Spiked Earth Turtle

Hearing the disturbance, Huangfu Ji got up and moved to one side. Then he lay on the ground and pressed one ear tightly against it.

The sounds underground were getting closer. He frowned.

Suddenly, he sprang to his feet.

"There's a Soul Beast attacking!"

After shouting toward the tents, Huangfu Ji immediately activated his Martial Soul. Two yellow Soul Rings rose and pulsed around him.

Inside the camp, Liu Erlong was the first to rush out upon hearing him. She came to Huangfu Ji's side and activated her Martial Soul. Zhao Yuan also charged out of his own tent, his Golden Armor Turtle Martial Soul Possession covering him in a golden turtle shell.

The three stood together as the sounds beneath the ground grew closer and louder.

Yet when the disturbance was twenty meters away from them, it suddenly vanished.

"It disappeared?" Zhao Yuan lay down and listened carefully, but he heard nothing. It was as though the sounds from earlier had been nothing but an illusion.

Huangfu Ji stared at the ground, the vigilance in his eyes not fading in the slightest.

"Be careful. Don't let your guard down."

He could sense that the Soul Beast had not left. It had to be somewhere nearby.

"Rather than wait here, let's force it out." Liu Erlong clenched her right fist and gathered Soul Power, then smashed it fiercely into the ground.

In an instant, dirt flew everywhere and a shallow crater appeared in the ground, but it had no effect.

At that moment, Huangfu Ji noticed the campfire flames flickering. It had not been caused by Liu Erlong's attack on the ground.

Suddenly, his eyes widened.

"Watch out!"

With that, the Dragon Wings on his back spread open. He grabbed Liu Erlong and Zhao Yuan and flew into the air.

The moment they took off, the ground beneath the campfire shook violently. Then a massive Soul Beast roared as it burst out from underground, sending rocks and dirt flying in all directions.

The Soul Beast was earth-yellow overall and resembled a snapping turtle. Its claws were incomparably sharp, while its shell was covered in spikes.

"It's a Spiked Earth Turtle." Huangfu Ji recognized the Soul Beast at a glance.

"Judging by its size, this Soul Beast is over two thousand five hundred years old." Liu Erlong studied it carefully. The Spiked Earth Turtle was over three meters long, clearly making it more than a thousand years old. Combined with the meter-long spikes on its back, she concluded that it was at least two thousand five hundred years old.

Huangfu Ji was overjoyed.

"Perfect. Just what we needed."

He had been worried about not finding a suitable Soul Beast, yet one had delivered itself right to him.

"Are you sure you want to hunt this Soul Beast?" Zhao Yuan still had some concerns. Although Huangfu Ji had consumed Whale Rubber, no one besides Huangfu Ji himself could truly confirm whether it would work.

And this Spiked Earth Turtle was over two thousand five hundred years old. If he failed, the consequences would be unthinkable.

"At the moment, there isn't a more suitable one."

After putting some distance between them, Huangfu Ji returned to the ground and began making arrangements.

"Zhao Yuan, defend. Erlong and I will attack from both sides."

"Alright." Liu Erlong and Zhao Yuan answered at the same time.

Liu Erlong unleashed her First Soul Skill, Rampage Dragon Avatar, and her Second Soul Skill, Dragon Arm. A layer of dragon-scale armor covered her body, while dragon-scale armguards formed over both arms. Both of her Soul Skills primarily enhanced her defense.

After releasing both Soul Skills, she charged straight at the Spiked Earth Turtle.

The Spiked Earth Turtle let out a roar, its enormous tail sweeping toward Liu Erlong.

At that moment, Zhao Yuan raised a massive turtle shield in front of Liu Erlong.

The Spiked Earth Turtle's tail slammed heavily into the shield, and the tremendous force sent Zhao Yuan flying.

"Bastard!" Seeing Zhao Yuan get flung away, Liu Erlong immediately flew into a rage. She clenched both fists and smashed them fiercely into the Spiked Earth Turtle's tail.

