Tang Yinmeng collapsed onto the cold, muddy ground, her body trembling uncontrollably from intense pain and fear.
She stared fixedly at the dissecting knife in her hand, which was shaking wildly.
“Ugh—” A painful whimper escaped her throat, feeling as if her blood was about to freeze from the cold.
The awakening was successful? But this was not at all the spirit weapon she had imagined!
“Well done.” A gentle voice sounded above her head.
Tang Yinmeng sharply looked up.
Ling Chen had, at some point, crouched down in front of her.
The bonfire’s light outlined his deep features, and there was even a nearly approving smile on his face!
That smile was clean and warm, forming an extremely eerie contrast with his crimson pupils and the evil purple light emanating from the blade.
He reached out, gently brushing away the messy hair on Tang Yinmeng’s forehead, which was damp with cold sweat.
The temperature of his fingertips actually carried a strange warmth? Completely different from his icy aura!
“Don’t be afraid.”
Ling Chen’s voice was a bit flippant, carrying a strange power of reassurance.
“It’s just woken up and has a bit of morning grumpiness.”
His gaze fell upon the violently trembling demonic blade, and a hint of playfulness flashed deep within his crimson pupils.
“Now, let’s make it quiet.”
Before he finished speaking!
A wisp of dark red, living-like blood instantly seeped from Ling Chen’s fingertip!
It precisely touched the black crystal at the end of the hilt, which was glowing brightly!
Buzz—!!!
The demonic blade suddenly trembled!
It let out a sharp, distorted shriek! As if it had been branded by a red-hot iron!
An invisible, cold, and domineering will, following that drop of dark red blood, fiercely pierced deep into the blade!
“Woo—” The dissecting knife let out an unwilling, low whimper, like a young beast.
The trembling slowly ceased, eventually leaving only the complex and sinister dark purple patterns on the blade’s surface, still emitting a faint, eerie glow.
It was quiet.
The bonfire stabilized again, crackling warmly.
The night wind blew, carrying a hint of coolness.
Tang Yinmeng stared blankly at the short blade, now quiet in her hand.
That chilling and malevolent aura, which had almost torn her soul apart, was gone?
Replaced by a strange, cool sensation.
The blade was still heavy, the patterns still sinister, but it seemed to have been tamed?
Easily tamed by this man who, a second ago, was as terrifying as a demon, but the next, smiled like a boy next door?
She looked up, her amber pupils filled with unbelievable bewilderment and a hint of exhaustion from escaping danger.
“Take it.”
Ling Chen’s voice was still gentle, even with a hint of encouraging laughter, “It’s yours now.
A good little knife for self-defense.”
He stood up, casually patting non-existent dust from his pants.
In the firelight, his tall figure exuded an indescribable sense of stability.
As if the thrilling awakening just now was merely an insignificant little game.
Tang Yinmeng instinctively tightened her grip on the hilt.
A cool sensation spread from her palm, but it no longer made her feel fear.
She struggled to stand up, but her body was still weak and powerless.
A slender, strong hand reached out to her.
“Get up.” Ling Chen smiled at her, “The ground is cold.”
Tang Yinmeng hesitated for a moment, looking at that clean, well-defined hand.
Finally, she tremblingly extended her small, mud-stained hand and lightly placed it on his.
A gentle force came, steadily pulling her up.
Ling Chen’s hand was dry and warm.
That warmth passed through her cold skin to the depths of her heart, dispelling a lingering chill.
“Tha… thank you…” She lowered her head, her voice as faint as a mosquito, her cheeks slightly flushed.
“No need to thank me.” Ling Chen released her hand, his smile still gentle, “Now, can you tell me?
What ‘good stuff’ is hidden in this Zoo? That you’d rather lie to me than tell me?”
His tone was relaxed and casual, as if asking about the weather.
But deep within those crimson pupils, an undeniable sharp light flickered!
Tang Yinmeng’s body instantly tensed!
Her recently relaxed nerves tightened again!
She suddenly looked up!
The fear that had been forcibly suppressed in her amber pupils surged wildly again!
“I… I…” She opened her mouth, her throat dry.
