Supreme Unity Descends, Instant Kill!

The atmosphere in the cave fell silent for a moment.

The campfire crackled, sparks occasionally leaping from the flames.

After a while, Zhu Zhuqing gathered her thoughts and was the first to break the silence.

"What... are you doing in the Star Dou Great Forest?"

Tang Shuo put away the Eastern Emperor Mirror, his tone calm.

"Hunting spirit beasts and obtaining a Spirit Ring."

Zhu Zhuqing was slightly taken aback.

Right, he still did not have a Spirit Ring.

This man had saved her life.

Such a great kindness could never be repaid.

"I'll help you."

"Your martial soul is from the support type, so combat probably isn't your strong suit. With me assisting you, it'll be much safer."

In her eyes, although Tang Shuo's martial soul was miraculous, it was ultimately for healing and recovery. Its frontal combat power was likely limited.

She was an agility-attack battle soul master, which happened to make up for that weakness.

Tang Shuo glanced at her, somewhat surprised.

However, he did not refuse.

"Alright."

Having reached an agreement, the two did not waste any more time.

Zhu Zhuqing's injuries were no longer a serious concern, and she could move freely.

One in front and one behind, they left the cave and officially stepped into the outer region of the Star Dou Great Forest.

The forest was dimly lit, with the roars of spirit beasts occasionally echoing from afar.

They had not gone far when a massive wild boar charged out from the woods. Its tusks glinted with bloody light as it rushed straight at them.

"A sixty-year Bloodfang Boar. Be careful!"

Zhu Zhuqing gave a warning without waiting for Tang Shuo to react.

With the Hell Spirit Cat Martial Soul Possession, the girl turned into a streak of black lightning. Her claws sprang out, and cold light flashed.

In the blink of an eye, the Bloodfang Boar let out a miserable cry and collapsed into a pool of blood.

Clean and efficient.

Zhu Zhuqing turned back to look at Tang Shuo, as though asking for his opinion.

Tang Shuo merely gave it a glance and shook his head slightly.

"Too weak."

Its age was too low; it was simply unsuitable as his first Spirit Ring.

Seeing his reaction, Zhu Zhuqing did not think he was aiming too high. Instead, she became even more certain of her guess.

So he really had Innate Full Soul Power.

Only peerless geniuses of that caliber had the right to be picky about their first Spirit Ring.

What a pity...

Zhu Zhuqing sighed inwardly.

With such talent, he had awakened a support-type martial soul.

If it had been a strength-attack or agility-attack type, his future achievements would have been limitless.

"Then let's keep going deeper."

Zhu Zhuqing said no more. She simply walked silently ahead, continuing to clear the way for him.

The two traveled deeper into the forest for about half an hour.

Suddenly, heavy footsteps came from ahead, making the ground tremble faintly.

A gigantic rhinoceros appeared in their sight, its entire body covered in earthen-yellow armor and a thick horn growing from its head.

Zhu Zhuqing's expression tightened.

"A five-hundred-year spirit beast, a Tortoiseshell Rhino!"

Zhu Zhuqing's expression had never been so grave.

The Tortoiseshell Rhino was renowned for its defenses.

It was the most troublesome kind of opponent for an agility-attack soul master like her.

"Stay back a little."

She spoke to Tang Shuo, then turned into a ghostlike black shadow and charged forward before he could answer.

Hell Spirit Cat Possession.

The girl darted rapidly through the forest, her claws extending as they repeatedly raked across the Tortoiseshell Rhino's heavy armor.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sound of metal striking metal rang out endlessly, throwing up strings of dazzling sparks.

Yet aside from leaving pale, shallow scratches, her attacks could not break through its defenses.

Roar!

The Tortoiseshell Rhino roared in pain. Its horn lit up with earthen-yellow light, and it stomped heavily upon the ground.

The earth shook as several stone spikes burst from the ground, shooting straight toward Zhu Zhuqing.

Zhu Zhuqing reacted swiftly. Her toes tapped lightly against a tree trunk, launching her into the air as she narrowly avoided the spikes.

She could tell that this could not continue.

If it became a battle of attrition, she would be the first to run out of strength.

She had to win with one strike.

Zhu Zhuqing took a deep breath, determination flashing through her eyes.

"First Soul Skill, Hell Stab!"

With a sharp cry, the sole yellow Spirit Ring around her suddenly lit up.

The girl's figure became a straight black line in midair, her speed surging severalfold. Like an arrow loosed from the bowstring, she shot toward the Tortoiseshell Rhino's comparatively vulnerable eye.

She had put everything into this strike.

The Tortoiseshell Rhino had clearly sensed the threat and tried to turn its head away.

But Hell Stab was simply too fast.

Squelch!

Her claws pierced its eye socket with perfect accuracy.

A miserable howl resounded through the woods. Its enormous body crashed to the ground, kicking up dust that filled the air.

Zhu Zhuqing landed on the ground, her chest rising and falling slightly, fine beads of sweat appearing at her temples.

Clearly, that strike had drained a great deal of her strength.

She looked at Tang Shuo with a trace of expectation in her eyes.

A five-hundred-year spirit beast was already quite good as a first Spirit Ring.

Yet Tang Shuo merely looked calmly at the Tortoiseshell Rhino's corpse and shook his head again.

"Still too weak."

Zhu Zhuqing's breathing caught as she stared at him in disbelief.

Even five hundred years was too weak?

She could not help asking.

"What level... are you now?"

Tang Shuo's answer was crisp and direct.

"Level ten."

Zhu Zhuqing fell silent, or rather, she was at a loss for words.

She kindly reminded him.

"The higher the age of a Spirit Ring, the stronger the impact when absorbing it."

"At your current level, the limit your body can withstand is a hundred-year Spirit Ring."

"Even five hundred years carries enormous risk."

"If you want to absorb a Thousand-Year Spirit Ring, that would mean absorbing beyond your level. It would be a near-certain death."

"You'll die."

She spoke very seriously.

Tang Shuo merely nodded upon hearing this.

"I know."

Of course he knew the risks involved.

But he also knew that his martial soul was the Eastern Emperor Bell, a supreme dharma manifestation.

Ordinary Spirit Rings were simply unworthy of it.

His first Spirit Ring had to be a thousand-year one.

Seeing how impervious he was to persuasion, Zhu Zhuqing could only let out a helpless sigh in the end.

Forget it.

She stopped trying to persuade him.

"Then... let's continue deeper."

The two set out again, heading farther into the Star Dou Great Forest.

This time, the surroundings became increasingly silent. Even the chirping of insects and birds had vanished.

Suddenly, Tang Shuo stopped.

Zhu Zhuqing, standing before him, had also stopped long ago. Her body was tense, as though facing a formidable enemy.

From the shadows of the dense forest ahead, a black figure silently paced out.

It was an entirely black leopard with a nimble body.

Zhu Zhuqing's face instantly turned deathly pale.

"A three-thousand-year... Ghost Shadow Leopard!"

She shielded Tang Shuo behind her, and even her voice trembled slightly.

"Retreat, now!"

"I might be able to hold off a thousand-year spirit beast for a while."

"But a three-thousand-year one is absolutely beyond us! Especially a speed-type spirit beast like the Ghost Shadow Leopard!"

"Once it locks onto us, it'll be almost impossible to escape!"