Cunning Scorpion Tiger, the Purple-Gold Mark Reappears

Just as Xiao Cheng was about to nod in agreement with Qiangu Dongfeng, his expression suddenly changed.

"Watch out!"

Before Xiao Cheng's words had even faded, an icy, utterly sinister aura surged from the depths of the forest like a tidal wave!

The temperature around them plummeted by at least ten degrees, and even the sunlight seemed to dim. Leaves rustled without wind, whispering of some ominous warning. Dead branches and fallen leaves were swept into the air by an invisible force, spinning wildly.

"It's here!" Leng Yaozhu's face tightened as Heavenly Phoenix True Fire instantly rose in her hand. Crimson flames danced across her palm, casting her little face in red.

The next second—

A massive dark-purple figure shot out of the shadows like a phantom! It was unbelievably fast, leaving only a blurred afterimage in the air as it rushed toward Xiao Cheng, who stood at the front of the group!

Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger!

It was nearly five meters long and over two meters tall at the shoulder. Strange dark-gold patterns flickered with a ghostly glow across its dark-purple shell, like ancient cursed runes. Its scorpion tail, like a steel whip, was raised high, a ball of intensely condensed dark energy gathered at its hook and emanating a heart-pounding fluctuation. Its eyes resembled two abyssal pits, filled with undisguised killing intent and mockery as they locked onto Xiao Cheng.

"Scatter!"

Xiao Cheng gave a low shout and unleashed Dragon Roaming Steps. His body slipped away like a slick loach, narrowly avoiding the Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger's frontal pounce. Its massive tiger claw brushed past the edge of his clothes, and the gust it raised stung his cheeks.

At the same time, Leng Yaozhu and Leng Yulai both unleashed their second soul skill—Phoenix Wings Soaring!

Scorching golden flames and shadowy black flames rose at once. Two pairs of magnificent flaming wings unfurled behind the sisters, every feather lifelike and radiating blistering heat. They shot into the sky, claiming the aerial advantage as they looked down on the battlefield below.

Qiangu Qingfeng and Qiangu Dongfeng also darted to opposite sides at the same time, opening up the distance. Qiangu Qingfeng's expression was cold as he held the Purgatory Halberd horizontally, radiating murderous energy. Although Qiangu Dongfeng was young, he was no slower. He spun the Coiling Dragon Staff in his hand and planted his feet firmly.

Boom!

The Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger's claw struck empty ground, blasting a crater several meters wide into the earth. Rocks flew everywhere, and dust billowed through the air. The terrifying destructive power made everyone present suck in a breath.

"So fast! So strong!" Qiangu Dongfeng's expression shifted slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. Instead, excitement flashed in his eyes. "But it's nothing special. Everyone, let's attack together and show it what the new generation of the Spirit Pagoda can do!"

With a loud shout, golden light blazed from the Coiling Dragon Staff in his hand. First soul skill—Coiling Dragon Strike!

In a flash of golden light, Qiangu Dongfeng moved like lightning. The Coiling Dragon Staff howled heavily through the air as he smashed it down three times in rapid succession against the Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger's back shell! Every strike carried tremendous force, and the staff's friction against the air produced a piercing wail.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Three thunderous metallic crashes rang out. The Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger was forced back two steps, three shallow white marks appearing on its shell as sparks scattered.

"It worked. It looks like it isn't that strong." Qiangu Dongfeng was delighted, his morale soaring. "Everyone, attack together and wear it down!"

At the same time, Qiangu Qingfeng moved as well. He swept the Purgatory Halberd horizontally, sending a purple-black blade of light tearing through the air. It was his first soul skill—Nether Slash! The blade carried an edge capable of cleaving through anything, striking precisely at the Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger's neck and leaving behind a scorched black mark that gave off a pungent burnt smell.

"Roar—!"

The Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger let out a low roar, seemingly enraged by their attacks. It abruptly turned, its scorpion tail stabbing toward Qiangu Qingfeng like a venomous snake. The dark energy gathered at its hook turned into a black beam!

"Watch out!" Qiangu Dongfeng urgently warned.

Qiangu Qingfeng remained expressionless and raised the Purgatory Halberd before him, but the tremendous force sent him stumbling backward. His feet carved two long furrows in the ground, and the web between his thumb and forefinger split open, blood seeping out.

"Perfect!" Leng Yaozhu seized the chance from the air. Her hands moved repeatedly as several streams of Heavenly Phoenix Flowing Fire fell like meteors, accurately bombarding the Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger's back! Crimson flames exploded, burning its shell with sizzling sounds.

Leng Yulai also gathered her courage. Dark Phoenix Flowing Fire followed immediately after, black flames exploding over the Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger's body. Intertwining with Heavenly Phoenix True Fire, they produced sharp sizzling sounds. The two flames stacked together, creating an unexpected amplifying effect.

