Mutual Slaughter

The Thousand Jun Ant's nest looked like a low, mud-built tower from the outside.

Unlike other ant-like Soul Beasts, the Thousand Jun Ant always acted alone and did not form colonies.

When dealing with this type of Soul Beast, there was no need to worry about an attack from its companions.

Qin Yuan immediately made arrangements.

"Little Chen, you cover our rear. Everyone else, spread out, watch your surroundings, and protect Miss Rongrong!"

A mere three-hundred-year Soul Beast. Qin Yuan took action personally to prevent any potential accidents.

The Thousand Jun Ant sensed the threat and crawled out of its nest.

A Soul Beast with only three hundred years of cultivation had no intelligence to speak of. Faced with being surrounded, it did not choose to retreat. Instead, it identified Qin Yuan as the greatest threat and attacked him directly.

Ant-like Soul Beasts were known for their strength; their forelimbs could easily lift a thousand-pound boulder.

Unfortunately, in the face of an absolute power gap, this strength was completely insufficient.

Qin Yuan's Battle Saber Martial Soul materialized. Facing the charging Thousand Jun Ant, he shifted his body slightly, leaning back to dodge. He gripped the hilt with both hands and slashed downwards, cutting it in half at the waist.

The Thousand Jun Ant did not die immediately. Qin Yuan proceeded to sever its limbs and handed the final blow to Ning Rongrong.

A hundred-year Soul Ring emerged from the Thousand Jun Ant's corpse, filling the members of the hunting team with envy.

The Soul Beast hunting business was just a job. Most of those who joined the team were commoner Soul Masters, and the majority of them only had a ten-year Soul Ring as their first.

Nobles like Ning Rongrong started with a hundred-year Soul Ring, which was truly enviable.

However, this envy, unknowingly, turned into jealousy.

Following the instructions of her guards, Ning Rongrong sat down cross-legged, channeling her Soul Ring to augment her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul.

As she sat, the money pouch hanging from her waist accidentally fell, spilling Gold Soul Coins and various gems all over the ground.

Instantly, an atmosphere of greed festered within the hunting team.

Qin Yuan reprimanded, "Don't look at what you shouldn't, and don't have thoughts you shouldn't."

The guards beside Ning Rongrong possessed unfathomable strength, and it was not impossible that there were even stronger individuals protecting her from the shadows.

Although these people in the team were only together for profit and had no real affection for each other, Qin Yuan did not want these good-for-nothings to ruin his reputation!

However, in the face of profit, how much effect could his words still have?

Zhao San, who possessed peak Soul Ancestor cultivation within the team, roared, "Qin Yuan, stop being so damn fake. She gave you twenty thousand Gold Soul Coins, but none of us brothers got a single cent."

As he spoke, he grinned sinisterly at the people around him, "Brothers, she's the young lady of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Her personal pouch contains priceless gems. Who knows how many treasures are in her Soul Tool!"

"If we pull this off, we won't have to worry about the rest of our lives."

Foolish!

Qin Yuan let out a cold laugh.

These guys truly were utterly foolish, not understanding the principle of taking it without being able to spend it!

Within the team, only Chen Ze had a close relationship with Qin Yuan. Seeing the ill intentions of the others, Chen Ze stepped in front of Ning Rongrong and sneered, "You ungrateful fools. If you want to die, don't drag me and the boss down with you!"

Zhao San ignored him. "Qin Yuan is just an ordinary Soul King. Are the three of us peak Soul Ancestors afraid of him!"

Conflict was inevitable, and Qin Yuan was too lazy to try and dissuade them.

Besides, he had experienced such situations many times and already had a mature strategy for dealing with them.

He explained to Ning Rongrong's guards, "I apologize for involving you in this unnecessarily. I will handle my own people. Please protect Miss Rongrong, and we will offer an explanation to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect afterward."

Ning Rongrong's guards were not flustered. In her opinion, this was just a minor scuffle, and her own strength was more than enough to awe the entire scene.

After a pause, she said indifferently, "It had better be."

Qin Yuan nodded. Yellow, purple, purple, black, black – five Soul Rings shimmered beneath his feet.

Although he wasn't a top-tier genius, he knew the effect of Whale Rubber from reading books in his previous life.

Coupled with the fact that he was older when he acquired his second and fourth Soul Rings, he had successfully absorbed multiple Soul Rings beyond his level.

His Soul Ring configuration was astonishing, but due to his talent limitations, it didn't attract much attention. Many even suspected he was faking the Soul Ring colors with some kind of special Soul Tool.

Zhao San sneered, "Qin Yuan, do you really think you're a dog of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect? Even if you want to be a dog, do they even want you?"

Qin Yuan offered no explanation.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was indeed powerful, but not to the extent that he needed to grovel before them.

He acted according to principles. Ning Rongrong had paid him, and he was obligated to protect her!

"Words are useless. Fifth Soul Skill, War God Blade."

His Battle Saber Martial Soul was bathed in flames, and its power increased dramatically.

He lunged forward, unleashing a slash that left trails of fiery blade marks in the air. Zhao San was intimidated by this powerful blade momentum and panicked, retreating repeatedly.

Seeing that he was outmatched, he roared, "Brothers, what are you waiting for? Attack!"

Above the Sunset Forest, Jian Daochenxin, clad in white, hovered in mid-air, riding his sword.

He watched what was happening below, but didn't rush to act.

The Soul Hunting Squad was a loose organization formed for personal gain, so internal conflict wasn't surprising.

What surprised him was that, in this environment, Qin Yuan could maintain his integrity and principles. That was already commendable.

Furthermore, with Sword Douluo's eyesight, how could he not see the truth about Qin Yuan's Soul Ring configuration?

"Absorbing a Soul Ring beyond his level, how did he do it? Could it be a special method, or perhaps his Martial Soul?" Chen Xin couldn't figure it out, but from this moment on, Qin Yuan had entered his sight. This veteran Titled Douluo dared not underestimate him.

As for the fight below, it would be best if Qin Yuan could resolve it. Even if he couldn't, as long as Ning Rongrong wasn't harmed, he would turn a blind eye.

Qin Yuan's Martial Soul wasn't top-tier, but his combat power was beyond that of an ordinary Soul King.

The combined efforts of three peak Soul Ancestors, along with multiple Soul Elders and Soul Grand Masters surrounding him, not only failed to defeat him but instead made him fight with increasing vigor.

"Fourth Soul Skill, Earth Splitting Chop!"

He gripped his saber with both hands and slashed heavily. Saber energy carved through the ground, leaving deep furrows, its power undiminished.

Zhao San casually grabbed two Soul Elders and used them as shields. The saber energy easily shattered their bodies and inflicted considerable damage on Zhao San.

"Did you forget about me!" Chen Ze sneered and appeared behind him.

He and Qin Yuan came from the same village, shared the same Martial Soul, and were as close as brothers.

Chen Ze followed up with a strike, severing Zhao San's head!

Without their "backbone," the remaining opponents' will to resist weakened. They dropped their armor and fled in all directions.

The guards protecting Ning Rongrong wouldn't let these people escape!

If they harbored ill intentions toward Ning Rongrong, they would leave their lives behind.

Her Martial Soul was the Shadow Leopard, incredibly fast. In the blink of an eye, she dealt with everyone.

Qin Yuan cupped his fists toward the guard, "Thank you, honored Soul Sage, for clearing the way for us!"

The guard glanced at him with a bit more respect and said plainly, "You can see my Soul Rings; you have some ability."

"Clean up the surroundings. Don't spoil the young lady's mood!"