Chrysanthemums Withered, Wounds Covering the Ground, Second Spirit Ring!

On the carriage heading to Star Dou Forest, Xiao Yin idly browsed the Taotie... System Mall...

A day earlier, Xiao Yin had hired a carriage to take him to Suoerba Town. After all, it was quite a long journey.

As for where the money came from?

System Mall: 1 Wish Value for 100 Gold Soul Coins.

"Hmm... this [Storage Soul Tool Upgrade Scroll] is pretty good. It costs 100 Wish Value and can expand the space by 10 cubic meters.

More importantly, after upgrading it, it can store spiritual items. That way, I won't have to carry the Blue Silver Emperor around everywhere!"

Balance: -100!

With a flash of white light, the black ring on his left hand seemed to become much more refined.

He then picked up the Blue Silver Emperor beside him and checked it. Sensing that Ah Yin's remnant soul was still asleep, he placed it inside.

Hmm... taking it out every two days to water it and let it bask in the sun would be enough!

As for the quest reward, [Blue Silver Emperor Source Dew], it could only be used on the Blue Silver Emperor. Xiao Yin had no idea why the system had given him this thing!

Give it to Ah Yin?

Hmm... he would think about that later!

There was also the passive skill [Vegetation Affinity], which could increase the favorability of plant-type Soul Masters and soul beasts by 30%!

What use was that?!

Useless!

It would be better to give him more money!

Star Dou Forest, mixed zone.

Xiao Yin had already been here for a week.

The air here was thicker than in the outer region. The branches and leaves of towering ancient trees blotted out the sky, leaving the area dim all year round.

Xiao Yin moved silently between massive tree trunks and tangled vines.

Before entering the forest, he had spent 360 Wish Value in the System Mall to purchase two Yellow-rank martial skills.

Claw technique Stone-Splitting Claw, movement technique Wind-Following Step.

Though their rank was not high, at least he no longer had to fight without any method, relying solely on his body's instincts!

Compared to his reckless freedom in Soul Hunting Forest, he had become much more restrained after entering the mixed zone.

Taotie's Beast Pressure was no longer released casually.

After all, the beings lurking here were far beyond anything in Soul Hunting Forest. Recklessly releasing his pressure and drawing an unmatched terrifying existence would be no different from suicide.

He acted boldly when he needed to be strong, and kept a low profile when he needed to be cautious.

Over the past few days, relying on the Taotie Martial Soul's keen sense for food, he had moved like a hunter and successfully ambushed and devoured several lone soul beasts.

Every devouring was accompanied by an impact of energy and the agony of refinement, but it also steadily increased his strength.

Leaving aside everything else, Xiao Yin's physical strength alone was now at least comparable to that of a soul beast over seven hundred years old!

And the quality of the Soul Power within his body likely surpassed that of a level-thirty Soul Elder!

However, he was not satisfied with this.

Reaching level twenty and possessing a thousand-year First Spirit Ring was certainly astonishing, but it was far from enough.

He needed greater strength. He needed a Second Spirit Ring worthy of the Taotie Martial Soul!

He needed a target that could greatly strengthen his core devouring ability!

Suddenly, as he ventured deep into a valley filled with jagged, strange rocks, the Taotie Martial Soul's instinct sent out an intense tremor!

Xiao Yin's pupils narrowed. He instantly lowered his body, suppressing his presence to the utmost, and cast a sharp gaze toward the source of that tremor.

In the center of the valley, an enormous creature lay lazily atop a huge black boulder, basking in the sun.

The soul beast resembled a giant lizard, but it was far larger than an ordinary one, nearly five meters long. Its entire body was covered in dark-red scales, with dim crimson light flowing faintly through the gaps between them.

The most striking feature was its thick tail. Rather than an ordinary lizard tail, its end bore a heavy, spiked bone hammer!

"Earth Fire Dragon Lizard?"

Information about it flashed through Xiao Yin's mind, and his heart shook.

This was a powerful soul beast with a thin Dragon Clan Bloodline. It possessed immense strength, astonishing defense, and formidable fire-controlling abilities.

Judging by its size and the color of its scales, this one was definitely around two thousand five hundred years old!

More importantly, that faint yet pure Dragon Clan Bloodline aura within it was an absolute tonic for the Taotie Martial Soul!

This was the one!

Burning fighting intent flared in Xiao Yin's eyes, but his reason was not overwhelmed.

Two thousand five hundred years old, with dragon blood!

This was absolutely the limit of what he could currently challenge. It might even be beyond his limit!

"That Earth Fire Dragon Lizard's defense is incredible. I'm afraid I can't even break through those scales right now.

So I should attack its weakest point immediately and seriously wound it in one strike!

...Then that's the plan! Hehe!"

A gleam flashed in Xiao Yin's eyes, and a wicked smile appeared on his lips.

