Fourth Soul Ring

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

Yu Tiancheng stood by the spring, his tall, straight figure accentuated by his dark outfit. The silver Time-Space Ring pendant at his waist glimmered faintly, resonating with the surging Soul Power within him, now at level forty.

He gazed toward the vast Sunset Forest beyond the valley, his expression calm.

"Is everything ready?" Liu Erlong came to his side. Her dark red hunting outfit outlined her athletic figure, and her features radiated heroic spirit.

"Mm." Yu Tiancheng nodded. "Aunt, your Soul Power has reached a bottleneck too, hasn't it?"

"Peak level seventy-nine. I'm only a hair's breadth away."

"Is everything ready?" Liu Erlong came to his side. Her dark red hunting outfit outlined her athletic figure, and her features radiated heroic spirit.

"Have you all decided what Spirit Beasts you're hunting?" Poison Douluo surveyed the group, then fixed his gaze on Yu Tiancheng. "You first, lad."

Yu Tiancheng remained composed. "The target for the Time Dragon Emperor Martial Soul's third Spirit Ring is a Spirit Beast over twenty thousand years old, with time-space attributes or a spiritual-type one."

"Twenty thousand years?" Poison Douluo's pupils contracted sharply, and his voice rose. "Are you crazy? Absorbing a twenty-thousand-year Spirit Ring at level forty—even if your first ring was ten thousand years old, this is just..."

He didn't finish, but his meaning was clear—it was practically suicide.

Liu Erlong grew tense as well. "Tiancheng, a twenty-thousand-year Spirit Ring is the standard for a Spirit King's fifth ring. You're only at level forty..."

"Aunt, Senior." Yu Tiancheng raised a hand to stop her. Silver light flowed over his right arm as the Time Dragon Emperor Martial Soul faintly manifested, its Silver White Dragon Scale Phantom shimmering across his skin.

"My body was tempered by the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. It's far stronger than others at my level. Besides—"

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

Poison Douluo stared at him for a long while, then let out a low laugh, his feelings hard to read. "You're a bold one, even more so than I was in my day. Fine. If you want to try, I'll go crazy right along with you this once!"

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

Dugu Yan stepped forward. "I need my fourth Spirit Ring. I'm level forty-three, and I'm targeting a snake-type Spirit Beast around four thousand five hundred years old."

Ye Lingling spoke softly. "I need my fourth Spirit Ring too. Since I'm a healer, three thousand five hundred years will do."

Liu Erlong rolled her wrists, her joints popping. "I'll go along and keep watch. If we're lucky, I might even break through the level-eighty threshold this time."

Poison Douluo nodded. "Then we'll go in order. We'll find rings for Yan'er and Miss Ye first, then deal with that twenty-thousand-year problem of yours, lad."

The five finished preparing, then followed Poison Douluo out of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well valley and deeper into the Sunset Forest.

Ancient trees towered over the forest depths, their thick foliage blotting out the sun.

Poison Douluo released a faint pressure befitting a Titled Douluo, and ordinary Spirit Beasts quickly fled.

But the deeper they went into the Sunset Forest's Core Zone, the stronger the Spirit Beasts they encountered became.

Half an hour later, they stopped at the edge of a swamp.

A huge green snake as thick as a barrel coiled in the mire.

Its body was covered in strange patterns, and a pair of tiny bumps protruded from its forehead, like undeveloped dragon horns. They glimmered eerily in the gloom.

"A Jade Phosphorous Flood Dragon!" Poison Douluo's eyes lit up. "Four thousand eight hundred years old—just right. And it has flood dragon blood. Yan'er, this is your chance."

Dugu Yan took a deep breath and activated her Martial Soul. The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor phantom appeared behind her, its dark green scales reflecting the dim light.

She stepped forward to face the giant snake.

Poison Douluo didn't attack. Instead, he flashed around behind the flood dragon snake and blocked its escape route. Hunting Spirit Beasts was a form of training, and Dugu Yan had to handle the fight herself.

