Phantom Civet

Zhu Zhuqing happily reported to her elder sister, "Yes! Hehehe, now you have a chance at your third Soul Ring, sis. With three Two-Ring Soul Grandmasters working together properly, we stand a real chance of killing a thousand-year Soul Beast in an ambush."

Who wouldn't want the best soul ring configuration? Zhu Zhulin was no exception. Delight spread across her face, though her mask hid it from view. Her beautiful eyes, however, had already curved into crescents.

"I want a feline Soul Beast for my Soul Ring." Zhu Zhulin still preferred cats.

The two exchanged a glance, then darted down the towering tree. Along the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, two black figures climbed trees one moment and hid in patches of blue silver grass the next, occasionally flying into the air to scout.

After about half an hour, they finally settled on a Phantom Civet roughly a thousand years old.

Phantom Civet: its ability was to create phantom clones.

A ten-year Phantom Civet measured around twenty centimeters long and could create one phantom clone with some offensive power.

A hundred-year Phantom Civet measured around forty centimeters long and could create two phantom clones, each possessing twenty percent of the original's offensive power.

A thousand-year Phantom Civet measured around one meter long and could create three phantom clones, each possessing thirty percent of the original's offensive power.

Watching the Phantom Civet lounging lazily on a treetop, Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help finding it funny. It was far too much like her third sister-easygoing and not particularly alert.

"Sis, are you sure this is the one?" Zhu Zhuqing pointed ahead, questioning her with her eyes.

Zhu Zhulin's eyes filled with delighted surprise. Clones were her favorite ability, and she nodded in confirmation.

The Phantom Civet was grooming its purple-gold fur, lazily scratching its body with a little paw as though soothing an itch.

Clack-

Suddenly, two unknown objects flew in from opposite sides and struck the branch, instantly putting the Phantom Civet on alert.

It rose in confusion, arching its back as it looked around.

Down to its left, a goofy-looking Spirit-Summoned Azure Sky Tiger came into view. That big oaf was clearly only a hundred-year Soul Beast, and the Phantom Civet immediately grew angry.

"Meow-"

A mere hundred-year Soul Beast dared challenge the dignity of a thousand-year Soul Beast like me? Even if you're a tiger, this kitty will make you lie down today.

If this kitty doesn't show its might, you think my thousand years are just for show?

The thousand-year Phantom Civet leaped straight down from the branch, its movements graceful. The instant it landed, its entire body flashed.

In that split second, four identical Phantom Civets appeared before the goofy Spirit-Summoned Azure Sky Tiger.

"Meow-"

The four thousand-year Phantom Civets exchanged glances, then charged straight at the clueless tiger before them. Today, it would proclaim the might of all cats.

"Roar, roar, roar-"

The Spirit-Summoned Azure Sky Tiger was furious too. It had been summoned here out of nowhere, and its master had ordered it to act as bait. Bait, my ass! I'm a tiger!

The Spirit-Summoned Azure Sky Tiger swiped at the nearest stupid cat. So what if you're a thousand years old? You're still a cat! With a body this big, how could this tiger fail to swat a little thing like you to death?

Just as the cat and tiger were about to clash, a dozen or so blue beads came flying in from both sides.

The blue beads were evenly scattered, covering the entire area spanning more than ten meters. Zhu Zhuqing had deliberately thrown three into the center.

Purple smoke immediately began billowing out, spreading rapidly.

"Achoo-"

"Meow-"

"Roar, roar, roar-"

The Phantom Civet and Spirit-Summoned Azure Sky Tiger were instantly thrown into disarray. Tears and snot streamed uncontrollably as they tried to rush out of the area.

But an order went straight to the Spirit-Summoned Azure Sky Tiger, leaving it no choice but to endure the agony and pounce on the nearest Phantom Civet.

The other three Phantom Civets rushed out of the smoke. One confronted Zhu Zhulin, another confronted Zhu Zhuqing, and the last scrambled frantically up a tree.

"Psychic Sense!"

Zhu Zhuqing ignored the Phantom Civet in front of her outright. She had just activated Psychic Sense, and her perception made it clear that this one was a projection formed from Soul Power.

The one fleeing up the tree was the real body.

"Martial Soul Possession!"

Two Yellow Soul Rings swiftly lit up, the first flashing continuously.

The Chaos White Tiger behind Zhu Zhuqing spread its wings, lightning surging across them, then gave a gentle flap. Zhu Zhuqing bent her knees against the ground and shot toward the tree ahead like a streak of lightning.

The Phantom Civet was fleeing with its eyes narrowed to slits. How could it have expected humans to be lying in ambush? It had thought there was only that stupid tiger, only to find itself tricked.

It still couldn't understand why the Spirit-Summoned Azure Sky Tiger, a fellow Soul Beast, would help humans ambush it.

Zhu Zhuqing swiftly overtook the Phantom Civet, slashing her sharp dagger toward its head. Terror shone in its narrowed eyes. It couldn't understand how this human had located its real body.

"Meow, meow, meow-"

Purple light flashed over the Phantom Civet's body. The three phantom clones fighting enemies in the distance instantly appeared in front of it. It intended to use them to block this attack.

But Zhu Zhuqing's second Soul Ring lit up as well, and the Spirit-Summoned Azure Sky Tiger, which had been attacking wildly below, was summoned before her.

Bam-

In its panic, the Spirit-Summoned Azure Sky Tiger flailed all four paws, striking all four Phantom Civets and knocking them straight out of the tree.

At that moment, Zhu Zhuqing fixed her eyes ahead, right along the path where the Phantom Civet's real body was falling. Her lips parted slightly; she had already removed her black mask.

"First Soul Skill: Tiger's Roar in the Mountain Forest!"

The Chaos White Tiger behind Zhu Zhuqing roared, its cry deafening. The sound wave struck the Phantom Civet directly in midair.

The Phantom Civet instantly felt its little head buzzing, and the tremendous roar knocked it unconscious.

Zhu Zhuqing shouted down below, "Sis, now! Hurry!"

Zhu Zhulin, who had long been waiting below, immediately unleashed her first Soul Skill and charged toward the spot where the Phantom Civet was falling.

Her sharp dagger pierced the Phantom Civet's little head. It struggled briefly, then died.

Zhu Zhulin knew time waited for no one. Her little sister's roar would draw many humans and Soul Beasts from the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest to investigate. She immediately sat down where she was and began absorbing the Soul Ring.

Zhu Zhuqing swiftly leaped down from the tree and went to her sister's side to guard her.

The Spirit-Summoned Azure Sky Tiger, which had assisted with several attacks, also ambled over with its goofy look. It seemed very pleased with itself and wanted praise from its master.

"Silly tiger, go hide in that patch of blue silver grass and lie in ambush." Zhu Zhuqing patted the Spirit-Summoned Azure Sky Tiger's large head.

"Roar." The Spirit-Summoned Azure Sky Tiger voiced its displeasure, but there was nothing it could do. It couldn't refuse its master's order, so it trudged dejectedly into the patch of blue silver grass on the left and hid there.

With her black mask back in place, she held a dozen or so blue beads in her left hand and gripped her sharp dagger tightly in her right.

Zhu Zhuqing knew an unknown danger was drawing closer. She had to buy her sister enough time to absorb the Soul Ring.