After graduating from Nuoding Academy, Xiao Wu and Cheng Xiao embarked on their journey to the Star Dou Forest, while Tang San went alone to Soto City, intending to enroll at an academy called Shrek as recommended by the Grandmaster.
Since reaching level 30, Cheng Xiao had acquired the ability to extract and store shadows, and he also possessed a special power called Ruler's Authority.
Ruler's Authority: "The ability to influence things without direct physical contact."
Shadow Extraction: "The ability to extract residual energy from lifeless creatures and turn it into shadow soldiers. The higher the ability of the extracted creature, the longer it has been dead, the greater the chance of failure. Currently, there are only three extraction attempts available. Once all three attempts fail, the target will return to nothingness, with no further extraction possible. (The number of attempts increases with level, as does the success rate.)"
Shadow Storage: "Shadow soldiers are stored within the ruler's shadow. They can be summoned or protected again at the ruler's will. (The number of shadow soldiers increases with level.)"
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The pitch-black night sky hung above, with a lonely crescent moon casting a faint, cold light upon the earth.
In the dark forest, a campfire flickered gently, bringing a small bit of warmth to the otherwise silent night.
Next to the campfire, a young man leaned lazily against a tree, twirling a stick absentmindedly in the flames.
Including today, it had been three days since Cheng Xiao arrived at the Star Dou Forest. Upon their arrival, Xiao Wu had been taken back to the inner circle by Er Ming. After discussing with Da Ming, the two forest emperors decided to guard Xiao Wu until she fully broke through to level 60.
As he casually tossed a piece of wood into the fire, causing the flames to brighten, Cheng Xiao propped his chin on his hand and asked, "Fangs, is there a thousand-year-old soul beast nearby that could serve as a soldier?"
A wisp of black energy slowly emerged from Cheng Xiao's eyes, and soon, a beast-like shadow soldier with exposed fangs and a body emitting black mist appeared before him.
Yes, this shadow soldier, named Fangs, was once a Nether demon wolf that had died in the Spirit Hunting Forest. For some unknown reason, after being killed by Cheng Xiao, who was possessed by the Shadow Monarch, the wolf's energy had been absorbed into Cheng Xiao's shadow.
When Cheng Xiao reached level 30 and condensed his third millennium spirit ring, the Nether demon wolf had automatically been summoned. Perhaps because it was his first soldier, Cheng Xiao named it Fangs, although its shadow level was still ordinary.
Shadow soldiers are classified into six levels: Ordinary, Elite, Knight, Elite Knight, General, and Commander.
"I almost forgot. You're not strong enough yet, so speaking is still difficult for you," Cheng Xiao muttered, shaking his head in resignation. Ultimately, he was still too weak. With Xiao Wu gone, he had no one left to talk to.
Fangs: " (⊙﹏⊙)"
"Never mind. Since there aren't any suitable thousand-year-old soul beasts, we'll just kill some century-old ones close to the thousand-year level tomorrow." Cheng Xiao yawned and gave Fangs the order to stand guard. He then sat cross-legged and assumed a meditation posture.
As the young man by the fire closed his eyes, the surrounding area fell silent once again, with only the occasional crackling of the wood and the soft chirping of insects breaking the quiet.
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After a long period of meditation, Cheng Xiao suddenly opened his eyes and furrowed his brow, standing up warily.
His shadow power had been consumed unexpectedly, making him alert. Just now, the connection between him and his shadow soldier, Fangs, had been severed. This meant that a powerful soul beast capable of easily killing Fangs was nearby.
"Fangs," Cheng Xiao called, extending his hand. A wisp of black smoke arced downward, and within moments, the shadow soldier reappeared before him.
After reviving Fangs, a dark purple light flickered deep in Cheng Xiao's eyes. He could feel it now—something big was approaching.
His body moved swiftly, and he hid himself behind a large tree, then sent another command to Fangs. With a low growl, Fangs instantly dashed into the depths of the forest. As a shadow soldier, it could communicate with its ruler at any time, reporting the situation.
Watching Fangs disappear into the distance, Cheng Xiao's eyes gleamed with a deep purple light. His shadow power flowed out of his body like a large net, spreading outwards. Wherever it passed, he could clearly sense everything around him.
Within the kilometer range of his shadow power, there was nothing that particularly caught his attention. However, as his shadow power continued to extend, an ominous feeling arose within him.
As the shadow power gradually enveloped the surroundings, every living thing, including the plants, was revealed in his mind. About 1,500 meters ahead, two soul beasts were fighting. Fangs was hiding in the nearby bushes, not daring to show itself.
"Roar!"
A sharp, piercing roar echoed, and the surrounding vegetation rustled as if swept by an invisible gust of wind, unable to resist.
The next moment, Cheng Xiao saw the appearance of the two battling soul beasts. One of them was a Man-Faced Demon Spider, known for its evil and slaughterous nature, while the other was a Nether Tiger. Both beasts were using their ultimate moves, unwilling to let the other survive.
The Nether Tiger, in particular, had a pair of blood-red eyes filled with ferocious killing intent, its aura brimming with malice.
This Nether Tiger was nearing ten thousand years in cultivation, while its opponent, the Man-Faced Demon Spider, was a five-thousand-year-old soul beast. The latter species was notorious for being able to fight century-level soul beasts even when it was only a hundred years old. Given its love for slaughter, it was often hunted by stronger soul beasts, making it rare for one to survive to the millennium level, let alone reach five thousand years.
The Man-Faced Demon Spider possessed a powerful skill—Devour. After consuming other types of soul beasts, it could convert their spirit power into its own, which is why it was often hunted by stronger beasts to maintain the balance of the ecosystem.
However, this nearly ten-thousand-year-old Nether Tiger had been targeted by the Man-Faced Demon Spider. Judging by the bloodied wounds on its back, the tiger had likely been ambushed by the spider.
Moreover, the back half of the Ghost Tiger's body was covered in white spiderwebs, indicating it had been ensnared by the spider's ambush. Nevertheless, as the attacker, the Man-Faced Demon Spider was not faring well either. Of its eight legs, only six remained, the other two lying severed nearby in a pitiful state.