...Sunset Forest.
"Son, have you made any plans for your third Spirit Ring?"
Murong Huai's family had come to Sunset Forest to find him a suitable Spirit Ring.
Hearing Wu Xianyun's question, Murong Huai thought for a moment before answering:
"Hmm... For my third Spirit Ring, I'd like a powerful offensive Soul Skill. After all, aside from the Angel Sword Technique, I don't really have any other means of attack."
At that, Murong Fuhai recalled something and said, "Hey, I remember there are a few Sky-Shattering Soul-Tearing Eagles in Sunset Forest. Their attack power is every bit as formidable as the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's. Their only weakness is their low defense, but they're skilled fliers, incredibly fast, and quite rare."
"Sky-Shattering Soul-Tearing Eagles? Those sound pretty good. I don't need more defense right now; I just need a powerful attack." Murong Huai nodded in agreement.
"Good. Let's go. To better evade attacks, Sky-Shattering Soul-Tearing Eagles usually live in the forests in the south, where the terrain is complex."
The three of them headed for a lush forest in the south. Along the way, they inevitably ran into a few Soul Beasts foolish enough to get in their way. Murong Fuhai drove them off with a few punches and kicks—not because he couldn't bear to kill them, but because if he killed them now, where would they get Spirit Rings in the future?
About half an hour later, they reached an area where Sky-Shattering Soul-Breaking Eagles were known to appear. Murong Fuhai immediately spread his spiritual power over the surrounding area. Before long, he had tracked down their whereabouts.
"Over this way..."
The three followed the direction Murong Fuhai pointed. At last, they encountered several Sky-Shattering Soul-Breaking Eagles beside a forest near a cliff.
Several golden-purple eagles soared through the air. They were Sky-Shattering Soul-Breaking Eagles, each more than ten zhang long, with broad wings and golden-purple feathers.
Three sharp bone spurs grew from each head, and their eyes were as red as molten lava. Their talons were like hooks forged from black iron, and their tail feathers resembled broken golden whips. As they flew, shattered hurricanes swirled around them, and their cries cracked like thunder.
"So these are the Sky-Shattering Soul-Tearing Eagles. They look pretty cool." Murong Huai exclaimed in admiration at their appearance.
Murong Fuhai nodded in agreement, then said:
"There are five Sky-Shattering Soul-Tearing Eagles: two a hundred years old, one over three thousand years old, one over nine thousand years old, and one over fifteen thousand years old. Huai'er, which one do you want?"
Without hesitation, Murong Huai pointed at the largest one.
"I'll take that ten-thousand-year-old Sky-Shattering Soul-Tearing Eagle!"
At Murong Huai's words, Murong Fuhai and Wu Xianyun froze. They exchanged a glance, considered it for a moment, then nodded.
The two of them had tested Murong Huai's constitution. He might not be a Soul Emperor, but he was at least as strong as a high-ranked Soul King. He could handle any Soul Beast under twenty thousand years old with ease.
Besides, after absorbing the Head Soul Bone Qian Daoliu had given him, his spiritual power was almost on par with a Soul Douluo. The spiritual shock produced when this Sky-Shattering Soul-Tearing Eagle died wouldn't be able to hurt him.
"Good. Then that's the one!" Murong Fuhai was about to make his move when Wu Xianyun grabbed him and said crossly, "Oh, no, you're not allowed to step in! I'm his mother, and I haven't even shown off in front of our son yet. Stand aside!"
At that, Murong Fuhai chuckled. "Heh heh, my wife is absolutely right."
Wu Xianyun ruffled Murong Huai's hair and said:
"Son, watch your mother in action."
Golden Soul Power surged around Wu Xianyun, and a long sword appeared in her hand. Nine Heavens and clouds were engraved on its blade. Eight Spirit Rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black—descended around her, and her fourth Spirit Ring began to pulse.
"Fourth Soul Skill: Sword-Guided Light Ripple Flash!"
Golden light streamed from the Nine Heavens Sword. Wu Xianyun vanished, then appeared above the ten-thousand-year-old Sky-Shattering Soul-Tearing Eagle the next instant. She darted forward with blinding speed. The eagle had no time to react before she pierced straight through its body.
Wu Xianyun turned with her sword and stopped in front of it, without even looking back. Hundreds of sword marks had appeared around the Sky-Shattering Soul-Tearing Eagle. Sword intent surged, and flashes of sword light shimmered like reflections in a pond. One after another, the savage streaks of light pierced its body.
