Sorry, We Want Them Both

Because a Spirit Bone had appeared, everyone waited for Zhu Zhuqing again.

This time, Zhu Zhuqing's absorption went exceptionally smoothly. Before long, she had perfectly absorbed the External Soul Bone from the palm.

"Zhuqing, tell us quickly—what Soul Skill did this Soul Bone give you?"

As soon as Zhu Zhuqing woke, the girls immediately crowded around to ask about her Soul Bone Skill.

Zhu Zhuqing was delighted as she told everyone about it, her eyes fixed on Qian Yu, gratitude plain in her gaze.

"My Soul Bone Skill is called Shadow Moon Wolf Claw. When I channel Soul Power into it, silver patterns flare across the bones of my palm, and a pair of wolf-shaped claw blades woven from dark silver Soul Power forms over my hands. Their sharpness increases dramatically, enough to tear through the weapon defenses of Soul Masters at the same level."

"Moonlight gathers at the claw tips. When I strike, it bursts into a dark-moon shock wave and triggers Shadow Moon Instantaneous Sweep: I can use the moonlight at the claw tips to flash three meters in a short-range teleport. After I appear, my claw strike carries a moon-energy tearing effect, leaving faint silver moon patterns in the wound that hinder my opponent's Soul Power recovery. It's a perfect fit for surprise attacks by an agility-type Soul Master, and lets me chain slashes together without a gap."

"Another movement skill?" All the girls drew in a sharp breath.

"Qian Yu, thank you." As everyone rejoiced for Zhu Zhuqing, she strode forward and, while Qian Yu wasn't paying attention, threw her arms around him in a big hug.

Qian Yu felt a soft warmth against him, then a peck on his cheek.

Zhu Zhuqing planted a kiss on his right cheek.

Then, blushing, Zhu Zhuqing asked Sword Douluo a little sheepishly, "Senior Sword Douluo, I might have to trouble you again in a bit to help me find my fourth Spirit Ring."

"Hahaha, of course." Sword Douluo was taken aback for a moment, then broke into a broad smile.

Nearby, Qian Yu was still frozen in place.

I really did bring this on myself, Qian Yu thought with a helpless smile.

"Then let's set off again." Sword Douluo swept his hand out and led everyone onward in search of Spirit Rings.

The girls, too, hoped to obtain Spirit Bones and Spirit Rings like Zhu Zhuqing had.

The group continued searching the Star Dou Great Forest for quite some time.

Soon, they found two Spirit Beasts suitable for Ning Rongrong: a roughly 1,700-year-old and a roughly 3,800-year-old Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent.

A foul wind churned through the woods as two Phoenix-tail Crested Serpents struggled to flee. Their large and small bodies darted crookedly between the shadows of the trees, both covered in wounds. Most of the young serpent's blue-green scales had been torn away, and three deep claw marks ran down its back, bright-red beads of blood trickling from them. Its colorful crest had been broken until only half remained. As it slithered, its belly scraped against the dead branches, and every movement made it tremble;

The adult serpent, some 3,800 years old, was much more robust. Its scales were tougher, but still cracked and mottled. A deep wound at its vital spot oozed dark-brown clots of blood, and several feathers had fallen from the colorful crest atop its head. Its tail had lost most of its strength, yet it still desperately whipped its body around to shield the young serpent as it burrowed deeper into the woods. Two winding streaks of blood marked the ground behind them, and their serpentine eyes held nothing but a desperate, blood-red will to survive.

"Rongrong, Lingling, look! There's a Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent around 1,700 years old and another around 3,800 years old. They're both perfect for your third Spirit Rings," Sword Douluo told Ning Rongrong and Ye Lingling.

Hearing that there were Spirit Beasts suited to her—and one of them was 3,800 years old—Ning Rongrong jumped for joy.

"Really, Sword Grandpa?" she asked him excitedly.

Then Ning Rongrong turned to Qian Yu and asked, "Brother Qian Yu, can I absorb one beyond my limit like Zhuqing did?"

Qian Yu nodded.

Even he found it incredible that they had run into two Phoenix-tail Crested Serpents at once.

But with his powerful spiritual strength, he had also noticed that both Spirit Beasts were injured.

