Entering the Sunset Forest

In the days that followed, Lin Li stayed in the courtyard Ning Yang had purchased and cultivated there. He neither joined an academy nor visited anyone.

Whenever he had time, Lin Li would also go to the Great Soul Arena in Heaven Dou City for anonymous battles, tempering his practical combat ability.

The frequency was three matches a week.

That day, Ning Yang was preparing to head as usual to the Treasure Pavilion he had newly opened in Heaven Dou City when Lin Li called out to him.

"Ning, I'm planning to go to the Sunset Forest today."

"What are you going there for..." Ning Yang seemed to realize something, and his expression turned astonished. "You've broken through to Soul Elder?"

Lin Li nodded. He had discovered that his cultivation speed had increased again, seemingly 10% faster than ordinary Innate Full Soul Power.

After focusing on cultivation for half a day, his speed would increase by another 50% as he adapted.

Thus, while fighting and familiarizing himself with Heaven Dou City, Lin Li had taken only two months to soar from Level 26 to Level 30.

This trip to the Sunset Forest was not merely to obtain a Soul Ring. Lin Li also had plans concerning the Immortal Herb.

As the greatest opportunity in Douluo I, the Immortal Herb had rightly been rated number one on the must-eat list. Lin Li could not give up simply because that place already belonged to Dugu Bo. He was not such a lofty person.

All he could do was give Dugu Bo some compensation.

But whether his plan could be realized would still depend on the specific circumstances.

Seeing Lin Li nod, Ning Yang sucked in a cold breath.

As someone with only Level 3 Innate Soul Power, he truly could not imagine the cultivation speed of someone with Innate Full Soul Power.

"Then I won't go to the shop. I'll head to the place where Soul Masters are hired right now and call some people to accompany you in obtaining your Soul Ring."

"No need."

Lin Li waved his hand and refused.

His first two Soul Rings had both yielded Spirit Bones. Lin Li felt that this should not be a coincidence, so he would not bring anyone he could not trust along to obtain his Soul Ring.

Ning Yang was naturally no problem. After spending these two months together, Lin Li had already seen what kind of person he was.

But Ning Yang was only a two-ring Soul Grandmaster, and a Support Type one at that, so it was still better for Lin Li to go alone.

Seeing Lin Li refuse him, Ning Yang merely nodded and told him to be careful.

That was simply how the two of them got along.

Because they knew that neither of them was a fool, and that both had some unspeakable secrets and thoughts, they would not interfere with each other's decisions unless the matter was of great importance.

"If you haven't returned in three days, I'll take people into the forest to search for you."

"Don't worry."

After saying this, Lin Li rose and set off.

Naturally, Qian Renxue noticed his departure, as she had been keeping an eye on him. According to the experts stationed near Lin Li, his Soul Power fluctuations had already reached Level 30 Soul Elder.

This made Qian Renxue feel somewhat tense.

They both possessed God-Level Martial Souls, and both had previously gone to the Star Dou Forest to hunt for Soul Rings. Yet Lin Li had now reached Level 30, while Qian Renxue's Soul Power was only Level 43, with more than one level of that coming from absorbing a Soul Ring.

According to her guess, Lin Li should be like her: because they possessed God-Level Martial Souls, each level required more abundant Soul Power. The Soul Power he gained from absorbing a Soul Ring should amount to at most two levels.

"How can he be cultivating so quickly?"

This news immediately stirred Qian Renxue's competitive spirit. They both possessed God-Level Martial Souls, and she had even started with Innate Level 20 Soul Power, bathing in the Angel God's glory. How could she fall behind someone else?

From then on, a rumor spread through the Noble Circle: Crown Prince Xue Qinghe considered his cultivation insufficient and spent an additional half hour cultivating Soul Power every day.

Meanwhile, Lin Li had already been taken by an hired carriage to the outskirts of the Sunset Forest.

After paying, he walked straight into the forest.

