Chapter 2: Iron Spine Silver Scent Dragon (Part 1)

If it was a level-14 Spirit Beast, Guo Shier and the others were confident they could kill it. A level-15 one could be fought against for a while, but a level-16 one was beyond their capabilities. Based on past experience, a level-16 Spirit Beast was equivalent to a real mutated Symbol Beast at level 12 to 13, and if it was a Spirit Beast formed from a powerful mutated Symbol Beast, they would find it extremely difficult to contend with.

Guo Shier asked, “What kind of Spirit Beast is it?”
Eagle Demon said, “Get a little closer…”
Xian Rudi said, “It’s a level-15 Iron Spine Silver Scent Dragon. Its strength is comparable to that of a level-12 mutated Symbol Beast. It’s a dragon-type Spirit Beast!”
Guo Shier asked, “Do you have a way to identify Spirit Beasts?”
Xian Rudi nodded. “I have a family-hereditary method for identification. This Spirit Dragon is very strong—be careful!”
Guo Shier felt slightly relieved. They could barely handle a level-15 Spirit Beast; higher levels would be impossible to fight. He said, “Uncle Luo, you’re in charge of vigilance. If any other Spirit Beasts appear, give an immediate warning.” Luo Zhan was the weakest among them, so it made sense for him to handle surveillance.
“Uncle Eagle Demon, you and Brother Zhang are responsible for attacking, while Dingding and Xian Rudi will hold them off.”
Everyone took their orders, and Guo Shier said, “Let’s move in.”
The dragon-type Spirit Beast had now fully emerged from behind the altar. It was a massive creature over 300 meters long, with a streamlined body. Its dark back featured more than a dozen silver stripes, and its huge triangular head had a single horn stretching over 10 meters long. As a Spirit Beast, this horn was also formed from condensed spirit.
The dark brown bumps on its back were covered with tiny runes, indicating that the Spirit Beast hadn’t fully solidified its body yet. Its four enormous claws were several meters long, and their silver tips sank deep into the ground as they stepped down. It roared at the group repeatedly, slamming one of its claws onto the ground with a thunderous impact.
Guo Shier narrowed his eyes and observed for a while before saying, “The spirit of this Iron Spine Silver Scent Dragon isn’t fully condensed, so its strength is at least 10% reduced. We have a chance to kill it!”
Eagle Demon said, “Lao Zhang, let’s launch a main attack!”
Zhang Yaojin nodded. “You from the left, I from the right! Attack together!” He took out his life-bound Symbol Blade, that giant kitchen knife. Every time Guo Shier saw his life-bound Symbol Blade, he wanted to laugh—it was utterly ridiculous. He couldn’t understand why Zhang Yaojin had designed it that way.

The group didn’t dare move too fast and gradually approached the Iron-Back Silver-Scented Dragon. When they were about a few hundred meters away, Eagle Demon and Zhang Yaojin exchanged a glance, after which Eagle Demon shouted, “Charge!” The two split up and rushed at the Soul Beast, launching their first attack.

Guo Shier also unleashed his Moon Blade. This time, he asked the old man to help him cast a spell, as the power of the Moon Blade under his own control wasn’t strong enough. After trying the previous attack, though painful, its power had piqued his interest. With the right opportunity, a single strike could shatter the Iron-Back Silver-Scented Dragon.

The old man said, “You’re using me as a laborer again! I won’t do it! No, it’s that I dare not… I almost killed you. If I killed you, I’d be finished too… So I won’t do it!”

Guo Shier snapped, “Are you stupid? Reduce the power a bit so I can withstand it. Just don’t go overboard!”

The old man replied, “I won’t do it! Absolutely not!”

Angered, Guo Shier asked, “Really not?”

The old man said, “No!” He was firm, leaving no room for negotiation.

Guo Shier said, “Fine. Behind the Iron-Back Silver-Scented Dragon is a huge altar. It seems unharmed for now. If you won’t help, we’re likely to lose against it. With this Soul Altar… we’re doomed.”

Before Guo Shier could finish, the old man shouted, “I’ll do it! Ah, why didn’t you say so earlier…”

Guo Shier was speechless. By then, Eagle Demon and Zhang Yaojin were already in a fierce fight with the Soul Beast.

The two were quickly defeated.

Zhou Xiaoling and Qian Rudi also launched attacks, harassing the dragon from the sides to distract it.

The Iron-Back Silver-Scented Dragon opened its maw and spat out countless tiny ice crystals, which flew out with a howl, causing the temperature around them to drop sharply. Guo Shier cursed, “Damn it, it’s an Ice-type!” Ice-type Soul Beasts were tricky because the extreme cold slowed down professionals’ speeds.

Left with no choice, Eagle Demon and Zhang Yaojin flew high into the sky before diving back down, their personal blade blades whistling as they struck at the massive body of the Soul Beast.

Guo Shier continued to argue with the old man, staying outside the battle area.

The old man couldn’t see what was happening outside the Ancient Ink Lotus unless Guo Shier released it. So he suggested releasing the Ancient Ink Lotus so he could see how powerful this Dragon-type Soul Beast was.

Guo Shier did as he was told and released the Ancient Ink Lotus, then sat on its top. If other professionals were present, they would surely mistake this guy for a master who possessed an altar—because the resemblance was too great.

