Time seemed to flow exceptionally slowly deep within the Star Dou Great Forest, yet it also flew by quietly amidst repeated searches and waits.
Since the conflict with the Elephant Armor Sect, the group has become more cautious and secretive in its movements.
Five more days of patient searching, identifying traces, and several close calls with powerful Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.
Finally, deep within an ancient banyan forest, where moonlight rarely penetrates and which is perpetually shrouded in a thin, dark mist, they locked onto their target.
That was a " Dark Night Demon Fox " with a cultivation level of approximately 20,000 years.
It was not a large Soul Beast, not even much bigger than an ordinary fox. Its fur was a pure, jet-black color that could devour all light. Only its narrow eyes gleamed with a cold, cunning, and seemingly soul-piercing purplish-red light.
It crouched quietly on a thick aerial root several feet off the ground, almost blending into the shadows in the background. If it weren't for Tang Feng's powerful spiritual perception, it would be extremely difficult to spot.
This beast can be called the master of the night and shadows. It has a speed that is comparable to that of a top-level Agility Attack System Soul Master, and can easily blend into the shadows to perform short-distance "blinking". When it attacks, its claws are equipped with the "dark erosion" property that corrodes Soul Power and spirit. It also has the talent to create illusions and interfere with perception.
Its attributes perfectly match Zhu Zhuqing's Hell Spirit Cat, and it is even better in terms of unpredictability and lethality, making it an extremely rare and dangerous top-tier Soul Ring choice.
"This is it." Zhu Zhuqing's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible excitement and determination.
The hunting plan was quickly determined: Tang Feng would be in charge of defense, attracting and withstanding the Dark Night Demon Fox's attacks head-on, depleting its Soul Power and vigor; Zhu Zhuqing would be the main attacker, waiting for an opportunity to launch a fatal blow; the others would form an encirclement around the fox, blocking any possible escape routes.
The battle began the instant the fox demon sensed the intrusion and let out a silent shriek.
It was indeed extremely troublesome! Its figure was like Gui Mei, flashing and darting among the aerial roots and dense shadows of the banyan tree, so fast that only twisted black afterimages remained.
The purplish-black claw-like rays were cunning and ruthless, attacking Tang Feng from all sorts of incredible angles. These claw-like rays were not only sharp, but also carried a cold, corrosive force, attempting to penetrate the Clear Sky Hammer's defenses and directly invade the Soul Master's body.
Tang Feng wielded the Clear Sky Hammer with impenetrable force, the heavy hammer shadows forming an impenetrable wall. The defense, enhanced by the " Clear Sky Nine Absolutes," was as solid as a rock, keeping the vast majority of attacks at bay.
He didn't actively pursue, but simply stood still or moved in a small area, using himself as a "target" and "barrier" to force the fox demon to attack him from all sides, constantly depleting its Soul Power and patience.
Zhu Zhuqing, on the other hand, is like a sharp blade lurking in the shadow of Tang Feng's "strong shield".
She concealed her presence to the extreme, using the shadows in the forest to repeatedly attempt to approach and launch a surprise attack.
She is faster and her attacks are more ferocious. Her Fourth Soul Skill, " Nether Dreadclaw," combined with her External Soul Bone " Dark Gold Dreadclaw," makes every strike a threat to the fox demon.
However, the Dark Night Demon Fox's alertness and fighting instincts were beyond imagination.
It always manages to sense Zhu Zhuqing's killing intent at the last second, either by using phantom clones to confuse her, or by using shadow flashes to avoid vital points, and occasionally it can even counter with a " Dark Erosion Gloomlight " to force Zhu Zhuqing back.
Although its main attack was on Tang Feng, it always maintained the highest level of vigilance against Zhu Zhuqing's harassment.
This is a duel that severely tests patience, timing, and endurance.
During an extremely risky close-quarters thrust, Zhu Zhuqing was struck on the shoulder by a solid shadow whip lashed out from the fox demon's tail. Although her Soul Power protected her, she was still left with a deep wound that revealed the bone and emanated black energy, which clearly affected her mobility.
Ye Lingling's healing white light fell in time, dispelling the dark corrosive energy and healing the wounds, but Zhu Zhuqing's Soul Power and physical strength were also rapidly declining.
Time passed slowly, and although the fox demon's attacks remained fierce, their frequency was not as high as at the beginning, and the distance of its flashes was also shortening.
Tang Feng judged that the effort had been effective, and Zhu Zhuqing had achieved her training objective. She had personally experienced the rhythm, danger, and pressure of fighting against such a top-tier agile, shadow-type Soul Beast.