He did not need to buy anything. Everything was already in his Storage Soul Ring.

Lin Li still remembered the first trial of his Fire God Nine Trials, so his target for this Soul Ring was a five-thousand-year Spirit Beast!

Since he would not use a fixed Soul Skill, and only needed to consider the Spirit Beast's age rather than its species, Lin Li quickly found a Spirit Beast that was not weak but could not be called strong either—the Shadow-Chasing Leopard!

This Spirit Beast was famous for its incredible speed and the Dark Attribute within its body. The Zhu Family of the Star Luo Empire particularly liked hunting this Spirit Beast to obtain Soul Rings.

Judging by the Black Stripes on its body, this Shadow-Chasing Leopard was likely more than five thousand years old but less than six thousand.

Speaking of this, Lin Li thought of Yu Xiaogang. How had he determined the exact age of every Soul Ring, even down to the individual year?

Had he dissected every Spirit Beast and then compared the lengths of their features with a ruler?

Setting aside the useless thoughts in his mind, Lin Li immersed himself completely in the battle.

When he noticed the Shadow-Chasing Leopard, it noticed him as well.

Strands of black smoke drifted from the black patterns on the Shadow-Chasing Leopard's body. It bared its fangs, its four limbs taut with muscle.

Whoosh!!

In an instant, before there was even time to notice the falling leaves, Lin Li and the Shadow-Chasing Leopard vanished from where they stood!

When they reappeared, it was with fists and claws colliding!

Lin Li had already activated the scales he had used when obtaining his First Soul Ring, but they blocked the Shadow-Chasing Leopard's claws for only a moment before being torn apart with ease!

After exchanging blows, the two retreated and slowly circled each other.

Lin Li stomped down heavily. Mahoraga appeared behind him, and one yellow and one purple Soul Ring began to shine and rotate. The wound in his hand began to heal.

The Shadow-Chasing Leopard seemed to sense that the human before it had grown much stronger. Its waist arched, and it suddenly pounced forward!

"Good!"

There was no one else here, so Lin Li released his Second Martial Soul, the Sword of Exorcism, without hesitation, swiftly reaching out with one hand.

Yet under Lin Li's gaze, the Shadow-Chasing Leopard was suddenly enveloped in pitch-black smoke, and its figure vanished from where it stood!

He swept the sword backward without the slightest hesitation!

An animal's attack instinct meant that when using a teleportation-type Soul Skill, it would only appear in a blind spot. Lin Li had guessed correctly without surprise, and the Sword of Exorcism slashed across the Shadow-Chasing Leopard's face!

At the same time, Lin Li's arm was struck by claws carrying the Dark Attribute, and black blood began to flow from it.

Crack, crack!

After being subjected to this new attack, Mahoraga automatically began adapting.

But Lin Li had no intention of waiting for it to finish adapting before ending the battle. He was pressed for time.

The muscles in his legs tensed and bent slightly. Then Lin Li shot forward like a spring, thrusting the Sword of Exorcism straight at the Shadow-Chasing Leopard.

The Sword of Exorcism possessed a special ability. When it struck a Martial Soul, it could cause that Martial Soul to show signs of collapse. The lower its rank and strength, the easier it was to make it collapse. But when used on a Spirit Beast, the effect was entirely different.

When the Sword of Exorcism struck a Spirit Beast, it would restrict its special ability for a period of time. The duration varied according to the strength of both sides.

This special ability could restrict the Titan Giant Ape's gravity and the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's Elemental Power. Naturally, it could also restrict the Shadow-Chasing Leopard's Shadow Leap!

The Shadow-Chasing Leopard's instincts made it want to use its ability to change position.

But no matter how it tried, it could not use the ability it had possessed since birth. This filled it with fear!

The sword light closed in. It had no choice but to swing its claws in resistance, but the Shadow-Chasing Leopard was not a power-type Spirit Beast. After losing its special advantage in speed, its strength plummeted.

"Die!"