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The wind and snow howled, and the chill of the Frozen Forest grew ever more biting.
Oscar and his three companions raced desperately through the pine forest, yet behind them, Serpent Spear Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo followed at an unhurried pace, like cats toying with mice.
Mocking smiles lingered on their faces.
"Well now, little brats—you can run pretty fast, can't you?"
Serpent Spear Douluo chuckled softly. With a casual wave of his spear, countless spear-shaped phantoms burst forth, tearing through the air like a rain of arrows, swift to the point of suffocation.
Although Oscar's group had consumed Swiftflight Sausages, boosting their speed to that of a sixtieth-level Soul Emperor, against the strikes of a Titled Douluo they were still utterly strained.
Zhu Zhuqing, an agility-attack type soul master, flickered like a ghost among the spear shadows, barely dodging.
Meng Yiran and Dugu Yan, both wielders of serpent-type martial souls, twisted their bodies like snakes, their trajectories forming eerie arcs through the air as they narrowly evaded the deadly barrage.
Oscar, however, lacked such agility. He could only rely on his Unbreakable Vajra defense.
A golden glow covered his body, and he forcibly endured the impact of Serpent Spear Douluo's attack.
Every time a spear phantom struck, a crisp metallic clang rang out.
Though his body trembled with each blow, Oscar gritted his teeth and refused to fall.
"Oh? Interesting."
Serpent Spear Douluo raised a brow, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
This had been nothing more than a casual strike from him, yet each phantom spear carried enough force to gravely wound a Soul King.
And this boy, with soul power barely above rank forty, had actually withstood it.
"Well, well. Seems Lan Minghua has trained you decently. Let me test your mettle myself."
Porcupinefish Douluo, intrigued, let out a chilling laugh.
His body bristled, thousands of razor-sharp poisonous spines bursting forth.
"Go!"
With a low shout, the spines shot out like a torrential storm, blotting out the sky.
Faster and denser than the spear shadows, the spines sealed off every possible avenue of escape.
"Damn it!" Oscar's heart sank. The rain of spines gave them no room to dodge.
No. As the eldest disciple, I can't let my junior sisters suffer without me doing anything. Even if I die, it has to be standing before them.
Grinding his teeth, Oscar drove his soul power madly. In that moment, his Unbreakable Vajra technique broke through to minor mastery.
Light surged around him, condensing into a massive golden shield above the four of them.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
The storm of spines clattered against the shield in a deafening barrage.
Oscar's face drained of color, while cracks spiderwebbed rapidly across the golden barrier.
But just as the shield was about to shatter, the Beiming Divine Art stirred within him, absorbing the soul power contained in the spines.
Miraculously, the shield held.
"What?" Porcupinefish Douluo's eyes narrowed in astonishment. "The brat actually blocked that? Intriguing."
Serpent Spear Douluo also squinted, his voice tinged with amusement. "These little cubs are proving more troublesome than expected."
"Quick, into the pines!" Oscar urged hoarsely. The four of them darted into the dense forest, using the thick trees for cover.
Their Swiftflight Sausage boost was nearly spent—if they lost the power of flight, they would become nothing but prey.
But their pursuers had no intention of letting them escape.
"Hmph. Do you think mere trees can shield you from me?"
Serpent Spear Douluo sneered, his spear flashing as another volley of phantoms shot forth, each like a heat-seeking missile.
Behind him, Porcupinefish Douluo followed lazily, his poisonous spines falling like rain, corroding the trees they touched into drifting ash.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Explosions echoed as spear phantoms struck.
Zhu Zhuqing flickered behind a massive tree, though the shockwave left her reeling with churning blood.
Meng Yiran and Dugu Yan twisted through the branches with serpentine grace, barely avoiding annihilation.
Oscar hid behind a great trunk, his face pale as paper, blood trickling from his lips—yet his eyes burned with resolve.
