word. Huo Yuhao and Wu Feng also gathered around.

As time passed...

It was nearly dusk when Ning Tian and Tang Ya finally finished absorbing their respective Soul Rings.

Since Star Dou Forest would become even more dangerous at night, the six of them decided to leave together before nightfall, departing from the boundary between the Outer Zone and the Mixed Zone.