Absorbing a Thousand-Year Soul Ring, First Encounter with Zhu Zhuqing

Purple soul ring!

A thousand-year lifespan!

Li Zhixian collapsed onto the ground in exhaustion.

It looked as though he had only swung one sword.

In truth.

That single strike had gathered all of his Soul Power.

If he had failed to kill the Female Azure-Blade Mantis, he would have had to run.

After recovering a little strength.

Li Zhixian staggered toward the purple soul ring.

A trace of hesitation flickered across his handsome face, stained with grime.

"The female mantis ate the male mantis and actually evolved into a thousand-year soul beast."

"That exceeds the absorption limit for a first soul ring by far."

"But if I don't absorb it..."

"It would be such a waste!"

"How long would I have to search before finding another suitable soul ring?"

"Besides, the longer the soul ring's lifespan, the stronger the soul skill!"

Li Zhixian took a huge gulp of wine.

As he felt the Soul Power within him gradually recover, the hesitation in his eyes turned into determination and pride.

"With such an opportunity right in front of me, if I give it up, then I'm not Li Zhixian!"

"With the Wine Spirit healing my wounds, I'll definitely succeed!"

At once.

Li Zhixian sat down cross-legged.

Mouthful after mouthful of wine went down his throat, and his depleted Soul Power became full once more.

He brought himself to peak condition!

Li Zhixian's eyes shone as he began absorbing the soul ring!

Bzzzz—!

The strange energy of the purple soul ring, carrying the Azure Blade Mantis's traits of extreme speed and sharpness, brutally surged into Li Zhixian's body.

"Ugh!"

Li Zhixian groaned, a streak of scarlet blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

The veins on his forehead bulged fiercely, and every inch of his skin felt as though it were being pierced by sharp swords.

The thousand-year soul ring's energy rampaged through his body. His blood vessels bulged like roaming purple dragons, beads of blood seeping from his skin.

Generally speaking, even a gifted genius with exceptional physical strength would be remarkable if their first soul ring reached four or five hundred years.

Yet Li Zhixian!

His first soul ring was a thousand-year one!

It was simply unheard of!

Li Zhixian clenched his teeth tightly.

His white shirt, already soaked through with blood, stuck to his back.

His ten fingers dug deeply into the earth, while a moving resilience burst from his dark eyes.

"I said..."

"I, Li Zhixian!"

"Am no ordinary man!"

"I do what ordinary people cannot, and endure what others cannot endure!"

"When the great roc rises with the wind, it soars ninety thousand miles into the heavens!"

"Ab-sorb—for—me!"

The green porcelain gourd floated before Li Zhixian.

He seized it in one hand, raised his head, and swallowed the wine mixed with the blood in his mouth.

His battered body, riddled with wounds, began to heal.

Li Zhixian hardened his resolve and increased the speed at which he absorbed the soul ring.

Bzzzz—!

The purple soul ring began to tremble.

Its surging energy was like floodwaters bursting through a dam, pouring into Li Zhixian's body.

His newly healed body was torn apart again.

But immediately after.

He took another gulp of wine.

And so...

Li Zhixian was injured, healed, injured again, then healed again.

This process.

Was no less than torture.

Yet his physical strength was gradually improving.

And the purple soul ring floating before him.

Was unknowingly fading.

One Incense Stick later.

Li Zhixian lay flat on his back.

His face was pale and his expression weary, but a smile curled at his lips.

"I succeeded."

He closed his eyes, and his smile grew even more unrestrained.

"Hahahaha, I succeeded!"

The process of absorbing a thousand-year soul ring had been far too dangerous.

Thankfully, his Wine Spirit had allowed him to fulfill his wish.

Had it been anyone else, they would surely have exploded and died.

Only after half an hour did Li Zhixian recover his spirits.

He summoned the Azure Lotus Sword.

The three-foot-six-inch azure blade hovered before him.

The lotus patterns branded along its spine emitted an eerie blue-green glow.

The cold gleam flowing across its edge made one's eyes ache from a single glance.

This was a sword!

Ultimate sharpness—the weapon of slaughter!

A realization came to Li Zhixian.

He understood that the skill provided by this purple soul ring was called—Azure Blade Severance!

A sword technique that pursued speed and sharpness!

"The power of a thousand-year soul ring shouldn't disappoint me."

Li Zhixian gripped the hilt, and his gaze suddenly turned razor-sharp.

