Xie Xie's body dissolved into light.
The spiritual energy he had yet to absorb spilled out with it. Some was drawn toward Tang Wulin, swiftly gathering around him; the rest drifted past the trees toward another presence ahead.
Before Tang Wulin could take a closer look, the bushes ahead parted silently.
An enormous dark gold figure slowly emerged from the shadows of the trees.
It stood over three meters tall, its entire body covered in dark gold fur. There was nothing soft about that fur. In the dim forest light, it gleamed with a cold metallic sheen, as though every strand had been cast from refined iron.
Its shoulders were immensely broad.
Standing there, it resembled a moving city wall.
Most terrifying of all were its forelimbs.
Its thick arms hung almost to the ground. Five enormous dark gold claws extended from each paw, every one over a meter long. Their curves were chilling, their cutting edges so fine they seemed to have no discernible boundary.
As though even light would be sliced apart when it fell upon them.
These were the very claws that had torn Xie Xie apart in an instant.
Tang Wulin's heart clenched.
Xie Xie.
Even if the pain of having his body sliced apart would not carry over into reality, it would still deal a tremendous shock to his mind.
They had all experienced "death" in the Spirit Ascension Platform, but being cut into several pieces by a single swipe was still a first for Xie Xie.
Tang Wulin had no time to worry any further.
Because he had already recognized the soul beast before him.
The dark gold terrorclaw bear.
Anyone who had studied soul beasts could hardly mistake that name.
It was one of the most elite species in the world of soul