With its escape route blocked, the Jade Phosphorous Flood Dragon Snake let out a hiss and spewed dark green poisonous mist, which instantly filled the entire area!

Dugu Yan didn't retreat. Her third Spirit Ring lit up, and Jade Phosphorous poison armor covered her body as she charged into the swamp, enduring the poisonous mist!

"Yan'er, be careful!" Liu Erlong started forward, but Poison Douluo raised a hand to stop her.

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

The battle in the swamp had reached a fever pitch.

Dugu Yan moved like lightning, dodging the sweeping tail. Jade Phosphorous Poison Blades formed in her hands, and she slashed at the snake again and again, leaving charred marks across its body.

"Hiss—!" The flood dragon snake roared in pain and fury. Its forehead bumps glowed green, and a solid beam of light shot out!

A flood dragon's breath!

Dugu Yan's pupils contracted. As she retreated, she activated all three of her first Spirit Rings—her poison armor shielding her while her Poison Blades blocked the attack!

The green beam collided with the poisonous mist with a sizzling hiss, corroding through it!

Now!

Dugu Yan seized the brief opening after the breath attack. She closed in, brought her Poison Blades together into a cross, and struck viciously at the flood dragon snake's vulnerable spot!

"Hiss—!"

The snake writhed in agony, sending mud flying everywhere!

Dugu Yan was swept away by its tremendous force, but she rolled to her feet the instant she landed. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, yet the fighting spirit in her eyes burned even brighter!

Yu Tiancheng watched from the side and nodded slightly.

Dugu Yan's fighting style was ruthless and precise. It was no wonder Poison Douluo had trained her himself.

After a fifteen-minute standoff, the flood dragon snake unleashed its breath again, but it had lost some of its force.

A glint flashed in Dugu Yan's eyes. Instead of retreating, she charged forward, drove her Poison Blades into the snake's mouth, and thrust them straight into its throat!

"Pfft!"

The giant snake shuddered violently, then crashed to the ground. A deep purple Spirit Ring rose slowly from its body, so dark it was nearly black.

"Four thousand eight hundred years... Just right." Dugu Yan panted and sat cross-legged, beginning to absorb it.

Two hours later, she opened her eyes and rose. Her Soul Power had surged to level forty-five! Her fourth Spirit Ring shimmered with interwoven purple and black, its quality exceptional.

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

She held out both hands, and the green poisonous mist condensed into three flood dragon snakes that swam through the air, as lively as real creatures. "I can shape the poison and control it to attack."

Poison Douluo nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad. This Soul Skill is good for both offense and defense, and highly versatile. It'll be very useful in actual combat."

Seeing that everyone was in good shape, he immediately suggested, "Let's strike while the iron's hot and find a suitable Spirit Beast for Miss Ye next."

Healing-type Spirit Beasts were hard to find, so the group continued deeper into the forest.

It wasn't until the afternoon that a valley full of exotic flowers and plants came into view. At its center stood a towering flower tree, pure white from root to crown and more than three zhang tall. Countless ribbon-like vines hung from its trunk, each ending in a pale blue blossom.

"A Thousand-Year Spirit Healing Flower King," Poison Douluo identified it. "Three thousand eight hundred years old, a rare treasure among healing-type plant Spirit Beasts. Miss Ye, this one is perfect for you."

Ye Lingling was a support-type Spirit Master and wasn't good at direct combat. Dugu Yan had just obtained her fourth Spirit Ring and was eager to test it, so she immediately said, "Lingling, leave this Spirit Beast to me. I'll get this ring for you."

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

The purple-gold begonia rotated above her head, filling the air with a gentle healing aura.

Sensing the fluctuations of Soul Power, the Flower King abruptly awakened! Countless vines lashed out like whips, cracking through the air!

Dugu Yan activated her Martial Soul again and unleashed her newly acquired Emerald Phosphorous Flood Dragon Poison—the three poisonous flood dragons hissed as they lunged, tangling with the vines!

Pale blue petals and green poisonous mist intertwined. Healing light collided with corrosive force, making for a strange and fierce battle.