Lin Feng was utterly stunned to see this level 5 demon beast once more—the very creature that had 'helped' him immensely before. When he had encountered Qin Gucang earlier, he had assumed the beast had been dealt with by his pursuer. Now, it was clear Qin Gucang had only managed to shake it off temporarily, failing to truly escape. This damned creature… it actually caught up!!
What was even more alarming was that the beast had remained hidden deep beneath the seabed. Before its sudden emergence, Lin Feng had sensed absolutely nothing. If its first act of rage hadn't been venting on Qin Gucang's corpse, but rather launching a direct assault on Lin Feng himself, he might not have reacted in time…
Faced with a furious, late-stage level 5 demon beast, Lin Feng had no desire to fight. He urgently grabbed An Xiyue's arm and hissed, "Quick! Get away!!"
Unfortunately, the Hundred-Tentacled Blood Octopus did not ignore them this time. It had pursued Qin Gucang relentlessly for over a day, burning with rage, only to find its 'nemesis' already dead. Merely shredding the corpse offered no satisfaction. Lin Feng and An Xiyue became the perfect targets for its redirected fury.
"ROOOAAARRR!!!"
An ear-splitting bellow erupted from the blood octopus. Simultaneously, a series of sharp 'SWOOSHES' cut through the water as seven or eight thick, crimson tentacles lashed out, attempting to encircle them.
"Tch!! You go first!!" Lin Feng, having barely fled ten meters, cursed under his breath. Without time for deliberation, he swiftly wrapped the Invisibility Cloak around An Xiyue and shoved her forcefully away. Spinning around in the same motion, he surged his spiritual energy. A torrent of flame erupted from within him, coiling like a fiery Loong around his body, forming an oval shield several meters wide.
"THWUMP!!" "SCREEEECH!!!"
The first tentacle arrived instantly, slamming against the Strange Fire shield. A piercing screech followed as the tentacle recoiled violently, as if electrocuted. The other probing tentacles similarly jerked back. Clearly, the high-grade Molten Rock Fire still affected the beast.
However, the impact was brutal for Lin Feng. Though the blow hadn't touched him directly, it nearly shattered the fire defense he had poured all his energy into maintaining. It felt like a sledgehammer blow to his mind. He staggered, dizziness washing over him, almost causing him to plummet downward.
Worse still, as Lin Feng gritted his teeth, trying to seize the moment to flee, he saw the blood octopus below unleash another dozen tentacles. This time, however, they were different. They twisted and coiled together, flinging out vast quantities of thick, blood-like fluid that rapidly stained the surrounding seawater crimson. As the tentacles churned, a colossal red whirlpool formed in the blink of an eye, surging towards Lin Feng!
Truly a level 5 demon beast! Its adaptability is terrifying! After suffering a minor setback, it immediately changed tactics, launching a second attack without direct physical contact. This blood whirlpool was no ordinary current; the energy concentrated within it was immense. Any Nascent Soul cultivator caught within would be torn apart without a trace of their body remaining. Lin Feng doubted even he would be an exception.
Faced with such an attack, even his Strange Fire shield seemed insufficient. Lin Feng weighed his options for only a heartbeat before making a decisive choice. He retracted the fire shield. Pushing off with his foot, he shot backward. A cyan light flashed around him, and his figure blurred, suddenly splitting into two identical forms! The two figures shot off in opposite directions.
The onrushing blood whirlpool visibly hesitated, clearly confusing the beast for a split second. Then, it veered sharply, pursuing the figure fleeing left. But that figure blurred again, splitting once more into two, dashing away in diverging paths. The whirlpool hesitated again, then continued chasing the leftmost figure. This time it caught its target, instantly shredding it into glittering fragments of light...
Phantom Wind Thousand Shadows Technique!!
Successfully tricking the blood octopus and evading the whirlpool, Lin Feng felt a surge of grim satisfaction. He immediately channeled more spiritual energy. Cyan light flashed repeatedly around him as dozens of illusory figures materialized—twenty or thirty in total—scattering wildly in every direction!
Lin Feng hoped to confuse the beast with this multitude of decoys and escape in the chaos. But in his urgency, he overlooked a crucial detail: he was facing a cephalopod.
"SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!!!"
Almost the instant the decoys scattered, a barrage of sharp swooshing sounds erupted. Even more crimson 'whips' – the beast's tentacles – shot out, their number exceeding the fleeing figures!
In the blink of an eye, nearly every illusory figure was overtaken. A tentacle would wrap around one, and it would explode into dissipating cyan light. Only one figure managed to dodge the initial lash, twisting aside. But immediately, another tentacle slammed into it.
"THUD!!"
