Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beast Delivered to His Door

Xiao Wu was completely shut down.

After several consecutive attacks, she had been casually struck every time by Lin Qi's seemingly ordinary punches.

No matter how fully on guard she was, she could not change the outcome.

"Am I really just a useless Soft Bone Rabbit? Can't I even bring out my racial talent?"

"Let's go."

Lin Qi called out to the dejected Xiao Wu.

"Oh." Xiao Wu responded blankly.

For the rest of the journey, Master Meng unleashed his full presence, and no more Soul Beasts foolish enough to attack them appeared.

"Master, what Soul Beast did you say was suitable for my Mountain River Sword Martial Soul?"

Neither the variety nor the quality of Soul Beasts in Soul Hunting Forest was particularly high. Lin Qi could not imagine what kind of Soul Beast would make even Master Meng think it suited his Mountain River Sword Martial Soul.

"An Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beast, a rather special kind of Soul Beast," Master Meng said as he walked.

"Under normal circumstances, this Soul Beast stays underground, with only the sword-like bony spines on its back exposed."

"When it encounters an enemy, the sword-shaped bone spines on its back split into shadows and attack."

"But what interests me is another one of its abilities. When cornered, an Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beast over a Thousand-Year old will retract most of its body into its sword ridge and flee at incredible speed."

Lin Qi nodded repeatedly as he listened.

By absorbing an Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beast's Soul Ring, he might obtain a Soul Skill similar to Light Splitting Shadow or Man-Sword Unity.

Either one would be good, especially Man-Sword Unity.

Lin Qi and Xiao Wu followed Master Meng deeper into Soul Hunting Forest. Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beasts were elusive, and if they merely passed through at a glance, they could easily miss one.

Tang San and Yu Xiaogang did not arrive at Soul Hunting Forest until the next day.

After Yu Xiaogang made a string of disparaging remarks about the Soul Masters forming teams outside Soul Hunting Forest, he showed off his Spirit Hall token to flaunt his standing before leading Tang San inside.

Once they entered Soul Hunting Forest, Yu Xiaogang was no longer as composed as he had been outside.

He knew his own strength well. Any Soul Beast over a Thousand-Year old could potentially take his life.

Tang Hao only hurried over after they had entered Soul Hunting Forest.

Leng Qing had injured him several times in succession, forcing him to hide away and recover.

Moreover, he did not dare casually appear near Leng Qing again. If he showed even the slightest ill intent toward Lin Qi, Leng Qing would definitely seize the chance to beat him up again.

But Tang San and Yu Xiaogang had come to Soul Hunting Forest, so he had no choice but to follow.

If Yu Xiaogang made one careless mistake and Tang San encountered danger, Tang Hao's plan to have Tang San seek revenge against Spirit Hall would come to nothing.

Following Yu Xiaogang and Tang San into Soul Hunting Forest, Tang Hao watched with his own eyes as Tang San used Tang Sect martial arts and Hidden Weapons to kill a Mandala Snake.

Yet Tang Hao was not surprised in the slightest.

Back in Holy Spirit Village, he had witnessed Tang San cultivating that strange technique and had also noticed Tang San crafting Hidden Weapons.

Tang San had thought he was secretive enough while cultivating, but Tang Hao was a Titled Douluo. How could he possibly fail to notice?

"Little San, don't disappoint my expectations."

After the battle, Yu Xiaogang looked at the dead Mandala Snake and said to Tang San,

"Little San, hurry and absorb the Soul Ring."

Under Yu Xiaogang's lengthy theoretical guidance, Tang San suddenly saw the light and prepared to absorb the Soul Ring, obtaining the Soul Skill destined for him.

Deeper within Soul Hunting Forest, Lin Qi was somewhat puzzled.

With his luck, he should not still have failed to find a suitable Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beast, right?

They had encountered several Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beasts along the way, but none were old enough. They were only a few hundred years old.

"Something's not right."

"What is it?"

Xiao Wu asked in confusion.

She did not need to absorb Soul Rings from other Soul Beasts. This trip was purely for fun, and also gave her an excuse to obtain her first Soul Ring.

Lin Qi looked into the pitch-black forest and silently thought,

"Body of Fortune, let me see your limits."

Lin Qi had great confidence in the Body of Fortune's abilities. There had to be a reason he had not yet found a suitable Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beast.

"Hm?"

Master Meng suddenly looked toward somewhere in the darkness.

"Is that... the sword ridge on an Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beast's back?"

A piercing whistle rang out as a sword-shaped object roughly four or five feet long sliced through grass, trees, and branches while flying toward Lin Qi and the others.

Once it drew close, the sword-shaped object swayed unsteadily before plunging into the ground not far in front of Lin Qi.

"Master, is that an Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beast?"

Xiao Wu's eyes widened, suspecting that something was wrong with her vision.

What was going on? Why had an Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beast, which had encountered danger and transformed into its sword ridge, suddenly flown over here?

Master Meng's eyelids twitched as well.

"That's right. It's an Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beast, and one that encountered such a powerful enemy that it had no choice but to use its life-saving ability."

Lin Qi stepped forward. The sword-tip-like end of the Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beast's back ridge was embedded in the soil, while the hilt-like end twisted and deformed.

At last, the sword hilt continued expanding and transformed into a pangolin-like Soul Beast.

This Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beast was six or seven meters long, not particularly huge, and its body was covered in tough scales.

But at that moment, those scales were shattered inch by inch, and two deep wounds marked its abdomen.

The Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beast struggled several times but failed to pull its sword ridge from the ground, leaving its entire body suspended in midair.

"With wounds this severe, it seems this Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beast encountered a very powerful opponent. Even after using its life-saving ability, it could not escape unscathed," Master Meng said as he looked at the wounds on its abdomen.

"It barely managed to escape, but it will not live much longer. Still, that works out perfectly. It isn't dead yet, so its Soul Ring won't go to waste."

"Wait."

Xiao Wu suddenly spoke, pointing at the Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beast.

"This is a Thousand-Year Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beast, and it should be around two thousand years old. Isn't absorbing a two-thousand-year Soul Ring as a first Soul Ring too risky?"

Forget human Soul Masters—even Xiao Wu, a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast, had never heard of anyone absorbing a Soul Ring of such a high age as their first.

While Xiao Wu and Master Meng were speaking, Lin Qi had already arrived before the Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beast.

The Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beast's eyes had grown much dimmer, and its life was fading away.

It watched Lin Qi with those pitch-black eyes. There was no fear in them; instead, they held a hint of closeness.

Bang!

Lin Qi tugged it from the side. Dust rose into the air, and the Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beast finally landed on all four limbs.

"Yoo—"

The Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beast let out a long cry, then weakly rubbed its head against Lin Qi's hand.

"You want to give me your Soul Ring?" Lin Qi asked, stroking its large head.

The Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beast nodded gently. Anxiety appeared in its eyes, as though it were urging Lin Qi onward. Its life was nearing its end.

Xiao Wu was completely speechless as she stared blankly at Lin Qi and the Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beast.

This worked too?

Even if a Soul Beast had not died at a Soul Master's hands, it should not willingly allow a Soul Master to absorb its Soul Ring, should it?

Xiao Wu's worldview suffered another tremendous blow.

This world was too crazy!

"Thank you."

Lin Qi crouched down and gently patted the Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beast's head.

For a Soul Beast willing to offer him its Soul Ring, Lin Qi did not begrudge giving it a little tenderness before it died.