Chapter 172: Chapter 172: Can’t Get Out

At this moment, besides the swarming horde of Mutants, the Mutant Ancestor was also eyeing them like prey.

Neither side was easy to deal with. In the end, they would just become prey.

Xu Qingsui couldn’t agree with Shen Yan’s approach. This was undoubtedly a death wish.

"This isn’t about conserving our strength. It’s about taking out the leader. It’s the only way we’ll have a chance of survival."

As she spoke, Xu Qingsui felt Shen Yan finally let go of her hand.

She instantly understood what Shen Yan was about to do, and a conflicted look appeared on her face.

"Can you handle it?"

Shen Yan finally looked at Xu Qingsui, the corner of his mouth lifting. "Don’t I have you? I’ll be in your hands when the time comes."

With that, Shen Yan pushed off from the ground, leaping high into the air. He flew over the team’s defensive circle and charged toward the Mutant Ancestor.

But just as he left, Xu Qingsui heard him curse softly, "Damn it! Didn’t think this would be so tough. I forgot to bring my elixirs."

Xu Qingsui already knew about Shen Yan’s condition and had seen him in action before.

If he had taken an elixir beforehand, he could have lasted a little longer.

Charging out like this was a huge risk.

Xu Qingsui sighed silently. ’Running into Shen Yan has been nothing but bad luck,’ she thought.

Besides fending off the Mutants, she also had to watch out for him, as he could enter a frenzy at any moment.

Though she cursed him in her head, Xu Qingsui focused her attention, keeping a close eye on Shen Yan’s condition, ready to intervene at a moment’s notice.

At the same time, she was considering another matter.

’If I devour this Mutant Ancestor’s spirit body, my spiritual power should see a massive boost!’

At this thought, Xu Qingsui grew eager to try.

But to devour the spirit body, she first had to get close to the Mutant.

Chu Tian had noticed when Shen Yan flew out earlier. Though he hadn’t stopped him, he had frowned.

But then he gave an order: the team members were to protect Xu Qingsui at all costs. There could be no slip-ups.

This was for Xu Qingsui’s own good, but it was a headache for the very person who was eager to charge out.

The team members were diligent. While fighting off the Mutants, they kept glancing over to make sure she was safe.

Unable to find an opening to break through, Xu Qingsui grew anxious. Just then, Shen Yan reached the Mutant Ancestor. The longsword—which had been thrust into the ground earlier and lost in the cave-in—suddenly reappeared behind him.

With a twitch of Shen Yan’s shoulders, the longsword split into two and shot directly toward the Mutant Ancestor’s eyes.

The swords were incredibly fast, but the Mutant Ancestor was clearly faster.

A massive tail whipped out, swatting the two swords away.

Shen Yan’s expression darkened as he watched the Mutant Ancestor effortlessly bat his swords aside.

But he immediately opened his palm. A red light shot out, flying straight into the two swords.

Instantly, a blood-red energy wave enveloped the swords.

Seeing this, Xu Qingsui’s brow tightened. She looked at Shen Yan’s arms and saw that, just as she’d feared, the dense red markings had already spread to his collarbones.

Without an elixir to suppress it, the moment Shen Yan acted, he triggered his body’s Frenzy Factor.

At this rate, if they didn’t do something soon, and if Shen Yan couldn’t kill the Mutant Ancestor while he was still rational...

...then they would have to face not only the horde of Mutant offspring and the Mutant Ancestor, but also a frenzied Shen Yan.

And a frenzied SSS level sentinel would likely be more difficult to handle than the other two threats combined.

The mere thought made Xu Qingsui’s heart pound in her chest.

An idea struck her, and she yelled to Chu Tian, "Your boss forgot his elixirs! He’s about to lose control of his Frenzy Factor! I’m the only one who can help him—have your men clear a path for me!"

Ever since Shen Yan had charged out, Chu Tian had been keeping a close eye on him.

He had also just noticed that Shen Yan was already struggling for control the moment he attacked.

Knowing what this implied, Chu Tian didn’t dare hesitate. He finally gave the order to clear a path for Xu Qingsui.

"Guide Xu, you must be careful! If anything happens to you, we’ll have no way to answer for it."

Xu Qingsui nodded and hurried toward Shen Yan.

The two swords, now pulsing with energy, charged toward the Mutant Ancestor again. The creature tried to swat them away as before, but when its tail made contact this time, a blinding red light erupted, searing its flesh.

Its armor-like scales failed to block the attack, and the pain sent it thrashing its snake-like tail into the nearby cave wall.

By now, Shen Yan’s eyes were crimson. Seeing the Mutant wounded, a flicker of excitement flashed in their depths.

He immediately waved his hands, sending the glowing red swords flying at the Mutant again.

Xu Qingsui sprinted, but she didn’t take her eyes off Shen Yan’s fight.

Shen Yan clearly had the upper hand. If she wanted to devour the Mutant’s spirit body, this was the perfect opportunity.

’As for Shen Yan,’ she thought, ’if I can just devour the Mutant’s spirit body quickly enough, soothing him afterward shouldn’t be a problem.’

Her mind made up, Xu Qingsui took advantage of Shen Yan’s distraction, darting past him and right up to the Mutant Ancestor.

The Ancestor was completely focused on Shen Yan and didn’t notice someone sneaking up on it.

With ease, Xu Qingsui entered its Sea of Consciousness.

It was a cavern identical to the one outside. She stepped inside and saw a meter-long Mutant curled up as if in hibernation, completely unaware of her arrival.

’Attacking it in its sleep is a bit shameless,’ she thought, but she wasn’t about to show a Mutant any courtesy.

She immediately threw a fireball, reducing the hibernating spirit body to ash.

Everything had gone so smoothly. Xu Qingsui prepared to leave the Sea of Consciousness and return to help Shen Yan.

But as she tried to withdraw her spiritual power, her eyes widened in shock.

She couldn’t feel her spiritual power. Here in this cave, it was as if she had become an ordinary person again, completely cut off from her abilities.

She tried to conjure another fireball, but the ability that had worked moments ago now failed.

An ominous feeling welled up inside her. Xu Qingsui frantically looked around, and a sudden realization struck her.

’Something’s wrong!’

’It was too easy!’

The very fact that it had gone so smoothly was the problem.

’That wasn’t its spirit body. I’ve fallen into a trap.’

It was very likely she had walked right into a snare, and now she was the one in danger.

Realizing what had likely happened, Xu Qingsui’s heart clenched. She immediately started backing away, retreating toward the entrance she’d come through.

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