They fled for a long stretch, racing onward without daring to slow down until they were well beyond the Sunset Bee's territory.
Only then did they gradually ease their exertion and slow their steps, stopping in a broad, level forest clearing with an excellent view.
After confirming that no Sunset Bees had followed them and that they had escaped the danger completely, everyone's taut nerves finally relaxed, and the hearts lodged in their throats settled back into place.
Mo Yuan, who had been supporting the Mutated Sunset Bee with his soul power all this time, slowly withdrew it and gently dropped the gravely wounded, dying golden Mutated Sunset Bee onto the clearing in front of him.
Li Jiaojiao hesitated no longer and immediately activated Martial Soul Possession. With a faint ripple of soul power, the heavy, solid Vajra Staff appeared in her hand.
She stepped forward, snapped her wrist, and brought the staff straight down. Already on the brink of death, the Mutated Sunset Bee had no strength to resist and died instantly.
As the Mutated Sunset Bee died and its soul beast essence dissipated, a dense, substantial soul ring of deep purple slowly rose above its corpse and hovered steadily in midair.
Without delay, Li Jiaojiao sat cross-legged beside the Sunset Bee's corpse and quietly waited for the soul ring to stabilize and fully take shape.
A moment later, the deep-purple soul ring hovering in the air slowly descended, fitting precisely around her Vajra Staff martial soul. Li Jiaojiao immediately closed her eyes, shut out every outside distraction, and devoted herself entirely to refining the soul ring's energy.
Vast quantities of pure metal-attribute soul power poured continuously through the Vajra Staff martial soul into Li Jiaojiao's body, flowing along her meridians and throughout her body, repeatedly scouring and tempering