Chapter 155: Reactions of the Saint-Ranks
–Soul Prison Trial, Fourth Level, Tower of Heaven
[Rule: Within this hundred-level tower, all spirit beasts will engage in free-for-all combat. When a certain number of spirit beasts are defeated on each level, all remaining spirit beasts will automatically ascend to the next level.]
[There is no elimination in this trial, but the Spirit Master will be temporarily frozen from participating in the Soul Prison Trial. The earlier their team is completely defeated, the longer the freeze duration. A complete defeat on the first level will result in a one-year delay.]
[Also, the higher the level reached upon defeat, the greater the reward for the Spirit Master.]
The rules were transmitted to all the spirit beasts via the common spirit beast language. Upon understanding them, a large number of spirit beasts immediately retreated, distancing themselves from the Saint-ranks.
The Desolate Fire Netherworld Rakshasa, the Hundred-Eyed Ghost Bride, the Abyssal Bloodbone Jiao, the Libra Fighting Swallow, and the Frost Snow Woman were all beings to be avoided.
As the area around the Saint-ranks cleared, their respective teams became apparent.
The Desolate Fire Netherworld Rakshasa’s team was unsurprisingly composed of fire-attribute, offensive types. The Hundred-Eyed Ghost Bride’s team was a group of… unsettling ghostly beings.
The Abyssal Bloodbone Jiao… its teammates seemed to have been swallowed whole, their auras present, but their forms invisible.
The Libra Fighting Swallow stood alone, as expected of a combat-type spirit beast, a lone wolf.
The Frost Snow Woman’s team was a group of ice-type spirit beasts. Since the little fox had chosen a Snow Fox form today, it was naturally mistaken for one of them.
The Frost Snow Woman, the Ice Spirit, the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion, and a Snow Fox. Their master must be a cold and ruthless woman.
“Chirp!”
However, with the other spirit beasts dispersed, the little fox’s aura was exposed.
The pink flower and the green vine, like grotesque monsters, rushed towards it, drooling, clinging to it, and engaging in a… public display of affection.
“…”
“…”
Gong Lianyue’s other three spirit beasts were familiar with these two plant-types and didn’t interfere.
In fact, two more Saint-rank spirit beasts significantly increased their chances of survival.
[Prepare yourselves. The battle will begin in ten seconds.]
As the cold voice echoed in their minds, all the spirit beasts assumed battle stances, some even charging their attacks. Only the little fox looked nauseous and unwell.
It was about to be suffocated by the earthy scent of the plant-type spirit beasts, yet it couldn’t escape the embrace of the Misty Heart Lotus and the Seven-Foot Sword Princess Flower.
And these teammates had mistaken them for allies. How confusing!
[Battle begin!]
[Battle concluded. 100 spirit beasts defeated. Remaining spirit beasts, ascend to the next level.]
Before the announcement even finished, the spirit beasts’ surroundings shifted, and they found themselves in a complex maze.
The first level of the Tower of Heaven had ended in an instant, and they had automatically ascended to the second level.
Eh? So fast?
Had 100 spirit beasts already been defeated in that brief moment?
Almost all the spirit beasts were bewildered, completely unsure of what had just happened.
The Saint-rank Desolate Fire Netherworld Rakshasa, a massive, fiery skeleton, and its team of five fire-type spirit beasts exchanged grim looks.
“Did you see that? What just happened!?”
“No, I didn’t sense anything, just a sudden chill.”
“Be careful from now on. Split up after level 80. For our master’s sake, we can’t be easily defeated!”
The Desolate Fire Netherworld Rakshasa remained silent. Although its body burned like hellfire, its heart was filled with ice.
Something… unsettling… had entered this Soul Prison Trial.
The Saint-rank Abyssal Bloodbone Jiao.
Its massive, kilometer-long body had shrunk to the size of an ant, carefully hidden within the maze.
Under a microscope, one could see its trembling form, its emotions fluctuating wildly.
Although a massive biological-type beast, its dynamic vision was so sharp that, even thousands of years ago, as a wild spirit beast, it could easily track the White Moon Lord’s interdimensional leaps.
