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**
The Vajra Tiger in front of Xiong Li and his team stared at them intently, letting out constant roars to drive away the Gale Demon Wolves.
Strangely, the Vajra Tiger was a high-level Soul Beast with bloodline strength far exceeding that of a Gale Demon Wolf. This particular specimen was burly, and its cultivation was clearly over a thousand years.
According to Xiong Li's senses, it might even be close to two thousand years. Under normal circumstances, hundred-year Gale Demon Wolves would have been scared off long before a Vajra Tiger even tried to drive them away.
However, while this pack retreated a few steps and let out low whines, they showed no intention of leaving. Seeing this, Xiong Li's eyes brightened as he whispered, "Brothers, it looks like we might have a chance."
"I thought they would all swarm us at once, but now it seems this Vajra Tiger is incredibly domineering and wants us all for itself. Those Gale Demon Wolves, however, don't dare to retreat directly under their leader's orders."
While the seven of them were on edge, closely monitoring the reactions of both sides, a high-pitched howl erupted from the rear of the wolf pack. Hearing this howl, the dozen hundred-year Gale Demon Wolves suddenly grew bolder.
No longer crouching low, they howled in unison as if responding to that previous cry.
A cyan shadow flashed by, and an enormous Gale Demon Wolf charged out.
Its body was more than twice the size of the hundred-year wolves, making it nearly as large as the Vajra Tiger. The wind-attributed soul power radiating from it was exceptionally dense. Clearly, this was the leader of the pack—a thousand-year Gale Demon Wolf.
"Roar!" The Vajra Tiger roared fiercely at the thousand-year wolf.
As its soul power surged, the shockwave from the roar sent a gale screaming through the area, kicking up dust and snapping the surrounding branches.
Despite this, the Gale Demon Wolf did not back down. It also possessed thousand-year cultivation, and though its bloodline was inferior to the tiger's, with a dozen hundred-year wolf underlings.
It was unwilling to give up the delicious meal at hand. If it could consume the human with the highest soul power cultivation, its own strength would improve significantly.
Swallowing hard, Xiong Li felt his heart pounding so violently it seemed ready to leap out of his chest, and his forehead was drenched in sweat. In this situation, if the Vajra Tiger had an explosive temper and started fighting the wolf pack, they would have a window to escape.
This was the only possibility of survival he could imagine; beyond this, he truly saw no chance.
However, it seemed fate did not favor him. Although the Vajra Tiger and the wolf pack were at odds, they did not immediately attack each other. After all, both the wolf leader and the tiger had reached the thousand-year level.
While a Soul Beast's cultivation years don't always represent their actual lifespan, reaching a thousand years meant their intelligence had inevitably improved. Furthermore, the Vajra Tiger was a high-level Soul Beast with high innate intelligence.
"Awoo!"
"Roar!"
Suddenly, as if reaching a consensus, both sides roared simultaneously.
The combined sound of the tiger's roar and the wolf's howl shook the forest, causing the weaker Soul Beasts within a thousand-meter radius to flee in terror. Xiong Li and his companions were left dizzy and disoriented by the sheer volume.
The Vajra Tiger and the thousand-year Gale Demon Wolf pounced toward the group together. Clearly, Xiong Li's hopes were utterly shattered—not only had they not fought each other, but they now intended to divide and feast upon them.
"It's over!"
"We're dead!"
The seven of them were already heavily injured from their previous battles, and their soul power was nearly depleted. Even though Xiong Li, the captain, still had a bit of fighting strength left, he was truly driven to the brink of despair and had lost his will to fight.
After being stunned by the roars, even though he managed to regain some clarity, he found no way out of this death trap. He could only watch the incoming attacks in despair. At the thought of being devoured by Soul Beasts, he let out a mental sigh.
Years ago, after graduating from an Intermediate Soul Master Academy, he was already a two-ring Soul Grandmaster. Since his family wasn't wealthy, they couldn't support him through an Advanced Soul Master Academy.
After graduating, he didn't join any faction.
Instead, he collected the Spirit Hall subsidies while searching for like-minded people to form a team. By completing missions to earn money, he supported his own cultivation, hoping to become a powerful Soul Master.
Unfortunately, having only recently become a Soul Elder, he was now about to die in the mouths of Soul Beasts.
"Fine, if I must die, so be it. We Soul Masters kill Soul Beasts to increase our strength; now that our skills are inferior and we're being eaten, it's only fair. Between humans and Soul Beasts, life and death are fate; we owe each other nothing."
"Vajra Barrier!!!"
Just as Xiong Li had resigned himself to death, a voice suddenly drifted from the distance.
Simultaneously, a ring of golden light erupted from the ground around the seven of them. The golden light was dazzlingly bright, and in an instant, it extended upward, transforming into a golden pillar of light that shielded them within.
The pillar was nearly twenty meters high, its entire form radiating intense golden light.
The outer wall was made of solidified energy; though it was transparent and visible, it exuded an aura of being indestructible. Within the pillar, the phantom of a giant tree appeared, its body the color of gold and iron. Its branches stretched out as if supporting the pillar of light.
The thousand-year Gale Demon Wolf and the Vajra Tiger slammed into the golden pillar simultaneously, producing a thunderous "bang." Not only did they fail to break the pillar, but they were actually sent reeling back by the vibration.
After blocking the attacks of the two thousand-year Soul Beasts, the pillar seemed to have consumed very little energy, remaining brilliantly golden as the tree phantom within slowly rotated.
With such a dramatic turn of events, Xiong Li and the others were overcome with emotion, nearly breaking into tears of joy. Xiong Li was beyond excited as he stammered, "This... this is a soul skill! Someone has come to save us! Brothers, we're saved!"
"Looks like my luck is pretty good; I get to save some people one last time before leaving this Soul Hunting Forest."
As those words were spoken, a figure surrounded by a purple thousand-year soul ring dropped from a giant tree beside them.
Hearing this, Xiong Li and the others turned to look.
The person who had landed was actually a youth. Though his face still held a hint of boyishness, his stature was quite tall, no weaker than an average adult male. He wore white clothes, black boots, and red bracers on his wrists, with his black hair tied back.
This youth was none other than Ling Xiao.
After five years of cultivation, the twelve-year-old Ling Xiao had already reached the rank of a three-ring Soul Elder, with his soul power reaching Rank 33.
With the Martial Soul aptitude of Innate Full Soul Power and the nurturing of Spirit Hall, Ling Xiao had already broken through to Rank 30 a year ago, at the age of eleven.
**
Enjoying the story? Support the translation and get early access to future chapters here: www.patr eon.com/c/FanficTranslator
Thanks for reading!
I have 70 advanced chapter now on Patreon. I will post 5 advanced chapter on Patreon everyday except Sunday