Absorbing a Thousand-Year Spirit Ring? Zhu Zhuqing's Shock!

By the tenth strike, the rocky armor had already developed numerous cracks.

By the twelfth, the cracks had spread into a spiderweb pattern.

The thirteenth...

Boom!

The rocky armor over the giant rhino's right shoulder shattered completely! Blood gushed out!

"Raaagh—!!"

The Darkrock Giant Rhino let out a pained bellow, its massive body knocked two meters sideways by the force of the final blow.

But it did not fall. Instead, it furiously swung its horn, and a dense earth-yellow Soul Power burst from its tip,

Transforming into dozens of sharp stone spikes that rained down on Lin Ye!

Just then,

A black shadow flashed past from the side like lightning!

"First Spirit Skill, Netherworld Thrust!"

Zhu Zhuqing had somehow already summoned her Martial Soul. The phantom of the Netherworld Spirit Cat enveloped her, multiplying her speed severalfold!

Her figure nearly became an afterimage as her claws precisely pierced through a gap in the Darkrock Giant Rhino's already shattered flank armor!

Blood sprayed.

The Darkrock Giant Rhino's body lurched, and its stone-spike attack was instantly thrown off course.

Taking advantage of the opening, Lin Ye twisted aside to evade the spikes and glanced at Zhu Zhuqing.

Zhu Zhuqing retreated several steps with a cold expression and said indifferently,

"Don't misunderstand. Too much noise will expose our position. Finish this quickly."

"Fine."

Lin Ye did not waste words. His body shot forward.

Black lightning gathered around his fist as the strength attribute of the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger pushed his muscles to their limits.

Zhu Zhuqing darted around the giant rhino's flank, using her extreme speed to continuously open wounds in the damaged rocky armor.

Whenever the giant rhino turned to chase her, Lin Ye unleashed a barrage of Evil God Thirteen Slashes from the front.

Whenever the giant rhino turned back to deal with Lin Ye, Zhu Zhuqing's claws silently plunged into its vulnerable spots.

Though they had never worked together before, one excelled at frontal destruction while the other specialized in flanking attacks, and they unexpectedly formed a seamless understanding.

Three minutes later.

Most of the Darkrock Giant Rhino's rocky armor had shattered. It was drenched in blood, and its steps were growing increasingly sluggish.

"It's over."

Lin Ye gathered all his Soul Power into his right hand. Black evil energy and lightning intertwined into a pitch-black sphere as large as a washbasin.

He stepped forward, his entire body resembling a true Dark Demon Evil God Tiger as he charged straight at the Darkrock Giant Rhino's head!

Boom!

A heavy punch crashed down.

The Darkrock Giant Rhino's enormous body suddenly froze. Its four limbs buckled to the ground, and its massive head slammed into the earth, kicking up dust everywhere.

Its rocky armor completely crumbled.

Its eyes went blank.

The Darkrock Giant Rhino struggled twice more before its life finally faded away.

Just then,

A Thousand-Year Spirit Ring emitting a gentle purple glow slowly rose from the Darkrock Giant Rhino's corpse.

Zhu Zhuqing had just landed and was about to breathe a sigh of relief,

When she suddenly saw Lin Ye walk directly toward the Spirit Ring with an entirely matter-of-fact expression.

"Wait!" Zhu Zhuqing frowned and stopped him.

"Don't tell me you're going to absorb that Spirit Ring?"

"What else?"

"No."

Zhu Zhuqing's tone was decisive.

"You're only in your twenties in level, right? The safe limit for a Second Spirit Ring is five to seven hundred years."

"This Darkrock Giant Rhino is nearly two thousand years old. Your body simply can't withstand it. If you forcefully absorb it, you'll definitely die."

Lin Ye glanced back at her.

In the firelight, Zhu Zhuqing's expression was genuinely serious.

This big kitty is pretty interesting. She was keeping everyone at arm's length just now, yet now she's worrying about me.

