Wine Is the Soul of the Sword, Li Zhixian's Second Soul Ring

Zhu Zhuqing had yet to recover from her shock.

She had returned to her human form, her beautiful eyes staring blankly at Li Zhixian.

His very first Soul Ring was thousand-year level!

No one would believe it if they heard about it!

What kind of monster was this man?!

"Enough."

Li Zhixian raised a hand and waved it before Zhu Zhuqing's face.

"Come back to your senses."

"I'm saying, according to our agreement, you have to promise me one thing."

"Hm? Mm."

Zhu Zhuqing nodded.

"Since I promised you, I'll naturally do it."

"As long as you don't make any strange requests."

Li Zhixian curled his lip.

"You wish."

Seeing the embarrassed fury on Zhu Zhuqing's pretty face, he continued with a smile.

"I want you to help me obtain my second Soul Ring."

Zhu Zhuqing was initially stunned. Then a glimmer flashed through her beautiful eyes, and she nodded without hesitation.

"Alright."

Her ready agreement left Li Zhixian at a loss.

After all, hunting Spirit Beasts carried considerable danger.

After giving it some thought, Li Zhixian said,

"Let me make this clear first. My target is a thousand-year Spirit Beast."

"If you find it difficult, I understand."

Zhu Zhuqing's pretty face remained calm as she stepped forward.

"I've already made up my mind."

She naturally knew it was dangerous.

But compared to the danger, she was more curious about how this youth had managed to absorb a Soul Ring beyond his level.

After taking several steps,

she realized Li Zhixian had not followed.

Zhu Zhuqing turned her head, frowning.

"Even I, a girl, agreed. What are you still hesitating over?"

Li Zhixian pointed in the opposite direction.

"You're going the wrong way."

Zhu Zhuqing: "..."

"My name is Li Zhixian."

Li Zhixian tipped his head back and took a swig of wine.

"You're helping me this time, so I owe you a favor."

Zhu Zhuqing recovered from her earlier embarrassment and said evenly,

"I promised to do something for you."

"Besides, you're much stronger than I am. I'm afraid I won't be much help."

Li Zhixian smiled but said nothing more.

The two continued onward for some distance.

Seeing that Li Zhixian had not put down his wine the entire way, Zhu Zhuqing finally could not help asking,

"Drinking like that, aren't you afraid you won't be able to hold your sword steady later?"

Li Zhixian wiped the corner of his mouth and swayed his head.

"You don't understand."

"To me, wine is the soul of the sword."

"The more I drink, the wilder I become; the drunker I am, the sharper my edge."

Zhu Zhuqing stopped and watched the youth's free-spirited, unruly back. A hint of wonder flickered in her beautiful eyes.

After walking for about the time it took an incense stick to burn,

the towering trees grew even taller, and the vegetation's leaves turned a deep ink-green.

This meant the two had gradually entered the deeper reaches of the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

A faintly fishy stench drifted through the air.

It was the Spirit Beasts' warning to foreign intruders.

Zhu Zhuqing vigilantly scanned their surroundings.

"Li Zhixian, what Spirit Beast are you looking for?"

Li Zhixian's brows furrowed slightly.

Even he himself was conflicted.

He had long planned out a perfect path for his Soul Rings.

But his first Soul Ring had unexpectedly become a thousand-year one.

It had stirred his ambition, overturning his previous plans.

"My target is the Sword-tailed Scorpion."

The Sword-tailed Scorpion was a type of Spirit Beast that dwelled in dark places.

Unlike ordinary scorpions, its tail was like a sword—venomless, but exceedingly sharp.

The books said that with a single sweep of its sword-like tail, a Sword-tailed Scorpion could instantly kill a Spirit Beast of comparable age.

Its combat power could be described as terrifyingly extreme.

Li Zhixian wanted his Azure Lotus Sword Martial Soul to follow the path of ultimate offense.

The Sword-tailed Scorpion was the best possible choice.

"Sword-tailed Scorpion?"

