Chapter 57: Cornered


    Inside therge opening, Darcel, Ani, and Hao Cao saw two men wearing green robes fight against two gigantic Spirit Wolves.


    Bothbatants moved at lightning-like speeds trading numerous blows in just seconds.


    Darcel''s team couldn''t urately watch the way each side attacked. Their speed at the True Soul Core surpassed what their eyes and senses could keep up with!


    Yet this battle wasn''t what made the trio freeze up.


    Not the insane speed, not their terrifying prowess that made the floor crack. No, it was the maddening rushing presence of one familiar, menacing bearing!


    Darcel, Ani, and Hao Cao simply couldn''t believe their terrible luck.


    Not even an hour passes, and yet their beings are alreadying near to that creature once again.


    If their nerves were high before, now it just shot through the roof!


    Yet Darcel quickly got a hold of himself. Since that thing is rapidly approaching, there''s no use freezing up over it.


    Without moving from his spot, Darcel reached and grabbed Ani and Hao Cao''s hands, who were just beside him.


    He reassuringly gave their hands a gentle squeeze to calm their nerves and let them know nothing wrong can happen to them now.


    Ani''s head sharply snapped over to Darcel. His face was severe yet determined as he didn''t take his eyes off the battle in front of him.


    It''s almost like he didn''t regard that creature at all!


    Looking at his charming image immediately got Ani to sober up. A determined smile dawned on her face as her nerves rxed, and her mind became calm.


    As a team, she knows there''s no way they''ll fall even to that horrifying creature!


    Simultaneously, Hao Cao had also turned her head over to Darcel. Like all other previous times, Darcel kept his cool and collected image in front of massive potential danger.


    He didn''t have any thoughts about running off even with that creatureing. Moreover, he also has enough calmness to support her and Ani.


    Unknowingly a burst of warmth and joy swell in Hao Cao''s chest.


    She knows that Darcel and Ani are in a rtionship. Yet Darcel simply acted like he always did, never once treating her differently. Even before he had prioritized saving her against that insidious creature.


    Like budding roses, a blooming determined smile blossoms on Hao Cao''s.


    She may not have known the duo for long, but their act of warm friendship left an imprint in her heart. If they''re going to give it there all, then she would too!


    And while Darcel''s team had this silent yet intimate moment, a gust of wind passed over their heads.


    A bright red hue refracted in their eyes, signaling that the terrifying creature is here.


    With speeds incredible for the True Soul Core realm, the human-like creature eyes immediately spotted its prey in a perfect position.


    The two giant dark green wolves were skidding back on the ground, while their fur had small patches of this fiery green energy.


    Opposite of the two were the two green robes Elders. Around their hands was this smoking green aura that sizzled ominously. One look at their hands, and you can tell immediate danger.


    And at this point, neitherbatants notice their iing downfall. The human-like creature was practically undetectable when it was not attacking.


    But the creature had no intention of staying hidden.


    Before either humans or wolves could rush each other again, the creature spewed out its spine-chilling red poisonous mist from its mouth. Promptly the whole area was flipped upside down.


    The green robe Elders abruptly grabbed their stomachs. A sickening gut-wrenching feeling made the two want to heave their intensities.


    This sickness slowed their senses and made the Elders delirious. And from the illness, the Elder''s eyes widened as their bodies had utterly locked up!


    The Elders also weren''t the only ones experiencing several dramatic shifts in motions.


    At first, the wolves were also overtaken by the sickening gut feeling of wanting to heave their stomachs.


    And immediately then, their pupils dted as their bodies froze entirely.


    Simultaneously, both humans and wolves couldn''t react to sudden red mist clouding their visions and drilling into their bloodstreams.


    Previously, both sides were all exhausted from their long battles. So when the creature sprayed its mist, it exuded a sickening area effect that was able to affect both the Elders and wolves'' weary minds.


    It was all toote for them now to realize the red mist.


