Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
At dawn, when the sky had just begun to brighten, Liu Erlong and Mo Li left Heaven Dou City and arrived at the edge of Sunset Forest.
Sunset Forest lay north of Heaven Dou City, in the heart of the Heaven Dou Empire. Although its number and variety of Soul Beasts could not compare to Star Dou Great Forest, it was still a sizable gathering place for Soul Beasts.
Most of the Soul Beasts there ranged from a thousand to ten thousand years old, and those that had lived for more than ten thousand years were especially rare.
Even so, the danger of Sunset Forest as a large gathering place for Soul Beasts could not be ignored.
Standing at the forest's edge, Mo Li saw mountain ranges stretching endlessly into the distance. The towering trees blocked his view before he could make out where they ended.
As they walked through the forest, they had to reach out now and then to push aside the bushes blocking their way. A chill drifted between the trees, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of plants. The temperature was a little lower than outside, which helped clear Mo Li's lingering drowsiness.
The trees in Sunset Forest were somewhat sparse, and the vegetation consisted mostly of low bushes, grass, and plenty of Blue Silver Grass. It was easy enough to make their way through.
The two headed straight from the outer reaches of the forest toward its core.
"Given your circumstances, I'd recommend a Fire Spirit Kite around four hundred years old for your First Soul Ring. That would be the safer choice," Liu Erlong said as she walked ahead.
Although the origins of Mo Li's Martial Soul were mysterious, it was still clear that it belonged to a fire-type bird. So a Fire Spirit Kite around four hundred years old would be a good match in terms of both element and compatibility.
Of course, that was only Liu Erlong's opinion.
Mo Li had his own ideas. He had no intention of following the rules to the letter. There was nothing wrong with choosing a Fire Spirit Kite, but its age could not be limited to just four hundred years.
With a top-tier Martial Soul like the Nine Nether Sparrow, and the foundation of Innate Full Soul Power,
his real target was a Soul Beast around six hundred years old!
This concerned his future achievements and growth, so Mo Li decided he had to discuss it properly with Liu Erlong.
"Sister Erlong, could we find a Fire Spirit Kite around six hundred years old?"
"What?"
Liu Erlong stopped and turned to look at him, her brows knitting together. "Didn't I tell you the limit for a First Soul Ring is four hundred and thirty-two years? That's what a theoretical master proposed."
Mo Li shrugged indifferently. "I don't know who came up with that theory, but anyone who could propose it must be either a fool or a fraud. Leaving aside how they arrived at such a precise figure as four hundred and thirty-two years..."
"Take Beast Martial Souls and plant Martial Souls, for example. The age limits they can absorb are already different. Did the person who came up with this theory ever consider whether it applied to Beast Martial Souls or plant Martial Souls?"
"You..."
"Sister Erlong, you can check my body. My physical constitution should be quite a bit stronger than an ordinary Soul Master's."
After listening to Mo Li, Liu Erlong was momentarily stunned. But when she heard his last sentence, she reached out hesitantly, sending a gentle stream of Soul Power through her fingers and into his body.
A moment later, she withdrew her hand, looking surprised.
She could sense that Mo Li's physical constitution was considerably stronger than an average Soul Master's. He hadn't lied about that. But...
"Even if that theory is wrong, it still won't do!" Liu Erlong said gravely, shaking her head.
"Why not?" Mo Li was at a loss. Was Sister Erlong still trying to protect Grandmaster's reputation? If so, this was going to be a tough argument.
"Is this so-called theoretical master really worth defending?"
Mo Li was a little disappointed. Even if he could absorb a six-hundred-year Soul Ring, it would all be for nothing if he couldn't get past Liu Erlong.
"What?" Liu Erlong stared at Mo Li's disappointed expression, and for some reason, it irritated her. Still, she suppressed her feelings and explained seriously, "I'm not doing this for him. I'm doing it for you."
"Absorbing a Soul Ring beyond your limit is extremely dangerous to begin with. If anything goes wrong, how could I live with myself?"
The age of a Soul Ring a person could absorb was related to their physical constitution, but it wasn't the only factor. Liu Erlong didn't know why Mo Li was so confident, but she would never let him take a risk lightly.
