Hulena and Flame were momentarily stunned by the words...
Right... right, Xu Sheng would have no reason to suddenly disappear from their side; it must be because he had made arrangements with Ghost Douluo!
Perhaps, even now, he was hiding his presence not far away, observing them!!
With this thought, the fear in their eyes gradually faded away...
And turned into a determined look...
Gathering her courage, Hulena spoke up, "Brother, you're right; if this is really a test, we can't disappoint His Holiness, the Pope!"
Flame was also rubbing his hands together, eager to try, "Since it's a test, there's nothing to be afraid of anymore. Evil Moon, let's move forward!"
Evil Moon took a deep breath and made up his mind, "Hmm! But since Xu Sheng has already left, to be safe, I'll take the lead, Nana in the middle, and Flame, you cover the rear!"
Neither of them had any objections and nodded their heads in agreement...
Then, they continued to move deeper into the Aquipeia Forest at a very slow pace...
...
At the same time, Gui Mei was frowning as he watched Xu Sheng who was rapidly moving ahead, "What exactly is Xu Sheng trying to do, sneaking away from Evil Moon and the others without a sound??"
He had noticed the other's actions and followed immediately without hesitation...
Though he believed he had concealed his presence well and hadn't been discovered...
Little did he know, Xu Sheng had already detected his presence through his spiritual power...
He glanced back only once before returning his gaze forward...
He thought to himself, "Just following behind me like this, Gui Mei is really taking it easy!"
He could be sure that when Gui Mei followed him, he had basically forgotten about Hulena and the others!!
However, he was probably going to be disappointed, as his sudden departure was not with some ulterior motive...
But rather...
Soul Masters were calling for help in the vicinity!
Sure enough, as the soul power fluctuation grew stronger, Xu Sheng saw several girls dressed in dark blue skirts before him...
At first glance, they looked like they were wearing the uniform of some academy!
All their expressions were grave as they intently watched the strange giant spider in front of them, over three meters in diameter with eight spear-like legs...
Upon close observation, one could see the mix of black and white patterns underneath the spider, forming a fierce ghostly face!!
"Roar"
The Man-Faced Demon Spider let out an angry roar and quickly moved towards them...
Snow Dance cried out in alarm, "Damn it, this Man-Faced Demon Spider has a cultivation level reaching two thousand years; we are simply not a match for it!"
Shui Yue'er was extremely anxious, "Damn, why did we encounter the Man-Faced Demon Spider at a time like this? We've already used up most of our Soul Power retrieving Soul Rings, and what's worse, there are no Academy teachers accompanying us this time!"
Shui Bing'er spoke solemnly, "Everyone, the Man-Faced Demon Spider is bloodthirsty by nature. It's impossible to make it give up. We might as well fight it with all we've got!"
Hearing this, the others instantly snapped back to their senses, prepared to fight for their lives...
When the Man-Faced Demon Spider came within their attack range, Shui Bing'er shouted coldly, "Everyone, attack now!!"
In that instant, the Soul Rings under everyone's feet lit up...
All sorts of chilling attacks bombarded the body of the Man-Faced Demon Spider, sending it flying away...
It smashed into a thick tree trunk and then fell to the ground...
Shui Bing'er, at the forefront, exclaimed with joy, "Did we succeed?"
Even a Man-Faced Demon Spider with thousands of years of cultivation would have a hard time surviving such an onslaught from so many people!!
But then, sensing something was amiss, Snow Dance cried out from behind her, "Bing'er, be careful! The presence of the Man-Faced Demon Spider hasn't disappeared!"
However, it was still a step too late. The Man-Faced Demon Spider that had just been collapsed on the ground suddenly leapt up, heading straight for Shui Bing'er!!
In the air, it spread eight long spears, intending to pierce through her body and kill her!!
The latter raised her eyes, but just stared blankly as its figure enlarged in her pupils, murmuring, "Am... am I going to die here??"
The insufficient Soul Power within her, made it impossible to dodge this strike!
Even if she wasn't impaled to death by those long spears, the poison contained within them could easily kill her!
With that thought, she couldn't help but close her eyes, waiting for death to come...
However...
A "boom!!" erupted beside her ear, and the anticipated pain did not come...
The Man-Faced Demon Spider was sent flying in response...
The students of Skywater Academy nearby all widened their eyes as if they had witnessed a shocking scene...
"No... no way? He actually... kicked the Man-Faced Demon Spider flying with one foot?"
"That... That was a soul beast with thousands of years of cultivation, and he sent it flying without using his Martial Soul!"
"Although he is our age, his strength is so formidable. Maybe... maybe we are saved!"
"Phew... You scared me to death, I thought Bing'er was really going to be killed by the Man-Faced Demon Spider!"
Hearing her companions' discussion, Shui Bing'er's delicate body shivered a few times, and she slowly opened her sparkling eyes...
What met her gaze, however, was a very unfamiliar face...
Xu Sheng greeted her with a slight smile, "Are you hurt?"
Shui Bing'er pursed her lips slightly, her tone carrying a hint of confusion as she asked, "No... not hurt, was... was it you who saved me?"
Xu Sheng ambiguously replied, "Hmm, just happened to pass by. I'm glad you are alright!"
Such gentle demeanor caused Shui Bing'er's ears to begin to feel hot...
In a soft voice, she said, "Thank... thank you. If it wasn't for you, I would probably be dead at the hands of the Man-Faced Demon Spider!"
Although the boy was about her age, he seemed much greater in her heart...
In the midst of their conversation, Snow Dance behind them covered her forehead and warned again, "Bing'er, and that... that guy, be careful, the Man-Faced Demon Spider isn't dead!!"
She definitely did not want Shui Bing'er, who had just narrowly escaped death, to die at the hands of the Man-Faced Demon Spider due to carelessness...
No sooner had she finished speaking than the Man-Faced Demon Spider had already dived in front of the two, its ten or so blood-red pupils exuding immense murderous intent as if seeking revenge...
Xu Sheng spoke indifferently, "Seeking death!"
"Humming"
A terrifying pressure instantly descended, enveloping the Man-Faced Demon Spider and crushing all its limbs, binding it to the ground...
Horrifying purple-black blood oozed out from within...
After struggling for a few seconds, it lost all signs of life...
A profoundly deep purple Soul Ring quietly emerged...
Shui Bing'er stood nearby somewhat dumbfounded, "In... in one move, he killed the Man-Faced Demon Spider??"
And if she wasn't mistaken, the boy relied on nothing but pressure!!
Not just her, the rest of the Skywater Academy students also turned pale, at a loss for words...
The soul beast that they had so feared was no match for someone else's single move!!
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