Master, if you don't come soon, I really won't be able to hold out…
Little did Oscar know, Lan Minghua had been watching all along.
"Unbreakable Vajra at minor mastery, and the Beiming Divine Art used with such fluency… Oscar's talent after consuming the immortal herb is truly remarkable."
By Lan Minghua's measure, Oscar's talent had risen by three whole points—bringing his system rating to ninety-eight. Nearly perfect.
Yet Lan Minghua still chose not to intervene. Only in the crucible of despair could one break their limits.
Besides, he had already placed safeguards on his disciples. Their lives would not be lost.
High above, the two Titled Douluo hovered, smirking down at the silent forest.
"Hide if you like. In this weather, let's see how long you last."
Porcupinefish Douluo's chilling laughter rang out as new spines sprouted across his body, ready to launch again.
Oscar staggered upright, forcing his trembling hands to call forth his first three spirit skills.
Sausages appeared in his palms—one for recovery, one for detoxification, one for swift flight—which he hastily tossed to the three girls.
"Eat them! Now! Then split up and run!"
His voice was hoarse, but his gaze burned with determination.
Zhu Zhuqing caught hers, eyes flickering with hesitation. "Oscar, what are you planning?"
He gave no answer. Instead, he stood tall, voice heavy: "I'll hold their attention. You three scatter—live, no matter what."
"No!" Meng Yiran shot back, gripping her snake staff tight, her eyes blazing. "We're in this together. If we die, we die together!"
Dugu Yan nodded firmly, addressing him for the first time as such: "Eldest Brother, we'll leave together. Master will reach us soon!"
Oscar shook his head, smiling bitterly yet proudly.
Wiping the blood from his lips, he forced a joking tone: "I'm the eldest. You do as I say. Besides—let me play the hero, just this once. Don't you dare steal my moment."
But deep inside, his heart was heavy.
Against two Titled Douluo, there was no chance of victory. Better that one sacrifice himself, buying a chance for the others to live.
As long as someone reached Lan Minghua, vengeance would be certain.
"Found you!" Serpent Spear Douluo snarled, spear glowing as soul power surged.
Porcupinefish Douluo's mocking smile faded. His spines gathered once more, voice icy. "Game over, children."
Oscar's heart clenched. He barked urgently: "Run! Split up! Don't look back!"
The three girls wavered, but his unyielding eyes gave them no choice.
Gritting their teeth, they turned and bolted in three directions.
Once they were gone, Oscar too swallowed a Swiftflight Sausage and shot off in yet another direction.
He had to stall for time—even if it meant fleeing, he couldn't just stand and die.
Serpent Spear Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo's expressions darkened.
Their carelessness had allowed this situation. Four prey, four different paths—yet even they could not chase all at once.
Moments later, Serpent Spear Douluo barked coldly: "Take the golden brat and Dugu Yan! One's Lan Minghua's disciple, the other's Poison Douluo's granddaughter. They're the key!"
The two split apart. Serpent Spear Douluo gave chase to Oscar, while Porcupinefish Douluo pursued Dugu Yan.
Oscar drove himself to the brink, skimming low over the snowy ground. Yet his strength was nearly spent, and Serpent Spear Douluo closed the gap relentlessly.
Exhaustion dragged at every fiber of his being, but still he refused to stop.
"Damn it! Am I really destined to fall here?"
His roar of defiance echoed within.
With a burst of soul power, Serpent Spear Douluo's aura crashed down, forcing Oscar into the snow.
"Brat, where do you think you're going?"
He lunged to seize him—
But Oscar staggered upright, stumbling forward desperately.
"No! Even if I die, I won't be captured!"
Just as he thought so, the ground beneath him gave way. His body plunged into a deep, bottomless ice cavern.
Serpent Spear Douluo's hand grasped only empty air. He froze at the edge, his face iron-dark.
"Damn it. A cave this deep—even I can't sense its limits. That brat slipped away!"
(End of Chapter)