Peak Level 3 Spirit Body Qiu Beihai, Beast Tide!

Black Demon Forest, western side.

Ancient trees towered into the sky here, their luxuriant branches and leaves layered like dark clouds, thoroughly blocking out what little light there was.

The air was thick with the mingled smell of rotting leaves and damp earth. From time to time, the low growls of unknown spirit beasts echoed out, making the place all the more eerie.

With Ji Xuan leading the main force onward, Qiu Beihai, as the second-in-command, naturally remained behind with several others to cover the rear.

Bing Tianxiao had brought Luo Li here precisely because he was certain of this.

By now, Qiu Beihai had already cleared the rear of any threats.

Whoosh!

An almost imperceptible whistle tore through the air, abruptly shattering the forest's deathly silence.

A pitch-black feathered arrow shot from the dense canopy, streaking straight toward the throat of a black-clad youth who was keeping watch below.

The arrow was fast, precise, ruthless, and completely without warning, perfectly blending into the dim surroundings.

Yet just as it was about to strike its target—

The black-clad youth twisted aside sharply, as though he had eyes in the back of his head.

Clang!

A crisp metallic ring sounded.

At some point, a gleaming saber had appeared in the youth's hand. He swept it sideways, knocking away the lethal arrow.

The arrow grazed past his cheek and buried itself deeply in an ancient tree behind him.

Its tail still trembled violently, letting out a buzzing hum.

"Bing Tianxiao!"

Qiu Beihai's expression darkened, a sharp glint flashing through his eyes.

He abruptly looked toward the arrow's origin, every muscle in his body tensing as a fierce aura erupted from him.

There was only one person capable of making him, a peak Level 3 Spirit Body, look so disheveled with a single arrow!

"Tsk, your reactions are pretty quick."

A slightly regretful click of the tongue came from above the canopy.

Then, a tall figure slowly stepped out of the shadows, the distinctive Ice Crystal Longbow in his hand and an indifferent smile at the corner of his lips.

It was Bing Tianxiao.

Looking down at Qiu Beihai from above, amusement flashed in his eyes.

"Looks like Ji Xuan's not completely useless at picking people. At least he's got one decent man."

"So it really was you!"

Qiu Beihai's gaze turned icy as intense vigilance rose within him.

This legendary archer, who appeared and vanished without a trace, was dangerous!

After all, what had happened to Yang Hong and Zhao Tiandu was still fresh in his mind.

"You're alone?"

Qiu Beihai swiftly swept his gaze over the surroundings.

He had no idea whether Bing Tianxiao had joined forces with someone else...

"Do I need two people to deal with you?"

Bing Tianxiao shrugged, speaking with an easy expression.

Before his words had even faded, he drew his longbow to its full extent once more, three feathered arrows instantly nocked on the string.

Twng!

The bowstring shuddered, and all three arrows shot forth at once!

Rather than flying in straight lines, the arrows traced three strange arcs through the air.

They sealed off Qiu Beihai's upper, middle, and lower paths of retreat, leaving him nowhere to evade.

"Arrogant!"

Qiu Beihai snorted coldly. The saber in his hand whirled like the wind, forming an impenetrable curtain of blades.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Three crisp rings sounded in rapid succession as all three arrows were blocked.

Yet the instant Qiu Beihai deflected them, a powerful sense of danger suddenly surged within him.

Something was wrong!

Those three arrows had only been a feint!

The real Killing Move was yet to come!

Almost instinctively, Qiu Beihai retreated explosively backward.

Just as he stepped back, a streak of silver sword light flashed like a startled swan, silently slicing through the spot where he had been standing.

That sword light was impossibly fast, even cutting a thin rift through the air.

Had he been even half a beat slower, that strike would have cut him in two!

"Too close!"

Qiu Beihai broke out in a cold sweat and looked up.

A silver-haired girl in a black dress stood quietly before him.

Her longsword pointed diagonally at the ground, a trace of lingering chill still clinging to its tip.

Luo Li!

"You two joined forces?"

Qiu Beihai glared at them through gritted teeth, his eyes blazing with fury.

"All's fair in war."

Bing Tianxiao leaped down from the tree, landing beside Luo Li. Smiling, he said, "Besides, I never said I'd fight you one-on-one.

What I said was, against trash like you, there's no need for two people... to go all out."

"You!"

Qiu Beihai's face turned livid, but he had not lost his reason.

Facing the combined forces of these two fiends, he knew he stood no chance.

He had to retreat!

"Trying to run?"

Bing Tianxiao instantly saw through Qiu Beihai's intentions.

He drew his longbow to its full extent again. Three feathered arrows lined the bowstring, their tips gleaming coldly.

"Since you're here, don't be in such a hurry to leave."

Before his words had faded, the three arrows shot forth like meteors chasing the moon, sealing off every route of retreat for Qiu Beihai.

At the same time, the silent Luo Li moved as well.

The girl moved like lightning, instantly becoming a black afterimage as she charged into the group of lackeys behind Qiu Beihai.

"Ah!"

"Pfft!"

Screams rang out one after another.

Those peak Level 2 Spirit Bodies who had intended to step in and help could not withstand even a single move against Luo Li's swan-like flashes of sword light!

The sword light swept past, and blood sprayed.

In just a few breaths, those youths who were considered strong even on the Spirit Road fell one after another into pools of blood.

"A bunch of trash!"

Qiu Beihai dodged Bing Tianxiao's deadly arrows in a sorry state while watching his subordinates get wiped out in an instant.

He cursed inwardly.

"Damn it! These two monsters!"

Qiu Beihai roared in his heart, but the more he fought, the more alarmed he became.

He found Bing Tianxiao's archery simply unfathomable. Every arrow came from an incredibly tricky angle, forcing him to deal with them at full strength.

And the moment he revealed an opening, that deadly black sword light would strike like a shadow at his heels.

The two of them working together were simply flawless!

I have to escape! I have to get this information to Ji Xuan!

Only one thought remained in Qiu Beihai's mind.

Yet just as he was doing everything he could to break through, a deafening beast roar suddenly erupted from the depths of the Black Demon Forest.

ROAR—!!!

The roar brimmed with savagery and fury, as though some terrifying existence had been enraged.

Then the ground began to shake violently, and countless birds took flight in alarm.

A violent aura surged forth from the depths of the forest like a tidal wave.

"What's going on?!"

Qiu Beihai's expression changed drastically as a sense of foreboding rose within him.

This aura... was a spirit beast horde!

Meanwhile, in the distance.

Mu Chen had already taken Zhan Xiong to a safe area.

Watching the chaotic battlefield in the distance, a faint smile curled at his lips.

"Looks like the show is about to begin."

Rather than revealing himself directly, he used a few methods to stir up several powerful spirit beasts nearby.

He drove them toward the direction of Ji Xuan's main force.

"Since you want to play the numbers game, then let the spirit beasts of Black Demon Forest have some fun with you."

A sly gleam flashed through Mu Chen's eyes.

With his actions, the previously tranquil Black Demon Forest instantly erupted into turmoil.

Countless spirit beasts were alarmed, roaring as they charged toward those humans who had no idea what was coming.