800 Years of the Holy Light Phoenix Falcon!

A warmth spread through Ma Hongjun's heart.

Although Flender was sharp-tongued, there was nothing to criticize about how he protected his students.

"Teacher, then about my second Soul Ring..." Ma Hongjun changed the subject. "What direction do you think would be best?"

Flender pondered for a moment.

"Your first Soul Ring came from a Holy Light Sparrow and gave you Wings of Light. Your second Soul Ring should preferably also come from a Light Element avian soul beast. Compatible attributes will be more beneficial to the evolution of your Martial Soul."

"What about the age?"

"Between seven and eight hundred years. Although you possess Innate Full Soul Power and your physical condition is far stronger than that of your peers, the limit for your second Soul Ring is only a little over eight hundred years. To be safe, around seven hundred years will do."

Ma Hongjun nodded.

A seven- to eight-hundred-year Light Element avian soul beast.

This target was far harder to find than Oscar's Vajra Bear, but it was not entirely impossible.

"Do you have a specific species in mind?" Li Yusong interjected from the side.

Flender considered it. "The advanced form of the Holy Light Sparrow is the Holy Light Falcon, which can reach ages of over a thousand years. If we can find a seven-hundred-year Holy Light Falcon, it would be the ideal choice for Hongjun."

Holy Light Falcon.

Ma Hongjun silently repeated the name in his heart, committing it firmly to memory.

Not far ahead, the stream curved around a bend, and the view suddenly opened up.

A small clearing in the woods appeared before them. Sunlight poured down without obstruction, bathing the entire clearing in brilliance.

At the center of the clearing stood a massive Old Banyan Tree. Its crown spread out like a parasol, its branches lush with leaves and overflowing with life.

Flender stopped walking, his gaze falling upon that banyan tree.

His pupils narrowed slightly.

"Found it."

Flender's gaze rested on the enormous Old Banyan Tree, his pupils narrowing slightly.

"Found it."

Following his line of sight, Ma Hongjun's heart gave a violent jolt.

At the very top of the banyan tree, at the highest point of its canopy, a mass of golden light perched quietly upon a branch.

The light was not dazzling. It was gentle and warm, like the first ray of morning sunlight falling upon the treetops.

As his gaze focused, the outline of that glowing mass gradually became clear.

It was a bird.

It was roughly two chi long, considerably larger than an ordinary bird.

Its entire body was covered in golden-white feathers, every feather edged with a faint fluorescence, as though washed by moonlight.

A cluster of long crest feathers extended streamwise from the top of its head, fluttering softly in the wind and lending it an added air of elegance.

Its tail feathers were the most eye-catching feature.

Two exceptionally long central tail feathers extended more than twice the length of its body, forked at the tips and gleaming with a golden luster beneath the sunlight.

That was not a falcon.

Or rather, not entirely a falcon.

Ma Hongjun stared at the bird as a name surfaced in his mind.

"Holy Light... Phoenix Falcon?"

Flender raised an eyebrow slightly. "You recognize it?"

"No... no, I don't." Ma Hongjun hurriedly shook his head. "I just think it looks a little like the Holy Light Sparrow we encountered before, only more... more noble."

Flender nodded, a trace of approval in his gaze.

"Your instincts are accurate. This is a Holy Light Falcon, the advanced form of the Holy Light Sparrow. Strictly speaking, it is an evolved species of Holy Light Sparrow. Its numbers are extremely scarce; one may not appear even once in a century."

He paused, lowering his voice further.

"More importantly, a trace of Ancient Phoenix blood flows through this soul beast."

Ma Hongjun's heartbeat abruptly quickened.

Ancient Phoenix bloodline.

This was no ordinary soul beast. It was a being that shared the same origin as his Martial Soul.

"Its age is around eight to nine hundred years."

Flender carefully observed the Holy Light Falcon's build and Soul Power fluctuations. "It's a little older than we expected, but still within what you can endure. Eight hundred years is close to the limit, but with your physical condition, you should be able to withstand it."

Ma Hongjun drew a deep breath and tried to calm himself.

"Teacher, I want this one."

