Blood Moon

Before he could figure it out, Gu Yue suddenly accelerated.

She charged toward the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear, moving at an astonishing speed.

Then she raised her hand.

Nothing happened.

But the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear suddenly let out a miserable howl, its massive body tilting to one side.

A deep gash appeared on its shoulder.

It was as though something invisible had torn it open.

Yun Jingheng froze for a moment.

Spatial power.

He suddenly remembered that, in the original story, Gu Yue's martial soul was the Elemental Envoy, capable of controlling multiple elements.

But how old was she now? Eight? Nine?

And she could already hurt a Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear?

The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear flew into a rage.

It stopped retreating and instead pounced at Gu Yue.

Gu Yue dodged sideways and raised her hand again.

Another wound appeared on the bear's other shoulder.

But this time, it did not stop. Its enormous claw swept toward her.

Gu Yue retreated, but the force of the claw still struck her, sending her tumbling aside.

"Gu Yue!" Tang Wulin shouted as he charged forward.

Xie Xie, Wang Jinxi, and Zhang Yangzi exchanged looks, then gritted their teeth and rushed in as well.

Yun Jingheng stood where he was, watching the scene.

He suddenly remembered something.

These people were all from Zero Class.

In the original story, they had been Tang Wulin's first companions, going through so much together.

And now, they were risking their lives against a century-old Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear.

He sighed.

The Moonlight Sword condensed in his hand.

Then he charged forward too.

The battle was chaotic.

Tang Wulin's Golden Dragon Claw struck the bear's leg, leaving only a few shallow white marks.

Xie Xie was fast, but he could not break through its defense and could only circle around to harass it.

Wang Jinxi threw a punch, making the bear sway slightly before it sent him flying with a single slap.

Zhang Yangzi... for the moment, he did not seem particularly useful.

Gu Yue's spatial element was the most effective. Every attack left a wound on the bear's body.

But her face was growing paler, and fine beads of sweat covered her forehead.

Yun Jingheng used a Crescent Slash to place a mark, flashed behind the bear, and thrust his sword at the back of its neck.

This time, the sword tip pierced half an inch into its flesh.

The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear roared in pain and swung a claw as it turned.

Yun Jingheng dodged, but his steps were a little unsteady when he landed.

His Soul Power was almost depleted.

He glanced at the others.

Tang Wulin was still gritting his teeth and holding on. Xie Xie could barely run anymore. Wang Jinxi was climbing to his feet from the ground, and Zhang Yangzi was nearly unable to stand.

Gu Yue stood at the very front, one hand still raised, though her fingers were trembling.

The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear stared at them, its eyes filled with killing intent.

It roared and charged at Gu Yue.

Gu Yue raised her hand and sent out a spatial blade.

The bear twisted aside to avoid it, its enormous claw already swinging toward her.

"Gu Yue!" Tang Wulin rushed forward, slamming his Golden Dragon Claw at the bear's leg.

The bear ignored him completely and swiped at Gu Yue.

At that instant, a hand grabbed Gu Yue's shoulder and pulled her back.

Yun Jingheng.

He flashed over and dragged Gu Yue away.

But the bear's claw had already arrived.

He had no time to dodge. He could only turn sideways and take the blow with his shoulder.

"Bang—"

A tremendous force struck him, sending him flying into a tree.

His chest felt tight, and a metallic sweetness rose in his throat.

The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear fixed its gaze on him and strode over.

Xie Xie charged forward to stop it, only to be swatted away by a claw and dissolve into motes of light.

Wang Jinxi gritted his teeth and rushed in, only to be sent flying by another swipe.

Zhang Yangzi froze where he stood. Before he could even run, the bear's claw had already struck him.

He dissolved into motes of light.

Yun Jingheng braced himself against the tree and rose to his feet, watching the scene.

Three.

Three blows.

Three people were gone.

He tightened his grip on his sword and took a deep breath.

