Slowly and cautiously, Cain and Tan's group traversed through the Demonic Area.
As of now, a clear difference has formed between the two groups.
Cain, Kali, and Amber kept a reasonable distance behind, huddling to themselves.
While Tan no longer attempted to strike up a conversation, going right back to the front of his team. Nobody else in his team was daring enough, either.
After Amber's subtle warning, how could they try anything?
The Martial Immortal Valley is ranked just under Crimson Sea Academy, but the disparity between them isn't small at all. That backing alone is enough to severely threaten any genius talent.
Adding on to this backing was a High-Class level Family who stood at the absolute summit. Their prowess and wealth were only slightly worse than the top four organizations.
These two backings made for a terrifying combination. Only an absolute fool would still dare to needlessly provoke Amber.
This apparent difference confused Tan and his team more than anything.
Cain and Kali don't look remotely similar to any famous young elite in their city. Moreover, their cultivation foundation didn't seem outrageously talented.
Perhaps….just perhaps there is more to these two juniors than they meet their eyes?
But if that's so….why did they both look so alien?
Tan's team certainly couldn't make any correct assumption as of now.
And either way, Tan, Sun Ahi, Lan Kun, and Yao Yang couldn't suppress the bubbling envy from listening to Cain and Amber so seamlessly converse with each other.
Having a chance to form great connections with Amber Hiyashi was the ultimate dream for these young hot-blooded youths' minds.
"Say….we've been walking for a while. Just how far are we from the tree?" Suddenly Chen Ai spoke up after all this time.
Her Spirit Sense was far limited, so she didn't have the greatest sense of direction. Even before meeting Cain's group, it felt like they were walking in the same spot for hours!
"We should be….hey, yea. We're actually very close now. Let's pick up the pace."
Tan had briefly pulled out a strange-looking compass as he spoke. After sweeping his Spirit Sense through it, he could perceive that they were merely several hundred meters away from the Great Soul Tree.
At that moment, everyone in Tan's team grew excited. They promptly forgot all about previous confusion in the face of incredible treasure.
Rushing forward seemed like the only good option now.
Unlike Cain's group, they were a powerful line-up that dealt with all manner of Vicious Beasts so far. And since traveling with Cain's group, no other Vicious Beast popped up again.
So obviously, it was time to finish this final home stretch!
As Tan's team pumped up, Kali and Amber briefly paused. A faint ominous premonition swirled in their hearts.
Perhaps it was because of their previous experience, but the girls only felt like something would go horribly wrong soon. This smooth trailing was far too suspicious.
"Say….should we just cut our losses here and split off from them?" Kali whispered over.
Towards this group of barking dogs, she definitely didn't want to get caught up in danger with them. In fact, it would delight her if they all ran off to their deaths.
Amber's expression was a bit more contemplative, weighing its pros and cons. She whispered after only a moment, "Maybe we follow but stay far behind them? I don't think we should leave that treasure so easily."
Listening to her, Cain decided to peer into his Soul's Core. Upon sweeping his Spirit Sense in that space, a vague sense of dizziness slowly wrapped around his head.
Still, the drain of Soul Energy was significant. But Cain at least didn't feel any deathly sensation.
His mind came to snap decision as he said, "We'll keep going. And if it gets really dangerous, we'll leave. And if we can't leave, we'll just think of something to survive. Agreed?"
Thinking upon it for only a moment, Kali and Amber promptly nodded.
At the same time, Tan turned around towards them, his eyes landing square on Amber.
Before he could ask, Amber indifferently nodded towards him.
No words needed to be exchanged. Or rather, neither side wanted to talk with each other.
With her silent declaration, Tan whipped back around and said, "Let's go."
In that instance, Tan's team shot forward in a great burst of speed. Cain, Kali, and Amber weren't slow, easily matching their pace while following behind.
As they soared through jungle air, the wind howled around them, emitting light whistling sounds.
Their speeds were at the peak limit of all Nascent Formation cultivators. A feat that can let them cross several miles of distance within only several minutes.
Something that shouldn't be feasibly possible for Cain and Kali.
Tan's team was genuinely excited to gain the Great Soul Tree treasure. They honestly forgot about the sibling duo's lower cultivation realm in their great haste.
Briefly, they all thought they would need to slow down for them.
However, contrary to their expectations, the sibling duo was easily keeping speed. No massive leakage of Nascent Qi emitted from them, meaning this was their natural speed.
Is this really the speed of a mere seventh level and sixth level Nascent cultivators?
Tan's team couldn't understand it at all. But they currently didn't have time to focus on this oddity.
They all continued bursting right towards the Great Soul Tree.
Soon enough, after a few minutes of top speed, the large group rapidly arrived near an incredible sight.
As their eyes gazed upon it, each of them subconsciously slowed down.
Dozens of metes ahead of them was a uniquely crafted tree. It wasn't overly tall, just slightly under the average tree in the jungle.
But it did have numerous branches that extended far out, some reaching over thirty feet long! The main attraction of the tree was its color. Instead of a dull, slightly bloody rusted look, this tree was radiantly luminous.
A beautiful layer of a pure blue coat, almost resembling the gracefulness of the ocean, covered every inch of the tree.
If one looked hard enough, they would even be able to see slight wisps of blue sparks streaking out of the tree skin.
