The steel shovel struck the giant crab, hitting the hard shell on its surface with a sound like metal clashing. The shovel bounced back, and Ding Longyun felt his arms go numb from the impact. The giant crab seemed even more enraged, thrusting one of its massive pincers through the doorway, trying to clamp down on Ding Longyun.
Ding Longyun hurriedly retreated inward, keeping the enormous claw out of reach.
Su Li released Xu Xuehui and activated the "Peek Rune" to examine the giant crab.
Immediately, a message surfaced in his mind.
"Name: Tyrant Crab, elite breed among third-level spirit source beasts. Its back shell is as hard as iron, while its belly is soft—its only weakness. Killing a Tyrant Crab has a certain chance of granting the special skill 'Tyrant Armor.'"
"It's a third-level elite spirit source beast, no wonder it's so terrifying." Su Li took a deep breath and said, "This thing is called a Tyrant Crab, an elite breed among third-level spirit source beasts. That marine iguana we fought earlier was just an ordinary third-level one."
Now Su Li understood that among spirit source beasts of the same level, there were ordinary types and elite breeds. Elite spirit source beasts were far stronger than ordinary ones, which was why the Tyrant Crab could easily kill the marine iguana of the same level.
What intrigued him most, however, was that killing this Tyrant Crab had a certain chance of granting the new special skill "Tyrant Armor."
Ding Longyun noticed the vertical slit-like pattern on Su Li's forehead and grew curious about how he knew the creature's details.
Su Li didn't hide it from him and explained that it was called the "Peek Rune," a special ability like his own "Soul Devour." Though it had no offensive power, it could reveal basic information about these spirit source beasts, making it highly practical.
The Tyrant Crab's size prevented it from squeezing through the stairway entrance, so it kept thrusting one of its pincers inside.
Ding Longyun swung the steel shovel, hitting it twice in succession, but the pincer was too hard—striking it felt like hitting steel, unable to harm the Tyrant Crab. Meanwhile, the crab couldn't get in, so it couldn't hurt them either.
"Let's go." After learning the Tyrant Crab's details, Su Li charged down the stairs.
Seeing Su Li head downstairs, Xu Xuehui followed closely. Ding Longyun muttered curses under his breath: "Big crab, don't think you're tough just because you're huge. I'll boil you in a pot sooner or later."
With that, he too descended the stairs.
The three moved down the staircase, and Su Li, in the lead, soon faced an attack.
Moonlight didn't reach inside the stairwell, leaving it quite dark. Though not pitch-black, they could only make out vague silhouettes.
Xu Xuehui, right behind Su Li, suddenly called out a warning: "Watch out!"
She had enhanced her eyes once, giving her better vision than Su Li and Ding Longyun at the moment. Even in the dimness, she could see more clearly than the two.
But Su Li didn't need her warning—he had already noticed a shadowy figure darting out from the darkness at the corner of the landing ahead. In the gloom, its features were nearly indistinguishable, but the "Peek Rune" told him it was a Water Rat Beast.
Calm and composed, Su Li swung his iron rod. Both speed and power overwhelmed the Water Rat Beast before him.
With a dull thud, the iron rod struck the Water Rat Beast's head, crushing its skull instantly. Its body slammed down, dead in one blow.
A spirit source appeared and merged into Su Li's mind.
"Level 2 Spirit Source User: Spirit Source 14/20"
Su Li had chosen not to linger on the rooftop with the Tyrant Crab because he had his sights set on this group of Water Rat Beasts.
These Water Rat Beasts feared the Tyrant Crab and hadn't dared to charge onto the roof. Though they had retreated, they hadn't fled far—they had gathered in the stairwell, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
Water Rat Beasts were ordinary second-level spirit source beasts, not particularly strong, making them perfect targets for him now.
Seeing Su Li kill a Water Rat Beast that had lunged from the dark, Ding Longyun caught on. With a low chuckle, he raised his steel shovel, overtook Xu Xuehui, and charged downward.
Though Ding Longyun was a level 3 spirit source user, one level above the Water Rat Beasts, killing them still yielded spirit sources. Of course, if he went after lower-level first-level spirit source beasts, the gain would be negligible, almost nonexistent.
Between the stairs below, Water Rat Beasts surged upward, snapping at the two.
Ding Longyun let out a low growl and swung his steel shovel downward. Though not exceptionally sharp, the force behind it sliced into a Water Rat Beast's neck, severing its head clean off.
"Good, just four more." Ding Longyun collected a spirit source, growing more excited.
Meanwhile, Su Li killed another Water Rat Beast, bringing his spirit source count to 15/20.
Xu Xuehui lingered at the back, unable to join in for now, watching as the two slowly fought their way down the stairs.
A Water Rat Beast leaped into the air. Ding Longyun swung his steel shovel horizontally, smacking the airborne creature. It tumbled and crashed into the darkness below.
But no spirit source emerged—clearly, the beast hadn't been killed.
Su Li's iron rod hammered repeatedly into the darkness ahead. With the crack of breaking bones, another Water Rat Beast had its skull crushed and rolled down the stairs.
A message appeared in Su Li's mind, indicating his spirit source count had changed to 16/20. He was getting closer to a breakthrough—just four more spirit sources needed. Excitement stirred within him.
Ding Longyun roared, swinging his shovel sideways. With a sharp crack, it struck a Water Rat Beast from the side, blowing its head off and earning him a spirit source.
After hunting the third-level marine iguana earlier, both Su Li and Ding Longyun found dealing with these ordinary second-level Water Rat Beasts increasingly easy.
"Three more to go!" Ding Longyun muttered, suddenly overtaking Su Li and charging downward. He reached the corridor on the next floor, switched the shovel to his left hand, and extended his right, activating "Soul Devour" to slap a Water Rat Beast's head.
The Water Rat Beast's eyes rolled back, and it collapsed silently. A white spirit source shot out from its body, merging into Ding Longyun's forehead.
"Watch out!" Su Li spotted something and shouted a warning, rushing downward, but he was a step too late. As the Water Rat Beast fell, a figure suddenly emerged from the darkness at the corridor corner, swinging an arm that grazed Ding Longyun's chest.
Alerted by Su Li's warning, Ding Longyun instinctively stepped back. A chill spread across his chest, followed by a searing pain, and he couldn't help but let out a pained roar.
Su Li charged forward almost simultaneously, yelling as he swung his iron rod.