Flender glanced at him and nodded.

"Wait for the right moment. The Holy Light Falcon's senses are extremely sharp; the slightest disturbance will make it fly away. We'll circle into its blind spot. Then I'll restrain it, and you'll deliver the finishing blow."

"Alright."

--

The four moved silently through the forest.

Flender led the way, placing every step upon the thickest layers of fallen leaves without making a sound.

His Four-Eyed Owl Martial Soul had already possessed him, but he did not reveal his Soul Rings, suppressing his Soul Power fluctuations to the lowest possible level.

Li Yusong and Lu Qibin guarded either side, blocking the routes through which the Holy Light Falcon might flee.

Ma Hongjun followed behind Flender, holding his breath as the pounding of his heart rang in his ears.

They circled around to the rear side of the Old Banyan Tree.

From this angle, the Holy Light Falcon's view was blocked by the thick trunk and dense foliage, preventing it from seeing them directly.

Flender raised his right hand as Soul Power began gathering.

Two yellow, two purple, and three black Soul Rings silently emerged. The first yellow Soul Ring lit up.

"Four-Eyed Owl, first soul skill—Wind Binding."

An invisible spiral of wind shot from Flender's palm, swift and utterly silent.

The wind spiral traced an arc through the air, bypassing the trunk and branches as it precisely coiled toward the Holy Light Falcon.

The Holy Light Falcon sensed the danger.

Its crest feathers flared open abruptly, and golden light erupted from its body, illuminating the entire canopy.

Its wings spread wide, spanning nearly a meter. Its golden-white feathers shimmered brightly beneath the sun.

It was going to flee.

But it was too late.

Wind Binding wrapped around its body the instant it beat its wings.

Like a chain, the invisible spiral wound around the bases of its wings, bound its legs, and locked around its neck.

The Holy Light Phoenix Falcon let out a piercing cry and struggled desperately.

Golden flames surged from its body, attempting to burn away the Wind Binding.

That was the Holy Light Flame unique to the Holy Light Phoenix Falcon, immensely effective at suppressing dark attributes and wicked things.

But before the power of a Soul Saint, such flames were simply not enough.

Flender clenched his five fingers, and Wind Binding tightened sharply.

The Holy Light Phoenix Falcon's cries weakened, and its golden glow dimmed as well.

It was firmly imprisoned in midair by the wind spiral. Its wings could not spread, its legs could not move, and it could only flap helplessly.

"Quick!" Flender shouted.

Ma Hongjun did not hesitate.

His first Soul Ring lit up, and pale golden Light Wings unfolded behind his back.

He drove power through his legs and beat his Light Wings fiercely, shooting toward the canopy like an arrow released from a bow.

Thirty meters in less than two seconds.

He rushed before the Holy Light Phoenix Falcon and extended his right hand, gathering dark red Evil Fire in his palm.

The Holy Light Phoenix Falcon looked at the human before it, its golden pupils reflecting that mass of dark red flame.

Unexpectedly, it stopped struggling.

The way it looked at Ma Hongjun held neither fear nor anger, but something indescribable.

As though... it had recognized something?

Or as though it was expecting something?

Looking into those golden pupils, Ma Hongjun suddenly felt something strange well up inside him.

It was as though some connection beyond that of hunter and prey existed between him and this Holy Light Falcon.

"Sorry."

He spoke softly and pressed his right hand against the Holy Light Phoenix Falcon's head.

Dark red flames instantly engulfed the Holy Light Falcon's head.

The Holy Light Phoenix Falcon neither struggled nor cried out.

It merely closed its eyes peacefully, like a flame that had burned for far too long and was finally willing to go out.

Golden light slowly flowed from its body, merging with Ma Hongjun's Evil Fire.

A Soul Ring slowly rose from the Holy Light Falcon's corpse.

Deep yellow.

More than eight hundred years old.

Ma Hongjun hovered in midair, his Light Wings beating slowly to maintain his balance.

He looked at the Soul Ring, drew a deep breath, and reached out.

Sensing his summons, the Soul Ring slowly drifted over and descended around him from above.