This tree was simply dazzling to discover. Cain and Tan's group felt a refreshing wave soothed their very Soul from just closing in on this tree.
This was the Great Soul Tree!
When Cain and Tan's group neared just a dozen meters from the Great Soul Tree, their speed finally slowed to a crawl, eventually stopping.
Nobody spoke as they took in the beauty of such a divine-looking tree. Even the ordinarily indifferent Kali and lethargic Amber felt entranced.
After a few moments, Tan was quick to snap out of his stupor. Before doing anything, he spread his Spirit Sense to his absolute limit.
Tan made sure to perceive anything unusual down to the slightest trace of life. He didn't need to be told that great treasures most likely hold some dangerous traps.
For several seconds, he inspected everything within his Spirit Sense. And nothing strange was perceived by him. At the same time, neither the rest of Tan's team nor Cain's group perceived anything unusual.
Their guards were raised, but it seemed like it was safe to go.
Tann then decided to speak while taking one cautious step forward, "So this is the Great So-"
When his foot touches the ground again, instead of lightly stepping on it, his whole foot sunken in, nearly throwing him off balance, interrupting his thoughts!
"Hm?!" Everyone else instantly became alert.
But at that moment, everyone, even Tan, froze. A sensation of looming death washed over them, drilling straight into the depths of their Soul.
"RWAA~!!"
Immediately after Tan's foot sunken into the ground, numerous vicious beasts roars shook the entire area!
Accompanying the roars were incomparably powerful Auras. Intense, frantic energy shot through the atmosphere, recklessly gushing out a whirlwind of Qi Energy that wreaked utter havoc in the environment.
The ground split apart, and trees broke of as waves of energies locked right down on Cain and Tan's group!
"This-this power?!?" Everyone in Tan's team was utterly bewildered.
Previously their confidence was at an all-time high. The strongest beast they encountered was a single Late-Stage Profound Soul that Tan swiftly took care of.
But now?
Their confidence was directly cracked to pieces!
"Th-there has to be at least ten peak Stage Profound Souls beast! And two that are nearly touching the borders of half-step Innate Lord! Just where the hell are they coming from?!" Tan frantically announced.
When he took that innocent step forward, his Spirit Sense didn't detect any trap within the group. But it seems like this trap was far beyond his scope of power.
"Shit-shit! Now what?!" Yao Yan bellowed out while gathering all of his Profound Qi. Even though he was preparing to fight, his expression was distraught. After all, their strongest were merely at Late Stage Profound Soul.
And Tan wasn't some Heaven-Defying genius that can fight above his level. On the contrary, he would struggle with trying to escape from merely one Peak-Stage Profound Soul, much less numerous of them!
Lan Kun, Sun Ahi, Chen Ai, and Yao Yang all similarly revolved their Qi energies to their absolute limits.
However, their expressions were fraught with despair. None of them believed they could survive this situation.
Within just a few seconds they were talking; the Vicious Beasts were rapidly closing in.
Now they were but merely several dozens meters away. Distance that's basically nothing for these powerful beasts.
Tan burned with frustration and regret. Just one simple mistake, and the situation already turned irreversible! And now, their only option was to struggle until death.
At this time, Kali and Amber felt their panic rise. Even for them, this situation seemed too risky.
The girls thought they could simply teleport out, but that would leave several incredible treasures behind.
After all this time, it's a bit of waste to only have to run. As they stewed on their thoughts, their gazes subconsciously shifted towards Cain.
"Cain….?" Amber and Kali puzzledly tilted their heads.
Cain didn't even look focused at all. His eyes were strangely glossed over as if he had fallen into some kind of trance.
This was too odd from his other expressions.
He's not serious, calm, or even consoling. It's like his mind went into another dimension.
And it was finally now an immense rise of anxiety birthed in both Amber Kali's hearts.
However, before their following thoughts even formed, Cain blinked a single time returning back to reality.
'Fuck it! I can literally strengthen my Soul after this. I need to strengthen my Soul! Losing this, and I may miss another shot for who knows how long! Chaos Energy is my lifeline; I need this to work!'
These past experiences told Cain something very important. Without Chaos Energy, he would've died countless times over! If he could control more Chaos Energy, then his combat prowess could fundamentally change.
Furthermore, a stronger soul means stronger base cultivation and a rapid rise!
This is why Cain's mind gained a sudden, crazy idea. From his previous knowledge about mystical beasts, Dragons are undoubtedly at the top.
Their might and prestige are simply unmatched.
And if he could bring out their prestige into a full-blown Aura attack, similarly to his Draconic Lightning Claw, shouldn't these mere unintelligent beast get scared off?
Cain wasn't sure, but it was worth a shot!
Unlike most cultivators, Cain had excellent access to his Soul's Core, allowing him to control Soul Energy in various ways.
Thinking of this, Cain threw all caution into the wind and linked his Soul Energy directly into his bloodstreams!
'Hu~!"
Immediately, a profound change occurred within Cain.
His normally round pupils morphed into terrifying draconic slits that could pierce one Soul with a single gaze. And at the same time, a black aura gushed out of Cain and rolled into the air!
Cain's aura didn't grow more powerful. But an incomparable might, a sensation that strikes directly into the Soul, burst out of him!
Right then, every Vicious Beast's terrifying roars suddenly stopped.. The whole air in the entire area seemed to freeze in time.
