Just as the instructor finished speaking, the trees nearby began to topple over one after another from a distance, drawing rapidly closer.
"Roar~!"
A Crimson Crystal Saber-Toothed Tiger burst out of the forest, letting out a furious roar in the direction of the group. Its figure flickered, and in the blink of an eye, it had already pounced before them.
"Quick, stop it! Yue'er hasn't finished absorbing her spirit ring yet!"
One of the instructors shouted, activating her Martial Soul Possession. Seven soul rings rose from beneath her feet as she charged straight at the charging beast.
Another instructor also unleashed her soul power, though only six soul rings lit up beneath her feet—clearly a Soul Emperor-level expert.
"Binger, stay back and protect Yue'er. Leave this beast to me and Sister Wang!"
Seeing Shui Bing'er preparing to attack the Crimson Crystal Saber-Toothed Tiger, the Soul Emperor instructor grabbed her, gave a quick reminder, and then rushed off to assist her colleague.
"Roar~!"
The ferocious roars echoed as the tiger held its own against both a Soul Saint and a Soul Emperor. Taking advantage of its spirit beast physique and superior defenses, it even gained the upper hand for a moment.
"Teacher Xu! This beast might be around forty thousand years old! Be careful!"
The instructor surnamed Wang was knocked back several steps by a swipe of the tiger's claw before she managed to steady herself, shouting a warning.
"I'll keep it occupied. Look for an opening and strike!"
Instructor Xu, only at Soul Emperor level, was clearly struggling under the beast's relentless assault, dodging blow after blow with great difficulty.
"Now! Sister Wang, go!"
"Seventh Soul Skill: Martial Soul Avatar! Sixth Soul Skill: …!"
Rumble—!
Under the precise lure of Instructor Xu, the instructor surnamed Wang activated her Martial Soul Avatar, found a perfect opening, and unleashed her sixth soul skill. The blow struck the tiger's vulnerable spot, sending its massive body hurtling backward. It crashed to the ground, barely clinging to life.
"Teacher, are you alright?"
Shui Bing'er rushed forward to support Instructor Wang, who stumbled from the exertion of releasing her skill.
"I'm fine… This beast had too many years on it. My soul power is nearly drained."
Buzz~.
As they exchanged words, a black soul ring slowly rose from the fallen Crimson Crystal Saber-Toothed Tiger's body.
"What a pity. This beast's attributes match mine well, but I'm not ready for a seventh soul ring yet…"
Instructor Xu clutched her hand and approached. Looking at the now-dead beast, she muttered under her breath.
"Teacher Xu, you're injured?"
Shui Bing'er noticed the blood trickling through her fingers.
"It's nothing, just a scratch from that beast."
Instructor Xu waved it off and used her soul power to seal the wound temporarily. Then she frowned.
"This is just the outer edge of the forest. How could a spirit beast with tens of thousands of years show up here?"
"No idea. Maybe it was drawn here by the roar of the beast Yue'er is absorbing."
The other instructor shook her head. Since they brought students to hunt spirit rings, they had intentionally stayed near the outskirts of the Star Dou Forest. They hadn't dared venture deeper.
But even here on the edge, a high-level spirit beast appeared. Thankfully, Shui Yue'er's hunt was led by them. Had it been just the two Soul Emperors, the danger level would've been much higher.
"You rest first. Bing'er and I will continue guarding Yue'er. Once she finishes absorbing the ring, we're leaving immediately.
Something's off today. First that wolf, now this tiger… All the spirit beasts seem unusually aggressive."
Instructor Wang spoke to her injured colleague and then returned to sit cross-legged near Shui Yue'er, recovering her soul power.
"Agreed. I've noticed the same." The other instructor nodded and added gravely,
"If another high-level spirit beast was drawn by the noise just now, we could be in serious trouble…"
Shui Bing'er looked worriedly at her younger sister, praying nothing else would go wrong.
Rumble—
Speak of the devil. Just as the thought crossed Shui Bing'er's mind, a deep rumbling began in the distance, rapidly approaching through the forest.
"Teacher, what's that sound?"
Both instructors stood up instantly and positioned themselves in front of Shui Yue'er.
"It's a beast tide."
Instructor Wang's earlier relief turned to dread. They had actually encountered a spirit beast beast tide today.
Judging by the collapsing trees in the distance, the scale of this tide was far from small.
A beast tide—when spirit beasts, en masse, charge out to attack—is an exceedingly rare event. Soul masters rarely encounter them during spirit ring hunts or forest excursions.
Beast tides only occur when the spirit beasts' habitat is threatened, they are enraged, or some overwhelming force drives them.
"A beast tide?!"
Shui Bing'er's face went pale.
She had never personally encountered one, but instructors at the academy had warned of their horrors. There had even been a case where an expedition of students and instructors was caught in a beast tide—only one wounded Soul Saint returned alive.
And that was considered lucky. Most soul masters caught in a beast tide never come back.
Besides, beast tides only ever occurred in the inner regions of the forest. No one had heard of one happening near the outskirts—until now.
"Quick, Bing'er! Get behind us!"
The rumbling drew nearer. Within seconds, the tide was just a few hundred meters away. One instructor quickly pulled Shui Bing'er behind her.
"Teacher, maybe… maybe you should leave. I'll stay and protect my sister!"
Shui Bing'er had already realized the dire situation they faced. A beast tide wasn't something a few of them could survive. If this was fate, then so be it. But the two instructors were powerful; they might still escape if they left now.
She didn't want to drag them down.
"What nonsense! You are our student—we would never abandon you!"
Instructor Wang's stern voice snapped.
If she turned her back on a student she was proud of, what kind of teacher would that make her?
"She's right! Bing'er, run! Head the other way!
This tide is only at the forest's edge, the beasts shouldn't be too high-level. We have to win Yue'er some time!"
Instructor Xu's face was grave as she stared at the incoming dust cloud, urging Shui Bing'er to go.
"No! I won't leave! I can still fight!"
Shui Bing'er stepped out from behind them. Her soul power was only Rank 37, but it was better than nothing.
"They're here!"
There was no more time to argue. The beast tide was nearly upon them.
Rumble—!
"?!!"
They stood ready to fight to the death—only to watch the spirit beasts thunder past just a few dozen meters from them.
Not a single beast diverted toward their group.
"What… what's going on?"
Shui Bing'er watched in confusion as the beast tide rushed past them without so much as a glance.
"Don't let your guard down! The tide might not be over!"
"Sister Wang—look! There's someone riding on that Violetcloud Arrowhog's back!"
Instructor Xu's sharp eyes spotted a figure amidst the stampede, riding one of the spirit beasts.
_
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