The sudden change shocked Yue Guan and Xie Yue.
Jiang Xiaofeng's protection level was even higher than Hu Liena's, so when a soul beast grabs a soul master for 1200 years, it's pretty clear that it's a death sentence.
Yue Guan couldn't care less about anything else. He grabbed Xie Yue and chased after the Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly.
Despite the fact that the Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly had only been alive for 1200 years, it was incredibly fast. Though it would surely die if it encountered Yue Guan, it knew how to run, and Yue Guan, being a defensive soul master, couldn't keep up with its speed.
In the blink of an eye, the Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly vanished from Yue Guan's sight.
Yue Guan gritted his teeth in fury. "Damn you, Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly! When I find your nest, I'll annihilate your entire race!"
With Jiang Xiaofeng being taken by the Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly, he was almost certainly dead. Hopefully, they could at least recover his body.
Yue Guan could not imagine the consequences when Bibi Dong came back and found Jiang Xiaofeng dead. The Soul Beast Forest would be in serious trouble.
"Damn it!"
Xie Yue stood by, dazed. He knew that when a soul master of this level was grabbed by a thousand-year soul beast, the cost was enormous. This meant that Hu Liena would lose another friend.
"Elder Yue Guan, what should we do?"
Yue Guan sighed. "The Holy Son is probably dead. Let's catch a soul beast for you, and then I'll send you out. After that, I'll go after the Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly."
But Jiang Xiaofeng was starting to wonder.
Xie Yue, you're not even trying to catch a soul beast, and yet you're choosing to catch me? Do you think I'm small, short, and easy to bully?
"Exquisite Immortal Sword! First soul skill, Tiger's Roar!"
"Roar!"
Even a thousand-year soul beast like the Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly, when struck by Jiang Xiaofeng's first soul skill, would be forced into a brief state of dizziness!
Though it might only last a moment, that brief window allowed Jiang Xiaofeng to fall from the Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly's grip.
However, Jiang Xiaofeng noticed an issue. The Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly's defense was formidable. The first soul skill had barely managed to break through a tiny bit of its tough skin. It was clear that only a Great Soul Master or higher could deal with a thousand-year soul beast, and even then, it required a group to fight it.
But Jiang Xiaofeng was no ordinary person. If he could defeat a Great Soul Master, he could certainly kill a Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly, even though its skin was thick.
As Jiang Xiaofeng fell, the Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly grew visibly angry. It wasn't about to let its precious prey escape.
With a couple of screeches, the Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly dove down again, clearly intent on recapturing Jiang Xiaofeng.
Jiang Xiaofeng sneered. He raised his right hand, gathering an enormous amount of soul power into his fist.
"Tiger Fist, Second Style: Explosive Impact!"
"Boom!"
This punch landed directly on the Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly's abdomen. Unlike the first style, which focused on pure strength, the second style incorporated soul power, multiplying the force. This punch caused the Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly's abdomen to cave in.
The massive body of the butterfly crashed several meters away.
This was the first time Jiang Xiaofeng used the second style of Tiger Fist. If it had been used on a person, it might have been disastrous, but on the Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly, Jiang Xiaofeng showed no mercy!
The Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly staggered to its feet, its wings fluttering violently.
Countless wind blades rushed at Jiang Xiaofeng, clearly the butterfly's soul skill.
"Step to the Horizon!"
With his agile footwork, Jiang Xiaofeng perfectly dodged the wind blades, evading the attack.
"Goo goo~"
The Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly flapped its wings again, releasing large amounts of pink gas that quickly enveloped Jiang Xiaofeng.
"Poison gas? Heh, although I haven't fully mastered the Indestructible Body yet and can't claim immunity to all poisons, regular toxins are still manageable."
But Jiang Xiaofeng had underestimated the power of a thousand-year soul beast. After only a few breaths, he began to feel dizzy, his body feeling as though he had drunken too much.
Jiang Xiaofeng shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind. If it weren't for the fact that he had reached the Body Refinement Realm, he might have already passed out from the poison.
Just as the Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly roared and dived in for the kill, Jiang Xiaofeng reacted.
"God Slayer Sword!"
"Thrust!"
The power of the God Slayer Sword, even without the amplification of a soul ring, was still terrifying, as it pierced straight through the butterfly's skull.
Jiang Xiaofeng gasped for air, quickly circulating the Indestructible Body technique to disperse the poison inside his body.
As the Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly died, the poison gradually dissipated, and the massive body of the butterfly lay before him, its soul ring beginning to materialize.
After spitting out a mouthful of foul, pink gas, Jiang Xiaofeng felt significantly lighter.
"Damn it, I almost bought the farm there. The God Slayer Sword definitely didn't let me down."
In truth, the God Slayer Sword had never disappointed Jiang Xiaofeng in his previous life. The Exquisite Immortal Sword couldn't break through arrays or sealed chambers, but the God Slayer Sword could, which was one of its special qualities.
When the first soul skill of the Exquisite Immortal Sword only broke through a small part of the Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly's defenses, Jiang Xiaofeng realized that only the God Slayer Sword could defeat the creature.
Of course, without the poison gas, Jiang Xiaofeng would have been reluctant to use the God Slayer Sword so freely!
Looking at the purple soul ring of the Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly, Jiang Xiaofeng didn't hesitate and absorbed it immediately.
At least, due to the poison gas, no other soul beasts would likely show up for now.
As Jiang Xiaofeng communicated with the purple thousand-year soul ring using his soul power, the ring slowly appeared around his body.
However, the next moment, sweat began to roll down his face.
The upper limit for the second soul ring was about 750 years, but Jiang Xiaofeng was attempting to absorb a 1200-year-old purple soul ring, far exceeding that threshold.
Although Jiang Xiaofeng's soul wasn't from this world, his body still was.
Clearly, his body was struggling to handle the 1200-year-old soul ring, even though he had already reached the Body Refinement Realm.
Inside his spiritual sea, the image of the Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly appeared, and the intense pressure from the soul ring almost made Jiang Xiaofeng suffocate.
"I didn't expect the soul beast itself to be weak, but the soul ring's pressure is so domineering!"
When a soul master resists a soul ring, the immense pressure could easily explode their body if they failed to endure it.
But...
Jiang Xiaofeng was no ordinary person!
Inside his spiritual sea, the Exquisite Immortal Sword nailed the Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly to the ground, and the God Slayer Sword pierced through its skull again.
Whenever Jiang Xiaofeng sensed danger, these two swords would attack on their own. The first Sword Tiger was obliterated by the Exquisite Immortal Sword.
Without the pressure from the Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly's soul ring, Jiang Xiaofeng felt lighter and soon a purple soul ring appeared around him.
Jiang Xiaofeng breathed a sigh of relief. It was a good thing he had the Exquisite Immortal Sword and God Slayer Sword. Otherwise, he would've been done for.
"Second Soul Skill, Mirage Blades! Coming from the Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly's abilities, the Exquisite Immortal Sword transforms into eighteen blades that, when struck, will cause a poisoning effect."
Jiang Xiaofeng smiled. The first skill had dizziness, and the second skill had poison. Thanks to this Thousand-Faced Magic Butterfly!
(End of this chapter)