"You're right. Ordinary people really can't handle it."

Lin Ye nodded, then changed the subject.

"But I, Lin Ye, am not an ordinary person."

"You!"

Lin Ye sneered inwardly.

Zhu Zhuqing was right.

Ordinary Soul Masters did have an absorption limit, determined by their Physical Constitution.

For a Soul Master in their twenties in level to forcibly absorb a Spirit Ring that was nearly two thousand years old—an ordinary person would die every single time.

But he was different.

Innate Full Spirit Power.

He had awakened a God-Rank Martial Soul, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger. His Physical Constitution already far surpassed that of ordinary people.

On top of that, he had previously Devoured two Soul Masters and absorbed a seven-hundred-year First Spirit Ring. His body's strength had long since surpassed that of an ordinary Level 20 Soul Master.

He could fully handle this nearly two-thousand-year Spirit Ring.

"Big kitty, I appreciate your concern."

Lin Ye turned around and sat cross-legged under Zhu Zhuqing's incredulous gaze.

"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."

Zhu Zhuqing opened her mouth, wanting to say something more, but when she met Lin Ye's eyes—calm to the point of near indifference—all her words caught in her throat.

There was not the slightest hesitation in those eyes, nor any gambler's madness.

There was only absolute confidence.

Zhu Zhuqing fell silent for two seconds.

"I, Zhu Zhuqing, never owe anyone a favor!"

She suddenly retreated several steps and summoned her Martial Soul again. Her two Spirit Rings lit up as she faced the dark forest with her back to Lin Ye.

"Since you saved my life, I'll remember this debt. While you absorb it, I'll stand guard for you."

"Do as you like."

Lin Ye stopped wasting time. He slowly closed his eyes and drew the Thousand-Year Spirit Ring into his body.

The purple glow of the Spirit Ring suddenly surged, pouring frantically into Lin Ye's body.

A force far more violent than that of a Hundred-Year Spirit Ring rampaged through his meridians.

If it had been an ordinary person, cracks would already have begun forming in their meridians.

But Lin Ye's body was like a bottomless abyss, Devouring, digesting, and absorbing that violent energy bit by bit.

A quarter of an hour passed.

Half an hour passed.

An hour later...

Buzz—

A Second Spirit Ring suddenly lit up beneath Lin Ye's feet.

Purple!

A Thousand-Year Spirit Ring!

An immense force instantly burst from Lin Ye's body, leaving dense cracks across the ground around him.

He opened his eyes, and purple-black lightning flashed through his pupils.

It worked.

His Soul Power had surged three full levels from Level 22 to Level 25!

And his Physical Constitution had soared once again!

Muscle density, bone hardness, reaction speed—every aspect had been enhanced!

Zhu Zhuqing turned around and stared at the Thousand-Year Spirit Ring beneath Lin Ye's feet, its gentle purple glow making her seem frozen in place.

He had actually succeeded.

A Thousand-Year Spirit Ring nearly two thousand years old, absorbed in just an hour by a Soul Master in his twenties in level.

And judging by his condition... he did not even show the slightest trace of pain?

How was that possible?!

Zhu Zhuqing's heart pounded wildly in her chest.

What kind of monster was he?

Lin Ye rose to his feet and clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within him.

The enhancement brought by the Second Spirit Ring was on a completely different level from that of the First Spirit Ring.

The power infused by the Thousand-Year Spirit Ring had caused a qualitative transformation in his body.

With a thought, the information for his Second Soul Skill naturally surfaced in his mind.

Second Soul Skill—Evil God Guard!

It condensed the evil energy, lightning, and wind power of the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger into a defensive barrier capable of blocking most powerful attacks.

It balanced offense and defense perfectly, making up for his current weakness of having offense but no defense.

However, before he could celebrate,

Whoosh!!!

A sharp wave of light suddenly shot out from the darkness, heading straight for the back of Zhu Zhuqing's head!

"Watch out!"