Thousand-Year Soul Ring and Light Blessing!

Within the thicket, Zhu Ziyang faced off against the Blazing Light Mantis.

This Blazing Light Mantis was probably around 1,400 years old. Perhaps it had just gone through a fierce battle, as it still bore quite a few wounds. Its emotions were also highly agitated as it raised its forelimbs and glared threateningly at Zhu Ziyang.

Deal with the Blazing Light Mantis first!

Having made up his mind, Zhu Ziyang immediately attacked.

He dashed toward the Blazing Light Mantis, swinging the Radiant Scythe and sending gusts of wind sweeping out.

The Blazing Light Mantis was furious, letting out sharp cries as its two forelimbs glowed. It charged at Zhu Ziyang.

The Radiant Scythe collided with the Blazing Light Mantis, making the air tremble. The Blazing Light Mantis was incredibly strong, and Zhu Ziyang's arm quivered slightly. However, the Blazing Light Mantis was not having an easy time either. Its old wounds had yet to heal, and now it had sustained fresh injuries.

Zhu Ziyang suddenly exerted force, knocking back the Blazing Light Mantis while taking a large step backward himself. Immediately afterward, the first Soul Ring behind him lit up, and a grayish-white blade aura carrying a deathly presence shot forth.

Having suffered a hidden loss, the Blazing Light Mantis was extremely enraged. Its eyes turned red as its massive body froze in place. In an instant, its two scythe-like forelimbs transformed into hard bronze, blazing with light as they chopped straight toward Zhu Ziyang's Blade of Death!

"Overestimating yourself!" Zhu Ziyang watched the scene with a trace of disdain flashing across his face, but his movements showed no carelessness. The Radiant Scythe spun at high speed in a strange posture, then the moment the blade aura struck the Blazing Light Mantis, it flew from his hand and shot toward it.

The instant the Blazing Light Mantis touched the blade aura, it felt intense fear. Driven by a living creature's instinctive fear of death, it recoiled. Yet that single retreat completely cost it its chance of survival. The Blade of Death instantly severed one of the Blazing Light Mantis's forelimbs at the root. Before any blood could flow, gray currents had already covered the muscles and nerves around the wound.

Then, under the Blazing Light Mantis's terrified gaze, the rapidly spinning Radiant Scythe struck its body with perfect precision. Its sharp blade mercilessly sliced off its head.

The Blazing Light Mantis died!

"Ha ha!" The Radiant Scythe returned to Zhu Ziyang's hand, and he could not help bursting into laughter. Looking at the fallen Blazing Light Mantis and the pale purple Soul Ring rising from its corpse, he said, "It's just an insect. Even as a Thousand-Year Soul Beast, its intelligence is still lacking!"

With a flick of his wrist, the Radiant Scythe and yellow Soul Ring vanished.

When he arrived before the Bright Yellow Fruit Tree, the Bright Yellow Fruit had completely ripened. A broad smile filled Zhu Ziyang's face as he plucked it and stored it in the Emerald Jade Bracelet. The rich fragrance of osmanthus immediately disappeared, and Zhu Ziyang was quite satisfied. This way, he would not have to worry about the scent attracting other Soul Beasts.

After picking the Bright Yellow Fruit, Zhu Ziyang did not rush to absorb the Soul Ring. Instead, he crouched down and began searching through the Blazing Light Mantis corpses beneath the Bright Yellow Fruit Tree.

The Blazing Light Mantis's scythe-like forelimbs were excellent Soul Tool materials, and the scythe bone limbs of Thousand-Year Blazing Light Mantises were especially popular on the market. These mantis forelimbs should earn his family a small fortune.

Of course, those were merely extras. Zhu Ziyang's main goal was still a Soul Bone. Unfortunately, none of the five Blazing Light Mantises had produced one, including the one he had killed himself.

Somewhat regretfully, he stored away the ten scythe-like forelimbs. Then he carefully arranged the surroundings to form a concealed cave before crawling inside.

He was preparing to absorb the Soul Ring.

Zhu Ziyang sat cross-legged on the ground and drew the purple Soul Ring before him. His expression turned solemn as he closed his eyes and began circulating the Great Brightness Art. The Soul Power around his body became active and swiftly connected with the purple Soul Ring before him. In an instant, surging foreign Soul Power flooded into his meridians.

