The Perfect Third Soul Ring

Finally, the whole world was quiet.

Li Hao threaded through the dense forest without looking back, leaving those two wailing voices far behind him.

Not until he could no longer hear any human clamor did he find a large tree, lean his back against the rough trunk, and exhale a long, stale breath.

Saved.

The nightmare of a social anxiety sufferer had finally passed.

Why do people always like to pull and tug at others, getting all handsy?

Isn't maintaining a safe distance the most basic courtesy between people?

Li Hao leaned against the tree, feeling his spirit had been sublimated.

Around him, there was only the rustling of wind through leaves and the low growls of unknown soul beasts in the distance.

This was the environment he was familiar with and comfortable in.

After a brief rest, Li Hao stood up and began to attend to business.

Obtaining his third soul ring.

His goal was very clear.

A plant-type soul beast over five thousand years old, or one with special abilities.

The former was stable, while the latter might hold surprises.

As he crept through the forest, he suppressed his soul power to the minimum while remaining vigilant of his surroundings.

Although the Soul Hunting Forest was not as terrifying as the Star Dou Forest, for a level twenty-nine Soul Grand Master, it was still fraught with danger at every step.

As he walked, that soft touch of pink on his wrist suddenly transmitted a faint, imperceptible warmth.

It was the bracelet Xiao Wu had woven from rabbit fur.

This warmth felt like a living thing, gently pressing against his skin, carrying an aura that put him at ease.

Li Hao paused.

He tried walking a few steps to the left, and the warmth seemed to weaken slightly.

He turned to the right.

The warmth suddenly intensified.

This bracelet can actually navigate?

Was it Xiao Wu's soul beast instinct, using this rabbit fur connected to her origin to help him avoid danger and guide his way?

A conjecture surfaced in his heart.

Li Hao did not hesitate anymore; he followed the direction where the warmth was strongest, moving forward cautiously.

The journey that followed became exceptionally smooth.

Several times, he clearly heard the roars of powerful soul beasts or intense combat fluctuations not far to his side.

But the warmth from the bracelet always guided him to bypass those dangerous areas a step ahead of time.

This was practically carrying a top-tier scout with him.

No, even better than a scout.

This was a daughter's love.

After passing through another thicket of thorns, the scene before him suddenly opened up.

He found himself standing at the entrance of a hidden valley.

The valley was shrouded in mist, permeated with a rich, fresh scent of vegetation.

Mixed within it was a hint of... a burnt smell?

The warmth on the bracelet reached its peak at this moment, even becoming somewhat hot.

Li Hao's heart began to beat uncontrollably fast.

A big catch!

He lowered his body, like a civet cat, and slipped into the valley without a sound.

Pushing aside the last layer of mist, the scene inside the valley left him completely stunned.

In the center of the valley, a massive ancient tree was rooted there, on the verge of death.

Its trunk was as black as charcoal, countless branches were broken, and charred leaves littered the ground.

A trace of heart-stopping thunder aura still lingered in the air.

It had failed its tribulation.

This soul beast had clearly failed to withstand the heavenly tribulation while attempting to break through a major bottleneck and was now like a candle in the wind.

Judging by its scale and the dissipated energy fluctuations, it was a powerful existence with at least several thousand years of cultivation.

Li Hao prepared to move closer to observe.

Suddenly, the scene before his eyes changed without warning.

The charred ancient tree vanished, and the deathly silent valley disappeared along with it.

In their place was a paradise of birdsong and fragrant flowers, where hot springs bubbled and ethereal mist swirled.

Several stunning women dressed in sheer gauze, their figures graceful and alluring, were frolicking by the spring.

Upon seeing Li Hao, they all revealed expressions of delightful shyness and beckoned to him.

"Young Master, come quickly..."

"We have waited so long for you..."

The bone-deep, seductive calls were enough to make any man lose his composure.

But Li Hao's reaction was completely different from a normal person's.

He instinctively took a step back.

"Again?"

"Still at it?"

"Why does every Soul Beast love playing this game?"

