"Hisssss!"
Dragging his injured body closer, Tang San muttered, "Incredible. It's still not dead yet. Are all insect-type Soul Beasts this tenacious?"
Though Tang San couldn't understand the insect's cries, the fact that it was still screeching after being split in two was astonishing. He couldn't tell whether it was due to its incredible vitality or sheer stubbornness.
With a pained hiss, the Insect Soul Beast struggled to prop itself up on its remaining legs. The wound where nearly half its body had been severed revealed squirming internal organs, exposing all the unique biological structures of an insect-type Soul Beast to the open air.
Watching the creature stand despite having half its body chopped off, it was now Tang San's turn to be stunned. The visual impact was overwhelming. "This vitality is unbelievable," he thought in amazement. "Is this really a Soul Beast?"
Any normal Soul Beast—let alone a Soul Master—would have already perished and released its Soul Ring from such injuries. Yet this Insect Soul Beast not only remained alive but was still mobile!
"The bleeding stopped!" Tang San soon noticed that the creature's wounds had ceased gushing blood, with only droplets of fluid occasionally dripping out.
At this moment, Tang San sensed something amiss. Both he and the Insect Soul Beast simultaneously turned their gaze toward the severed portion of its body lying nearby.
With a sudden burst of movement, the Insect Soul Beast reacted faster. Its remaining legs propelled it forward with desperate, survival-driven determination as it lunged for its severed half.
Though Tang San didn't understand the creature's intentions, he instinctively knew that allowing it to reclaim its missing half could lead to something unthinkable—perhaps even reattachment. Theoretically impossible, yet Tang San couldn't shake the premonition that this absurd scenario might unfold.
"Soul Avatar release! Martial Soul Shift—Clear Sky Hammer!" In an instant, Tang San dispelled the Rakshasa Martial Soul's possession. The next moment, the Clear Sky Hammer materialized in his grasp.
Spinning the hammer rapidly, he roared, "Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique—Phoenix Dance!"
Against a fully mobile Insect Soul Beast, Tang San would never have opted for the Clear Sky Hammer. But when targeting an inanimate object on the ground, the hammer's devastating power and throwable nature made it the perfect choice.
Whoosh! The Clear Sky Hammer transformed into a phoenix-like projectile as it hurled through the air.
The hammer's tremendous weight, combined with the centrifugal force and velocity of the Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique, created a meteor-like impact. The ground shattered as the hammer pulverized the Insect Soul Beast's severed remains into unrecognizable mush. No matter how potent the creature's regenerative abilities, Tang San refused to believe it could regenerate from complete cellular destruction.
Witnessing the destruction of its missing half, the Insect Soul Beast's face twisted in rage. Yet it retained enough reason to immediately pivot and flee. In its current state, victory against Tang San was impossible—continued combat meant certain death.
"Trying to escape?!" Gripping the Clear Sky Hammer, Tang San's feet blurred as he pursued with Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track.
By now, Tang San too was at his limit. After consecutive battles, his Soul Power reserves were nearly depleted. While the Rakshasa Martial Soul's Soul Avatar granted immense power, its Soul Power consumption was equally staggering. Now fighting purely through physical strength, he relied entirely on the Clear Sky Hammer's brute force.
Just as the cave entrance was within reach, Tang San aimed at the heavily injured Insect Soul Beast ahead and hurled his Clear Sky Hammer once more. The rapidly flying hammer closed in on the back of the Insect Soul Beast's head at breakneck speed.
If struck by the Clear Sky Hammer, that insect head would undoubtedly explode like a watermelon.
Sensing the lethal threat, the Insect Soul Beast instinctively turned to look. By the time it turned, the Clear Sky Hammer was already upon it. In that critical moment, a sudden burst of Soul Guidance Device light erupted from its body, forming a protective barrier.
With a resounding thud, the Clear Sky Hammer slammed heavily into the barrier. Although the impact sent the Insect Soul Beast flying, it was clear that the hammer's deadly force had been blocked.
"A barrier? A Soul Guidance Device barrier?!" Tang San caught the returning Clear Sky Hammer, stunned by the sight of the protective shield.
A Spirit Beast using a Soul Guidance Device?! And a defensive-type Soul Guidance Device at that—something incredibly rare! Even he didn't possess such an artifact!
Tang San strode forward, bursting out of the cave entrance. By now, the sky had darkened completely, with the moon replacing the sun.
Under the moonlight, the Insect Soul Beast stood in the center of the basin, its expression no longer furious. Its wounds had stopped bleeding, the injuries completely stabilized.
Ignoring the heavily wounded Insect Soul Beast, Tang San looked up into the sky. The moment he emerged, he had heard it—the buzzing sound of insect wings flapping in the air.
Insect Soul Beasts. Three of them, hovering above the basin, observing everything. These three bore some resemblance to the one Tang San had injured—bipedal with two arms, bodies encased in Insect Armor. The differences lay in their colors and mandibles.
"Ten Thousand Year... These three Insect Soul Beasts must all be Ten Thousand Year Soul Beasts. For three to appear at once is highly unusual. Just what kind of beings are these Insect Soul Beasts?"
This wasn't the Star Dou Great Forest or the Sunset Forest. The Five Wood Basin was originally a low-level Spirit Beast region, where not even a single Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast had ever appeared before. Yet now, three had emerged simultaneously!
The resources of the Five Wood Basin were insufficient to nurture three Ten Thousand Year Soul Beasts. The only explanation was that these three had come from another Spirit Beast region.
Tang San stowed his Clear Sky Hammer. With his Soul Power depleted, there was no point in struggling. The appearance of even one ordinary Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast would be fatal under these circumstances, let alone three—especially these bizarre and powerful Insect Soul Beasts.
"I'm curious. From what I know, Insect Soul Beasts aren't supposed to be highly intelligent. Yet not only can you use Soul Guidance Devices, but you also rescue your companions. This doesn't align with typical insect behavior. Could you tell me why?" Tang San's tone was calm, as if he were casually chatting over tea, posing a question to a teacher.
However, these Insect Soul Beasts clearly possessed high intelligence and didn't respond to Tang San's inquiry at all.
Tang San shrugged helplessly. "I see. Still a language barrier, then. Never mind."
"Taking your corpses back for research will suffice."
As his words faded, a surge of Soul Light erupted from the direction of the mountain range. A scorching, overwhelming wave of Soul Power shot into the sky.
"Clear Sky True Body, Eight Desolations Flame Hammer!"
A loud shout came from the distance, followed by a massive Clear Sky Hammer wreathed in flames descending from the sky, delivering a heavy blow toward the three ten-thousand-year Insect Soul Beasts in the air.
Boom! Terrifying flames swept across the entire basin. The Eight Desolations Flame Hammer burned like the sun, radiating intense heat that instantly set the surrounding trees ablaze. A man wielding the flaming Clear Sky Hammer leaped down and landed beside Tang San.
"Hey there, Xiao San. Your Uncle Lie didn't arrive too late, did he?"