The Fourth Spirit Ring

Morning light pierced through the thin mist, gilding the valley of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well in pale gold.

Yu Tiancheng stood by the spring, his ink-black form-fitting suit accentuating his upright posture. The silver Time-Space Ring pendant at his waist glimmered faintly, resonating subtly with the surging fortieth-level spirit power within him.

He gazed toward the vast Sunset Forest beyond the valley, his eyes calm and steady.

"All set?" Liu Erlong walked to his side, her dark red hunting outfit outlining her agile curves, her brows and eyes sharp with heroic spirit.

"Mm." Yu Tiancheng nodded. "Aunt, your spirit power has hit a bottleneck too, hasn't it?"

"Peak of level seventy-nine, just one step away."

"All set?" Liu Erlong walked to his side, her dark red hunting outfit outlining her agile curves, her brows and eyes sharp with heroic spirit.

"Have you all decided what spirit beasts to hunt?" Dugu Bo swept his gaze over the group, finally landing on Yu Tiancheng. "You first, boy."

Yu Tiancheng's expression was calm. "Third spirit ring for the Time Dragon Emperor Martial Soul, target a spirit beast over twenty thousand years, with time-space or mental attributes."

"Twenty thousand years?" Dugu Bo's pupils abruptly contracted, his voice rising sharply. "Are you insane? Absorbing a twenty-thousand-year spirit ring at level forty—even if your first ring is ten thousand years, this is too..."

He didn't finish, but the meaning was clear—this was practically suicide.

Liu Erlong tensed up too. "Tiancheng, a twenty-thousand-year spirit ring is the standard for a fifth ring at the Spirit King level. You're only level forty now..."

"Aunt, Senior." Yu Tiancheng raised a hand to stop them. Silver light flowed along his right arm as the Time Dragon Emperor Martial Soul manifested faintly, Silver White Dragon Scale Phantoms swirling over his limb.

"My body has been tempered by ice and fire, far stronger than others at the same rank. And besides—"

He paused, his tone resolute. "I'm confident."

Dugu Bo stared at him for a long moment, then let out a low, complex laugh. "Good lad, even more arrogant than I was back in the day. Fine, if you want to try, I'll go mad with you this once!"

"Thank you, Senior." Yu Tiancheng clasped his hands.

Dugu Yan stepped forward. "I need my fourth spirit ring. I'm level forty-three, target a snake-type spirit beast around forty-five hundred years."

Ye Lingling spoke softly. "I also need my fourth spirit ring. Healing type, thirty-five hundred years will do."

Liu Erlong flexed her wrists, joints cracking lightly. "I'll escort and protect. If luck's on our side, maybe I'll break through the eightieth-level threshold this time."

Dugu Bo nodded. "Then we'll go in order. First find Yan'er and Miss Ye's targets, then finally deal with your boy's twenty-thousand-year problem."

The five of them finished their preparations, and with Dugu Bo leading, they slipped out of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well valley and plunged deep into the Sunset Forest.

Deep in the forest, ancient trees towered to the sky, thick shade blocking the sun.

Dugu Bo released the faint pressure of a Titled Douluo, and ordinary spirit beasts fled before them.

But the closer they got to the Core Zone of the Sunset Forest, the more powerful the spirit beasts they encountered.

Half an hour later, at the edge of a marsh, the group stopped.

In the mud, a thick green serpent as wide as a bucket coiled.

Its body was covered in bizarre patterns, and on its forehead grew a pair of tiny bumps, like unformed dragon horns, glowing faintly in the dim light.

"Jade Phosphorous Flood Dragon!" Dugu Bo's eyes lit up. "Forty-eight hundred years of cultivation, just right. And it has draconic bloodline. Yan'er, your opportunity has come."

Dugu Yan took a deep breath, her martial soul manifesting. The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor phantom appeared behind her, dark green scales refracting dim light.

She stepped forward, facing the giant serpent.

Dugu Bo didn't intervene. Instead, he flickered behind the flood dragon, sealing off its escape route—hunting spirit beasts was a trial, and the frontal battle should be left to Dugu Yan herself.

With its retreat cut off, the Jade Phosphorous Flood Dragon hissed, spewing a cloud of dark green poison mist that instantly filled the entire space!

