Yue Guan Makes a Move

The five of them crept through the dense forest for several hundred meters; the vegetation ahead began to thin, and the ground temperature rose noticeably.

The soil beneath their feet was hot, and they could feel the heat seeping up from the earth through their boots.

The scent in the air had changed as well, a thick smell of sulfur mixed with charred leaves growing increasingly pungent.

Yue Guan crouched behind a large tree and looked ahead.

Everyone's gaze followed his lead.

In a clearing about three hundred meters away, a massive fox-like spirit beast lay sprawled across a rock that had been scorched a glowing red.

Its size was several times that of an ordinary fox, measuring over five meters from the tip of its nose to the end of its tail. Its fur was a deep, dark red, appearing like a mass of congealed blood in the shadows. Nine tails fanned out behind it, each tip burning with a cluster of dark red flames.

Its eyes were golden with vertical pupils, currently half-closed as if it were dozing.

A 36,000-year-old Burning Heaven Demon Fox.

"That's the one," Yue Guan said in a low voice.

Hu Liena stared at the Burning Heaven Demon Fox, her breath hitching.

Qin Chuan could feel her tension. A 36,000-year-old spirit ring was no small challenge for a level 60 Spirit Master.

"Nana, are you ready?" Yue Guan looked back at Hu Liena.

Hu Liena took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm ready."

"Good," Yue Guan said. "This Burning Heaven Demon Fox is extremely fast, at least thirty percent faster than other spirit beasts of the same age. You won't be able to catch it, so I will go ahead to cut off its retreat and force it back. Qin Chuan, protect the others."

Qin Chuan nodded. "Rest assured, Elder Yue Guan."

Yue Guan's figure flickered and vanished into the shadows of the trees.

The Burning Heaven Demon Fox lay on the glowing red rock, its nine tails swaying lazily. Suddenly, its ears pricked up and swiveled.

It had sensed something.

Its golden vertical pupils snapped open, the irises constricting sharply.

The next second, the Burning Heaven Demon Fox launched itself off the rock, all four legs pushing off simultaneously like an arrow released from a bow, charging toward the depths of the northern forest.

Its speed was absurd.

Watching the deep red shadow streak through the woods from hundreds of meters away, Qin Chuan frowned slightly. The speed of this Burning Heaven Demon Fox was truly terrifying; even his eyes had almost lost track of it.

"That speed..." Yan's mouth hung open. "We wouldn't be able to catch up at all."

A hint of anxiety appeared on Hu Liena's face. "It's running away!"

"Don't worry," Qin Chuan said, pressing a hand to her shoulder. "Elder Yue Guan is already there."

No sooner had he spoken than a loud crash echoed from the distance.

"Boom!"

The sound of trees collapsing and shrubs being crushed mingled together. Immediately after, a shrill, mournful fox cry erupted from the north, filled with anger and terror.

No matter how fast the [Burning Heaven Demon Fox] was, it could not outrun a level 95 Title Douluo.

Yue Guan's figure appeared in front of the beast, a wall of golden Chrysanthemum Petals forming to block its path.

The Burning Heaven Demon Fox's nine tails stood on end, the flames at their tips flaring three times larger. It opened its mouth and let out a sharp hiss, a ball of dark red flame erupting from its throat straight toward Yue Guan's face.

Yue Guan dodged to the side, the flames grazing his shoulder and scorching two trees behind him.

"Why run? You can't get away," Yue Guan said, his tone relaxed.

He flipped his right hand, and golden petals shot out like a rainstorm. The first wave sliced into the beast's front left leg, shaving off a patch of singed fur. The second wave sealed off its path to the right. The third wave skimmed the ground, forcing the Burning Heaven Demon Fox to leap into the air to avoid them.

Once it jumped, its momentum was gone.

That was exactly what Yue Guan had been waiting for.

Third Spirit Ability: Chrysanthemum Shadow Clone.

Three golden chrysanthemums of equal size appeared on three sides of the Burning Heaven Demon Fox, their petals spinning to seal off all its avenues of retreat.

The beast twisted its body in mid-air, attempting to force a breakthrough on the left. It curled its nine tails together to form a fiery whirlwind, slamming it toward one of the chrysanthemum clones.

The fiery whirlwind was indeed powerful. The chrysanthemum clone's petals curled and shattered under the heat.

But just as the Burning Heaven Demon Fox prepared to bolt through the gap, Yue Guan's true body arrived.

He struck with a palm.

He used no spirit ability for this blow; it was pure Soul Power of a level 95 Title Douluo concentrated in his palm, slamming squarely into the spine of the Burning Heaven Demon Fox.

"Bang!"

