Spirit Ascension Platform Guardian, Fierce Battle, and Weakness

"Roar, roar, roar!"

The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's massive frame thundered through the forest, snapping tall trees in half as it charged. Wood chips flew into the air as it relentlessly pursued Gu Yue and her two companions.

"Big Brother, something's wrong. This Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear is more than just a little off—it's completely wrong."

Na'er stood beside Jiang Xiu, a silver glint flashing in her violet eyes as she watched the bear behind the trio, her delicate brows knitting together.

The aura radiating from this Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear was entirely different from other Soul Beasts composed of energy; it felt as though it possessed a foundation of its own.

"Of course it's different. This Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear is the guardian of this Primary Spirit Ascension Platform."

Jiang Xiu's violet eyes suddenly shifted into blood-red pupils. He swept his slender hands forward, and cold dark soul power surged forth. A pitch-black straight blade, gleaming with a sinister light, materialized in his grip as two black ten-thousand-year soul rings slowly rose from beneath his feet.

Within the Spirit Ascension Platform, whether it was the Primary, Intermediate, or Advanced level, the entire space was actually a single entity, merely divided into three sections.

To prevent soul masters from entering higher-level platforms from lower ones, there had to be a force responsible for monitoring and guarding them. Within the world of the Spirit Ascension Platform, the only things capable of acting as guardians were Soul Beasts.

"Hurry and run! You two can't possibly fight this Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear!"

Xie Xie noticed Jiang Xiu and Na'er as they passed by and couldn't help but call out a warning.

He acknowledged that the two were highly cultivated, but a Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear could battle ordinary ten-thousand-year Soul Beasts even at a century of age. Below the level of a Soul King, or even a Soul Sect, there was simply no chance of victory against it.

"Na'er, you don't need to make a move this time. I'll handle it; it's the perfect chance to test out that combat technique."

Jiang Xiu spoke slowly, a surging wave of blood energy and dark soul power erupting within him. His sky-high battle intent locked directly onto the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear.

"Mm, alright. I'll stand by and cover you."

Na'er nodded obediently, her lithe body leaping onto a nearby tree branch, the Silver Dragon Spear in her hand ready to strike at a moment's notice.

"Roar!"

A violent roar erupted. Seeing that Jiang Xiu was not fleeing but instead walking toward it, the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear felt its authority challenged. A wave of tyrannical emotion surged in its heart, and a fierce glint flashed in its dark gold eyes.

Throughout the entire Primary Spirit Ascension Platform, it was the undisputed powerhouse. Who wouldn't bow their head and beg for mercy upon seeing it?

"Screech! Screech!"

It swung its thick arms, and two one-meter-long dark gold terrorclaws suddenly extended, creating a piercing friction sound in the air. As it charged, the sharp claws slashed viciously toward Jiang Xiu.

"Shadow Monarch, go!"

With a low shout from Jiang Xiu, the towering Shadow Monarch behind him surged forward. A flash of black mist merged into the shadows of the surrounding trees, moving like a fish through water. In an instant, it arrived before the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, its scarlet eyes locking onto the beast's gaze.

Clenching its five fingers, dark soul power erupted. The Shadow Monarch's right arm pulled back like a drawn bow, and its fist struck out like an arrow released from a string, slamming violently into the bear's chest.

"Boom!"

A sonic boom rang out. The dark gold fur around the bear's chest was instantly eroded by the cold dark soul power, leaving a deep, dark fist print on its torso. The massive body was shaken by the blow, forced to stop dead in its tracks, and even staggered a step backward.

Gu Yue and her two companions, who had been in the middle of fleeing, slowed to a halt as they witnessed this scene.

"Is... is this for real?"

Xie Xie's mouth hung wide open, his face filled with disbelief.

The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, renowned for its raw power, had actually been forced to a stop by a single punch from a soul master with only two soul rings.

"Wulin, since we're already here, why don't we watch for a bit before leaving?"

Xie Xie asked Tang Wulin, who stood beside him. He had originally doubted the words of their teacher, Wu Changkong, but now he was beginning to believe.

"Mm... alright. It's a good chance to see the gap between us."

Tang Wulin pondered for a moment before agreeing. Meanwhile, Gu Yue was already hovering in the air, locking eyes with Na'er from a distance.

"Roar!"

The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's eyes were dazed at first, filled with the confusion of what just happened? It had actually been repelled by a human.

Then, the sharp pain in its chest ignited a bloodthirsty red light in its eyes. Its fierce dark gold claws slashed instantly toward the Shadow Monarch.

"Whoosh!"

The dark gold claws sliced through the Shadow Monarch's head as easily as cutting tofu, but as the Shadow Monarch was split apart, it turned into a puddle of flowing water and instantly merged into the shadows on the ground.

"Clang!"

A loud, resonant hum echoed. Jiang Xiu's figure had appeared before the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, his dark straight blade spitting out a blade aura as he slashed down toward the beast's head.

Sensing the danger, the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear jerked its arms upward. Crimson-gold patterns spread across its limbs, and the dark gold claws in its hands erupted with a brilliant crimson-gold light—the Dark Gold Terrorclaw bloodline soul skill had been activated.

"Clang! Clang!"

Ten dark gold claw strikes shattered the air, the dark gold soul power leaving spiderweb-like cracks as they met Jiang Xiu's layered blade auras. The moment they collided, they erupted with the sound of clashing metal.

"Hum, hum, hum!"

Claw shadows flew, blade auras scattered, and crimson-gold intertwined with darkness. The surrounding trees exploded one after another amidst their fierce exchange.

"Roar, roar, roar!"

The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear roared in fury. It discovered that this human was actually able to slightly suppress it in terms of raw strength! Several deep, bloody gashes had already appeared on its body, the searing pain constantly stimulating its nerves.

It had to tear this human before it to shreds!

"You can scream until your throat gives out today, but it won't matter—you're going to die regardless!"

Jiang Xiu's blood-red eyes drifted with crimson light as he tracked every movement of the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, his straight blade dancing in his hand while he relentlessly searched for a flaw in the beast's defenses.

His master, Mu Ye, had once warned him that in a prolonged battle, one must seize the opponent's fleeting opening and deliver a swift, accurate, and ruthless fatal blow.

By now, over a dozen people had gathered around, all drawn by the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's roar. Upon witnessing the scene before them, they were struck with shock, yet their eyes also flickered with strange, calculating glints.

"Is he even human? A two-ring soul master fighting a Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear—brutal, simply too brutal."

Xu Xiaoyu and Xu Xiaoyan had also arrived. Watching Jiang Xiu battle the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, Xu Xiaoyu clicked her tongue in secret.

Within this Primary Spirit Ascension Platform, even a pack of Flame Demon Lions would be nothing more than shredded meat before this Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear.

"The outcome is about to be decided."

A sharp light flashed through Xu Xiaoyan's beautiful eyes as she whispered.

"What?"

"Clang!"

Another heavy, powerful strike landed. Jiang Xiu's hand web ached from the vibration, but the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear was also staggered by the blow; as its left arm dropped, its right arm was a fraction of a second too slow to rise.

"Now."

Jiang Xiu captured that split-second opportunity instantly. He poured all the blood energy and dark soul power within his body into his straight blade, and in an instant, black-red blood flames ignited along the sharp edge as his momentum surged once more.

The figure of the Shadow Monarch appeared behind Jiang Xiu again, raising its own straight blade to strike down in unison with him!