Its aura weakened steadily. With a mournful cry, it plunged straight from the sky.
It crashed into the ground with a thud, barely breathing and on the verge of death. The entire fight had taken less than half a minute.
The other Sky-Shattering Soul-Tearing Eagles finally reacted, but Wu Xianyun's fierce sword intent drove them back, and they scattered in all directions.
Wu Xianyun drifted down and stood with her sword lowered. Murong Huai and Murong Fuhai hurried over, clapping.
"Wow! Mom, you were so cool!"
"My wife, you were truly heroic and dashing—"
The father and son had certainly given her all the praise she could want. Wu Xianyun lifted a hand to smooth back her hair. As her locks fluttered, she looked every inch a heroine.
"That was nothing—"
Murong Huai summoned the Immortal Lord Nine-Arrival Sword and thrust it forward, delivering the final blow to the Sky-Shattering Soul-Tearing Eagle. It cried out once, then died. A black Spirit Ring formed above it.
With Murong Fuhai and Wu Xianyun standing guard, Murong Huai sat cross-legged on the ground and began absorbing the ten-thousand-year Spirit Ring.
When the Spirit Ring settled over him, Murong Huai felt a wave of pressure, but he had no trouble handling it.
Inside Murong Huai's Sea of Consciousness, a black Sky-Shattering Soul-Tearing Eagle with blood-red eyes appeared. It let out a cry that pierced the soul. This was the eagle's resentment.
It beat its wings and charged around Murong Huai's Sea of Consciousness, trying to destroy it.
Just then, a golden sword suddenly appeared in the Sea of Consciousness and shot toward the eagle's resentment. The latter saw it coming and darted aside.
But golden swords kept appearing all around it, forming a dense web that boxed it in from every direction. The Sky-Shattering Soul-Tearing Eagle's resentment stared at the sight, dumbstruck.
What in the world is going on?
The swords gave it no chance to react. Countless golden blades stabbed toward the eagle's resentment from all sides.
The latter was swallowed by an endless flood of sword light. It was destroyed without even a scream.
About half an hour later, Murong Huai's eyes snapped open. His aura surged, and three Spirit Rings—yellow, purple, and black—appeared around him, marking his breakthrough to the Soul Elder realm. He recalled his Martial Soul and rose to his feet.
"How did it go, Huai'er?" Wu Xianyun asked when she saw him wake.
Murong Huai clenched his fist and tested his new Soul Skill. Then he smiled and said:
"Mom, my third Soul Skill is called Riding the Sword to the Nine Heavens, Sword Falls Breaking the Cloud Pass. I can fly on my sword, and it uses very little Soul Power. I can also unleash an attack with incredible penetration and destructive power. I fly into the clouds, then send my sword plunging down..."
Moo—
Murong Huai had only gotten halfway through his explanation when a Heavy Armor Demon Ox in the early stages of the ten-thousand-year level appeared. It roared and charged at Murong Fuhai and Wu Xianyun. Seeing it, Murong Huai's lips curled up.
"Perfect timing!"
As he spoke, Murong Huai summoned the Immortal Lord Nine-Arrival Sword and activated his third Spirit Ring. He rose into the air on his sword and soared freely overhead. Then, gripping the hilt, he plunged the blade toward the Heavy Armor Demon Ox below. Fierce sword intent flashed along its length, and the attack carried immense force as it shot downward at incredible speed.
With a booming crash, the Heavy Armor Demon Ox had no time to react. The heavy armor it prided itself on was split open by Murong Huai's attack, and the blow pierced straight through its body as blood gushed out.
"Angel Sword Technique—Heavenly Punishment Meteor Light!"
He followed with a backhanded slash. His sword intent fell like a meteor, cleaving through the ox's heart and lungs and ending its life. A black Spirit Ring condensed above its corpse.
"Good. Even an ordinary Soul Emperor would find it difficult to break through the Heavy Armor Demon Ox's defenses. That's more than enough to prove how extraordinary your Soul Skill is, Huai'er." Murong Fuhai came over and assessed the result.
"Indeed. Being able to fly and unleash such a powerful attack makes it one of the top Soul Skills." Wu Xianyun praised him as well.
They inspected the two Soul Beast corpses but found no Spirit Bones. Then they turned and headed back to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.
Before you continue