Facing the group of bandits, Gu La felt a surge of intense malice wash over him. His voice turned icy: "Xiao San, don't hold back against the bandits."
What Tang San thought was one thing, but Gu La giving permission was another. Through small acts like this, he was gradually accumulating influence over Tang San's decisions.
"Understood."
Tang San now had no reservations. He flipped his palm, and two dart-like projectiles shot out from his wrist chanism. A black blur flashed as they struck the neck of the lead bandit charging ahead. Blood gushed out, and the bandit collapsed, clutching his neck, his life extinguished.
Xiao Wu was startled. She hadn't expected Tang San, who usually seed so quiet and gentle, to kill so cleanly and efficiently.
Though she had been well-protected growing up, she had witnessed death before. After a brief mont of distraction, she quickly composed herself.
Her Soft Bone Rabbit martial soul activated, and with a single leap, she covered five ters, targeting a lone bandit with a dark face on the flank.
"Hehe, little missy, I like you!"
This bandit had patches of black fur, indicating infamous Wolf Bandit lineage—a rare hybrid descendant, practically born into banditry.
His lecherous gaze locked onto Xiao Wu as he summoned his wolf-type martial soul. However, he lacked any soul rings, aning he hadn't reached Level 10 in soul power yet. The long blade in his hand was deadlier than his claws or fangs.
Xiao Wu hesitated to close in, fearing being cut or bitten. Her signature Eight-Step Takedown technique required her to grapple with her opponent, which was useless if she couldn't get close.
On either side of the forest road, weeds and grass grew thick and lush, concealing countless bones of travelers who had t their end here.
Gu La began his fitness routine, activating his Groudon martial soul. A dazzling thousand-year soul ring shone brightly beneath his feet.
The bandit leader's eyes widened in disbelief: "A thousand-year soul ring?!"
He doubted his own eyes, but when he saw his subordinates react similarly, he knew he wasn't mistaken.
The leader bore a black birthmark on his face, earning him the nickna "Black-Faced Fiend." He was a four-ring Soul Ancestor who had fled to the Tian Dou Empire after committing cris in the Star Luo Empire. Even he only possessed one thousand-year soul ring.
A flicker of jealousy crossed Black-Faced Fiend's eyes: "I hate so-called geniuses the most—always acting superior. Do you know how much suffering I endured to reach Soul Ancestor level? Yet you brats surpass without effort."
Deciding to take matters into his own hands, he activated his Black Wolf martial soul. This martial soul was stronger than an ordinary wolf spirit beast but lacked elental abilities, limiting its future potential.
Four soul rings appeared—white, yellow, yellow, and purple—as a ferocious wolf howled. Black-Faced Fiend bent over, his posture resembling that of a real black wolf.
This was his self-developed training thod. He mimicked the lifestyle of black wolf spirit beasts, even modeling his highway robberies after hunting behavior.
Through trial and error, he had managed to achieve so success.
Radiating an aura of savagery, he resembled a true black wolf, even exuding a hint of a Black Wolf King's dominance.
Gu La raised a finger, using his Gravity Control to create a gravitational field. Within a thirteen-ter radius, the air seed to sink under the imnse pressure, instilling terror in all the bandits.
Black-Faced Fiend's movents faltered. Two hundred-year soul rings flared simultaneously, and his raw strength as a Soul Elder was nothing to scoff at.
His bones cracked audibly as he resisted thirteen tis normal gravity, opening his wolf-like jaws, releasing a foul stench.
Gu La frowned, forming a psychic shield to block the odor while conjuring a terrifying ghostly face in front of him.
Without reason, Black-Faced Fiend felt a sudden wave of panic, slowing his speed.
The ghostly face—also known as Scary Face—was designed to terrify enemies and reduce their speed.
But reality wasn't a ga; the debuff wouldn't last forever.
Black-Faced Fiend's soul power far exceeded Gu La's. After cycling his soul energy a few tis, he could resist the slowing effect.
Soul power was Gu La's weakness, so he needed to end the fight quickly.
He raised his hand and threw a lump of yellow mud, splattering it across Black-Faced Fiend's face and obscuring his vision.
Mud Shot: A special attack where a clump of mud is thrown at the enemy, reducing their speed.
While the move's power was diocre and not particularly suited to Groudon's strengths, it was rarely seen in gas. In real life, however, its low power ant minimal energy consumption, and the speed reduction was godlike in effect.
As for Groudon's lower special attack stat, it still surpassed the vast majority of beings when compared to others.
Moreover, Gu La had already realized that with Celebi as his second martial soul, his personal stats were governed by whichever set of higher racial values applied—not switching between them upon changing martial souls. (aning he takes highest value between the Groudon and Celebi, for example, Groudon has 150 Attack and Celebi has 100 Attack. Gu La himself will have 150 Attack etc.)
After all, Gu La was a single individual. His twin martial souls strengthened him as one entity, not as two separate beings.
Gu La repeatedly used Mud Shot. Trapped within the gravitational field, Black-Faced Fiend struggled to move, inch by inch. Gradually, his entire body beca coated in mud, requiring all his strength just to shift slightly.
Inside the gravitational field, the mud weighed thirteen tis more than usual. Carrying a body covered in mud was akin to carrying a small mountain.
After activating his martial soul, Black-Faced Fiend's muscles and physique had expanded, but now this beca a disadvantage, causing even more mud to stick to him and increasing his burden.
To shake off the energy-ford mud, he would need to counter it with soul power, but he initially ignored it.
As the mud accumulated, it beca impossible to escape. Breaking free was now beyond his capabilities.
On the forest road, a mound of mud writhed violently, faint purple light seeping through cracks.
But the mud mound rely shook fiercely, splitting open in several places. A loud wolf howl echoed, but the soft mud quickly slid back, filling the gaps, turning the howl into a whimper.
Tang San had been observing Gu La and couldn't help but imagine himself in Black-Faced Fiend's position.
If he were facing Gu La's move, he would first need to avoid falling into Gu La's rhythm, creating distance and retaliating with hidden weapons. But Gu La's gravitational field complicated things, forcing him to rely on his Ghost Shadow Perplexing Steps to maneuver.
Shaking his head, Tang San realized the gap in soul rings was too great. His current abilities were insufficient to break through the gravitational field.
Focusing his thoughts, he continued to eliminate the remaining bandits.
Unaware that Tang San was once again using him as a hypothetical opponent, Gu La's psychic powers hadn't reached the point of reading minds.
Having trapped Black-Faced Fiend, Gu La faced a dilemma.
He had learned many moves, but none guaranteed a one-hit kill.
Deciding to act, he picked up a long blade, approached the mud mound, and guided by his psychic senses, plunged the blade into Black-Faced Fiend's heart before withdrawing it.
A legendary bandit had risen and fallen before even making his mark.
Confirming Black-Faced Fiend's death, Gu La went to assist Tang San and Xiao Wu in eliminating the remaining bandits.
The Tian Dou Empire and Star Luo Empire had enjoyed prolonged peace. With no wars between the two nations and corrupt officials unable to exploit groups of soul masters, these bandits weren't driven by desperation. Most were soul masters indulging in evil for pleasure. Even wiping them out entirely here, there'll still be so elsewhere.
Gu La shared his deductions with the others. After interrogating a captured bandit, they confird Gu La's suspicions.
With no further hesitation, the trio resolved to eliminate all threats completely.
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Gu La's Stats:
- HP: 100
- Attack: 150
- Defense: 140
- Special Attack: 140
- Special Defense: 130
- Speed: 100
- Total: 760
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