Nether Ghost-Faced Swallow

"Understood, thank you, Your Excellency."

Su Ming tucked the immortal herb into his storage ring without hesitation.

Bibi Dong continued, "Since your martial soul has reached perfection, it is time to put the absorption of your third spirit ring on the agenda."

"That is exactly what I was planning," Su Ming replied.

Bibi Dong nodded. "Spirit beasts with the evil attribute are quite rare on the continent, but rest assured, I have already made preparations for you."

With that, Bibi Dong looked toward the hall entrance. "Yue Guan, come in."

As the words fell, Chrysanthemum Douluo, clad in golden armor, walked into the hall and bowed. "Subordinate Yue Guan pays respects to the Pope."

Bibi Dong commanded, "Su Ming is about to absorb his third spirit ring. I have already laid out a plan in the Star Dou Forest; you are to accompany him and ensure the absorption is completed. Remember, there must be no mistakes!"

"Understood!" Chrysanthemum Douluo replied.

Listening to Bibi Dong, Su Ming felt a slight stir in his heart. This was the absolute advantage of joining a superpower.

If he were at Shrek Academy, he would have to rely on his teachers to take him into the forest to try his luck, a process that was both inefficient and fraught with danger.

But with Spirit Hall, not only was he protected by immense power, but he could even have his needs tailored in advance.

Fifty miles inward from the outer perimeter of the Star Dou Forest lay an area that never saw the sun.

The trees here were completely withered, their gray-white trunks intertwined, and the air was thick with a heavy, chilling aura.

On Spirit Hall's intelligence maps, this region was known as the Dark Withered Forest.

Two figures moved rapidly between the dead branches without making a sound.

Leading the way was Su Ming in casual black attire, while half a step behind him followed Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan, still in his golden armor.

Rustle.

Suddenly, without warning, a figure appeared from behind a pile of rubble ahead.

The moment the man landed, he dropped to one knee. "Subordinate, a second-tier scout of Spirit Hall, pays respects to Elder Chrysanthemum and Lord Su Ming!"

The two stopped in their tracks.

Yue Guan spoke with a cold expression, "Rise. This Seat asks you: where is the evil-attribute spirit beast you were ordered to track half a year ago?"

The scout immediately turned and pointed toward a low-lying thicket ahead. "Reporting to the Elder, the target is currently in a swampy mire ten miles ahead."

"To avoid alerting it, we have not dared to get too close, only following from a distance. Based on our close observation over the past few days, its condition is very stable."

"Lead the way," Yue Guan said concisely.

"Yes!"

Guided by the scout, the three moved at full speed for about five minutes.

The view ahead gradually opened up, revealing a massive mire bubbling with black gas.

Perched on a dead, giant tree in the center of the mire was a black spirit beast about two meters long.

It was a bird, its entire body covered in grayish-black feathers.

Eerily, the feathers on its face had grown and arranged themselves to form the faint, haunting outline of a weeping demon's face.

With every breath it took, the face seemed to come alive—it was incredibly sinister!

"Nether Ghost-Faced Swallow."

Watching the bird, a look of satisfaction appeared in Yue Guan's eyes.

He turned to Su Ming beside him and explained, "Little Su Ming, Spirit Hall's intelligence network spent quite a lot of manpower to find this spirit beast for you."

"This Nether Ghost-Faced Swallow is around two thousand years old. Under normal circumstances, the limit for a third spirit ring is one thousand seven hundred and sixty years."

"But after the Pope analyzed your strength in detail, she concluded that you are capable of absorbing this spirit beast's ring."

"Furthermore, this bird possesses a potent evil attribute and is a flying spirit beast. It will provide your Evil Phoenix with exceptional attack power, making it a perfect match for you."

Seeing the satisfaction on Chrysanthemum Douluo's face, Su Ming shook his head without a second thought.

Yue Guan's brow furrowed slightly, and he asked with surprise, "What? Are you not satisfied with this spirit beast?"

Su Ming nodded. "Two thousand years is still too low."

"Low?" Chrysanthemum Douluo was shocked.

Two thousand years was already an absorption beyond one's level—and he called it low?

"Yes, low," Su Ming reaffirmed.

If he had been facing this Nether Ghost-Faced Swallow before his trip to the Sunset Forest, Su Ming might have accepted it without hesitation.

But now, absorbing it would only be a waste of his talent.

His martial soul had evolved, and the positive feedback from the soul to his body had greatly increased his limit for absorbing spirit rings.

Beyond that, his body had undergone tempering by ice and fire, and the toughness of his physical form had already undergone a qualitative transformation.

Moreover, he had integrated the medicinal power of the Narcissus Jade Bone, an peerless immortal herb, which had thoroughly cleansed and strengthened his body.

With these three factors combined, such a formidable foundation would be a massive waste of the immortal herb's potency and his ultimate martial soul if he were to absorb a mere 2,300-year spirit ring.

"I need at least a five-thousand-year one," Su Ming said calmly.

"What?! Five thousand years?!"

Hearing this number, Yue Guan nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Kid, have you lost your mind?!"

"A five-thousand-year spirit ring is the absolute limit one would consider when absorbing a fourth spirit ring!"

"You've only just broken through to level thirty. Absorbing a two-thousand-year ring was already pushing it, and that was only because of your extraordinary talent. You actually want to span a three-thousand-year gap and go straight for a five-thousand-year ring?"

"That will blow your body apart in an instant! This Seat absolutely forbids you from acting so recklessly!"

It wasn't just Yue Guan; the several Spirit Hall scouts lurking nearby were also startled, cold sweat breaking out across their backs.

For a Great Spirit Master to attempt absorbing a five-thousand-year spirit ring was, in their understanding, no different from committing suicide.

Faced with Yue Guan's stern refusal, Su Ming revealed an inexplicable smile.

"Elder Chrysanthemum, do you think I am outstanding?"

Yue Guan was momentarily stunned, clearly not expecting Su Ming to ask such an irrelevant question at a time like this.

Yet, he answered truthfully, "I have seen your talent and self-discipline with my own eyes. Across the entire continent, you are naturally peerless and outstanding, but what does that have to do with absorbing a spirit ring?"

"Since I am so outstanding, I naturally want to live more than anyone else. I wouldn't go looking for death for no reason."

Su Ming put away his smile, his eyes flashing with absolute calm and confidence. "I know better than anyone where the limits of my body lie."

"Elder Chrysanthemum, please trust me."

Looking at Su Ming's incredibly firm expression, Chrysanthemum Douluo recalled the absolute confidence he had displayed in the Sunset Forest.

The words that had reached his lips ultimately stuck in his throat.

He stared intently at Su Ming for a long time before finally letting out a deep sigh.

"Mad... you are a complete madman."

"Fine. Since you are so convinced of yourself, this Seat will indulge your madness this once. But let it be known: the moment something goes wrong, I will forcibly interrupt your absorption!"