Gu Yue's Little Trouble

Just as Gu Yue continued exploring deeper into the forest ahead, a massive figure suddenly blocked her path.

Gu Yue focused her gaze and saw a giant bear over three meters tall standing before her.

Its entire body was brownish-yellow, and countless sharp, earth-yellow crystals grew across the surface of its fur.

Crystal Bear—

a very rare soul beast, born from the mutation of a Clawed Bear.

Although a Crystal Bear was weaker than a genuine Clawed Bear after mutating, it was still an exceptionally powerful existence among soul beasts.

At the same time, it possessed the special innate ability of "crystallization"!

That was, its body contained a mysterious crystalline energy.

Once its claws broke through an enemy's defenses, it would inject that crystalline energy into the enemy's body.

Unless one possessed powerful Soul Power capable of dissolving that crystalline energy, the struck enemy would be crystallized!

Not only would they be unable to move, but they would also become extremely fragile, liable to shatter at a touch!

It could be said that although the Crystal Bear was not as powerful as the Man Faced Demon Spider, it was definitely one of the soul beasts Soul Masters least wanted to encounter!

Moreover, judging by its size, the Crystal Bear Gu Yue had encountered was not one of the Hundred Year Soul Beasts commonly seen in the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform.

It was a Crystal Bear with a cultivation of a thousand years!

In terms of strength, it was not much weaker than the Hundred Year Man Faced Demon Spider Zhao Tao had encountered!

And upon discovering Gu Yue, the Crystal Bear suddenly let out an angry roar, galloping on all fours as it crazily pounced toward her!

"First a Man Faced Demon Spider, and now a Thousand Year Crystal Bear..."

"The Spirit Ascension Platform hasn't been very peaceful lately!"

Long Hengxu frowned as he watched the scene on the screen.

"That's normal... If I remember correctly, the Spirit Ascension Platform's riot period should be approaching, right?"

"I think this is an excellent training opportunity for the students of Class Zero!"

Wu Changkong nodded as he stared intently at the screen, then said.

Meanwhile, inside the Spirit Ascension Platform, Gu Yue did not panic when faced with the Thousand Year Crystal Bear's sudden attack.

Instead, she silently activated her Soul Power.

As the Yellow Soul Ring around her flashed, silver light flickered around her body. She instantly teleported into the distance, avoiding the Thousand Year Crystal Bear's attack.

The Thousand Year Crystal Bear, meanwhile, pounced at empty air, its claws lodging themselves in an ancient tree over a meter thick!

Almost instantly, the tree trunk transformed into a dark-yellow crystal!

Then, the Thousand Year Crystal Bear's claws suddenly shook!

The crystallized trunk instantly exploded into a cloud of dark-yellow crystal powder!

"Troublesome!"

Gu Yue frowned as she looked at the Thousand Year Crystal Bear in the distance.

With her true strength, she naturally had no fear of a mere Thousand Year Crystal Bear!

However, according to the Soul Master cultivation level and persona she was currently displaying, when facing an enemy like the Thousand Year Crystal Bear, there was only one path left—

run!

The Elemental Power swirling around her swiftly shifted into Wind Element.

With the enhancement of the Wind Element, Gu Yue lightly tapped the ground with her delicate feet and sprinted at full speed away from the Thousand Year Crystal Bear.

At the same time, she summoned gusts of wind-element tornadoes, sweeping up a large mass of fallen leaves to block the Crystal Bear's vision.

"Smart!"

Long Hengxu nodded in praise at Gu Yue's actions.

When facing a powerful enemy, remaining calm in a crisis and decisively fleeing was absolutely the wisest choice.

"Hm?"

Wu Changkong, on the other hand, suddenly let out a soft exclamation.

Because he discovered that the direction Gu Yue was fleeing toward was precisely where Zhao Tao was!

Just as Gu Yue was continually being pursued by the Thousand Year Crystal Bear.

After meditating, Zhao Tao had also returned to his peak condition and continued deeper into the forest!

Suddenly, he felt the ground in the distance begin to tremble, accompanied by a low, rumbling roar!

Immediately afterward, Gu Yue came racing toward Zhao Tao amid flashing azure light.

At this moment, her pretty face was slightly pale, clearly showing that she was exhausted.

Fragrant sweat drenched her body, soaking her white Eastsea Academy uniform.

Her fair, smooth skin and faintly visible body curves could vaguely be seen through it.

"What a coincidence! Zhao Tao, a big guy is coming—help me out!"

Seeing Zhao Tao in the distance, a flicker of delight flashed through Gu Yue's eyes. Her figure then flashed as she arrived at his side.

"No problem, leave it to me!"

"What kind of big guy could chase you into such a sorry state, Gu Yue?"

Without exposing Gu Yue's little lie, Zhao Tao gave a sunny smile and casually teased her.

"It's a Thousand Year Crystal Bear!"

"Be careful of its attacks. Once you're hit, the wound will crystallize, and it will shatter as soon as it takes another blow!"

As she panted out her warning, Gu Yue activated the Wind Element to bolster Zhao Tao.

"Got it. Watch me!"

Nodding slightly, Zhao Tao looked into the distance as well!

A massive figure came barreling toward them like a bulldozer!

Every shrub and tree in its path was instantly covered in crystal before being smashed to pieces!

Time Burial Sword!

Facing an enemy as powerful as the Thousand Year Crystal Bear, Zhao Tao naturally went all out!

With a thought, the first Purple Soul Ring around Zhao Tao flashed!

The next moment, silver light flickered in Zhao Tao's hand as countless strands of Power of Time and Soul Power gathered, transforming into the Time Burial Sword!

Fleeting Bloom!

Holding the Time Burial Sword, Zhao Tao's second Soul Ring flashed once more!

With a slight flutter of the Spring Autumn Cicada's wings, two streams of Power of Time shot through the air.

One merged into Zhao Tao's body, while the other flew straight toward the Thousand Year Crystal Bear!

In almost an instant, the Thousand Year Crystal Bear's speed visibly slowed.

At the same time, Zhao Tao's figure suddenly accelerated in a flash, charging toward the Thousand Year Crystal Bear's back!

Although Crystal Bears possessed bodies as tough as copper and iron, their backs—especially the napes of their necks—were still their weak points.

Not only was that their most vulnerable area, it was also where their neural center lay.

Zhao Tao intended to strike straight at the heart of the matter and attack the Thousand Year Crystal Bear's nape directly!

Seeing that Zhao Tao had already launched his attack, Gu Yue, despite having expended more than half her Soul Power, did not remain idle.

The Elemental Power around her shifted between the Earth Element, Ice Element, and Fire Element!

At the same time, the ground beneath the Thousand Year Crystal Bear turned into a swamp under Gu Yue's control!

Streams of ice spikes and fireballs also rained down upon the Thousand Year Crystal Bear as though they cost nothing!

Such attacks naturally could not completely restrain the Thousand Year Crystal Bear, nor could they easily inflict fatal injuries upon it.

However, to deal with Gu Yue's attacks, the Thousand Year Crystal Bear had no choice but to devote additional attention to them!

Coupled with the effects of the Fleeting Bloom Soul Skill, the already lumbering Thousand Year Crystal Bear became even more sluggish!

His figure flashing, Zhao Tao used the trees as footholds and leaped directly into the air, arriving behind the Thousand Year Crystal Bear!

Then, gripping the Time Burial Sword with its tip pointed downward, he accelerated sharply as he descended from above, stabbing straight toward the Thousand Year Crystal Bear's nape!