He glanced at the patterns on the blade—it had already reached Crescent Moon, though it was still some distance from Full Moon. Build up the passive first.

Yun Jingheng charged forward and slashed at the bear's leg, leaving a deep sword wound.

The bear roared and swung at him as it turned.

He flashed away and struck again.

Another flash, another strike.

The bear was spun around by his attacks, the wounds on its body multiplying.

But its hide was too thick. Such injuries were nothing to it.

It suddenly stopped and stared at Yun Jingheng.

Then it opened its mouth.

Golden light began to gather within.

Tang Wulin's expression changed.

"Get out of the way—"

Before he could finish, the golden light shot out.

Yun Jingheng wanted to flash away, but he did not have enough Soul Power left.

He stood there, watching the beam of light draw closer and closer.

Then someone stepped in front of him.

Gu Yue.

She spread her arms and shielded him.

The golden light struck her.

She swayed but did not fall.

But her body began to turn transparent.

She looked back at Yun Jingheng.

There was nothing in those eyes.

No fear, no regret, no words left unsaid.

She simply looked at him.

Then her body dissolved into motes of light and vanished.

Yun Jingheng stood there, stunned.

He stared at the place where she had disappeared, his mind completely blank.

Why?

Why had she blocked it?

How long had they even known each other?

They had not even spoken.

Why would she—

The footsteps of the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear sounded.

It was approaching.

Yun Jingheng did not move.

He simply stood there, staring at where Gu Yue had vanished.

Within the Sea of Spirit, that moon began to tremble.

It was not spinning. It was trembling.

Xiao Jiu's voice came through.

"Yun Jingheng—"

He did not hear it.

He only stared at that spot.

Then he heard another voice.

"Yun Jingheng—!"

Ye Xinglan rushed out of the forest.

She ran over, saw the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear, and her expression changed. Then she stood in front of him.

"What are you standing around for?!"

She shouted, "Run!"

She gripped the Stargod Sword and stared at the bear. Her Soul Power had barely recovered, yet she did not retreat a single step.

The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear glanced at her and swung a claw.

Ye Xinglan raised her sword to block it.

"Clang—"

The sword flew from her hand.

She was sent flying, crashing into a tree before dissolving into motes of light.

Yun Jingheng watched those motes drift away.

Ye Xinglan was gone too.

He lowered his head.

Within the Sea of Spirit, that Full Moon was still trembling.

Then it changed.

The silvery-white radiance slowly faded.

In its place came a scarlet crimson.

Full Moon → Blood Moon.

Yun Jingheng raised his head.

The silvery-white blade of the Moonlight Sword was stained with a trace of red.

A trace of blood-red.

It gleamed blood-red, as though it had just been pulled from a pool of blood.

Behind him, a phantom slowly emerged.

It was his shadow.

But the shadow was twisting.

And smiling.

The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear stared at him and suddenly stopped.

It sensed something.

That aura made it instinctively afraid.

But it did not flee.

It pounced at Yun Jingheng.

Yun Jingheng thrust out his sword.

One sword strike.

A very simple strike.

There were no flourishes, no techniques. He simply thrust straight ahead.

The blade fell upon the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear.

From the crown of its head, to its chest, to its abdomen, to the ground.

A line of blood split open down its center.

The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear remained in its pouncing posture as it split into two halves in midair.

Then it turned into motes of light and dispersed.

Yun Jingheng stood where he was, gripping that blood-red sword.

His eyes were red as well.

Not a faint red, but an incredibly deep crimson, as though something were burning within them.

Behind him, that twisted shadow was still laughing.

Within the Sea of Spirit, Xiao Jiu was shouting something.

But he could not hear it.

He merely stood there, watching those fading motes of light.

For a long time.

Only when the Blood Moon gradually faded, the blade returned to silver, and his eyes turned black again.

He lowered his head and looked at his hands.

Those hands were trembling.

Then, as the world spun around him, he slapped the emergency device on his hand.