Enemies on a Narrow Road, Beloved Attack Amplification

"Xiao Tian, are you sure you don't want this Soul Beast?"

Deep within Star Dou Forest, a white-haired youth about one and a half meters tall, with delicate features, was resting a crystal-clear blue long sword against the head of a Soul Beast.

With just a light tap, he could send it to the underworld.

And he was Chen Junting.

After two and a half years of cultivation, along with the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's full support, Chen Junting's strength had long since undergone a complete transformation.

The two five-pointed stars—one yellow and one purple—on the Seven Kills Sword were enough to prove part of his current strength.

Moreover, half a year ago, Chen Junting had already reached Rank 20 and obtained a Man Faced Demon Spider as his Second Soul Ring. Now, his cultivation had reached Rank 24.

As for today, they had come to obtain a Second Soul Ring for Ning Tian. The six-hundred-year-old "Nether Spirit Weasel," completely helpless beneath the Seven Kills Sword, was one of the options they had chosen when setting out on their Soul Hunt.

"Absorbing the Nether Spirit Weasel's Soul Ring will most likely give you a Soul Skill that can remove negative statuses. Have you thought it through?"

Faced with Chen Junting's advice, Ning Tian, who had already grown into a beautiful young girl, smiled and shook her head. "Brother Junting, I've already decided which Soul Beast I want for my Second Soul Ring." With that, she took out a Projection Soul Tool, and an image of a White Tiger appeared above it.

"The Wind-Ripping Tiger, huh."

Looking at Ning Tian's bright smile, Chen Junting immediately understood. The Wind-Ripping Tiger had only two outstanding traits: speed and attack.

And speed amplification...

That was Ning Tian's First Soul Skill.

"All right."

Chen Junting glanced at the "Nether Spirit Weasel" beneath his sword and thought for a moment. "If I remember correctly, the Sect recorded a six-hundred-year-old Wind-Ripping Tiger in recent years. Its territory should be nearby. We can go take a look."

With that, he sent the "Nether Spirit Weasel" flying with a single sword strike, but did not take its life, reducing the slaughter of Soul Beasts as much as possible.

However, just as the two were about to turn and leave...

"Swish!"

Chen Junting did not even turn around. He merely tapped out with the tip of his sword.

A sea of blood mist exploded in the air behind them.

"Those weasel-type Soul Beasts are really vengeful."

Turning around, Chen Junting looked at the headless corpse on the ground and the yellow Soul Ring floating above it. After thinking for a moment, he casually picked up a wooden stick and pinned it to the corpse.

Then he hoisted it up with the stick.

"Perfect. We can use the smell of blood to fish later."

"Xiao Tian, let's go."

Ning Tian's expression did not change in the slightest at this sight. After all, she had experienced killing at the age of six.

"Roar!"

A deep roar echoed through the dense forest.

On the branch of a towering tree, Chen Junting held the Seven Kills Sword while Ning Tian held the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda. They opened their eyes at the same time, and both focused their attention on the bait at the end of the fishing line in their hands.

"The 'fish' has taken the bait."

As soon as he finished speaking, the woods to the lower left began to sway, as if whipped by a fierce wind.

Immediately afterward, a ferocious tiger more than two and a half meters long burst from the woods. Its body was snow-white, while its four claws and two wings were exceptionally sharp. Its tiger eyes locked firmly onto the Nether Spirit Weasel's corpse, but because of its instinctive caution, it did not immediately pounce forward to enjoy the feast.

"A little over six hundred years. Just right."

Without hesitation, the first yellow five-pointed star lit up. Locking his gaze onto the Wind-Ripping Tiger's limbs and wings, Chen Junting raised his hand and sent six fierce streaks of Sword Qi slashing out, intending to strip it of its ability to fight.

At the same time, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda lit up with radiance.

The blue sword light instantly pierced through the Wind-Ripping Tiger!

With Ning Tian's First Soul Skill boosting them, the six swords became even faster. No matter how alert the Wind-Ripping Tiger was, it had no time to react.

Its limbs and wings were severed at once. Six streams of blood gushed forth like springs, instantly dyeing the entire grassland red!

But before it could even let out a roar...

"Piu!" A streak of light shot from the tree, instantly ending the Wind-Ripping Tiger's life. In its unwilling and resentful gaze, a yellow Soul Ring slowly rose above the corpse.

"Clean and decisive, Xiao Tian."

Carrying the girl, Chen Junting leaped down from the tree and gave Ning Tian, who held the Soul Guidance Ray Gun, lavish praise.

"Not bad... I guess!"

After giving a playful smile, Ning Tian drew the Soul Ring toward herself and walked toward the clearing.

Chen Junting, meanwhile, went over to the Wind-Ripping Tiger's corpse and searched it for a while.

Before long, an incredulous look appeared on his face.

"No way!"

He quickly cut open the area where the Wind-Ripping Tiger's wing had been severed. After taking something out, he found a bone resembling the tiger's wings lying in his palm.

"My goodness."

Chen Junting turned his head and met the Wind-Ripping Tiger's unclosed, resentful eyes.

"You're really full of resentment, huh?"

But after turning away, he immediately muttered,

"My luck is way too good."

"Xiao Tian!"

