Chapter 183: Purple-Striped Aberrant Beast

The corrosive, poisonous Venom Fire immediately burned fiercely, melting the flesh on the Lion-Scorpion Cinder Beast’s head and mouth.

The pain and horror were unimaginable. In an instant, dense, bloody holes, packed closely together, appeared all over the Lion-Scorpion Cinder Beast’s head and face. Green flames erupted from the holes. Its massive head was instantly reduced to a burning honeycomb.

Gong Xiao retreated immediately after landing the blow, joining Su Li, and quickly condensed three water shields, blocking the space in front of them.

Su Li gasped. He had released nearly all the electrical energy stored in his body. The Lion-Scorpion Cinder Beast took the full force of the shock. Smoke billowed from its seven orifices, and it was completely paralyzed, unable to resist.

The most terrifying strike was undoubtedly Gong Xiao’s spikes and Venom Fire, which had practically burned the Lion-Scorpion Cinder Beast’s head hollow, incinerating even its brain matter.

Although it possessed the Unquenchable Fire, it couldn’t stop the internal damage caused by the deeply embedded Venom Fire.

Watching the colossal Lion-Scorpion Cinder Beast crash heavily into the water, Su Li and Gong Xiao exchanged glances and let out long breaths. They knew the Lion-Scorpion Cinder Beast was finished. Only now did they feel the profound exhaustion wash over them.

Gong Xiao, in particular, was drained. Her continuous use of “Storm Shield” severely depleted her stamina. She had not enhanced her heart like Su Li and felt utterly exhausted, but she had grit her teeth and held on until the Lion-Scorpion Cinder Beast fell.

Just as they sighed in relief, Su Li was about to speak when he suddenly felt an undercurrent surge from below. His reaction was instantaneous. With a fierce roar, he violently grabbed Gong Xiao, intending to pull her out of the path of the attack.

The change from below was too rapid to describe. The moment Su Li sensed the danger and moved to pull Gong Xiao away, Gong Xiao suddenly wrapped her arms around him, using her own back to shield them from the dark shadow bursting out of the water below.

“Gong—” Su Li’s eyes widened in horror.

He never expected Gong Xiao to use her body to shield him. The attack was too fast. She didn’t even have time to deploy “Storm Shield,” relying only on her body.

With a muffled groan, the colossal force of the impact launched Gong Xiao, and the clinging Su Li, out of the water and into the air. They then crashed heavily back into the water.

Gong Xiao’s lips parted, and blood sprayed from her mouth. Her back was instantly a bloody, mangled mess. Numerous bones in her body were shattered by the impact. The terrifying strike had narrowly missed completely severing her upper body.

With the immense force of the impact, Su Li, holding the injured Gong Xiao, sank. He kicked his feet against the water. “Spider Walk” erupted. Water violently splashed. He shot out, moving several meters away. The shadow struck the water where they had been only a half-second earlier, creating a loud “BOOM!”

If Su Li’s reaction had been half a second slower, he and Gong Xiao would have been hit again.

Su Li held Gong Xiao tightly, continuously deploying “Spider Walk.” He was in the maximum state of “Demon Muscles.” His speed was pushed to the limit. Water splashed wildly wherever he moved. He used the amazing propulsion gained from “Spider Walk” in the water to weave away, avoiding the shadow’s relentless pursuit. He suddenly let out a long cry and hurled the Dragon Rhino Sword in his right hand.

He threw the sword with all his might. The Dragon Rhino Sword, driven by his terrifying strength, shot out like lightning, instantly piercing the dark shadow’s chest. The rod-like Spiritual Source Weapon, carrying immense force, shot through the shadow’s back and flew over twenty meters away before losing momentum and plunging into the water.

The shadow, struck by the sword, finally paused. It let out a frightening hiss, growing extremely wary of Su Li, and stopped its attack.

Su Li was drenched in cold sweat. His eyes were faintly bloodshot. He tightly held the wounded Gong Xiao and stopped moving.

He could feel that Gong Xiao’s condition was critical. Her breathing was shallow—a sign of imminent death.

“Gong Xiao—” Su Li’s eyes were bloodshot. He couldn’t believe Gong Xiao would be so foolish as to block the terrifying attack for him.

“I… I’m fine…” Gong Xiao struggled to open her eyes, but the strong-willed woman still managed to whisper the faint words.

“This makes no sense. Where is the Lion-Scorpion Cinder Beast’s Spiritual Source?” Su Li grew agitated.

Gong Xiao had slain the Lion-Scorpion Cinder Beast. She should have received a massive Spiritual Source influx, which would heal even the most severe wound. Why hadn’t she received the Spiritual Source yet? Was the Lion-Scorpion Cinder Beast not yet dead?

