Water-Ring Snake Swarm and Xuan Bei's Breakthrough

Led by Elder Dongyue Qingxuan, the group turned east toward the Redstone Mountain region. Compared to the dense forests of the previous days, the farther east they traveled, the sparser the trees became. Scattered crimson rocks began appearing on the ground, and the air carried a trace of dry heat.

The next morning, dawn had only just broken, and the morning mist had yet to fully disperse. The group followed a winding stream, searching for a suitable place to collect water and rest. Li Xuansheng, walking at the front, suddenly stopped and raised a hand in warning. "Something's wrong. The water vapor ahead is unusually dense, and the soul power fluctuations are very active."

Everyone immediately became alert. The Heavenly Heart Ring around Dongyue Ling's wrist glimmered softly. He closed his eyes to sense the surroundings for a moment, then opened them and said, "There's a small pool around the bend ahead... There are many snake-type soul beasts near it. Two of their auras are particularly strong, at least at the ten-thousand-year level."

The two Titled Douluo did not sense anything capable of threatening them, so Li Tianji said, "Conceal your auras and sneak over to take a look. Stay alert."

Following his instructions, the group silently crept behind a dense thicket and parted the branches to peer ahead. Not far away lay a small pool spanning several dozen meters, its surface sparkling beneath the light. The water was an unusual azure blue. Around the pool and in the shallows lay dozens of huge snakes covered in blue ring-shaped patterns. They were as thick as a child's arm and generally three to five meters long. They were Water-Ring Snakes, one of Li Xuanbei's target soul beasts.

At the center of the snake swarm, two Water-Ring Snakes of especially enormous size stood out. One was fully ten meters long and as thick as a water barrel. Its blue rings were so deep they were nearly ink-blue, and two small fleshy bumps had even risen from its head. Its aura had reached the terrifying level of thirty thousand years. It was clearly the leader of this snake swarm. Beside it lay another Water-Ring Snake, somewhat smaller but still seven or eight meters long. Its ring patterns were vivid and dazzling, and its aura had just crossed the ten-thousand-year threshold, at roughly eleven thousand years. It lazily flicked its tongue.

"Not bad luck!" A flash of excitement crossed Li Xuanbei's eyes. He lowered his voice as he spoke to Li Xuansheng and the two elders. "That Water-Ring Snake just over ten thousand years old is perfect for my fifth soul ring! Water-Ring Snakes control water currents. Its soul ring could very likely grant me a powerful control skill or a skill combining offense and defense, something like Water Binding, Torrential Impact, or Water Curtain Defense. It's highly compatible with my Book of Nature martial soul!"

Dongyue Qingxuan nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the snake swarm. "The thirty-thousand-year leader will be troublesome. The children are no match for it. Brother Tianji, you and I will lock down that thirty-thousand-year one with our auras and cut off its awareness of the battlefield. Leave the rest to the children. They will work together to kill the ten-thousand-year Water-Ring Snake."

"Just as I intended." Li Tianji nodded.

With the plan decided, the two Titled Douluo no longer hesitated. Two vast, abyss-like waves of soul power silently spread outward, like two invisible nets that precisely enveloped the thirty-thousand-year Water-Ring Snake leader and a small area around it. The Snake King's half-closed vertical pupils flew open, flashing with alarm and unease. It sensed two terrifying auras that made even its soul tremble. Its massive body instantly tensed, but it discovered that it seemed to have fallen into an invisible mire. It could not even hiss, much less move or warn its kin.

"Attack!" Li Xuansheng shouted in a low voice as he burst from the bushes, his Divine Phoenix Halberd pointed directly at the ten-thousand-year Water-Ring Snake.

"Fourth Soul Skill, Nature Entanglement!" Li Xuanbei reacted swiftly. The Book of Nature fluttered open, and countless thick dark-green vines burst from the ground, coiling like spirit serpents around the ten-thousand-year Water-Ring Snake's vital point and body.

"First Soul Skill, Soul-Disrupting Enchanting Note!" Dongyue Yu's Rain Bell rang out sharply, sending sound waves directly at the ten-thousand-year Water-Ring Snake in an attempt to disrupt its mind.

The sudden attack threw the entire snake swarm into turmoil. Dozens of thousand-year and hundred-year Water-Ring Snakes hissed as they lunged forward.

"Xuejian, control the field! Cousin Ling, let's clear the fodder!" Li Xuansheng commanded calmly. His Divine Phoenix Halberd swept sideways, and the scorching force of the halberd sent two lunging thousand-year Water-Ring Snakes flying.

"Second Soul Skill, Ringlight Binding!" Dongyue Xuejian cried out. The Heavenly Heart Ring shone brilliantly, and bands of white light flew out, accurately looping around the smaller Water-Ring Snakes trying to surround them and restricting their movements.

Dongyue Ling's Heavenly Heart Ring released solid waves of spiritual force, accurately striking several thousand-year Water-Ring Snakes attempting to spit water arrows and interrupting their soul skills.

