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Chapter 354.

The piercing scream echoed through the air.

The dark golden bat's aura intensified, expanding rapidly until it almost overwhelmed Tang San's Blue Silver Domain. The domain, typically infused with vitality and energy, began to falter under the bat's oppressive presence. Hu Liena grimaced as the blue energy around her also weakened, replaced by a strange, suffocating sensation. She could feel an unsettling surge of killing intent bubbling up inside her.

"This aura stirs the killing instincts within us. The dark golden bat is stronger than you—it's suppressing your domain and weakening its effect," Hu Lieana muttered, tension visible on her face.

Tang San nodded gravely. "Yes, I feel it too. The killing intent that is suppressed is rising, but as the Blue Silver Domain's master, I can still control it somewhat. Still, we can't let this aura suppress us entirely. Removing the domain would intensify the bat's influence even more."

The sinister aura of the bat put them all in danger. Hu Liena glanced around, thinking aloud. "Should we escape? Moving quickly might be our best chance… though it's risky."

Tang San shook his head. "If we move recklessly, it might destroy the path ahead of us."

Before they could decide, the dark golden bat seemed to sense their thoughts. With a furious shriek, its three heads launched scarlet waves of energy toward them. The three quickly darted forward, avoiding two of the deadly blasts. But the third was a direct hit, landing on the narrow path just in front of them. Rocks shattered and crumbled, tumbling into the blood-red pool below.

Tang San's eyes flashed with a dangerous glint. Gripping his Clear Sky Hammer, he launched an attack at the enormous bat. However, with His domain weakened, the bat dodged easily, its reflexes heightened by its own domain. It was clear that attacking directly wouldn't be easy.

"I'll try something," Hu Liena declared, her eyes gleaming a fierce red. Activating her martial spirit, she grew a fluffy tail, and a fiery light glowed in her eyes. She stared directly at the bat, sending a blast of mental energy toward its gaze. This was a special soul ability tied to her soul bone, enhancing both her mental strength and charm.

Seeing her strike, Tang San seized the moment, also swinging his Clear Sky Hammer once more.

Wang Feng's eyes narrowed. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled a unique dagger, a weapon he had taken from the Shadowless Assassin. Infused with destructive power, it could even harm its user. Pouring his soul power into the blade, Wang Feng threw it with precision, controlling its path with mental energy. Though it lacked the self-propelling ability of his Armored Black Thorn, he could adjust its trajectory mid-air to strike with deadly accuracy.

The dark golden bat trembled, slowed by Hu Liena's mental attack. Tang San's hammer smashed one of its heads, and Wang Feng's dagger pierced another, arcing back to his hand like a boomerang. Two of the bat's three heads were destroyed in an instant, as it let out a shriek of agony. Hu Liena and Tang San shared a brief, triumphant glance.

"Be cautious! Bat-type soul beasts often have the ability to regenerate," Wang Feng warned. "Don't give it a chance to recover!"

He recalled encounters with similar creatures in the northern lands—Ice Bats known for their regenerative powers. But before Tang San and Hu Liena could fully process his warning, smaller bats outside the cave surged forward, passing through dark portals to sacrifice themselves to the injured bat. They melted into its last remaining mouth, and before long, the bat's heads began to regenerate, healing at a visible rate.

Tang San and Hu Liena's expressions grew grim as they watched.

"If this continues, hitting it again will be nearly impossible," Tang San thought.

The bat seemed even more agile now, and using the same moves would likely fail.

"Once more," came the calm voice of the White Death. 

"This time, let's take out all three heads in a single strike."

Tang San and Hu Liena glanced at him, surprised.

Hu Liena hesitated. "My soul bone's ability won't work again so soon, and even if it did, this dark golden bat has become even harder to hit."

Tang San nodded in agreement. His skull's Purple Demon Eye's mental attack ability wouldn't be enough to destroy three heads at once, especially with the mist-like aura thickening the closer they got.

"I have a plan," Wang Feng said confidently. "Tang San, aim your Clear Sky Hammer and Purple Light Beam at two of its heads. I'll handle the third. Follow my lead."

Though puzzled, they agreed. Tang San and Hu Liena positioned themselves, their eyes fixed on the bat.

Wang Feng took a deep breath. A dark aura began to emanate from him, shadowing his figure. Black light surged outward, spreading across the air and engulfing the bat's oppressive haze. For a moment, Tang San and Hu Liena felt a wave of dark emotions crashing into their minds, threatening to make them lose control.

Then Wang Feng's calm voice cut through the darkness. "Stay focused! Prepare to attack the dark golden bat!"

His voice brought them back, and a cleansing energy emerged from Wang Feng, restoring their clarity and sharpening their senses.

