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As a newly arrived recruit, Bai Xu had a one-year probationary period during which he would not be sent to the frontlines to face the abyssal creatures directly. For now, his duties were limited to logistical work within the abyssal passage.
Today marked the tenth day of his routine patrol and guard duty.
The soldiers in his squad were each assigned different tasks—some monitored the movements within the abyssal passage via surveillance systems, others inspected the operational status of various soul-tech weapons, while Bai Xu was stationed on guard duty.
He had not displayed any extraordinary abilities, making him unremarkable and unnoticed by the Blood God Battalion.
Lost in thought, his clone couldn't help but glance at the rows of metallic housing units. His true self was inside, researching the abyssal energy within the Five Elements Formation of Heaven and Earth, leaving this clone to stand guard—a task that didn't even require the division of the five elements.
This clone was, in every sense, a half-baked version—possessing only half of the Heavenly Eye Spirit and average spiritual power. In a real fight, its limit was six spirit rings, with most of its power concentrated in the main body for abyssal research.
"Hey, Bai Xu!"
A shout snapped him out of his thoughts—it was time for the shift change.
Squad Leader Dai Zhaoxiong looked at the seven soldiers lined up before him and dismissed them, but asked Bai Xu to stay behind. He gestured to the man beside him and said, "This is Deputy Squad Leader Feng Bin, also a 70th-ranked Soul Sage. Today, the two of us will take you deeper into the abyss to broaden your horizons."
"Squad Leaders, are you taking me to see the abyssal creatures?" Bai Xu asked, puzzled. "Why just me?"
Dai Zhaoxiong patted Bai Xu's shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, with us here, nothing will happen. You're a new recruit—you can't stay hidden forever. In a year, you'll have to face the abyss head-on. This is a C-grade passage, so the abyssal creatures here aren't too strong. It's the perfect opportunity for newcomers like you to get a feel for combat. Every new recruit goes through this."
"Besides, the third-grade abyssal tide happened a few days ago—something that only occurs once every few decades. Right now, the abyss is in a lull. Taking you out to kill a few abyssal creatures is a piece of cake," Feng Bin added with a grin, his cheerful demeanor a stark contrast to the Blood God Army's usual solemnity.
Abyssal tides typically ranged from first to second grade, and attacks of that scale could be completely blocked by soul-tech barriers. These were routine. But every few decades, the abyssal creatures would launch an all-out war, pushing the abyssal tide to third grade. A third-grade tide required large-scale defensive equipment to withstand, and it also meant that powerful abyssal creatures would emerge, launching full-scale assaults on the Blood God Army's defenses.
Bai Xu's lips twitched. Honestly, he had a bad feeling about this. While the death of a clone wouldn't affect his main body, as a clone, he wasn't exactly eager to die either.
"Alright."
And so, two Soul Sages and one Soul Emperor set off toward the abyssal passage.
Along the way, the remnants of the last third-grade abyssal tide were still visible. The first line of defense's soul-tech barrier had been shattered, and heavy machinery lay in ruins, torn apart by abyssal creatures. However, the second line of defense remained intact—a testament to the Blood God Army's advanced soul-tech. It seemed the last third-grade tide hadn't breached it.
Bai Xu activated his Blood God Ring.
Beep!
Identity verified: Recruit Bai Xu.
A few soldiers resting near the defensive line greeted the squad leader: "Dai Zhaoxiong, taking another recruit out for a hunt?"
"Yep. Gotta show him the ropes so he can grow up faster."
The brief exchange seemed to invigorate the group. The three of them crossed the barrier and ventured deeper.
"Bai Xu, what's your spirit? Any special abilities?" Feng Bin asked.
"Uh… I'm just an ordinary spiritual-type soul master. My spirit is an eye, and my soul power is at Rank 65, almost 66. I specialize in spiritual attacks," Bai Xu replied. This body really wasn't built for combat.
"Spiritual attacks? That's good. You can stay behind us and provide support—no need to fight directly."
"Understood."
"Deploy mechas!"
Bai Xu watched as the two entered combat mode before mimicking them and suiting up in his mecha. While he couldn't build one, he could at least operate it. These compact mechas enhanced a soul master's close-combat defense but weren't equipped with large soul-tech weapons due to their size.
The interior of the abyssal passage was dim, fraught with danger at every turn.
Bai Xu spoke up: "Three on the left, four on the right—abyssal devourer lizards." Thankfully, his basic perception was still intact.
A few spirit skills later, the lizards were wiped out.
The squad leader praised, "That's a handy spirit skill. Saved us from an ambush. The lizards are the weakest of the bunch. Let's keep moving."
Bai Xu nodded and followed behind them.
"Whoa—a Ba'an!" Dai Zhaoxiong blurted out as a mountainous figure emerged from the mist. Its forty-meter-tall frame was unmistakable.
But… there was something on the Ba'an's back—a horned creature.
"A juvenile Sky Bull?!" Deputy Squad Leader Feng Bin exclaimed in surprise. Sky Bulls held a high status among abyssal creatures, and this one seemed to have developed rudimentary intelligence, capable of riding a Ba'an into battle. It had a bull's head and a humanoid body, wielding a massive gray halberd.
"Now that's a rare sight." The two squad leaders showed no intention of retreating. A juvenile Sky Bull meant it had just been born, its strength equivalent to a Soul Sage. But these creatures possessed physical prowess far beyond ordinary soul masters, allowing them to fight multiple opponents at once.
"Born with Soul Sage-level strength—must be a major clan in the abyss. Bai Xu, fall back! Get further away!"
Bai Xu wasn't foolish enough to stay put. He retreated a hundred meters, his spirit rings shimmering as he prepared to strike from a distance.
