Time flew by, and the years raced past.
And so, Lin Tian began the three-year journey of training that was his alone.
The outskirts of the Star Dou Forest, in the Soul Beast Mountain Range.
As a mere nine-year-old boy, gazing at the lush, verdant Soul Beast Forest before him, he felt a deep sense of awe for the first time.
Unknown flying Soul Beasts soared over the Star Dou Forest, trailing long tails of flame, while a towering stone bear, over ten meters tall, roared furiously in the depths of the Soul Beast Forest.
The sheer visual impact of it all made Lin Tian grow tense.
But he didn't back down. With a resolute gaze, he walked into the Soul Beast Forest.
His Soul Power had now reached level 30. It was time to obtain his third Soul Ring.
Unlike his previous Soul Hunts, this time he would be acting alone.
For the third Soul Skill of his Soul-Eater Spider Emperor, Lin Tian had decided to choose the legendary Ice Demon Spider as the source of his third Soul Ring.
According to the records in the books at the Spirit Hall Library, Ice Demon Spiders were extremely rare Soul Beasts with the power to freeze their enemies.
They lived year-round in underground caves on the outskirts of the Star Dou Forest. The caves and their surroundings were perpetually blanketed in ice and snow, making the spiders difficult to capture.
But that was precisely why Lin Tian was so eager to claim one for himself.
Fortunately, the Spirit Hall's collection included a map marking the locations of these Soul Beasts, and Lin Tian had long since committed it to memory.
Not long after entering the Star Dou Forest, he began searching ahead along the route he remembered.
After about half a day, Lin Tian found something in a cave on a mountainside.
The sunlight outside was scorching, yet the cave was bone-chillingly cold. White frost covered every corner.
It seemed he had searched in the right place. This was the Ice Demon Spider's habitat.
At that moment, a white Ice Demon Spider nearly three meters long slowly emerged from a cavern in one corner of the cave.
Its entire body was snow-white, except for the eyes on its head, which were blood red.
As it appeared, the already frigid cave grew even colder.
"Roar!"
The Ice Demon Spider clearly had no love for human Soul Masters. It let out a roar and lunged straight at him.
Its two massive pincers, like a pair of ice blades, slashed toward Lin Tian with a howl.
"Damn, you're a feisty one!"
Relying on his agility, Lin Tian dropped into a roll and dodged the Ice Demon Spider's charge.
Then he steadied himself and activated his Soul-Eater Spider Emperor Martial Soul.
"First Soul Skill: Bee Poison King Slash."
Without hesitation, as Lin Tian activated his Martial Soul and entered the fight, a deep-yellow Soul Ring began to glow.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"
After three slashes of sword energy, the Ice Demon Spider had gained several gashes in its armor, but had suffered little damage.
"Roar! Roar! Roar!"
Perhaps provoked by the human Soul Master's attack, the Ice Demon Spider's body brimmed with icy energy as it prepared to unleash a skill.
"Second Soul Skill: Instant Blade Slash."
As one of the king-level Soul Beasts on the outskirts of the Star Dou Forest, the Ice Demon Spider could unleash a terrifying full-power strike. Lin Tian knew that well.
That was exactly why he had decided to strike first, giving it no chance to use its skill.
Once Lin Tian had used his second Soul Skill, he felt much lighter than before.
Then, gripping the Ganjiang Sword in both hands, he shot toward the Ice Demon Spider like a bolt of lightning, reaching it in the blink of an eye.
At the same time, his Spirit Eye shone with a flash of light, exposing every weakness of the thousand-year Soul Beast before him.
"So your weak spot is right here on your abdomen."
With the wondrous power of his Spirit Eye, Lin Tian immediately spotted the Ice Demon Spider's weakness.
Draw the sword, strike in a flash, kill in an instant.
The three movements flowed together seamlessly, as smooth as running water.
As the Ganjiang Sword slid back into its sheath, the Ice Demon Spider was cut in half, blood spraying across the ground.
The Ice Demon Spider's ice armor was thick, but against a divine weapon like the Ganjiang Sword, its defense was as flimsy as paper, unable to withstand the blade's scorching gleam.
Moments later, a purple Soul Ring rose into the air, hovering above the Ice Demon Spider's corpse.
Lin Tian sheathed his sword and walked forward, ready to absorb the Ice Demon Spider's Soul Ring.
But just then, a pleasant female voice rang out from outside the cave.
"Teacher, this should be the Ice Demon Spider's habitat. It took us so much effort to find its hiding place. This time, we absolutely can't let it escape again."
"I never imagined the path of cultivation for water-type Soul Masters would be so arduous. I really admire the dean and the others. They're truly incredible!"
Lin Tian stopped in his tracks and warily looked toward the voice. Without a sound, his hand closed around the hilt of his sword.
"Young man, if I were you, I wouldn't do anything foolish!"
"Have your Soul Master follower come out. We don't want any misunderstandings."
Lin Tian looked toward the sound. He saw a beautiful, mature woman in an azure robe, holding a jade staff. Behind her stood a sweet-looking girl, around eleven or twelve years old, with a lively air about her.
The girl blinked her big eyes and curiously sized Lin Tian up.
Lin Tian wore a black brocade robe, its cuffs embroidered with the Golden Dragon Holy Sword. His whole bearing was noble, his presence impeccable.
This little brother has such a handsome, distinguished air!
Lin Tian said nothing. He simply watched the two of them, his mind racing as he considered his next move.
Shui Lanlan studied Lin Tian, who remained unmoved. Her brows knitted slightly, and her grip tightened around the jade staff.
In the next instant, a Great White Shark Martial Soul appeared behind her. Six Soul Rings circled her body, and the pressure of a Soul Emperor began to bear down on the area around Lin Tian.
"Boy, I mean you no harm. Have your family's adults come out! I don't want to cause a misunderstanding, and I don't want anyone secretly watching me."
Seeing how tense the other woman was, Lin Tian had no choice but to raise his head and slowly say, one word at a time:
"You're worrying over nothing, senior. I'm the only one here. There's no one else."
Shui Lanlan clearly didn't believe Lin Tian's explanation.
She then challenged him:
"Boy, do you think I'll believe what you're saying? You're nothing but a kid. How could you possibly kill a thousand-year Soul Beast like the Ice Demon Spider? Don't tell me you take Big Sister for a fool?!"
"Besides, the Ice Demon Spider's armor has incredible defensive power. I don't believe you could pierce it!"
Shui Lanlan studied Lin Tian with deep suspicion.
The boy was dressed in fine clothes and clearly didn't come from an ordinary family. If he meant no harm, it was better not to make an enemy of him!
Looking at the beautiful woman, who seemed somewhat tense, Lin Tian had no choice but to prove himself with action.
"Watch closely, senior. I'll draw this sword only once!"
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