Difficult Slaughter, Surprised Dragon Duke!

"No, that thing has my blood on it. I can use my small size to dodge its attacks in close combat, but if it's a speed contest, I can't possibly be its match as a overlord."

As the sounds grew closer, Chen Chu became increasingly anxious, sweat beading on his forehead as he frantically searched for a solution.

"Right, the Dragon Duke and Snake Dowager, how could I forget about these two old fossils."

After racking his brain, Chen Chu finally remembered that he had ready-made muscle right here. He was a student of the Exotic Beast Academy, after all. The Dragon Duke couldn't just let him be chased around like this, could he?

What a stupid thing to forget at such a crucial moment.

With that thought, Chen Chu unleashed a few more slashes, then changed direction, speeding towards the Dragon Duke and Snake Dowager.

Dozens of miles away, in a cave, a soft and gentle big white girl was absorbing a Soul Ring. Outside the cave, the Dragon Duke, after killing the surrounding Azure Blade Dragon Snakes, placed their Snake Cores in a dry spot. Suddenly, he frowned, turned to the Snake Matriarch beside him, and muttered with a hint of unease, "Why does my right eyelid keep twitching? I have a bad feeling something's about to happen."

The Snake Matriarch, however, was unconcerned by the Dragon Duke's muttering. "I think you're just being too cautious. My Spirit Snakes are all around here. If there's any disturbance, I'll be able to..."

Just as the Snake Matriarch was about to say she could sense it and that nothing was wrong, a tremor suddenly came from the distance, and her Spirit Snakes all issued a warning.

"Seniors, save me!" Immediately after, a hurried male voice rang out. It was Chen Chu, who had been running all the way. The moment he saw the Dragon Duke, his mood cleared like the sun breaking through the clouds, and his eyes lit up!

But in the Dragon Duke's eyes, this light completely stunned him.

"Not good, quickly stop him! Yiran is still in the cave!"

Seeing the familiar young man before him, and with no time for questions, he saw the Mantis King, which was relentlessly pursuing Chen Chu, charging directly at them.

The Dragon Duke's eyes widened in fury. He called out to his wife, and they both moved to block it with all their might.

"Quick, stop this brat! Don't let that beast harm Yiran!"

Regardless of what he was thinking at the moment, he had to stop this Fifty Thousand Year Mantis King!

The Dragon Staff in the Dragon Duke's hand buzzed and erupted with golden patterns. He took two quick steps and blocked the cave entrance. Eight Soul Rings, yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, rose up, confronting the Dragon Mantis. Just as Chen Chu was about to duck behind him, the Dragon Duke shoved the butt of his staff into his forehead.

"What are you dodging for?! You led this ancestor here, and you expect Yiran to be unharmed?" The Dragon Duke's roar sent grass leaves flying. The Snake Matriarch, holding her Serpent Cane, had already circled to the side. The snake shadow on the head of her staff hissed, spitting out several dark green poison darts directly at the Mantis King's compound eyes.

The Mantis King, clearly blinded by rage, seemed to disregard the old couple. Its scythe-like forelimbs "clacked" and chopped, turning the poison darts into mist.

It stared in the direction of the cave entrance. That damned brat. Its six long legs dug deep pits in the ground, and it lunged at the Dragon Duke. Its forelimbs were still stained with Chen Chu's blood.

"Good timing!" The Dragon Duke advanced instead of retreating, slamming his Dragon Staff onto the ground. Golden Dragon Might instantly spread out. The Mantis King's movements clearly paused, but only for half a second before its scythe swept over with a gust of wind. The Dragon Duke quickly dodged to the side, a large gash appearing on his robe, revealing his sturdy old arm underneath.

"Are you still standing there like an idiot?" The Dragon Duke glared back at Chen Chu, who was frozen in place. "Use your slashes on its joints! Don't you have eyes?"

Chen Chu finally reacted. He quickly condensed his Soul Power, and several silver-white slashes flew towards the Mantis King's hind leg joints.

