Yun Tian's First Soul Ring

On Yun Tian's side, he and Dean Yuan Hua walked through the Soul Hunting Forest. Compared to the Star Dou Forest, the vegetation here was much like that of an ordinary small grove, lacking the former's primordial aura.

At that moment, Yun Tian spotted a pale green bamboo stalk beside the path. Was this the "soul beast" Gangzi had personally praised?

Noticing Yun Tian's gaze, Yuan Hua patiently explained, "This is a ten-year Solitary Bamboo. Its defining trait is toughness, but I don't believe anyone would choose this kind of soul beast."

"After all, anyone who comes here to hunt soul beasts is surely aiming for a hundred-year one."

Yun Tian nodded and continued deeper into the forest with Yuan Hua. The soul beasts here were still relatively low-level; if they wanted to find one with a better cultivation age, they had to go farther in.

After walking for some time.

Rustle!

"Stop."

Yuan Hua raised a hand to signal him not to move, then summoned his Harpoon Martial Soul and stared vigilantly at the bushes in the distance.

Even as a Soul Ancestor, he still had to be cautious in a place like this.

Then, beneath their gazes, a strange-looking little dragon slowly crawled out.

It was over three meters long, its entire body wrapped in dark teal scales that gleamed with a cold, metallic sheen.

Its head was long and sharp. From its forehead all the way to its tailbone ran a raised, straight-edged bony ridge, like a long spear. Its limbs were thick and powerful, and every step left claw marks in the ground.

"That's an Iron-Spine Dragon Spear Beast!"

Yun Tian's words delighted Yuan Hua. They had found one so easily? Their luck really was good.

Without hesitation, Yun Tian activated Destiny's Eye. The next second, the traits of the Iron-Spine Dragon Spear Beast appeared before him.

[Purple · Earth Dragon Spear Bone], [Purple · Gather Strength, Conceal Edge], [Blue · Hundred Years of Hard Cultivation], [Blue · Devotion]

[Purple · Earth Dragon Spear Bone: Possesses a pure Earth Dragon Bloodline and an exceptionally powerful body. Can serve as a vessel for a spear-type Martial Soul.]

[Purple · Gather Strength, Conceal Edge: Conceals its own aura and does not casually leak Soul Power. Extremely suitable for forging a reserved, weighty foundation in the spear path.]

[Blue · Hundred Years of Hard Cultivation: Has cultivated for four hundred and fifty-three years.]

[Blue · Devotion: A herd soul beast. When necessary, it will cover its herd.]

[Note: Apart from an extremely small number of special soul beasts, soul beasts under a thousand years old cannot innately possess golden or higher-grade traits!]

As Yun Tian looked at the Iron-Spine Dragon Spear Beast's traits, excitement flashed through his eyes. As expected of the soul beast most suited to the Sky-Piercing Spear—even its traits were practically all related to spears.

And... could that blue Devotion trait perhaps be manipulated somehow?

"Modify Devotion. Change 'devote' to 'sacrifice.'"

An undetectable glow lit up from the Iron-Spine Dragon Spear Beast's body. Then, under Yun Tian's gaze, the blue trait slowly turned gold.

[Gold · Sacrifice: Sacrifice oneself to fulfill another.]

Those simple eight words completely changed the way the Iron-Spine Dragon Spear Beast looked at Yun Tian and Yuan Hua. Its gaze was filled with recognition and hope.

It spread its claws and slowly approached Yun Tian, its body glowing with an earthy yellow light.

"Xiao Tian, be careful!"

Yuan Hua had no idea what was happening, but he instinctively stepped in front of Yun Tian. Four Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple—appeared beneath his feet.

"No need to worry. It intends to sacrifice itself."

"Sacrifice itself?"

Yuan Hua was stunned. A soul beast they had never met was actually going to sacrifice itself to Yun Tian? What incredible fortune!

Yet he did not relax or dismiss his Martial Soul and Soul Rings. He knew of sacrifices, but witnessing one in person was still deeply shocking.

Yun Tian was also quite moved. This Iron-Spine Dragon Spear Beast happened to possess the Devotion trait; another soul beast might not have had it at all.

That had given Yun Tian the opportunity to modify it.

The Sky-Piercing Spear emerged from Yun Tian's body, radiating golden streams of light as it stood upright before him.

The Iron-Spine Dragon Spear Beast's body slowly vanished, transforming into a mass of earthy yellow energy.

As the earthy yellow energy continuously poured into Yun Tian's body, a yellow Soul Ring spun beneath his feet, finally condensing successfully.

A heavy force, like a mountain pressing down, washed through his meridians. There was no sharp tearing pain, only layer after layer of crushing weight. Earth essence and the sharpness of refined iron gathered along his meridians into his palm, ultimately surging into the body of the Sky-Piercing Spear.

Boom!

The spear body trembled faintly, as though it had gained a deeper foundation—restrained, downward-pressing, and suppressive.

Yun Tian picked up the Sky-Piercing Spear and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air. After absorbing this Soul Ring, he had reached level thirteen. His first Soul Skill was called Clouds Hang Low.

"Xiao Tian, how did it go?"

Yuan Hua's concerned voice came from nearby. The aura Yun Tian had displayed while absorbing the Soul Ring had been incredibly powerful. Was this the strength of a Mutated Martial Soul?

"I've reached level thirteen, and I've also unlocked a very good Soul Skill."

The yellow Soul Ring beneath his feet flickered faintly.

Yun Tian radiated a restrained yet impossible-to-ignore spear intent.

"First Soul Skill, Clouds Hang Low!"

The spear body dipped slightly, gathering all Soul Power within the spear without leaking the slightest edge. With a horizontal sweep toward the front, a faint blue-gray wave of air visible to the naked eye spread rapidly outward.

It was incredibly fast.

It also carried a trace of weak suppressive force.

The branches of nearby trees sank slightly beneath that force, while fallen leaves were swiftly pressed to the ground.

If used in a spirit fighting arena, this Soul Skill's range would cover fully half the field.

Whether stones or trees, anything within the range that came into contact with the wave of air was instantly sliced in half.

Clouds Hang Low swept out a field of force. Objects around it were instantly pressed taut, while a weak suppressive force arose within the area, making it difficult for living beings inside to leap into the air. It felt as though invisible pressure weighed down upon their feet.

As for the wave of air, it was an attack formed from the spear intent and Soul Power of Clouds Hang Low.

"If I have no anti-air attack, then I'll make sure you can't take flight!"

This trait was extraordinarily powerful. After all, the core of Clouds Hang Low lay in those six words: unable to leap into the air. It was practically the bane of flying Soul Masters.

The Sky-Piercing Spear's original trait was air prohibition, and this ability could further strengthen it.

It imposed gravitational suppression on top of preventing flight.

Yun Tian glanced around. At that moment, every tree within the range of Clouds Hang Low had fallen, and all of them had broken at the exact same point.

Yuan Hua, standing nearby, had witnessed the entire process. He might not understand spears, but was this range and power normal? There was also that sensation as though his legs were bound. He was within the area as well, and though he could still move, he had indeed been affected.

"Xiao Tian, your Soul Skill is simply astonishing. And this is only a hundred-year Soul Ring."

"Still, I have to thank you for accompanying me, Dean. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to obtain such a suitable Soul Ring."

Yuan Hua laughed heartily. This kid really knew how to speak. The soul beast had clearly sacrificed itself, yet he still remembered to thank him for his help.

Neither arrogant nor impetuous, humble and courteous—his character was entirely different from those geniuses who became arrogant the moment they gained talent.