Chapter 30: Chapter 30. The leader appears.

The inklings of the thought crept into his mind, sending a frigid jolt along the length of his spine.

Yet even in the face of such unsettling revelation, he remained undaunted.

His mind, once a tranquil lake, now rippled with thoughts that churned and surged like a tempest, attempting to grapple with the unfathomable situation that lay before him.

His gaze fell upon Wu Lina, her words echoing repeatedly in his ears.

A dissonance began to grow within him, an unsettling suspicion that something was amiss with her narrative.

The notion of an entire horde of soulweavers succumbing to an immediate rage mode was simply unheard of.

It is important to recognize that a state of rage is not an impulse that a Qi beast activates at will, it was not an act undertaken lightly.

Even when cornered, their instincts would often drive them to choose flight over a desperate activation of rage mode, for it was a path of no return.

In entering this state, they would risk not only immediate death but even if they narrowly escaped the jaws of demise, they would have sacrificed a significant portion of their life force, dramatically shortening their lifespan.

Hence, the sudden collective entrance into rage mode by the soulweavers could only signify one thing - they were being manipulated by a formidable leader, shrouded in the veil of darkness.

A leader whose power surpassed theirs to such an extent that they would adhere to his will without question.

A powerful soulweaver, lurking unseen, poised to strike from the shadows.

As this realization dawned on him, a horrifying question emerged - with the soulweavers' sudden shift into rage mode, was their leader about to reveal himself?

His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a gut-wrenching shriek that echoed hauntingly through the vast expanse.

This sound was unique, bearing an air of authority starkly different from the rest. As if on cue, the soulweavers' frenzy intensified, their collective rage mode escalating to a suicidal proportion.

They charged forth relentlessly, driven by a mindless fervor.

As they neared their targets, they would self-destruct, transforming into lethal bombs.

Despite their relatively weak physical and fighting abilities, the force of their explosions was undeniable.

While it posed little threat to the likes of Wu Lina, Xiao Se, and Shen Hong, who boasted cultivation levels of elite warriors, their barrage proved devastating for Alex.

His attire was in tatters, shredded and scorched by the relentless onslaught of the exploding soulweavers.

His body bore the cruel testimony of the battle, marred by innumerable wounds from which crimson lifeblood flowed freely.

Yet, through it all, Alex remained unbowed. Rising after each explosion, he dove back into the fray, seeking out those soulweavers who had yet to self-destruct wanting to get more Exp points.

From the sidelines, Zhang Jie watched, a mixture of awe and concern etched on his face. He couldn't help but mutter to himself, "This fellow's resilience is remarkable, and his courage is undeniably admirable. What cruel twist of fate could have bestowed him with such low Qi affinity?"

The mysterious inner sect disciple nodded his head in agreement with Zhang Jie's assessment.

A thin, cold smile played on his lips as he voiced his thoughts, "Indeed, his courage and tenacious spirit are commendable. Yet, with his lowly cultivation and his audacious demeanor that dares to provoke figures like Xiao Se and Shen Hong, he is merely hastening his demise."

Zhang Jie responded with a grave nod of his head.

His gaze, as sharp as an eagle, was fixed on the unfolding battle. "I must acknowledge his combat prowess and strategy which remarkably exceed his cultivation level's expectations. But what good will it do when his Qi affinity is so pitifully low that it hinders his progress?" Zhang Jie's comment echoed in the silent air, a grim reality that hung heavily over them.

The mysterious disciple responded in kind, his eyes flickering with harsh realism. "Indeed, it was unwise of him to offend those two. Moreover, to belittle them in front of Wu Lina, he has practically signed his death warrant. I am certain they would not let him live peacefully after this insult."

Chen Wei who had overheard their conversation, couldn't help but be taken aback by Alex's sheer resilience. Despite the devastating injuries inflicted by the soulweavers, Alex continued to stand tall after each assault, his spirit unbroken and his determination unyielding.

His battle tactics and skills also left Chen Wei in awe.

Alex seemed to predict every move of the soulweavers, skilfully evading their attacks and striking back at the same time.

His battle strategy seemed to be on a completely different level, surpassing even Chen Wei despite his higher cultivation level.

Meanwhile, Alex, deeply engaged in the tumultuous battle and deftly avoiding the suicidal attacks of the soulweavers, remained oblivious to the commentary and thoughts of Zhang Jie, the mysterious inner sect disciple, and Chen Wei.

Even if he had heard them, he would have merely laughed and dismissed their words as the musings of fools.

The injuries he sustained from the soulweavers' explosions were genuine but their severity was greatly exaggerated, a masterful ruse designed to mislead the spectators.

After slaying a significant number of Qi beasts, Alex was on the brink of advancing to lvl 2 in the system, which would grant him the strength of an elite warrior cultivation level cultivator.

However, a formidable obstacle emerged on his path.

When his experience points reached [9,000/10,000], he encountered some kind of inexplicable hindrance.

Killing the soulweavers was now only yielding him a measly 1 experience point, and sometimes, he didn't even receive any for slaying a middle-stage soulweaver.

It was as if he had hit a bottleneck, an obstacle that hindered his progress.

This was perplexing because, based on the web novels he had read during his time on Earth, there shouldn't be a bottleneck for someone with a system like his. "It seems that not everything you read online is accurate," Alex mused to himself.

However, his thoughts were abruptly disrupted by an ear-piercing shriek that appeared to threaten the very integrity of his eardrums.

"It appears that their leader is on the verge of emerging from the depths of darkness. I can't help but wonder about the formidable power it possesses," he pondered.