Traveling Alone

Shanyang Village was a small village located very close to Guyun City, with only a little over a hundred households. Its villagers followed the habits of working at sunrise and resting at sunset, making a living through farming and hunting. Their lives were rather uneventful.

Today, however, was an exception.

The sun had long since set, and countless stars adorned the night sky. After dinner, the villagers lit their lamps and stood quietly at the village entrance, gazing into the distance as they waited for something.

Noisy voices rose and fell, all centered around one person's name.

Outside Shanyang Village, a figure gradually appeared. Looking at the village so close at hand, Junting's slightly weary eyes flashed with a hint of a smile. Shanyang Village was still some distance from Guyun City, and it had taken him half a day to return after leaving the city.

At the very front of the crowd at the village entrance, an old man was staring down the road that everyone entering the village had to pass along. He could not help but worry as he muttered, "It's so late already, and that child Junting still hasn't returned. Could something have happened to him?"

A woman beside him heard this. Carrying a kerosene lamp in one hand, she patted the old man's withered hand with the other and said with a smile, "All right, Village Chief. That child Junting isn't someone who makes people worry. Maybe he became a Soul Master, and some important figures from Song Manor kept him there. Hey, hey, hey! Look, isn't that him coming back?"

While the woman was still reassuring the Village Chief, her sharp eyes immediately spotted a familiar, short figure approaching on the road not far ahead. She promptly called out.

Although the Village Chief was old, his eyesight was still good. After recognizing that it was indeed the child Junting, his expression instantly relaxed. Before he could step forward, he saw Junting suddenly accelerate and dash to a stop in front of him and the others.

"Village Chief, Aunt Hu." Junting greeted them first. Seeing that everyone from the village had actually been waiting for him, his heart warmed. "Everyone, I'm back."

"You're back. That's all that matters."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Village Chief keenly noticed the cloth bag on Junting's body. Before Junting could say anything, the old man's withered hand snatched the bag away. Feeling the weight inside it, anger showed in the Village Chief's eyes.

"You child, you actually didn't awaken your Martial Soul!?"

At these words, the villagers' expressions changed as well. Anger? Perhaps there was some. But more than that, they felt betrayed and frustrated that he had failed to live up to their expectations.

"Everyone, this was specifically returned to me by Song Manor." Realizing that the villagers might have misunderstood, Junting was both amused and helpless.

He hurriedly summoned his Martial Soul.

The moment the Seven Kills Sword appeared in his hand, it shocked the villagers to varying degrees.

"Everyone, this is my Martial Soul, the Seven Kills Sword. My Soul Power is Innate Full Soul Power!"

Junting did not conceal anything from the villagers who had raised him. He told them the truth.

At that moment, everyone fell silent.

It took a full half-minute for the villagers to recover from this shocking news.

"What did he just say? Innate Full Soul Power!"

"Little Junting never lies! He really has Innate Full Soul Power! Our village is going to produce a powerful Soul Master!"

Everyone knew what Innate Full Soul Power meant.

At that moment, all of Shanyang Village erupted into chaos!

The village experienced its first lively night.

Only after drowsiness swept over them did the village finally quiet down.

Before leaving, however, the Village Chief still left behind the Gold Soul Coins that Junting had intended to return to the villagers. "Junting, becoming a Soul Master requires a Soul Ring. The village can't help you much. These ten Gold Soul Coins are the only thing the village can afford to give you."

Later, inside his own little house, Junting lit a kerosene lamp. At this moment, he felt not the slightest bit sleepy.

Because of the awakening of his Martial Soul, the Seven Kills Sword, and his talent of Innate Full Soul Power, many thoughts had emerged in Junting's mind. More than anything, however, he had settled on his First Soul Ring.

"Sword Bamboo."

He spread out a map depicting the terrain of the mountain range near Shanyang Village. Although most of the creatures in this mountain range were wild beasts, there were quite a few ten-year Soul Beasts deep within it.

There were even traces of hundred-year plant-type Soul Beasts.

As far as he knew, Sword Bamboo was one of them.

"I've decided. It will be my First Soul Ring."

Early the next morning, with the villagers' help, Junting prepared dry rations and luggage before entering the mountain range near Shanyang Village to hunt his First Soul Ring.

Although the mountain range was said to be near Shanyang Village, it was actually some distance away. At Junting's traveling speed, it would probably take him most of the day to reach it.

"Sword Bamboo can unleash Sword Qi attacks. That alone makes it highly suitable for the requirements of my Martial Soul Skill." As Junting traveled, he recalled the information he knew about Sword Bamboo-type Soul Beasts. "As a bamboo-type Soul Beast, it won't die unless its roots are removed. To safely remove its roots, I first have to sever the stalk and deprive it of its means of attack."

"I hope I can find a Sword Bamboo of a suitable age."

By the time Junting reached the mountain range, the sun was already close to setting. He therefore rested outside the mountain range for one night, planning to enter its depths the next day to search for Sword Bamboo.

That night, Junting sat alone beside the campfire.

As the flames burned the wood and produced a series of crackling sounds, he chose to replace sleep with simple meditation. However, at that moment, a feeling of unease welled up in his heart.

He suddenly opened his eyes, his sharp gaze sweeping across his surroundings.

As he slowly rose, the Seven Kills Sword appeared in his hand.

Killing intent spread through the air, provoking the Uninvited Guest.

A figure suddenly sprang out of the grass. Junting did not hesitate in the slightest! He swung his sword, and as blood splattered, a head hit the ground. Only then did Junting see what the figure looked like.

It was merely an ordinary rabbit.

But he did not relax in the slightest. Even his breathing slowed. His instincts told him that the true Uninvited Guest had already abandoned the rabbit and chosen to treat him as its midnight snack.

Now, the Uninvited Guest was waiting for him to let his guard down before delivering a fatal strike.

A moment later, Junting's hair stood on end. As he twisted aside to dodge, he swung the Seven Kills Sword and cleaved toward the front-left.

"Meow!!!"

Amid a shrill cry, a small Leopard Cat appeared before Junting. It was about a foot long, with wings growing from its ribs and tiger-like stripes across its body. Its fur was a pale bluish-green, while its eyes were purple-red. A gash had been cut into its body, and blood flowed from the wound. Its eyes were filled with ferocity.

Although the Leopard Cat was only about a foot long, it put considerable pressure on Junting. Clearly, it was a Soul Beast.

"A ten-year one? Then I can still fight it."

He could not sense any lethal aura from the Soul Beast, so he roughly estimated its age.

While Junting was making his assessment, the Leopard Cat had already grown impatient. After using its Innate Skill, it pounced like a streak of blue lightning. Its two front claws shot out, while a layer of dim yet rippling light spread across its fur.

But before Junting could make a move himself...

"Swish!"

An attack descended, and the Leopard Cat died instantly. A faint white radiance appeared around its body. Gradually, the white light condensed above it into a White Soul Ring.

But Junting paid not the slightest attention to the Soul Ring. Instead, he gripped the Seven Kills Sword tightly, every nerve drawn taut.