Then, with a flash of white light in his hand, two items appeared.

A Flash Talisman and a steel rod made of 'Hundred-Refined Steel.'

He took a deep breath, held it in, and slowly crept closer to the Earth Fire Dragon Lizard.

Xiao Yin was like a venomous snake that had lurked for ages. When he reached the ten-meter threshold, his figure flashed, and he instantly appeared behind the Earth Fire Dragon Lizard!

At the same time, all the Soul Power in his body erupted!

The [Iron Chewer] soul skill activated instantly!

Fierce phantom scales and teeth covered both his arms, while black light flickered from his fingertips!

"Take this!"

Excitement shone in Xiao Yin's eyes as he gripped the steel rod tightly with both hands, aiming straight for the Earth Fire Dragon Lizard's rear, concealed beneath its bone-hammer tail!

This was a shared weak point of nearly all armored soul beasts!

Screech—!

The two-meter steel rod, carrying an edge capable of tearing through anything, drove in viciously!

Two-thirds of the way!

"Roar—!!!!"

A shriek so agonized it became distorted echoed through the valley!

The Earth Fire Dragon Lizard's huge body jerked into the air as if struck by high-voltage lightning!

The unbearable pain instantly drove it mad!

Dark-red flames spewed wildly from its mouth and nostrils, while its heavy bone-hammer tail swept toward Xiao Yin with devastating force!

Xiao Yin had already reacted!

Having succeeded in the sneak attack, he did not hesitate to use Wind-Following Step. Borrowing the wind's force, his body drifted backward!

Boom!!!

The bone hammer crashed down! The ground exploded as if struck by a meteor, blasting open a massive crater!

The violent shockwave, mixed with shattered stones, slammed brutally into Xiao Yin!

Pfft!

Xiao Yin spat out a mouthful of blood!

"Roar!!"

The Earth Fire Dragon Lizard had gone completely mad!

My first time was just taken like that?!

Its eyes turned bloodshot. Ignoring the agonizing pain and bleeding from behind, it whipped its massive head around and locked onto the exposed Xiao Yin!

Its huge, fang-filled maw opened, and a scorching, viscous pillar of dark-red magma fire erupted toward Xiao Yin like a volcanic eruption!

The air warped in its path, and all grass and trees instantly turned to ash!

There was no way to dodge! The area was too large!

At the brink of life and death, madness flashed through Xiao Yin's eyes as well!

"Taotie!!"

The space behind him suddenly twisted, and the Taotie phantom, with its dragon head and sheep body, which had grown somewhat more solid after repeated devouring, abruptly appeared!

An incomparably domineering Beast Pressure crashed like a tangible shockwave toward the incoming magma fire pillar and the Earth Fire Dragon Lizard itself!

Boom—!

The invisible pressure collided violently with the scorching magma fire pillar in midair!

It was as if the magma fire pillar had struck an invisible wall, and it was forcibly halted for an instant!

Although most of it still surged forward, its power was clearly weakened!

And the instant the Earth Fire Dragon Lizard came into contact with Taotie's pressure, an intense sense of submission and fear arose within it!

Its mad assault involuntarily stalled!

Xiao Yin seized that fleeting opportunity!

Enduring the intense pain throughout his body and the massive expenditure of Soul Power, he shot forward rather than retreating like an arrow loosed from a bow!

He charged past the edge of the weakened magma fire pillar!

"[Iron Chewer]—Stone Splitting!"

Xiao Yin leaped high into the air, his right hand covered in the phantom of Taotie's fangs as it clawed viciously beneath the Earth Fire Dragon Lizard's throat!

Squelch—!

This time, it was the muffled sound of flesh being torn apart!

The sharp claws containing Taotie's devouring power plunged deeply into the Earth Fire Dragon Lizard's vital throat!

"Roar... urgh..."

The Earth Fire Dragon Lizard's enormous body suddenly stiffened, its scarlet eyes filled with incredulous terror.

It could feel its blood essence and Soul Power flowing into its opponent's body!

But the Earth Fire Dragon Lizard's dying counterattack was terrifying as well!

Its enormous head snapped to the side, its fang-filled jaws biting viciously toward Xiao Yin, who hung from its neck!

Xiao Yin clung tightly to the arm embedded in its throat. His body twisted desperately like a fallen leaf in a gale as he dodged!

Rip!

The sharp fangs grazed his left shoulder, tearing away a large patch of flesh and exposing bone!

Yet in the blink of an eye, the wound on his left shoulder showed signs of healing!

Iron Chewer = Blood Drinking!

Just like that, two minutes passed. The Earth Fire Dragon Lizard ultimately could not withstand Xiao Yin, who could restore his health. Its huge body crashed to the ground!

A Spirit Ring glowing with purple light slowly rose!

Two thousand five hundred years!