"If this Steel Armored Ape were at full strength, we would have no need to provoke it. But it's very weak right now. It might even die at someone else's hands tomorrow."
"If heaven offers a gift and you refuse it, you will be blamed for it!"
Before her voice had even faded, Ai Xi drew her longbow. Soul power gathered, and a translucent, light-blue arrowhead appeared on the ice bow.
"Swoosh!"
The sharp arrow shot out rapidly. The Steel Armored Ape failed to dodge in time and was shot in the right shoulder.
"Roar!"
The Steel Armored Ape roared, attempting to scare off the group, but it did not attack directly.
"Huh!"
Lu Feng stared at the left side of the Steel Armored Ape's abdomen. Although it was well hidden, a wound was vaguely visible. A scab had already formed on it, so it should be an old injury.
However, from the Steel Armored Ape's dim eyes, it could be judged that it was still in a weakened state.
It should be a wound left by some kind of poison, Lu Feng thought to himself.
In the soul master academy, all I learned was soul beast identification and soul ring combinations. I could recognize the age of the Steel Armored Ape at a glance, but I didn't notice its condition. This kind of real-world combat experience isn't something that can be learned from a textbook.
Lu Feng glanced at Ai Xi. For this woman to be the leader of the team, she was truly extraordinary.
"First Soul Skill: Whirlwind Slash!"
Man Sandao brandished his greatsword and charged forward directly. In his hands, the greatsword was swung like a windmill, and finally, with a 'swish', it flew straight towards the Steel Armored Ape.
"Roar!" The Steel Armored Ape let out a low growl, and a layer of earthy-yellow soul power covered its entire body.
Innate Soul Skill: Bronze Skin and Iron Bones.
"Bang!"
The greatsword hit the Steel Armored Ape's head and was sent flying. However, the protective shield on the ape's body also dimmed considerably.
As expected, it's at the end of its rope. Normally, the innate soul skill of a thousand-year-old Steel Armored Ape would be enough to block the third soul skill of a Soul Elder, Lu Feng's eyes narrowed as he carefully observed the situation on the battlefield.
"First Soul Skill: Rolling Cask!"
Gulas stuck out his large belly, holding a large purple wine cask in his right hand. He uncorked it, and a stream of purple steam continuously billowed out.
After about three seconds, Gulas threw the wine cask in his hand.
"Boom!"
The moment the wine cask hit the Steel Armored Ape, a violent explosion occurred.
"Aoo!" The Steel Armored Ape wailed and was sent flying by the blast, slamming heavily into the trunk of a large tree.
Lu Feng looked closely and saw a purple viscous liquid on the Steel Armored Ape's body. The liquid stuck the Steel Armored Ape firmly to the ground. The Steel Armored Ape struggled a few times but failed to get up.
The Steel Armored Ape continuously wiped the sticky liquid on its body with its hands. Its soul power shield had completely disappeared.
"This skill is quite something. Not only can it attack, but it can also be considered half a control soul skill!" Lu Feng casually glanced at Gulas.
"Second Soul Skill: Volley!"
The moment the Steel Armored Ape was sent flying, Ai Xi made her move.
Draw the bow, nock an arrow.
Soul power was infused into the ice bow, forming one sharp arrow after another. A blue spiritual aura coiled around the ice bow, flowing continuously like a living, swimming dragon.
"Swoosh!"
The sharp arrows flew out. At first, there were only seven, but during their flight, the arrows continuously split.
Fourteen.
Twenty-one.
Twenty-eight.
In the end, a total of forty-nine sharp arrows pierced into the Steel Armored Ape's body, causing a spray of blood.
"Aoo~"
The Steel Armored Ape wailed. Dozens of sharp arrows had pierced through the palms of its hands, nailing it firmly to the ground.
"Swish!"
Man Sandao's blade rose and fell. With one slash, he chopped off the Steel Armored Ape's head, ending its suffering.
Blood gushed from the Steel Armored Ape's neck, dyeing a large patch of grass red. A purple soul ring slowly rose, splendid and beautiful.
"Slash, slash." Man Sandao dug out the Steel Armored Ape's heart and put it in a snakeskin bag. Then he shouldered the bag and quickly returned to the team.
Lu Feng looked at the ape's corpse not far away and sighed. But soon, Lu Feng had no time to mourn for the Steel Armored Ape.
[Picked up a white attribute point [Defense] fragment *1]
[Picked up a yellow attribute point [Vitality] fragment *1]
[White Attribute Point: Defense (10/10) (Synthesizable)]
[Yellow Attribute Point: Vitality (10/10) (Synthesizable)]
"Mm, how fragrant!"
The team continued to explore and soon arrived in a valley.
This place was located at the junction of the forest's outer perimeter and the mixed zone. From time to time, the group would encounter thousand-year soul beasts.
Along the way, the team rarely attacked. Even when they encountered soul beasts that attacked them, they would just drive them away.
"Stop for a moment, rest where you are."
At the entrance of the valley, Ai Xi commanded the team to set up camp on the spot.
Still in their marching formation, Man Sandao and Gulas sat on the ground, one in front and one behind. Yali jumped onto a large rock, keeping watch over the surroundings. The three formed a triangle, protecting the archer and the support.
Ai Xi took out a piece of dry food from her bag and handed it to Lu Feng. "Brother Tang Er, have something to fill your stomach first."
Lu Feng took the dried meat and sniffed it. "Huh, it's actually made from a Soft Bone Rabbit."
"Brother Tang Er has good eyes to be able to recognize it at a glance," Ai Xi praised lightly.
"Not at all. Along this journey, it's Big Sis Leader who has shown me what a professional team is!" Lu Feng took a bite of the dried meat and chewed heartily.
Along the way, the team members had cooperated tacitly, advancing and retreating in an orderly manner. Most importantly, their stamina and soul power had always been maintained at over three-quarters.
Especially Ai Xi's command.
Several times, when the team was about to stray into the territory of a thousand-year soul beast, Ai Xi was always able to discover it in time and then avoid it.
Whenever a team member relaxed a little, she could also detect it in advance and organize the team to rest.
"Big Sis Leader graduated from Blue Tyrant Academy. She's not like us rogue cultivators," Gulas laughed loudly.
"So it's the legendary Blue Tyrant Academy. It's not easy to graduate from there," Lu Feng said, feigning a surprised look.
Unexpectedly, Ai Xi's brow furrowed slightly. "That's all in the past, nothing worth mentioning."
"Everyone rest for ten minutes, then we'll continue to move out!"
After speaking, Ai Xi said no more and silently ate the dry food in her hand.
Lu Feng keenly noticed that when Gulas mentioned 'Blue Tyrant Academy', a hint of gloom flashed in Ai Xi's eyes. She had probably remembered something sad.
Before long, the team finished their rest and continued to advance into the valley.
The peaks on both sides were towering, and the foot of the mountains was shaded by green trees, with tall trees reaching twenty to thirty meters. In the middle of the valley was a huge lake. Lu Feng looked towards the opposite shore and could only see the faint shadows of a few soul beasts.
"According to the intelligence we bought, there is a colony of Scale Armored Beasts in this valley. Everyone, be on the lookout."
"Yes, Big Sis Leader."
The team split up to search. Man Sandao and Gulas searched towards the lake, while Yali went into the mountain forest alone. Lu Feng followed closely behind Ai Xi, doing his job as a support.
Although the team was fighting individually, they still maintained a distance where they could support each other.
Before long, Yali was the first to find the target.
"First Soul Skill: Steel Tempest!"
"Second Soul Skill: Sweeping Blade!"