White-Clad Arrival, Enemies Bow Their Heads

The lingering might of lightning in the valley had yet to fade when the sharp sound of wind slicing through the woods suddenly rang out.

Four figures raced over dead branches and fallen leaves, swiftly reaching the entrance to Thunder Cloud Valley. Two gleaming yellow Soul Rings rose and fell around each of them, radiating the Soul Power fluctuations of Two-Ring Soul Grandmasters.

They were Thunder Academy students who had just absorbed their Hundred-Year Soul Rings.

Their gazes immediately locked onto the center of the valley, where a slender yet upright youth in white stood before a cage woven from dark-purple lightning vines.

Inside the cage, the Golden Thunder Feather Falcon had shattered wings and was drenched in blood. Its aura had weakened to the extreme, yet it still struggled and rammed against the cage, letting out mournful, shrill cries.

The moment they saw this, burning greed flashed through their eyes.

Lin Mo noticed the commotion outside the valley and turned to look.

Seeing this, the group had no intention of hiding.

Or rather, now was the perfect opportunity.

"Junior Lin Mo, I never expected you to venture alone into Thunder Cloud Valley and fight this nine-hundred-year Golden Thunder Feather Falcon!"

Seeing Lin Mo's slender, upright figure dressed in white, the leading youth put on a kind and concerned expression and strode leisurely into the valley, pretending to be composed.

He deliberately slowed his tone, his words carrying a trace of false enthusiasm.

Lin Mo sensed something amiss and turned toward the direction from which they had entered the valley.

He noticed the Hundred-Year Soul Rings floating around them.

All of them were Two-Ring Soul Grandmasters. Had they all advanced?

Still, although their Soul Power had improved, it was not particularly strong.

A nine-hundred-year Soul Beast?

They did not know much about judging a Soul Beast's age. With the Vine Cage concealing it, it was normal that they could not discern its true age.

"We noticed the disturbance here from afar and were worried that you might be in danger, so we came specifically to help you." The leading youth smiled, doing his best to appear friendly.

"Exactly. The nine-hundred-year Golden Thunder Feather Falcon is extremely fierce. You're only a One-Ring Soul Master. Being able to seriously injure and trap it is already your limit. You must have exhausted your Soul Power by now, right?"

"Luckily, we arrived in time. We came at just the right moment."

The other three chimed in as well, speaking polite words about coming to help, but their eyes remained glued to the Golden Thunder Feather Falcon inside the Vine Cage. The covetousness in their gazes was impossible to conceal.

If only, if only they had not absorbed their second Soul Rings.

The hatred in their hearts made even their forced friendliness look somewhat twisted.

"Junior Lin, being able to trap this Golden Thunder Feather Falcon was already fortunate, but you should understand that a nine-hundred-year Soul Beast has tremendous reserves. Its final desperate counterattack would be extremely dangerous."

"How about this? Hand this Soul Beast over to us. The four of us have all broken through to Two-Ring Soul Grandmasters. We can join forces to protect you and guarantee your safety."

Lin Mo stood quietly where he was, his black eyes calm and unmoved as he watched their clumsy performance.

At their age, they were simply incapable of hiding their malice and greed.

Their so-called help was merely an excuse.

Just as they tried to move closer, savage Thunder Hell Vines suddenly burst from the ground before them. They twisted and intertwined, blocking their path, dark-purple arcs of electricity flickering across their surfaces.

This brought their steps to a halt. The smiles on their faces gradually faded, and the patience they had been pretending to possess was completely exhausted. Their expressions immediately turned cold.

"Lin Mo, what do you mean by this? Don't be ungrateful! Your Soul Power has been greatly depleted. Do you really think you can securely take down this nine-hundred-year Soul Beast? Don't let all your efforts go to waste, only to suffer the Soul Beast's backlash in the end. Then you might even blame us for not looking after you. That would be ridiculous." The leading youth spoke coldly.

"Don't be so ungrateful. We put aside past grievances and came here to help you, yet you're guarding against us instead?!" Another student's face darkened.

"Exactly. Even if you really managed to kill this Golden Thunder Feather Falcon, with your physique, you couldn't possibly suppress the violent energy of a nine-hundred-year Soul Ring! You might as well leave this Soul Beast to someone fated for it. If you force yourself to absorb it, at best your Soul Power will become chaotic and your meridians will be damaged. At worst, your Martial Soul will be damaged and your foundation ruined!" Someone sneered, looking down from the bottom of his heart on this "trash" from a second-rate academy.

"Lin Mo, I advise you to hand over the Soul Beast. As for your second Soul Ring, we can help you find a more suitable Soul Beast and ensure that you absorb the Soul Ring safely. You don't naively think you can absorb a nine-hundred-year Soul Ring as your second Soul Ring, do you?"

"Even if you kill it, you won't have the fortune to enjoy it. You'll only waste this top-tier opportunity. If you force yourself to absorb it, you'll merely explode and die! We aren't trying to scare you!"

As their words fell, the Soul Power around them began to stir. Their two yellow Soul Rings flickered faintly, vaguely forming an encirclement as an oppressive aura rushed toward him.

