Chapter 108: Soul Nourishing Grass
Seeing this intruder, the massive scorpion reared up angrily, its two large pincers snapping toward Leo's legs.
"At least it's not at Foundation Establishment level." Leo's heart clenched, then relaxed. Here, there was no need to hide his strength. To keep his spiritual power at peak, he held a mid-grade spirit stone in one hand and produced the Demon Binding Rope with the other.
The moment the rope appeared, the giant scorpion instinctively recoiled in alarm. Its swarm had gone to attack the other intruder, but one had still slipped through.
The scorpion desperately clamped its pincers onto the rope, but it didn't budge. Before it could react further, the rope coiled around it and tightened. The scorpion struggled briefly, then the rope squeezed tighter, quickly killing it.
Leo looked at the three Soul Nourishing Grass plants. After a moment's thought, he sent the two older ones into his boundary space and placed the remaining one in a jade box, storing it in his storage pouch.
Done, he immediately headed back. Scorpion corpses littered the path. Sylas's furious shouts echoed—he had killed nearly a hundred with the Black Flood Dragon Shears.
But now, Sylas clutched a mid-grade earth spirit stone, its luster dim. With a crack, it crumbled to powder, its spiritual energy depleted. He had only killed a fraction of the swarm. The remaining scorpions, more frenzied than ever, threw themselves at him.
"Senior Brother Sylas, hold on! We're coming!" Dime shouted from outside.
A chill ran through Leo. If he didn't eliminate Sylas now, after suffering such a loss, Sylas would be far more cautious. Such a perfect opportunity wouldn't come again.
Watching Sylas struggle against the scorpions, Leo produced the Shadowless Needles taken from the old woman. Seizing the moment when Sylas was overwhelmed, he launched a needle at him.
This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Sensing danger, Sylas hastily activated another Earthen Armor Talisman. Frantically, he used the shears to kill the scorpions swarming him. His heart sank. After Leo's initial move, he had vanished. Was he dead, or watching from the shadows? The latter seemed unlikely—with so many scorpions, how could he hide? Even Sylas, with the shears, was flagging.
Then, an aura as powerful as the shears surged toward him. Startled, Sylas whipped the shears around.
Bang! The Demon Binding Rope struck him and retracted instantly. The shears snapped shut on empty air. Sylas spat blood, his body crashing against the cave wall. His earthen armor shattered from the blow.
Strike while the iron's hot. Leo silently produced another needle and aimed for Sylas's throat.
The scorpions, confused by the sudden conflict between the two intruders, split into two swarms, attacking both.
After killing a few more scorpions, Sylas, exhausted and wounded, felt a sharp pain in his throat. The shears slowed. Scorpions crawled over him.
"Help... help me!" Sylas screamed, covered in them. The shears, under his faltering control, slashed wildly. The screams stopped. The shears, now masterless, hung suspended in the air.
Finally dead. Leo exhaled. Using the rope for even that short time had consumed large amount of spiritual power. Artifacts were powerful, but their consumption was too great for ordinary Qi Refining disciples. Even low-grade stones couldn't replenish fast enough. Sylas had lasted this long against the swarm—Mist must have invested heavily in him. But all that investment was now wasted.
Leo smiled grimly. Mist had tried to kill him multiple times, even covertly instructing his son. What would he think when he learned the outcome?
Facing the surging scorpion horde, Leo pointed. "Ice Soul Mystic Sound." The sound of flowing water over stones washed over them. Dozens of second-grade scorpions froze momentarily. Only a few peak third-grade ones shook it off and charged, puzzled by their motionless kin.
Ice Soul Mystic Sound is devastating against large numbers of low-grade beasts. Leo marveled. Artifacts, though powerful, targeted limited foes and cosumed spiritual energy rapidly. Even a mid-grade stone couldn't sustain high-frequency use.
But Ice Soul Mystic Sound, a group skill, could paralyze an area. He lashed the approaching third-grade beasts with the rope and used the sound twice more, draining most of the Dharma Orb's power. He had never used it so intensively. The orb's spells didn't consume his combat power; they drew from energy accumulated during meditation. Once full, they stopped. So consecutive use didn't affect his fighting ability.
While the scorpions were still dazed, Leo sprinted out. He spotted the masterless Black Flood Dragon Shears floating in the cave. Reaching out, he seized the powerful artifact and snatched Sylas's storage pouch.
This gamble paid off. He muttered, hearing the scorpions resume their chase.
"Junior Brother Sylas! Captain Sylas!" Dime and the others, having fought their way in, met Leo fleeing, pale-faced, with hundreds of scorpions behind him.
The team panicked and retreated, driven out by the frenzied swarm. Some scorpions even pursued them outside.
After an incense stick's time, they reached safety. Flint pointed his sword at Leo. "Leo, how come only you escaped? Where's Junior Brother Sylas?"
"Didn't escape. Dead in the cave." Leo's voice was flat.