First Soul Ring

It was a gigantic beast, four meters long.

Dark red scales covered it from head to tail like red-hot iron armor. A curved horn gleamed coldly atop its head, sharp as a blade. A bone hammer covered in barbs dragged behind it at the end of its tail. When it opened its mouth, firelight surged in the depths of its throat.

A Century-Old Single-Horned Fire Lizard!

"Four hundred and fifty years!" Su Yuntao's face turned deathly pale. "Retreat! Hurry!"

Too late.

The fire lizard had already locked onto its target—the Lin Mo at the front. It dug in with its hind legs and pounced faster than a wild wolf! Its gaping maw opened, and a crimson flame burst out, so hot that the air twisted!

Su Yuntao was about to unleash his First Soul Skill when he saw Lin Mo move.

Not backward, but forward!

Dark golden waves of air exploded around the boy! The phantom of the Chaos Dragon Mastiff flashed behind him and vanished. Lin Mo shot forward like a stone from a slingshot, skimming low over the ground. The flames grazed his scalp, and the stench of burning hair filled the air.

Sliding beneath the fire lizard's belly, he thrust out his claws, straight for its throat!

Scree!

The sound of scales shattering rang out like sheet metal being torn apart. The fire lizard howled in pain, and a jet of blood spurted from its neck. It whipped its head around wildly, sweeping its horn sideways. Lin Mo let go and rolled away. The horn scraped past his ribs, tearing his clothes and leaving a bloody streak across his skin.

The fire lizard flew into a rage. Its tail whipped around, the bone hammer smashing toward Lin Mo's head!

If that hit, his head would burst like a melon.

Su Yuntao's heart nearly stopped. "Dodge!"

Lin Mo didn't dodge.

He crouched low and drove off with both feet—not backward, but straight into the charge! The bone hammer scraped down his back and crashed half a foot into the ground, sending dirt flying. Using the force of the impact, Lin Mo sprang up, flipped onto the lizard's back, and clamped on with both legs.

The fire lizard went berserk and slammed into a nearby tree!

One, two, three! Trees as thick as bowls snapped in half. Lin Mo was tossed around until his insides seemed to shake, and the taste of blood filled his mouth. But he didn't loosen his grip. His clawed fingers, hard as iron hooks, dug deep into the gaps between the scales and sank into the flesh.

Blood gushed out like a spring.

The fire lizard's struggles grew weaker and weaker. With one final mournful cry, it crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

A purple Soul Ring rose from its corpse, turning slowly in the air.

Silence.

Su Yuntao stood with his mouth hanging open, unable to close it for the longest time. He looked at the fire lizard's corpse, then at Lin Mo as he jumped down from its back. His throat was dry. "Y-you killed a four-hundred-year Soul Beast with your bare hands?! You're really only six?!"

Tang San emerged from behind a tree, his expression complicated.

He'd seen it more clearly than anyone—there hadn't been a single wasted movement in Lin Mo's fight. Every dodge, counterattack, and strike at a vital point had been as precise as if he'd practiced them countless times. That kind of combat instinct was something no child should have.

Lin Mo sat down, panting heavily.

The recoil had split the flesh of his right palm, leaving the web between his thumb and forefinger a bloody mess. The wound along his left ribs burned like fire. But his eyes shone with an almost feverish light.

During the fight, the system's notifications had flashed one after another:

[Absorbed dragon blood (trace amount); Martial Soul compatibility +5%]

[Killing instinct activated; learned basic skill "Rending Claw" (passive: attacks gain an armor-piercing effect)]

[Soul Ring available for absorption. Begin now?]

Begin, Lin Mo said in his mind.

The purple Soul Ring drifted toward him and merged into his body.

Boom!

A violent energy burst forth! It was like red-hot molten iron pouring into his meridians. Lin Mo grunted as patches of blue-black scale patterns appeared across his skin, flickering in and out. His bones crackled as if they were being shattered and reforged.

A four-hundred-year Soul Ring placed too great a strain on a six-year-old body.

Su Yuntao panicked. "This is madness! You're not even a Soul Master yet! Absorbing a four-hundred-year Soul Ring directly will make you explode! Stop!"

He tried to rush over and interrupt the process, but Tang San stopped him.

"Wait." Tang San stared at Lin Mo. "He... can take it."