His Martial Soul and his body began refining that Soul Power. He could feel the Light Element within the Radiant Scythe slowly improving and becoming more refined.

Time passed in silence.

After an unknown amount of time, an eight- or nine-year-old boy rushed out from the dense thicket.

An excited smile spread across his handsome little face. In his hand was a pure white War Scythe shimmering with silver light, with intermittent golden patterns along its handle. Behind him floated two Soul Rings, one yellow and one purple.

It was Zhu Ziyang.

"Second Soul Skill, Light Blessing!" Zhu Ziyang shouted powerfully.

The purple second Soul Ring behind him quickly lit up. Then, the Radiant Scythe in his hand became covered in a layer of bronze-colored radiance. Zhu Ziyang gave it a light swing, and every plant and rock within nearly five meters in front of him was instantly severed at the waist, as smoothly as a kitchen knife slicing through tofu.

Zhu Ziyang was overjoyed at the sight.

After activation, Light Blessing increased Zhu Ziyang's strength by one hundred percent, the Radiant Scythe's hardness and sharpness by one hundred percent, and its Light Attribute by fifty percent.

He was quite satisfied with this Soul Skill. It was already very rare for a boost-type Soul Skill provided by a Thousand-Year Soul Ring to enhance three different abilities, not to mention that Light Blessing could also amplify the power of an attribute.

After absorbing the Soul Ring, Zhu Ziyang's Soul Power Level had reached level 21. He was only a short distance from level 22, and he estimated that he would reach it in at most half a month. Besides, he still had a Bright Yellow Fruit.

Furthermore, his Light Element affinity had reached around fifty, and the Radiant Scythe's Light Attribute had been further strengthened. At this rate, perhaps by the time Zhu Ziyang gained his third Soul Ring, the Radiant Scythe would be able to touch the level of a Top-tier Martial Soul.

"Excellent! Mission accomplished. Time to go home!" Zhu Ziyang said with satisfaction and a smile.

Zhu Ziyang traveled through the night and returned to Anyang City at dawn the next day. It had been exactly seven days since he had left Anyang City.

"Ah! Brother, you're back!"

When Zhu Ziyang returned to the academy Dormitory, he happened to meet Jiang Nannan, who was on her way to class. Seeing Zhu Ziyang return safely, the young girl excitedly threw herself into his arms and hugged him happily.

"This is wonderful! You have no idea how worried I've been these past few days!" Overcome with joy, the young girl burst into tears, burying her head in Zhu Ziyang's chest as she sobbed.

"Alright, alright! Didn't I come back?" Zhu Ziyang comforted her softly, gently stroking Jiang Nannan's back. "And I gained a lot this time. Do you want to see?"

"Mm!" Jiang Nannan stopped crying. Her voice still carried a tearful tremor as she lifted her head, looked at Zhu Ziyang, and nodded.

"Then watch carefully!" With a smile on his face, Zhu Ziyang released Jiang Nannan and took a step back. Then the Radiant Scythe appeared, and two Soul Rings, one yellow and one purple, appeared before Jiang Nannan.

"This..." Jiang Nannan stared wide-eyed at the purple second Soul Ring, her little mouth falling open in disbelief.

"Hehe! What do you think? Isn't your brother amazing?" Zhu Ziyang said somewhat smugly.

"Mm-hm! Brother, you really are amazing!" There was still some shock in Jiang Nannan's eyes, but her pretty face was filled even more with excitement and agitation. "A purple Soul Ring! Brother, you're really amazing!"

The young girl did not have a large vocabulary, but her feelings came through perfectly. Zhu Ziyang could sense them clearly.

"You need to work hard too!" Zhu Ziyang put away his Martial Soul, reached out, and affectionately stroked the young girl's hair. "Once you reach level 20, I'll help you find a Thousand-Year Soul Ring too!"

Jiang Nannan's Soul Power Level was level 16, still some distance from level 20. However, the young girl was very talented and should be able to become a two-ringed Soul Grandmaster before turning nine.

"Mm! I definitely will!" Encouraged by Zhu Ziyang, Jiang Nannan was filled with fighting spirit.

"By the way, have my parents returned?" Zhu Ziyang asked.

"Not yet," Jiang Nannan said.

"They still haven't returned?" Zhu Ziyang could not help freezing. It had already been nearly half a month, and he was somewhat worried.

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