Chapter 112: The Mark

Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW

You can buy coins here to unlock advanced chapters: https://gravitytales.com/coins-purchase-page/

Boom!
Spiritual energy ignited like fire, burning within the second black bear phantom beast before erupting in a violent explosion.
Just like that, the second phantom beast was slain by Su Ran in a single strike, clean and swift.
It wasn’t until she faced the fourth phantom beast that she was forced to use a second, then a third move. Only after three strikes did she finally manage to cut down the fourth phantom beast.
Meanwhile, Chen Fei remained trapped within the belly of the Shadow Tiger, locked in a fierce and relentless struggle.
As time passed, Su Ran’s worry deepened. She had no idea how much longer Chen Fei could endure inside that Shadow Tiger.
“Chen Fei, you must hold on!” Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. She had never realized how important he had become to her. Unknowingly, his presence had taken root deep in her heart.
The fifth phantom beast appeared—a colossal ape radiating the aura of a late-stage Fifth Rank True Spirit Master. The oppressive force it exuded made Su Ran tense instinctively.
Without hesitation, she formed a hand seal and charged at the giant ape phantom beast. Countless spiritual energy sword lights streaked through the air like stars dragging trails of fire, converging upon the beast.
Boom!
Gashes tore open across the giant ape’s energy body, but in the next instant, nearly eighty percent of its form regenerated.
This was proof of Su Ran’s rapid progress. Ever since refining her essence, her strength had improved dramatically—she could now suppress a late-stage Fifth Rank True Spirit Master phantom beast with ease.
Yet, this result did not satisfy her.
At this rate, it would take her at least several dozen more moves to kill this giant ape phantom beast.
And that kind of delay could mean disaster for Chen Fei, still trapped within the Shadow Tiger’s belly.
The giant ape roared in pain, then suddenly moved at astonishing speed, transforming into a cord of energy that shot toward Su Ran in an attempt to bind her.
Phantom beasts had the advantage of being immune to physical wounds, but if Su Ran were injured, it would severely impact her combat ability. Wounds of flesh and blood could be fatal.
She would not give the giant ape that chance.
Suspended in midair, her phoenix phantom trembled its wings, and her speed soared to the extreme.
With the distance widened, Su Ran did not hesitate. She used spiritual energy as a blade and slashed across her wrist. Fresh blood spurted into the air.
But instead of scattering, the blood, guided by her whispered incantations, converged into a lifelike phoenix.
“By the name of the Phoenix, with blood as the catalyst—Ignite!”
As her voice rang out, the blood-formed phoenix erupted into a towering inferno.
Chirp!
A clear phoenix cry resounded as the flaming bird spread its wings. The surrounding air dried instantly, and an overwhelming heatwave engulfed the battlefield.
The giant ape phantom beast let out a desperate wail, its energy body unable to withstand the scorching flames. Within moments, it evaporated entirely, leaving behind only a suspended essence crystal.
But before Su Ran could act further, she staggered, her face turning pale.
She didn’t stop. Channeling her spell once more, she commanded the fiery phoenix toward the distant Shadow Tiger.
Yet, before the burning blood phoenix could strike, an even more powerful Shadow Tiger materialized out of thin air.
This new phantom beast was even stronger than the Shadow Tiger King that Chen Fei had summoned—it possessed the aura of a mid-stage Sixth Rank True Spirit Master.
It was the punishment for reaching the eighth phantom beast on the floating bridge. The difficulty had now increased dramatically.
The mid-stage Sixth Rank True Spirit Master-level Shadow Tiger King let out a thunderous roar. A terrifying wave of spiritual energy surged toward the flaming blood phoenix.
Sizzle!
Flames and spiritual energy clashed like fire and water, producing an ear-piercing hiss.
Although the flames were powerful—each flicker capable of consuming threefold its energy in spiritual force—the sheer quantity of the Shadow Tiger King’s power overwhelmed it.
In an instant, the fire was extinguished, and the air lost its unbearable heat.
The blood phoenix was consumed by countless waves of spiritual energy. It detonated upon impact, shattering into countless energy fragments, but it could not halt the Shadow Tiger King’s advance.
The moment the blood phoenix shattered, Su Ran shuddered violently. A mouthful of blood spurted from her lips as she staggered midair, nearly falling.
Barely stabilizing herself, she saw the mid-stage Sixth Rank True Spirit Master-level Shadow Tiger King lunging toward her.
But she did not retreat.
She couldn’t retreat now. If she did, all her efforts would be wasted, and Chen Fei would undoubtedly die within the Shadow Tiger’s belly.
Steadying herself, Su Ran’s eyes burned with determination. Her hands moved swiftly, forming seals as she locked onto the approaching Shadow Tiger King.
“You want to kill my husband?”
“Without my master’s permission—no one can!”
With a resounding cry, Su Ran’s entire demeanor shifted.
A phoenix mark suddenly surfaced on her forehead.
“Sever!”
She spoke softly. No surge of spiritual energy accompanied her words. Instead, a unique power erupted from the mark on her forehead.
It was a seemingly insignificant ember. Yet, the moment it appeared, it radiated an eternal, indomitable force—unstoppable by anything in its path.
If Ye Chenxing were present, he would be utterly shocked.
It was this very power that had gravely injured him in the past, nearly costing him his life.
To him, this force was terrifying beyond reason.
Yet, after barely surviving, his fear of it had morphed into an insatiable desire.
If he could wield such a power, he could truly soar to greatness, and nothing would stand in his way.
The ember streaked toward the Shadow Tiger King, striking its body in an instant.
There was no explosive impact, no grand eruption—only an eerie silence.
The powerful mid-stage Sixth Rank True Spirit Master-level Shadow Tiger King simply… faded.
Vanished.
Not even its essence crystal remained. It had been utterly erased.
And with that, Su Ran could no longer maintain her footing.
Her body plummeted from the sky, crashing onto the ground.
It was clear—the price for unleashing such a force was far too steep for her to bear.
“For the Phoenix’s name, for the blood’s call—Ignite!”
Despite her weakened state, Su Ran forced herself to move.
Once again, she activated the Blood Phoenix Secret Art, targeting the Shadow Tiger that still held Chen Fei captive.