They were certain that Lin Mo was at the end of his rope. They were certain they had seized his weakness and only waited for him to obediently submit.

Faced with the naked threats of the four, a faint trace of mockery finally crossed Lin Mo's face.

From beginning to end, he showed no panic whatsoever, nor did he yield in the slightest.

Honestly, there was not much difference between one ring and two rings to him.

At this level, they could all be subdued by force.

"Lin Mo, I think you understand as well. Killing this Soul Beast would be a waste. We have all already added Soul Rings, so naturally we won't—" the leading youth tried to persuade him.

"Are you done? I advise you to step back," Lin Mo said calmly.

"What do you mean by that?" The youth's face immediately turned cold.

"What, you think you can challenge the four of us by yourself?!"

"Why waste words with him? He's deliberately stalling for time. Attack him!" Someone could no longer hold back and directly crossed the boundary marked by the Thunder Hell Vines.

Seeing this, the other three realized that this was indeed possible and immediately moved in response.

We'll beat him first and talk later.

The four of us together—are we supposed to fear him?!

Lin Mo watched them cross the boundary, and a cold glint flashed through his eyes.

Being hypocritical was one thing. So long as everyone kept up appearances, it was fine.

But openly attacking him head-on changed the nature of things.

Buzz!

The Blood-Red Curse Mark on the Golden Thunder Feather Falcon erupted, releasing scarlet waves of power that completely devoured the creature's last trace of life.

The sudden development caused the four, who had just been about to attack, to hesitate.

Immediately afterward, a pale-purple Soul Ring rose from above the Golden Thunder Feather Falcon's corpse!

A Thousand-Year Soul Ring?!

The smiles on the faces of the four arrogant Thunder Academy students instantly froze. Their pupils contracted sharply, their minds went blank, and the blood in their bodies nearly congealed!

A Thousand-Year Soul Beast?!

This Golden Thunder Feather Falcon had actually broken through its age limit and advanced into a Thousand-Year Soul Beast!

The answer stirred up a tempest in their hearts.

They had misjudged the Soul Beast's rank. There was an enormous gap between a Hundred-Year Soul Beast and a Thousand-Year Soul Beast.

The strength of a Thousand-Year Soul Beast was enough to rival that of a Three-Ring Soul Elder.

What made their scalps go numb even more was—

This Thousand-Year Golden Thunder Feather Falcon had actually been killed by Lin Mo, who only had one Soul Ring!

What method had he used?

Would there really be no problem if they attacked him now?!

With the Golden Thunder Feather Falcon dead, everything was settled.

Lin Mo turned sideways and looked toward the enemies who had come for him.

As he turned, the Thunder Hell Vines behind him loosened. Layer upon layer of dark-purple vines receded like a tide, all sinking underground and vanishing without a trace.

The last sparks of lightning faded from the Golden Thunder Feather Falcon's remains. Only the Thousand-Year Purple Soul Ring remained, floating quietly in the center of the valley and shining brilliantly.

Stepping across the wreckage covering the ground, Lin Mo's white clothes remained spotless as he slowly walked toward the four.

"Y-you... what are you trying to do?"

The student standing in front was so intimidated by Lin Mo's aura that he unconsciously took a step back, vaguely sensing that something was wrong.

Lin Mo did not look exhausted in the slightest.

His clothes were far too clean.

This did not look like someone who had just fought a desperate battle against a Thousand-Year Soul Beast. Otherwise, he could not possibly be so calm.

Lin Mo did not walk quickly, yet every step he took seemed to land on the hearts of the four students.

Dead silence!

A pin dropping in the valley would have been audible.

"Stop putting on an act! He's already at the end of his rope. If we don't attack now, then when?!"

"Don't let his bluff scare you. The four of us can definitely suppress him together."

"No matter how strong he is, he's still a Soul Master. As long as he is a Soul Master, there will come a time when his Soul Power runs out!"

The leading youth shouted loudly, trying to raise morale.

With the Thousand-Year Soul Beast killed, their mission had completely failed.

This operation had caused tremendous losses.

No matter what, they had to make him pay the price!

The leading youth immediately unleashed the second Soul Skill he had just obtained. As his yellow Soul Ring flashed, a special halo enveloped all four of them.

"You've all been strengthened by me! Get him together and teach him a harsh lesson!" he shouted.

The stiff expressions on the other three students' faces swiftly disappeared, replaced by extreme arrogance and confidence.

At that moment, their confidence swelled to the limit!

All four of them had just broken through to Two-Ring Soul Grandmasters. Their Soul Power was abundant, and their realms stable!

And Lin Mo, no matter how strong he was, only had one Soul Ring!

Even if he could kill a Thousand-Year Soul Beast, his Soul Power had to be exhausted by now. He was merely a spent force at the end of his strength!

Four against one! The advantage was ours!

"Lin Mo, you actually dared to toy with us!"

"A mere One-Ring Soul Master gets lucky enough to kill a Thousand-Year beast and now thinks he can look down on everyone? Do you really think you're invincible?"

"We gave you a way out just now, but you refused it. You wouldn't listen to reason or threats, so don't blame us for being ruthless!"

