Fire Bat

With the map in hand, Xiaofei returned to the Undying Volcano. This time, however, there were only the three young people, and they would have to face all the dangers themselves.

For nearly a hundred miles in every direction, there were very few trees. Even those that did grow there were relatively small Fire Attribute trees.

The three walked across the pitch-black ground. Since they were still on the outskirts of the volcano, there were very few Soul Beasts, so there was no need to scout.

.

Since the map was already ten thousand years old, the terrain around the Undying Volcano had long since changed. Having a map was practically no different from having none.

The three followed the route the Dean had taken when leading them last time. Near the volcano, the air contained very little moisture. Furthermore, because they had to withstand the heat, people lost strength much faster than they would outside. Therefore, they needed to minimize strenuous movement and reduce their use of Soul Power as much as possible.

At night, Xiaofei and Huo Wushuang took turns keeping watch.

After three days, the three arrived at the place where they had hunted the Ten Fierce Sky Ant Beast last time. They looked at the sky and decided to rest there.

Xiaofei had felt that something was wrong during the day. He had the constant feeling that there was a Soul Beast nearby, but careful sensing revealed nothing. That night, while meditating outside the tent, Xiaofei suddenly sensed what seemed to be fluctuations of Soul Power all around them. He used his Soul Bone to sense the surrounding environment, only to discover countless tiny points of light carrying Soul Power. Xiaofei thought to himself, What's going on? How did we suddenly become surrounded by Soul Power?

As if he had suddenly thought of something, Xiaofei immediately woke the other two. Huo Wu asked in confusion, "Hey, what's going on? Why did you suddenly wake us?"

With a grave expression, Xiaofei said, "There seems to be something underground, and there's a lot of it. A huge number. They look like Soul Beasts, but something feels off. I can only sense them because of my Soul Bone."

After a while, the three clearly felt the surrounding Soul Power fluctuations growing stronger and stronger.

Xiaofei hurriedly said, "Go. We have to leave, now."

Suddenly, an opening appeared in the ground, and countless Fire Ants emerged from underground. Then a second, a third, and a fourth opening appeared... All the openings seemed to form some kind of encirclement, and countless Fire Ants came pouring out.

Xiaofei hurriedly said, "These are Fire Ants. Don't be fooled by their low Soul Power. Judging by their size, they're probably all century-old Soul Beasts."

Indeed, the countless Fire Ants surrounding Xiaofei and the others were all century-old Soul Beasts. Each Fire Ant was roughly the size of a fist. Suddenly, dozens of larger Fire Ants burst out of the ground. These were as large as basketballs, and all of them were millennium Soul Beasts.

Xiaofei quickly activated his martial soul and flew into the air. Looking around, he said, "This is troublesome." He saw countless crimson flashes in the sky as well. Focusing his gaze, he realized they were all Fire Bats. Judging by their appearance, they were all century-old Soul Beasts, though quite a few of the larger Fire Bats were millennium Soul Beasts. There were more than ten thousand Fire Ants and Fire Bats combined, perhaps even more.

Xiaofei flew through the air, his Phoenix Transformation claws constantly killing Fire Bats, while Huo Wu and Huo Wushuang fought the densely packed Fire Ants on the ground. Whether Fire Ants or Fire Bats, their long-term proximity to the volcano had given them astonishing resistance to fire. Ordinary flames could at most injure them, but were not enough to kill them.

Xiaofei thought for a moment and said, "Something's wrong. These Fire Ants and Fire Bats are merely exhausting our Soul Power. There must be a high-year Soul Beast directing them in battle. We have to get out of here immediately."

With that, Fire Phoenix Bone Wings extended from Xiaofei's back. He then dove toward the ground and said, "You two, jump onto my shoulders!"

Hearing Xiaofei, Huo Wushuang and Huo Wu swiftly leaped into the air. Xiaofei flashed past, and the two of them were already standing on his shoulders. The Fire Bats seemed to realize that Xiaofei wanted to break through and fly away. They ceaselessly blocked his path in the air, not even caring if Xiaofei killed them. For a time, the Soul Power of all three was rapidly draining.

Huo Wushuang said, "This won't do. If we stay surrounded like this, we'll be in danger. We have to force their leader out."

Xiaofei activated his Second Soul Skill, Sparks Like Rain. Countless fiery feathers flew toward the Fire Bats in the sky, instantly inflicting heavy damage. Several millennium Fire Bats were even killed. At the moment when many Fire Bats died, Xiaofei suddenly sensed a much stronger fluctuation of firepower in the distance. Clearly, that was the Fire Bat King.

Xiaofei instantly activated his Soul Bone skill—Mental Shock. The Fire Bat King let out a shrill cry, clearly injured. After confirming its location, Xiaofei beat his wings and flew rapidly toward the Fire Bat King. The Fire Bat King seemed enraged as well and flew toward the three of them.

Suddenly, the Fire Bat King let out a piercing shriek. The three instantly felt extreme discomfort in their minds, as though their heads had been struck. This was the Fire Bat King's sonic attack, and it actually contained a Mental Shock. Seeing the Fire Bat King slash toward them with its claws, Xiaofei hurriedly used his Soul Bone to steady his mind. Finding the opening, he directly severed one of the Fire Bat King's arms with his five steel claws. The Fire Bat King was enraged once more. With a long cry, countless Fire Bats charged at the three without regard for their lives. Looking at the sky-filling swarm, Xiaofei focused on sensing the Fire Bat King's Soul Power fluctuations and directly activated his Sixth Soul Skill—Phoenix Slash. Every Fire Bat on the straight line, including the Fire Bat King, was cleaved in two.

The Fire Bat King was dead, but the remaining Fire Bats charged even more desperately. Without the Fire Bat King's commands and coordination, their attacks became far more chaotic. After the time it took to burn a stick of incense, nearly all the Fire Bats were dead or wounded.

Since Xiaofei and the other two could fly, the Fire Ants on the ground lost their targets. In the end, all the Fire Ants burrowed back underground.

After confirming their safety for some time, the three finally returned to the ground. Only corpses remained scattered across it, especially the enormous corpse of the Fire Bat King. Judging by its size, the Fire Bat King had probably been a Soul Beast close to thirty thousand years old.

After eating herbs that restored Soul Power, the three meditated where they were to recover their Soul Power and physical strength.

An hour later, the three had basically recovered their Soul Power. They then began gathering their spoils.

Xiaofei sensed a fluctuation of Soul Power from the Fire Bat King's body. He walked over and dissected it, only to discover that the Fire Bat King had produced a Head Soul Bone.

Next, Huo Wu unleashed flames over a wide area, and all the corpses instantly caught fire. Another crystalline glimmer appeared in the ground. Xiaofei moved it over and discovered that it was a two-thousand-year Fire Ant Right Arm Soul Bone. Unfortunately, its age was far too low, and none of the three had any use for it.

The three quickly left and found another place to rest.

Xiaofei gave the thirty-thousand-year Fire Bat King Head Soul Bone to Huo Wushuang. He was the only one of them without a Head Soul Bone, while Xiaofei and Huo Wu could not absorb it. Huo Wushuang nodded and sat on the ground, beginning to absorb the Head Soul Bone. The three were far too familiar with one another to need words of thanks.