And yet, just now, it had seen nothing, unable to even react…
The Saint-rank Hundred-Eyed Ghost Bride, a beautiful female ghost in purple mourning clothes. Although her appearance was captivating, grotesque eyeballs constantly emerged from her robes.
Surrounded by a group of strange, ghostly spirit beasts, the Hundred-Eyed Ghost Bride wept softly.
Then, the other ghost-type spirit beasts also began to wail, their expressions filled with terror.
Swish, swish, swish!
The Hundred-Eyed Ghost Bride flicked its sleeve, scattering hundreds of eyeballs, which froze in midair.
The eyeballs converged, forming a massive, fleshy orb, a blurry black and white image, like an old television screen, appearing within its pupil.
The image showed the first level of the tower, a moment before the battle began.
Click—
The image flickered, skipping to the next level, as if a section had been cut out, nothing in between.
The Hundred-Eyed Ghost Bride’s expression turned grim. It radiated a powerful spirit energy that enveloped the fleshy eyeball.
This time, the image slowed down, the flickering delayed, but the scene remained unchanged.
Still unwilling to give up, the Hundred-Eyed Ghost Bride’s spirit energy surged, a terrifying purple aura almost filling half the maze, scaring the weaker spirit beasts witless.
The image slowed down even further, thousands of times slower, the eyeballs on its robe all opening, staring intently at the screen.
Finally, it saw it!
With a certain humanoid spirit beast as the epicenter, a hundred spirit beasts within its vicinity instantly melted.
A woman with snow-white hair and antlers, her hair shimmering like fireflies, her eyes, both the whites and the pupils, a uniform grayish-white, a disturbing and unsettling sight.
Branches and leaves sprouted from her head, her icy antlers like a crown, a regal, winter queen.
And her long, slender legs, bent at the knees like a quadruped, clearly mimicking the stance of her true form.
Seeing this antlered woman, the Hundred-Eyed Ghost Bride froze, a chilling dread filling its heart, unable to speak.
All the Saint-rank teams were startled by what had just happened, except for one.
Four ice-type spirit beasts and two plant-type spirit beasts chatted and laughed, seemingly oblivious to the events that had just transpired.
Chapter 156: The Antlered Woman
–Soul Prison Trial, Fourth Level, Tower of Heaven
While the first level, a free-for-all area, had ended almost instantly, the subsequent levels each lasted four or five minutes.
After all, the tower’s maze was quite large. Encounters were infrequent, and the early battles were mostly tentative, neither side fully committing.
As they ascended, the maze became more complex and expansive, allowing for various spirit beast types, ranks, and battle techniques to come into play.
With the Spirit Masters absent, this was a test of the lead spirit beast’s command and judgment.
Tens of thousands of spirit beasts battled within the maze. Having reached the seventh level, Gong Lianyue’s spirit beasts, however, hadn’t even heard a single sound.
The Frost Snow Woman’s Saint-rank aura was simply too terrifying. Enemy spirit beasts fled the moment they sensed it from hundreds of meters away.
Not just her team, but the other Saint-rank teams were also likely enjoying a leisurely stroll.
At this moment, the Frost Snow Woman’s team was wandering aimlessly, their thoughts elsewhere.
[Iron Jade Ice Scorpion: I want to fight!]
[Frost Snow Woman: I wonder if we can reach the 100th floor.]
[Ice Soul Cold Star: …]
[Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower: Chirp chirp, help!!!]
[Misty Heart Lotus: ?????]
[Seven-Foot Sword Princess Flower: ?????]
Boom!!!!
Suddenly, the wall and floor before them exploded, a cloud of dust and debris erupting.
As the dust settled, the six spirit beasts stared in disbelief, as if stunned.
Before them stood a massive, black ape, over a hundred meters tall, with four terrifying arms, a demonic figure.
A high-rank, Arm-Smashing Demon Ape!!!
And in its hands, it held another high-rank spirit beast, the weapon-type Dragon Emperor Battle Axes.
Four heavy, sharp axes, each with a dragon-head design, were gripped tightly in its massive hands, radiating a violent aura. This was the combined power of two high-rank spirit beasts!
