Lin Feng had previously worried that this demon beast might return. Even though both he and Xiaoqiu had confirmed the area was free of danger, that was only true within the range they could perceive. If the beast had hidden beyond that range, they would only detect it upon its approach. Unfortunately, this fear became reality, and precisely at such a critical moment.
Lin Feng glanced at the Ten-Breath Golden Ephemera beside him, its bloom visibly progressing by the second. A flicker of understanding passed through his mind. It probably sensed the imminent maturity of the Golden Ephemera... That's why it suddenly came back.
"Really... Rushing against time again! Judging by my last experience, I don't have much!" A trace of helplessness flashed in Lin Feng's eyes as he waved his right hand, summoning the Scarlet Soul Flying Sword immediately.
"Rustling, rustling..."
At that very instant, a dense, faint sound reached his ears. Simultaneously, countless small Gold-Devouring Ants emerged from cracks in the cave walls all around him, covering almost the entire cavern surface.
"Tch! So many 'underlings'!!" Lin Feng cursed inwardly. Raising his left hand, he focused his mind, and the Lava Flame materialized upon his palm.
"SCREEE!!" The Level 3, Stage 7 Gold-Devouring Ant leader issued a piercing shriek, a clear command to attack. In the next heartbeat, the horde of ants surrounding them surged forward like a crushing wave!!
"Hmph!!" Lin Feng snorted coldly. The Lava Flame on his palm shot upwards, exploding mid-air with a BOOM! It transformed into a swirling vortex of fire that enveloped him protectively. Instantly, the vortex expanded violently, its raging flames spreading outwards with terrifying speed. Within moments, the entire cavern was transformed into a sea of fire.
Amidst the inferno, only three pockets remained untouched: one where Lin Feng stood, one where the Ten-Breath Golden Ephemera grew, and one where the Level 3 Ant leader stood. The first two were shielded by Lin Feng's control; the last was protected by the powerful ant itself, repelling the flames.
The weaker ants, however, met a tragic fate. Within the blazing sea, shrieks erupted alongside a relentless sound like popping beans. No matter their overwhelming numbers, they couldn't withstand the horrific power of the mid-grade Lava Flame. The front ranks vanished instantly into ash as the expanding inferno washed over them. Any ant that charged into the flames afterward met the identical, scorching end.
"SCREEE!!" Witnessing the massacre of its countless 'subjects', the Level 3 Ant leader shrieked again, its cry filled with fury. Its body shimmered with intense golden light before it lowered its head and charged straight at Lin Feng!
"Claaang..." A clear, resonant sword cry pierced the air as the Scarlet Soul Flying Sword shot forth like a crimson bolt. The colossal ant swung its head, meeting the oncoming blade with its massive crushing mandibles.
CLANG! A deafening metallic crash echoed. The Scarlet Soul Flying Sword was violently knocked aside. Yet, Lin Feng's eyes narrowed sharply. He formed a sword gesture with his right hand, pointing and then sweeping it forcefully through the air.
"Shwoosh!!" The Scarlet Soul Sword, tumbling away several meters, suddenly shuddered and changed trajectory. It shot back with incredible speed, this time aimed precisely at a slender, segmented leg on the ant leader's left side!
"CLANG... SCHLICK!!" The slender leg clearly lacked the defensive power of the armored head and mandibles. Furthermore, the force Lin Feng channeled into this blow surpassed the previous strike. The crimson blade sheared clean through the leg's middle joint, severing it completely!
It was obvious now. Lin Feng's initial attack had been a feint. His true target was never the head, but the vulnerable leg. The ant leader, lacking such tactical foresight, had fallen for the ruse. The sheer power of the Scarlet Soul Sword was crucial; a lower-tier flying sword, perhaps mid-grade or low-grade, would likely have failed to achieve this critical strike.
Losing one slender leg wasn't a fatal injury. However, the instant the leg was severed, the Level 3 Ant leader unleashed an agonizing shriek of unbearable pain that dwarfed all previous sounds! Its entire body shuddered violently, staggering as if struck by a far greater calamity. The cause was the Scarlet Soul Sword's unique soul-damage effect.
Seizing the opening created by the ant's distraction and pain, Lin Feng unleashed his true killing blow — the White Tiger Fierce Soul Talisman!
"ROAR!!!"