    Immediately both sides face contorted with pain. Their already tired bodies were bing weaker as scorching pain lit up their bloodstreams in a raging frenzy!


    "AH-AH! Geeh?!? Wha-ACK!!" One of the Elders attempted to speak, but only grunts and screams of pain were heard.


    He had also puked up sickly red blood as he felt the scorching pain worsen.


    "Bleeh!!" On the other side, one of the wolves copsed to the ground like a puppet without its strings.


    Sickly red blood foamed out its mouth as its body twitchingly spasmed.


    The other wolf legs were quaking. Just like its partner, it spat out constant sickly red blood dying the dark green floor in odd hair raising blood.


    In only a second, did their situation turn into an utter disaster!


    The poisonous red mist only grew stronger with each feast the licker has. Now it was slowly eroding both humans and wolves'' bodies.


    If they were at full power, the red mist would''ve only slowed their movements and made their overall attacks and defenses weaker.


    But in their current state, these two sides were easy picking! The creature lips twitched upwards, pleased with its works. Its eyes had then darted up to the roof, deciding to not drag this out for any longer.


    Swiftly, the creature pounced towards the roof, sticking on the dark, sickly green ceiling like a disgusting bug.


    The creature''s bright red tongue had then swirled out its mouth.


    Looking at the horrifying tongue, Darcel''s team could''ve sworn that its tongue somehow gained a natural brighter red hue.


    But before their thoughts could delve into that, the creature''s tongue had then sparked with an illuminating red glow!


    ''Chi, Chi, Chi, Chi!''


    Out from the creature''s red glowed tongue was terrifying batches of putrid red fluids! Darcel''s team watched as this scene was almost like a red fluid rain shower.


    But it was then, the most horrifying scene happened.


    With barely any defense put up, the putrid red fluids drilled into the wolves and green robe Elders bodies. Sizzling noises was apanied by,


    "AH-WHAAAA!!!"


    The blood-curdling screeches of unending pain! Looking in the mist, Darcel''s team could barely spot the wolves and green robe Elders'' outlines.


    But they were able to see each side spasming on the ground from tremendous pain.


    Overwhelming berserk energy crushed their organs and bones to breaking. Excruciating burning pain drilled into the deepest parts of their bodies like a sponge.


    It genuinely was the worst nightmare any being could go through.


    Even from just looking on, Darcel, Ani, and Hao Cao were feeling slight chills. Hao Cao simply didn''t have much experience in the ways of cruelty and was mostly pamper by her family and status.


    Though with Darcel and Ani, they were obviously a little different. They witnessed much horrifying torture in the name of experiments by the Parsol Organization.


    Yet, there was something about the screams here that felt just so.primal.


    They didn''t know what to call it, but the idea of never fighting this creature again was only reinforced in all three of their minds.


    As the trio watched on, the licker eyes were continually darting around and outside the room.


    Seemingly it appeared to be looking for something. But no matter what, its eyes never stayed in one ce for too long.


    Moreover, its eyes also ignored Darcel''s team presence at the opening of the room.


    Just, only a slight red hue enkindled in its eyes for a split second once passing over Darcel''s team.


    Darcel''s team, of course, didn''t notice that slight oddity. And after a few minutes that seemed to go on forever, the agonizing wails of pain had finallye to a screeching halt.


    The creature jumped back down to the ground, clearing up its red poisonous mist while doing so.


    Whatid in the view of everyone was four disgusting red hue corpses.


    On both wolves and humans bodies, patches of their skin burst off, revealing their transformed sickly red blood. As well both wolves and human''s eyes were still in widened shock, never knowing just what had killed them.


    With its work finished, the creature clenched its w hand. A red mist that seemed differentpared to its usual one sprayed from its w.


    The mist quickly wrapped over the four corpses and floated them right over the creature''s head.


    Having its prey in its hand, the creature had no reason to stay anymore.


    Swiftly it sted off with sonic speeds, still hovering the four corpses above its head.


