The Thousand-Year Second Ring

The deeper they ventured into the mixed zone, the more towering and dense the forest became, with the terrain rising and falling in complex, intricate patterns.

The air was thick with the damp scent of vegetation and the pungent, heavy stench of soul beasts, with danger lurking at every turn. A lingering, oppressive pressure from ten-thousand-year soul beasts hung faintly over the ground, heavy enough to make one's heart race with unease.

Yue Ling felt a flicker of fear and instinctively moved closer to Elder Xuan and Zhang Lexuan.

Noticing his tension, Elder Xuan casually cast a pale golden soul power shield around him, shielding him securely.

"Don't be afraid. With me here, no matter how ferocious the soul beast, it won't be able to hurt you. Let's keep going; we'll find one suitable for you soon."

The trio continued their journey for another forty minutes.

Suddenly, Elder Xuan and Zhang Lexuan stopped in their tracks simultaneously, their expressions turning instantly vigilant.

Deep in the dense forest ahead, a massive, dark golden bear lay quietly, its body radiating a thick, violent pressure. It was the infamous beast of the Star Dou Forest—the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear.

"A Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear."

Elder Xuan glanced at it and dismissed it with a wave. "Four thousand years of cultivation. The age is too high; you can't handle it or absorb it right now. Let's go around."

Just as they were about to detour, Zhang Lexuan's gaze sharpened, and she immediately called out a warning.

"Elder Xuan, Yue Ling, look beneath it!"

Hidden in the grass where the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear was coiled, a Golden Winged Eagle with shattered wings and a body covered in wounds lay gasping for air, its aura so faint it was on the verge of death.

Yue Ling's eyes lit up instantly.

"Master! That's the one! It's perfect for me!"

Elder Xuan looked closely and immediately chuckled.

"Good lad, almost missed it! An eleven-hundred-year Golden Winged Eagle. Wind-attribute, high-piercing attack, age, aptitude, and characteristics—it's a perfect match for you!"

Before he could finish speaking, Elder Xuan's figure flashed forward, not even bothering to put away the wine gourd in his hand.

The four-thousand-year-old Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear was inherently brutal and vicious. As a top-tier assault-type soul beast, it showed no fear even when facing a Super Douluo. It let out a roar, its thick, massive claws wrapped in a gale as it swiped fiercely at Elder Xuan.

Elder Xuan couldn't be bothered to tangle with it.

The terrifying pressure of a Super Douluo erupted from his body, and an invisible, massive force instantly suppressed the entire area.

The violent pressure slammed the massive Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear firmly into the ground, burying half its body in the mud. It let out a fierce, low growl from its throat, its ferocity boundless, yet it couldn't move an inch.

Elder Xuan casually slapped his palm down.

A dull, thunderous boom exploded in the dense forest. The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's bones shattered inch by inch; it couldn't even let out a scream before dying on the spot.

Having eliminated all threats, Elder Xuan pulled out a roasted chicken and called to Yue Ling while munching on it.

"Hurry up, you brat! If you dawdle any longer, this Golden Winged Eagle will breathe its last, and the soul ring will dissipate!"

"Coming, coming! Master, you're too strong!"

Yue Ling ran up quickly, then turned to Zhang Lexuan, thanking her with genuine sincerity.

"Thank you, Sister Lexuan. If you hadn't reminded me, I would have definitely missed out on this perfect soul ring."

"Don't mention it. Hurry up and absorb it," Zhang Lexuan said with a gentle nod.

Yue Ling didn't delay any further. He walked quickly to the side of the dying Golden Winged Eagle, drew his short blade, and delivered the final blow with clean, decisive precision.

A faint golden light rose slowly from the eagle's carcass, and a purple, thousand-year soul ring with a rich, mellow color and dense texture hovered silently in mid-air.

Yue Ling took a deep breath, suppressing the excitement in his heart.

With a thought, he summoned his Wonder-Silk Heavenly Chrysanthemum martial soul. He sat cross-legged on the ground, calmed his mind, and officially began absorbing his second thousand-year soul ring.

During this time.

Elder Xuan asked Zhang Lexuan to help him dissect the giant bear. After they confirmed there was no soul bone, she refused to touch it, terrified of getting blood on her clothes. She looked at the messy Elder Xuan with utter disdain.