"Nicely done!" Xiao Cheng praised. With the Azure Sky Divine Spear in hand, he poured the Power of Empty Green into the shaft, condensing a dazzling cold gleam at its tip. He stepped with Dragon Roaming Steps, moving like lightning as he thrust Flood Dragon Exits the Sea toward the Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger's relatively soft abdomen!

Squelch!

The spear tip pierced flesh, spraying dark-red blood! The Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger let out a pained shriek, its massive body shuddering violently.

"Good!" Qiangu Dongfeng was overjoyed. "That's it! It won't last much longer!"

For a time, the five launched a tide-like assault with seamless coordination. Xiao Cheng attacked from the front, the Azure Sky Divine Spear striking again and again like a venomous serpent. Qiangu Qingfeng and Qiangu Dongfeng supported him from both flanks, the Purgatory Halberd and Coiling Dragon Staff hammering down in alternation. The Leng sisters provided fire support from above, Heavenly Phoenix True Fire and Dark Phoenix True Fire weaving into a net of flames that trapped the Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger firmly in the center.

The Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger appeared hard-pressed beneath their siege, retreating again and again as wounds accumulated across its body. Black blood flowed over the ground, filling the air with a thick stench.

"Looks like this Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger is nothing much after all!" Qiangu Dongfeng was brimming with confidence, his Coiling Dragon Staff whistling through the air. "With the five of us working together, taking it down is only a matter of time! Once we kill it, our Soul Spirits can all gain quite a few years!"

Leng Yaozhu also relaxed slightly, yet unease lingered faintly in her heart. She felt that the Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger's performance did not match the pressure they had sensed before... When she and Xiao Cheng encountered it last time, that oppressive feeling had nearly suffocated them. Yet now, surrounded by five people, it seemed so "vulnerable."

That was a little unreasonable.

Just then—

A sudden change occurred!

The Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger, which had been steadily retreating and appeared on the verge of collapse, abruptly stopped. It raised its head, and a humanlike trace of ridicule and mockery flashed through its abyssal eyes.

That look seemed to say, "You idiots have finally fallen for it."

Roar—!!!

A heaven-shaking roar erupted from its mouth!

A terrifying pressure crushed down like something tangible. The surrounding trees trembled beneath it, leaves raining down, while several thinner trees snapped cleanly in half! The Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger's aura surged several times stronger in an instant! The wounds the five had inflicted actually began healing at a visible speed, black flesh writhing as the gashes rapidly closed!

"Watch out!" Xiao Cheng made a swift decision and shouted, "It lured us in! Defend yourselves! It's been acting the whole time!"

But it was already too late.

The Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger moved.

Its true target had been Xiao Cheng from the start!

The Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger spun around, moving so quickly that it left an afterimage in the air as it pounced straight at Xiao Cheng! Its sharp claw carried crushing force, shrieking as it tore through the air toward Xiao Cheng's head!

The attack came far too suddenly, far too quickly!

"Xiao Cheng, watch out!" Leng Yaozhu cried out in alarm.

The Qiangu Brothers' faces changed drastically. They wanted to rescue him, but there was no time.

Yet, just as the claw was about to strike Xiao Cheng—

"Voiding."

Xiao Cheng activated his second soul skill in time.

His body became somewhat transparent in that instant, as though it were covered by an invisible membrane.

The Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger's claw passed directly through his body!

It was not a brutal piercing, but as if it had passed through air without meeting any resistance! From the outside, the claw seemed to overlap with his body, yet neither affected the other.

The Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger's pupils suddenly contracted.

That attack had been certain to hit, and it had used its full strength, only for the strike to land on nothing! The hollow sensation of its power missing its target made it feel as though it might cough up blood.

However, the Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger did not give up there.

It shook its claw, fury nearly bursting from its dark eyes. It realized that Xiao Cheng's Voiding soul skill was far too strange. Killing him directly would be extremely difficult.

So, it changed strategies.

Its gaze shifted toward the Qiangu Brothers.

This time, it moved so fast that it nearly surpassed the limit of the eye's perception! Only a faint black afterimage remained in the air as it appeared before Qiangu Qingfeng!

"Big Brother!" Qiangu Dongfeng's face went pale. He wanted to help, but there was simply no time.

Qiangu Qingfeng's expression remained cold, though a flash of alarm crossed his eyes. He knew he could not evade it and could only take it head-on! He held the Purgatory Halberd across his chest and fully activated his second soul skill—Purgatory Wrath! A faint bloody glow appeared over his body as he tried to withstand the blow.

However—

Bang!

