Facing It Alone

Just as Han's Father's First Soul Skill, Rhinoceros Fire Shield, shattered, the backlash made him cough up blood. He collapsed to the ground, clutching his chest as he spat out another mouthful of blood.

"Dad!"

"Darling!"

Han Nuan and Han's Mother cried out at the same time and rushed over to help Han's Father up. Han's Mother anxiously asked, "Darling, what... what's wrong?"

Han's Father clutched his chest and shook his head, indicating that he was fine.

Wave after wave of roars rang out. Han Nuan and the others looked up ahead, only to see a group of soul beasts flexing their claws, ready to tear them to pieces...

The light had faded from Han Nuan's beautiful eyes as she quietly said, "Ye Lei, where are you?"

At that moment, the soul beast horde moved. Han Nuan helplessly closed her eyes...

Just as Han Nuan thought she was going to die here today, the attack she had imagined never came. A faint voice drifted over. "Fourth~ Soul Skill, Blue Silver Grass - Cage."

Then came a series of impacts and the roars of soul beasts, followed by the sound of scraping.

Han Nuan opened her eyes in delight, because she recognized that voice. It was him! A tall young man stood not far away.

It was Ye Lei.

Ye Lei held up his right hand, his face expressionless, but fury was already blazing in his heart. They dared to hurt his family. They were asking for death. Yes, Ye Lei had already come to regard Han's Father and Han's Mother as his own parents.

"You beasts deserve to die!"

As he spoke, he clenched his right hand. Instantly, the soul beasts trapped within the Blue Silver Grass - Cage were robbed of their lives by the Blue Silver Grass spikes protruding from the cage. The light in their eyes slowly faded as they went to meet the King of Hell.

Aside from Han Nuan and her parents, everyone else stared wide-eyed, thinking, Is he even human...?

Ye Lei looked around and only walked toward Han's Father after confirming that there were no surviving soul beasts nearby.

Seeing the blood at the corner of Han's Father's mouth, he asked, "Uncle, are you alright?"

Han's Father shook his head and said,

"I'm fine. Just a little weak."

"That's good, that's good. Since that's the case, Uncle, Auntie, these are for you." As he spoke, he seemingly pulled two yellow chrysanthemums out of thin air and handed them to Han's Father and Han's Mother. "These are Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemums. They can strengthen the meridians and improve one's physique. Just eat the leaves and absorb them."

Han's Father and Han's Mother did not refuse. After accepting the immortal herbs, they sat down where they were, consumed them, and began absorbing them through cultivation.

At that moment, someone grew upset. She walked up to Ye Lei, held out her little hand, and asked,

"Where's mine? My parents both have one, so why don't I?"

Looking at the adorable, coquettish Han Nuan before him, Ye Lei gazed at her indulgently.

"How could I possibly forget my little princess? It's just that..."

Before he could finish, Han Nuan interrupted him.

"Just what?"

"Since you don't have a soul ring yet, absorbing an immortal herb would bring no benefits, only harm. But today, you can obtain a soul ring! There are plenty here. Let me look... Uh, this one's not bad. It suits you quite well."

As he spoke, Ye Lei dragged over a dying large bird by the neck with Blue Silver Grass. Its entire body was dark blue, covered in steel-gray armor plates.

"This is a Steel Wing Blue Head Eagle. Its cultivation has just reached one thousand years, making it perfect for you."

Although Ye Lei had struck ruthlessly just now, he had not wiped out the distant soul beast horde. After all, he still had a system mission to complete. He might as well finish it while he was at it, so he could recover his full strength sooner.

Ye Lei took out a dagger and handed it to Han Nuan. Without another word, she drove it into the Steel Wing Blue Head Eagle's head, then sat down on the ground and began guiding the soul ring into herself.

During this time, Ye Lei helped most of the people present obtain soul rings. He greatly exceeded the requirements for the system mission and collected a large bag of Beast Souls as well, of all different qualities.

As for where the immortal herbs had come from, he had received them as a system reward after killing two ten-thousand-year soul beasts. As for the soul rings, he had stored them in the System Space using the Soul Ring Collector provided by the system. This was an essential item for strengthening soul rings.

Naturally, Ye Lei also stored all the soul rings from the soul beasts at the scene in the System Space.

Just then, the system's voice rang out:

"Congratulations, Host. You have successfully completed Mission One and the side mission. System rewards have been placed in the System Space. Please check them!"

Ye Lei smiled upon hearing this. Then, with a thought, an ancient book and a fiery red orb appeared in his hands.

The ancient book bore four striking words: "Tang Sect Secret Arts"!