Chapter 44: Expansion, Shadow Soldiers

The battle between the Nether Tiger and the Human-faced Demon Spider continued, while the shadow soldier Fangs lay hidden in the bushes, its hollow, black eyes fixed on the two soul beasts before it. As the most loyal soldier of its king, finding suitable recruits for its master's army was its top priority at the moment. Thus, Fangs set its sights on the Nether Tiger and the Human-faced Demon Spider, biding its time like a mantis stalking a cicada, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Cheng Xiao had also noticed the two soul beasts and quickly approached. Under the cover of night, neither beast, locked in their deadly fight, realized that two pairs of deep, inky eyes were watching them from a tree trunk and the bushes nearby.

"A near 10,000-year-old Nether Tiger and a Human-faced Demon Spider with over 5,000 years of cultivation... With them joining, my Shadow Army will grow in strength," Cheng Xiao said, licking his lips as he watched the beasts below, locked in their fierce struggle.

The battle between the two beasts was nearing its climax. The Nether Tiger let out an enraged roar before moving suddenly, its speed turning it into a blur of black light. In the blink of an eye, it had pounced on the Human-faced Demon Spider.

The Nether Tiger, a speed-type soul beast, was exceptionally fast. Even though it had suffered injuries and had been poisoned by the Demon Spider's neurotoxin, its speed was hardly affected. Its figure lunged forward, leaving behind a shadowy afterimage in its wake.

Before the Human-faced Demon Spider could react, the Nether Tiger was already on top of it, its sharp claws easily tearing through the spider's exoskeleton, exposing the flesh beneath.

The Nether Tiger didn't waste any time. It opened its massive jaws and began to devour the spider's flesh, its actions savage and ravenous, as though it were the true embodiment of slaughter.

The Human-faced Demon Spider wasn't going to give up without a fight. Its remaining six legs flailed, and its massive body thrashed violently.

Weaker plants were instantly corroded, and even thick trees shattered when its body crashed into them. The area within a few dozen meters was a wreck, with not a single plant left intact.

But no matter how much the spider struggled, the Nether Tiger refused to let go, continuing to feast on the spider's flesh as if it were unstoppable.

As the Demon Spider's movements slowed, its exoskeleton glowing faintly with a blue-purple hue, and the purple-black liquid oozing from the wounds grew more abundant, it was clear the spider would not survive.

Just as both soul beasts were about to succumb to their injuries, the shadow soldier Fangs, hidden in the bushes, sprang out and charged at the Nether Tiger standing atop the Demon Spider.

Despite the vast difference in power between Fangs and the Nether Tiger, the latter was already at its limit after the fierce battle. The Nether Tiger had no strength left for another fight, even against a soul beast of much lower cultivation.

However, being on the verge of entering the 10,000-year level, the Nether Tiger wasn't entirely helpless. Despite being weakened by the neurotoxin, it mustered the last of its strength to dodge Fangs's ambush. A flash of red light appeared in the Nether Tiger's eyes as its limbs tensed, propelling it sideways to a nearby tree. Using the tree trunk as a springboard, the tiger aimed to leap back to the ground.

But what it didn't know was that a young man with two daggers was watching from above.

Seeing the Nether Tiger deliver itself into his hands, Cheng Xiao grinned. Dark energy surged within him, black mist swirling up his arms to engulf the two daggers he held. In an instant, the blades were wreathed in thick black fog.

In the next moment, Cheng Xiao leapt from the tree trunk, his swords glowing with dark energy. With a swift motion, the blades pierced through the Nether Tiger's skull without resistance.

Thud—

The moment the swords punctured its head, the Ghost Tiger's body went limp. Cheng Xiao stood on its back as they both dropped to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

It all happened so suddenly that the Ghost Tiger didn't even have time to react before it was dead.

A moment later, a near-black, thousand-year soul ring materialized above the Nether Tiger's body, while a purple, thousand-year soul ring appeared over the Human-faced Demon Spider's corpse.

Seeing the scene before him, Cheng Xiao smiled in satisfaction. Then, with a smile, he pulled the daggers out of the Nether Tiger's skull, flicking off the blood.

With no further hesitation, Cheng Xiao approached the two soul beasts' bodies. He stretched out his hand, and black mist erupted from within him as dark purple light glowed in the depths of his eyes.

"Arise!"

"Ughhhhh..."

Heavy, mournful groans emerged from the bodies of the two soul beasts. Black smoke billowed from their eyes, and as the cries faded, their shadows began to take shape—exact replicas of the dead Human-faced Demon Spider and Ghost Tiger.

However, unlike their living counterparts, these new forms were shrouded in black mist, as if armored. Their presence now evoked even greater terror and dread.

"Good...," Cheng Xiao murmured with a satisfied smirk, pleased with the latest additions to his Shadow Army.

In fact, this was the first time Cheng Xiao had used his shadow extraction ability, turning two soul beasts into shadow soldiers. Fangs had not been personally summoned by him; strictly speaking, Fangs's shadow had been claimed by the Monarch. Once Cheng Xiao's soul power reached level 30, Fangs automatically appeared.

The Nether Tiger and Human-faced Demon Spider, now under Cheng Xiao's control, glanced at each other before lowering themselves in a respectful gesture. Though they couldn't bow like humans, their prone posture was their way of showing reverence to their king.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the forest...

A young man and two elders entered the mixed area of the Star Dou Forest. They appeared wealthy and powerful. The young man, walking ahead of the elders, seemed to be in his early twenties, with strikingly handsome features. He wore a long robe embroidered with golden swans, and his short, clean-cut golden hair gave him a warm and refined air.

The two elders behind him were vastly different in appearance. One was about two meters tall, with a lanky build like a telephone pole, holding a golden spear. The other elder had short red hair and an incredibly muscular frame. His limbs were thick and sturdy, and red spikes jutted from his body. His face was rough, bordering on ugly.