She wanted to continue lying! Wanted to deny it!
But facing Ling Chen’s eyes, which seemed to see through everything, all lies were stuck in her throat!
Just then!
Boom—!!!
A dull, extreme roar, as if from the depths of the earth’s core, suddenly exploded from deep within the Zoo like a thunderclap!
Shaking the entire ground slightly!
The bonfire swayed violently!
Sparks flew!
The surrounding dead trees rustled!
Countless nocturnal mutated birds shrieked and soared into the sky like a disturbed nest!
Forming a chaotic black cloud under the Blood Moon!
Tang Yinmeng’s face instantly turned ashen!
Her body trembled violently and uncontrollably!
Her amber pupils were filled with bone-deep fear!
She suddenly hugged her arms tightly!
Her teeth chattered uncontrollably!
“It… it woke up…”
She shrieked, her voice distorted by extreme fear.
“It’s angry! We need to run! Run!”
Ling Chen’s smile slowly faded.
He suddenly turned!
His crimson pupils, like the most precise searchlights, instantly pierced the thick darkness and locked onto the direction of the roar—deep within the Zoo! The Lion and Tiger Mountain area!
His gaze was no longer the gentle playfulness from before!
Instead, it became solemn! Sharp! Like a lone wolf sniffing out a deadly threat!
That pressure was Bone Eater Stage Peak!
It even vaguely touched the threshold of the Hundred Forms Stage!
And it was filled with a primal, savage, pure will of destruction!
“Taotie…” Ling Chen murmured to himself, his voice cold and with an indescribable excitement!
“It really is you! The first Heterocrystal absorbed by my ability, this glorious mission will be completed by you!”
He slowly raised his hand.
That wisp of dark red blood reappeared in his palm!
Emitting a chilling killing intent that made one’s heart palpitate!
“Run?”
The corner of his mouth slowly curved into a cold and arrogant arc!
“Why run?”
He suddenly turned his head!
His crimson pupils again fell upon the trembling Tang Yinmeng!
That gaze was filled with an undeniable command!
“Lead the way!” Ling Chen’s voice was decisive, carrying an absolute will to control everything!
“To its lair!”
Tang Yinmeng’s eyes widened in horror!
Go to Taotie’s lair?! That’s suicide!
“No… no…” She shook her head desperately, her voice choked with tears.
“It’s too dangerous… it will eat us…”
“Dangerous?” Ling Chen chuckled, a hint of disdain flashing in his crimson pupils!
“What are you afraid of with me here?”
He slowly raised his hand.
A wisp of dark red blood at his fingertip coiled and extended like a spiritual snake!
Finally transforming into a blood-colored short blade, about a foot long, thin as a cicada’s wing, with dark red light flowing along its edges!
The Blood Blade formed!
A cold, condensed, sharp aura, as if it could sever souls, instantly spread!
“And—”
Ling Chen’s gaze slowly swept over the quiet dark purple demonic blade in Tang Yinmeng’s hand, the smile at the corner of his mouth deepening.
“Don’t you still have it?”
He no longer paid attention to Tang Yinmeng’s fear and hesitation.
He turned!
Striding forward swiftly!
He walked unhesitatingly towards the direction from which the pressure came!
His figure, in the flickering bonfire and thick darkness, cast a solitary and oppressive silhouette!
Tang Yinmeng stared blankly at his back.
Then she looked down at the demonic blade in her hand, which was emitting a faint, eerie glow.
The black crystal at the end of the hilt seemed to flicker very faintly!
A strange warm current flowed along the hilt into her palm!
Dispelling a trace of the coldness and fear in her body!
She suddenly gritted her teeth!
A struggle flashed in her amber pupils!
Finally turning into a desperate determination!
She gripped the demonic blade tightly!
Using all her strength!
She stumbled and chased after him!
In the darkness.
A very subtle glimmer of satisfaction flashed in the depths of Ling Chen’s crimson pupils, then disappeared.
Very good, the chess piece is in place.
Underground grotto of the abandoned exhibition hall at Lion and Tiger Mountain.
“Roar—!!!”
