As the beast faced the clansmen, Longwei and Wei stood ready for their strike.
The spikes on the creature's back began to tremble, glowing with a molten red light like magma rising from a volcano's heart.
"What the hell is that coming from its back?" someone shouted.
The spikes shattered, bursting outward in every direction. They didn't aim to warn or wound, they were meant to kill.
Each shard sliced through the air, cutting down countless clansmen, sparing only the most skilled who managed to react in time.
Longwei launched a technique; Seven Spirit Azure Swords, each blade pulsing with its own fierce energy.
The beast roared as the swords pierced deep into its hide. The ground quaked, throwing everyone off balance.
Wei moved swiftly, his fingers tracing ancient sigils in the air. "Spirit Seal of Verdant Arrows!"
A powerful blast surged from his palm, a streak of green energy that took shape midair, forming into a radiant spirit arrow.
"Master Wei's technique… incredible!" someone gasped.
The arrow struck with a sickening impact, its force lifting the massive lizard from the ground and slamming it across the clearing.
The beast's body went still. The last attack had been too much for it to endure.
Unnoticed by the brothers, the beast wasn't their only enemy but the clansmen were too.
Six men from the Bai Clan remained standing; the rest, from other clans, had fallen.
Bai Shen, their master, folded his arms and stepped forward calmly, his voice sharp.
"So, the two proud leaders of the Chen Clan came here alone… to slay the beast?"
He chuckled darkly. "Hahaha."
Longwei didn't look surprised, he had expected this from the start. Arrogantly, he walked closer, a faint, mocking smile on his lips.
"Well," he said, "since the beast was slain by our hands, it's only fair that the orb belongs to us."
Bai Shen smirked. "That's what you think. But that's a mistake. There are six of us… and only two of you."
He exhaled slowly, his tone turning cold. "We'll be taking it instead."
Wei leapt forward, landing lightly beside Longwei, his posture just as confident.
"Bro," he said with a sly grin, "maybe we should let them have it. They do look stronger and… more in number."
Longwei turned sharply toward him, anger flashing in his eyes.
"What!"
Wei gave him a subtle glance, lowering his left eyelid slightly — a signal.
Longwei paused, then understood.
The orb of a beast that powerful… wasn't a simple reward. Absorbing it without the proper seal could tear through a cultivator's spirit core, rupturing their body from the inside.
In ancient battles, entire clans had fallen to greed like this.
The energy inside a beast's orb wasn't meant for the unworthy. If one's spirit seal couldn't contain it, the energy would twist violently, erupting from within flesh, blood, and soul exploding in one blinding surge.
Longwei exhaled slowly, realization flashing in his eyes.
The two brothers exchanged a brief nod, then ascended quietly, concealing their presence among the tall trees above. From their vantage point, they watched the six Bai warriors prepare for what they thought would be their triumph.
The clansmen surrounded the fallen beast, forming a wide circle. They raised their hands and began channeling energy, creating an absorption formation, a glowing azure shield that appeared both beneath and above the creature.
This technique was ancient. It required immense strength and soul energy to control. Many had learned it, but few survived its completion. Most perished as the formation drained their spirit dry.
The six men lifted both hands toward the formation. Streams of light flowed from their palms, feeding into the circle and setting it in motion. The glowing pattern began to spin, humming with a deep, vibrating force.
"What kind of formation is that?" Wei whispered from their hiding spot, his eyes wide with shock. He had never seen a technique like this.
Longwei exhaled in disbelief, glancing at his brother. "You've led a clan for years, and you don't even recognize an absorption formation?"
Wei gave a sheepish grin. "Oh… that's what it is."
Longwei's tone softened slightly as he watched the men below. "It's a formation used to extract a beast's soul energy and condense it into an orb. But it's dangerous, the soul force of the creature fights back, and if their control slips, it'll consume them instead."
Wei nodded slowly, understanding dawning in his eyes. So many ways to absorb energy, he thought. But why are they using one this unstable?
The wind suddenly began to howl, tearing through the forest. Trees bent and snapped under the pressure. The formation's light intensified, and the beast's body started to glow from within.
A blinding surge of energy burst upward into the sky, the beast's soul energy, spiraling into a bright pulsing orb. But as the orb formed, the cultivators' faces twisted in pain. The technique was not only draining the beast, it was feeding on their own life force, stealing away their vital and spirit energy.
Their spirit energy poured out of them in waves, drawn completely into the glowing orb. Not even a fragment remained within their bodies. Every last trace of power was consumed.
When the orb was finally full, the six men stood motionless, their flesh gone, their bones dry and pale as if they had been dead for years.
The orb hovered for a moment, humming faintly, then descended and touched the ground with a soft thud. The beast's body, now drained of every essence, began to crumble into ash. A faint gust carried it away, scattering it into the air until nothing remained.
"Hah! Easy," Longwei said with a smirk. "They've done the hard part for us. Now we can use this energy orb to heal Mu Chen."
He and Wei leapt down from their hiding place, landing beside the glowing sphere. Without wasting time, Longwei reached out and lifted it carefully.
Time wasn't on their side. Without another word, the brothers turned and made their way back toward the clan.
The tournament was only four days away. With Mu Chen still unconscious after weeks, how could the Chen Clan possibly stand a chance?