Jiang Mingyuan stood on a branch, golden-red wings spreading from his back and a faint light shining in his pupils. Blazing flames wrapped around his left fist. He stepped forward and plunged straight down from high above.
When the Crystal Bear saw its prey approaching of his own accord, it stopped what it was doing and spread its claws, ready to receive him.
"Heh." Jiang Mingyuan thrust his left fist forward. While several meters still separated him from the bear, the ball of flame left his hand and hurtled toward the Crystal Bear. It instinctively raised both arms to block, falling right into Jiang Mingyuan's trap.
Jiang Mingyuan beat his wings, flipping his body around as flames rose beneath his feet. Just then, the Crystal Bear lowered its arms. Jiang Mingyuan kicked it square in the face, breaking its nose outright.
Unable to remain standing through the pain, the Crystal Bear covered its nose and collapsed. Jiang Mingyuan seized the opening. With a sweep of his wings, a Flame Storm rose behind him and swept toward the bear.
The Crystal Bear howled incessantly as it burned. Flames drifted from its body onto the nearby trees, setting them alight at once. Billowing black smoke rose from the forest.
The members of Class Zero, scattered throughout the forest in search of their companions, also saw the black smoke and immediately rushed toward it.
The Crystal Bear desperately charged out of the Flame Storm. Smoke stung its eyes shut, leaving it to crash about blindly. With its nose broken as well, it had no way to pinpoint Jiang Mingyuan's location.
"Hey! Stinking bear, giving up already?"
Jiang Mingyuan slowly approached the Crystal Bear. As though the beast really understood him, it fought through its discomfort and let out an enraged roar, no longer caring about its injured nose.
Dropping onto all fours, the Crystal Bear lunged at Jiang Mingyuan. He took flight and easily evaded the attack. Picking a direction with plenty of trees at random, Jiang Mingyuan flew that way, with the Crystal Bear doggedly pursuing him.
With its vision obstructed, it inevitably crashed into trees along the chase. That was exactly what Jiang Mingyuan wanted. This Crystal Bear was over a thousand years old. He could handle it, but there was no need to waste too much soul power here.
Xie Xie happened to be in the direction Jiang Mingyuan was leading the bear. He had been racing toward the black smoke when he suddenly noticed the ground ahead shaking and trees toppling one after another. A sense of foreboding immediately flashed through his mind.
He stopped, gripping his two daggers tightly as he stared fixedly at the forest ahead. Suddenly, a golden-red figure burst out. It was-
Before Xie Xie could rejoice, he saw the enormous bear chasing behind Jiang Mingyuan.
"Holy shit! Jiang Mingyuan, what the hell did you bring over here?"
This Crystal Bear was immensely burly, charging across the ground like a soul guidance car. Unless Xie Xie had lost his mind, there was no way he would take it head-on with two daggers.
"Hey, Xie Xie. A word of advice: run." Jiang Mingyuan pressed his right index and middle fingers together, held them to his temple, and flicked them toward Xie Xie. He wore a smile, looking utterly carefree.
Xie Xie inwardly crumbled.
I swear, ever since I met you two, I haven't had a single good day.
And so Xie Xie joined the bear-running crew as well. Fortunately, this Crystal Bear was not a soul beast known for speed. As an Agility-Attack Soul Master, Xie Xie could just barely outrun it.
Gradually, the Crystal Bear slowed down. Its stamina was exhausted, and the explosive strength born of its rage had long since vanished during the drawn-out chase.
Jiang Mingyuan landed on a branch, having expended next to nothing. Xie Xie braced his right hand against a tree trunk, panting heavily.
"Jiang Mingyuan! You nearly got me killed!"
Jiang Mingyuan smiled and waved a hand.
"Aw, don't put it like that. You're not dead, are you?"
"****!"
Just then, Tang Wulin, Zhang Yangzi, and Wang Jinxi arrived as well, following the trail of destruction the Crystal Bear had left behind.
Jiang Mingyuan landed on the ground, standing about ten meters from the Crystal Bear. He extended his right hand and crooked his fingers at it.
None of them were fools. They silently surrounded the Crystal Bear. Xie Xie spat onto the ground and drew a deep breath.
Judging by its size, this Crystal Bear was over a thousand years old. As long as they killed it, he would receive at least twenty years' worth of energy.
"Work together to hold it down. This thing is strong, so be careful not to get swatted. Xie Xie, we'll create an opening for you in a moment. The Crystal Bear's weak point is a patch on the back of its neck." As soon as he finished speaking, several Golden Feathers drifted down above their heads and merged into them, boosting their speed, strength, and soul skill power.
Although they had yet to clearly divide their roles, the others instinctively obeyed Jiang Mingyuan's commands.
Xie Xie tightened his grip on his daggers. He had to seize the opening and kill it in one strike. He could not let everyone's efforts go to waste.
Zhang Yangzi acted first, sending a swath of Black Mist rolling over the Crystal Bear. Inside it, the bear lost its sight completely and could only orient itself using what remained of its sense of smell.
Tang Wulin also unleashed his first soul skill. With a flick, he flung the fruit containing paralysis poison from his Blue Silver Grass vines.
The Crystal Bear sensed danger. Roaring, it charged in one direction-straight toward Wang Jinxi.
With Martial Soul Possession of his Bone Dragon King, Wang Jinxi had grown considerably larger. Rather than meet the Crystal Bear head-on, he rammed it from the side.
Even with Jiang Mingyuan's enhancement, Wang Jinxi still fell somewhat short in strength. He was sent flying backward, while the Crystal Bear merely staggered.
Tang Wulin immediately flung out his Blue Silver Grass, wrapping it around Wang Jinxi's arm and pulling him back. Dozens of fireballs floated behind Jiang Mingyuan, firing relentlessly at the Crystal Bear.
That drew its ire back to him.
Under their relentless harassment, the Crystal Bear's stamina gradually dwindled, and the poison from Tang Wulin's first soul skill finally took effect. Its movements began to stiffen. Xie Xie seized the opening and charged straight in.
Pushing off hard, he leaped onto the Crystal Bear's back. Xie Xie raised the Light Dragon Dagger and plunged it straight toward the weakest spot on the bear's neck. In an instant, the blade sliced through its hide and sank in.
But the dagger was too short. Coupled with Xie Xie's insufficient strength, it only lodged in the surface, failing even to pierce the enormous bear's layer of fat.
Jiang Mingyuan smacked his forehead.
He should never have expected anything from an Agility-Attack Soul Master.
Just then, Wang Jinxi nodded at Wulin. Grabbing Tang Wulin's arm, he heaved and hurled him forward.
Tang Wulin extended his Blue Silver Grass and wrapped it around the Crystal Bear's body, continually adjusting his position in midair until he landed beside Xie Xie.
"Let me!"
Tang Wulin raised his right hand. Starlight surged, and golden dragon scales grew across his right arm, his right hand transforming into a dragon claw.
Xie Xie pulled out the Light Dragon Dagger. Tang Wulin aimed at the wound and drove his claw down with all his strength.
The instant the Golden Dragon Claw struck, its crushing effect pierced straight through that thick layer of hide and fur, reaching deep into the Crystal Bear's spine.
Tang Wulin exerted his strength. With a crack, its neck vertebrae snapped clean through.