That meant they had most likely been wounded by other Spirit Beasts or human Soul Masters.

Qian Yu thought Yan was right: in the end, this world listened to the strongest fist.

So he didn't try to stop Sword Douluo. With two quick slashes, Sword Douluo was about to restrain both Phoenix-tail Crested Serpents.

"Stop! How dare you steal our Spirit Beasts?"

"Just as I thought!" Before Sword Douluo could release his sword strikes, two old people, a man and a woman, arrived in front of Qian Yu and the others with a girl in her teens.

Sword Douluo wasn't someone who would change his mind just because another person told him to. Two streaks of sword light flashed, and the two Phoenix-tail Crested Serpents lost all ability to move.

"Damn it! Are you deaf? I told you to stop! How dare you hurt our Spirit Beasts!"

As she spoke, the old woman unleashed the powerful aura of a Soul Emperor. Six Spirit Rings lit up around her: "Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, purple, black."

She sent her sixth Soul Skill hurtling toward Sword Douluo and the others.

The old woman unleashed her strongest control skill, spreading a twenty-meter field of poisonous serpents. Black-scaled serpent shadows and thick poisonous miasma filled the domain, ready to bind Qian Yu and the others.

Sword Douluo was a dignified Titled Douluo. How could he put up with such humiliation?

He summoned his Seven Kill Sword Martial Soul.

Nine Spirit Rings lit up around him: "Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black." He released no skill, only his aura, yet it completely shattered the old woman's sixth Soul Skill. At the same time, the aura of a Titled Douluo bore down on her.

"A Titled Douluo..." The old woman stared in disbelief. She spat out a mouthful of blood and looked at Sword Douluo.

Seeing the old woman forced to cough up blood by Sword Douluo's aura, the old man beside her narrowed his eyes. But when he realized the other party was a powerful Titled Douluo, he stepped forward all the same.

Eight Spirit Rings lit up around him: "Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black." He began taking some of the pressure off the old woman.

At the same time, he addressed Sword Douluo. "Senior, I'm Meng Shu. My wife, Chao Tianxiang, failed to recognize your stature. I hope you'll forgive her."

"The Peerless Dragon Snake?" Qian Yu muttered uncertainly to himself.

"Brother Qian Yu, do you know them? Are they famous?" Hearing him mutter, Ning Rongrong quickly moved closer to ask.

"I wouldn't say I know them. The two are known together as the Peerless Dragon Snake, and they can use a Martial Soul Fusion Skill—the Dragon Snake Assault. It's extremely powerful, strong enough to contend with an ordinary Titled Douluo."

Qian Yu explained what he knew to everyone.

"What? A Martial Soul Fusion Skill?" Sword Douluo couldn't help but drop his contempt for the Dragon Duke and Snake Matriarch.

"So you're the Peerless Dragon Snake couple. Why did the Snake Matriarch suddenly attack us?" Sword Douluo identified them outright.

"Senior, there's been a misunderstanding. My wife and I were helping our granddaughter obtain her third Spirit Ring. Those were the two Phoenix-tail Crested Serpents you just saw. We didn't realize they had already been wounded by you, which is why my wife misunderstood..." Hearing Sword Douluo identify him so easily made Dragon Duke's heart skip a beat.

He hurriedly explained what had happened.

"That still doesn't give you the right to attack us!" Ning Rongrong had never been treated like this before.

"What do you want? My grandparents have already apologized," the child beside the Dragon Duke and Snake Matriarch suddenly shouted at Ning Rongrong.

"Yiran?" Dragon Duke suddenly barked at the boy.

"Meng Yiran," Qian Yu thought to himself.

"Hmph, you only ever know how to bully me and my daughter." The Snake Matriarch had lost her temper as well.

She roared at Dragon Duke.

After the Snake Matriarch and Meng Yiran caused such a fuss, Dragon Duke was at a loss. All he could do was say to Sword Douluo, "Senior, how about this? We'll take only the one that's 1,700 years old and leave the 3,800-year-old one to you. What do you say?"

"That won't do." Before Sword Douluo could speak, Ning Rongrong had already retorted.

"Then what do you want?" Meng Yiran lost her temper too.

"Sorry, we want them both!" Ning Rongrong declared boldly.