Seeing that Ning Tian had sat down cross-legged and finished adjusting her condition but had yet to begin absorbing the Soul Ring, Chen Junting walked over and raised the External Soul Bone in his hand.

"Look what this is."

Then he tossed it over.

A black shadow flew toward her, and Ning Tian instinctively focused her eyes. With her broad knowledge, she immediately recognized it as a Soul Bone—and not one of the six conventional Soul Bones.

"This is... an External Soul Bone!"

She hurriedly caught it and examined it carefully.

She handled it as cautiously as if it were a fragile porcelain object.

"Xiao Tian, there's no need to be so careful."

Ning Tian ignored Chen Junting's words and instead spoke in a slightly strange tone.

"If I remember correctly, Brother Junting, this is the third External Soul Bone you've encountered, right?"

As she spoke, she put the External Soul Bone away.

After all, from that simple gesture just now, Ning Tian had already understood that her Brother Junting had assigned the right to this External Soul Bone to her.

As for being polite...

There was absolutely no need for that between them.

Otherwise, it would be too hypocritical.

"Hehe, it was just pure luck."

Just then, Chen Junting's expression suddenly changed.

He picked up Ning Tian and retreated into the distance!

At the very next moment, several towering trees behind where they had just stood came crashing down. The broken edges were unnaturally smooth.

However, they soon learned the identity of the true culprit.

"Dark Golden Claw Bear!"

Chen Junting stared fixedly at the distant giant bear. He had initially thought it had been drawn by the smell of blood from the Wind-Ripping Tiger's corpse, but then he noticed that the Dark Golden Claw Bear did not even spare the corpse a glance. Instead, it stared at him with a hateful gaze.

Does it have a grudge against me!?

That thought flashed through his mind.

But he had no time to consider the reason.

The Dark Golden Claw Bear was already swinging its claws and charging toward him at incredible speed, as if it intended to tear him to pieces.

"Damn it!"

One yellow and one purple five-pointed star flashed simultaneously!

First Soul Skill, Long Sword Unsheathed!

Second Soul Skill, Killing Intent Revealed!

Ning Tian, who was in Chen Junting's arms, was not idle either.

"Seven Treasures Turn Out Glazed Tile, First: Speed!"

Under the effects of the three amplification Soul Skills, Chen Junting's aura rose to its peak. His right hand swung the Seven Kills Sword, and the sword light, carrying a vast killing intent, carved a huge "Kill" character through the air and shot toward the Dark Golden Claw Bear.

This was the first "Kill" character of the Kill Character Art!

It was also Chen Junting's strongest attack method to date.

However, the Dark Golden Claw Bear neither dodged nor evaded. It forcibly endured the "Kill" character!

Although its flesh was torn open and it looked rather horrifying, its muscles and bones had not actually been damaged, and it had not lost the ability to attack.

"This defense really is monstrous."

Since he had already tried and confirmed that he could not defeat it, then next...

"Elder Zhang!"

The moment his voice rang out, a black shadow shot forward! By the time the shadow took human form, the previously ferocious Dark Golden Claw Bear had already lost consciousness and collapsed to the ground.

The one who had acted was Demon Douluo Zhang Ming.

"Seven hundred years old. Much better than the Wind-Ripping Tiger."

After observing it, Zhang Ming reached his conclusion. Then he looked at Chen Junting, who had set Ning Tian down. "You brat, do you have a grudge against this Dark Golden Claw Bear?" Although his face was obscured by a mask and difficult to see clearly, the curiosity in his tone was obvious.

"It should be the sibling of the one that became my First Soul Ring."

When Chen Junting had unleashed the "Kill" character, he had already guessed the Dark Golden Claw Bear's origins. As for why it had grown from over three hundred years old to seven hundred in two and a half years...

Chen Junting guessed that the bear's parents had likely lost one child, so they had devoted all their energy to raising the other, allowing this Dark Golden Claw Bear's cultivation to skyrocket by four hundred years in just two and a half years.

As for now, it had probably become "independent."

"If that's really the case, it should be thanking me."

Upon hearing this, even Zhang Ming and Ning Tian could not help rolling their eyes.

That sounded utterly shameless.

Chen Junting could only give an awkward laugh.

He hurriedly pulled Ning Tian over to the Dark Golden Claw Bear's side and spoke more seriously. "Xiao Tian, this Dark Golden Claw Bear's Soul Ring, which is over seven hundred years old, is more suitable than the Wind-Ripping Tiger's. Although its age is greater and its bloodline stronger, your physical constitution should allow you to absorb it."

Zhang Ming did not object. He merely concealed his figure and continued protecting them from the shadows.

Ning Tian naturally followed Chen Junting's advice. After adjusting her condition, she began absorbing the Dark Golden Claw Bear's Soul Ring.

Taking advantage of his free time, Chen Junting dismembered the entire Dark Golden Claw Bear.

Unfortunately, the Dark Golden Claw Bear had not produced an External Soul Bone.

Perhaps Elder Zhang had acted too quickly, leaving it no time to develop resentment.

A full hour later, Ning Tian opened her eyes.

"How is it?"

Chen Junting stepped forward and asked with concern.

"It's the Soul Skill I wanted—30% attack amplification."