Chapter 118: The Hunt Continues.
As the first rays of morning light struggled to penetrate the dense foliage of the Star Dou Great Forest, scattering across the camp like shredded gold foil, a new day of hunting officially began amidst a solemn and awe-inspiring atmosphere.
After a brief night's rest, the soldiers and spirit masters, though still slightly weary, gazed with determination and fervor as they prepared to once again journey into this mysterious and perilous forest.
Like a well-trained, steely dragon, the army steadily advanced deeper into the forest.
However, they hadn't advanced far when they encountered a herd of Dun Shen pigs.
These Dun Jia pigs were enormous, each more than half a man's height, their massive bodies supported by sturdy limbs. Their bodies were covered in scales as hard as iron, gleaming with a cold sheen in the morning light.
Judging by the spirit energy emanating from them, most possessed cultivation levels of around a hundred years, with the largest wild boar king boasting a mere six hundred years.
Despite this, facing the numerous and tough Dunjia pigs, the ordinary soldiers still felt immense pressure.
Instantly, the soldiers reacted swiftly, coordinating closely and forming a solid battle formation.
With spears in hand and shields interwoven, they formed a solid defensive line, attempting to resist the Dunjia pigs' frenzied charge.
The Dunjia pigs roared with a dull, yet charged roar, charging towards the soldiers like a herd of uncontrolled chariots.
With their tough outer shells and powerful impact, they instantly crushed the soldiers in front of them, leaving the entire defensive line on the verge of collapse.
At this crucial moment, the accompanying spirit masters acted decisively.
One spirit master leaped high into the air with lightning speed, his martial spirit instantly manifesting: a long, cold sword, its blade gleaming with a chilling light, seemingly imbued with boundless power.
He shouted, "Wind Blade Sword Dance!"
With this furious roar, countless wind blades whizzed out from the sword, like a swarm of nimble blades, hurtling towards the Dunjia pigs at breakneck speed.
The wind blades struck the Dunjia pigs' scales with a dense, thumping sound. While they failed to penetrate the sturdy defenses, they did manage to slow the pigs' momentum.
Meanwhile, another spirit master pressed his hands down onto the ground, chanting a mantra as his spirit power surged through his body.
"Earth Wall!" As he finished his words, a thick, solid wall of earth rose from the ground, like a towering city wall, instantly blocking the Dunjia Pigs' path.
Unable to stop, the Dunjia Pigs crashed headfirst into the wall, letting out screams of pain.
Unwilling to be stopped, they tried to use their thick trunks to push against the wall, but it was as solid as rock, thwarting their efforts.
Seeing this, the soldiers' morale soared, and they seized this perfect opportunity to launch a fierce counterattack.
Their shouts resounded through the air, their spears raining down upon the Dunjia pigs like a clump of steel thorns.
With the close coordination of the spirit masters and soldiers, the Dunjia pigs gradually found themselves in dire straits.
One after another, Dunjia pigs were pierced by the soldiers' spears, blood gushing from their wounds, staining the ground beneath their feet red.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, a group of soldiers encountered other spirit beasts.
A squad of a dozen elite soldiers advanced slowly when suddenly, a massive burrow spider emerged from the ground.
This burrow spider was enormous, as large as a house, its body covered in black fur that shimmered eerily in the sunlight.
Its eight eyes, like eight luminous gems, exuded an aura of endless danger.
Judging from the powerful spirit energy emanating from it and the patterns on its back, its cultivation had reached approximately nine hundred years, making it undoubtedly a formidable and formidable opponent.
The Crypt Spider brandished its eight sturdy, razor-sharp legs, lunging at the soldiers at breakneck speed.
Its legs were like eight sharp spears, each swing unleashing a powerful gust of wind that shook the surrounding air.
The soldiers dodged, but the Crypt Spider's attack speed was so rapid that more than a dozen ordinary soldiers were unable to evade its attacks and were struck by its legs, falling to the ground, their lives uncertain.
"Oh no! It's a Crypt Demon Spider! Everyone be careful!" A sharp-eyed soul master shouted loudly, his voice filled with tension and vigilance.
The other soul masters reacted quickly and gathered around, ready to deal with this powerful soul beast together.
