Netherworld Poison Dragon

Lu Yao spoke as she poured all the Clouded Deer Soul Power in her body through the Symbiotic Link and into Xiao Shenghe. The silver-and-jade glow grew more solid, resisting the black energy's corrosion.

At the same time, the Skyvault Bamboo King deep within his soul released golden-green Bamboo Soul Power to nourish his Soul Power, while the Tigerfang Blazing Panda unleashed orange-red flames that burned away at the black energy.

Under the combined force of the three powers, the black energy was finally suppressed.

Xiao Shenghe gritted his teeth and drove his Soul Power at full strength, drawing the black energy out of the Corrupt Poison Tentacle Monster bit by bit.

Once extracted, the black energy became a cloud of black mist. It writhed in the air, trying to escape.

"Not so fast!"

Chen Xin's gaze sharpened. Golden sword energy erupted once more, instantly engulfing the black mist.

When the sword energy dissipated, the black mist had been purified completely. It became a wisp of smoke and vanished into the air.

With the black energy gone, the scarlet faded from the Corrupt Poison Tentacle Monster's eyes. Its frenzied aura subsided, and its struggles weakened noticeably.

"What was that black energy?"

Xiao Shenghe stared at the place where the mist had disappeared, his brow furrowing slightly.

"It carried an intense evil aura. It didn't feel like a Soul Beast's own power."

Lu Xuan's expression turned grave.

"That was Soul-Eroding Corrupt Miasma, an extremely rare evil energy. It attacks a Soul Beast's mind, driving it into a bloodthirsty frenzy while strengthening its poison and attacks."

"Soul-Eroding Corrupt Miasma?"

Lu Xue's face changed. "Our clan's ancient records mention that energy. Supposedly, it came from an evil Soul Beast long thought extinct: the Soul-Eroding Demon Spider."

"But didn't the major Soul Beast clans join forces to wipe out the Soul-Eroding Demon Spider ten thousand years ago? How could it have appeared again?"

"Perhaps it wasn't the Soul-Eroding Demon Spider itself. Perhaps someone was creating Soul-Eroding Corrupt Miasma."

Gu Rong lightly tapped his bony fingers against his palm as he spoke.

"Someone capable of creating this evil energy and spreading it to the Netherworld Swamp and Mistveil Valley must be pulling the strings."

Chen Xin's eyes darkened.

"Whoever it is, they dared to stir up this much trouble in the Star Dou Great Forest and create such evil energy. I'll drag them out!"

Just then, the Corrupt Poison Tentacle Monster gave a mournful cry. Its body shriveled rapidly, finally becoming a puddle of black slime that sank into the mud.

Clearly, extracting the Soul-Eroding Corrupt Miasma had exhausted its life force as well.

"It seems Soul-Eroding Corrupt Miasma does terrible damage to a Soul Beast's body," Xiao Shenghe said. His disgust for whoever had created it deepened.

Lu Xuan said,

"Let's keep moving. The source of the Soul-Eroding Corrupt Miasma is up ahead. Whether the Soul-Eroding Demon Spider has returned or someone is controlling things from behind the scenes, we must stop it."

"Otherwise, if this evil energy keeps spreading, it won't just plunge the Soul Beast clans of the Star Dou Great Forest into chaos. It could reach the human world too."

The group continued toward the heart of the Netherworld Swamp.

With the Corrupt Poison Tentacle Monster no longer blocking their way, they made much faster progress.

But the corrupt poison around them grew thicker, as did the mist. Visibility fell to less than ten feet.

Suddenly, a deep roar came from ahead, filled with pain and fury. Clearly, Soul-Eroding Corrupt Miasma had consumed a powerful Soul Beast's mind.

"It's the Netherworld Poison Dragon!"

Lu Xue's face went pale.

"It's one of the Netherworld Swamp's overlords, with a hundred thousand years of cultivation. Its poison is vicious, and its strength is terrifying!"