Seeing Gong Xiao’s breathing grow shallower, nearing death, the veins on Su Li’s forehead bulged. A surge of frustration and anger almost tore his chest apart.

Suddenly, a massive sphere of light shot from the distance, striking the forehead of the dying Gong Xiao. It vanished instantly.

Gong Xiao’s body convulsed as if suddenly awakened from sleep. Immediately, the wound on her back began to contract, healing at an astonishing speed. A look of vitality returned to her face.

The long-delayed Spiritual Source from the Lion-Scorpion Cinder Beast had finally arrived.

The Lion-Scorpion Cinder Beast had a monstrous vitality. Its brain was almost completely burned by the Venom Fire, but it still hadn’t died completely. It had been floating motionless, and only now had it finally breathed its last. The Spiritual Source was finally released.

Slaying the Level 9 Rare Beast, Gong Xiao had received at least ten, possibly twenty, Spiritual Sources in one go. Even the severe wound she sustained was healing rapidly. Her life was no longer in danger.

Su Li finally breathed a long sigh of relief. In his agitation, he couldn’t help but gently stroke her cheek, wiping the blood from her lips. He then gently released her, turning his gaze toward the other side.

The dark shadow he had just pierced with the Dragon Rhino Sword was humanoid, with human features and limbs, but its arms and legs were excessively long, making it look bizarre. It was entirely black, covered in purple stripes. Its head was fish-like but bore human features. Blood the color of purplish-black continued to flow from the chest wound where the Dragon Rhino Sword had pierced it.

It had jumped onto the floating corpse of the Lion-Scorpion Cinder Beast and was tearing at the flesh and eating it.

As it ate, the wound on its chest and back was healing at an astonishing rate.

Su Li’s brow displayed the vertical eye-like fine lines. “Peering Rune” activated, capturing the data of the purple-striped aberrant monster.

“Name: Purple-Striped Aberrant Beast (Zi Wen Yi Shou). Level: 8. Rare-class Spiritual Source Beast. The powerful Spiritual Source within its body forms purple stripes on its skin. These purple stripes generate energy, giving it extreme endurance and physical stamina. It can fight tirelessly and will relentlessly lock onto and pursue an enemy, wearing down its stamina and ultimately killing it.”

Su Li released Gong Xiao. Energy extended from his chest, quickly materializing into a sword hilt. The Dragon Rhino Sword had returned.

Spiritual Source Weapons, once released, could not maintain their solid form for long. They would slowly transform back into energy and return to their owner’s chest. That was why Su Li had dared to throw the sword like a spear, knowing he wouldn’t lose it.

However, the retrieval process took time; it wasn’t instant.

Su Li gripped the hilt of the Dragon Rhino Sword. He was about to draw it out when he changed his mind, seeing the data of the Purple-Striped Aberrant Beast.

Not only did he not draw the Dragon Rhino Sword, but he also retracted the Ice Python Sword into his chest. He turned and carried Gong Xiao in a fireman’s carry.

This was an ambiguous way to hold her. Gong Xiao’s face flushed, but she didn’t speak or resist. She trusted Su Li and knew he must have a deeper purpose.

Sure enough, Su Li, still holding her, activated “Spider Walk.” Water splashed wildly as he shot forward at a high speed.

He was carrying Gong Xiao, utilizing “Spider Walk” on the water. With his extreme speed and strength, the water only reached his knees. He could walk on water while carrying Gong Xiao. If anyone saw this, they would be utterly shocked.

This astonishing feat was only possible through the combination of “Demon Muscles” and “Spider Walk.”

The Purple-Striped Aberrant Beast, which was biting the Lion-Scorpion Cinder Beast’s corpse, suddenly sensed Su Li’s flight and leaped up, chasing after him.

“The data is right. This beast will relentlessly pursue and harass its enemy once it locks on. If that’s the case, I’ll lure it to a better place to fight. The water is not a human’s domain.”

Su Li’s eyes fixed on a 31-story building in the distance. He was sprinting toward it.

Just then, a fire-red sphere of light shot from the sinking Lion-Scorpion Cinder Beast’s body. It flew like lightning, instantly crossing the space and merging into Gong Xiao’s chest.

Su Li saw it and immediately understood. The Lion-Scorpion Cinder Beast was a Rare-class monster. Gong Xiao had killed it and would not only gain a massive amount of Spiritual Sources but also a Spiritual Source Treasure.

The treasure was likely a weapon or a piece of armor.

Gong Xiao’s eyes lit up at the same moment. She had sensed the information regarding the fire-red sphere of light that had merged into her body.

“Gong Xiao, don’t be so foolish again! Do you realize that what you did could have cost you your life?” Su Li spoke to Gong Xiao in a low voice while sprinting toward the distant building.

(End of Chapter)