"Since you refuse to know your place, we'll beat you until you submit! Don't you like Thousand-Year Soul Rings? Today, we'll force you to absorb that Thousand-Year Soul Ring! I'll personally watch you explode and die! You'll pay a painful price for your arrogance!"

This "strengthening Soul Skill" completely released the evil thoughts in their hearts. There was no longer any pretense, and their savage killing intent was fully exposed.

They attacked at once. Their Soul Power surged, their yellow Soul Rings lit up one after another, and various lightning-type Martial Souls emerged.

Martial Soul Possession!

In their eyes, this was a completely one-sided battle.

Four against one—someone at the end of his rope against four at their peak. The victor would be decided in moments!

Seeing this, cold killing intent flashed through Lin Mo's eyes.

These wastes who barely broke through to two rings with low-grade Hundred-Year Soul Rings dare to flaunt themselves before me?

I can toy with and imprison a Thousand-Year Soul Beast, then bleed it dry until it dies. What are insignificant trash like you worth?

He had already shown the utmost mercy by holding back and retreating after their earlier grudge of driving Soul Beasts to surround him.

Yet these people did not know when to stop. They pressed forward step by step, determined to court death!

If he did not deal with them first, he would never be able to absorb the Soul Ring in peace.

He had no intention of carrying hidden dangers with him while absorbing a Thousand-Year Soul Ring.

Facing the overwhelming encirclement attack of the four, Lin Mo did not move. His expression remained calm, without the slightest ripple.

Dark-purple lightning Soul Power suddenly burst violently from his body!

Buzz—!

A deep rumble of thunder echoed through the valley as a tyrannical lightning aura far surpassing that of a Thousand-Year Soul Beast suddenly erupted!

The ground trembled violently as countless Thunder Hell Vine roots surged up from below and instantly tore through the earth.

This time, they no longer formed layers of defense. Instead, they became countless sharp, vicious lightning-vine whips, sweeping through the surroundings with violent purple-and-gold electric light!

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The four rushing figures did not even touch the corner of Lin Mo's clothes before the violent vine whips instantly sent them flying!

They had no power to resist whatsoever!

The four self-proclaimed genius Two-Ring Soul Grandmasters were like four weightless stones as they crashed brutally onto the ground. Blood sprayed from their mouths, their bones crackled, and the Soul Power within them instantly descended into chaos and scattered.

The two-ring Soul Power and lightning Martial Souls they had been so proud of were utterly fragile beneath the suppression of the Thunder Hell Vines!

The two sides were not even on the same level!

They were terrified, and fear took hold of them completely.

But Lin Mo did not stop. His thoughts moved with his will.

Several thick lightning vines instantly coiled around them, precisely binding the limbs and torsos of all four. The battered, terrified students were dragged into the air and suspended in a neat row.

Their bodies were wracked with unbearable pain. The power of lightning had numbed their meridians, leaving them unable to mobilize even a trace of Soul Power. They could only struggle and writhe uselessly, their arrogance and confidence completely shattered, leaving behind only extreme terror and disbelief.

They stared fixedly at the white-clad youth below, standing tall like a god of thunder, and finally understood completely—

How terrifying an existence they had provoked!

What One-Ring Soul Master was this? He was simply more terrifying than a Three-Ring Soul Elder!

His ability to kill a Thousand-Year Soul Beast meant he was far beyond anyone they could ever challenge!

Lin Mo strolled leisurely over to them.

"Lin Mo, everything before was a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding..." The leading youth forced a fawning smile onto his face, his eyes filled with panic.

Slap!

Lin Mo raised his hand and slapped the youth directly across the face.

Before long, the other boy's face had swollen into a pig's head.

"Your command was pretty good. Those Soul Beasts were fierce. Quite exciting," Lin Mo said faintly, his expression cold.

That fellow immediately felt as though he had fallen into an ice cave.

"Spare... spare me."

"Those Soul Beasts had nothing to do with me. I wasn't the one who drove them here..."

"It was them..."

Lin Mo directly gave him ten consecutive slaps, beating him into a pig's head.

Then he moved on to the next one.

"At the end of my rope, huh? Putting on an act, huh? Do you really think I have a good temper? Hm?!"

Another pig's head appeared.

Next.

"I just don't listen to reason or threats. What, you're not convinced? Not convinced, huh? Not convinced?!"

Pig's head +1.

Lin Mo came before the last youth, who was so frightened that he curled up and leaned backward.

"I heard you wanted to force me to absorb a Thousand-Year Soul Ring and watch me explode to death?" Lin Mo's expression darkened, his tone icy.

That person immediately realized something.

The words sounded casual, but they carried killing intent.

"Brother, spare me! Brother, spare me!"

"I was wrong, Brother. I'll polish your shoes, I..."

A faint smile appeared on Lin Mo's face.

"Don't worry, I won't hit you. To be honest, I'm not some great villain either."

"How about this? Teach them a lesson for me, help me vent my anger. Once I'm satisfied, I'll naturally let you go."

"But if you hold back..." Lin Mo smiled slightly.