It's time to end this hunt.
Just as the fox demon reappeared in a flash and pounced on Tang Feng from mid-air, its old strength dissipated and new strength not yet generated, its figure slightly sluggish in the air, Tang Feng let out a low shout, and his aura suddenly changed from a defensive stance!
His footwork shifted subtly, as if he were instantly teleporting, precisely cutting into the side of the fox demon's attack trajectory. The Clear Sky Hammer in his hand, though its dark light was contained, emitted a peculiar vibrational fluctuation.
" The Clear Sky Nine Absolutes, the Shock Formula!"
The hammer didn't strike, but rather, with a high-frequency vibration, it precisely "pointed" at the fox demon's relatively vulnerable rib area!
"Howl!!"
The Dark Night Demon Fox let out a sharp, mournful howl, unlike anything it had ever heard before.
The Shock Formula, which ignored some external defenses and penetrated directly into the internal organs, made its internal organs feel like they were being overturned. Its condensed Soul Power instantly collapsed, and its purplish-red eyes were filled with pain and dizziness. The enormous impact slammed its entire body to the ground, causing it to fall into a brief state of stiffness and unconsciousness.
Tang Feng's strike was perfectly timed, inflicting serious injury without killing Zhu Zhuqing, thus creating the perfect opportunity to finish her off.
Without the slightest hesitation, Zhu Zhuqing, whose face was slightly pale, transformed into a straight death ray that combined the power of the underworld with the sharpness of dark gold, bursting forth from the shadows!
"Puff!"
The sharp claws pierced the fox demon's throat with pinpoint accuracy, severing all its life force.
A deep black Soul Ring slowly emerged from the fox demon's corpse. On the Soul Ring, a faint purplish-black fox shadow flowed, exuding an aura that was both alluring and dangerous.
Zhu Zhuqing sat down cross-legged, ate Oscar's Recovery Sausage, and after meditating for a quarter of an hour, began to draw her Soul Ring.
The absorption process was unusually dangerous from the very beginning.
That Soul Ring contained not only immense energy, but also the cunning, cold, and corrosive spiritual imprint of the Dark Night Demon Fox.
Unlike the Berserk Demon Bear that charged head-on, it was like countless tiny, cold, venomous Venomous Serpent, trying to burrow into the cracks of Zhu Zhuqing's mind, distort her perception, assimilate her will, and drown her in endless shadows and illusions, as if trying to turn her into another " Dark Night Demon Fox."
Zhu Zhuqing frowned, cold sweat beaded on her forehead, and her body trembled slightly. But even as the illusions came one after another, her clear, cold eyes maintained a sharp, star-like clarity.
Her mind had long been tempered to be as hard as ice. No matter how the fox spirit tempted, intimidated, or corrupted her, she simply guarded her mind and used the cold and aloof nature of the Nether Civet Martial Soul to fight against it, gradually peeling away, devouring, and merging with that foreign dark power.
This process lasted for nearly four hours. When the deep black Soul Ring was completely stable around her and moved in harmony with the other four Soul Ring, Zhu Zhuqing slowly opened her eyes.
In his eyes, the darkness seemed even deeper and more restrained, with a faint purple light flashing by. His level 52 Soul Power was stable and solid, indicating a great harvest.
" Zhu Zhuqing, how is it? What is your Soul Skill?" Ning Rongrong asked with concern.
"Level 52, Fifth Soul Skill, Nether Shadow Stealth." Zhu Zhuqing spoke, her voice still cold, yet carrying a hint of barely perceptible sharpness.
"Blending into the shadows, advanced stealth, almost completely eliminating one's traces and aura," Zhu Zhuqing explained simply, a rare hint of satisfaction from gaining immense power appearing on her usually cold face. "The first attack after breaking out of stealth deals significantly increased damage and inflicts a brief mental stun effect."
This is a true God of Slaughter technique! A single strike is fatal, allowing for a swift escape from afar. The ultimate dream of an assassin is almost perfectly embodied in this Soul Skill. Combined with her original speed, attack power, and the External Soul Bone " Dark Gold Dreadclaw," her threat level will increase exponentially.
Everyone's eyes widened in amazement. Tang Feng nodded, a smile appearing on his face, "Congratulations, Zhu Zhuqing. This Soul Skill is very suitable for you."
Thus, the main objectives of the Star Dou Great Forest training have been successfully completed.
Tang Jian and Zhu Zhuqing obtained perfectly matched Fifth Soul Ring, while Bai Chenxiang, Ning Rongrong, and Tai Long also gained something, significantly improving the team's overall strength and teamwork.