They continued onward. Along the way, Class Zero's team encountered two more groups, but only a handful had the nerve to make a move.
During the Life Platform's turbulent period, many factions either brought suitable candidates from their own ranks or paid to hire outsiders to escort their younger, less cultivated members into the Life Platform for training. Unless they were confident, they did not dare gamble on how strong Jiang Mingyuan and his companions were.
Suddenly, a tremendous crash rang out in the forest. Tree after tree was shoved over by a colossal creature's brute force, sending countless small soul beasts fleeing.
Jiang Mingyuan put his fingers to his lips and blew a crisp whistle. Several little birds circled down, caught his clothes in their tiny claws, and tried to tug him away from the noise.
They chirped frantically, clearly badly frightened.
Before Jiang Mingyuan could get any useful information out of them, Zhang Yangzi shouted. Little Black Eagle darted through the woods and finally got a clear look at the monster destroying the forest.
"It's a Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear! Run!"
The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear could be counted among the continent's most powerful soul beast species.
In the past, people had ranked the strongest creatures in several soul beast habitats across the continent as the Ten Great Ferocious Beasts. Xiong Jun, ranked sixth among them, was a Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear.
In the world today, even an ordinary child who was not a soul master could easily recognize one on sight.
The ground trembled as a bear fully three meters tall emerged from the woods, its entire body covered in dark gold fur. Sharp, dark gold claws extended from its thick forelimbs.
Zhang Yangzi pulled Wang Jinxi along, while Jiang Mingyuan took Tang Wulin and Xie Xie straight into the air to escape.
Jiang Mingyuan weighed the situation carefully. The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's offensive and defensive abilities were both off the charts. Of the five of them, perhaps only he and Tang Wulin's Golden Dragon Claw could hurt it. Someone like Xie Xie might not even be able to cut off a single hair.
If its Dark Gold Dreadclaw struck them, it would practically be an instant kill.
Jiang Mingyuan immediately made up his mind.
We could fight it, but there's no need. They had already completed half of their main objective for the day, surviving for over an hour during the Spirit Ascension Platform's turbulent period. All that remained was to raise their soul spirits' ages as much as possible.
Watching the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear leave, they had just breathed sighs of relief when something none of them expected happened.
"Woo! Woo!"
Short cries rang out from the woods.
It was a weak Wind Baboon. Its cries caught the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's attention, and it bounded and leaped between the branches, charging toward Jiang Mingyuan and the others.
Before the Wind Baboon could reach them, a searing fireball shot out. The intense heat instantly charred its skin, and it toppled straight to the ground. The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's massive paw pressed down on it, flattening it into a meat patty in an instant.
Just then, the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear raised its head and finally noticed the people flying overhead.
Xie Xie and the others now understood all too well why enemies had to be wiped out to the last. This Wind Baboon was clearly a remnant of the Wind Baboon Group that had escaped by sheer luck when the young man with the Ice Staff cleared the area with his wide-range attack.
Fortunately, the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear had no real long-range attacks. As long as they did not descend, they should be fine.
But would things really go as they hoped?
Before their very eyes, the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear rammed straight through a huge tree, breaking it off, then wrapped both arms around it and hurled it upward.
Jiang Mingyuan and Zhang Yangzi hurriedly dodged to opposite sides.
It was not over yet. The Dark Gold Dreadclaw instantly lengthened, a faint sheen flowing across it. The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear raised a forelimb and swung toward Zhang Yangzi, sending three crescent-shaped blades of dark gold light slashing out at incredible speed.
Zhang Yangzi had no time to react at all. He and Wang Jinxi were sliced into six pieces and fell, their bodies slowly dissolving into specks of light.
Xie Xie could not help swallowing hard.
Despite the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's enormous bulk, it moved with extraordinary agility. Pushing off with its hind legs, it actually stood upright.
Its chest gradually swelled, and a layer of light rose over its dark gold fur. It roared toward the sky, unleashing a terrifying blast of air that rattled the canopy.
Jiang Mingyuan urgently gathered wind element into a transparent barrier before him, just managing to keep the blast from disrupting his flight.
Of the thirty-six stratagems, retreat is best. He immediately turned and flew into the distance, but the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear proved every bit as fast on the ground.
From time to time, the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear used its claws to scoop up huge chunks of earth, stone, and timber and hurl them into the air. Tang Wulin and Xie Xie watched closely, constantly directing Jiang Mingyuan to adjust his course.
The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear was like a berserk logging machine. Wherever it went, trees fell in great swaths.
Jiang Mingyuan was not flying aimlessly. He was searching for a target. At last, his eyes lit up, and the left hand holding Xie Xie jerked forward with tremendous force.
"I choose you, Xie Xie!"
"Hey!!!"
A fatty could be nimble, but a fatty's stamina was definitely lacking. The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear had slowed considerably by now. Unable to remain on two legs, it could only lumber forward on all fours, still pursuing Jiang Mingyuan and the others.
But if they arrogantly went down now, it might very well kill them with a single strike. Jiang Mingyuan planned to drive the tiger into devouring the wolves.
He swung his arm hard, sending Xie Xie hurtling toward a clearing ahead.
Only a group of Flame Demon Lions lay in the clearing. Xie Xie plummeted diagonally from high above and crashed straight into the largest lion in the middle. Its fur cushioned his fall, and miraculously, he did not die on impact.
"Jiang Mingyuan, you bastard!"
Though Xie Xie had survived, indescribable pain wracked his entire body. He struggled to his feet as the surrounding Flame Demon Lions encircled him.
Just as Xie Xie was about to become a little snack, blazing fruits came pelting down from the sky. They exploded violently the instant they struck the ground, releasing a peculiar scent.
Xie Xie naturally recognized them. He hurriedly covered his mouth and nose, trying his best not to breathe any in. If he collapsed here from paralysis, he would have no chance of escaping.
"What are you standing there for? Run! Back the way we came!" Jiang Mingyuan flew overhead as several Golden Feathers drifted down, striking Xie Xie squarely and melting into his body.
Xie Xie immediately felt the numbness from the little he had accidentally inhaled disappear. His injuries were slowly healing as well.
Xie Xie spat viciously. Taking advantage of the brief moment when the Lion Pride froze, he slipped out through a gap.
The tiny amount of toxin in Tang Wulin's soul skill was nowhere near enough to paralyze these Flame Demon Lions. It was mainly the explosions that had startled them.
Seeing Xie Xie escape, the Lion Pride's leader roared furiously, ordering them to catch the scrawny little monkey who had disturbed its rest.
Jiang Mingyuan knew these Flame Demon Lions were certainly no match for the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear. But as long as the two sides met and fought even briefly, the situation would turn in their favor.