Tang San pushed the Mysterious Heaven Skill to its limits and activated his Purple Demon Eye. He could see it: a force more violent still was devouring the Soul Ring's energy inside Lin Mo, like a starving beast feeding. The level of that power far surpassed the Soul Ring itself.

The time it took an incense stick to burn felt like a whole year.

Lin Mo was drenched in sweat, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. But he never screamed. He only gritted his teeth until his gums bled.

At last, he finished absorbing the Soul Ring.

The purple light dimmed, and a deep-purple Soul Ring rose slowly from beneath Lin Mo's feet, turning in the air.

He'd skipped straight past a hundred years and absorbed a four-hundred-year Soul Ring!

Su Yuntao dropped to the ground and muttered, "A monster... He really is a monster..."

Lin Mo opened his eyes.

The world had changed.

His vision was sharper; he could make out the patterns on leaves thirty meters away. His hearing was keener; he could hear insects crawling a hundred meters away. His strength had surged. He felt as if he could kill a bull with one punch. Soul Power raced through his meridians like a floodgate thrown open.

[First Soul Ring acquired]

[Soul Power Level: 11]

[Martial Soul Evolution progress: 15%]

[Reward granted: Exclusive Soul Skill "Wrath of the Dragon Mastiff"—when activated, increases all attributes by 50% for ten breaths and instills fear (double suppression against Soul Beasts and Beast Martial Souls)]

[New mission: Join Nuoding Academy and defeat all challengers of your rank]

[Mission reward: Evolution Points ×100]

Lin Mo stood up and rolled his wrists. His joints cracked, brimming with strength.

He looked toward the depths to the northeast. On the system map, a golden marker sat there: [Dragon blood concentration: 68% · Unknown dragon bloodline · Status: Dormant].

But he still wasn't strong enough.

"Deacon, let's head back," Lin Mo said.

"Good, good!" Su Yuntao couldn't wait to get out of that wretched place.

The three of them started back. Along the way, they came across a ten-year Mandala Snake. Tang San ambushed it with a Sleeve Arrow and absorbed its white Soul Ring. Su Yuntao was already numb to it—this year, the children from Holy Soul Village were more outrageous than the last.

By the time they returned to the village, night was falling.

Old Jack had been waiting at the village entrance, pacing back and forth like an ant on a hot pan. The moment he saw the three of them, he rushed up and grabbed Lin Mo by the shoulders. "How did it go? Are you hurt? The Soul Ring..."

Lin Mo didn't answer. He raised his hand.

A purple Soul Ring rose into the air, its dim, mysterious light gleaming in the dusk.

Old Jack's eyes rolled back, and he toppled straight over. Su Yuntao hurriedly caught him and pressed his philtrum. When the old man came to, the first thing he said was, "Purple... a thousand-year one?"

"Four hundred and fifty years," Lin Mo said.

"That's still terrifying..." Old Jack trembled. "A true dragon has appeared in our village... A true dragon..."

That evening, an unexpected visitor came to the shabby wooden door of Lin Mo's home.

The black-robed man carried a bottle of wine and reeked of alcohol. He swayed slightly as he walked. But his eyes shone with a frightening brightness, like a wolf's in the dead of night—Tang Hao.

"Boy," he rasped, his voice like a broken bellows. "Show me that Martial Soul again."

Without hesitation, Lin Mo summoned the phantom of the Chaos Dragon Mastiff.

Dark golden flames blazed in the night as Dragon Might spread through the air. The dog next door was so frightened it dared not bark, and the chickens flapped wildly in their coop.

Tang Hao stared at it for a long time.

So long that Lin Mo thought he'd fallen asleep.

Suddenly, Tang Hao laughed. His laughter was as desolate as the north wind sweeping across the wasteland. "Good. Very good... This world is one hell of an interesting place."

He turned to leave. After walking a few steps, he stopped without looking back.

"Once you get to Nuoding City, be careful. Some people... can't stand seeing a genius."

With those words, he disappeared into the night.

Lin Mo frowned.

A system notification abruptly appeared:

[High-level existence "Tang Hao" has taken notice. Hidden event line triggered.]

[Event mission: Break through to level 20 within three months under Tang Hao's observation]

[Completion reward: Clue to the Second Martial Soul's evolution form + Evolution Points ×200]

[Failure penalty: Evolution progress reset to zero]

The night wind blew past, carrying a chill.

Lin Mo withdrew his Martial Soul and looked toward Tang San's home.

Behind that broken window, a pair of eyes seemed to be watching him too.