Taotie’s massive body arched high, like a mountain awakening from slumber, its spine covered in thick, grayish-white bone armor!
It felt it!
That aura that disgusted it! Made it uneasy! Even made its soul tremble slightly!
It was outside! And it was approaching!
Threat! A huge threat! Must be crushed!
Its giant feet, thick as stone pillars, suddenly stomped the ground!
Boom—!!!
The hard ground instantly cracked!
Spiderweb-like fissures spread!
Its massive body was like an out-of-control battering ram!
With a terrifying momentum that crushed everything, it fiercely crashed into the heavily rusted, cracked alloy gate at the entrance of the grotto!
Bang—!!!
A deafening roar!
The alloy gate instantly twisted! Deformed! Like paper!
A huge, deep dent appeared inwards!
Rivets at the joints shot out like bullets!
The entire grotto shook violently from this impact!
Taotie let out an even more ferocious roar!
Its crimson beast eyes were filled with a madness to destroy everything!
It raised its giant foot again!
And stomped down fiercely!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Each impact was like heavy artillery bombardment!
The alloy gate groaned under the strain!
Cracks spread wildly like living things!
Finally—
Boom—!!!
The entire gate, along with large sections of the surrounding rock wall, was forcefully collapsed! Torn apart!
Turning into countless twisted metal fragments and flying debris!
A huge gaping hole, leading to the darkness outside, appeared at the grotto entrance!
The cold night wind, carrying a strong smell of blood and that infuriating aura, instantly surged into the grotto!
Taotie’s massive body slowly emerged from the broken opening!
Its hideous head, covered in bone armor, was raised high!
Its crimson beast eyes, like two searchlights from hell, scanned the ruined area ahead, bathed in the Blood Moon!
It wanted to tear everything apart!
Deep within the Zoo.
On the winding path leading to Lion and Tiger Mountain.
Ling Chen’s footsteps suddenly stopped.
He looked up.
His crimson pupils instantly contracted!
Locking onto the massive shadow ahead, slowly rising like a giant beast in the darkness!
A tangible icy killing intent and destructive pressure instantly enveloped him like an invisible giant net!
Pressing down heavily on him!
It’s here!
The corner of his mouth slowly curved into a cold, battle-ready arc!
“Hide.” He said to Tang Yinmeng, who stumbled behind him, without turning his head.
His voice was calm and unwavering, yet carried an undeniable command!
He slowly raised his right hand, bones slowly piercing his skin, forming a pair of pale armguards, and the dark red Blood Blade in his palm silently extended! Solidified!
Fusing with his blood, it transformed into a huge blood-colored war scythe nearly two meters long!
Dark red light flowed along the scythe’s edge!
Emitting a sharp aura that could tear everything apart!
His left hand slowly rose!
Palm facing up!
The Blood Ripple talent skill—Blood Pool Meat Forest—was ready to be unleashed!
In the darkness ahead.
Taotie’s massive body, covered in grayish-white bone armor, completely emerged from the grotto’s broken opening!
Its crimson beast eyes, like two searchlights from hell, instantly locked onto the small figure at the end of the path, holding a blood scythe and emanating a cold aura!
Four eyes met!
The air instantly solidified!
Silence, like the absolute calm before a storm!
Only the wailing of the night wind sweeping through the ruins and the heavy, oppressive breathing of the two fierce beasts about to engage in a life-and-death struggle!
Deep within Ling Chen’s crimson pupils, an indescribable excitement and greed burned like flames!
Taotie’s Bone Eater Stage Peak flesh and blood essence! Enough to advance his Soul Jade Physique further!
And Taotie’s crimson beast eyes were filled with brutality! Rage! And an endless desire to completely tear apart and devour this ant that dared to provoke it!
“Roar—!!!”
Taotie suddenly let out a roar that shattered the night sky!
Its massive body, like a collapsing mountain!
Charged fiercely towards Ling Chen with a terrifying momentum that crushed everything!
The battle instantly erupted!
PS: Thanks to “Tian Chai Shao Lian” for “Flower” x 1, “Powering Love” x 1, and Luo Zhi Sang for “Powering Love” x 1. o(=•ω＜=)ρ⌒☆