"Azure Blade Severance!"

The instant the sword light flashed.

The entire mountain forest was dyed blue-green.

He swept his sword horizontally, carving out a fierce arc of light.

The air tore apart with a piercing shriek. In an instant, the strike had reached a giant tree, so fast that even its afterimage had yet to fade.

Sshk—!

The blade touched the trunk without the slightest resistance.

The sword light did not stop and continued onward until it had completely pierced through the giant tree.

The giant tree stood still for three breaths before slowly toppling over. Its cut was as smooth as a mirror, without even a splinter.

Li Zhixian sheathed his sword and stood tall, its blade untouched by dust.

"Good!"

He was thoroughly satisfied with that strike.

The immense pain he had endured had not been in vain.

After briefly testing the sword technique.

Li Zhixian lowered his head and looked himself over.

His tattered white clothes were blotched with blood.

"Mm, before searching for my second soul ring, I should clean myself up a little."

It was not that he insisted on staying clean even in the Star Dou Forest.

The main issue was that with this bloody smell all over him, soul beasts would detect him before he could get close.

More than ten minutes later.

Li Zhixian found a stream in the outer forest.

It was over a meter deep, and its clear water revealed the bottom.

He carefully checked both upstream and downstream.

After confirming there was no danger.

"The outer region of the Star Dou Forest is so vast. I probably won't run into anyone. Time for a bath!"

He took off all his clothes.

With a splash, Li Zhixian jumped into the water.

And began washing himself blissfully.

At the same time.

In the forest several hundred meters away.

Pfft—!

Blood splattered across the leaves.

A wolf-like soul beast over two meters long fell to the ground.

A pale white soul ring floated up.

Zhu Zhuqing's expression was cold. She did not even spare it a glance, and there was not the slightest ripple in her beautiful black eyes.

"My training is over. It's time to go to Shrek Academy."

She had originally intended to leave the Star Dou Forest.

But when she noticed several drops of blood on her fair arm.

She changed direction and headed for a nearby stream.

Splash, splash~~

Splash, splash~~

Zhu Zhuqing crouched on a rock by the stream and carefully washed her arm.

Once it was clean.

She stood up and instinctively looked upstream.

Then she saw a stark white body floating on its back in the stream, drifting down with the current.

Zhu Zhuqing: "..."

Her martial spirit was the Hell Spirit Cat.

Her eyesight was excellent, and she saw everything.

No matter how cold her temperament was, she was still only a young girl in the bloom of youth.

This sight.

Was far too great a shock to her heart.

Her cool little face flushed bright red at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Overcome with embarrassment and anger, Zhu Zhuqing gritted her teeth and shouted:

"Pervert!"

Li Zhixian was feeling wonderful.

After enduring such torment, drifting through the cool stream was the greatest pleasure second only to drinking wine.

He had his eyes closed.

Letting himself float downstream with the current.

Li Zhixian was so relaxed that he had let down his guard.

He did not even realize someone was standing by the stream.

Not until an angry shout of "Pervert!"

Did he suddenly open his eyes.

He immediately submerged his body in the water, leaving only his head exposed as he looked around.

"Where's the pervert?!"

He looked all around but saw no one.

Li Zhixian only saw the beautiful young girl who had called him a "pervert," standing by the water with a face full of embarrassment and anger as she stared at him.

Then he realized.

Was she calling him a pervert?

Zhu Zhuqing stared at the young man in the stream, biting her pearly teeth as she said:

"Y-You... why aren't you wearing clothes?"

Li Zhixian frowned.

"Is something wrong with your head?"

"I'm taking a bath. How am I supposed to wear clothes?"

Zhu Zhuqing's pretty face turned even redder.

It was impossible to tell whether it was from anger or embarrassment.

"You're bathing in broad daylight?"

"Don't you care whether there are other people around?"

Li Zhixian stood up.

Revealing his bare upper body, water droplets streaming down it.

Zhu Zhuqing hurriedly turned her head away.

Seeing the girl's slender neck flushed pink, too,

Li Zhixian raised a hand and slapped the water, sending up a beautiful splash.

"Women and petty men are the hardest to deal with."

"Is the Star Dou Great Forest your home?"

"Before bathing, I specifically checked upstream and downstream. There was no one there."

"I took every possible precaution, yet I still couldn't guard against a female hooligan like you."

Giving her a taste of her own medicine.

Who was he calling a hooligan?