Golden-Pattern Iron Rhino

The vegetation in the Jingyang Mountain Range was much denser than the outskirts of Mingdu. Ancient trees scraped the sky, their branches and leaves intertwined, and sunlight could only pierce through the gaps between the leaves to cast mottled patches of light and shadow across the forest floor. The air was permeated with the scent of damp earth and a faint metallic tang.

They had not walked far before a sound echoed from the thicket ahead.

A soul beast roughly the size of a small calf crawled out of the bushes. Its entire body was covered in grayish-silver scales, a row of metal-like spikes ran down its spine, and its four limbs were thick and sturdy. A pair of dark golden eyes watched the group with vigilance.

Silver-Armored Lizard, a metal-attribute soul beast of around two hundred years.

Jingyang Mountain Range casually remarked, then sent out a surge of Soul Power.

Before the Silver-Armored Lizard could react, its body was violently thrown aside, stopping only after it smashed through two small trees as thick as a bowl.

It struggled to stand, the fierce look in its eyes mostly faded, and after glancing at Jingyang Mountain Range, it turned and darted into the dense forest.

Jingyang Mountain Range did not give chase.

Gazing at the spot where the Silver-Armored Lizard had vanished, he calmly said, "Soul beasts are growing scarcer. For soul beasts that have no use for our soul rings, let them go when we can."

"The truly major powers on the continent are now consciously controlling the scale of their hunts, otherwise, in a few thousand years, soul masters will likely struggle even to find soul rings."

Meng Hongchen nodded thoughtfully.

"Grandpa, what if we encounter soul beasts that actively attack us on the road?"

"Subdue them."

Jingyang Mountain Range continued walking forward.

"The same rule applies: there is no need to take the lives of soul rings we have no use for."

He walked through the mountains for about half an hour, during which he let go of five or six more soul beasts. All of them were subdued in a single strike, without wasting even a shred of Soul Power.

Until a rocky slope appeared, Jingyang Mountain Range stopped and took out a map from his storage soul tool to inspect it.

"This area marks three metal-attribute soul beasts with ages between seven and nine hundred years. At this time, they should be active nearby."

Just as his voice fell, a low, muffled sound came from beneath the rock wall not far away.

A soul beast slowly emerged from a cave.

It was an extremely large rhinoceros-type soul beast, its entire body covered in a dark golden stratum corneum whose patterns resembled those forged from metal.

The front of its skull bore a scimitar-shaped single horn, the base of which featured numerous concentric-circle-like lines.

Its four limbs were thick as pillars, emitting a muffled thud with every step. Its eyes were dark red, sweeping over the figures with a heavy gaze, and two streams of white, hazy hot air puffed from its nostrils.

Golden-Pattern Iron Rhino, metal attribute, approximately eight hundred years of age.

After putting away the map, Jingyang Mountain Range gazed at the Golden-Pattern Iron Rhino.

Xiao Hongchen's eyes lit up. "This one suits me well."

According to soul master theory on the continent, the optimal age for absorbing a second soul ring was just over seven hundred years, but Xiao Hongchen had consumed various heavenly treasures since childhood, including Whale Rubber which could enhance one's physique.

Absorbing a second soul ring of over eight hundred years posed absolutely no problem.

"Then it's the one."

Jingyang Mountain Range did not act immediately, instead having the three people maintain their original positions before pointing at the single horn on the Golden-Pattern Iron Rhino's head.

"Observe closely how to judge the age of this soul beast."

"For a Golden-Pattern Iron Rhino with a century of cultivation, one of the most intuitive judgment standards is the growth rings on its horn. Each clear line represents about a hundred years of cultivation, while the smaller dark lines upon them represent minor cycles ranging from ten to fifty years."

"Pay attention and observe: the growth rings on this horn have a total of eight main lines, and at the base, there is a short segment of a line that has not completely closed. Therefore, it is currently in the range of eight hundred years of cultivation and has not yet broken through to nine hundred years."

