Wind Spirit Deer

Styx Death Scythe.

This was an incredibly sinister and powerful soul skill. Its effects were downright terrifying in prolonged battles or against opponents with formidable regenerative abilities.

As everyone knew, Soul Masters with beast martial souls generally possessed powerful physiques and self-healing abilities far beyond those of other Soul Masters. Castorice's soul skill naturally countered beast martial soul Soul Masters.

"Unable to be purified... What a tyrannical ability."

Feiyan looked at the tiny yet significant wound on her finger and sighed sincerely.

The look she gave Castorice became even more complicated.

This newly appointed Death Saintess had displayed potential and danger that repeatedly overturned her understanding.

Perhaps their Holy Spirit Cult had truly found the fledgling form of a "monster" capable of overturning everything.

Feiyan stared at the faint trace of blood on her fingertip, tiny yet stubbornly refusing to heal, and a hint of confusion flashed through her crimson eyes.

Though she was not a scholar who specialized in martial soul theory, she still possessed basic knowledge.

The Wailing Banshee was a Soul Beast with death attributes and spiritual attacks. Logically, absorbing its Soul Ring should have granted abilities more inclined toward Spirit Shock, soul wails, or death curses.

Yet Castorice's Styx Death Scythe, while bizarre and powerful, was a genuine weapon manifestation and conceptual wound. It could not have been more different from the Wailing Banshee's abilities, with almost no apparent connection between them.

"Strange... This soul skill doesn't seem to match the Soul Beast's traits..."

She muttered softly.

Castorice's heart tightened slightly, though her expression remained calm.

Naturally, she knew the reason—her Archon of Death martial soul stood at too high a level. The Soul Ring merely served as a catalyst and source of energy; the final soul skill was determined entirely by the martial soul itself and had little to do with the type of Soul Beast.

But she could not explain it.

Fortunately, Feiyan was not someone who obsessed over such matters. She merely found it somewhat unusual and did not investigate further.

After all, the Douluo Continent was filled with all manner of oddities. Though rare, there were precedents of martial soul mutations or special inheritances causing soul skills to differ from the Soul Beast they came from.

She flicked her hand, temporarily putting the insignificant wound out of mind. This trace of death power would naturally dissipate after a while anyway.

"Forget it. As long as the soul skill is powerful and practical, that's enough. Little Saintess, congratulations on successfully passing the Supreme Cult Leader's test."

A smile returned to Feiyan's face.

"We should head back. The Supreme Cult Leader must be getting impatient, and... there's a reward for passing the test."

She gave Castorice a meaningful look, then led her out of the secluded valley and back toward the Holy Spirit Cult headquarters.

Following behind Feiyan, Castorice could not help feeling a ripple of emotion in her heart.

A reward... With the immense wealth and resources accumulated by the Holy Spirit Cult over the years, so long as it was not some heaven-and-earth treasure as rare and unattainable as immortal herbs, other top-grade natural treasures were likely hers for the asking.

Ye Xishui would certainly not be stingy with resources when nurturing a monster like her.

This would undoubtedly accelerate her cultivation enormously.

It was foreseeable that, for a long time to come, her cultivation would surpass that of Yin Chen's original body.

There was no helping it. This was the gap created by resources and foundations.

Meanwhile, Yin Chen, far away at the other end of the Star Dou Great Forest, could not help feeling conflicted. He was pleased by Castorice's success, but even more than that, he felt an irrepressible hint of envy.

A first Soul Ring of a thousand years...

He sighed softly to himself.

Castorice's body possessed an innately overwhelming foundation, something even his body, strengthened through martial soul awakening, could not compare with.

He could only absorb a hundred-year Soul Ring step by step. He could not perform such a shocking leap across ranks.

Moreover, Castorice was in the Holy Spirit Cult, backed by the towering tree that was Ye Xishui. Her resource supply was practically top-tier; she could have whatever she wanted.

By contrast, although Xu Jiujiu was a Star Luo princess of exalted status and would not lack resources, the Star Luo Imperial Family had far more rules and considerations. They could not possibly be as willing as Ye Xishui to spare no expense in nurturing a monster.

What was more, the princess at his side was extraordinarily intelligent. She was not someone who could be completely fooled so easily.

If he wanted to obtain the best resources from her, he would have to continuously display matching value and potential. That required more effort and calculation.

Alas, the same soul, yet such different fates...

Yin Chen shook his head inwardly and suppressed that trace of envy.

He had to walk the road one step at a time. What he needed to do now was seize the opportunity before him.

As if sensing his brief distraction and complicated gaze, Xu Jiujiu, who was vigilantly watching their surroundings while enthusiastically introducing the details of a passing Soul Beast known as a Flash Silver Fox, suddenly turned around. Her amethyst-like eyes looked at him with a hint of inquiry.

Yin Chen immediately composed himself. A smile befitting a six-year-old naturally appeared on his face as he met her gaze.

"What is it, Yin Chen? Are you tired? Or are you interested in that light fox?"

Xu Jiujiu asked gently.

"No, Your Highness. I was just listening carefully to what you were saying."

Yin Chen answered obediently, his eyes clear.

"Your Highness knows so much."

At his words, Xu Jiujiu revealed a pleased smile and resumed educating him about Soul Beasts. The fondness she felt for Yin Chen increased by another measure.

This child was not only extraordinarily talented and steady-minded, but also so eager to learn and serious. The more she looked at him, the more she liked him.

Yin Chen maintained his smile and turned his gaze back toward the deep forest.

The three cautiously advanced into the outer reaches of the Mixed Area of the Star Dou Great Forest. The trees here grew increasingly tall and sturdy, the light became dimmer, and the aura of Soul Beasts in the air was noticeably denser.

Nebula Douluo Manyi's spiritual perception spread out like an invisible web, avoiding unnecessary trouble while searching for a suitable target.

After traveling for about two hours, Manyi suddenly stopped at the edge of a forest clearing filled with glowing ferns and said quietly, "Found it."

Xu Jiujiu and Yin Chen followed her gaze. In the middle of the clearing, an elegant Soul Beast was lowering its head to chew on luminous moss.

It resembled an elk, its entire body covered in azure scales. Its antlers were not physical objects, but formed from highly condensed pale cyan wind elements that constantly flowed and shifted, radiating a sharp aura.

As its four hooves touched the ground, tiny whirlwinds faintly formed around them.

"It's a Wind Spirit Deer."

Delighted light immediately burst from Xu Jiujiu's eyes, and even her voice carried a trace of excitement.

"Yin Chen, your luck is excellent. This is one of the finest bloodlines among wind-attribute Soul Beasts. It is incredibly fast and not weak offensively either. The energy contained in its Soul Ring is extremely pure. Judging by its size and the solidity of the wind elements in its antlers, it should be around five hundred years old."