"Senior Xu! Senior He!"
The moment Huo Yuhao's voice rang out, the information from his Spirit Detection flooded into everyone's mind.
Chen Junting, at the front, immediately raised his guard and signaled the team to prepare for battle. After all, the Nether Spirit Wolf pack lying in ambush ahead was sizable—and every single wolf possessed at least 500 years of cultivation.
"Heh!"
Xu Sanshi exhaled sharply. Under his second soul skill, the Xuanwu Turtle Shell Shield in his hands shattered like glass—splintering into countless palm-sized mini-shields that shot outward, encircling the team in an instant to form a protective barrier.
Only the front remained open—a deliberate gap.
At the same time, a series of sharp mechanical clicks echoed. He Caitou transformed like a steel war machine: metal tubes unfolded from various points on his body. Within seconds, he became a walking artillery platform—dozens of offensive soul engineering devices materialized, especially the massive cannon barrels on his shoulders, gleaming with lethal menace.
Sensing danger, low growls rose from all directions. In the dim forest, pairs of eerie eyes flickered to life.
Then—like ghosts—the Nether Spirit Wolves burst from the trees, encircling Chen Junting's group from every angle. Their eyes gleamed with cunning and cruelty, yet they held back, waiting.
Chen Junting acted without hesitation.
As a Xuanwu Turtle bearing the bloodline of the divine beast Xuanwu, Xu Sanshi's water attribute stood at the pinnacle among non-elemental extremes. Even though the Flame Nether Spirit Wolf's cultivation surpassed his, its raging fire was instantly extinguished by condensed Xuanwu water energy.
Soon, the pack's leader emerged—a colossal Nether Spirit Wolf whose fur blazed like living flame. Surrounded by its surviving pack, it fixed the group with cold, wary eyes.
Clearly, this was the alpha.
"Aooww—!"
The wolf king howled—a signal. The scattered wolves instantly regrouped, tightening their encirclement.
But Chen Junting wouldn't let them escape so easily.
A dark-gold sword aura slashed out—
cutting down the rear wolves at the waist. Yet the blade's momentum didn't falter; it streaked straight toward the Flame Nether Spirit Wolf at the front.
At the same time, Chen Junting's will stirred. The Seven Kill Sword hovering before him, wreathed in killing intent, unleashed six sword beams—
carving a massive "Kill" character that sealed the wolf king's path.
"Aooww—!"
The Flame Nether Spirit Wolf howled again—this time in retreat. Cunning as it was, it refused to sacrifice its remaining pack for a futile fight. Their numbers were already decimated; they couldn't afford further losses.
Seeing escape was impossible, the wolf's fiery fur erupted into full blaze! With a piercing cry, it detonated—
a wall of fire, taller than a man, surged outward in all directions. The searing heat instantly ignited the surrounding trees.
"Now it's mine."
Chen Junting's Seven Kill Sword already glimmered with cold light.
"Senior He—full barrage!"
The moment the words left his lips, Xu Sanshi parted the front shield array. Bei Bei, already in martial soul manifestation, struck first.
Behind them, He Caitou unleashed his soul engineering cannons. At least twenty beams of light erupted from his body—
blinding white radiance flooded the dark forest, engulfing Chen Junting's team in a curtain of fire and light.
The sheer soul power released in that instant stunned even Xu Sanshi, Bei Bei, and Wu Feng—veteran Martial Soul students.
"Third soul skill—Xuanwu Force!"
Water elements surged around Xu Sanshi's shields, dousing the spreading flames.
Chen Junting pushed off the ground, his form shooting forward. The Seven Kill Sword flashed with two yellow lights—
two sword auras shot out, crossing to form a massive X-shaped blade of light.
Before the attacks could collide—
The Flame Nether Spirit Wolf's maw glowed. Fiery energy condensed into serpentine flames that coiled around its fangs. With a flash of blinding light, the fire-serpents detached, transforming into crimson fangs of flame—hissing with explosive heat, they shot toward Chen Junting's cross-blade like arrows from a bow.
But under Huo Yuhao's shared vision, the team clearly saw a lithe figure racing toward them from the distance.
"Here it comes."
Thanks to He Caitou's barrage—guided precisely by Huo Yuhao's Spirit Detection—the Nether Spirit Wolf pack suffered catastrophic losses. Floating yellow soul rings in the air bore witness to the carnage.
Explosions and death cries filled the air.
Only the Flame Nether Spirit Wolf remained—barely alive, lying on grass reduced to ash.
"Third soul skill—Sword Wings Soar!"
Chen Junting studied the wolf's form. "Around 5,000 years—no more than 300 years above that. If Senior He has no other specific requirements, this one's perfect."
He glanced subtly over his shoulder.
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