Zhu Zhuyun let out a sharp cry and threw herself into the fight. Her main goal was to shield Tang San and Dugu Yan while they were still vulnerable, making sure no one could launch another sneak attack. Zhu Zhuyu stood nervously behind Ye Yin, ready to use her own body as a shield if anything went wrong.
The battle turned into a tense stalemate, but the advantage was slowly shifting toward Ye Yin's side. However, the Spirit Hall warriors were well-trained. Even though their leader's tongue was tied and he couldn't shout orders, his battle instincts were still sharp. Using his massive body and high-level cultivation, he stubbornly blocked Dai Mubai's fierce attacks and ignored Ye Yin's curses, slowly pushing back. The other three Spirit Emperors worked together perfectly, using their higher levels to gradually overwhelm Zhu Zhuqing, Xiao Wu, and Zhu Zhuyun.
"This isn't working!" Ye Yin thought, frowning. They needed to end this now.
He glanced back and saw Tang San's body glowing with intense energy—he was in the final stages of his breakthrough. Dugu Yan was almost finished too. If they could just hold on a few more seconds, the two of them would join the fight and win the day. But Spirit Hall knew this too, and they fought with even more desperation to break through the line and stop the absorption.
Suddenly, the black spirit ring around Tang San snapped into his body. He forced his eyes open, and a purple-gold light flashed within them. He had reached Level 40 and gained a powerful new control ability! Without wasting a second, Tang San slammed his palms onto the dirt.
"Fourth Spirit Ability: Blue Silver Prison!" Tang San shouted.
Huge, thick vines of the Blue Silver Emperor erupted from the ground like golden-patterned dragons. They twisted and grew instantly, forming a massive, unbreakable cage around the Spirit Saint and the three Spirit Emperors. While a Spirit Saint could break out eventually, they were trapped for now.
"Now's our chance!" Ye Yin's eyes lit up.
Dai Mubai roared, gathering his strongest energy for a final blow. The others prepared to strike the trapped enemies, but Ye Yin raised his Good and Evil Treasure Orb one more time. This time, he wasn't just trying to annoy them—he was going for the kill.
He targeted the Spirit Saint with his second spirit ability, the Soul Skill Curse.
Target: The Spirit Saint's Berserker Bear Avatar.
Effect: Power increased by 100%.
Side Effect: IQ reduced by 200%. The target believes they are the world's cutest plush toy and must find someone to hug them immediately.
A strange, deep black light hit the giant bear. The Spirit Saint's body stiffened as his power doubled, but his mind went completely blank. An absurd, overwhelming thought took over: I am a cute little bear! I want a hug! Lift me up!.
The terrifying face of the bear suddenly shifted into a silly, longing expression. Instead of breaking the cage, the five-meter-tall monster started to wiggle and wave its huge paws, making soft whimpering sounds as if it were acting spoiled. It was a horrifying and ridiculous sight.
The entire battlefield went silent. Dai Mubai froze mid-swing, Xiao Wu's jaw dropped, and even Ning Rongrong forgot to keep her pagoda glowing. The Spirit Hall members were paralyzed with shock, wondering if their captain had finally lost his mind.
Ye Yin didn't hesitate. "Mubai! Do it now!".
Dai Mubai snapped out of it. Seeing the giant bear standing there defenseless and acting like a toy, he unleashed his White Tiger Vajra Transformation. A beam of golden destruction slammed directly into the bear's chest.
Boom!
The Spirit Saint's body shook violently as blood sprayed from his mouth. The silly look in his eyes vanished, replaced by pure agony and fear. His giant bear form fell apart, leaving his human body with a massive hole in his chest. He stared at Ye Yin one last time before falling backward, dead.
The remaining Spirit Emperors were terrified. Their leader was dead in the most embarrassing way possible, and they realized Ye Yin was more of a devil than a man. They turned and tried to run for their lives.
"You're not going anywhere!" Ye Yin sneered. He used his fourth spirit ability, Mental Curse, on their legs. The moment they tried to flee, their legs took on a life of their own, performing a fast, comical tap dance.
Da-da-da! Da-da-da!
They looked like puppets on strings, dancing wildly in the middle of the silent forest. They were crying in fear, but they couldn't stop dancing.
"Finish it," Ye Yin ordered coldly. Dai Mubai and the others quickly moved in, subduing the dancing men and knocking out their spirit power. The entire Spirit Hall squad was wiped out: one crushed by his own captain, two silenced by truth-gum, the captain dead, and the rest captured.
As the dust settled, everyone looked at Ye Yin with a mix of respect and fear. Just then, Dugu Yan finished her own absorption and stood up, looking at the bodies and the prisoners in confusion.
"What happened?" she asked, blinking. "Did I miss a fight?".
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