A Tragic Scene

A tangible sonic wave erupted from behind Mo Li, striking the Earth King with pinpoint accuracy.

While this sonic attack lacked significant destructive power, it successfully slowed the Earth King's movements for several seconds.

Under the influence of the Nine Nether Domain, the creature's tail hook felt as if it had plunged into a quagmire, its terrifying momentum sapping away by seventy or eighty percent.

Ultimately, it still landed upon the braced Mo Li.

The soul power defense Mo Li had constructed shattered almost instantly; the cold, sharp tail hook pierced deep into his left shoulder, and blood and searing pain flooded his senses.

Mo Li let out a muffled groan.

Fortunately, the soul power contained within the tail hook had been completely neutralized by the domain, and its force seemed to have spent itself by that point.

It merely pierced his left shoulder without causing any further damage.

Leveraging the impact, Mo Li hurriedly pulled back to retreat.

As he withdrew, a glance to the side revealed a massive, fiery-red figure lunging toward the Earth King—it was the Crimson Dragon, manifested by Liu Erlong through her Avatar of the Martial Soul.

The Crimson Dragon descended from the sky, eschewing any flashy moves or unnecessary skills; it simply swung its massive dragon wings and brought its incredibly fierce claws crashing down from above.

The thick dragon claws stomped ruthlessly onto the Earth King's back.

With a thunderous boom, more than half of the Earth King's body was driven directly into the ground.

The creature let out a shrill, mournful shriek, its two remaining red forelimbs flailing about in a chaotic, desperate rhythm.

The Crimson Dragon, standing heavily upon its prey, ignored the struggle entirely as its massive body moved once more.

"Thud!"

Another heavy stomp landed, and the Earth King's movements grew significantly weaker.

The Crimson Dragon stood over the Earth King, spewing a burst of dragon flames from its maw that scorched the creature, which now teetered on the brink of death.

The surrounding area was charred black by the dragon fire, creating an incredibly oppressive sight.

Mo Li clutched his wound with one hand, looking up to witness the dragon's breath.

This was his first time seeing such a heart-pounding battle, and he couldn't help but feel his blood surge with excitement.

In the center of the battlefield not far away, a flash of red light signaled the disappearance of the massive Crimson Dragon, replaced by a slender black-clad figure who hurried toward Mo Li.

Reaching his side, Liu Erlong immediately checked his injuries. She grabbed his arm, channeling soul power to staunch the bleeding while cursing, "Damn beast!"

Mo Li's face was somewhat pale, but his condition wasn't overly critical.

Had it not been for his domain and the sonic wave Liu Erlong had used to weaken the attack, his injuries would likely have been far worse than just a bleeding shoulder.

A ten-thousand-year Earth King's fierce tail strike was clearly not something he, a quasi-Soul Master, could handle.

Facing a life-or-death crisis had sent Mo Li's adrenaline spiking, and he could barely feel the pain at this moment.

Honestly, Mo Li had been mentally prepared since he transmigrated.

This world was filled with crises; war and bloodshed were common occurrences here. Yet, when he truly faced something beyond his control, he still felt a measure of tension.

Of course, this didn't mean Mo Li was afraid; on the contrary, it only fueled his yearning to grow stronger.

"Sister Erlong, that's enough. The bleeding has stopped."

The wound on his shoulder was sealed, and his condition was stable, but the soul power from Liu Erlong continued to flow into his body.

Mo Li sat on a rock while Liu Erlong busied herself behind him.

Hearing his words, Liu Erlong's movements paused for a moment, but she didn't stop, nor did she reply.

Seeing this, Mo Li tried to turn around, saying with a smile, "A simple bandage is fine. It's just a superficial wound; I can get it treated properly when we go back."

"No!"

Liu Erlong refused flatly, and Mo Li was surprised by her reaction.

By now, he had turned his head fully and could see her clearly.

Liu Erlong's soul power continued to flow, her eyes fixed intently on his wound. Her usually cold, sharp gaze was now shimmering with moisture, appearing exceptionally crystalline under the glow of the flames.

Mo Li froze, then said helplessly, "Sister Erlong, why are you crying again?"

At his words, Liu Erlong's hands trembled. She finally stopped, pulled out bandages from somewhere, and began to dress the wound with great care.

Only then did she look at Mo Li, her voice trembling as she said, "Do you know you almost died!"

After the battle, lingering fear still gripped Liu Erlong's heart. If not for that split-second interference and Mo Li's quick reaction, he might have lost his life.

The previous battle had felt exhilarating because she needed to vent, but her recklessness had nearly killed Mo Li.

If she hadn't been so immersed in the fight, or if Mo Li had been half a beat slower, she would have lost another loved one.

She dared not imagine that outcome, nor could she accept it.

Liu Erlong's eyes grew redder; having experienced the pain of nearly losing a loved one, she no longer cared about maintaining her composure or her image.

No matter how strong she usually was, she simply couldn't control her emotions when faced with a situation like this.

"Sister Erlong, getting injured in battle is a common occurrence."

"Shut your mouth!"

Mo Li, who had just put on a smiling face, was scolded by Liu Erlong, whose eyes were brimming with tears. Yet, he still reached out to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes and comforted her softly, "Look, I'm perfectly fine."

After a long moment, Liu Erlong walked in front of Mo Li and crouched down, her long black hair cascading down her back. She turned her head slightly.

"Get on my back."

"Sister Erlong, I can walk on my own..."

"Stop with the nonsense! I told you to get on, so get on!"

Hearing Liu Erlong's voice, which carried a hint of irritation, Mo Li felt a mix of amusement and helplessness. Given his personality, he would never have agreed to this.

However, Liu Erlong's attitude was firm, and for a moment, he was at a loss for what to do.

Just as Mo Li was about to find an excuse to refuse, a strange red light appeared in his peripheral vision.

His body stiffened, and he immediately began walking toward the carcass of the Earth King that had been slain earlier.

Liu Erlong did not notice Mo Li's movement. Confused, she turned around and saw Mo Li standing in the center of the battlefield, waving at her.

Right in front of him lay the massive pincer of the Earth King.

Though puzzled, she walked over.

The Earth King had been beaten so thoroughly by her that it was beyond dead; its entire body was practically roasted.

Furthermore, most of its body was buried beneath the ground, and at this point, aside from its two pincers, it was impossible to discern its original form.

Mo Li only realized the state of the scene once he got close, and he couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed.

However, that was not his focus. His eyes shone with a strange light as he placed his hand on one of the Earth King's pincers.

His perception spread rapidly, finally settling on a spot containing a dense concentration of energy.

"Found it!"

After confirming, Mo Li flashed a smile at Liu Erlong, which only left her standing to the side, completely bewildered.

She watched as he fumbled around the Earth King's body, having no idea what he was so happy about.

Mo Li seemed to guess what she was thinking. He pointed at the Earth King's body and said with a smile, "Sister Erlong, didn't you say that soul beasts might drop soul bones? I wonder if this Earth King has one?"

Liu Erlong was slightly stunned.