Chapter 212: Battle of Spiritual Power
A flash of golden light streaked across the room. The Flame Demon Ape, engulfed in black fire, now bore a wound several feet long across its body. Angelic power seeped into the injury, causing the beast to let out a pained roar that overshadowed even the Dark Arbiter's cries. Its massive frame shook violently under the assault.
Huo Wu seized the opportunity and instantly unleashed her fourth spirit ability, Blazing Sun Dance. Without the enhancement from her fused ring, the attack's power was somewhat diminished. Thus, she targeted the weakest of the seven beasts, a Bloodthirsty Demon Wolf.
Boom!
Brilliant flames exploded, and the unfortunate wolf was instantly consumed by the inferno.
Ye Lingling wasn't idle either. Though primarily a support-type spirit master, one must not forget that the Nine-Star Hall specialized in soul tools. It was impossible for her not to carry offensive equipment.
Extending her slender arm, she revealed a level-six instant-cast ray-type soul tool strapped to her wrist. Channeling her spirit power, a white beam of light shot forth from her sleeve, aimed precisely at the slightly stronger Black Spirit Tiger.
Years of experience with soul tools had honed Ye Lingling's accuracy to perfection. The beam struck directly between the tiger's brows, piercing through its skull in an instant. The beast collapsed without even a cry, and a black core slowly floated out of its massive head.
The women's offensive did not stop there. Qian Renxue's right arm glowed brilliantly as she wielded the Angelic Holy Sword. A sweeping slash sent a wave of golden energy tearing through the remaining beasts, cleaving them in half. Even the Flame Demon Ape, already wounded and howling in agony, met its end under her blade.
With the beasts dealt with, the three women turned their attention to Xiao Yu and the Dark Arbiter, still locked in a fierce battle of spiritual power.
Ye Lingling cast a concerned glance at Qian Renxue and asked softly, "Should we step in and help Brother Xiao Yu?"
"There's no need."
Qian Renxue shook her head and explained, "The beasts that were attacking us froze after the Dark Arbiter let out that scream earlier. It's clear that Xiao Yu has already gained the upper hand in this spiritual confrontation. The Arbiter's mental sea must be severely damaged, rendering him unable to control the beasts. Interfering now would be unnecessary."
Reflecting on the situation, Ye Lingling realized Qian Renxue's analysis was correct. She silently turned her gaze back to Xiao Yu, who hovered in mid-air.
On Xiao Yu's side, the black storm that had shredded the Arbiter's frost serpent continued to rage, its intensity only increasing. The Arbiter's mental sea was simultaneously under relentless assault.
The Dark Arbiter was completely on the defensive, frantically marshaling his spiritual power to withstand Xiao Yu's onslaught.
Despite being the attacker, Xiao Yu's strikes were so ferocious that the Arbiter's spiritual energy was being depleted at an alarming rate. His pale complexion turned even ghastlier as blood drained from his face.
"Damn it! Damn it! His power isn't even fully awakened, so how is he this strong?"
Panic gripped the Dark Arbiter as he resisted Xiao Yu's attacks while desperately searching for a way to turn the tide.
"Time to gamble!"
With a gritted snarl, the Arbiter ignited his own life force. His spiritual energy erupted outward like a geyser, unleashing a shockwave of immense power.
This desperate move carried a steep price.
In the Netherworld, beings like Xiao Yu could inflict death upon others, but for natives like the Arbiter, true death was rare. However, burning his life force would cause his cultivation to plummet drastically. If it dropped too low, a new gatekeeper would replace him. Stripped of his title as the First Prison's guardian, he would be relegated to a pitiful existence, akin to the ferryman of the River Styx, serving at the whims of others or even beasts.
"You must die!"
In his spiritual form, the Dark Arbiter's expression twisted with fury. He wished nothing more than to devour Xiao Yu's soul whole. Only by consuming Xiao Yu's spirit could he recover the life force he had burned; otherwise, his loss would be catastrophic.
"Oh, getting desperate, are we?"
Feeling the sudden surge of spiritual energy, Xiao Yu's lips curled into a mocking smile. Shifting his tactics, he transitioned from offense to defense.
"Let's see how long you can sustain this reckless attack."
"Scoundrel!"
The Dark Arbiter was on the verge of madness. Xiao Yu's calm and defensive strategy struck precisely at his weakest point. Yet, with no turning back, he could only hope that his all-out offensive would shatter Xiao Yu's defenses before he completely collapsed.
Waves of surging spiritual energy battered Xiao Yu, transforming the illusion around him repeatedly—from a frozen tundra to a desolate wasteland, then into a blood-red hell made entirely of coagulated crimson liquid.
But no matter how the illusion shifted, Xiao Yu remained steadfast. The black whirlpools spinning in his eyes continued to rotate at high speed, devouring and shredding any spiritual attacks that dared approach him.
The battle persisted in this silent stalemate—five minutes, ten minutes, then thirty minutes. Ye Lingling, who had initially felt reassured, grew anxious again.
"Why isn't it over yet? Could Brother Xiao Yu be in danger?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry.
"Relax, it's almost over," Qian Renxue replied with a faint smile. Her sharp gaze had already noted the signs of the Dark Arbiter's impending defeat. His face was pale as parchment, his body trembling uncontrollably after burning through most of his life force. It was clear he was a spent force.
"It's time to end this."
Xiao Yu, at the center of the spiritual clash, also sensed the weakening of the Dark Arbiter's attack. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes as he unleashed his full power. A white ray of spiritual energy shot out from the center of his brow, radiating terrifying waves of force that blanketed the entire battlefield like a bolt of lightning tearing through the illusion.
Boom!
A deafening explosion echoed as the powerful mental force rippled outward like waves. The layers of illusion crafted by the Dark Arbiter disintegrated one after another until they were utterly obliterated by Xiao Yu's attack.
At the exact moment the illusion shattered, the Dark Arbiter's mental sea suffered a devastating blow. Blood streamed from his nose, mouth, and ears, trickling down his face and pooling on the ground.
"It's over," Qian Renxue murmured, arms crossed, as if she had anticipated this outcome all along.
Ye Lingling exhaled deeply, her worry easing. "Finally, it's over."
Huo Wu, as always, was the carefree one. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say she had blind faith in Xiao Yu. Unfamiliar with the intricacies of spiritual combat, she had spent the entire battle craning her neck to watch Xiao Yu, barely sparing a glance at the Dark Arbiter's condition.
Hearing Qian Renxue's words, Huo Wu let out a long sigh of relief and rubbed her neck, which had grown sore from looking up for so long.
"Watching this made my neck ache. Real, tangible combat is much more exciting to watch," she remarked, her tone lighthearted.
(End of Chapter)
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