But the Mantis King was too fast. It lifted its hind leg and dodged, then flicked its leg, sending a gust of wind that knocked Chen Chu back several meters.

After Chen Chu stabilized himself, he saw the Snake Matriarch's Serpent Cane had wrapped around one of the Mantis King's forelimbs. The snake shadow bit down hard on the scythe's handle. The Snake Matriarch's face turned red as she poured Soul Power into the staff like it was free, shouting, "Old man! Hurry up!"

The Dragon Duke seized the opportunity, his Dragon Staff, glowing with golden light, smashing towards the Mantis King's head. But the insect's hide was tough. After one strike, there was a loud "clang," but the Mantis King only shook its head. Instead, it swung its forelimb and flung the Snake Matriarch away.

"Wife!" The Dragon Duke's eyes turned red. Just as he was about to help her up, the Mantis King's other scythe swept towards him. He had no choice but to turn and block with his Dragon Staff. With a "crack," several golden patterns on the Dragon Staff cracked.

Chen Chu's heart leaped into his throat. He quickly shouted, "Senior! Below its wings! There's no armor there! I'll help you!"

The Dragon Duke was stunned for a moment, then his peripheral vision caught sight of the pale green soft underbelly exposed as the Mantis King's wings opened and closed. He immediately shouted, "Wife, entangle its wings!"

The Snake Matriarch, having just gotten up, immediately adjusted her direction upon hearing this. With a wave of her hands, the snake shadow from her Serpent Cane shot out, entangling one of the Mantis King's wings. The Mantis King cried out in pain and flapped its wings violently to break free, but the snake shadow held on tightly. With its effort, it was unable to break free in its current state.

This was the moment. The Dragon Duke unleashed his full Soul Power. The dragon head phantom at the tip of his Dragon Staff opened its mouth and spewed a golden Dragon Breath towards the Mantis King's soft underbelly.

With a "sizzle," the Mantis King let out a piercing shriek. Its already torn abdomen ripped open even wider, and green blood flowed continuously from the wound.

It was now completely enraged. Burning its lifespan, it lunged at the Dragon Duke without regard, its scythes slashing wildly. The Dragon Duke couldn't dodge in time, and his arm was cut, a bloody mess that looked terrifying.

"Senior!" Chen Chu cried out in alarm. He had been harassing it from the surroundings, inflicting bleeding effects. Logically, this guy shouldn't have lasted this long; it was probably about to collapse.

The Mantis King was chasing the Dragon Duke when it didn't notice Chen Chu beside it. After being ambushed by Chen Chu, it stumbled. The Dragon Duke, with keen observation, seized the opportunity, turned, and smashed its head with his Dragon Staff with all his might.

This strike was with ten-tenths of the Dragon Duke's strength, and with the Soul Skill effect, the Mantis King's head cracked open with a "crack."

"Wife! Again!" Seeing the effect, the Dragon Duke roared again. The Snake Matriarch immediately understood and sent the snake shadow from her Serpent Cane darting out again, this time directly into the crack in the Mantis King's head. The Mantis King let out a shrill scream, its six legs kicking wildly before finally collapsing to the ground with a "boom," struggling violently.

Seeing this, the three finally breathed a sigh of relief, all collapsing to the ground, panting heavily. Chen Chu looked at the struggling Mantis King, thinking about the Soul Ring. Sagros possessed him again, and he walked directly towards it. He didn't forget to say to the Dragon Duke, "Senior, this Mantis King is Fifty Thousand Year old, which perfectly suits my needs. I won't stand on ceremony!"

The Dragon Duke was a little stunned by this. Seeing that Chen Chu didn't answer immediately, he instinctively looked at Chen Chu, who was ending the Mantis King's life. Just as he was about to say something, he saw Chen Chu sit cross-legged beside the corpse, with five Soul Rings—yellow, purple, purple, black, black—rising around him. His eyes widened in shock.