He already had a loli daughter, a queen bodyguard, an ice-cold cat-girl, a butler fairy herb, a money-grubbing tower spirit, and a blue-haired fiancée at home...

If any more came along, how was he supposed to survive?

This wasn't a gentle embrace; it was clearly an Asura field!

Due to the massive growth in his mental power and the unique properties brought by the Karma Rod, this level of illusion was like a low-quality texture to him, and he could see through the falsehood behind it at a glance.

"Dissipate, working overtime is bad for your health."

Li Hao retorted with a deadpan expression.

As his voice fell, the fairyland before him shattered like a broken mirror, cracking inch by inch before collapsing into nothingness.

The world returned to its original charred and deathly silent state.

On the trunk of that massive ancient tree, an aged and pained human face emerged.

It shook violently.

Clearly, forcing the creation of the illusion had exhausted its final reserves of strength.

A weak, resentful consciousness resonated directly within Li Hao's mind.

"Why... are you... unaffected..."

"Because I've seen better."

Li Hao answered casually.

The ancient tree fell silent.

It could sense that although this human's soul power was not high, his mental realm was as vast as the sea, far beyond what it could shake.

More importantly, it did not feel a shred of greed or killing intent from this human.

He simply stood there quietly, like an indifferent bystander.

"Human... powerhouse..."

The ancient tree's consciousness grew increasingly faint, yet it carried a hint of pleading.

"I... do not have much time left... the lightning tribulation... destroyed my foundation..."

"I am willing... to sacrifice everything... my soul ring... my soul bone..."

"I only ask that you... take my seed... away from here... find a place... filled with the breath of life... and let it... live on..."

As it spoke, a charred root arched out from the ground and struggled to split open, revealing a seed protected by layers of bark, glowing with a faint green light.

Li Hao looked at the seed.

He thought of his Soul Beast Paradise.

Perhaps that was the best home for this seed.

He did not take advantage of the situation, but instead gave it serious thought.

"I can do that."

He gave a definitive answer.

"I have a backyard; it is very safe and filled with life energy."

"I will plant it there and take good care of it."

Upon receiving this promise, the pained face on the ancient tree actually smoothed out, revealing a trace of peace and relief.

"Thank you... merciful... human..."

Hum!

With the final word of gratitude, the colossal ancient tree disintegrated with a roar, dissolving into a sky full of light particles.

A deep purple soul ring, seemingly containing the starry sky and dreams, emerged silently.

Beneath the soul ring lay a crystal-clear right arm bone, radiating a soft glow.

Eight thousand years, Illusion Dream Tree Demon!

Li Hao did not stand on ceremony; he sat cross-legged and guided the soul ring to descend upon him.

The moment the soul ring entered his body, an unprecedented sense of compatibility surged through him.

There was not the slightest conflict or rejection.

The power of this soul ring was gentle yet formidable, as if it had been waiting for his arrival, actively merging into his limbs and bones.

Mysterious Heaven Skill began to circulate automatically, and the bottleneck of his Soul Power Level shattered in response!

Level thirty!

Level thirty-one!

Level thirty-two!

His soul power surged forward, only slowing down once it reached a brand-new height.

[Ding!]

[Congratulations to the host for successfully absorbing the eight-thousand-year Illusion Dream Tree Demon soul ring, Soul Power Level increased to thirty-five!]

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the third soul skill: Dream Space!]

[Dream Space: Consume soul power to forcibly pull the target into a dream space where you are the master. Within this space, you are the creator of all rules. The strength and duration of the space depend on the gap in mental power between both parties and the host's soul power consumption.]

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining an External Soul Bone: Illusion Dream Arm (right arm bone)!]

Li Hao slowly opened his eyes, feeling the surging power within his body and the wondrous abilities contained in his right arm.

Perfect!

This trip to the Soul Hunting Forest had yielded results far beyond his expectations!

He stood up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and carefully tucked away the seed of the Illusion Dream Tree Demon.

Time to go home.

Just then, a roar filled with violence and fury erupted from outside the valley, causing the entire valley to hum and tremble.

"Who dares to snatch the soul beast I had my eyes on!"