Four Hundred Years

The sudden voice made Xiao Han snap his eyes open. Shui Bing'er beside him woke with a start as well, and their gazes turned toward Lin Zhiruo almost simultaneously.

Lin Zhiruo had silently placed herself in front of them. Her eyes were sharp as an eagle's, and faint Soul Power rippled from her body. She was clearly ready for battle.

"Soul Beasts are coming. With me here, don't be afraid."

Outside the cave, low growls and the sound of claws scraping through snow drew closer and closer. Clearly, it was not one Soul Beast, but a pack.

Xiao Han's heartbeat quickened. In the six years since he had come to this world, he had never seen a real Soul Beast.

Lin Zhiruo said:

"They're Snowfield Ice-Sealing Beasts. There are quite a few of them, and they usually don't travel alone."

The wind howled outside the cave, mingled with the cries of the Ice-Sealing Beasts, making the atmosphere increasingly eerie and terrifying.

As one of the pack-dwelling predators of the Ice Sealed Forest, Snowfield Ice-Sealing Beasts were fast and powerful, capable of slowing and freezing their prey. They were creatures many Soul Masters preferred not to provoke.

"Xiao Han, Bing'er, stay here and don't move."

As she spoke, Lin Zhiruo summoned her Ice Sparrow Martial Soul.

Though the Ice Sparrow was small, its icy power was exceedingly tyrannical. It flew at incredible speed, rivaling Teleportation.

As the Third Soul Ring silently lit up, rings of icy-blue light gathered around Lin Zhiruo, as though they would freeze even the air around her.

In the blink of an eye, the Snowfield Ice-Sealing Beasts arrived before the cave.

There were more than a dozen of them. One was far larger than the others and stood out conspicuously among the pack. It was obviously their leader.

The Leader Beast's eyes glinted with vicious red light in the night.

Its entire body was corded with muscle, every inch radiating strength and majesty not to be underestimated.

Its fur fluttered softly in the cold wind, silver-white tinged with a faint icy blue, making it both beautiful and dangerous.

The Leader Beast stood at the very front of the pack. It did not attack immediately, instead looking down on Lin Zhiruo and the other two as though assessing the strength of its opponents.

Lin Zhiruo deliberately concealed her Soul Power, a faint smile curling her lips.

She could sense that the Leader Beast had cultivation of around three thousand years, while the other Snowfield Ice-Sealing Beasts had only several hundred years of cultivation.

There was no pressure at all in facing such a pack.

At the sight of Xiao Han and Shui Bing'er, the Snowfield Ice-Sealing Beasts bared their fangs. It was a silent provocation, as well as contempt for the weak.

As they released their Soul Power, the temperature around them plummeted. The air instantly condensed into frost, and the snow on the ground froze solid.

Lin Zhiruo smiled faintly.

"Xiao Han, Bing'er, your First Soul Rings are taken care of."

"Mom, just like Bing'er, I want one that's four hundred years old."

"Got it!"

Roar—

With a low, prolonged howl from the Leader Beast, the surrounding pack seemed to receive some kind of command. They answered with low growls, then lunged fiercely toward the three of them.

"Overestimating yourselves!"

As the Fifth Soul Ring suddenly flashed, Lin Zhiruo directly unleashed her Fifth Soul Skill, Ice Cone Thrust.

This was a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Skill.

In an instant, the space around Lin Zhiruo seemed frozen solid by ice. Then countless sharp Ice Cones appeared out of thin air, like a dense rain of arrows tearing through the night sky and shooting straight at the charging Snowfield Ice-Sealing Beasts.

Wherever the Ice Cones passed, the air itself seemed to be cut open by frigid cracks.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

The Ice Cones pierced through the pack's formation at astonishing speed. Even the Leader Beast was grazed by several Ice Cones before it could dodge, letting out a pained howl.

The pack immediately fell into disarray. Some were pierced straight through and collapsed to the ground, twitching; others were forced to change direction by the sudden assault, losing their momentum.

Only then did the Leader Beast realize that the human Soul Master before it was no ordinary opponent. With a low growl, it ordered its companions to retreat.

"Freeze!"

A vast force of ice surged from Lin Zhiruo's body, instantly freezing all space within a hundred meters.

The Snowfield Ice-Sealing Beasts that had not yet fully escaped were trapped by the sudden freezing force. Unable to move, they could only let out despairing cries.

Xiao Han and Shui Bing'er stood inside the cave, witnessing everything in shock.

This was their first time seeing Lin Zhiruo's true strength.

"Mom, you're amazing!"

Xiao Han could not help shouting, his eyes shining with excitement and admiration.

Lin Zhiruo looked toward the frozen Snowfield Ice-Sealing Beasts and asked:

"Xiao Han, Bing'er, are you both ready?"

"Ready."

Xiao Han and Shui Bing'er nodded at the same time, their eyes resolute.

Personally ending a Soul Beast's life was a step they had to go through on the path to growth.

"Xiao Han, kill the one on the left. Bing'er, kill the one on the right."

"Okay."

Both Snowfield Ice-Sealing Beasts had been struck by Ice Cones and were frozen in ice, with only their heads exposed. They were barely alive.

Xiao Han took out a sharp dagger from his Soul Tool. He and Shui Bing'er walked toward the two Snowfield Ice-Sealing Beasts, one to the left and one to the right.

It was Xiao Han's first time getting this close to a Soul Beast. His heart raced, but he still drew his dagger without hesitation and stabbed it into the Snowfield Ice-Sealing Beast's throat.

The Snowfield Ice-Sealing Beast struggled a few times on the verge of death before going still.

On the other side, Shui Bing'er also ended the other Snowfield Ice-Sealing Beast's life.

"I'll spare you today!"

Lin Zhiruo lightly waved her hand and released the Freeze. The trapped Snowfield Ice-Sealing Beasts bolted away like wild horses freed from their reins, vanishing from their sight in an instant.

"Xiao Han, Bing'er, remember this. Although Soul Masters hunting Soul Beasts to obtain Soul Rings is a natural law, you must not slaughter indiscriminately. We only need to take what we want."

"Mhm, we understand."

A cloud of yellow mist slowly rose from the Snowfield Ice-Sealing Beast's corpse, gradually condensing into a Soul Ring that gave off a faint yellow glow.

"Bing'er, go absorb the Soul Ring first. Adjust your condition, then use your will to guide the Soul Ring's energy into your body."

"Okay."

Shui Bing'er walked beneath the yellow Soul Ring and sat cross-legged. After adjusting her condition, she began absorbing it.

Xiao Han was becoming impatient.

"Mom, I'm going to absorb my Soul Ring too."

"Both of these Snowfield Ice-Sealing Beasts have cultivation of around four hundred years. I'm a little worried whether you can withstand it with your current condition."

"Don't worry. I can definitely do it."

Xiao Han had complete confidence in himself.

"Alright, go ahead. Take it slowly. Don't rush."

"Mhm."

Xiao Han walked over as well. After adjusting his condition, he began absorbing the Soul Ring.

He closed his eyes and focused completely on guiding the Soul Ring's energy.

This energy raged through his body like a violent storm, as though countless Ice Blades were coursing through his meridians, bringing waves of piercing pain and cold.

Xiao Han clenched his teeth tightly and tried to maintain his balance. Following the method Lin Zhiruo had taught him, he used Soul Power as a guide to slowly draw this foreign energy into his body.