Jingyang Mountain Range then pointed toward the scales of the Golden-Pattern Iron Rhino.

"An eight-hundred-year Iron Rhino has a shell that is dark golden in color, which will turn bright golden once it exceeds a thousand years, and sun-patterned designs will also appear on the shell. Thus, its age can be judged by its color and patterns."

His explanation was extremely clear, and the three children listened very intently.

Afterward, Jingyang Mountain Range stood up and released his Soul Power, radiating the aura of a ninety-fourth-rank Titled Douluo. The Golden-Pattern Iron Rhino instantly sensed danger, let out a low roar, and its four hooves scraped frantically at the ground as it tried to flee, yet it remained completely rooted in place.

Jingyang Mountain Range's Soul Power transformed into an invisible cage that imprisoned it.

"Xiao Hongchen."

"Here."

"Go ahead, this soul beast is yours."

Xiao Hongchen nodded.

Stepping forward, the golden elements at his side converged, condensing into a metal dagger in his hand.

Xiao Hongchen's martial soul could manipulate metal; even without releasing his martial soul or using soul skills, he could manipulate metal elements to condense weapons. He took a deep breath before walking up to the Golden-Pattern Iron Rhino.

The Golden-Pattern Iron Rhino was still suppressed by Soul Power, its pupils filled entirely with terror, yet it could not even manage to struggle.

Xiao Hongchen drew the short blade. Once Soul Power was infused into it, the blade emitted a golden light. With a twist of his wrist, the dagger pierced the vital point right behind the Golden-Pattern Iron Rhino's single horn.

The Golden-Pattern Iron Rhino's body suddenly stiffened, and immediately afterward, it collapsed with a heavy boom, producing a loud crash.

Shortly after, a ring of bright yellow soul ring rose from the corpse, quietly suspended in the air and radiating a soft glow.

Xiao Hongchen put away the short blade, walked beneath the soul ring, and sat down cross-legged.

He closed his eyes and circulated his Soul Power to slowly guide the soul ring toward his body. The bright yellow soul ring drew closer and closer, finally settling upon him.

Once the Golden-Pattern Iron Rhino's Soul Power poured into his meridians, it quickly resonated with Xiao Hongchen's martial soul. A phantom of the Three-Legged Golden Toad appeared behind him, and golden specks of light gathered from all directions, slowly revolving around his body.

Absorbing a soul ring took time, so Meng Hongchen retrieved a small stool for Xu Tianming to sit on. Xu Tianming glanced at Jingyang Mountain Range before seating himself beside Meng Hongchen, watching Xiao Hongchen. This was his first time witnessing someone absorb a soul ring, so he was also filled with curiosity.

Three hours later, Xiao Hongchen opened his eyes.

His aura had grown noticeably stronger, his Soul Power fluctuations were much more solid, and there was also a sense of metallic sharpness to him.

"It worked!"

Meng Hongchen jumped up in joy. As Xiao Hongchen stood, the second yellow soul ring on his body also lit up, and he extended his right hand.

Golden light surged from his palm, and the stray metal particles in the surrounding air were pulled over and quickly gathered on his hand, forming a fine layer of golden dust over it.

With a gentle wave of his hand, that metal dust transformed into dozens of tiny golden needles that hovered mid-air, shifting flexibly with his thoughts.

Metal Boiling.

Xiao Hongchen gazed at those golden needles, a flash of light in his eyes. His martial soul could naturally manipulate metal, but the second soul skill caused a qualitative change in this manipulation.

Previously, when he controlled metal, he had to concentrate completely, akin to using one hand to grasp flowing water, and the slightest distraction would cause the water to slip away.

Now, however, it felt as though the metal itself had become a part of his body; the moment a thought arose, the golden needles reacted instantly.

He waved his hand, and the golden needles scattered, forming a ring in mid-air before immediately transforming once more into a thin metal shield.