Chen Cong sat beneath a large tree and drew the Nine-Star Demon Leopard's Soul Ring toward him, beginning to absorb it. This reduced the area the three men needed to watch and guard, making things safer as well.
While standing guard, Zhu Yanfeng and the others began chatting.
Zhu Yanfeng spat, took out his smoking pipe, and said, "Damn it, I could really use a smoke."
Before he had finished speaking, Cheng Nanxing shot him a glare and said gravely, "You're as attached to smoking as Lü Guang is to those twin pistols he treasures like his own life. Bear with it. You're an old hand at guard duty. This is a dense forest, after all, and smoking could easily give us away. Master Cong will need quite a while to absorb this Soul Ring."
At Cheng Nanxing's words, Zhu Yanfeng curled his lips helplessly. "Of course I know that. I haven't lit it. I just wanted something to satisfy the craving."
Ma Zhaoyang gave him a speechless look, then clapped his hands and said cheerfully, "Judging by Master Cong's expression, absorbing this Nine-Star Demon Leopard's Soul Ring shouldn't pose much of a problem."
"Although the spiritual assault a Holy King tier Soul Beast unleashes after death is fierce, Master Cong's strength should be more than enough," Zhu Yanfeng agreed.
Cheng Nanxing had always held Chen Cong in considerable esteem. After all, both men were steady by nature.
He knew Chen Cong was meticulous and considered everything thoroughly. Moreover, Chen Cong had barely exerted himself just now, using only two Soul Skills in all, and remained in excellent mental condition. Enduring the Soul Shock would certainly be no problem. Besides, the Primordial Spirit Brilliant Star Sword was no pushover; that profound ability was used mostly to counter spiritual assaults.
Thus,