"Chase them!"
Yu Yuanzhen's expression was sinister, his eyes blazing like an angry vajra guardian.
Now, he wanted Tang Hao dead.
Crazy Dragon Douluo naturally followed closely behind as they pursued Tang Xiao and Tang Hao together.
Meanwhile.
In an underground cave within Sunset Forest.
Dugu Feng encountered Tang San once again.
This cave was an extension of the underground training field he had created.
Only within this cave did he feel truly safe.
Even now, the news he had obtained in Slaughter City—that the old sect master of the Clear Sky Sect was still alive—weighed heavily on his mind.
This time, he had abducted Tang San by first having the Emerald Dragon Snake swallow him whole.
After wandering around Sunset Forest for a while, he finally brought Tang San back to this cave.
"Tang San, oh Tang San, should I say you and the Eight Spider Lances are fated… or not?"
He sneered as he looked at Tang San, who lay unconscious on the ground.
Eight spider lances burst forth from Dugu Feng's back, piercing mercilessly into Tang San's spine.
With his familiarity with the Eight Spider Lances, each of the eight spider legs struck precisely between Tang San's ribs.
A dark purple glow radiated from the spider legs as ripples of energy flowed through them and into Dugu Feng's body.
"So comfortable… This is the third time I've devoured an External Soul Bone. I should thank you, Tang San!"
Dugu Feng narrowed his eyes in satisfaction.
He wasn't just absorbing the energy of the External Soul Bone—he was also draining Tang San's life force.
Tang San's Martial Soul, the Blue Silver Grass, was actually the Blue Silver Emperor Spirit.
The vitality within his Martial Soul was exceptionally strong.
Moreover, Tang San had trained in the Mystic Heaven Skill since childhood, giving him an incredibly robust physique.
The last time he had devoured Tang San's External Soul Bone in the Star Dou Great Forest, time had been tight, and he hadn't been able to savor the experience.
But this time, he had all the time in the world.
Dugu Feng had no intention of letting this opportunity slip away so easily.
Tang San, lying on the ground, had once again fallen into darkness.
After being swallowed by the Emerald Dragon Snake, he had been knocked unconscious by its venom.
At that moment, Tang San's heart had turned cold.
Why did this always happen right after he obtained an External Soul Bone?
"Could it be that Evil Soul Master again?
Don't take my External Soul Bone…
No…"
This was the only thought in his mind before he lost consciousness.
Now, as Dugu Feng continued his devouring, Tang San—still unconscious—experienced that familiar sensation once more.
It was a feeling that had haunted him countless times in his nightmares years ago, after returning from the Star Dou Great Forest to Suotuo City.
The feeling of his life slipping away.
It was like one of the Tang Sect's tortures.
Blindfold a person, slit their wrist, and let their blood drip endlessly.
They could hear the sound of their own blood hitting the ground, feel their strength fading away.
Slowly, fearfully, they would inch closer to death.
That was exactly how he felt now.
He struggled to open his eyes but couldn't.
All he could sense was his body growing weaker.
He was certain now—this was the same Evil Soul Master from before.
"Why is he still targeting me?!"
"Monster!"
Tang San screamed in agony within his mind.
He had worked so hard to obtain this External Soul Bone—training relentlessly, tempering his body daily with the Clear Sky Hammer, risking his life to absorb Spirit Rings beyond his limits.
Yet in the end, all his efforts had only served to benefit someone else.
Tang San refused to accept this!
Then, at some point, the sensation of his life draining away stopped.
All he felt was his body being shaken.
"Ugh!"
The sensation of pain coursed through his entire body.
Finally, he could open his eyes.
Immediately, he looked around, searching for that Evil Soul Master.
But all he could see were dense thickets of grass and trees.
"Ah, who are you? Who the hell are you? Why did you do this to me!
Why didn't you just kill me!"
Tang San weakly shouted.
There was no response from the surroundings.
No!
There was a response!
A dozen or so eerie green dots of light were approaching him.
"Gale Demon Wolves?"
Tang San froze.
"Looking for death! Even wolves under a hundred years dare to provoke me!"
If he couldn't find that Evil Soul Master, he could at least deal with these creatures.
With a flick of his hands, Tang San mustered all his strength and hurled six throwing knives.
But the knives seemed to have lost their accuracy, failing to deliver fatal blows.
Instead, they struck the Gale Demon Wolves just below their necks.
"I'll make you experience the feeling of bleeding to death too!"
Tang San had completely lost his sanity.
He wanted these wolves to suffer as he had.
The knives were poisoned.
Soon, the six Gale Demon Wolves staggered and collapsed.
But none of them died immediately.
"Howl!"
"Whimper!"
The wolves howled in agony.
A cruel smile twisted Tang San's lips.
"Serves you right for provoking me!
And you—not killing me was your biggest mistake. I will find you.
Everything you've done to me, I'll repay a hundredfold!"
Tang San roared in fury.
He tried to stand, but the bones in his back felt as if they had shattered, sending waves of excruciating pain through him.
Gritting his teeth, Tang San took out some medicinal herbs for healing and hastily swallowed them.
Then he immediately turned his focus inward to inspect his condition.
What he saw nearly made him faint.
His injuries were even worse than before.
Last time, his bones had softened, but after some treatment and cultivation, he had replenished his vitality and recovered.
This time, not only were his bones softened, but he had also lost more than half of his blood.
Even his skin had become rough and aged.
Tang San felt as if he had aged ten years.
The eight holes in his rib bones were proof of what he had endured, and his back still throbbed with unbearable pain.
Most of his Soul Power had vanished, leaving only faint traces of Mystic Heaven Skill energy clinging to his meridians.
Forcing himself to stay calm, he quickly began circulating the Mystic Heaven Skill.
This was the Sunset Forest—if he didn't recover his strength quickly, he could be hunted down by Spirit Beasts at any moment.
Silently, Tang San began cultivating.
Using the Mystic Heaven Skill's energy to nourish his meridians and bones, he endured the relentless waves of pain coursing through his body.
"I'll make sure this suffering is repaid in full someday!"
With this thought in mind, Tang San stubbornly continued his cultivation, bit by bit.
He needed to regain his strength first.
Just now, even throwing basic knives had required all his effort—he was that weak.
At the very least, he needed to be able to use the Zhuge Divine Crossbow!
That was his lifeline in the Sunset Forest.
Meanwhile...
Dugu Feng remained in the underground cavern.
Having absorbed another External Soul Bone, he was exhilarated.
Of course, this External Soul Bone was also the Eight Spider Lances.
Its energy had been completely devoured by the Eight Spider Lances already within his body.
But in essence, he had just assimilated an entire External Soul Bone.
Now, two sets of Eight Spider Lances had merged into one.
His back and chest shimmered with a crystalline crimson glow.
This same glow had appeared when he absorbed his Fifth Soul Ring.
Only now, the color had become even more blood-red.
His entire upper body, from the neck down, was tightly enveloped in a crimson glow.
The bloody radiance rippled continuously before finally solidifying.
It transformed into Ruby Armor.
The armor clung tightly to his body, becoming a part of him.
"Thank you, Tang San. Keep working hard. I'm curious to see how you'll train next!"
Dugu Feng calmly tested out the newly acquired Ruby Armor.
(End of Chapter)