Chapter 516: The Terrifying Soul‑Eating Beast, Need to Consult Royal Archives

Chu Yao's face turned extremely grim, he swallowed hard, "Li Xueru, are you sure you didn't misread?"

Li Xueru's expression was equally solemn as he shook his head, "It shouldn't be wrong."

Jiang Chen saw both of them like that and knew the matter could not be trivial.

He had never heard of a Soul‑Eating Beast before.

Yet it could make the usually unflappable Li Xueru turn pale, so it must be serious.

Jiang Chen's knowledge was already considerable; he had perused a great deal of material, including many records from the Secret Treasury.

He already knew of many events in Human Race history that had occurred and then been buried.

But he had neither seen nor heard of a Soul‑Eating Beast.

Chu Yao, whose lineage was steeped in tradition, had only heard of it and never seen it.

It seemed the secrets of the Soul‑Eating Beast were hidden very deeply.

Jiang Chen sensed that this Soul‑Eating Beast was not powerful, only rather strange.

It was his first time seeing a monster that required no body, existing only with a soul.

Compared with the monsters of the Fusishi Jie, they were opposite extremes.

The monsters in the Fusishi Jie have bodies but no souls, neither truly alive nor dead.

The Soul‑Eating Beast has a soul but no body.

"Seems like another hidden secret."

"This Soul‑Eating Beast is truly peculiar!"

Just as Jiang Chen was thinking, a clear wind of Detection Technique swept by.

In an instant, Li Xueru and Chu Yao both turned pale.

The Detection Technique was emitted by Chu Yao, who was also extremely curious about the Soul‑Eating Beast.

After the Detection Technique was released, the Soul‑Eating Beast seemed to acquire a new target, its gaze turning toward Chu Yao.

Chu Yao felt a chill run through her body, and she froze like a wooden chicken, unable to move.

She was locked onto by the Soul‑Eating Beast.

Then the Soul‑Eating Beast emitted

a sound that only a soul can hear, instantly breaking free from Shenlong Tower's lock.

It seemed to enter another dimension and pounced toward Chu Yao.

Chu Yao's face was pallid, yet her whole body remained immobile.

Li Xueru and Chu Yao showed anxious expressions.

At that moment, a flash of Flame flickered in Jiang Chen's palm, and the Soul‑Eating Beast let out a sudden wail.

When it was less than a fingertip away from Chu Yao, the Soul‑Eating Beast ignited in blazing Flame.

Its entire illusory body turned into a mass of Flame, quickly burning to ash.

"Very weak!"

Jiang Chen's feedback indicated the Soul‑Eating Beast was extremely weak, under level 20.

A Soul Burn could reduce it to ash.

When the Soul‑Eating Beast died, Chu Yao instantly seemed to have the lock lifted.

She couldn't stop letting out a startled cry, staggered back several steps, then fell to sit on the ground.

After this encounter, Li Xueru and Chu Yao were fully convinced that the dog‑like thing they had just seen was, without doubt, a Soul‑Eating Beast.

Li Xueru's voice was low, "I didn't expect the Soul‑Eating Beast still existed in the world."

"After so much time, I wonder how many people it has already been passed to."

Chu Yao, more nervous than Li Xueru, said, "We must seal it off immediately; the entire Jiangbei Province must be locked down, no one from Jiangbei Province may leave."

Jiang Chen asked, "Is it that serious?"

Li Xueru nodded, "Yes, very serious."

Chu Yao added, "It could be even worse than we think; it might become a catastrophe that wipes everything out."

Jiang Chen also grew tense from their words.

Chu Yao finally recovered a bit, still trembling with fear, and said, "Why couldn't I move just now?"

Li Xueru said, "Because you used Detection Technique on the Soul‑Eating Beast, a link formed between you and it. Your soul was locked by it, so you couldn't move."

"Moreover, it used that link to open a unique soul channel, thereby breaking free of my restraints."

"If Xiao Chen hadn't killed it with a Soul Attack, you might already be possessed by it now."

Chu Yao, pale with fear, asked, "What would happen if I'm possessed by it?"

Chu Yao whispered, "The outcomes vary. For example, Yue Dapeng, a half‑dead being, is one such case. If it finds a better host, it might kill you and swap souls. It could also like you and simply consume your soul, taking your place."

Chu Ya Shen whispered, "There are many possible outcomes; for instance, someone like Yue Dapeng, who is half‑dead and half‑alive, is one of them. If there is a better host, it may also kill you and swap in another soul. It might also think you're suitable, then eat your soul and take your place."

She almost became like Yue Dapeng; that would truly be worse than death.

Jiang Chen said, "I feel it's weak, but it can't be that weak. What exactly is it?"

