"Leave it to us."
Su Yuntao and Sisi moved quickly, finishing off the wounded beasts with ruthless efficiency.
They hadn't forgotten how smug the herd had been. Now the tables had turned, and it was their turn!
Sisi kept attacking the Iron-Armored Ox, lashing it until it was badly wounded before charging toward the herd.
"First Soul Skill, Wolf Claw!"
Su Yuntao activated his First Soul Skill and charged toward the lead Iron-Armored Ox. His hands transformed into wolf claws, his nails gleaming coldly. As Soul Power flowed through them, they grew even sharper.
At that moment, his claws could easily slice through steel. Against the immobile Iron-Armored Ox, it was a piece of cake. He targeted the joints, his goal clear: cripple the ox's ability to move.
After dealing with one, Su Yuntao went after two more Iron-Armored Oxen that were over four hundred years old.
Sisi joined in as well, her Magma Flame Whip lashing out.
Any Iron-Armored Ox over three hundred years old was a target. The rest could be kept in check through intimidation alone.
Su Yuntao and Sisi had never heard of sustainable development, but their actions were putting the principle into practice.
The only Iron-Armored Oxen they finished off were those that could pose a threat to them.
After six breaths, the lead Iron-Armored Ox was the first to break free of the Soul Chain. Its eyes were full of savage fury. It clearly still wanted to attack, but the agony in its four leg joints left it raging helplessly.
With the Soul Chain's restraints gone, its stiff legs recovered. The next moment, the lead Iron-Armored Ox collapsed to the ground.
After a dozen or so breaths, all the Iron-Armored Oxen had broken free of the Soul Chain. All six that were over three hundred years old lay on the ground, mooing nonstop! Seeing this, the remaining oxen turned and ran.
Their leaders had all fallen. They'd recognized reality and bolted as fast as they could.
After the time it took to brew a cup of tea, Ling Yun finished regulating his breathing.
Compared with Soul Power, spiritual power was much harder to recover! His face was still a little pale, but it was nothing serious.
Su Yuntao and Sisi looked at him as if he were a monster. Ling Yun had already prepared what he would say, and his expression remained calm.
"Xiao Yun, that move of yours was incredible! I can't even imagine how you did it!" Su Yuntao praised him.
Sisi chimed in, "You gave me such a fright! I got to witness a miracle being born."
They were remarkably in sync: whether or not Ling Yun joined Spirit Hall, they were going to cling tightly to this future powerhouse.
"It wasn't as exaggerated as you're making it sound! It's one of the basic traits inherent to my Martial Soul. It targets the soul."
"It only works on those with less spiritual power than me. Against someone with more, its effect is negligible!"
"To a certain extent, spiritual power is tied to intelligence. As it turns out, this herd of Iron-Armored Oxen has very weak spiritual power."
After hearing him out, Su Yuntao and Sisi breathed a sigh of relief. So it wasn't as impossible to counter as they'd feared.
"Even so, it's incredibly powerful! Except for Soul Masters who specialize in spiritual power, you're very likely among the very best. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call you invincible among your peers."
"In my opinion, your Martial Soul deserves to be called the best weapon-type Martial Soul under heaven."
"..."
They said many things from the bottom of their hearts, including no small amount of praise. Ling Yun took it all in stride, occasionally responding with a modest remark.
As for how he felt inside: That's the stuff. Keep it coming!
Compliments were music to his ears and lifted his spirits. He even felt as if his spiritual power was recovering a little faster.
Su Yuntao and Sisi didn't forget what they were there for. "Xiao Yun, of these six Iron-Armored Oxen, this one is nearly six hundred years old, and these two are over four hundred. The other three are all over three hundred."
"You can tell an Iron-Armored Ox's age by the length of its horns. This one's horns are nearly forty centimeters long. It's the best choice for a First Soul Ring!"
"No. I want to absorb the lead Iron-Armored Ox's Soul Ring!"
Ling Yun's words shocked them. Su Yuntao and Sisi spoke in unison: "No!"
Su Yuntao continued, "Do you know that ox would be more than suitable even as a Second Soul Ring? Absorbing a Soul Ring is no joke!"
"Every year, Soul Masters who think too highly of themselves try to get Soul Rings with higher age limits. Without exception, none of them can withstand it. They all burst apart and die!"
Sisi picked up where he left off. "Listen to your big sister's advice. This one, at nearly four hundred years old, is the best choice."