At the Soul Sage level, battles revolved around Spirit Avatars. Neither side held back, clashing with their towering avatars the moment the fight began. The Sky Bull revealed its true form—a gray-scaled behemoth with only its horns black as night.
The squad leaders' Spirit Avatars were both beast-like—one a fiery tiger, the other a rhinoceros beetle. The Ba'an, however, seemed outmatched, so it turned its attention to Bai Xu.
"Seriously…" The clone sighed internally. He usually focused on cultivating soul power and the five elements, neglecting mecha training. Now, with most of his power concentrated in the main body, he lacked even basic physical strength. His spirit skills were mostly for show, impractical in real combat.
First Spirit Skill: Mental Enhancement.
"Psychic Shock!"
Bai Xu's eyes flashed as an invisible blade slashed into the Ba'an's mental sea.
"ROAR!"
The Ba'an writhed in agony. While the psychic shock had an effect, it wasn't enough. Ba'ans were low-level creatures with minimal consciousness—damaging their minds only enraged them further.
Like a collapsing mountain, the Ba'an roared and charged at Bai Xu, its tail sweeping through the surroundings, flattening everything in its path.
"Again!"
The Sky Bull glanced at Bai Xu's situation, noting the Ba'an's frenzy, but quickly refocused on the two Soul Sages. True to its status as a major abyssal clan, it fought the two with ease, almost toying with them.
After three psychic shocks, the Ba'an finally collapsed, brain-dead.
But the Sky Bull flicked a finger, sending a wisp of gray energy into the Ba'an's corpse.
"ROAR!"
The corpse reanimated, even more ferocious than before. Its tail lashed out, striking Bai Xu and sending him flying into the passage wall. He coughed up blood.
"Bai Xu!" the squad leader shouted, unable to break away.
The Sky Bull sneered, "Since you care so much, watch him die. The abyss has no use for spirits."
Feng Bin's eyes widened. "Bai Xu, run! Your psychic attacks won't work now!"
He was right—the Ba'an's mental sea was dead. It was now a puppet controlled by the Sky Bull's energy.
But it was too late. A ten-meter-wide foot descended, aiming to crush Bai Xu into paste. The clone felt no sorrow—with so little power, this outcome was inevitable. After mastering the five elements, Bai Xu's first creation had been a pure human of the Douluo Continent.
But without battle armor, high-quality mechas, or the five elements, this body was just an ordinary spirit—doomed to perish here.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a gust of wind tore through the battlefield. Just as the Ba'an's foot was about to crush Bai Xu, he felt someone scoop him up. When his vision cleared, he saw his savior.
"Why are you so weak now?"
Silver hair cascaded loosely, and her silver dragon armor gleamed stiffly. Gu Yuena held Bai Xu in her arms, her heroic aura undeniable. Behind her, the Silver Dragon Spear was already embedded in the Ba'an's body, siphoning its abyssal energy.
The Sky Bull immediately noticed Gu Yuena's arrival and disengaged from the two Soul Sages. A being that can devour abyssal energy… and there's more…
"Why aren't you saying anything? I've been looking for you forever—finally found you on this battlefield." Gu Yuena gazed at the battered Bai Xu in her arms, sensing his fragility for the first time.
Without the five elements, Bai Xu was at her mercy.
"Put me down." His tone was emotionless, but there was clear reluctance.
Gu Yuena chuckled.
Ignoring him, she turned her attention to the Sky Bull, which had retreated into the mist. It knew it was outmatched. Over the past few days, abyssal elites had attempted to ambush those who could devour abyssal energy on the battlefield, but their targets were often under the watchful eyes of the Blood Gods. The ambushes had failed.
If the Sky Bull died here, it would be a true death—no resurrection.
Seeing the abyssal creatures retreat, the group remained cautious. They approached Gu Yuena, eyeing the scene curiously.
"I said, put me down."
It wasn't that Bai Xu didn't want to—this body was just too weak to resist the Silver Dragon. Though the Ba'an's tail strike had caused internal injuries, his mecha had absorbed most of the impact. A few mouthfuls of blood wouldn't kill him.
Gu Yuena tightened her grip instead, addressing the two squad leaders: "There's an injured man here. I'll take him back first."
Without waiting for a response, she flew off with Bai Xu.
"Was that the Silver Dragon Princess who's been making waves lately?" the squad leader asked in awe.
"Looks like it—the silver hair and spear match the descriptions," the deputy muttered, staring at their retreating figures.
"..."
Bai Xu: "What do you think you're doing?"
"Treating your injuries. You're hurt." Gu Yuena's expression was earnest.
Suddenly, Blood Seven emerged from a spatial vortex nearby, eyeing the scene with amusement. "So you're the one she's been searching for? No wonder she's been running around all these battlefields."
However, Blood Seven himself seemed unimpressed with Bai Xu—too weak to even handle a Soul Emperor-level Ba'an.
"Yes, sir. I'll take him back now. Thank you for the protection." Gu Yuena hadn't used her connections to find Bai Xu. Instead, she'd roamed the abyssal battlefields, knowing their paths would cross eventually.
"Alright, go ahead. I won't meddle in your personal affairs. Just hope you'll fight as hard as Tang Wulin in the future." Blood Seven sighed.
Gu Yuena ignored the implied meaning, carrying Bai Xu away.
"Is your main body still in seclusion?" Gu Yuena smiled down at Bai Xu. He was uncharacteristically quiet, having given up after a few futile struggles. Blood stained his lips, and bruises marred his face—a rare, vulnerable sight.
There was an odd charm to it.
"Yeah."
A moment later, Bai Xu paused. "Well, he was in seclusion. Just finished a ten-day research session—finally figured it out. Take me back. There are Federation surveillance systems here. Better not expose anything."
"Fine."