"Wulin, see that Soul Beast?"
Jin Qiu patted Tang Wulin beside him, then pointed at a Soul Beast ahead. It looked perfectly normal, yet it was unusually weak.
The Soul Beast was a golden Wild Boar, no bigger than an adult domestic pig. But the way it lay on the ground was unnatural: its legs were splayed, its belly pressed into the dirt, as though it lacked the strength to stand.
Its breathing was shallow and slow, the rise and fall of its body almost imperceptible. Now and then, a small puff of white mist escaped its nostrils and lingered briefly before vanishing.
From the outside, this golden Wild Boar looked no different from an ordinary Hundred-Year Soul Beast. Its coat was smooth and richly colored, even brighter than those of its kind.
But Jin Qiu could sense the life force slowly crumbling inside it. Something was devouring it from within, leaving its outer shell intact while rotting it to the bone.
"Yeah, I see it."
Tang Wulin nodded.
"Go on, kill it. Hurry, before someone else gets there first."
Jin Qiu wasted no time. As he spoke, he pushed Tang Wulin forward.
His palm pressed against Tang Wulin's back. The push was light, but its meaning was clear: Stop dawdling.
Tang Wulin reacted at once. The instant he was pushed forward, the Golden Sacred Dragon Spear appeared in his hand.
It formed in his palm as quickly as light compressed into solid matter. Golden dragon patterns flowed along the shaft, and a cold gleam flashed from its tip.
He bent his knees slightly, stepped forward, and hurled the Golden Sacred Dragon Spear.
Whoosh—thunk!
The Golden Sacred Dragon Spear struck true, piercing straight through the golden boar Soul Beast.
Its tip entered the Wild Boar's back, passed through its entire