Before she had finished speaking, a massive black shadow burst from the mist.

It was a pitch-black dragon covered in hard scales, each coated with a thick layer of corrupt, poisonous slime. Its scarlet eyes shone with a murderous light, and black poison mist poured constantly from its mouth. It was the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, the Netherworld Poison Dragon.

At the sight of the group, the Netherworld Poison Dragon's eyes blazed with malice. It roared, opened its enormous jaws, and fired a thick column of black poison at them. The air hissed and sizzled wherever it passed.

"Look out!"

Chen Xin and Gu Rong acted at once.

Chen Xin raised a barrier of golden sword intent, while Gu Rong wove his Bone Vines into a wall. Both defenses stood before the group.

Boom!

The black poison column slammed into the defenses with an earth-shaking crash.

The golden sword-intent barrier and Bone Vine wall shook violently. Countless pits appeared across their surfaces as the poison ate into them. They could barely withstand the Netherworld Poison Dragon's full-force strike.

"Shenghe, Yao'er, use Symbiotic Power to support the two Douluo!"

At Lu Xuan's command, gray-green Soul Power burst from his body and formed a huge shield of light over their defenses.

Xiao Shenghe and Lu Yao held nothing back. They drove their Symbiotic Power to its limit, and the silver-and-jade glow surged, merging with Lu Xuan's shield.

At the same time, Xiao Shenghe drew on the Skyvault Bamboo King's golden-green Soul Power, forming a Woodland Barrier over their defenses to resist the poison's corrosion. The Tigerfang Blazing Panda's orange-red flames circled the barrier, burning the black poison mist.

Together, the four finally stopped the black poison column. But their blood and energy churned within them. The Netherworld Poison Dragon was far stronger than they had imagined.

"This Netherworld Poison Dragon is much stronger than an ordinary Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. The Soul-Eroding Corrupt Miasma has clearly strengthened it," Chen Xin said. Soul Power surged wildly within him, and golden sword intent shot skyward once more.

"I'll take it on!"

His figure flashed into a golden afterimage as he charged the Netherworld Poison Dragon.

The sword in his hand blazed with dazzling golden light. A massive arc of golden sword energy formed and slashed toward the dragon's head.

The Netherworld Poison Dragon roared and whipped its enormous tail at the golden sword energy.

Thick scales covered its tail, which carried terrifying force.

Boom!

The golden sword energy struck the dragon's tail. Golden light and black poison mist exploded outward, and the impact caved in the ground around them.

Chen Xin staggered back several steps, but his sword energy had wounded the Netherworld Poison Dragon. A deep gash split its tail, spewing black blood and poison mist.

The Netherworld Poison Dragon seemed unable to feel pain. The scarlet in its eyes deepened, and it charged Chen Xin again. Its huge claws tore through the air with a shriek, reaching for his head.

"Watch out!"

Gu Rong shouted as Soul Power erupted from him. Countless Bone Vines burst from the ground and wound toward the Netherworld Poison Dragon's limbs, trying to restrict its movement.

Lu Xuan and Lu Xue attacked at the same time. Lu Xuan shaped his gray-green Soul Power into a chain that coiled toward the Netherworld Poison Dragon's neck.

Lu Xue sent out emerald-green Soul Power, which became countless vines streaming toward the dragon's wound in an attempt to suppress its poison.

Xiao Shenghe and Lu Yao exchanged a glance and activated their Symbiotic Power together. Their Symbiotic Heaven Soul Martial Soul unfolded at full strength.

The golden-green patterns and orange-red Flame Mark on its silver-white wings shone brilliantly.

Xiao Shenghe gathered the three powers within him into a dazzling, multicolored sphere of energy and hurled it at the Netherworld Poison Dragon's head.

Faced with their combined assault, the Netherworld Poison Dragon finally showed a trace of fear. But the Soul-Eroding Corrupt Miasma had eaten so deeply into its mind that it could not restrain its frenzy. It kept attacking wildly.

Boom!