A dull, heavy crash sounded.

Qiangu Qingfeng flew backward like a kite with its string cut, blood spraying wildly from his mouth as he drew a tragic arc through the air. The Purgatory Halberd slipped from his hand, spun several times in the air, and embedded itself in the dirt far away.

He slammed heavily into a large tree. With a crack, fractures spread over the trunk, and the entire tree shook violently. Qiangu Qingfeng slid limply to the ground, his chest caved in. He had lost all ability to fight, and only his faint breathing proved that he was still alive. Using the last of his strength, he pressed the button.

At the same time, Qiangu Dongfeng roared and raised the Coiling Dragon Staff high. Second soul skill—Dragon Soul Barrier!

A golden defensive barrier condensed before him. The phantom of a small white dragon appeared upon it, coiling and moving as it emanated a heavy defensive aura. This was his strongest defensive soul skill, enough to block a full-force attack from a soul master of the same level.

But the Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger's scorpion tail shot out like lightning. The dark energy gathered at its hook turned into a spiraling black shockwave that slammed directly into the Dragon Soul Barrier!

Crack!

The barrier shattered! Golden fragments scattered through the air like shattered glass.

Qiangu Dongfeng was also sent flying by that terrifying impact. He crashed heavily to the ground, vomiting blood as his face turned paper-white. Struggling to raise his head, he used the last thread of his strength to slap the emergency button on the back of his hand.

Slap!

Light flashed, and the Qiangu Brothers were enveloped by teleportation light. They vanished from where they stood, forcibly teleported out of the Spirit Ascension Platform.

All of this happened within only a few breaths!

From the Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger's sudden attack to the Qiangu Brothers' elimination, the entire process took less than five seconds!

"Damn it!" Leng Yaozhu's face turned as pale as paper, and even the hand holding her flames trembled slightly. She finally understood. This Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger had been acting from the very beginning! It had deliberately shown weakness to make them lower their guard, then crushed the two strongest fighters in one stroke! Such scheming and patience made it seem less like a soul beast and more like an experienced hunter!

"Yulai! Xiao Cheng! We need to leave too!" Leng Yaozhu shouted, her voice urgent but not panicked.

However, when she turned toward her younger sister, she found Leng Yulai hovering blankly in the air, her little face filled with terror. Tears had gathered in her wine-red eyes, and the sudden turn of events had frightened her into freezing up!

"Yulai!!" Leng Yaozhu was frantic.

Naturally, the Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger noticed as well. Its cold vertical pupils locked onto Leng Yulai in the air, and a cruel light flashed in its eyes.

Its target had been Xiao Cheng from the beginning. It could sense that among the five of them, Xiao Cheng carried an aura that attracted it immensely. But Xiao Cheng's damned spatial soul skill was simply too troublesome. It knew that if it failed to kill him in this ambush, it would be even harder to use the same tactic again in the future.

In that case—attack what the enemy must save!

The Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger drove off with all four limbs, its massive body soaring into the air like a black meteor. With unstoppable momentum, it charged directly toward Leng Yulai! Its gaping mouth full of sharp fangs opened wide, releasing a nauseating stench!

"Don't even think about it!" Leng Yaozhu did not hesitate to abandon her attempt to press the button. She pushed Phoenix Wings Soaring to its limit, transforming into a streak of fire as she rushed forward at the fastest speed of her life!

She arrived at the critical moment and grabbed Leng Yulai, who was still frozen in fear!

"Sister?!" Leng Yulai finally snapped out of it and cried out in terror, tears spilling from her eyes.

"Go!" Leng Yaozhu used all her strength to violently shove Leng Yulai toward the distance! At the same time, she used her other hand to press the button on the back of her hand!

Slap!

The button was pressed, and Leng Yulai's body was instantly enveloped by teleportation light. She cried out, "Sister!" but her voice quickly vanished into the light.

But because of that shove, Leng Yaozhu herself lost the best chance to press her own button!

The Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger was already right before her!

Its gaping maw full of fangs descended toward Leng Yaozhu's head with a nauseating stench! She could clearly see those blade-sharp teeth and smell the thick scent of blood!

"I can't dodge it..." Leng Yaozhu closed her eyes. The images of her parents flashed through her mind, followed by her sister's face.

"At least... Yulai is safe."

Just then—

A cyan figure appeared before her as though it had teleported!

"Teleportation!"

Xiao Cheng's low shout rang out beside her ear.

A cold gleam flashed through his eyes. He swept the Azure Sky Divine Spear with Sweep Across the Army, carrying the terrifying force of three thousand jin that had surged after his first blood exchange, and smashed it viciously toward the Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger's head!

Bang—!!!

A deafening crash erupted!

The Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger was knocked off course by the spear strike. Its massive body lost balance in midair and tumbled to the ground, smashing out a huge crater. It shook its head, annoyance flashing through its eyes. It had not expected this seemingly weakest prey to possess such strange abilities and strength!

But Xiao Cheng did not fare well either. Though he had blocked the attack, the recoil sent both him and Leng Yaozhu flying backward.

Xiao Cheng's internal organs churned, and a mouthful of blood rose to his throat, only for him to force it back down. The web of his hand had split open, blood running down the spear shaft, while his arms trembled slightly.

"Yaozhu! Press the button!" Xiao Cheng shouted hoarsely as he pressed his own button at the same time.

Leng Yaozhu coughed up blood from the impact. Her strength was mostly in her flames, and due to her young age, her physical body was not strong. Still, she used her last bit of strength to slap the button on the back of her hand. Teleportation light began to shine, warm radiance enveloping her before she fainted.

However, at that critical moment—

The Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger threw back its head and unleashed a deafening roar. Dense dark energy erupted from its body and spread outward like a volcanic eruption!

Dark Sky Curtain!

The sky suddenly darkened, as though covered by an enormous black cloth. Even the sunlight was completely devoured. The surroundings fell into pitch-black darkness, with only the teleportation light around Leng Yaozhu and Xiao Cheng flickering faintly in the dark.

But that light was greatly suppressed within the dense darkness, and the teleportation speed became extremely slow! A teleportation that originally required only two or three seconds would now take at least ten!

"What?!" Xiao Cheng, who was still conscious, paled drastically.

A vicious grin flashed through the Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger's eyes. It drove forward with all four limbs, charging at Xiao Cheng and Leng Yaozhu at top speed! Before the teleportation could finish, it intended to tear them apart completely! Darkness trailed behind it in a long afterimage, like a demon crawling out of hell!

As Xiao Cheng watched the shadow of death draw closer, a sense of helplessness rose in his heart. His Soul Power was nearly depleted, and he could not use Voiding again. The Azure Sky Divine Spear rested against the ground, supporting his unsteady body. Death in the Spirit Ascension Platform would not mean true death, but it would still cause severe spiritual shock. Judging by the Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger's current state, it likely would not grant them a painless end.

The Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger drew closer and closer, its ferocious face growing larger in his vision. He could even smell the scent of death.

Just then—

Buzz!

A Purple-Gold Mark suddenly appeared on Xiao Cheng's forehead!

The mark was ancient and mysterious, radiating an indescribable aura. It was as if some supreme law had descended at that moment, or as if something dormant in the depths of his soul had awakened. It was a power beyond this world, from a higher dimension!

The purple on the Purple-Gold Mark suddenly overwhelmed the gold, becoming incomparably deep and dark! It resembled the primordial darkness of the universe, or the void at the end of all things!

Xiao Cheng's consciousness completely sank into darkness at that moment.

But his body did not fall.

A dark-purple vortex appeared soundlessly before him.

The vortex was not large, only the size of a human head, yet it gave off a heart-pounding attraction. It rotated slowly, as though it led to some unknown abyss. The surrounding dark energy began to be drawn into it uncontrollably, like rivers flowing into the sea!

The Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger was charging too quickly to stop. Its forepaw was directly swept into the dark-purple vortex!

"Roar—!!!"

The Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger released a roar of extreme terror, its voice filled with fear and despair. It desperately tried to pull its forepaw free, but an irresistible suction came from the vortex, as though an invisible hand were dragging its massive body inward bit by bit!

Its struggle appeared utterly powerless before that dark-purple vortex. Its claws carved traces through the empty air, yet it could find nowhere to brace itself. Its body was swallowed inch by inch—first its forepaws, then its head, followed by its torso...

Finally, with a shrill wail, the Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger's entire body was completely devoured, disappearing into the dark-purple vortex as if it had never existed.

As the Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger vanished completely, the dark-purple vortex slowly shrank as well. In the end, it became a point of light and sank into Xiao Cheng's brow. The Purple-Gold Mark on his forehead flickered twice before quietly fading away.

With no more energy to sustain it, the Dark Sky Curtain began to disperse rapidly.

Sunlight fell once more, illuminating the wrecked battlefield. Massive craters, broken trees, and scattered stones covered the ground, telling the story of the harrowing battle that had just taken place.

At that moment, Xiao Cheng and Leng Yaozhu were also completely enveloped by teleportation light.

Light flashed.

The two vanished from where they stood.

Silence returned within the Spirit Ascension Platform.

It was as if nothing had happened.

Only the massive crater in the ground, the trees broken by the Dark Demon Scorpion Tiger's impact, and the faint lingering smell of blood in the air proved that the battle had truly occurred.