Expansion, Shadow Soldiers

The battle between the Ghost Tiger and the Man Faced Demon Spider continued. The Shadow Soldier Fang lay hidden in the bushes, its hollow, black-hole-like eyes fixed intently on the two Soul Beasts before it. As the Sovereign's most loyal soldier, finding suitable soldiers for the Sovereign was its most important task at this stage. Therefore, Fang had set its sights on the Ghost Tiger and the Man Faced Demon Spider, waiting with the mindset of a mantis stalking a cicada while the oriole waited behind.

After discovering the two Soul Beasts, Cheng Xiao quickly arrived nearby as well. Shielded by the night, the two battling Soul Beasts failed to notice the two pairs of deep, ink-black eyes watching them from a tree trunk and the bushes not far away.

"A Ghost Tiger nearing ten thousand years and a Man Faced Demon Spider with over five thousand years of cultivation. With them joining, the strength of my Shadow Legion will expand a little further." Cheng Xiao licked his lips as he watched the two Soul Beasts fighting desperately below.

As he spoke, the battle between the two Soul Beasts neared its end. The Ghost Tiger let out an enraged roar, then suddenly moved. Its incredible speed turned it into a streak of black light, and in the blink of an eye, it had pounced onto the Man Faced Demon Spider.

The Ghost Tiger was an Agility Attack Type Soul Beast, and its speed was exceptionally fast. Although it had sustained some injuries and been poisoned by the Man Faced Demon Spider's neurotoxin, its speed had not been greatly affected. As its body lunged forward, an identical black afterimage remained where it had stood.

Before the Man Faced Demon Spider could react, the Ghost Tiger had already landed on its body. Its sharp claws easily tore through the Man Faced Demon Spider's shell, exposing great swathes of flesh beneath.

The Ghost Tiger did not hesitate. It opened its blood-filled jaws and began tearing into it, swallowing large chunks of flesh as though it were the true vicious killer at that moment.

However, the Man Faced Demon Spider did not wait helplessly for death. Its remaining six spider legs moved, and its enormous body began twisting wildly.

Fragile plants were instantly corroded, while even thick trees shattered the moment its body crashed into them. Within dozens of square meters, the area was a complete mess, with not a single plant left intact.

Unfortunately, no matter how the Man Faced Demon Spider thrashed, the Ghost Tiger on its body refused to get off and continued devouring its flesh as it pleased.

As the Man Faced Demon Spider's struggles gradually weakened, its hard carapace became covered in a layer of blue-purple radiance. Purple-black liquid continuously flowed from the places the Ghost Tiger had bitten, and it was clearly on the verge of death.

Seeing that the two Soul Beasts had both been grievously wounded, the Shadow Soldier Fang, hidden in the bushes, suddenly sprang out and charged straight at the Ghost Tiger standing atop the Man Faced Demon Spider.

Although Fang's cultivation was far below that of the Ghost Tiger, the Ghost Tiger was now at the end of its strength. Having just gone through a fierce battle, it had no spare energy for a second fight, even if the Soul Beast that had suddenly appeared had yet to reach a thousand years of cultivation.

Still, it was a Soul Beast on the verge of entering the ten-thousand-year ranks. Though afflicted by the Man Faced Demon Spider's neurotoxin, it still dodged Fang's ambush with all its strength. Red light flashed in the Ghost Tiger's eyes as all four limbs exerted force at once, and it abruptly shifted sideways onto a large tree. Using the trunk as a springboard, it tried to leap down to the ground.

But it did not know that directly above the tree, a youth gripping two short swords in both hands was watching it.

Seeing the Ghost Tiger deliver the opportunity right to him, Cheng Xiao grinned. Shadow Power circulated within his body as black mist surged along his arms and wrapped around the two short swords in his hands. In an instant, dense black fog swirled around the blades of both swords.

The next second, Cheng Xiao leaped down from the tree trunk. The short swords in his hands erupted with black light, and with a squelch, both blades pierced into the Ghost Tiger's head without the slightest resistance.

Thud—

With its head pierced, the Ghost Tiger's body instantly went limp. Cheng Xiao stepped on its back and fell vertically to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

It had all happened too suddenly. Before the Ghost Tiger could even react, its head had already been pierced through.

A moment later, a Thousand-Year Soul Ring that was nearly black gradually formed, while a purple Thousand-Year Soul Ring also emerged above the Man Faced Demon Spider's body.

Seeing this, Cheng Xiao smiled in satisfaction. He then pulled the short swords from the Ghost Tiger's head, shook the blood from them, and said with a smile, "With them joining us, the Shadow Soldiers' combat strength will increase considerably as well."

As he spoke, Cheng Xiao walked over to the corpses of the two Soul Beasts. Without hesitation, he extended his palm. Black mist burst from his body, and dark purple light shone in the depths of his eyes. "Arise!"

"Urrraaaagh..."

Heavy, mournful cries came from the two Soul Beasts. Black smoke spilled from their eyes, and as their long wails came to an end, shapes gradually emerged from their shadows: the dead Man Faced Demon Spider and Ghost Tiger.

Unlike when they had been alive, a layer of black mist appeared around the Man Faced Demon Spider and Ghost Tiger after they were summoned, like armor. Compared to their former appearances, they were now even more terrifying and unnerving.

"Not bad." Cheng Xiao's lips curled upward as he felt pleased with the Man Faced Demon Spider and Ghost Tiger that had just joined the Shadow Legion.

In truth, this was Cheng Xiao's first time using the ability Shadow Extraction to turn two Soul Beasts into Shadow Soldiers. Fang had not been personally summoned by him. Strictly speaking, Fang's shadow had been claimed by the Sovereign, which was why Fang had appeared automatically after Cheng Xiao's Soul Power cultivation reached level thirty.

Looking at the Sovereign standing before them, the Ghost Tiger and the Man Faced Demon Spider exchanged glances before making a respectful gesture. As Soul Beasts, they could not bow like humans, but that did not prevent them from lowering themselves to the ground to show their respect for the Sovereign.

At the same time, on the other side of the forest.

A young man and two elderly men entered the mixed region of the Star Dou Great Forest. They appeared noble and wealthy. The young man walking ahead of the two elders looked to be in his twenties. He was handsome, dressed in a long robe embroidered with golden swans, and his neat golden short hair gave him a gentle air.

Of the two elders following behind him, one stood around two meters tall, his lean body resembling a utility pole. He also held a golden spear in his hand.

The other elder had capable-looking red short hair and an incredibly muscular body, with especially thick arms and legs. Red spikes protruded from his body, and his appearance was ordinary, even somewhat ugly.