Ling Yun felt a headache coming on. His original goal had been a thousand-year First Soul Ring, but that would draw far too much attention. The moment he absorbed one, Titled Douluo would come sniffing around.
But he didn't want to absorb a conventional First Soul Ring either. Otherwise, wouldn't all his cultivation have been for nothing? What was the point of tempering his body?
Brother Tao, Sis Sisi! I have my reasons for doing this."
The two of them stared straight at him. Su Yuntao took a deep breath, calming himself somewhat before asking, "Let's hear them. What reason could you possibly have for being so reckless?"
"After I got the idea to absorb a Soul Ring, my Martial Soul sent me a strong feeling of disdain toward these Iron-Armored Oxen. Only this one, the one nearly six hundred years old, drew just a little disdain. Nearly six hundred years isn't my limit."
"Those who burst apart while absorbing Soul Rings simply weren't physically strong enough. Their bodies couldn't take the strain! After absorbing a Soul Ring, your bodies are clearly strengthened, right? The First Soul Ring strengthens you once, and then continued cultivation strengthens you further. That's what lets your Second Soul Ring have a higher age limit than your First."
Su Yuntao and Sisi considered his words. It made sense!
The logic was easy enough to follow. But understanding it was one thing; there was a limit to how much stronger a body could become. No matter how strong a six-year-old's body was, it couldn't match an adult's.
In all these years, the records kept by Spirit Hall didn't mention anyone whose First Soul Ring had exceeded 423 years.
Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang was fairly well-known in Nuoding City. Su Yuntao had read his theory on the maximum age limits in the Ten Great Competencies of Martial Souls.
Seeing their attitude soften, Ling Yun continued, "If you had your current physical strength, would absorbing a six-hundred-year Soul Ring be dangerous?"
The two shook their heads. Sisi said, "And what does that prove? We might be able to handle it, but that doesn't mean you can!"
"What if my physical strength is no weaker than yours?"
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
"You can check and compare!" As soon as Ling Yun finished speaking, Su Yuntao and Sisi both reached out, pinching him here and there.
The more they felt, the more astonished they became. "You really are a freak."
"Are you convinced now? If you're still not, I have another trump card. You've already seen my Martial Soul's traits."
"The Yin aspect affects the soul, while the Yang aspect affects the body. It can keep me safe."
To make his case more convincing, he held the Yin-Yang Mirror and shone a beam of white light onto the Iron-Armored Ox, which was covered in whip marks.
The pitiful ox visibly recovered. In just three breaths, it was already mostly healed.
"Well?"
Su Yuntao and Sisi were dumbstruck. They had never heard of or seen anything like this, and their hearts were filled with shock.
Ling Yun stared straight at them, his gaze utterly resolute!
Sisi made up her mind quickly. "Your performance has convinced me. But if you're going to absorb a Soul Ring that's nearly six hundred years old, you have to get yourself back into peak condition first."
"Sisi, even you...?"
"Look at his eyes. Do you really think you can talk him out of it? Besides, geniuses are different from the rest. What he said makes sense, doesn't it?"
Sisi convinced Su Yuntao.
Their thoughts were completely in sync. At that moment, they really did seem like a couple of one mind.
Though their relationship was one-sided: Su Yuntao was the one-sided pursuer, and Sisi was the one-sided flirt.
Ling Yun could absorb the lead Iron-Armored Ox's Soul Ring, but only after he'd recovered to his best condition.
The two stood guard in silence while Ling Yun meditated to recover.
The sun set, then slipped away. As night deepened, Su Yuntao and Sisi grew even more vigilant. Some Soul Beasts preferred to move in the dark, making them especially dangerous. When the Full Moon hung high overhead, Ling Yun had recovered.
He stood up, stretched, and walked toward the lead Iron-Armored Ox. The savage fury in its eyes hadn't faded at all!
Clearly, it was planning a desperate counterattack before it died.
Its legs couldn't move, but its head could still swing! As long as Ling Yun got close enough, it would lash its head around and use its horns to fight him to the death.
"How naive. Next time you act like a little bastard, make sure you're strong enough that no one can do anything about it."
The Yin-Yang Mirror's red light appeared again, and the Iron-Armored Ox's legs stiffened once more. This time, Ling Yun didn't spend much spiritual power; he only needed to restrain it for an instant.
In that instant, he drove the dagger he'd readied straight into the ox's eye. Soul Power erupted, piercing through its brain.
A few breaths later, a yellow Soul Ring appeared.
Before you continue