"It's a domain!" Tang San murmured in awe. "White Death… also has an innate domain!"

This power stemmed from Wang Feng's Dark Angel martial soul, still incomplete yet, was now revealing a sliver of its terrifying potential.

The aura around Wang Feng turned even more menacing, emanating a terrifying, predatory air. In the Slaughter City, Wang Feng had been refining his Dark Angel martial soul for two years, and finally, a glimpse of its terrifying power began to show.

Long ago, in the icy wilderness of the Extreme North, the first blood pattern of his Dark Angel martial soul had been activated, giving rise to a sinister aura. This aura could instill rage, strip away reason, and drain the vitality of any creature caught within it. Although Wang Feng had rarely used this ability, he continued his training within the Slaughter City, gradually activating five additional blood patterns. With each activation, the aura grew exponentially in strength, though Wang Feng still refrained from using it.

Yet, at this moment, he was ready to unleash it against a formidable foe. The aura of the Dark Angel martial soul, endowed now with six blood patterns, was nearly as potent as a true domain. Only the seventh blood pattern remained dormant, holding back the aura's full potential. But even without it, this incomplete domain was fearsome enough. It was now Wang Feng's weapon against the dark golden bat before him.

As he activated it, he felt six primal emotions surging through his mind, trying to shake his resolve. But his spirit was resilient, fortified by previous purification and refining ddone by Red Lotus Karmic Fire, so he remained immune. Tang San and Hu Liena, however, felt the full brunt of the emotions—an overwhelming force that almost drove them to madness. If Wang Feng hadn't infused his voice with soul power to break them out of their trance, they might have lost their sanity completely. Such was the raw, unyielding power of Wang Feng's domain, even in its unperfected form.

Tang San and Hu Liena, now fully alert, were taken aback. 

The White Death possessed an innate domain—one that could incapacitate them in an instant!

What happened next astonished them even more. The black aura radiating from Wang Feng rapidly overtook the dark golden haze of the bat, engulfing it completely. Within moments, the dark golden bat, which had just regenerated two of its heads, began to writhe in a frenzy, the three heads biting at each other as though they'd lost their minds. The creature plummeted, its instincts wholly overridden by the crushing weight of Wang Feng's domain.

Tang San and Hu Liena realized the significance, Wang Feng's domain had utterly overpowered that of the bat, bringing it to madness.

"Is the White Death domain naturally stronger than the bat's, or does his power just counter it perfectly?" Tang San wondered, both impressed and alarmed by the intensity of Wang Feng's field. He felt a potent sense of awe toward the mysterious reaper.

"Attack!" Wang Feng's deep voice called out.

Though the domain was potent, it required a vast expenditure of soul power. Wasting no time, Tang San launched himself at the bat. He raised the Clear Sky Hammer, striking down on one head, while his skull flashed purple, directing a searing beam toward –the central head. It was his Purple Extreme Divine Light, a formidable soul skill.

Hu Liena moved swiftly, using her charm ability to harass the beast, while Wang Feng hurled his Dagger once more, a deadly weapon from his battle with the Shadowless Assassin. The bat, ensnared within the domain, could not evade even if it wanted to. Three resounding impacts echoed as the bat's heads exploded one by one, and its body shriveled rapidly, descending into the blood pool below.

With the leader dead, the remaining scarlet bats scattered, retreating in chaos. Breathing a sigh of relief, Tang San and Hu Liena inhaled the clear aura Wang Feng emitted, dispelling any lingering effects from the battle. Tang San's Blue Silver Domain spread outward, helping to sharpen their senses and clear their minds.

Wang Feng's domain had left a lasting impression on them. As they continued forward, they couldn't ignore the mystery surrounding the White Death—an enigmatic figure whose hidden strength seemed boundless.

"The temperature is rising," Tang San remarked, glancing around warily. Hu Liena and Wang Feng nodded, acknowledging the change. After advancing another hundred meters, they encountered their next threat, a swarm of flaming crows. These powerful, flame-aligned beasts shrieked as they descended upon the trio. Thousands of them filled the air, with the mighty Flame Crow King leading them, a beast boasting over 30,000 years of cultivation.

United, the three fought back. Wang Feng's dark aura shielded them, blocking most of the lesser crows, leaving only the Flame Crow King to breach their defenses. The trio attacked in tandem, and after a fierce struggle, the Flame Crow King also fell at their hands. This marked the second wave of attacks they had faced, yet each foe was more taxing than the last.

Exhausted but resolute, Tang San and Hu Liena wiped sweat from their brows, preparing to take a brief respite. But as they began to rest, another wave rose from the blood pool—a swarm of explosive insects, buzzing and ready to attack.

...…..

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