"Sister Erlong, there's something special about my Martial Soul. My body can handle a Soul Ring of five or six hundred years."
If his First Soul Ring could reach six hundred years, he would already be far ahead of others at the same level from the very start.
The two argued over it for a while, but no matter how Mo Li explained, Liu Erlong refused to let him put himself in danger.
"I said no, and that's final! If you don't care about your own life, someone else does!"
Seeing Liu Erlong fuming, Mo Li felt awkward, but warmth stirred in his heart too. He knew she was worried about his safety.
Still, he didn't want to waste the extraordinary advantages he had been born with.
"Who else would care?"
Mo Li asked softly. His words caught Liu Erlong's anger in her throat for a moment. She took a deep breath and looked away, sounding a little impatient. "I care, all right?"
The moment Liu Erlong said that, her fiery temper seemed to die down. Mo Li couldn't help smiling.
"Sister Erlong, watch this."
Mo Li fell silent, deciding to prove himself through his strength. Black flames surged, and the Nine Nether Sparrow Martial Soul appeared proudly behind him!
He pushed the aura of his Martial Soul to its utmost limit. The terrifying pressure that came from the Nine Nether Sparrow's bloodline spread outward, and the Soul Beasts within several hundred meters felt as if they had encountered their natural enemy. They fled in panic, soon clearing the entire area.
Liu Erlong was closest, and she witnessed it all. She felt the innate, blood-deep pressure of a superior being more clearly than anyone.
Seeing Liu Erlong fall silent, Mo Li withdrew his Martial Soul.
"Sister Erlong, my Martial Soul really is powerful. What will it take for you to believe me?"
Hearing the helplessness in Mo Li's voice, Liu Erlong gave him a complicated look and said awkwardly, "You've certainly got a knack for scaring Soul Beasts with that Martial Soul."
The two exchanged a glance, then smiled at the same time.
"But have you really thought this through? This isn't a game."
After a moment of silence, Liu Erlong asked again.
Her tone was serious. She couldn't bear to imagine what would happen if Mo Li failed.
She looked at Mo Li, only to meet his resolute gaze.
In his eyes, Liu Erlong saw an unwavering determination. Her lips pressed together, and after a long pause, she finally sighed in resignation. "Fine. If you don't want to follow the path I laid out for you, I won't force you."
"But if anything feels wrong while you're absorbing the Soul Ring, tell me at once. Do you hear me?"
Mo Li immediately nodded like a pecking chicken.
"Don't worry, Sister Erlong!"
With that settled, Liu Erlong said no more. She glanced at Mo Li and held out her hand.
Mo Li thought she was about to go back on her word, and quickly stepped back, flustered. "Sister Erlong, you're not taking it back already, are you? A Soul Master has to keep their word!"
"Do you really think I'm the kind of person who goes back on her word?"
Liu Erlong was furious. Mo Li had seemed so calm and sensible when he stood his ground earlier, which had reassured her. But the moment he opened his mouth, he managed to infuriate her all over again!
The hand that had been reaching for Mo Li's head suddenly changed course and gave his right cheek a punitive pinch.
"I was wrong, Sister Erlong. Mmff, mmff..."
Knowing he'd said the wrong thing, Mo Li could only let Liu Erlong torment him.
After a moment, the soft hand pinching his cheek hesitated, then moved to the top of his head and gently stroked his hair.
Mo Li looked up in surprise and met Liu Erlong's resigned yet proud gaze.
"The way you acted just now, you really did seem to have grown up."
"You're much easier on the eyes than usual."
At her words, Mo Li awkwardly scratched his head. He had been focused on convincing Liu Erlong, while also not wanting her to worry about him. That was why he had shown her the Nine Nether Sparrow's full might without holding back.
He wanted Liu Erlong to believe he was capable of absorbing a six-hundred-year Soul Ring.
Liu Erlong withdrew her hand. From the bottom of her heart, she hoped Mo Li could go further.
After this, Liu Erlong still had her concerns about Soul Ring age, but she no longer objected. She chose to trust Mo Li.