First Spirit Ring, Top Candidate

The Wind-Rending Leopard lay on the ground, its right hind leg already broken.

It still tried to prop itself up, its front paws just gripping the earth before its body collapsed back into the fallen leaves, leaving only low, whistling gasps in its throat.

Lin Yue handed the short knife to Lu Yuan.

"Made up your mind?"

Lu Yuan glanced at the Wind-Rending Leopard on the ground.

"Three hundred odd years, both speed and burst fit well. What else is there to pick?"

"Alright."

Lin Yue pushed the knife forward a fraction.

"You have to do the last bit yourself. The spirit ring will only be yours then."

Lu Yuan reached out and took it.

The hilt still carried blood, feeling somewhat slippery in his grip.

Only when he truly walked up to the Wind-Rending Leopard did he realize that looking at it from a few paces away and standing right here were entirely different matters.

This creature was still alive.

Pale yellow eyes stared at him, its chest and abdomen still heaving, its muzzle covered in blood.

The hand with which Lu Yuan gripped the knife tightened involuntarily.

Lin Yue stood to the side without urging him.

"Below the cervical vertebrae, don't hack wildly."

Lu Yuan took a breath, and the blade fell.

The first strike failed to finish it off entirely.

The Wind-Rending Leopard struggled fiercely, its front claws scraping across the fallen leaves, and Lu Yuan instinctively stepped half a pace back.

The young Spirit Master nearby opened his mouth to speak, but caught Lin Yue's glance and shut it again.

"Again."

Lu Yuan approached once more.

The second strike landed.

The Wind-Rending Leopard's body twitched violently a few times before finally going still.

Pale yellow points of light slowly rose from the carcass, quickly condensing into a complete, intact spirit ring.

Lu Yuan handed the knife back, and just as he took two steps to the side, his stomach churned violently.

He steadied himself against a tree trunk, retching a few times as his face turned somewhat pale.

Lin Yue didn't laugh, tossing a water pouch over.

"Rinse your mouth first, don't rush to absorb the spirit ring."

Lu Yuan caught the water pouch, took a gulp, and spat it out to the side.

Once that wave of nausea was slightly suppressed, Lin Yue spoke up: "You were quite prompt when you warned me just now. Know what it's like to have shaking hands now?"

Lu Yuan wiped his mouth.

"Try it at six years old."

Lin Yue was startled for a moment, then laughed and cursed: "Still talking back, seems you're fine."

The few people nearby chuckled along as well.

The atmosphere eased, and Lu Yuan sat for a while longer until his hands stopped shaking before he returned to the side of the Wind-Rending Leopard's carcass.

The Dark Iron Spear appeared in his palm.

"Use your soul power to guide the spirit ring." Lin Yue squatted not far away. "Don't rush, steady yourself once the spirit ring enters your body. It's bound to hurt, moving around is what makes it troublesome."

Lu Yuan closed his eyes.

Soul power slowly poured into the Dark Iron Spear along his arm.

The yellow spirit ring suspended above trembled slightly, quickly being drawn over.

The moment the spirit ring dropped, a scorching surge of power rushed fiercely into his body.

Lu Yuan's shoulders and back immediately tightened.

That force drilled inward along his meridians, feeling like rows of heated fine needles, making even his fingers go numb.

He clenched his teeth, refusing to move indiscriminately.

The Dark Iron Spear lay horizontally across his knees, the shaft trembling continuously.

The yellow spirit ring slipped down bit by bit.

When the most agonizing wave passed, the rampaging soul power inside his body finally quieted down slowly.

The Dark Iron Spear suddenly emitted a light hum.

Lu Yuan opened his eyes.

A circle of yellow spirit ring had already stabilized.

Lin Yue walked over immediately.

"How is it?"

"Fine."

"What about the spirit skill?"

Lu Yuan stood up and grasped the Dark Iron Spear.

"Piercing Edge."

The few people nearby took the initiative to step back.

Lu Yuan found a small tree as thick as a bowl, and the first spirit ring at his feet lit up.

The moment soul power poured into his legs and the spear shaft, his entire body lunged forward fiercely.

The speed was even faster than he had anticipated.

He had originally aimed for the center of the tree trunk, but when he actually thrust the spear, he veered off to one side.

Crack!

The spear tip brushed past the trunk, a large chunk of bark and wood chips flying off together.

Lu Yuan was carried two steps forward by the momentum himself, nearly crashing into another tree nearby.

The back fell silent for a fraction of a moment.

The young Spirit Master who had been struck by the Blue-Patterned Python earlier couldn't help himself.

"What was this spirit skill called again?"

