After Ghost Douluo disappeared, Xiao Yan and the other three sat in a circle to discuss how to hunt down the Magma Giant Ape, which was comparable to an eighty-thousand-year Soul Beast.
Before they knew it, the sun was high in the sky. The four nodded, then split up to carry out their plan.
The Magma Giant Ape was swimming in its private pond, now diving beneath the magma, now lying on its side to enjoy the sunlight, utterly at ease. After another lap of butterfly, it opened its eyes, only to find that a red mist covered everything in sight. Within the mist, the magma around it seemed countless times hotter, and its swimming had grown much slower. Even for a stupid ape with little in its head, these signs set alarm bells ringing.
Suddenly, a Full Moon shot out and slammed toward its back. The Magma Giant Ape's senses suddenly warned it, but its body was clearly no longer able to dodge the attack from an unknown direction. Before long, countless wounds of all sizes appeared across its body. The giant ape let out a deafening roar, and the force of its sound waves sent even Xie Yue, who was already in his Demon Charm state, flying several meters away.
That was right: Xie Yue and Hu Liena had used the Martial Soul Fusion Skill "Demon Charm" from the very beginning to weaken the giant ape as much as possible. But by now, the giant ape had been driven into a berserk rage. It began frantically absorbing the surrounding magma, and the molten rock formed a thick suit of armor over its body. The giant ape beat its chest and threw a punch, intending to use the armor's reinforcement to kill these pesky little bugs in one fell swoop.
"It's enraged. Yan, move!" Xie Yue shouted, and a huge figure stepped in front of him, blocking the fatal attack.
In fact, Yan's Soul Power and senses were also affected within Demon Charm's range. The only reason he could protect his teammates within it was the assortment of strengthening pills Xiao Yan had refined.
Time went back to when the four had been making their plan.
"Junior brother Xiao Yan, how should we distribute these pills?" Hu Liena asked, playing with the various strengthening pills Xiao Yan had taken out. "I've decided to give the vast majority of these pills to Yan," Xiao Yan said after pondering for a moment.
They had set out in too much of a hurry this time, and they had not originally planned to deal with a powerful Soul Beast with the fighting strength of an eighty-thousand-year one. On top of that, Xiao Yan's current spiritual strength was not yet sufficient to refine pills for long periods, so he had not brought many with him. At this point, they had no other choice.
"First, our greatest reliance is Demon Charm. We don't know what terrifying level that giant ape's attack and defense have reached, so Demon Charm's weakening effect must be maintained for a long time. Without it, I'm afraid we wouldn't be able to withstand even one blow from the Magma Giant Ape, even with you in your Martial Soul Fusion Skill state," Xiao Yan analyzed. "Fortunately, Demon Charm only suppresses Soul Power, senses and movement. It doesn't affect defense or physical strength. Suppressed Soul Power can be replenished or even increased with pills, and as long as Brother Yan stays close to Brother Xie Yue, the effect on his mobility won't be anything to fear."
"At the start, Brother Xie Yue can attack with all his strength. We need to use that to measure just how strong the giant ape's defense is." Xie Yue patted his chest in agreement. "But there's an eighty percent chance that our conventional attacks won't be able to shake its defense at all, so keep these Qi Recovery Pills. If the attacks don't work, take them immediately and do everything you can to keep Demon Charm going."
"As for Brother Xie Yue's safety while Demon Charm is active, that will be entirely up to Yan." Xiao Yan and the other two smiled at Yan. Yan knew they were going to use him as a meat shield. But there was nothing he could do about it; his defense was the strongest of the four, after all. "Only Yan's body is strong enough to take so many strengthening pills at once. Sorry for the trouble this time." Yan waved a hand, left with no choice but to accept his fate of taking a beating.
"Of course, all of this is just a stopgap to buy time. The real attack will all depend on the move I've kept in reserve."
Xie Yue and the other two were somewhat worried. It was not that they doubted Xiao Yan could unleash such a powerful attack; after all, the miracles surrounding this young man were too numerous to count. But they knew an attack that defied common sense like that must come at a great price. Xiao Yan was a perceptive person, so he naturally understood his companions' worries. But he only smiled faintly, showing no hint of uncertainty.
What the Golden Generation needed most at this moment was Xiao Yan's resolve.
"All right, that's the plan. It isn't complicated, and it won't be difficult to carry out." Xiao Yan held out his right fist and looked at the others.
Hu Liena and the other two still had doubts, but as they looked at Xiao Yan's smiling face, an inexplicable impulse welled up in their hearts. So the three of them held out their fists and pressed them against Xiao Yan's.
"This is our first time fighting together as a team against an enemy we can't possibly defeat." Xiao Yan spoke softly, but all three knew that his voice carried an unstoppable confidence.
"The time has come to prove ourselves, Golden Generation."