Blinding white light erupted. A deafening tiger's roar shook the cavern. The spectral form of a massive white tiger materialized before Lin Feng and pounced forward in a flash of light. It passed through the thrashing Level 3 Ant, tearing free a faint, shimmering image of the ant's very soul!
Witnessing this, Lin Feng inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. Success! Once the White Tiger Soul attacks, it should be over. He maintained his focus, controlling the surrounding flames to incinerate the remaining weaker ants still attempting futile charges.
The Level 3 Ant, only at Stage 7, possessed no significant resistance to such a soul-rending assault. Its spectral form was quickly torn to shreds by the phantom tiger. With its leader's death, the frenzied charge of the weaker ants abruptly ceased. Panic replaced aggression as they scrambled back into the cracks and tunnels in the earth, vanishing from Lin Feng's spiritual sense entirely within moments.
...
The flames that had filled the cavern rapidly coalesced, shrinking back into the fist-sized core of the Lava Flame, which Lin Feng recalled into his body. He swallowed a Restoration Pill, then stored both the Scarlet Soul Flying Sword and the carcass of the Level 3 Ant leader. Only then did he return to the Ten-Breath Golden Ephemera.
Eliminating this Level 3, Stage 7 Gold-Devouring Ant leader felt notably easier for Lin Feng now compared to his battle against the Level 3, Stage 6 raptor-like beast back in the Black Mist Herb Valley. If I hadn't been racing the clock, I probably could have handled it with just the Scarlet Soul Sword, even without the talisman.
His gaze fixed on the Golden Ephemera, now on the very cusp of full bloom. He was about to summon his pill furnace again when he froze abruptly. His gaze hardened, his expression turning grim as he lifted his head sharply toward the cavern entrance some twenty meters away.
His spiritual sense had detected it — two powerful auras approaching at tremendous speed down the connecting tunnel!
Golden Core cultivators!!
In just a few breaths, two figures flashed out from the tunnel entrance. They stopped immediately upon entering the spacious cavern, their expressions filled with surprise and suspicion as their eyes locked onto Lin Feng. They were two middle-aged male cultivators, both appearing in their thirties. The one on the left wore purple robes, had long hair, and a square-jawed face. The one on the right wore a brown tunic, had short hair, and was slightly portly. Neither looked overtly vicious at first glance.
Their cultivation levels were also respectable: Golden Core Layer 5 and Golden Core Layer 7.
The two had been exploring nearby and were drawn by the commotion of Lin Feng's battle with the Level 3 Ant. Initially, they surveyed Lin Feng and the scorched cavern with visible confusion. However, the moment their eyes landed on the radiant Ten-Breath Golden Ephemera beside him, their expressions transformed instantly.
The square-jawed cultivator's eyebrows shot up. "That's... the Ten-Breath Golden Ephemera!!" he breathed, disbelief coloring his voice.
The portly cultivator's eyes gleamed with intense excitement. "Yes! It is the Ten-Breath Golden Ephemera! And judging by its glow, it's on the verge of blooming!!"
After uttering their exclamations, they exchanged a look filled with silent understanding. Simultaneously, they turned predatory gazes back towards Lin Feng. The square-jawed cultivator sneered coldly, "Kid! You have ten breaths to get the hell out of here! If you're still here after that... don't blame us for being ruthless!!"
"..."
Lin Feng's brow furrowed slightly, his expression turning grave. From the moment these two appeared, a deep sense of annoyance filled him. Misfortune never travels alone... He had just dealt with the ants, and now cultivators showed up, right as the Golden Ephemera was about to mature. The timing couldn't be worse.
The sudden appearance of these two made a peaceful resolution essentially impossible. The square-jawed man's words confirmed that. Hearing their ultimatum, Lin Feng abandoned any thought of wasting time with words. His mind raced, formulating a plan for a swift and decisive resolution. I have to eliminate these two before the Golden Ephemera blooms. Otherwise... refining the pill is impossible.
Across the cavern, seeing Lin Feng remain unmoved, the square-jawed cultivator's eyes flashed with malice. He opened his mouth to speak again, but the portly cultivator cut him off sharply, "Enough talk! He's only Golden Core Layer 1! Just kill him and be done with it!"
Before the last word had fully left his lips, his right hand shot forward. A flying sword, shimmering with a fierce green light, streaked towards Lin Feng like a deadly bolt!