Chapter 26 - 226: Frost Spider

Chapter 26: Chapter 226: Frost Spider

Frost Spider: Healthy

Level: 15

Tier: Tier One Middle-Grade Soul Beast

Strength: 10

Agility: 13

Spirit: 13

Soul Energy: 25

Soul Energy Skills: Frost Toxin Silk

A Frost Spider with 13 agility?!

’This is the mock college entrance exam, not the real thing, right?’

’We’re running into a Soul Beast right off the bat?!’

The Icefield was vast—so expansive that even with several hundred people entering, teams would rarely cross paths. The visibility was also poor; beyond ten meters, one’s line of sight was obscured by fine snow and freezing rain.

Away from the gathering point, the cold began to seep in. Their thin school uniforms offered no protection, and only intense physical activity could warm them up.

And on the Icefield, the only intense physical activity available was combat!

Li Heng and Bai Shasha had been walking on the Icefield for less than ten minutes after leaving the gathering point when they spotted a spider the size of a basketball.

The moment Bai Shasha saw the spider, she went on high alert. She gripped her Wolf Claw Curved Saber, her eyes fixed on the Frost Spider.

Li Heng, on the other hand, learned the Frost Spider’s general stats from the information provided by his system. And based on that information, he knew the situation was serious.

The Frost Spider’s strength wasn’t high, but its agility was only two points lower than his own—and that was only when he had his Cyan Blade Longsword equipped.

The spider’s Spirit stat was even more ridiculous, breaking 10 points.

But what truly made Li Heng wary was the Frost Spider’s Soul Energy Skill—Frost Toxin Silk!

Anything involving "toxin" was bound to be dangerous.

Li Heng didn’t dare be careless. Seeing from the corner of his eye that Bai Shasha was focused on the Frost Spider and not paying attention to him, he immediately swapped the standard-issue exam longsword for his Cyan Blade Longsword.

This was a Secret Realm, not a Dungeon. After changing his weapon, Li Heng’s focus, like Bai Shasha’s, was locked onto the Frost Spider.

"Watch out for the silk it spits!" Li Heng warned Bai Shasha, who grunted in acknowledgment.

Not long after Li Heng spoke, the Frost Spider struck first. With a powerful push from its eight legs, it leaped into the air, bared its mandibles, and lunged straight for Bai Shasha.

The Frost Spider’s leap was incredibly fast—so fast that Bai Shasha barely had time to react. By the time she did, the spider was less than two meters away from her.

’Bai Shasha was horrified. The speed of this basketball-sized spider alone is completely beyond anything I’ve seen. In just these few seconds, I can tell it’s faster than me!’

At that moment, Bai Shasha could only hope that the Wolf Claw Curved Saber in her hand could block the Frost Spider’s attack.

CLANG—

The sound of scraping metal rang out, but the scene Bai Shasha had imagined—blocking the Frost Spider’s attack with her Wolf Claw Curved Saber—didn’t happen.

In fact, the entire situation had spiraled far beyond her expectations!

Before her eyes, a longsword had intercepted the spider’s sharp mandibles, not her Wolf Claw Curved Saber.

And the owner of the longsword was none other than Li Heng, who had just warned her.

’Wait! I didn’t even have time to react to the spider’s attack, yet Li Heng managed to block it for me. Does that mean... he not only reacted in time, but he’s also faster than the spider?! Li Heng... could it be... he’s already a Soul Apprentice? No! Even a Soul Apprentice... shouldn’t be this fast!’

Watching Li Heng hold off the Frost Spider with his longsword, Bai Shasha’s already shocked heart was now in turmoil.

She distinctly remembered that when Li Heng first teamed up with her, his strength was inferior to hers. Then, during their six days of exploring the forest, their strengths gradually became comparable, and he even managed to escape a wolf pack completely unscathed!

Bai Shasha had guessed that Li Heng’s current strength was probably a little higher than hers, but she didn’t think the gap was that large.

But from that single move, Bai Shasha understood that the difference between her and Li Heng now was more than just "a little."

"Wolf Walk Technique!"

The Frost Spider was fast, but its strength was truly lacking. From the resistance he felt through his Cyan Blade Longsword, Li Heng knew that if he could just land a thrust, he could definitely pierce through it!

Although he could completely overpower it in terms of strength, Li Heng didn’t want to fall too far behind in speed. He still had to be on guard against the Frost Spider’s Soul Energy Skill!

Seeing its attack miss and its prey—which it had considered as good as caught—still standing there unharmed, the Frost Spider grew enraged and immediately activated its Soul Energy Skill.

A purple light rapidly converged on the Frost Spider’s mandibles. The instant the light condensed, several strands of purple silk shot out from the spider’s mouth, heading straight for Li Heng!

But Li Heng was prepared. His nerves had been taut the entire time. The moment he saw the purple light gathering, he swung his Cyan Blade Longsword, slashing at the four legs on the Frost Spider’s left side. Without waiting to see if he had successfully severed them, Li Heng quickly pulled back and held the Cyan Blade Longsword vertically in front of his chest in a defensive posture.

He was now using the basic moves from his fundamental Swordsmanship to their absolute limit. The rapid swings and thrusts made Li Heng’s series of actions look as smooth as flowing water.

But suddenly, Li Heng felt it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t that his sword wasn’t fast enough. In that instant, he felt something was missing. This lack gave rise to an inexplicable craving deep within him.

A craving to slice the Frost Spider before him clean in half!

In the same instant this craving emerged, the Frost Spider’s Frost Toxin Silk was already upon Li Heng, aimed directly at his chest.

Previously, an attack like this would have been impossible for Li Heng to dodge. The distance was simply too short, and the Frost Toxin Silk was too fast.

But as that feeling of "craving" welled up, the Cyan Blade Longsword in Li Heng’s hand changed. The sword, previously held horizontally before his chest, seemed to come alive.

The blade snapped upright!

It sliced the Frost Toxin Silk right down the middle. The severed silk strands scattered to either side of Li Heng before disappearing into the Icefield.

But the Cyan Blade Longsword didn’t stop after cutting through the silk. It continued its downward arc, the tip of the blade piercing into the Frost Spider’s abdomen.

A flash of sword light, and the Frost Spider was split in two!

"Li... Li Heng?!"

Such a change in swordsmanship left Bai Shasha completely stunned. This was the kind of sword move you’d normally only see on TV or in a Soul Master’s livestream, yet it had just happened right before her eyes!

He one-shotted a Soul Beast!

From the moment the Frost Spider had spat out its Frost Toxin Silk, Bai Shasha knew that this basketball-sized spider was a Soul Beast—a Secret Realm Creature that even Soul Apprentices had to handle with caution!

But Li Heng, with just a single swing of his sword!

He hadn’t just cut down the Frost Spider; he’d cut down its Soul Energy Skill with it!

’Just what... is going on with Li Heng?!’