The three had barely gone a hundred meters when a wave of heat hit them, and a continuous, piercing shriek suddenly rang out all around them.
"What's going on?"
Hu Liena covered her ears, trying to block out the piercing sound.
However, her voice was drowned out by the shrieks and never reached the other two.
Ling Chen raised his head slightly and saw over a thousand blood-red bats swooping toward them. They were so fast that they reached the trio in the blink of an eye.
"So fast!"
Before Ling Chen had finished speaking, the Green Steel Sword was already sweeping through the air in his hand. Tang San had activated the Blue Silver Domain, which could slow enemies within its range. Even so, those blood-red bats were still moving incredibly fast.
In an instant, Ling Chen cut several blood-red bats in half. Tang San and Hu Liena also used their own abilities to hunt the bats.
"Move! Don't waste time on these bats!"
Ling Chen knew the blood-red bats were only an appetizer. The real threat was the Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat King waiting ahead.
It was a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, and after being tainted by Yellow Spring Dew, its strength far surpassed that of an ordinary Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. On top of that, it could regenerate endlessly on this Hell Road. If they got held up, things would turn grim.
Still, Ling Chen wanted to try killing it, to see whether the bat would regenerate after its Martial Soul Origin and Soul Ring were taken.
He could only keep that thought to himself for now. All he wanted was to get out of here and awaken his Martial Soul outside. After his Martial Soul had been strengthened three times, even briefly manifesting it cost 1,000 points of Martial Soul Origin each time. The toll was terrifying.
Perhaps this was one of the reasons he wanted to slaughter a city. Now that he had a chance to leave, he had to seize it. A bright future was beckoning to him.
With swift leaps and sidesteps, the three had already advanced another hundred meters. The dead bats kept falling into the Yellow Spring Dew below.
Ling Chen sensed a fiercely murderous intent bearing down on them. At some point, the Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat King had appeared above their heads.
The moment Tang San's Blue Silver Domain touched the Bat King, his expression turned grave. He, too, could sense that this Bat King was no ordinary beast.
"Not good! Scatter!"
As soon as Tang San shouted, he and Hu Liena hurriedly ran forward.
Ling Chen realized what the Bat King was about to do. Instead, he leaped into the air, pointing his sword at the beast.
The Bat King plunged down, charging straight at Ling Chen. Its three heads opened their gaping jaws, ready to drain this tender morsel of a boy dry in a single bite from each mouth.
Ling Chen didn't flinch. He swept the Green Steel Sword across.
"Slash!"
All three bat heads fell at once. Ling Chen immediately reached for the Bat King's body.
"No Soul Ring! No Martial Soul Origin, either!"
Ling Chen's expression changed drastically. As soon as he landed, he bolted toward Tang San. The Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat King's body fell into the Yellow Spring Dew and disappeared.
Looking at the endless stream of bats overhead, Ling Chen quickly figured it out. As long as any blood-red bats remained above them, the Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat King couldn't truly die. In other words, its Martial Soul Origin was scattered among those blood-red bats.
"What a monster! It'll probably regenerate in no time. We need to hurry!"
Ling Chen couldn't help but marvel. Fortunately, he'd attacked just now. Otherwise, the enormous bat's body crashing down would probably have shattered this narrow Hell Road to pieces.
After all, the narrow path was made of pillars set into the lava. Break just one and the whole structure would lose its balance. Then they'd be in for a real temple run!
Catching up with Tang San, the three pressed on for a while longer, but something beneath their feet seemed ready to stir.
"Here it comes!"
Ling Chen's Killing Intent Perception instantly sensed the enormous creature beneath them. A Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent with ten fleshy tumors along its back burst out, attacking Ling Chen first.
Ling Chen: "Come on, man, what the ****! Why the hell does everyone pick on me!"
Ling Chen dodged, but still brushed against its body. A searing heat swept over him, and the wounds that had yet to heal began to sizzle. Pain twisted his expression.
Without a sound, Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer had already reached the tumors on the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent's back. He brought it down with a fierce blow.
The immense force not only burst the tumor but drove much of the serpent's body downward. Hu Liena didn't stand by either; a flash of her blade split open another tumor.
Ling Chen let out a roar and leaped toward the serpent's head, stabbing the Green Steel Sword into its first tumor. His body carried the sword down along the serpent's back, slicing open one tumor after another without mercy. The Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent roared in agony.
With a powerful whip of its tail, it flung Ling Chen away. Tang San rushed forward and caught him, then turned to smash the last tumor.
But the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent unleashed the inner core within its body. It was its most powerful weapon, containing energy that Tang San and the others couldn't withstand. It seemed the serpent meant to take them all down with it.
At the sight, Ling Chen could barely contain his excitement. But the energy from the inner core had temporarily pinned them in place, leaving them unable to move.
Opportunity favored the prepared. Ling Chen knew this was his chance. All his talk of slaughtering a city had been for this moment.
The Green Steel Sword in his hand began to tremble violently as Martial Soul Origin poured into it without end. It released an invisible force that briefly restored their ability to move.
"Brother Silver, now! Break its link to the inner core!"
Ling Chen flung the trembling Green Steel Sword from his hand. Knowing how terrifying the inner core was, Tang San gathered his strength and unleashed the final strike of Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer, smashing the core.
In an instant, a powerful shockwave swept in every direction. The Green Steel Sword pierced the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent's head, while Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer severed the link between the serpent and its inner core.
The shockwave hurled Ling Chen away. Hu Liena darted forward and caught him. When the dust settled, the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent lay sprawled on the Hell Road.
"Thanks!"
After setting Ling Chen back on his feet, the two went to stand behind Tang San.
"This inner core... I'll give it to you."
Before Tang San could speak, Ling Chen had already spoken up.
"I..."
Tang San was momentarily at a loss for words. Ling Chen pointed to the Green Steel Sword stuck overhead.
"We can talk once we're outside. First, get my sword down."
The two looked up. Only the hilt of Ling Chen's Green Steel Sword remained visible above the stone. They couldn't help clicking their tongues in amazement. How much strength did a kid like Ling Chen need to throw a sword so deep into the rock? And where had that strength even come from?
Tang San threw his Clear Sky Hammer, smashing the rock around the Green Steel Sword. The sword dropped down with it.
Ling Chen first touched the body of the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent, which was about to slide into the Yellow Spring Dew, then leaped up to catch the Green Steel Sword.
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