Twenty Years of Obsession, an Endless Beast Tide

"Where can you go looking like this?

"No matter what happened to the sect, you're still a member of Blue Tyrant Academy! You broke through Rank Ten and, instead of returning to the academy, you came to the Star Dou Great Forest alone to show off. Do you think you're so impressive?"

Although she had heard Yu Xiaogang's message, Liu Erlong knew this was not the time to think about it.

She first put on a stern expression and loudly reprimanded Yu Mingfei, but as she continued, her tone gradually softened.

"The Star Dou Great Forest is not like other Soul Hunting Forests. No one knows whether a Thousand-Year or Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast might suddenly appear.

"It's a good thing that you broke through Rank Ten. Yin Shu and I will help you..."

Before she could finish, a flash of light appeared around Yu Mingfei.

A yellow Hundred-Year Soul Ring appeared around his body.

Liu Erlong's unfinished words caught in her throat as she stared blankly at the Soul Ring around Yu Mingfei.

Mingfei came to the Star Dou Great Forest alone, killed a Hundred-Year Soul Beast by himself, and even encountered Xiaogang's disciple...

She recalled the scar-covered upper body she had seen earlier.

Now that she thought about it, many of those wounds had probably been left behind by Soul Beasts.

When Jiang Zhu saw Yu Mingfei's Hundred-Year Soul Ring, she covered her mouth in shock.

"Little Mingfei, you already have a Soul Ring? That's amazing!" She ran over and wrapped herself around Yu Mingfei's arm.

"Quick, tell your sister. How many years is your Soul Ring? Is your Soul Skill powerful?"

Jiang Zhu chattered away as she discreetly shot Liu Erlong a look.

Headmaster, leave Little Mingfei to me!

Still talking, Jiang Zhu hugged his arm and led Yu Mingfei toward the campsite.

"Your sister just got her Third Soul Ring too! What does your First Soul Skill do?

"Oh, and this!" Without giving Yu Mingfei a chance to speak, she somehow pulled out a walnut-sized crystal ball and stuffed it into his hand.

"This is a Soul Tool specially commissioned by the headmaster. It can detect Soul Power below Rank Twenty! When you cultivate in the future..."

The energetic young girl's voice abruptly stopped.

The crystal ball Jiang Zhu had placed in Yu Mingfei's hand suddenly burst with dazzling blue light.

This was the sign that one had reached the upper limit of Soul Power.

"Rank Twenty Soul Power..." Jiang Zhu stared at the glowing crystal ball, her voice suddenly rising. "Little Mingfei, you're already at Rank Twenty?"

"What?" Liu Erlong had somehow moved close as well.

She had only just recovered from the shock of Yu Mingfei hunting Souls alone, and now her expression fell apart once more.

"Mingfei, you..." Liu Erlong's thoughts were in disarray.

Over the past few years, she had always looked for another person's shadow in Yu Mingfei.

Now, Yu Mingfei's Soul Power had broken through again and again.

He had only been at Rank Nine when he left the academy, yet in less than half a month, he had already reached Rank Twenty.

A thought could not help but surface in her mind.

If Xiaogang could break through too, would he return to my side?

Yu Xiaogang had been hiding from her for twenty years. She was nearly driven mad.

After being surprised for a moment, Jiang Zhu quickly regained her focus and hugged Yu Mingfei's arm even tighter.

"Little Mingfei, you're at Rank Twenty now. The headmaster is here, so she can help you find a powerful Second Soul Ring!"

Her lips curled upward, her eyes sparkling as every word carried a plea for him to stay.

Yu Mingfei remained silent, his gaze falling on the crystal ball as he did not know what to say.

Crystal balls used to test Soul Power were ordinary teaching tools, and every class at Blue Tyrant Academy had one.

This tiny portable version had clearly been custom-made just for him.

For Yu Mingfei, this kind of goodwill was the hardest thing to deal with.

A few minutes later, inside the Blue Tyrant Academy campsite.

Yu Mingfei had changed into dry clothes and sat silently beside the campfire.

Jiang Zhu stood behind him with a towel in hand, gently drying his hair.

Liu Erlong and Yin Shu sat to one side, their expressions entirely different.

Yin Shu merely felt guilty, believing he had failed in his duties and had not cared enough for his student.

