"You!"
Chen Feng instinctively stepped forward at those words, clenching his fist as though he wanted to hit Jing Shanshan, who could not read the situation.
Zhou Ding gave Jing Shanshan a long look. His pride would never let him beg Jing Shanshan, so he went over to Liu Yaya and Chen Feng to discuss how to deal with the Qian Jun Ants.
"Shi Lang"-Qian Renxue-moved her fingers slightly and looked toward Jing Shanshan, looking as though she did not know how to handle the team splitting apart.
Seeing no reaction from Jing Shanshan, "Shi Lang"-Qian Renxue-approached Zhou Ding and the other two.
When the three saw that it was "Shi Lang"-Qian Renxue-coming over, their expressions softened somewhat.
They had spoken with "Shi Lang"-Qian Renxue-along the way. Compared with Jing Shanshan, they found her much less disagreeable and readily accepted her into their team.
Chen Feng glanced back at the Qian Jun Ant nest.
Dark-brown worker ants crowded in and out of the nest entrance, their antennae touching to pass information. Occasionally, duller vibrations came from deep within the nest, probably from larger soldier ants moving around.
"Make it quick, and each take your own target. I'm fast, so I'll act first and draw away these Qian Jun Ants on the ground. Zhou Ding, take the opportunity to punch the nest entrance directly. Make enough noise to lure out the hundred-year soldier ants inside.
"If too many hundred-year soldier ants come out, I'll draw away as many as I can and leave one behind. Zhou Ding, finish it off quickly. If you can't, lure it away immediately.
"Liu Yaya, use your Martial Soul to control the field right away. Keep the surrounding ten-year ants from interfering with Zhou Ding as much as possible.
"Shi Lang, cover Liu Yaya and support Zhou Ding. If too many hundred-year soldier ants gather around Zhou Ding, I hope you'll draw some away."
"Shi Lang"-Qian Renxue-offered no opinion on Chen Feng's plan. She silently nodded and looked at Liu Yaya, the team's only controller.
There was one crucial factor in this plan: how well Liu Yaya performed.
Liu Yaya held her Jade Flute, her twin ponytails swaying as she thought seriously for a moment.
"I haven't obtained my first Soul Skill yet. Right now, I can only play basic sound waves. Their effects are limited..."
"It's fine. If it doesn't work, we'll try again next time."
Chen Feng reassuringly patted Liu Yaya's shoulder, then put the plan into motion.
His figure became a black shadow as he darted toward the ant nest close to the ground. The Shadow Dagger spun in his hand, severing two worker ants' slender antennae with one slash.
The swarm instantly stirred, and a large mass of worker ants on the ground turned and surged toward him.
The first step of the plan had succeeded.
Chen Feng immediately retreated, leading along the Ten-Year Qian Jun Ants he had attracted.
With a stretch of the path ahead cleared, Zhou Ding instantly charged out.
Martial Soul possession: Great Strength Vajra Bear.
His body swelled. Meeting no resistance along the way, he reached the nest and raised his right fist high. Planting his foot, twisting his waist, and turning his hips, he channeled his entire body's strength into his right fist and smashed it into the earthen wall above the entrance.
"Hah!!!"
He blasted away a chunk of the nest entrance, and the tremendous noise traveled straight into its depths, echoing for a long time.
A dense rustling came from inside the nest, and pairs of dark-red eyes lit up in its depths.
Dozens of Qian Jun Ants over three inches long crawled out of the hole. Three of them were nearly six inches long.
Without a doubt, those three were very likely hundred-year Qian Jun Ants.
Those dark-red eyes had already locked onto Zhou Ding. He grinned, but his smile quickly froze.
The dozens of Qian Jun Ants lunged at him simultaneously. They were fast!
Especially the ones nearly six inches long-Zhou Ding could see only a few afterimages. His mind actually went completely blank for a moment, leaving him unable to react, his body frozen in place.
"Zhou Ding!"
The furious shout from "Shi Lang"-Qian Renxue-immediately snapped the stunned Zhou Ding back to his senses. He crossed his arms in front of himself at once to block the incoming attacks he could no longer dodge.
The next second, Zhou Ding felt as though a great clock pendulum had slammed into him. His body rolled several times across the ground, and a salty taste rose from his stomach into his throat.
