Hunting for a Soul Ring, Meeting Shui Bing'er

10 a.m.

Uncle Li pushed open the thatched cottage, preparing to call Lin Xiao over to attend the Farewell Banquet the villagers had prepared for him.

But when he entered, he found the thatched cottage empty.

There was only a letter on the table.

Uncle Li could read. He picked up the letter and finished reading it, then let out a sigh.

Although Lin Xiao had grown up eating food provided by a hundred families, and the villagers had all helped him to some extent, over the years Lin Xiao had taught them how to weave straw sandals, make Oiled Paper Umbrellas, and practice other minor crafts.

The lives of all the villagers had improved. They no longer had to spend every day bent over the earth, working themselves to the bone and relying entirely on scraping food from the soil.

For the villagers who had once helped him, Lin Xiao had done everything he could. The villagers even kept his kindness in their hearts.

"Xiao Lin, Uncle Li believes you'll definitely become a powerful Soul Master!"

Suotuo City lay on the border of the Balak Kingdom, neighboring the Heaven Dou Empire to the north.

The Star Luo Empire lay to the south, while the Star Dou Great Forest bordered it to the east.

Its geographical environment was truly excellent.

Lin Xiao studied the map in his hand, pondering his route.

His destination was Heaven Dou City.

Along the way, he would also pass through many cities, including Skywater City and Elephant Armor City.

He was only a Youth. Without the protection of a powerful Soul Master, traveling all the way to Heaven Dou City was clearly somewhat unsafe.

Moreover, the problem of the Evil Fire was temporarily suppressed by the Ice Heart Incantation, so it was not yet urgent.

Therefore, Lin Xiao decided to pass through the Star Dou Great Forest and search its outskirts for a suitable Hundred Year Soul Ring to serve as his First Soul Ring.

As for how to hunt it...

Lin Xiao opened his palm, and a bewitching flame suddenly appeared in it.

The Ultimate Fire's extreme High Temperature seemed to burn even the air, causing it to sizzle.

The Evil Fire's nature made the flame domineering while also giving it an extremely powerful corrosive effect. Once it touched something, it clung to it like a parasite burrowed into the bones, impossible to shake off.

It should be enough to hunt a Hundred Year Spirit Beast, but he still needed to make some preparations.

Following the direction indicated by the map, Lin Xiao traveled onward. After roughly two days, he arrived at the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest.

However, he did not hurry inside. Instead, in the outermost area, he cut down some wood, took out the Beef Tendon and Snake Skin he had prepared long ago from his backpack, and made a simple bow and arrow.

He then attached the arrowheads he had bought from the Blacksmith Shop and smeared Beef Tallow over them.

Lin Xiao pulled the bowstring and tried firing a few shots. The arrows pierced into the thick trees, and their power was passable.

Of course, the most important thing about a bow and arrow was accuracy. Fortunately, in his previous life, Lin Xiao had joined an archery club at university and had even been a somewhat famous expert within the club.

Lin Xiao adjusted the accuracy again. After confirming there were no problems, he attached the Ultimate Fire to the arrows.

He fired an arrow, striking a large tree dead-center.

The tree instantly caught fire. Soon, it was completely consumed by the fierce tongues of flame, turning into black charcoal, while the arrow melted away entirely.

The Ultimate Fire was a terrifying flame capable of melting iron into molten metal. However, because there was Beef Tallow on the arrow, it would not damage the arrow before the Beef Tallow was exhausted.

All Lin Xiao needed to do was hit the Spirit Beast he wanted to hunt with the arrow before then.

With Lin Xiao's strength, even if he hit a Hundred Year Spirit Beast with a bow and arrow, at most he would injure it. Only a direct hit to a vital spot might kill it.

Therefore, Lin Xiao's true reliance was not the arrow's penetrating power, but using the arrow to make the Ultimate Fire touch the Spirit Beast!

The Evil Fire's nature meant that even if the Spirit Beast jumped into water or flailed about in the sand, it still could not extinguish the flames. The fire would even devour its Soul Power and grow increasingly vigorous.

After setting up traps in the Jungle, Lin Xiao slung the bow and arrows over his back and fastened a dagger to his waist. Then he began his Soul Hunting journey.

The Fire Cauterizing Bird was a very famous type of avian Spirit Beast. Its appearance resembled that of a vulture, except its head was not bald, and its entire body was covered in feathers as red as flames.

By rights, Fire Cauterizing Birds did not live in the region where Lin Xiao was, but this one had flown here in a panic, without regard for where it was going.

Lin Xiao bent the bow, nocked the arrow, and fired.

The three movements flowed together seamlessly. As smoothly as drifting clouds and flowing water, they were accompanied by the sound of the bowstring. The Fire Cauterizing Bird fell from the sky.

The Evil Fire was like a greedy giant beast, opening its fiery maw and devouring everything on the Fire Cauterizing Bird. It burned the bird to ash, and its considerable fire resistance did not have the slightest effect.

This Fire Cauterizing Bird was roughly five hundred years old. Lin Xiao had found detailed records of it in a secondhand book he had Searched for at a street stall.

Sure enough, a darker-yellow Soul Ring rose from the Fire Cauterizing Bird's body.

Lin Xiao walked forward slowly, preparing to absorb the Soul Ring.

But then he heard a pleasant female voice.

"Grandma, that Fire Cauterizing Bird ran this way. We finally found a Frost Ice Serpent suitable to become my First Soul Ring, but that Fire Cauterizing Bird ate it first. How detestable."

Lin Xiao stopped in his tracks and warily watched the direction of the voice. At the same time, his palm silently covered the arrow.

"Young fellow, if I were you, I wouldn't make such a foolish move."

"Tell the Soul Master you're hiding to come out."

Lin Xiao looked toward the voice and saw an Old Grandma dressed in simple sky-blue clothing. Behind her followed a sweet-looking Girl who appeared to be around six years old.

The Girl looked at Lin Xiao curiously. He was dressed very plainly, but he was exceptionally handsome. His long hair was a Crimson Maple Color, giving him a fierce and striking appearance, along with a natural air of nobility.

This big brother is so handsome!

Lin Xiao remained silent.

He simply watched the two of them while his mind raced, considering his options.

Shui Yuehua frowned slightly.

Six Soul Rings were released behind her, and the Phantom Image of a Dolphin Martial Soul appeared behind her. The pressure of a Soul Emperor emerged.

"Young fellow, I mean you no harm."

"Call your adults out."

Lin Xiao said silently:

"There are no adults. It's just me."

Shui Yuehua wore an expression of obvious disbelief and questioned him:

"Do you think I'll believe what you're saying? You're merely a six-year-old Youth. At most, you're only a one-ring Soul Master. How could you have killed a five-hundred-year-old Fire Cauterizing Bird?"

"As a flying Fire Attribute Spirit Beast, it's not something a Mandala Snake can compare to."

Lin Xiao was somewhat helpless.

Facing Shui Yuehua's suspicions, he could only prove himself.

"Fire Phoenix, possess me!"

The instant Lin Xiao summoned the Fire Phoenix.

Shui Bing'er's eyes filled with shock.

This aura feels so familiar. This big brother's Martial Soul is a Phoenix too!

Shui Yuehua was also somewhat surprised.

"Your Martial Soul is a Fire Phoenix?"

"You haven't even obtained your First Soul Ring?"

"Then it's even more impossible for you to have killed this Fire Cauterizing Bird!"