    While passing Darcel''s team, the creature didn''t halt for a second. But while the trio saw this as good fortune, none of them could''ve ever seen its eyes sparked in red hue once again.


    Just right when the creature seemingly ignored Darcel''s team presence and rushed past them, its eyes lit up in a foreboding glint.


    Yet, the creature still continued on its way.


    Darcel, Ani, and Hao Cao all halted for a few seconds. Likest time the trio waited until the creature exited out of its Spirit Senses coverage.


    When it had finally left, Darcel had let go of the girls'' hands, and they all breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Phew.that thing is intense as always. And-Oh? Hey! Look over there at the corner!" Ani excitedly pointed to the right corner of the room.


    Thereid a suspicious-looking hole that would''ve been unnoticeable to some.


    "As always, your senses are sharp, Ani~! Let''s go im our final prize." Hao Cao yfully said. Still having their concealing talisman on, the trio walked into the room at a brisk pace.


    While walking, Darcel took a little moment to obverse the state of the room.


    Green fiery holes were made into the ground, chunks of dark, sickly green stone were flung everywhere, and continuous cracks spread out in the room.


    Smirking a bit, Darcel had then said, "So.this is the difference between Nascent Core and True Soul Core, huh? Even at our best, we didn''t cause this much destruction like them."


    "Fufufu~, but soon we to-" Hao Cao couldn''t finish her sentence as her soul had abruptly quaked with ferocious intensity!


    ''Zzzt!!''


    Numerous purple streaks of raging purple lighting burst in her eyes!


    Her body relied on natural instinct, surpassing speed she ever did before as her spatial ring ignited.


    Swiftly, their reusable barrier talisman appeared in Hao Cao''s hand. And she had instantly crushed it, activating their dark purple barrier.


    ''KA-CHA!''


    The sound of something akin to ss breaking into a million pieces ranged in Darcel and Ani''s ears. As well it was this sound that caused their bloodlines to frantically react!


    A bright red hue filled with the looming threat of death tried to sail through Hao Cao''s chest.


    But, the grandest sh of ck and white Darcel and Ani spewed out yet illuminated the whole room.


    A ck and white wall filled to the brim with pure bloodline power stood in the way of Hao Cao and that bright red hue.


    On Darcel and Ani''s bloodline arm, the immediate threat of death brought about some changes.


    Now their vague tattoo markings had a bit more of a defined shape. If anyone of the trio could obverse, they would notice it was in the form of one single feather.


    But currently, the trio minds were preupied. Darcel and Ani poured everything they had in their wall to sh against this red hue!


    ''BANG!!''


    Instantly, Darcel and Ani''s ck and white wall crumbled to pieces. But the red hue was also repelled back for a distance.


    "Ah! Damn!!" Both Darcel and Ani couldn''t help but curse in immense pain after that fierce collision. An unbearable burning sensation scorched their arms, plus they for sure felt some bones crack in their arms.


    As well, their concealing talisman dropped since Darcel used far too much power in that one attack.


    Their eyes met with the sight of the creature having its tongue sail right back at it.


    Though at this time, Darce, Ani, and Hao Cao couldn''t care about how that thing urately attacked them. Nor did they have the time to realize they couldn''t sense or felt its presence at all.


    Forgoing the treasure behind them, Ani quickly fished out their escaping talisman.


    But when doing so, the creature forcibly halted its whole body. At first, it was in a slight state of shock for the duo being able to repel its tongue back at him.


    It knows from previous senses that this group of prey has barriers that could temporarily halt its mist. Although it couldn''t stop its tongue.


    And now, a savage killing glint burst in its eyes! That talisman looked the same as any other he saw, but its senses didn''t deceive it. Just like how its first batch of prey escaped, it was because of this specific item!


    Faster than Ani could even mobilize her Nascent Qi, the creature sailed its tongue straight at her hand.


    Darcel, Ani, and Hao Cao all widen their eyes as the creature makes too quick of a recovery!


    But witnessing its tongue aimed at her, Ani''s eyes gained a fierce glint.