The ten-thousand-year Water-Ring Snake had been bound by Li Xuanbei's vines and disturbed by Dongyue Yu's sound waves. It immediately flew into a rage. It violently struggled, blue light blazing from its body as several of the sturdy vines were forcibly snapped. Opening its jaws, it fired a high-pressure jet of water like an arrow toward Li Xuansheng, the greatest threat.

"Good!" Li Xuansheng neither dodged nor retreated. Golden-red flames rose from his Divine Phoenix Halberd. "Third Soul Skill, Divine Phoenix Slash!" A crescent-shaped flaming slash flew out and collided fiercely with the water jet.

Sizzle—!

A great mass of water vapor rose. Though the flaming slash was neutralized, the high-pressure water jet was completely evaporated as well.

"Brother Xuanbei!" Li Xuansheng shouted.

"Understood! Third Soul Skill, Root Cage!" Li Xuanbei's Book of Nature flipped open again. The ground beneath the ten-thousand-year Water-Ring Snake suddenly softened, and countless thicker roots covered in spikes burst from the earth, trapping most of its body in place like a cage.

"Perfect chance!" Dongyue Ling's eyes narrowed. "Fourth Soul Skill, Spiritual Pierce!" An invisible yet extraordinarily condensed spike of spiritual power crossed the distance in an instant and viciously pierced the ten-thousand-year Water-Ring Snake's sea of consciousness.

Hiss—! The Water-Ring Snake let out a pained shriek. Its movements instantly stiffened, and confusion flashed through its eyes.

"It's over!" How could Li Xuansheng let such an opportunity pass? Soul power surged through his Divine Phoenix Halberd, and he seemed to become one with the weapon. Like a meteor, he charged toward his temporarily bound and stunned opponent. "Second Soul Skill, Army-Breaking Thrust!"

Squelch!

Carrying unmatched sharpness and searing heat, the Divine Phoenix Halberd precisely stabbed into the Water-Ring Snake's gaping mouth and instantly pierced through its skull! Li Xuanbei stepped forward at once and completely extinguished its life force.

The enormous snake body convulsed violently a few times before crashing to the ground. A deep black soul ring slowly condensed above its corpse.

The entire process had seemed complicated, but it had actually occurred in the blink of an eye. From the moment they launched the attack to the death of the ten-thousand-year Water-Ring Snake, only a dozen or so breaths had passed. With the two Titled Douluo suppressing the leader and everyone working together seamlessly, this cross-level hunt had been completed cleanly and decisively.

Only then did the two Titled Douluo withdraw their suppression of the thirty-thousand-year Snake King. Sensing the deaths of its kin, especially the ten-thousand-year Water-Ring Snake, the Snake King let out an angry yet terrified hiss. However, it was intelligent enough to understand the terror of the two humans before it. In the end, it merely fixed everyone with its cold vertical pupils before leading the remaining snakes swiftly into the deep pool and vanishing.

"Well done." Elder Li Tianji revealed an approving smile. "Your coordination has become more and more skillful."

Dongyue Qingxuan also nodded slightly. "Control, disruption, main assault, battlefield clearing—everyone fulfilled their role. Your timing was good as well. Xuansheng's command in battle was commendable."

Li Xuanbei quickly walked to the corpse of the ten-thousand-year Water-Ring Snake. Looking at the floating black soul ring, he could not conceal his excitement. "Thank you, everyone!"

"We're brothers. No need to be so polite. Hurry and absorb it. We'll stand guard for you." Li Xuansheng patted his shoulder.

Li Xuanbei said no more. He sat cross-legged, adjusted his condition, and guided the pitch-black fifth soul ring toward his Book of Nature martial soul. Powerful soul power fluctuations began rippling around him.

The entire process lasted nearly two hours. Although sweat appeared on Li Xuanbei's forehead and his body occasionally trembled, he ultimately made it through without danger. When the black soul ring completely merged with him and stabilized, his aura suddenly surged. He officially broke through to level fifty-one!

He opened his eyes, which shone brightly, his face filled with joy. "I succeeded! Fifth Soul Skill—Watery Realm! It's a domain-type soul skill. Within a certain range, it summons a watery domain that can greatly slow opponents. At the same time, aquatic plants within the domain will actively entangle and attack enemies, and it can slightly increase the rate at which I and my allies recover soul power in water-element environments!"

"A domain-type soul skill!" Everyone was startled upon hearing this, then immediately began congratulating him. Domain-type soul skills were exceedingly rare and powerful. Li Xuanbei's gains from this fifth soul ring were immense.

"A sixteen-year-old Soul King who has acquired a domain-type soul skill... Xuanbei, your future is limitless." Elder Dongyue Qingxuan also offered him high praise. A sixteen-year-old Soul King might not compare to the peerless prodigies meticulously cultivated by the top powers of this continent, but he was undoubtedly among the ranks of geniuses. His chances of becoming a Titled Douluo in the future were exceptionally high.

Li Xuanbei's success greatly boosted the group's morale. After clearing the battlefield, they continued onward toward Redstone Mountain. Li Xuansheng looked at the faintly visible crimson mountain range in the distance, and his anticipation for his own fifth soul ring grew even stronger.