Huangfu Ji moved to its flank and activated his First Soul Skill, Sacred Martial Slash. A golden slash condensed from Soul Power struck the Spiked Earth Turtle, but it did not deal any effective damage.

"This turtle shell's defense really is something."

Though the blow had not injured the Spiked Earth Turtle, it still hurt it.

As a result, the earth turtle's target shifted directly from Liu Erlong to Huangfu Ji. It opened its bloody maw and bit toward Huangfu Ji, intending to swallow him whole.

Although the Spiked Earth Turtle had formidable defense, it was very slow. Huangfu Ji easily dodged its attack.

His Dragon Wings flapped as he flew into the air, and the second Soul Ring around him lit up.

"Second Soul Skill: War Dragon Roar!"

As the Soul Skill activated, the phantom of a Sacred Martial War Dragon appeared around him and let out a furious roar toward the Spiked Earth Turtle.

The dragon's roar echoed through the night, startling flocks of birds into flight.

His second Soul Ring had come from a nine-hundred-year-old Demon Tiger. Its Soul Skill reduced an opponent's defense by thirty percent while increasing his own attack by thirty percent. It could also throw opponents with less Soul Power and spiritual power than him into a state of confusion.

The terrifying dragon's roar stunned the Spiked Earth Turtle for a moment. Seizing the opportunity, Liu Erlong grabbed its tail and tried to swing it up.

Though Liu Erlong was only twelve years old, her strength was incredibly great under the enhancement of her two Soul Skills.

With an angry roar, Liu Erlong flung the Spiked Earth Turtle three meters away, though the effort exhausted her as well, leaving both arms sore.

Zhao Yuan, who had been sent flying earlier, ran back. As a defense-type Soul Master, he had not suffered much damage.

The Spiked Earth Turtle crashed through two tents. Before it could steady itself, Huangfu Ji unleashed Sacred Martial Slash once more from the air. This time, he used half his Soul Power to release an immensely powerful slash.

The strike severed several spikes.

The Spiked Earth Turtle cried out in pain, raised its forelimbs, and then slammed them down.

Boom—!

The ground around them shook violently. Liu Erlong and Zhao Yuan nearly lost their footing. Then it opened its mouth and shot an earth-yellow beam at Huangfu Ji.

Just as Huangfu Ji was about to dodge, an arrow wrapped in black Soul Power shot out from the darkness. The arrow struck a Dragon Wing with perfect accuracy, piercing straight through it.

"Not good!"

Huangfu Ji's body swayed. In that instant, he lost his chance to evade, and the beam was already right before him.

"Huangfu!" Liu Erlong's expression changed drastically as she rushed to protect Huangfu Ji, but it was already too late.

At the critical moment, Zhao Yuan unleashed his Second Soul Skill.

"Second Soul Skill: Four Directions Armor Defense!"

Golden Soul Power condensed around Huangfu Ji, forming four turtle shields that blocked the Spiked Earth Turtle's attack.

Though the attack was blocked, the beam's impact still sent Huangfu Ji flying. Liu Erlong quickly rushed over and caught Huangfu Ji as he fell.

The instant she caught him, bright golden and red Soul Power intertwined. The phantoms of the Sacred Martial War Dragon and the Fire Dragon fused, activating the Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Dragon Descends to the Nine Heavens.

An enormous dragon appeared before the Spiked Earth Turtle.

The giant dragon was much larger than the Spiked Earth Turtle, and as a dragon, it naturally suppressed it to a certain extent.

Feeling fear, the Spiked Earth Turtle tried to flee, but it was too late. The dragon's might made it difficult for the creature to move.

The giant dragon opened its mouth and breathed golden dragon flames laced with lightning.

The dragon flames burned it black and paralyzed its entire body. Then the huge dragon tail swept over and sent the Spiked Earth Turtle flying.

Bang—!

The Spiked Earth Turtle's charred body crashed into the ground, smashing out a one-meter-deep crater. Its body landed upside down within the pit, its limbs pointing toward the sky.

The fusion skill dissipated, and Huangfu Ji and Liu Erlong turned pale, utterly weak.