Chapter 76: The Demon Beast Spar

Just as Qin Xiaochuan and Zhang Yang leaped into the air, they suddenly saw G-1 on the opposite side swing his hands downward toward them. It was as if something invisible in the air came crashing down upon them. With no time to think, Qin Xiaochuan shoved Zhang Yang behind him, and the two, propelled by their mutual force in midair, managed to dodge the unseen blow and land to the side. “What on earth is that thing in his hands? How could it have such destructive power?” Qin Xiaochuan couldn’t help but ask, his eyes fixed on the deep crater left in the ground. It was unclear whether he was talking to himself or to Zhang Yang. Given Zhang Yang’s keen spiritual perception, perhaps he had noticed something.

“Spiritual power, the more refined it is, the harder it is for those with weaker senses to perceive it,” the masked contestant explained from the sidelines, having heard Qin Xiaochuan’s question. “With your current level, neither of you can see the spiritual power in their hands.”

“How are we supposed to fight under these circumstances?” Qin Xiaochuan was beginning to feel overwhelmed by the answer. It was the first time he’d encountered such a situation, and it made combat especially tricky.

Meanwhile, deep in the forest, White Shade and Feiyan swung their whips and swords, easily dismembering one of the opponents sent to block their participation in the competition. Kicking at a piece of the corpse at his feet, White Shade turned to the remaining monster, puzzlement in his voice: “As our supposed opposition, your strength is really a bit too negligent.”

“Heh, I’m actually quite afraid of dying,” the remaining monster replied with a grin. With a sharp whistle into the trees, a massive mechanical warrior appeared from the woods. “The doctor sent us here just to stall you. This big fellow is here specifically to stop you, while I’m merely the guide.”

The gigantic beast that emerged from the woods stood nearly six meters tall, almost the height of a two-story building. After pushing aside the branches before it, the monstrous mechanical warrior loomed behind the cat-eyed demon, who boasted to White Shade, “Behold, this is the doctor’s latest creation—a fusion beast, the Demon Beast Spar, formed from plant and demon warriors. Care to test its might? I guarantee you’ll be in for a surprise, heh.”

The sheer size of the beast behind the cat-eyed monster astounded both White Shade and Feiyan. It wasn’t just enormous; its entire exposed musculature resembled green, plant-like tendrils, as if its sinews were botanical in nature. A massive eye dominated its head, covering it entirely and giving it a grotesque appearance. Both its hands had been replaced by mechanical claws, rendering it a weapon of pure carnage.

“Spar is the doctor’s fifth-generation fusion of plant and demon, a beast completely numbed to pain and void of emotion. All that remains is a slavish obedience to its master’s orders and an insatiable thirst for slaughter.” The cat-eyed demon pointed dramatically at White Shade and Feiyan. “If you understand that, then give up now! Spar, attack! Kill them both!”

At its master’s command, Spar thrust its arms forward. Like rubber, they stretched rapidly toward Feiyan and White Shade in attack. No wonder its muscles were banded—it was capable of stretching and striking at a distance.

Seeing Spar’s arms lunge at them, White Shade lashed his rose whip at the beast’s limb. Yet it seemed to be coated in an oily, protective substance—despite the whip’s ability to slice through metal, it left not a mark. Feiyan fared no better; his sword slid right off the beast’s arm, unable to bite in at all.

The cat-eyed demon burst out laughing. “Ahahahaha! You can’t cut it, can you? Don’t waste your strength. Spar’s body is coated with a special anti-blade oil. Hack away for a thousand years and you won’t leave so much as a scratch!”

Enraged by the monster’s arrogance, Feiyan’s eyes blazed. He despised nothing more than fools who flaunted their power, especially those who relied on machines to do so. Without hesitation, he darted to the side and launched himself at the cat-eyed demon, clearly intent on killing the operator and thus robbing the beast of its controller. But it seemed Spar had been programmed to protect its master at all costs. The moment Feiyan charged at the demon, Spar’s giant claw followed, aiming to take Feiyan out before he could reach its master.

