The two walked side by side along the forest's outskirts. Flecks of sunlight filtered through gaps in the leaves, casting specks of dancing light across the ground.
Now and then, Soul Beasts rustled through the dense undergrowth. Most were small, but whenever he heard a sound, Mo Li would curiously turn to look.
As a transmigrator, this was his first time seeing so many wild Soul Beasts, and his heart was full of wonder.
After nearly a whole morning, the two finally reached the core region of Sunset Forest.
Birdsong and beastly roars rang out from the core region. In the half hour since they had entered it, they had already encountered more than ten thousand-year Soul Beasts.
Soul Beasts under a thousand years old, by contrast, were rare here.
As soon as they entered the core region, Liu Erlong quietly began circulating her Soul Power, ready to handle any unexpected situation.
"The Fire Spirit Kite has a relatively rare bloodline among birds, and its temperament is mild. It can only be found in the core region of Sunset Forest."
Liu Erlong kept an eye on their surroundings as she explained to Mo Li.
She hadn't spent the past three days doing nothing, either. She had immersed herself in the library, researching a great deal before finally deciding that the Fire Spirit Kite would be the right Soul Beast for Mo Li's First Soul Ring.
To bring out the full potential of Mo Li's Martial Soul, the Fire Spirit Kite was an exceptional choice. She had never seen a Martial Soul like his before, so there were no precedents she could consult.
Mo Li nodded. Since entering Sunset Forest, he had periodically used Peering at Heaven and Earth to observe his surroundings. The cultivation method gave him an exceptionally keen sense of perception, making this an ideal place to use it.
However, maintaining Peering at Heaven and Earth put some strain on his mental strength, so he still needed to rest from time to time.
"As expected of a gathering place for Soul Beasts. The Soul Power is so dense."
Mo Li looked around and marveled to himself.
The two searched the core region for another hour.
"Creee!"
A clear bird cry rang through the air, and delight immediately spread across Liu Erlong's face.
"Found it!"
Mo Li had heard the cry too, but before he could react, Liu Erlong grabbed his wrist and pulled him toward its source.
After spending most of the day weaving through the forest, Liu Erlong was already growing irritated. If she weren't worried that they might run into a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast and leave Mo Li unprotected, she would have long since lost patience and blasted a path through the forest with her Soul Power.
The Fire Spirit Kite was small and incredibly fast as it darted through the woods, making it exceptionally nimble in Sunset Forest. Even with Liu Erlong in full pursuit, they nearly lost sight of it.
"Sister Erlong, over there."
A strange light gleamed in Mo Li's eyes. It was the effect of Peering at Heaven and Earth.
Though the Fire Spirit Kite was fast, it couldn't escape his sight. He only had to track its distinctive pale-red Soul Power. The ability filled him with pleasant surprise.
Liu Erlong glanced at him, slightly surprised, then immediately chased in the direction he had pointed.
As the two crossed another patch of dense brush, a fiery-red bird came into view, bringing them both to a halt.
On a tall branch ahead stood a bright-red spirit bird, its head full of lively charm. Most eye-catching of all was its long, flowing tail feather.
"It's a Fire Spirit Kite of about six hundred years. This is wonderful!"
Liu Erlong looked at its tail feather and couldn't help smiling.
Soul Power surged around her, and a huge fire dragon appeared behind her.
The Fire Spirit Kite was hard to catch in the forest. Now that it had finally paused, she didn't want to spend the entire afternoon searching for it again.
With Martial Soul Possession, Liu Erlong's body became a streak of scarlet light. As her Soul Power surged, she instantly cowed the Fire Spirit Kite and seized it in one claw.
By the time she flashed back to stand opposite Mo Li, only a few seconds had passed. Behind her, the towering ancient tree where the Fire Spirit Kite had been perched came crashing down.
"Sister Erlong, you're amazing!"
"Now it's up to you. I can't help you absorb the Soul Ring."
Liu Erlong's expression grew grave as she tossed the stunned Fire Spirit Kite to the ground.