Dugu Yan didn't retreat; she advanced. Her third spirit ring lit up, Jade Phosphorous Poison Armor covering her body as she charged straight into the marsh through the poison mist!

"Yan'er, be careful!" Liu Erlong moved to act, but Dugu Bo raised a hand to stop her.

"Let her handle it herself." The old poison master's voice was low. "This is her battle."

In the marsh, the fight had reached a fever pitch.

Dugu Yan moved like lightning, dodging a sweeping tail strike. Her hands condensed Jade Phosphorous Poison Blades, slashing again and again at the serpent's body, leaving scorched black marks.

"Sss—!" Enraged by the pain, the flood dragon's forehead bumps flared with green light, and a solid beam of light shot out abruptly!

Dragon Breath!

Dugu Yan's pupils contracted. As she retreated sharply, she activated all three rings—Poison Armor for defense, Poison Blades to parry!

The green beam collided with the poison mist, producing a sizzling corrosive sound. The mist was actually burned through!

Now!

Seizing the brief opening after the breath attack, Dugu Yan closed in, her twin Poison Blades merging into a cross, and slammed them viciously into the serpent's seven-inch weak point!

"Sss—!"

The flood dragon writhed in agony, mud exploding everywhere!

Dugu Yan was flung back by the force, but she flipped to her feet the moment she landed, blood at the corner of her mouth, yet her battle intent burned even fiercer!

Yu Tiancheng watched from the side, nodding slightly.

Dugu Yan's fighting style was ruthless and precise—no wonder she was trained by the Poison Douluo himself.

After a stalemate of a quarter hour, the flood dragon's breath attack came again, but its power had already waned by a third.

Dugu Yan's eyes flashed with sharp light. Instead of retreating, she advanced, driving the Poison Blade into the serpent's mouth, straight for the throat!

"Puchi!"

The giant serpent's body shuddered violently before crashing to the ground. A deep purple Spirit Ring slowly rose, its color so deep it bordered on black.

"Four thousand eight hundred years... just right." Dugu Yan panted as she sat cross-legged and began absorbing.

Two hours later, she opened her eyes and stood. Her spirit power had surged to level forty-five! Her fourth Spirit Ring was a weave of purple and black, of exceptional quality.

"Fourth Soul Skill: Emerald Phosphorous Flood Dragon Poison."

She clasped her hands in the air, and the emerald-green poison mist condensed into the forms of three flood dragons, swimming through the air with the agility of living creatures. "I can solidify the poison into shapes and control them in attack."

Dugu Bo nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad. This soul skill combines offense and defense, is flexible and versatile, and will be highly useful in actual combat."

Seeing that everyone was still in good condition, he immediately proposed, "Strike while the iron is hot. Let's find a suitable Spirit Beast for Miss Ye next."

Healing-type Spirit Beasts were hard to come by, so the group pressed deeper into the wilderness.

It wasn't until afternoon that a valley of exotic flowers and rare herbs came into view. At the center of the valley stood a giant, pure-white flower tree over three zhang tall. Countless vine-like tendrils hung from its trunk, each tip blooming with pale blue flowers.

"Thousand-Year Spirit Healing Flower King," Dugu Bo identified. "Three thousand eight hundred years of cultivation. A rare treasure among healing-type plant Spirit Beasts. Miss Ye, this beast is perfect for you."

Ye Lingling was an auxiliary Spirit Master by nature, not skilled in direct assault. Dugu Yan, having just obtained her fourth Spirit Ring and eager to test it, immediately spoke up. "Lingling, leave this Spirit Beast to me. I'll secure this ring for you."

Ye Lingling nodded, and her Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul bloomed.

The purple-gold begonia spun above her head, radiating a gentle healing aura.

Sensing the fluctuation of spirit power, the Flower King suddenly awakened! Countless vines lashed out like whips, tearing through the air with a sharp whistle!

Dugu Yan summoned her Martial Soul once more and unleashed her newly acquired Emerald Phosphorous Flood Dragon Poison—three venomous flood dragons shrieked as they lunged forward, tangling with the vines in a deadly struggle!

Pale blue petals and emerald-green poison mist interwove. Healing light clashed with corrosive power. The battle was both bizarre and fierce.