Earth Azure Bull

Gu Hengzhi hid like a ghost in the canopy some distance away, his gaze fixed tightly on the struggle between Su Yuntao and the Gale Demon Wolf. Icy azure light flickered around the wolf's body, its sharp fangs gleaming coldly. Every pounce carried a fierce gust of wind, as though it could tear through the air itself.

Su Yuntao moved with agility, the wolf claws in his hands weaving an impenetrable defense as he engaged the Gale Demon Wolf in a breathtaking battle. His eyes were firm and sharp, filled with fearless courage and resolve.

Gu Hengzhi secretly rejoiced. Luckily, it's only a Gale Demon Wolf a little over a hundred years old. With Brother Tao's strength, he should be able to handle it. Still, this wolf gives me the perfect chance to shake Brother Tao and search for a soul beast truly suited to the Earth Deity Stone Statue.

He drew a deep breath and leaped from the canopy like lightning, as light as a flying bird. At the same time, he silently activated Earth Vein Acceleration. The ground beneath his feet trembled faintly, as though lending him its strength. He moved as swiftly as the wind and vanished from the battlefield in an instant.

Gu Hengzhi sank his consciousness into his sea of consciousness, as though entering a mysterious world. He opened the ancient God-Sealing Record, its pages turning in his hands as they shimmered with an enigmatic light. Carefully, he infused a wisp of Tier-One Faith Power into the portrait of the Earth Deity and murmured, "Earth Deity, Senior Earth Deity, I need to obtain a Soul Ring now. Please help me find a suitable soul beast."

As soon as he spoke, the Earth Deity in the portrait seemed to stir slightly. A miraculous light shone in his eyes, as though he could see through everything. His voice rang in Gu Hengzhi's mind. "Very well, young friend. But one wisp of Tier-One Faith Power is only enough to restore me for two hours. We must make this quick."

After the Earth Deity exerted his Faith Power with all his might, two excellent choices soon appeared. The first was a group of Earth Mystic Tortoises beside a stream in the northern part of Soul Hunting Forest. They lay quietly along the bank like indestructible fortresses, their shells gleaming with a mysterious earthen-yellow light. The second was a herd of Earth Azure Bulls to the north-northwest. They were massive and powerfully muscled, like incarnations of the earth's strength.

Both types of soul beasts stood among the finest earth-attributed soul beasts, and the Earth Deity was greatly pleased with them. Earth Mystic Tortoises were renowned for their astonishing defenses and modest water-element abilities, while Earth Azure Bulls were powerful creatures capable of both attack and defense.

"Young friend, in my view, you may invite even more powerful water-attributed deities in the future. Compared to them, the Earth Mystic Tortoise's insignificant water element will seem rather negligible." The Earth Deity's voice boomed through Gu Hengzhi's sea of consciousness.

Gu Hengzhi swallowed with difficulty, silently weighing his options. In the end, he made up his mind and said with firm eyes, "Alright, then we'll go find the Earth Azure Bulls!"

With the Earth Deity's assistance, Gu Hengzhi sped away like a gale, moving at a staggering pace. Before long, he arrived at the Earth Azure Bull herd's habitat.

Earth Azure Bulls liked to graze in herds. There were more than twenty bulls in this herd, huddled tightly together like an immovable mountain. Several of them were three or four hundred years old, their bodies as hard as steel and their horns glinting sharply. The herd leader had six distinct rings on its horns, signifying that it was a powerful soul beast with more than six hundred years of cultivation.

"Senior Earth Deity, I think that herd leader is my target! I believe that as long as I keep nourishing my body with spiritual herbs over this year, absorbing its six-hundred-year Soul Ring shouldn't be a problem!" Gu Hengzhi's voice brimmed with excitement and anticipation, as though he could already see his strength soaring.

"Do not rush, young friend. That herd leader's six-hundred-plus years of cultivation are indeed the limit for your first Soul Ring, but this old man has discovered an even better choice." The Earth Deity's voice echoed through the air as his spiritual power, like an invisible finger, precisely indicated the target.

This bull was enormous, its muscles as hard as steel. Its entire body was azure and shimmered with a mysterious glow. Its eyes resembled burning flames, bright and spirited, radiating majesty and dominance. Its pair of horns were thick and long, bearing only two rings, while the third had only just begun to emerge, as though they contained limitless power.

"But this bull has only a little over two hundred years of cultivation!" A trace of confusion appeared in the youth's eyes.

"Young friend, do not underestimate it just because its cultivation is low. Its true strength lies in a mutation of its bloodline. With proper guidance, becoming a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in this world is practically certain. Therefore, this old man has an impertinent request: I hope you will allow me to expend some of my origin power to preserve its soul, so it may become my spiritual pet mount." The Earth Deity's tone carried a note of earnestness.

"So that's how it is! Since you wish to take it as a mount, Senior, I see no reason not to. Our first priority is to drive it away from the herd. I'll need you to act." Gu Hengzhi bowed once more toward the Earth Deity's portrait within his sea of consciousness.

"This is not difficult. Its intelligence has yet to awaken, so this old man will lure it out with spiritual power." A streak of white light flew from Gu Hengzhi's sea of consciousness and drifted unsteadily toward the azure bull. Strangely, not a single bull in the herd noticed it. Before long, the azure bull walked straight out of the herd as though bewitched. By the time it gradually came to its senses, it was already several kilometers away from the herd.

The azure bull was about to turn back when a figure appeared before it like a ghost, blocking its path. "Martial Soul—Earth Deity Stone Statue!" Gu Hengzhi shouted softly. At his cry, an Earth Deity Stone Statue instantly appeared before him, with a phantom flickering in and out of view above it.

"Moo!" The azure bull let out an enraged bellow. Its forehooves repeatedly stamped the ground, veins bulging across its body like coiling dragons. Its eyes were bloodshot, filled with warning and the intent to gather strength.

The Earth Deity refused to be outdone. With a light flick of his finger, vast amounts of dust swirled into the air like a whirlwind, gradually condensing into several Earth Balls more than half a meter in diameter. The stone statue also began to shake violently, continuously drawing power from the Earth Vein.

Seeing that the threat was ineffective, the azure bull kicked off fiercely with its hind legs. Its horns pressed forward like sharp swords as it charged straight at Gu Hengzhi like a rushing war chariot. Seeing this, the Earth Deity waved both hands again, sending four or five Earth Balls crashing toward the azure bull like cannonballs.

However, contrary to expectations of an instant kill, the azure bull was extraordinarily agile, dodging three Earth Balls in succession. Of the remaining two, one grazed its hind leg, while the other was smashed apart directly by its horns.

"Good, good, good! As this old man's first opponent in this world, you do have some skill!" The Earth Deity laughed loudly and cast a mysterious technique onto the azure bull's path. "Earthfall Technique!"

The azure bull's speed suddenly slowed, yet it was still swift as lightning. Just as it neared the stone statue, earthen walls rose one after another like shoots after rain, blocking the path between them. The azure bull smashed through three walls in a row before finally stopping and beginning to gather strength for a second charge.

"Young friend, lend me your body!" The Earth Deity's phantom overlapped with Gu Hengzhi's body. He shouted, "Earth's Protective Body—Great! Desolate! Heaven! Imprisoning! Finger!"

He thrust out one finger, meeting the charging azure bull head-on. In an instant, an immense pressure descended like Mount Tai crushing an egg, carrying incomparable force as it viciously struck toward the azure bull's crown.

"Moo—" Accompanied by a long, mournful bellow, the azure bull seemed to have been struck by lightning. It fell straight backward and could no longer rise.