Eight Spider Lances in Hand, a Six-Thousand-Year Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear

Chao Tianxiang glanced at Luo Sanpao, then at the charred corpse on the ground. She smiled, a note of wonder in her voice.

"Grandmaster's Martial Soul really is unusual. It has quite an appetite, too."

Meng Shu nodded as well. Without another word, he stepped half a pace aside to show he had no objection.

Yu Xiaogang nodded to them. "Let's go ahead. Sanpao can finish eating here. He'll catch up on his own afterward."

With that, he started walking. Chao Tianxiang and Meng Shu turned to follow. Meng Yiran brought up the rear. She glanced back at Luo Sanpao and the spider's corpse, then hurried after her grandparents.

The group walked some distance away.

Luo Sanpao stood still until their footsteps had faded completely. Only then did he lower his head, his golden eyes settling on the charred spider corpse.

He extended a foreclaw. His dragon talons were sharp and nimble; with a light stroke, he sliced open the shell on the spider's back. He slipped a talon into the gap and pried.

The shell split open, revealing a cluster of pale purple light within, like a jewel wrapped in a cocoon, its glow faintly shining through.

Luo Sanpao nudged it a couple more times and drew it whole from the corpse.

It was a palm-sized Spirit Bone shaped like a miniature spider. Eight slender legs spread from its central body, and a faint purple sheen covered it from end to end, like freshly polished amethyst.

Luo Sanpao looked down at the Spirit Bone in his palm, its purple glow reflected in his golden eyes.

He lowered his head and sniffed it up close, as though confirming something. Then he opened his mouth and breathed a stream of golden fire over the remains, burning them from end to end.

The flames licked across the charred shell and broken limbs, reducing everything that remained to ash.

Luo Sanpao glanced down at the purple Spirit Bone in his claw.

He curled his claws around it, slipped it into his mouth, and held it gently in place with his tongue.

Then he folded his wings, lowered his head, and dropped to all fours.

He hurried after Yu Xiaogang and the others.

The night passed slowly amid the embers of the campfire.

Tang San's voice rang out fitfully through the darkness for a long time, going from hoarse screams to feeble calls.

No one answered him, and no one untied him.

The two chess pieces kept him pinned down.

Eventually, he wore himself out shouting and stopped struggling. He lay with one cheek against the dirt.

He knew his chance was gone. Even if they let him search for the Man Faced Demon Spider now, he would never find it. Too much time had passed. For all he knew, Meng Shu had already killed that spider.

He closed his eyes and struggled no more, but his breathing never steadied.

As dawn approached, Flender was the first to stand.

He brushed the dew from his clothes and glanced at the others as they began to wake. "All right. Pack up. It's time to go."

Tang San was finally released, but even after Lu Qibin recalled the two chess pieces, he lay there for a while before slowly pushing himself to his feet.

He said nothing.

The group continued along a forest path, with Flender leading the way.

They crossed several streams and a patch of low brush. By the time the afternoon sunlight slanted through the gaps in the canopy, the trees ahead gave way to a clearing.

A massive spirit beast crouched in its center, gnawing on a thick leg of meat.

Dark golden fur covered its body, growing especially dense across its shoulders and back, like a suit of armor.

Its arms were thick, and its claws gleamed like metal in the sunlight.

Flender raised a hand to halt the group. After studying the beast for a moment, he said quietly,

"A Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear. What a shame. It must be over six thousand years old. A little too old."

Standing behind him, Ye Lin spoke up. "Dean, that's the one. A Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear has tremendous strength, attack power, and defense. Just over six thousand years is perfect."

"Actually, my teacher told me I could absorb any Spirit Ring under ten thousand years old."

Silence fell around them.

Everyone went quiet.

His third Spirit Ring could be anything under ten thousand years old? Wasn't that absurd?

Ye Lin knew they all thought so.

If you knew I had a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, you'd find that even more absurd.

Good thing I have such a great teacher.

Dai Mubai opened his mouth, then closed it again.

Zhao Wuji froze for a moment. He looked at Ye Lin as though reassessing everything he knew about him.

Flender was silent for several breaths, then adjusted his glasses.

"If Xiaogang said so, we'll trust him. He wouldn't gamble with your life, and neither would you."

He tipped his chin toward Lu Qibin. "Old Lu, we're counting on you."

Lu Qibin said nothing. Two Spirit Rings lit up beneath his feet. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a black and a white chess piece flying.

They traced twin arcs through the air and struck the distant Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear squarely on both shoulders.

The bear stopped moving and let out a low roar. Its huge body lurched, but it was not fully pinned down.

Its arms kept straining, the muscles across its shoulders and back bulging as it tried to force the chess pieces off.

Zhao Wuji did not wait for it to break free.

He lunged forward, his stocky frame stirring a gust of wind, and drove a fist blazing with Soul Power into the top of the bear's head.

Thud! The dull impact echoed through the forest. The bear went rigid, a section of its skull caving in. Its enormous body swayed twice before crashing to the ground.

But it did not die at once.

Its limbs still twitched in spasms, and its great claws gouged several deep furrows into the earth without its knowing.

Zhao Wuji stood beside it and shook out his fist. A little blood stained his knuckles.

He jerked his chin at Ye Lin. "The rest is yours."

Then he stepped back twice, leaving room for him.

Ye Lin walked forward and stopped before the massive head.

He looked down into its dark golden eyes. Slowly, they regained focus and locked onto his face.

There was a savage challenge in that stare, as if it were saying, Come on. Try it.

Ye Lin did not hesitate. He kicked the foreclaw hanging at its side. "What are you glaring at?"

He crouched, clenched his right fist, and punched the head where Zhao Wuji had already left a dent.

His fist struck fur and bone with a dull thump.

The Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear's body jolted.

A low, hoarse cry rose from deep in its throat.

It kept glaring at Ye Lin, its eyes full of fury.

Those golden eyes shone brighter and brighter, as though it meant to kill Ye Lin with its glare alone.