The handsome old man poked his head out, took a quick look, and said, “This Soul Beast is quite good. Let me take it for you. You’ll need plenty of Soul Beasts for your altar in the future.”
Guo Shier was overjoyed and asked, “Can you take a Level 15 Soul Beast?”
The handsome old man sneered and said, “It’s strange when you see something new. Back in our day, most of the beasts on altars were high-level Aberrant Symbol Beasts. Soul Beasts… I don’t even consider them worth anything, huh!”
Guo Shier said, “Oh, so you’re that powerful! Handsome Old Man, then I leave it to you!”
The handsome old man’s body rose from the Ancient Ink Lotus, stopping at his waist, leaving only half of his body visible. He said, “Tell them to back off!”
Guo Shier let out a loud shout, roaring, “Everyone, back away! Now!”
The Eagle Demon immediately flew back without hesitation. Zhang Yaojin cursed, “Damn it… Isn’t this just a trick to trick people?” He had already swung his sword. It wasn’t something he could simply take back now. His giant kitchen knife had reached its maximum length of over eight meters, and he swung it at the back of the Iron-Backed Silver Scent Dragon.
Clang! A series of sparks flew up.
The back of the Iron-Backed Silver Scent Dragon was its toughest part. Zhang Yaojin had originally aimed for its neck, but the dragon took a step forward—a step of a hundred meters—so his huge knife ended up hitting its back, failing to break through its defenses at all.
Roar!
Xian Rudi waved her hand, casting a series of phantom symbols that wrapped around Zhang Yaojin and pulled him away violently. A thick tail swept past Zhang Yaojin’s body, creating a vacuum that made him break into a cold sweat.
Zhou Xiaoling was weaker in strength. Hearing Guo Shier’s call, she also immediately stepped back from the battle zone.
Zhang Yaojin thanked her. If not for Xian Rudi’s timely intervention, he would have been seriously injured.
The Ancient Ink Lotus spun rapidly, growing larger, reaching over ten meters in height in just a dozen seconds. The handsome old man solemnly chanted a series of spells, and the Ancient Ink Lotus suddenly shot out countless chains. He pressed his hand downward, and those chains, like living tentacles, quickly extended toward the Iron-Backed Silver Scent Dragon.
Guo Shier observed carefully. His strength was worlds apart from that of the handsome old man. This old man was no ordinary person. Even if other soul altars remained intact, their owners’ souls had long vanished. Yet this guy’s altar, though damaged, still managed to retain a fragment of a complete soul, showing that he possessed many unique secret techniques.
The Iron-Backed Silver Scent Dragon’s mind trembled. It sensed a huge threat and turned to flee.

The handsome old man muttered, “Run? Hehe!” He reached out and pressed lightly, and a giant hand appeared above the Iron-Backed Silver-Scented Dragon. It was a phantom hand—no one knew how he managed to create it. The giant hand slammed down with a thunderous noise, crushing the over 300-meter-long Spirit Beast to the ground.

Guo Shier’s eyes darted in shock—this guy was simply too fierce.

Gu Mu Lian spun around and appeared above the Iron-Backed Silver-Scented Dragon. In a flash, Guo Shier saw the Spirit Beast below and was astonished—this guy could control Gu Mu Lian like that. He vaguely sensed that the handsome old man’s techniques weren’t complicated, but his own strength wasn’t enough to control Gu Mu Lian in the same way.

Countless chains, like tentacles, rushed down onto the Iron-Backed Silver-Scented Dragon’s body. Instead of binding it as Guo Shier had imagined, they pierced straight into its body, like countless spikes sinking into its hard exterior.

Roar!

It was a roar of extreme pain.

The level-15 Iron-Backed Silver-Scented Dragon struggled desperately, like a mosquito trapped in a spider web, but more and more phantom chains descended, piercing its body one after another.

The handsome old man sighed in admiration, “What a powerful Gu Mu Lian… Such a great tool! It’s incredibly useful!” Although he hadn’t fully regained his memory, many skills and spells were already deeply ingrained in his soul and could never be forgotten, so he used them without hesitation.

Eagle Demon was surprised, “This… it’s not Shier… it’s that guy…”

Xian Ru Dai showed extreme envy and said, “Oh my god, this requires the power of an altar! Brother Shier can even use the old man’s power! That’s amazing.”

Zhou Xiaoling said, “That crazy old man… Sigh, I’ll have to find someone like that too!” She was equally thrilled by what she saw.

Zhang Yaojin watched with mixed emotions—both distress and anticipation. He hoped this altar would bring him good luck. After so much bad fortune lately, he’d even been recognized by a female altar and granted a legacy exclusive to women. Still, he felt it was unreal.

The handsome old man kept casting spells, with phantom symbols falling like rain, forcibly compressing the Iron-Backed Silver-Scented Dragon’s body. The over 300-meter-long Spirit Beast had already been compressed to 100 meters and was continuing to shrink.

Luo Zhan shook his head and said, “Terrifying! Really terrifying!”

The handsome old man kept muttering, “A loss! A huge loss… I spent so much soul power. Sigh, what a loss!” He had to use a great deal of soul power to suppress the Iron Spine Silver Scent Dragon, but soul power was also very precious to him. He was currently in the recovery phase, and such a drain on his soul power meant his recovery time would be extended even further.