Zhu Zhuqing's delicate brows drew together.

She had never heard of this kind of Spirit Beast.

But just from the name, she could tell its combat strength had to be extraordinary.

"Then let's pick up the pace and find it."

"Once night falls, the Star Dou Great Forest will become far too dangerous."

Finally.

Half an hour later.

A valley hidden behind dense forest appeared in Li Zhixian and Zhu Zhuqing's sight.

A cold wind carrying a faint fishy stench blew from the valley entrance, making a mournful, weeping sound.

Li Zhixian warned,

"Be careful. This valley is well-suited for Sword-tailed Scorpions to inhabit."

Zhu Zhuqing nodded solemnly.

The two entered the valley step by step.

The valley was roughly four or five zhang wide. Damp brush grew wildly within it.

Deep ravines crisscrossed the rock walls on both sides of the valley, a startling sight.

Li Zhixian reached out and touched one of the grooves.

It felt utterly smooth beneath his fingers, without the slightest resistance.

That showed just how sharp the thing that had carved these ravines was.

"Not bad, not bad!"

Li Zhixian praised repeatedly.

These grooves had undoubtedly been left behind by Sword-tailed Scorpions.

And the sharpness of their tail weapons exceeded even his expectations.

"The Sword-tailed Scorpion really is exceptionally compatible with a sword Martial Soul."

"If I absorb a Sword-tailed Scorpion's Soul Ring, the Azure Lotus Sword's power will definitely rise to another level."

With that thought in mind,

Li Zhixian looked at Zhu Zhuqing, whose little face was taut, and smiled.

"Zhu Zhuqing, if you regret this now, you can still leave the valley."

Zhu Zhuqing glanced at Li Zhixian.

"Hmph, don't underestimate me."

"Whatever I, Zhu Zhuqing, promise, I always see through."

Li Zhixian had just opened his mouth to respond.

Then rustling sounds came from deep within the valley, drawing closer.

Li Zhixian's expression changed slightly.

He hurriedly grabbed Zhu Zhuqing and hid behind a huge boulder.

Seeing her small hand held in Li Zhixian's, Zhu Zhuqing's cool little face flushed red.

She wanted to pull away.

But she immediately heard Li Zhixian's voice.

"Look!"

Zhu Zhuqing followed Li Zhixian's gaze.

Then she saw half-meter-long scorpions pouring out from the depths of the valley like a tide.

These scorpions were entirely blue-black. Their raised tail weapons resembled long swords, and one could even see a glint of cold light at their tips.

They reached an open area in the valley, swung their sword-like tails, and attacked the rock walls.

Screech—!

Screech—!

Beneath the tails of these Sword-tailed Scorpions,

the solid rock walls seemed as fragile as thin paper.

Stone chips fell in showers.

"W-what do we do next?"

The two were too close.

Their bodies were practically pressed together.

Zhu Zhuqing's voice trembled slightly.

Li Zhixian did not notice Zhu Zhuqing's unusual state. His attention was entirely on the Sword-tailed Scorpions, and he found it rather strange.

What are these Sword-tailed Scorpions doing?

Training together?

Wasn't that a little too disciplined?

Seeing that Li Zhixian did not respond, Zhu Zhuqing, whose nose was filled with the youth's scent, could not endure it any longer.

Her pretty face burning hot, she tried to shift her body slightly.

"Li Zhixian, you..."

The words had barely left her mouth.

The next instant, Li Zhixian abruptly covered Zhu Zhuqing's little mouth.

"Mm..."

Zhu Zhuqing stared at Li Zhixian with wide, beautiful eyes.

Li Zhixian slowly shook his head, his expression grave.

Zhu Zhuqing understood.

After a brief pause, the two looked toward the valley.

They saw...

The Sword-tailed Scorpions had stopped training.

Their heads were lowered, their raised tails dropping as they quickly retreated fearfully to both sides, leaving behind a wide open space.

And then,

amid a rolling wave of foul wind,

a savage beastly silhouette slowly crawled out.