A soul master who excelled in long-range attacks quickly drew his bow and shot an arrow. His martial soul was a longbow emitting blue light, and each arrow contained powerful soul power.
As his bowstring was pulled, arrows with dazzling light shot towards the Crypt Demon Spider.
The Crypt Demon Spider swung its long legs and blocked the arrows with its agile reactions, but it was also completely enraged by this round of fierce attacks.
Just as the Crypt Demon Spider was about to launch another attack, bringing greater disaster to the soldiers, another group of soul masters arrived at the battlefield in time.
Seeing the critical scene before them, they immediately joined the battle without hesitation.
A spirit master clasped his hands together, gathering his soul power. He chanted, "Ten Thousand Arrows!"
Instantly, countless rockets shot out from his hands, blazing like a swarm of flaming meteors, hurtling towards the Crypt Demon Spider.
The rockets illuminated the battlefield, leaving the Crypt Demon Spider nowhere to hide.
Frightened by the sudden barrage of rockets, the Crypt Demon Spider instinctively tried to evade the fiery onslaught.
Under the relentless onslaught of rockets, the Crypt Demon Spider's body erupted in flames, and it let out a series of painful roars that echoed throughout the forest.
Despite its formidable defenses, it gradually began to falter under the intense and intensive barrage of rockets.
Hesitating for a moment in pain and fear, it ultimately retreated.
It swiftly burrowed underground, vanishing in the blink of an eye, leaving behind only a devastated battlefield.
After this thrilling battle, the soldiers and spirit masters breathed a sigh of relief.
While victory was ultimately achieved, it came at a heavy price.
Liu Feng, accompanied by Elder Sun and other physicians, quickly rushed to the injured soldier's side, their faces filled with anxiety and concern.
Elder Sun concentrated his mind, his hands radiating a soft, warm golden light that seemed to possess the power to heal.
He gently placed the light over the wounded soldier's wound, and miraculously, the bleeding quickly stopped, and the injury healed at a noticeable rate.
The other physicians also displayed their unique spirit abilities and medical methods, diligently treating the wounded.
Meanwhile, chefs like Li Zhishu were busy and methodical.
They quickly set up the stove and expertly prepared food for the soldiers,
who were already hungry after the fierce battle and in urgent need of energy.
Li Zhishu methodically directed the chefs, unloading the ingredients they had brought and beginning to display their culinary skills.
Soon, the air was filled with the enticing aroma of food, bringing a touch of comfort to the weary soldiers.
The civilian laborers were also busy, continuing their work.
As the army needed to advance deeper into the forest, they needed to build a new camp in a new location.
This time, a master spirit master with the sickle spirit came to help cut down trees.
He wielded his massive sickle spirit, a nimble blade of death in his hands. Each swing unleashed immense force, easily felling a large tree.
"First Spirit Skill: Phantom Scythe."
With each swing, a tree fell with a deafening roar.
The civilian laborers were responsible for transporting the felled trees to the designated location. Working together, they piled the trees together, forming a small mountain of timber.
Then, a spirit master with the flame snake spirit stepped forward.
"First Soul Skill: Flame Snake."
He thrust his hands forward, and the Flame Snake martial spirit instantly materialized. The flame snake opened its maw, spewing forth a blazing fire. The flames, with their scorching heat, ignited the piled trees.
The flames spread rapidly, engulfing the trees.
The serpentine flames grew larger, then dwindled, slowly extinguishing.
"Second Soul Skill: Snake Ashes."
A puff of gray smoke emanated from the spirit master's mouth, slowly drifting over the burning trees before slowly descending. As time passed, the burning wood gradually turned into charcoal, emitting a distinctive burnt aroma.
Liu Feng witnessed this, feeling a surge of emotion.
He couldn't help but think that this was how the charcoal used at the camp last night was made.
Everyone worked with skill and tacit understanding, and everything flowed so smoothly, like a finely tuned machine.
True to the Douluo Continent, the spirit has reached its peak of development, deeply integrated into every aspect of people's lives.
From fierce battles to emergency medical treatment, to the mundane tasks of daily life, the spirit plays an irreplaceable and immense role.
The new camp was quickly constructed.
Soldiers and spirit masters returned to enjoy a delicious meal.
Night fell once again, and the bonfires burned brightly within the camp, their light illuminating everyone's face.