With no other choice, the frustrated Elder Xuan had to do it himself.

Wrapping his palms in soul power, he dismantled the bear in a few quick, sharp motions and stored the remains in his storage soul tool.

Once everything was settled, the two of them stood guard while Yue Ling absorbed the soul ring.

Indeed, the gap between a hundred-year and a thousand-year soul ring was a chasm.

A standard hundred-year soul ring's power was gentle, but the thousand-year soul ring's energy was as violent as a flood. Yue Ling's meridians throbbed with pain, his body grew taut, veins bulged on his skin, and he trembled violently.

Elder Xuan watched his new disciple silently, his pace of eating the chicken leg slowing down.

After a while.

The Wonder-Silk Heavenly Chrysanthemum martial soul began to tremble uncontrollably, its light flickering. His own soul power clashed and tore against the external energy until the soul vortex in his dantian became unstable and his internal power fell into total chaos. Only then did Zhang Lexuan and Elder Xuan's expressions change.

"Not good! He can't handle the thousand-year soul ring!"

Elder Xuan stepped forward, intending to forcibly interrupt the process, but was immediately stopped by Zhang Lexuan.

"No! Forcibly interrupting the absorption will, at best, cripple his martial soul, and at worst, cause his body to explode on the spot!"

"Ah, I'm getting senile. I shouldn't have let this brat do it."

Elder Xuan's eyes were filled with tension as he punched a nearby tree hard.

Even so, he watched Yue Ling's direction with hopeful eyes, silently praying for his new disciple.

At this moment, the immense tearing sensation caused Yue Ling to bleed, and his spirit was locked in a standoff with the violent soul power; neither side was willing to give an inch.

Yue Ling's meridians were too fragile. Although he had consumed a Wonder-Silk Heavenly Chrysanthemum, the foundation of his physical body wouldn't become indestructible from a single herb.

Having a shell without the tempering to match was no different from wearing a hollow suit of armor.

Elder Xuan paced back and forth, while Zhang Lexuan frowned, her hands clenched tight.

Yue Ling closed his eyes, struggling against the thousand-year soul ring.

He had overestimated himself. Without physical training or nourishment, trying to absorb a thousand-year soul ring after consuming only one Wonder-Silk Heavenly Chrysanthemum was too difficult!

His meridians were swollen to the point of bursting, and the violent power of the purple soul ring hammered against his sea of consciousness.

Give up, you can't hold on much longer...

Yue Ling gritted his teeth. Whenever he thought of his parents, the tragedy at Hundred Flowers Village, and those damned evil soul masters, a surge of willpower held him back from losing consciousness, keeping him hanging on by a thread.

They remained in this stalemate for an hour.

The nascent form of his indestructible body slowly began to channel the soul power until the violent energy was gradually tamed. The pain in his body subsided, but Yue Ling remained weak and limp, his spirit utterly exhausted.

The second soul ring, complete!

"Good! Good...!"

Elder Xuan thumped his chest, and Zhang Lexuan let out a sigh of relief.

"His aura is contained, his soul power is stable. It must be a success."

"It's terrifying. He was nearly blown to pieces just a moment ago."

At this moment, the purple soul ring slowly merged into his body. A pale purple halo swirled around him, and the Wonder-Silk Heavenly Chrysanthemum glowed brightly, revealing one yellow and one purple soul ring.

"I have never seen a plant-type soul master whose second ring was a thousand-year one. What a little monster."

Elder Xuan chuckled and took a large gulp of wine.

"Indeed. Plant-type martial souls don't have the physical robustness of beast martial souls. Yue Ling was dancing on the edge of death; what immense willpower he must possess..." A flicker of admiration passed through Zhang Lexuan's eyes.

After stabilizing his soul power.

Yue Ling was mentally exhausted, his body soft and devoid of any strength.

"Teacher, Sister Lexuan, I didn't fail the task..."

With that, he collapsed and fainted, caught gently by Zhang Lexuan the moment he fell.

"Let's go. This kid absorbed a thousand-year soul ring beyond his level; his body needs medicinal care. Let's get back to Shrek first!"

"Yes, Elder Xuan!"

Zhang Lexuan carried Yue Ling, and together with Elder Xuan, they flew toward Shrek.