Spirit Masters with weapon-type spirit beasts usually had to reach the Samsara Stage to utilize their full potential. Only in the hands of another spirit beast could a weapon-type spirit beast unleash its true power. A Spirit Master’s frail body was simply too weak.
Like He Daoqi of the Gray Citadel. Although her Swallow God’s aura was terrifying, among the highest ranked in the Wind Realm, she could only manage a few swings before collapsing from exhaustion.
Therefore, upon reaching the Samsara Stage, a Spirit Master could summon two spirit beasts simultaneously, one to wield the weapon-type spirit beast, creating a synergistic effect far greater than the sum of their individual strengths. It wasn’t 1 + 1, but 1 * 1!!!!
Now, within the Soul Prison Trial, free from its Spirit Master’s limitations, the Arm-Smashing Demon Ape swung the Dragon Emperor Battle Axes with ferocious abandon.
“I’m not afraid of any Saint-rank spirit beast, especially a weak, support-type!”
“I’ll kill you all!!”
Its furious roar echoed through the maze. Seeing the six spirit beasts’ stunned expressions, the Demon Ape grinned smugly.
It wished its master would hurry up and reach the Samsara Stage so it could unleash its full power and… engage in some intimate activities with its beloved, instead of relying on telepathic communication within the spirit space.
It lovingly stroked the axes’ handles, causing them to tremble slightly.
“…”
“…”
The Frost Snow Woman and her team exchanged glances, still seemingly unable to comprehend the situation.
They had sensed the ape’s aura, but they hadn’t expected it to attack, to challenge a Saint-rank.
If there were only one Saint-rank present, the Frost Snow Woman, then the ape’s actions could be attributed to recklessness, not stupidity.
But, buddy, did you know how many Saint-ranks were here…?
As they hesitated, the four-armed ape raised its axes high above its head and swung down.
It was confident that with its strength, regardless of whether it hit its target directly, even the aftershock would be enough to cripple, if not kill, anyone caught in the blast.
Boom!
Boom!!
Boom, boom, boom!!!
The four axes slammed down, the surrounding structures crumbling into dust, the terrifying force pulverizing everything within a hundred-meter radius.
Wherever this spirit beast came from, its fighting spirit was undeniable.
However, after only three strikes, the ape could no longer hold the axes. Not only were the blades shattered, but its fists were also covered in blood.
It stared down in horror. As the dust settled, a massive, ice-green figure was revealed.
The Iron Jade Ice Scorpion stood motionless, its body covered in a smooth, jade-like film, like a frozen fossil.
[Battle Technique – Jade Shatter]
Its perfectly tempered body was unscathed, not a single scratch, its shimmering, crystalline armor glowing beautifully.
The other spirit beasts, shielded behind it, hadn’t even moved.
Thud!
The ape’s four arms, twisted and broken, fell limply to its sides, the axes clattering to the ground.
Its face contorted in shock and fear, its eyes widening and contracting, its mind reeling.
How was this possible? Not only had its attack failed to penetrate the scorpion’s defenses, but the mere recoil had crippled it!
Such incredible durability…
[Battle concluded. 100 spirit beasts defeated. Remaining spirit beasts, ascend to the next level.]
[Current level: Eighth.]
Just as despair filled the Arm-Smashing Demon Ape, its surroundings shifted, and it was transported to a new area.
The seventh level had ended!
“Hahaha, the heavens are on my side! I’ll have my revenge when my injuries heal!”
The ape, having learned nothing, picked up the four axes with its mouth and swallowed them, its face filled with a delusional glee.
It must have been an off day. There was no way it could lose to a mere scorpion. It would crush them all next time.
A single loss meant nothing. It would eventually defeat these Saint-ranks!
Whoosh—
The next second, the Arm-Smashing Demon Ape froze, its movements ceasing.
Then, almost instantly, both it and the Dragon Emperor Battle Axes within its stomach dissolved into a puddle of white, viscous liquid.
A chilling winter aura filled the maze. A woman with snow-white hair and antlers, her gray eyes cold and indifferent, walked past.
“Let’s see what kind of monster this Soul Prison Trial is, that even mythical beings can’t identify its true nature.”
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