Though Mo Li's physique was stronger than an ordinary Soul Master's, absorbing a six-hundred-year Soul Ring was utterly beyond what she considered reasonable. There was no way she could keep from worrying.
Mo Li smiled and nodded. He took out a dagger and stepped forward, intending to end the Fire Spirit Kite's life.
"Sister Erlong, what are you—"
Mo Li paused, puzzled, as Liu Erlong suddenly reached out to stop him.
Liu Erlong's brows were tightly knit, and worry filled her face as she stared at him. After a long moment, she murmured:
"You have to succeed!"
Mo Li looked at Liu Erlong, took a deep breath, then nodded firmly.
He stepped up to the Fire Spirit Kite without further hesitation. His hand flashed, and he cleanly ended its life. Then he sat cross-legged on the spot and began absorbing his First Soul Ring.
A bright Yellow Soul Ring rose from the Fire Spirit Kite's body and settled around Mo Li.
Roiling black flames surged from within him, and the Nine Nether Sparrow appeared behind him, beginning to absorb this Soul Ring that exceeded the theoretical limit.
Liu Erlong stood beside Mo Li, her long black hair stirring in the wind and betraying her unease.
At that moment, Mo Li had no attention to spare for the outside world. All his focus was on the fiery-red Soul Power rampaging through his body.
As the Soul Power of the Fire Spirit Kite's Soul Ring poured into him, the meridians in Mo Li's body felt fuller than ever before.
But this foreign Soul Power was incredibly violent, charging through him like a wild horse that had broken free. If his constitution weren't stronger than an ordinary person's, his meridians would already have been torn apart.
Even though he could endure it, the physical pain was unavoidable.
"You think you can run wild inside me?"
Mo Li kept his mind clear. Seizing the brief lull in the Soul Ring's assault, he desperately summoned his own Soul Power to resist it.
Whenever his black Soul Power collided with the fiery-red Soul Power, it devoured a portion of the Soul Ring's power and grew stronger.
In this back-and-forth struggle, time slipped by, and the Soul Ring absorption gradually neared its end.
Outside, Liu Erlong was frantic with worry. Especially at the beginning, when she watched Mo Li's body tense and tremble from the agony, she could hardly bear to look. She could only pace back and forth, trying to distract herself.
Only when Mo Li's aura gradually steadied did she finally relax and let out a slow breath.
Another half hour passed.
Mo Li still had his eyes slightly closed, but the Fire Spirit Kite's body on the ground had been completely consumed by black flames.
Liu Erlong glanced at the grass, then went to stand opposite Mo Li, her beautiful eyes fixed on the boy before her.
Now that he had finished absorbing the Soul Ring, Mo Li's appearance had changed a little.
The most obvious change was his body. He had grown more than a dozen centimeters taller, and his formerly childish face seemed to have shed some of its immaturity, revealing the clear features of a young man.
Looking at Mo Li, who seemed to have grown up so much in an instant, Liu Erlong was momentarily dazed. The little boy who used to cling to her side was gradually taking on the mature, resolute features of a young man. She felt a pang of emotion—and a wistful sense of loss.
Still, Mo Li seemed like a child who would never grow up when he was with her.
At the thought, a radiant smile unconsciously spread across her face.
Just then, Mo Li opened his eyes, his gaze refocusing on Liu Erlong's face.
Liu Erlong's smile was bright, her bearing gentle. Her eyes seemed to shine in the sunlight, and her black dress outlined her slender, graceful figure, lending her a touch of mature charm. Yet her gaze seemed a little unfocused.
Mo Li waved a hand in front of her eyes.
"Sister Erlong, what are you looking at?"
"N-nothing... You succeeded?"
Liu Erlong came back to herself, a little startled. Her eyes shone as she studied Mo Li closely.
Though Yu Xiaogang's theory had been disproved, she should have felt disappointed. Yet seeing Mo Li safe and sound, all she felt was pure joy.
Mo Li smiled and rose to his feet, dusting off his hands. A bright Yellow Soul Ring rose from beneath him—the very one formed from the six-hundred-year-old Fire Spirit Kite.
"See? The real deal."