The Thousand-Year Earth King

Ling Yun could clearly feel the Soul Power inside him boiling!

"Now that my Soul Power has reached level twenty, it's time to get my Second Soul Ring!"

With that thought, Ling Yun immediately left Dorm Seven and went to Director Su's office to explain the situation.

When Director Su learned that Ling Yun's Soul Power had reached level twenty, he was astonished. With a wry smile, he said, "You're only eight years old, yet your Soul Power has already reached level twenty. No wonder you have Innate Full Soul Power. That talent really is enviable..."

After marveling for a while, Director Su continued, "There's no time to waste. Let's head to the Soul Hunting Forest now and be back as soon as we can."

"Okay."

Ling Yun nodded. Then the two of them rented a carriage and set off for the Soul Hunting Forest outside Notting City.

On the carriage, Director Su couldn't help asking, "Ling Yun, have you decided which Soul Beast you want to hunt?"

"I have. I want a fire-attribute Soul Beast for my Second Soul Ring. As for its age, the higher, the better."

Ling Yun answered. He had chosen a fire-attribute Soul Beast for two main reasons.

First, among the five elements, wood generates fire. His First Soul Ring was wood-attribute, so absorbing a fire-attribute Soul Ring now might bring about an unexpected change.

Second, of the five beast-form warriors, only the fire-attribute Flame Crane could fly.

Once he obtained his Second Soul Ring and became a Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster, it would be time for him to leave Notting Academy.

After that, he would be on his own out in the world. If he ran into bandits, robbers, Evil Soul Masters, or outcasts, and couldn't beat them, he could still make a timely escape.

"A fire-attribute Soul Ring? That's a pretty good choice."

Director Su nodded. He already knew that Ling Yun's Five Spirit Lock could store the five elements. Absorbing a fire-attribute Soul Ring now might allow him to transform into an even more powerful beast-form warrior.

The carriage raced along, and in the time it took them to talk, the two had already reached the outskirts of the Soul Hunting Forest.

The forest was quite rich in Soul Beast resources, and it had plenty of fire-attribute Soul Beasts. Unfortunately, they were all too young. Most were Ten-Year Soul Beasts, and there were very few Hundred-Year Soul Beasts. Perhaps they feared the beasts would set fires everywhere and turn the entire forest into a sea of flames.

But Ling Yun needed a fire-attribute Soul Beast with a thousand years of cultivation. With no other choice, the two could only head deeper into the forest, hoping to find one with a longer lifespan.

Yet after searching for an hour, they still hadn't found a thing.

Boom—

Just then, a dazzling, scorching pillar of fire shot into the sky. Even from far away, the two could feel the waves of heat.

"That's..."

Ling Yun's eyes lit up as he stared at the pillar of fire soaring into the heavens. He quickly said, "We've worn out iron shoes searching, only to find it without effort! Director Su, let's go take a look. That Soul Beast might be just what I need."

"You're right. Let's go!"

As if their feet were greased, the two dashed off toward the place where the pillar of fire had erupted.

Along the way, Director Su was astonished by Ling Yun's running speed. After all, he was an agility-type Soul Master, renowned for his speed.

Yet Ling Yun was only an eight-year-old boy, and his Martial Soul was a tool-type one. He could actually just barely keep up with Director Su. It was truly strange.

Little did Director Su know that after consuming Whale Rubber, Ling Yun's strength and speed had increased tremendously. At full sprint, he could keep up with Director Su with ease.

Before long, the two reached the place where the pillar of fire had shot into the sky. The air here was now thick with scorching heat.

At the same time, Ling Yun spotted an enormous, snow-white scorpion. It was over two meters long, and its white carapace was crisscrossed with fiery-red energy patterns like flowing magma. Its two pincers were incredibly thick; a little pressure was enough to crush rock.

Behind the giant scorpion was a three-meter-long tail made up of nine segments of bone. The stinger at its tip was more than thirty centimeters long.

"That's the Earth King, a high-level fire-attribute Soul Beast!"

Ling Yun recognized it at a glance. He hadn't wasted the past two years on theory classes; he could identify most common Soul Beasts.

"It is the Earth King, and its attributes are a very good match for you."

Director Su nodded, then shook his head helplessly and explained, "It's just that it's too old. See its tail bones?

"The Earth King's age can be judged by the color of its tail bones. There are three colors: fiery red, snow white, and deep blue, corresponding to a hundred, a thousand, and ten thousand years.

"This Earth King's tail bones are snow white, which means it's a thousand-year Soul Beast.

"Judging from its size, it may have only a little over a thousand years of cultivation, but it's still a thousand-year Soul Beast, already beyond the limit for a Second Soul Ring. Looks like we'll have to find another one."

"No, Director Su. Let's choose this Earth King." Ling Yun shook his head and said firmly. An Earth King with just over a thousand years of cultivation was perfect for him.

"What? Ling Yun, are you planning to absorb a Soul Ring beyond your limit? Have you gone mad?"

"Of course not, Director Su. Remember what I told you before? My Five Spirit Lock can store the five elements, so I can easily withstand the pressure that comes with absorbing a Soul Ring."

Without batting an eye, Ling Yun made up a lie. Then he added, "If we pass up this Earth King, who knows how long it'll take us to find a Soul Beast that suits me? Besides..."

Ling Yun paused, then pointed at the Earth King. "That Earth King has already set its sights on us!"

"What?"

Director Su whipped around and saw that, while they'd been talking, the Earth King had finished eating its meal. It was now staring straight at the two of them with blood-red eyes, drool running from its mouth. Clearly, it had taken them for food.

Before long, the Earth King, eager to fill its belly, launched the first attack. It charged toward them on its thick scorpion legs.

In the space of a few breaths, it was right in front of them. Then it raised its two blade-sharp pincers and slammed them down at the pair.

The two leaped into the air and darted backward, putting distance between themselves and the Earth King. At the same time, the Earth King's pincers crashed heavily into the ground.

With a boom, the ground where the two had been standing caved in, leaving two deep pits. The Earth King's strength was plain to see. No wonder it was a thousand-year Soul Beast.

Seeing Ling Yun and Director Su dodge its attack, the Earth King launched a second assault.

Red light flashed at the tip of its stinger, and a scorching jet of flame shot out. Like a surging fire dragon, it roared toward the two of them.

"Is that the Magma Earth-Splitting Strike? Ling Yun, dodge!"

Director Su turned pale at the sight and hurriedly warned Ling Yun to get out of the way. He, too, quickly gathered Soul Power and used a Soul Skill to evade the terrifying wave of flames.

First Soul Skill: Acceleration!

Five Spirits Power, transform!

At the same time, Ling Yun transformed into a Divine Wood Ape. His speed surged, and his body became more agile, allowing him to easily dodge the oncoming flames.

"Director Su, let's join forces and defeat this Earth King first!"

"Okay!"

Power of Wood Spirit!

Ling Yun shouted, and green vines burst from the ground, surging toward the Earth King.