"Tianhai Art, First Form – Wave Surge!"
"Boom!!!"
The Long-Snout Blood Crocodile had no chance to counterattack from the very beginning. From the moment blood spurted out, it was already on the defensive.
But after all, the Long-Snout Blood Crocodile was a 5,000-year-old soul beast with thick skin and tough flesh—it wasn't going down that easily.
Its massive jaws opened wide, spewing out a barrage of blood swords. Wherever they landed, they instantly turned everything into thick liquid!
Jiang Xiaofeng quickly noticed—just like the others in Death Canyon, this soul beast was also venomous. In fact, nearly every soul beast here was. Their poisons were extremely potent. Just touching it would lead to immediate corrosion. If that stuff got on your body… the consequences were unthinkable. No wonder Death Canyon was infamous—its name was deserved, and so was its mortality rate.
"Zhu Xian Sword, First Soul Skill – Tiger Roar!"
"Roar!"
A forced stun! Jiang Xiaofeng launched another attack.
Xie Yue and Yan weren't going to sit back either—they followed up immediately.
"One Step to Heaven!"
"Tiger Fist, Second Form – Explosion!"
That punch felt like smashing into a steel plate. It made a dent, sure, but causing real damage was tough!
Jiang Xiaofeng shouted, "Fall back!"
"Its skin is tough—hard to break through. Though we've left quite a few wounds, they're all superficial. The mouth, however—that's a different story. That wound is obvious. That's got to be its weak spot. Look for an opening to attack its mouth!"
Yan nodded, "Cover me, I'll pry its jaws open!"
"Flame Lord, First Soul Skill – Body Shield!"
Yan's body was suddenly covered in a red, flaming armor. This soul skill boosted his strength and defense.
Jiang Xiaofeng asked, "Got it. Nana, how much longer?"
Hu Liena replied, "Almost ready!"
"One Step to Heaven!"
"Tiger Fist, First Form – Thousand Pounds!"
Even if it couldn't wound the beast, that punch was enough to grab its attention.
"First Soul Skill – Moon Blade Throwing Knife!"
"Clang!"
"Tianhai Art, First Form – Wave Surge!!"
"Boom!"
The Long-Snout Blood Crocodile howled in pain, but just like Mo Bot said—thick-skinned, hard to kill.
A fiery red figure fell from the sky, landing right on the Long-Snout Blood Crocodile. Yan grabbed its upper jaw with both hands and stomped down on its lower jaw with his feet, using all his strength.
Yan roared, "Hurry! This beast is strong as hell!"
As only a Soul Grandmaster, Yan clearly didn't have the strength to overpower a 5,000-year soul beast. The next moment, the Long-Snout Blood Crocodile unleashed its ultimate move—Death Roll.
Yan was spun violently, but he refused to let go. It was terrifying to watch.
Xie Yue panicked, "Yan, let go!"
"Demon Fox, Second Soul Skill – Fox Charm!"
The cooldown time was over. The Long-Snout Blood Crocodile, which had been rolling wildly, suddenly froze.
Jiang Xiaofeng didn't hesitate. He unleashed the immature Third Form of the Tiger Fist.
"Heaven Shatter!"
"Boom!"
The punch landed directly in the vulnerable mouth of the beast—BOOM—it exploded inside.
Even though the Third Form wasn't fully developed, it still unleashed 50% of its power—and that was enough.
The Long-Snout Blood Crocodile was heavily wounded. Yan was flung aside, landing nearby. Xie Yue rushed over to check on him.
The beast's jaws could no longer close, and it began to flee.
Jiang Xiaofeng raised his other hand—a slender sword appeared.
"One Step to Heaven!"
"Die!"
The Godslayer Sword pierced through the crocodile's open mouth—straight through.
"Clang!!!"
The Godslayer Sword returned to Jiang Xiaofeng's hand with a resounding cry. Every time it killed a soul beast, it seemed to rejoice—like it loved the taste of blood.
Jiang Xiaofeng put away both the Godslayer and Zhu Xian Swords, watching the Long-Snout Blood Crocodile writhe on the ground. It wouldn't last another minute.
Xie Yue supported the injured Yan over.
"Brother Feng, I think Yan's arm is dislocated!"
Seeing Yan grimace in pain, Jiang Xiaofeng grabbed his shoulder, twisted and pressed.
"Crack!" A popping sound—Yan's expression of pain immediately vanished.
Yan swung his arm. "Huh! It doesn't hurt anymore!"
"Brother Feng, you're amazing! You even know how to reset bones!"
Jiang Xiaofeng smiled faintly. He'd reset his own broken leg before—sure, that was tougher, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle.
The Long-Snout Blood Crocodile finally stopped moving. Soon, a purple soul ring rose—but sadly, no one needed it, so it would go to waste.
Soul rings disappear if not absorbed within a certain time. Where they go? No one knows.
Yan walked up, stepped on the crocodile's head, and pulled out a black bead with his dagger—this was the Death Pearl.
"Damn, that thing almost killed me. Nana, if it weren't for you, a dislocated arm would've been the least of it!"
Hu Liena said calmly, "It's nothing. Just doing my part."
Jiang Xiaofeng said, "Honestly, when it used Death Roll, you could've let go. Sure, it wouldn't have been as effective, but you wouldn't have been hurt either. Look at your back."
Yan knew—his back was a mess, covered in scrapes from the Death Roll. A disaster zone.
Xie Yue looked disappointed.
"A 5,000-year beast should've dropped a soul bone... too bad this one didn't."
Mo Bot landed beside Jiang Xiaofeng.
"Soul bones are incredibly rare—not something just anyone can get. Even in Spirit Hall, only a few Elders have them. Even Elder Yue Guan doesn't. So forget about it. Just getting a compatible soul ring is already a win."
Mo Bot looked at the dead crocodile. "You all did well. Good teamwork. If you had seven members, taking down a 5,000-year soul beast would be no problem."
"Seven?" The group looked at him.
"In the Continental Advanced Soul Master Tournament, every team must have seven members. It's the standard setup: an Auxiliary-type, a Control-type, an Agility Attack-type, a Power Attack-type, and a Defense-type Soul Master. Among them, Auxiliary and Control types are essential. Right now, you're missing an Auxiliary-type."
Jiang Xiaofeng asked, "If Auxiliary-types are so important, why didn't Teacher include one in our training group?"
Mo Bot smiled wryly. "All the top-tier Auxiliary-types we know of don't belong to Spirit Hall. So…"
Jiang Xiaofeng understood. If they used an average Auxiliary-type, it might end up dragging them down. Bibi Dong had clearly considered that.
Mo Bot said, "Alright, that's enough for today. Let's head back to camp."
"Yes, Instructor!"
Back at the camp, Xie Yue was applying medicine to Yan, while Jiang Xiaofeng was packing.
Hu Liena, curious, asked, "Brother Feng, what are you doing?"
"Heading out. I'll be back tomorrow."
Hu Liena immediately grabbed his arm. "I want to come too! I'm going crazy staying here!"
Take her? Jiang Xiaofeng wouldn't dare. What if something happened? Worse yet—he was heading out to get beat up. How embarrassing would it be if this girl teased him about it when they got older?
No way she's coming.
(End of Chapter)