A dense rain of claw shadows came crashing down, striking the weak seams in the armor where the centipede's head joined its body.
Though each claw was slightly off target, the relentless assault eventually tore through that flimsy defense.
"Splurt!"
Dark green blood sprayed into the air.
The Iron-back Centipede let out a shrill cry.
Its body writhed wildly a few times, then crashed heavily to the ground and twitched until it lay still.
The whole thing took no more than three breaths.
Zhu Zhuqing lowered her hands and stood straight, her expression utterly unchanged.
She looked back at Lei Xiang, who was still frozen in place. There was no emotion in her eyes, yet her silence hurt more than any reproach.
Li Moyue hurried over, clutching her chest as she panted.
"That was s-so close! Senior Brother Lei, are you all right? Why didn't you dodge?"
Lei Xiang snapped back to his senses, his face flushing red, then turning pale.
He looked at the Iron-back Centipede's corpse on the ground, then at Zhu Zhuqing's calm expression. The humiliation and fear he had bottled up for days erupted all at once.
"Don't pretend you're being nice!"
He clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms, and roared at Zhu Zhuqing.
"Who asked you to save me? I could've handled it myself!"
Li Moyue jumped at his outburst and hurriedly grabbed his arm.
"Senior Brother Lei, don't be like this. Zhuqing was only trying to save you..."
"Get away from me!"
Lei Xiang flung her hand off and glared at Zhu Zhuqing, eyes bloodshot.
"I know you look down on me! So what if I lost to you last time? Do you have to show off at every turn?"
Zhu Zhuqing watched him in silence, ignoring his hysterical shouts.
Only after he had finished did she speak, her voice cold as ice.
"If you want to die, go by yourself. Don't drag us down with you."
Her words were like a sharp knife, piercing the last of Lei Xiang's pride. He
opened his mouth, as if to say something, but in the end, nothing came out.
He only glared at Zhu Zhuqing before turning and walking to the front of the group, heading onward without a word.
Li Moyue glanced at Lei Xiang's back, then at Zhu Zhuqing, and sighed helplessly before hurrying after him.
Zhu Zhuqing remained where she was, watching the two of them walk away.
She knew full well that in the Star Dou Great Forest, the slightest mistake could put the entire team at risk.
If she had been a step slower, Lei Xiang would already have been food for the Iron-back Centipede.
From among the distant trees, Lang Taihui had watched the whole thing unfold.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Such decisive, ruthless strikes. She killed an Iron-back Centipede with the strength of a Soul Elder nearing level thirty in three breaths."
"Her movements are even sharper than a week ago. She hasn't got the slightest speck of blood on her, and her speed and explosive power have improved by a great deal."
"Did she take the Soul Ascension Pill Miss Hu gave her?"
"Her Soul Power does seem to be around level twenty-five, but this sudden increase in explosive power can't come from a mere rise in Soul Power."
"According to Li Moyue, all she's done these past few days is meditate and cultivate in her room by day, then go running with weights at night."
"Could such a stupid method really be that effective? Ridiculous."
"Zhu Zhuqing must be hiding some secret."
Lang Taihui knew Zhu Zhuqing's every move like the back of his hand.
Since Hu Liena had entrusted her to him, he was naturally keeping a close watch.
And from the very beginning, the one assigned to keep tabs on her was not Lei Xiang, but Li Moyue, who seemed harmless.
He then looked at Lei Xiang, a trace of cold disgust flashing through his eyes.
Ever since losing to Zhu Zhuqing that day, the boy had been in a daze.
He had thought a few days to cool off would be enough for him to recover. He had never expected him to be so utterly useless.
One defeat had broken his spirit. He couldn't even manage the most basic reaction. In the end, he was just a good-for-nothing!
He had sullied the reputation of Lang Taihui, his own personal disciple, for nothing!
Only after the three-person team had gone far ahead did Lang Taihui emerge from behind the tree. His gaze fell on the Iron-back Centipede's corpse.
"Hm?"
Lang Taihui suddenly furrowed his brow, his eyes fixed on the Iron-back Centipede's corpse.
A deep gash, cut down to the bone, marked the creature's belly. The edges of the wound had taken on a strange purplish-black hue.
It wasn't the work of poison. Instead, it looked as though some kind of frigid power had corroded the wound.
This wound definitely hadn't been caused by Zhu Zhuqing.
In other words, the Iron-back Centipede hadn't attacked them of its own accord. It had been fleeing in panic.
What concerned him more was the faint trace of an aura lingering on the corpse. It was icy cold, with an indescribably eerie quality.
In an instant, it vanished into the forest breeze, as though it had never existed.
"Are other Soul Masters hunting nearby?"
Lang Taihui pondered for a moment, then shook his head.
The outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest were a place Soul Masters often visited. This minor incident was nothing unusual.
He flicked his sleeve and stopped dwelling on it, hurrying to catch up with the team ahead.
The real event was still waiting for them in the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's valley.
"We're here."
Li Moyue lowered her voice and unfolded the Spirit Hall's scouting map, resting a finger on a marked spot.
"According to the information, the valley ahead, covered in red wildflowers, is the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's nest."
Zhu Zhuqing followed her pointing finger and saw a valley nestled in an open area ahead.
The valley was packed with unknown red wildflowers. Their petals were as vivid as blood, looking all the more eerie beneath the thin mist drifting through the forest.
These flowers flourished because they were nourished by the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's droppings.
The three of them crouched low and cautiously approached the valley, hiding behind a boulder as they held their breath and watched.
Before long, a pale-red Soul Beast slithered out from the flowers.
On its head sat a bright-red fleshy crest larger than its skull, so red it seemed ready to drip blood.
Its tail spread out like a fan, and a pair of pale-red wings, thin as cicada wings, fluttered on its back as it slowly circled about three meters above the ground. It was their target.
The Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent!
The serpent's Soul Power fluctuations were steady and strong, several times more powerful than those of the eight-hundred-year-old Iron-back Centipede.
"That's it. It's about eleven hundred years old."
Li Moyue confirmed in a hushed voice, her words trembling slightly. She was clearly nervous.
Don't underestimate a difference of three hundred years.
Among Hundred-Year Soul Beasts, that was equivalent to a gap of four minor levels.
And among thousand-year Soul Beasts, every hundred years was a gulf almost impossible to cross.
Given the common knowledge that Soul Beasts had a physical advantage over Soul Masters of the same level, a fourteen-hundred-year-old Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent would be powerful enough to crush an ordinary level-thirty-one Soul Elder.
Besides, the Iron-back Centipede had already been injured and fleeing, which was why she had been able to seize her chance.
This Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent was in perfect condition, and its speed was exceptional.
If the three of them made even one mistake in their coordination, the consequences would be disastrous.
Zhu Zhuqing turned her gaze from the serpent to the two beside her.
Lei Xiang was still wearing a tight expression, his eyes darting away. He clearly hadn't recovered from his earlier lapse.
Li Moyue, meanwhile, clutched the hem of her clothes, nervous but carrying a hint of anticipation.
She took a deep breath, her mind made up.
"I need to know your Martial Souls and Soul Skills. Tell me now."
Before you continue