The beast was knocked from mid-air to the ground, its four legs bracing against the earth as its claws gouged deep furrows into the mud. Its spine took the brunt of the massive impact, and its hind legs buckled, forcing it to its knees.

It opened its mouth, and a spray of blood erupted.

Before it could react, Yue Guan's First Spirit Ability arrived.

Golden Light Chrysanthemum Blade.

Dozens of golden petals flew out simultaneously, slicing with surgical precision into the tendons of the beast's four legs. The strike was incredibly accurate; each petal severed a tendon without damaging the bone.

The Burning Heaven Demon Fox's four legs instantly lost their strength, and its entire body collapsed onto the ground, unable to run any further.

Its nine tails were still struggling, the flames flickering on and off. Its golden slit pupils were filled with nothing but unwillingness and fear.

Yue Guan stood before it, looking down from above: "A pity. Your speed is indeed fast. But no matter how fast, you cannot outrun me."

The Burning Heaven Demon Fox let out a low whimper.

Yue Guan turned his head and shouted toward the direction of Qin Chuan and the others: "Come over, it's been taken care of."

Qin Chuan led the three of them over at a brisk pace.

Hu Liena ran at the front, but her pace slowed as she saw the Burning Heaven Demon Fox lying on the ground, gasping its last breaths.

It was massive. Its body, over five meters long, lay on the ground, and even though it had lost the ability to move, the pressure radiating from a thirty-six-thousand-year-old spirit beast still made one's heart tighten.

"Nana, go ahead. Deliver the final blow." Yue Guan stepped back two paces, yielding the spot to Hu Liena.

Hu Liena walked up to the Burning Heaven Demon Fox.

Its golden slit pupils watched her, and it was still emitting a faint hiss from its mouth. The flames on its nine tails had dimmed significantly, leaving only a few sporadic sparks.

Hu Liena raised her right hand, releasing her Demon Fox spirit. A dense purple mental fluctuation condensed in her palm, and then she thrust it forward violently.

Fourth Spirit Ability, Demon Fox Roar.

The mental shockwave slammed into the Burning Heaven Demon Fox's head. Its body twitched violently, and its golden slit pupils lost their luster.

It was dead.

A purple-black spirit ring rose from the corpse of the Burning Heaven Demon Fox. The color was deep, hovering between purple and black, and it radiated a powerful energy fluctuation.

A thirty-six-thousand-year-old spirit ring.

"Beautiful," Qin Chuan said as he walked over and glanced at the spirit ring. "The quality is very high. Its compatibility with your Demon Fox spirit should be over ninety percent."

Hu Liena's eyes sparkled.

Yan leaned in from behind, looking dissatisfied: "Hey, this spirit hunt was way too fast. There was absolutely no fun in the battle."

Xie Yue nodded as well: "Indeed. Elder Yue Guan did everything; it's like we didn't even come."

Yue Guan chuckled: "It couldn't be helped. This Burning Heaven Demon Fox was too fast; none of you four could catch up to it. If we had let it escape, finding a second one would have been difficult. That is why I made an exception and took action."

Yan spread his hands: "Fine, fine. Whatever the Elder says is right."

Yue Guan's expression turned serious: "Nana, hurry and absorb the spirit ring. This is the Deep Forest Zone; the longer we stay, the more dangerous it becomes. Everyone, keep watch on the perimeter."

"Understood, Elder."

Hu Liena walked in front of the spirit ring. Before sitting cross-legged, she pressed her palms together, closed her eyes, and whispered: "Thank you for nature's gift."

Upon hearing this, the corners of Yan's mouth twitched.

Xie Yue glanced at Yan: "She must have learned that from Qin Chuan."

"I know, it's for good luck," Yan said, dropping his smile.

Hu Liena sat down, rested her hands on her knees, and began to absorb the spirit ring. A purple-black light enveloped her entire body as the spirit ring slowly descended, settled around her, and began to rotate.

Qin Chuan stood three meters behind Hu Liena, facing outward, his Samsara Eye's sensory network spreading out once again.

Xie Yue and Yan stood to the left and right, guarding the flanks.

Yue Guan stood on the outermost perimeter with his hands behind his back. On the surface, he looked relaxed, but in reality, his Soul Power was already raised, ready to deal with any sudden situation at any moment.

Time ticked by second by second.

Hu Liena's complexion gradually flushed, and fine beads of sweat broke out on her forehead. The energy of a thirty-six-thousand-year-old spirit ring was immense; for a level sixty spirit master, the absorption process would not be easy.

Five minutes passed, and everything was proceeding smoothly.

At the ten-minute mark, Qin Chuan's body suddenly tensed as a wave of killing intent surged from the distance.