First Battle

The four little spirits looked at their master, seemingly waiting for instructions.

Qian Yuling looked at the four little spirits as well and was instantly charmed by their cuteness.

"They're so cute. My little spirits are so cute." Qian Yuling's eyes practically turned into hearts as she stroked Yadeyan, Bingaisi, Leiwosi, and Semingteke. The little spirits seemed to enjoy it as well.

"Ahem... ahem, Xiao Ling, your Soul Power has reached level twenty. You'll have to obtain your second soul ring yourself. Let me see what you can do in battle," Qian Daoliu said with a smile.

"Mm." Qian Yuling nodded and dismissed her soul skill. The four little spirits vanished instantly, and the two continued deeper into the forest.

"Xiao Ling, the limit for your second soul ring should be around nine hundred years. Don't absorb one that's too weak, but don't absorb one that's too strong either. It would be bad if something went wrong," Qian Daoliu said sternly.

Qian Yuling replied, "I understand, Grandpa."

As soon as Qian Yuling finished speaking, Qian Daoliu said, "Another one's coming. Xiao Ling, prepare for battle."

Without another word, Qian Yuling summoned her World Tree Root martial soul and chanted, "Spirit Summon—Yadeyan, Bingaisi, Leiwosi, Semingteke."

The moment her words fell, the four little spirits appeared before Qian Yuling. They seemed to sense something too, staring ahead as they prepared to fight.

Before long, the trees ahead began toppling one after another, and a brownish-red dinosaur appeared before them.

Qian Yuling's pupils contracted when she saw it. "A Grievous Claw Dragon. Violent and combative by nature, it attacks every soul beast it encounters. It has the habit of dragging monster carcasses back to its nest to feast on, and when hungry, it will even challenge soul beasts stronger than itself. It hunts with lightning-fast, agile attacks and is the overlord of the outer regions of the Star Dou Great Forest. Its jaws are long and lined with thick canine teeth. Its claws have ten digits: five are longer, while the shorter five are usually retracted like a cat's claws and only extend during a hunt. Its tough, powerful tail can be swung like a whip, causing immense destruction. Its claws are its main hunting tools; a single tear can easily leave wounds that are difficult to heal. When hunting, a Grievous Claw Dragon usually attacks with repeated claw strikes, then pounces for the final blow once its prey has lost too much blood and weakened. Those deadly claws are the origin of its name. This Grievous Claw Dragon is fifteen meters long, so it should be between eight hundred and fifty and nine hundred years old."

Qian Yuling gave her spirits their orders, thinking, The Grievous Claw Dragon fears ice-element attacks most, followed by lightning-element attacks. Bingaisi and Leiwosi, who has lightning attributes, will fight the Grievous Claw Dragon. Yadeyan and Semingteke will protect me.

The instant the order was given, Bingaisi and Leiwosi moved forward. Yadeyan and Semingteke stood in front of Qian Yuling, keeping a one-step distance from her.

Qian Daoliu nodded to himself at the side, thinking, This girl Xiao Ling has good judgment and a calm mind. With her around in the future, there probably won't be much of a problem with Xiao Xue.

Seeing a ball of lightning and an ice crystal blocking its path, the Grievous Claw Dragon sensed the lightning and ice attributes that frightened it. But they were simply too small, so it paid them no mind. It let out a roar and raised its claws to strike down. What it did not know was that the two little spirits before it were at the same level as Qian Yuling. In other words, Yadeyan, Bingaisi, Leiwosi, and Semingteke were all level twenty.

The instant the Grievous Claw Dragon's claws descended, Bingaisi released a large spread of ice crystals toward them, while Leiwosi fired a bolt of lightning as thick as ten centimeters toward the Grievous Claw Dragon's head.

The Grievous Claw Dragon's claws touched Bingaisi's ice crystals, and the pain made it immediately pull them back. But Leiwosi's attack had already been unleashed.

Leiwosi's strike knocked the Grievous Claw Dragon to the ground, but it quickly got back up. It leaned its body to the left and used Iron Mountain Lean—put simply, a shoulder charge. Yet this shoulder charge was no weak attack; Bingaisi and Leiwosi were sent crashing to the ground.

Seeing this, the Grievous Claw Dragon ignored Bingaisi and Leiwosi and charged straight at Qian Yuling. However, Yadeyan, standing before Qian Yuling, spat out clusters of fireballs, while Semingteke transformed into a sharp spike and stabbed toward the Grievous Claw Dragon, forcing it back.

Fortunately, Qian Yuling had ordered Yadeyan and Semingteke to protect her in front. Otherwise, taking the Grievous Claw Dragon's attack head-on would have left her seriously injured. After all, its claws were extremely sharp, and anyone struck by them would continue bleeding from their wounds. Moreover, Qian Yuling herself had little combat ability at the moment. Without her spirits' protection, even a level-eleven soul master could easily defeat level-twenty Qian Yuling.

After the Grievous Claw Dragon was driven back, Qian Yuling hurriedly widened the distance between them. Yadeyan and Semingteke did not continue pursuing it, instead retreating to stand before Qian Yuling. However, Bingaisi and Leiwosi were still in battle mode. Bingaisi continued firing ice crystals, while Leiwosi again unleashed the lightning attack it had used before, targeting the Grievous Claw Dragon's head.

Having been forced back several steps by Yadeyan and Semingteke's attacks, the Grievous Claw Dragon had no way to dodge Bingaisi and Leiwosi's attacks. It could only take them head-on.

With a boom, the Grievous Claw Dragon crashed heavily to the ground.

Qian Daoliu's eyes lit up. "Looks like it's over. Xiao Ling has given me far too many surprises."

The fallen Grievous Claw Dragon knew that if it did not struggle, it would lose its life here. It painfully crawled back to its feet and limped away in the opposite direction.

But Bingaisi and Leiwosi would not give it the chance to escape. The two little spirits unleashed the same attacks once again.

The limping Grievous Claw Dragon had clearly lost its previous speed, so it could not evade the attack at all. With a thud, it fell to the ground, and a yellow ring of light rose from its body.

Qian Yuling let out a deep breath. That had been far too dangerous. Without Yadeyan and Semingteke's protection, she definitely could not have defeated the Grievous Claw Dragon. After all, without Qian Yuling's Soul Power to sustain them, her summons could not continue to exist.

Qian Yuling slowly walked up to the Grievous Claw Dragon, stretched out her right hand, and released her Soul Power to draw the Grievous Claw Dragon's soul ring onto her martial soul.

Another surge of energy rushed toward her. Just like before, the Grievous Claw Dragon's soul influence was scattered with a single strike from the Branch of the great tree's phantom.

Qian Yuling's Soul Power had now reached level twenty-one. She raised her right hand and summoned the World Tree Root martial soul again. Two yellow rings of light rose beneath her feet, pulsing up and down.

Qian Daoliu clapped his hands. "Xiao Ling, that was a beautiful battle. Because of the special nature of your martial soul and soul skills, you are not suited to fighting like an ordinary Battle Soul Master. But your calmness, your allocation of your summons, and your ability to use the enemy's weaknesses to launch the most suitable attacks were all truly excellent."

Qian Yuling seemed a little embarrassed by the praise and said nothing, but the sheer joy written across her face completely revealed her feelings.

Qian Daoliu smiled. "Xiao Ling, tell me about your second soul skill."