Liu Erlong seemed to want to say something but hesitated. Every time she tried to speak, she abruptly stopped again, her expression complicated.

"What do you want to ask? About the Yu Family, or about me?"

Yu Mingfei's expression was calm as he took the initiative to open the conversation.

Liu Erlong looked at him, her gaze somewhat evasive.

"Mingfei, did you find a way to cure Martial Soul Mutation after your Soul Power broke through Rank Ten?"

Hearing this question, Jiang Zhu's face also filled with curiosity.

However, she did not interrupt their conversation. She merely pricked up her ears and waited for Yu Mingfei's answer.

"...

"A way to cure Martial Soul Mutation?" Yu Mingfei repeated, lowering his head and speaking in a quiet voice. "It's simple. Most Mutated Martial Soul defects are caused by insufficient innate energy. You just need to replenish the life force.

"Soul Bones, Soul Beast blood, marrow essence—anything will do. As long as it's a treasure containing life force, the higher its age, the more it can make up for one's deficiencies."

Yu Mingfei did not hide anything. Aside from not directly stating that he had absorbed a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, he told her everything else truthfully.

The moment Liu Erlong spoke, he knew what she was thinking about.

It was nothing more than Yu Xiaogang.

"Soul Bones? Soul Beast blood? But the sect won't easily hand over such things."

Upon hearing this answer, Liu Erlong immediately thought of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, only to reject the idea a moment later.

Yu Mingfei was not in a good position within the sect. The sect would never pay such a price just to test an idea.

When Liu Erlong mentioned the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, Yu Mingfei sneered.

"Of course the sect won't give them to you. Then steal them. Take them by force. Steal and seize other people's opportunities, and you'll have them, won't you?

"A Soul Master's path of cultivation is all about fighting for things—fighting Soul Beasts, fighting for Soul Bones. Everything has to be fought over.

"If you don't rob others, others will rob you.

"So why pretend to be a gentleman?"

Liu Erlong was stunned. She had not expected Yu Mingfei to change so much in barely half a month.

She wanted to ask more, but immediately shut her mouth and lifted her head warily.

Yu Mingfei's heart suddenly lurched without warning.

The [Whirlwind Meditation Method] sent out a Sensing response at just the right moment.

The natural Soul Power in the wind was growing restless.

Yu Mingfei immediately rose to his feet and spoke urgently.

"Get out of here! A powerful Soul Beast is approaching!"

As if confirming his words, a wild Soul Power presence appeared in the distance and rapidly closed in.

Liu Erlong abruptly stood up. Her Soul Power circulated as two streams of fiery red energy swiftly coiled around her hands.

A low humming sound drifted down from the sky.

The moment Yin Shu heard it, his expression changed, and he immediately reacted.

He stretched out his palm and summoned a Bronze Bell Martial Soul. Four Soul Rings appeared around his body.

His Third Soul Ring flashed, and an invisible barrier appeared over the group.

Clang—

An invisible attack crashed into Yin Shu's Soul Skill barrier.

A piercing soundwave instantly erupted.

Yu Mingfei and Jiang Zhu clutched their ears in pain.

"It's a Sound Dragon Bat! Headmaster, we need to run!"

Recognizing the Soul Beast from its distinctive attack, Yin Shu quickly identified their assailant.

Liu Erlong's figure flashed as she charged out of the campsite. Seven Soul Rings appeared around her body, flame-like Soul Power surging from her as she entered an attacking stance.

"An attack of this level means it's at least Thirty Thousand Years old! I'll hold it off! Yin Shu, take Jiang Zhu and Mingfei and leave first!"

A massive bat swooped down from the sky. Its wingspan stretched eight meters, hooked claws tipped its wings, and its ugly head bore two pitch-black eyes fixed fiercely upon them.

Liu Erlong raised her hand, about to use a Soul Skill.

Above them, an even larger shadow swept over, blanketing the campsite.

"Damn it, there are two of them! Yin Shu, run!"

She rushed back even faster, grabbed Yu Mingfei and Jiang Zhu, and shouted.

Yu Mingfei's gaze was filled with fear as he cursed the monkey and rabbit in his heart.

Didn't you say you drove them all into the Mixed Area?

Why are Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts still wandering around the outskirts?