If it were truly that weak, it wouldn't warrant Li Xueru's fear, nor would it merit the phrase 'catastrophe that wipes everything out.'

Li Xueru said, "Over a thousand years ago, before the Shenlong Empire was founded, a Soul‑Eating Beast disaster erupted, nearly annihilating the entire Human Race."

"The records from that time are scarce; perhaps the royal family still retains more."

"The Soul‑Eating Beast itself has no flesh; before it finds a host, it is extremely fragile."

"But once it possesses someone, it becomes hard to eradicate. It hides within the host's soul, absorbing all of the host's life force, blood, and soul power; it can devour anything."

"The reason Yue Dapeng survived to this day may be that the Soul‑Eating Beast never found a more suitable host."

The reason Yue Dapeng has survived until now may be that the spirit‑eating beast hasn't found a more suitable host.

It might also think that even if it ate Yue Dapeng, it probably wouldn't be of any use.

That possibility is entirely plausible, since Yue Dapeng is still weak; consuming his soul wouldn't bring much benefit.

The soul is the most mysterious existence; ordinary people cannot touch it at all.

Jiang Chen only encountered the soul because of the Soul Burn skill.

If the spirit‑eating beast is hidden within the soul, it is indeed extremely secret.

"Is there no way to destroy it?"

Li Xueru shook his head, "There must be a way; I need to search the imperial court for records, perhaps I can find something."

The previous spirit‑eating beast disaster broke out before the founding of the Shenlong Empire.

At that time, the information circulated in the outside world was exceedingly scarce, and Li Xueru only knew a little.

Only the imperial court might still retain more detailed records.

Li Xueru pointed a finger, and Shenlong Tower emitted light again, falling on Yue Dapeng.

Yue Dapeng's soul flew out of Shenlong Tower and returned to his body.

At this moment, Chu Yao the Medicine God produced a bottle of medicine and poured it into Yue Dapeng.

The soul returned to the body, the medicine was taken, and the two coordinated with great harmony, almost completing it simultaneously.

Li Xueru projected another beam of light onto Yue Dapeng.

Yue Dapeng's vitality recovered rapidly.

This time it did not weaken again, and Yue Dapeng's complexion turned rosy.

Jiang Chen breathed a sigh of relief, knowing Yue Dapeng was fine.

As long as the root cause is solved, injuries like severed hands and feet are not an issue.

Li Xueru said, "Yue Dapeng, please leave it to Old Chu; I'm going to the Huang Gong."

Jiang Chen added, "I'll go together as well."

He was also very curious about the spirit‑eating beast.

What kind of species it actually is, how could

it almost cause the Human Race to become extinct.

A thousand years ago, the Human Race was not strong, but there were still Divine-level Strongmen.

Chu Yao whispered, "I'll go together too."

Chu Yao the Medicine God waved his hand, "You go; just leave Yue Dapeng to me, I will find someone to heal him."

Jiang Chen thanked Chu Yao the Medicine God, "Thank you, Medicine God senior; any future orders, just tell me."

Chu Yao the Medicine God chuckled, "Divine General Jiang, you're being modest; the extremely poisonous drake spinal cord you brought, Yao Yao, is a priceless treasure—this little matter is nothing."

Li Xueru made a hand seal, and Shenlong Tower instantly enveloped the three, transporting them directly to the entrance of the Huang Gong.

Then Li Xueru's clear voice rang through the Huang Gong, "Li Xueru respectfully visits; I request the Eastern Sovereign to appear for a meeting."

Li Xueru's voice was neither light nor heavy, dense and layered, encircling the entire Huang Gong.

Everyone inside the Huang Gong heard it clearly, even those dreaming could hear Li Xueru's voice.

Only a few seconds later, a silhouette flew out of the Huang Gong and landed directly before Li Xueru.

"Si Tu Liang has seen the Scholar God, and has seen Divine General Jiang."

"Li (I) have seen the Eastern Sovereign."

"Jiang Chen has seen the Eastern Sovereign."

The three greeted each other.

Si Tu Liang, knowing Li Xueru had arrived late at night, understood there must be an emergency, "What does the Scholar God need? Feel free to command."

Li Xueru immediately recounted the matter of the spirit‑eating beast.

"Forgive me, Si Tu Liang, for my limited knowledge; I've never heard what a spirit‑eating beast is," Si Tu Liang said, his face showing bewilderment.

But something that makes Li Xueru this nervous cannot be a trivial matter.

Li Xueru said bluntly, "I know your imperial court has a Secret Treasury; I need to search

for information about the spirit‑eating beast."

The Secret Treasury Li Xueru refers to is not the ones Jiang Chen has seen before.

Those are only the most superficial things; they can be called somewhat hidden, but certainly not top‑secret.

What Li Xueru is speaking of now are the most classified of those records.