Chapter 176 - Three-Eyed Demon Ape

When Teacher Wu battled the Soul Emperor Guang Biao, he didn’t use a single soul skill! He completely destroyed Guang Biao with only his comprehension of his martial soul! So in the end, it wasn’t a disparity of soul power, but one of insight!

It was as though a door unlocked within his heart, revealing a new path to him. While Soul Masters were divided into systems such as Assault, Agility, Control and so on, in reality, these classifications were not mutually exclusive but instead interconnected. This meant that the crux of the matter was in how a Soul Master utilized their martial soul and abilities.

Why was Gu Yue so powerful? Her miraculous six-element martial soul alone couldn’t make her strong; rather, it was her nimble control over the six elements.

“Teacher Wu, spiritual power isn’t as simple as a container for spirit souls, right?” Tang Wulin suddenly asked.

Wu Zhangkong looked back at him with pleased eyes and nodded. “The fact that you’ve understood this proves that you have felt it for yourself.”

Thrilled to have his hypothesis confirmed, Tang Wulin vigorously nodded. I need to improve on a lot more than just my soul power!

Perhaps it was due to the sparsity of soul beasts, but the intermediate spirit ascension platform was lush with foliage, undisturbed by wandering creatures. As the two penetrated deeper into the forest, the dense trees towered into the heavens and blotted out the sun, creating a world of evergreen gloom.

Their advance slowed a bit when four soul beasts appeared before them, but it gave Wu Zhangkong another opportunity to gift spirit power to Tang Wulin. While one was at the thousand-year level, the others were at the hundred-year level, yielding very little spirit energy.

“Follow closely. Now that we’ve entered the middle region, we could run into a ten-thousand-year soul beast at any time. At this level, soul beasts have undergone a qualitative change. Their intelligence far surpasses that of beasts at the thousand-year level, with some even on par with humans.”

Intelligence? It wasn’t something humans particularly cared for having grown to take it for granted over the ages. Soul beasts, however, depended on it to display their full might, especially when faced with humans.

A truly terrifying soul beast possessed high intelligence. If Tang Wulin and his friends had encountered a shrewder hundred-year Duskgold Dreadclaw Bear in the spirit ascension platform, he would have had no chance of survival—Xie Xie would have died the moment he attempted a sneak attack.

A ten-thousand-year Duskgold Dreadclaw Bear could single-handedly destroy a town armed with both foresight and strength.

Tang Wulin calmly released his Bluesilver Grass in preparation for any sudden attacks. He understood his vulnerability in this forest that forced him to rely on Wu Zhangkong’s strength. Since he’d be useless in battle, all he could do was act prudently and prepare to defend himself against any soul beasts they encountered. I still have a long ways to go…

“Stop!” Wu Zhangkong halted in his tracks forcing Tang Wulin to do the same, nearly bumping into his teacher’s back.

“Something’s off.” Wu Zhangkong’s expression became solemn.

“What’s going on, Teacher Wu?”

Wu Zhangkong answered, “It’s too quiet. Even if soul beasts are sparse in the intermediate level, there should still be some insects around. Don’t you feel that it’s getting dimmer and dimmer? And it’s not just because of the trees blocking the light either. No, this is something else. We may have encountered a powerful soul beast, and if my guess is correct, we’re in for a lot of trouble.”

Wu Zhangkong’s vigilance alarmed Tang Wulin, but even so, he could only continue relying on him.

Tang Wulin disliked this feeling of powerlessness as if he had no control over his own fate. Unfortunately, he knew it all too well.

Wu Zhangkong stood in place, poised with his Skyfrost Sword. Waves of frost rolled off of it as he surveyed their surroundings with icy yet calm eyes that occasionally glowed with a purple sheen.

Tang Wulin felt it now; it was eerily quiet, devoid of even the sound of the wind through the trees. This definitely isn’t normal. I wasn’t paying enough attention.

Around them, shadowy figures suddenly appeared and glided towards the duo, faintly discernable among the trees.

What are they?

Wu Zhangkong remained still, aware of the encroaching figures. Though the Skyfrost Sword swayed in his hands, pointing from one direction to another, the movements were calm and unhurried. The last of the light snuffed out, and an absolute darkness descended on the forest.

Even as the shadowy figures grew near, Tang Wulin couldn’t sense anything.

Then, fast as lightning, a black figure suddenly shot toward them. With the Purple Demon Eyes activated, Tang Wulin could just barely discern its true appearance. Shockingly, that black figure was himself!

Without a doubt, it was an exact copy of Tang Wulin! The only difference was that it was shrouded in darkness and exuded a chilling, bloodthirsty aura.

Wu Zhangkong slashed out, releasing a Frost Scar from its tip that sliced toward and through the shadow Tang Wulin. Completely unaffected, the shadow suddenly sped up and pounced on Tang Wulin.

“Hmph!” Wu Zhangkong let out a cold derisive snort. Purple light flashed in his eyes, and the shadowy figure shrieked as it dispersed in a puff of smoke.

Wu Zhangkong swung his head around, glaring at a mirror figure of himself that was dashing toward him. The shadow Wu Zhangkong shrieked and turned into smoke.

This is possible? The Purple Demon Eyes can do this?

Tang Wulin contemplated the wonders of the Purple Demon Eyes as the purple shimmer faded from Wu Zhangkong’s eyes. Teacher Wu is so awesome! What can’t he do?

Wu Zhangkong’s face still carried a grave expression. “A darkness and spiritual dual-attributed soul beast. How powerful.”

The remaining shadows no longer dared to approach, intimidated by the frightening power of the Purple Demon Eyes. They quietly turned around and retreated, but in their place, a black fog appeared. The moment he laid eyes on the billowing smog, fear gripped Tang Wulin’s heart.

At that moment, Wu Zhangkong’s second soul ring lit up, and a chilling mist spread out to envelop the two of them, eventually clashing against the black fog.

When the two met, the black fog condensed to become drops of black liquid that released a bizarre smell into the air.

This was a collision between elements of ice and darkness. Could this darkness-attribute soul beast possess the rumored domain ability?

He heard that within the domain, the ability user had absolute control. Despite some exaggerated elements, it was certainly true that their strength would be greatly amplified in the domain.

The trouble now wasn’t resisting the opponent’s ability but locating their opponent! If they couldn’t find their enemy, then they couldn’t defeat it!

Domain?

Tang Wulin had a revelation. He immediately crouched down and touched the Bluesilver Grass on the ground, closing his eyes.

As he grew to understand his martial soul, he became more intimate with all plant life, especially wild Bluesilver Grass. Sometimes, he could even sense their emotions.

Through the network of Bluesilver Grass, he attempted to extend his sensory range. Considering the forest’s lush environment, it would have been an amazing place for him to cultivate had it not been the spirit ascension platform.

During the previous battle, Wu Zhangkong had reminded him of the importance of spiritual power and creative uses of abilities, and now he was putting that advice to use. He silently concentrated on the gentle spiritual fluctuations of the surrounding Bluesilver Grass.

It’s true! The corner of Tang Wulin’s mouth lifted; he knew how to find their opponent now. Its ability to strike fear into the hearts of both him and the Bluesilver Grass ultimately allowed him to locate their foe.