Feiyan sensed his speed wasn’t enough. Instinctively, he tried to push off a nearby tree to gain an extra burst of momentum, but the moment he extended his right hand, he realized he no longer had any strength in it. In that fleeting instant of distraction, Spar’s arm shot forward and pinned Feiyan’s body to the tree, the impact so fierce it made him cough up blood, clearly suffering severe internal injuries.

“Ha! Thought you could ambush me? Not so easy. Spar’s loyalty far surpasses that of any dog to its master. Protecting its owner is its highest priority—even if it’s smashed to pieces, it will rush to my defense. Well, little man, have you tasted Spar’s might now?” the demon taunted.

“Bastard!” In the face of the demon’s arrogance, a wild fury burned in Feiyan’s eyes. His raised left hand flickered with black flames—he was clearly preparing to use the incomplete Flame-Killing Fist once more.

“Stop, Feiyan!” Seeing the ominous black fire, White Shade seemed to know exactly what Feiyan intended. With a shout, he sprang from a tree behind him and rushed to Feiyan’s side, closely followed by Spar’s other arm.

White Shade landed in front of Feiyan and, bracing his foot against the beast’s arm pinned to Feiyan’s chest, vaulted upward. The pursuing arm didn’t have time to adjust and instead collided with the one holding Feiyan, the immense force knocking it away and leaving a visible gash on its surface. It seemed even Spar’s defenses had their limits.

As White Shade was about to land and check on Feiyan’s injuries, Spar’s two arms lunged for him simultaneously. The tactical maneuver just used had roused the beast’s ferocity; abandoning its attack on Feiyan, Spar now assaulted White Shade with full force. Its timing was perfect—White Shade had yet to touch ground and had nowhere to push off from. In a flash, Spar’s arms slammed him to the ground, raising a great cloud of dust.

“Hahahaha, excellent, Spar! Crush him to a pulp—take out one, and then the next…” The demon’s glee was cut short by a look of utter shock. Instead of tearing White Shade apart, Spar’s arms lifted him gently into the air, as if cradling something precious, careful and slow. What was wrong with this beast? Had its circuits gone haywire? Why was it suddenly unable to distinguish friend from foe?

Sitting atop Spar’s arms, White Shade exhaled deeply and wiped the sweat from his brow. He turned to the stunned cat-eyed demon and said coldly, “No matter what it is, it needs to feel pain. Even the smallest wound can cause a fatal error. Luckily for me, its body is plant-based—my whip invaded its circuitry.” As Spar’s arms raised him to its shoulder, Feiyan jumped up beside him. Gazing icily at the speechless demon, White Shade declared, “I’ve tamed it. Will you submit—or choose death?”

Meanwhile, inside the arena, Qin Xiaochuan and Zhang Yang were being chased around by G-1 and G-2, unable to see the spiritual weapons wielded by the three members of Team G. Though Zhang Yang held his own spiritual sword, he couldn’t block or counterattack against weapons he couldn’t perceive. Thus, the two could only rely on observing the stances and movements of G-1, G-2, and G-3 to anticipate attacks and dodge in advance.

The masked contestant, on the other hand, fought with more ease—perhaps she could see the opposing team’s spiritual weapons. At critical moments, she would rush over to assist Qin Xiaochuan and Zhang Yang, allowing them to barely maintain their precarious situation, though it was still rather desperate.

The three from Team G were another matter entirely. Their coordination was flawless—their movements as fluid as water, seamlessly connected. Whether in footwork, timing, or speed, they always found the optimal moment and position for attack. This was why, despite Qin Xiaochuan’s skills, he was continually forced to flee. He and Zhang Yang simply couldn’t see their opponents’ weapons, and whenever Qin Xiaochuan dodged one attack, another would immediately follow up. So far, he hadn’t found any opportunity to counterattack and had only managed to keep running.

As Qin Xiaochuan rolled backward to evade G-1’s spiritual staff, G-3 charged forward. At that moment, Qin Xiaochuan was supporting himself with one hand on the ground after his leap—leaving him no time to dodge. Sensing the danger, the masked contestant sprang forward and kicked Qin Xiaochuan out of harm’s way, just as G-3’s spiritual claw descended, enveloping her completely. Realizing she couldn’t evade the blow, she crossed her arms before her chest and took the full force of the spiritually charged assault.