Seeing Zhou Ding, physically the strongest of the three, cough up blood after taking just one hit, Liu Yaya trembled. Her eyes filled with fear, and for a moment, she did not know what to do.
"Liu Yaya, control them."
Seeing this, "Shi Lang"-Qian Renxue-understood these children's problem clearly.
However good their theoretical execution was, once it came to actual practice, all sorts of sudden accidents could leave their minds blank, not knowing what to do.
"Oh, right!"
Liu Yaya's pupils contracted sharply. With trembling hands, she brought the Jade Flute to her lips. A piercing flute note burst out, becoming a ripple of white sound waves visible to the naked eye that swept across every ant present.
Wherever the sound waves passed, the worker ants shuddered and stood dazed in place.
The three Hundred-Year Qian Jun Ants merely paused before turning their compound eyes toward Liu Yaya.
"Shi Lang"-Qian Renxue-immediately stepped across to shield Liu Yaya. With practiced movements, she gripped her Martial Soul, Ember Devouring, in both hands and aimed it at the charging Hundred-Year Qian Jun Ants.
"You've got to be kidding!"
Chen Feng tried several times to rush over and support Zhou Ding and Liu Yaya, but the numerous Ten-Year Qian Jun Ants before him blocked him every time.
When his Martial Soul, the Shadow Dagger, struck the shells of these Ten-Year Qian Jun Ants, it felt as though he were hacking at a training dummy-hard and unyielding.
Several times, he tried to force his way out and nearly got bitten by these Ten-Year Qian Jun Ants?!
For the moment, Chen Feng actually could not break free!
"Chen Feng, don't panic. I'm here. Once you break free, take Zhou Ding and retreat."
"Shi Lang"-Qian Renxue-steadied Chen Feng with her words while following the direction of the Hundred-Year Qian Jun Ants' attacks, redirecting their force as she parried.
The situation grew increasingly dire, but Hu Liena and the other two continued watching from the sidelines, showing no intention of intervening.
Someone without a Soul Ring could not afford to underestimate the strength of a hundred-year Soul Beast!
They read in books about famous geniuses easily killing hundred-year Soul Beasts for their first Soul Ring and assumed they could do it too.
When venturing out, they had to understand their own strength clearly and remain calm in unexpected situations.
This could be considered the first lesson that all the geniuses of Spirit Hall Academy experienced when going out to obtain their first Soul Ring.
Thus, after seeing how "Shi Lang"-Qian Renxue-performed, the eyes of Hu Liena and the other two filled with admiration.
Although this was her first encounter, she acted like a veteran of many battles, keeping a steady mindset when faced with unexpected developments while quickly beginning to stabilize the situation.
She was a promising student worth investing substantial resources in cultivating!
"Looks like that boy Zhou Ding isn't up to it today."
Yan watched Zhou Ding struggle to stand, his legs shaking beneath him. Shaking his head helplessly, he stepped forward, ready to intervene.
An itch suddenly arose in his heart, as though some invisible magic were enticing it, telling him to look in a certain direction. In that direction was a scene involving Hu Liena that he had dreamed of seeing!
Hu Liena and Xie Yue also felt an itch in their hearts. Although it was not the same enticement Yan felt, it was still a temptation their hearts craved.
This was some kind of attack that lured the mind.
Had another Soul Beast joined the fray?!
Hu Liena, who specialized in charm attacks, noticed something amiss, and her expression immediately grew grave.
Children without Soul Rings had little resistance to attacks of this kind.
It was not only the humans who were affected. The Qian Jun Ants all stopped as well, turning in unison toward one direction.
Jing Shanshan stood on a branch of a tall tree. Meeting the gazes of so many creatures, he swept a look of utter contempt over Zhou Ding and the other two.
Before him, a bronze-colored furnace cauldron with intricate patterns gave off a soft glow, conveying a feeling that was both immensely alluring and sacred.
"Three fools who don't even understand their own strength. The ending was clear at a glance. How utterly boring-an utterly boring performance."
All the Qian Jun Ants swiftly changed direction and raced toward Jing Shanshan.
"So this is that brat's other Martial Soul?"
Yan silently drew his foot back and watched Jing Shanshan, waiting for a good show.
He wondered whether this child clearly understood his own level of strength...
Or was this merely the conceit of a paper tiger?