Body Martial Soul Bronze Level Awakening

So that was it! Long Zhanye suddenly understood.

The three held their breath and focused, staring intently at the groups of Cyclopes emerging from within.

Most of them traveled in groups, with as few as three to five and as many as dozens. Very few moved alone.

Time passed bit by bit, and most of the groups that had gone out to forage had already vanished into the darkness of the forest.

Just as Long Zhanye thought they would return empty-handed again, Old Man Gu's seemingly clouded eyes suddenly lit up, instantly locking onto prey!

"Do you see that over there?" Old Man Gu pointed toward the distance ahead to the right, at a small group lagging behind, moving somewhat sluggishly.

"That one! It's slightly smaller than its companions, and its steps are unsteady. It may have only recently reached adulthood, or perhaps it suffered a minor injury."

"Its cultivation... is around eighteen thousand years! It's perfect for your First Soul Ring!"

Following the direction he pointed, Long Zhanye indeed spotted a Cyclops trailing at the back of the group, seemingly unable to keep up with its companions.

It was clumsily chasing after the Cyclopes ahead. Long Zhanye was delighted and had just been about to move.

"Don't move!" Old Man Gu pressed down on his shoulder, then turned to Zhua Yun, who had remained silently on standby.

A hint of testing flashed through his eyes. "Zhua Yun, let your master see whether you've slacked off these past three years."

"Yes, Master!" Zhua Yun answered in a deep voice, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

Without the slightest hesitation, he shot out from their hiding place like a fierce beast!

He did not charge straight at the target. Instead, using the dense trees and terrain as cover, he silently and swiftly closed in on the lone Cyclops!

The instant Zhua Yun moved, bronze light abruptly flared around his body!

Beneath his feet, six Soul Rings rose in succession—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black!

The Five Fingers of his right hand instantly became as though cast from bronze, his nails extending and glinting with sharp, icy light.

His Martial Soul was precisely the Five Fingers of his right hand!

At that moment, bronze light covered his entire body. This was the Body Martial Soul Secondary Awakening—Bronze Level Awakening!

Though he was only a Soul Emperor, with the boost of this Bronze Level Awakening—

His aura, speed, and strength instantly surged, approaching the level of a Soul Saint!

Against a Soul Beast barely over ten thousand years old, he had an overwhelming chance of success!

The lone Cyclops seemed to sense something.

Its massive body suddenly froze, and its enormous head twisted around. The huge single eye on its forehead abruptly opened!

A hazy gray beam, seemingly capable of warping light itself, shot toward Zhua Yun's approach!

As a disciple of the Body Sect, Zhua Yun possessed abundant combat experience and incredibly swift reactions!

Facing the sudden attack, his body twisted strangely in midair, brushing past the edge of the gray light.

Not only did his speed not diminish, it increased, instantly closing the distance between him and the Cyclops!

Before the Cyclops could roar and summon its companions after missing its attack, Zhua Yun had already closed in at its side!

The Five Fingers of his bronze right hand abruptly spread open, Soul Power condensing into an incomparably sharp claw shadow!

With a piercing shriek that tore through the air, it struck with flawless precision at the area behind the Cyclops's thick neck!

Splat!

A sickening dull tearing sound rang out!

A huge chunk of flesh, blood, and fascia was forcibly ripped from the back of the Cyclops's neck.

Blood immediately gushed out!

"Awooo—!!!"

The Cyclops let out a shrill, agonized howl. The intense pain instantly drove it into a frenzy!

It wildly swung its thick arms and viciously stomped the ground, trying to crush the tiny enemy beside it!

Just as the Cyclops's howl was about to carry outward, Long Zhanye decisively detonated another Mental Interference Bomb!

Silver-gray ripples spread soundlessly, temporarily severing this small area from all mental contact with the outside world!

At the same time, Zhua Yun faced the frenzied counterattack with eyes as cold as ice.

The five bronze fingers on his right palm shone brilliantly as Soul Power surged wildly.

In an instant, they condensed in the air into the solid phantom of a giant bronze claw several meters long!

Carrying an unstoppable force, the giant claw slammed down viciously toward the Cyclops's enormous head, as if swatting a fly!

Crack—!!!

A crisp, grating sound of bones breaking rang out, especially clear in the silent night!

The Cyclops's hard skull caved in beneath the giant claw's strike like a smashed watermelon!

Its body convulsed violently a few times, and the ferocity in its single eye swiftly faded.

In the end, it crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust, never to move again.

From beginning to end, the battle lasted only a dozen breaths, clean and decisive!

Zhua Yun took a breath and calmed the turbulent Soul Power within him.

Then he stepped forward, dragged the Cyclops's corpse, and quickly returned to where Old Man Gu and Long Zhanye were hiding.

Watching Zhua Yun's swift and efficient kill, as well as Long Zhanye's timely interference, Old Man Gu nodded in satisfaction.

"Mm, not bad. Zhua Yun, your Green-Splitting Claw has become increasingly refined. Zhanye, your timing was excellent as well."

He then gestured to Long Zhanye. "That's the one. Go absorb this Ten-Thousand Year Soul Ring."

Long Zhanye stepped forward and first sincerely thanked Zhua Yun. "Thank you for your help, Senior Brother!"

Then he took a deep breath, came to the Cyclops's corpse, and sat down cross-legged, preparing to absorb this First Soul Ring.

After three years of medicinal tempering and the repair of his heart meridians, his physique had long surpassed that of Spirit Masters at the same level and had become exceptionally resilient.

Though he was absorbing a Ten-Thousand Year Soul Ring in one go, both his Soul Power Level and physical constitution met the requirements.

Three hours passed silently.

Long Zhanye's tightly shut eyes abruptly opened!

A strange faint glimmer containing the colors of Chaos flashed across the Heavenly Eye on his forehead, then vanished!

He slowly rose to his feet. With a thought, the Heavenly Eye on his forehead slowly opened a slit, and an indescribable aura spread forth.

At the same time, a black Soul Ring silently rose from beneath his feet and circled his body!

And that was not all.

After successfully absorbing the Soul Ring, his Soul Power, originally at level forty-nine, naturally broke through as well, advancing directly to level fifty!

Feeling the replenished Soul Power within him, as well as the unprecedentedly clear perception and strange sense of power transmitted by the Heavenly Eye Martial Soul—

A long-lost, heartfelt, exhilarated smile appeared on Long Zhanye's face.

Seeing that he had successfully absorbed it and even gained another level of Soul Power, Old Man Gu's wrinkled face revealed a faint smile as well.

"Good! The first step is complete! Let's continue and try to make up all the Soul Rings you lack over the next few days!"

After succeeding.

Old Man Gu's cloudy old eyes flickered continuously in the night as he gestured to Long Zhanye and Zhua Yun.

He said in a low voice, "Follow me. Don't make too much noise."

With that, he took the lead.

In a posture completely unlike his earlier sickly, staggering appearance—slightly furtive yet remarkably agile—

He quietly crossed the outer perimeter of the Cyclops territory and slipped into the basin's inner habitat...