This figure, Lin Feng's true body, was sent flying dozens of meters. He barely managed to stabilize himself mid-flight. Raising a hand, he unleashed a wave of deep crimson fire. Almost simultaneously, yet another tentacle struck, forcing its way through the flames to slam into him again. He was hurled backward once more, though the tentacle recoiled rapidly, wreathed in smoke and the stench of burning flesh. The sight of more Strange Fire coiling around Lin Feng caused another tentacle that had been poised to strike to hesitate and then withdraw.
Lin Feng finally seized a brief moment to breathe. Steadying himself again, he wiped blood from the corner of his mouth, his expression grim. He bitterly regretted his earlier tactical error. Wasted so much spiritual energy on the Phantom Wind Thousand Shadows Technique, only for it to be effortlessly countered... He looked down at the Hundred-Tentacled Blood Octopus, its pair of lantern-like, crimson eyes locked onto him. A flicker of anxiety stirred within him. This beast is too tenacious! How can I possibly escape? Attacks from the Crimson Soul Flying Sword or the Devil Light Ring would likely feel like mere pinpricks to such a monster, unless they struck a truly vital spot – an almost impossible feat. As for soul attacks, the White Tiger Fierce Soul Talisman was probably ineffective against a level 5 beast. Attempting the Blue Moon Soul Restriction Art on such a colossal target would be incredibly difficult in his current state. Even if he could manage it, the prolonged casting time would leave him utterly vulnerable.
That left only one trump card he could rely on...
"GRRROOOAAARRR!!!"
A deep, angry growl rumbled from below, interrupting Lin Feng's thoughts. His eyes snapped into focus. Over a dozen tentacles surged upwards. As they whipped through the water, they sprayed out another cloud of thick blood, dissolving into the seawater. This time, they didn't form a whirlpool. Instead, they wove together, creating a vast, crimson net easily over a hundred meters wide, rising from below to ensnare him!
Lin Feng's heart lurched. He kicked off desperately, shooting upwards. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes. He spun slightly and thrust his right hand downward. A streak of bloody light shot from his palm!
The Blood Demon Blade!!
This was the ultimate weapon Lin Feng still possessed. He had intended to save it for a more opportune moment, but the immediate danger left him no choice. Evading the net alone wouldn't save him from the relentless tentacles sure to follow.
What happened next, however, completely defied Lin Feng's expectations...
"HMMM..."
The moment the Blood Demon Blade appeared, it emitted a deep, resonant hum that sounded almost... excited. Without any conscious command from Lin Feng, it suddenly accelerated violently. It carved a spiraling, crimson path through the water, plunging straight into the heart of the enormous blood net.
The next instant, the surging net slammed into an invisible barrier. It halted abruptly, without warning. Simultaneously, a distorted vortex appeared at the net's very center. It expanded outward with terrifying speed, like a black hole with immense gravitational pull! The entire blood net convulsed, collapsing inward towards that central point, vanishing completely within the blink of an eye!!
As the net dissipated, the source of its destruction became clear. At the point of implosion, a blood-colored dagger pulsed with intense, crimson radiance—the Blood Demon Blade!
This transformation happened in less than a heartbeat. The Blood Demon Blade's trajectory barely slowed. As it pierced through the net, it seemed to devour the entire structure. Then, in a crimson flash, it shot onward with a sharp 'THWIP', embedding itself deep into one of the tentacles positioned behind the vanished net!!
Compared to the massive tentacle, easily one or two meters thick, the Blood Demon Blade was no larger than a sewing needle. Its entry didn't even draw a bead of blood. Yet, the moment it struck, the tentacle jerked rigid. It froze in place, utterly devoid of life or movement.
"RROOOAAARRRGGGHH?!!"
In the next heartbeat, the entire Hundred-Tentacled Blood Octopus shuddered violently. An ear-splitting roar erupted from it—a sound mixed with fury, shock, and unmistakable terror. At the same time, the tentacle impaled by the Blood Demon Blade underwent a horrifying transformation. It began to wither at an alarming rate, like something rapidly dehydrating! The desiccation started at the very tip and swept downwards with terrifying speed. Within a single blink, the entire tentacle shriveled into something resembling a giant, dried piece of kelp! And horrifyingly, the desiccation didn't stop; it began spreading visibly up the tentacle's base, towards the main body of the beast...
Witnessing this spectacle, Lin Feng stared, momentarily dumbfounded. Then, astonishment and fierce elation warred on his face. He had only intended to use the Blood Demon Blade to repel the tentacles. He never imagined it would not only consume the pursuing blood net whole but also strike a direct hit. Most astonishing of all, it could instantly drain the lifeblood from such an immense creature!
Watching one tentacle wither to nothing before his eyes, and seeing the draining effect surge towards the beast's core, Lin Feng's heart pounded with excitement. Could it be…? Could I actually kill this level 5 demon beast right here, right now?!