Lu Yuan looked back. "Piercing Edge."

"I reckon 'Tree Crasher' suits it pretty well too."

The group burst into laughter.

Lu Yuan lowered his head to glance at his own feet, offering no retort.

When he activated the spirit skill just now, his body had felt like it was shoved fiercely forward. The speed was fast enough; the problem was that he still couldn't control it.

Lin Yue walked over to the tree and touched the split wood.

"Don't just focus on being fast, try again."

Lu Yuan retreated once more.

This time, he first adjusted his grip on the spear, pressing his center of gravity a bit lower.

The yellow spirit ring lit up once more.

Piercing Edge activated.

Lu Yuan lunged out in a single step.

The speed was somewhat slower than the first time, but the spear tip landed steadily in the center of the trunk.

Bang!

The Dark Iron Spear pierced nearly two inches in, the surrounding wood cracking violently as several fine lines crawled all the way to the edge of the bark.

Lu Yuan pulled backward, and a large swath of wood chips fell away with it.

Lin Yue squatted down and took a look.

"Short-distance burst, just concentrate the force onto the spear tip."

He stood up, dusting the wood chips off his hands.

"This spirit skill is good."

Lu Yuan pulled the spear back.

"What about the recommendation quota?"

Lin Yue was stunned for a moment.

"Thinking about that right after getting your spirit ring?"

"You said it yourself, you'd fight for it for me once I got it."

The others chuckled again.

Lin Yue pointed at him and finally laughed as well.

"Fine, I said it."

He raised a foot and nudged the Wind-Rending Leopard's carcass.

"Gather the materials, back to the city. I'll write the account of today's trip myself."

On the way back, the team was noticeably much faster.

Once they left the Black Stone Forest, Lu Yuan finally relaxed for real.

Lin Yue was alive, and the spirit ring was in hand. As for that recommendation quota, he finally had the confidence to secure it now.

By the time the sun was about to set, the group returned to the Branch Hall.

Old Zhou was already waiting at the entrance.

Seeing the circle of yellow spirit ring at Lu Yuan's feet, he was momentarily stunned before his brows furrowed.

"Injured?"

"Took a spill."

"Where?"

"My back."

Old Zhou spun him around and looked him over twice, confirming that only his clothes were dirty before letting go.

Lin Yue said from the side, "Don't take him back yet, I need to see the Branch Master."

"Something happened?"

"Something happened, but the outcome isn't bad."

Half a quarter of an hour later, Lu Yuan stepped into the innermost room of the Branch Hall for the first time.

The Branch Master was a man in his fifties of modest build, sitting behind a desk and reading the Spirit Hunting Record Lin Yue had just written.

The room was very quiet.

Lu Yuan stood to the side, in no hurry to speak.

A page turned over.

The Branch Master raised his head.

"When the Wind-Rending Leopard ambushed, you spotted it first?"

"Yes."

"How did you spot it?"

"The leaves were moving differently."

"Just because of that, you dared to shout?"

Lu Yuan thought for a moment.

"If I shouted wrong, at worst I'd take a scolding from Uncle Lin. If I didn't shout and it turned out right, he might not even have the chance to scold me."

Lin Yue, standing nearby, coughed.

The Branch Master looked at Lu Yuan for a few moments, then lowered his head to scan that record from start to finish once more.

Afterward, he pulled a piece of paper from the corner of the desk.

It was the Candidate Ranking List for Spirit City recommendations this time around.

There was only a single name on it for now.

Shen Chuan.

Beneath it was noted a line of small script.

Inborn Soul Power rank nine, First Spirit Ring pending.

Lu Yuan glanced over it without making a sound.

The Branch Master picked up a pen and wrote two characters in the space left vacant above Shen Chuan's name.

Lu Yuan.

Shen Chuan, who had originally ranked at the very top, thus dropped a spot behind.

"Full inborn soul power, you certainly hold an advantage in soul power."

The Branch Master put down the pen.

"But sending someone to Spirit City doesn't mean just looking at how bright the crystal ball shines."

His fingertips tapped twice lightly on Lin Yue's Spirit Hunting Record.

"When encountering danger, you were able to spot things others missed first. When targeted by the Wind-Rending Leopard, you weren't scared into turning and running around blindly. You took your first spirit ring cleanly, and your spirit skill is suitable."

The Branch Master pressed the candidate list back down into the corner of the desk.

"All of this counts."

Lu Yuan lowered his head and took a look.

His own name was already ranked at the very top.

"The roster is sealed in three days."

The Branch Master picked up the official document on the desk again.

"In these three days, whoever is more suitable goes to Spirit City."

Only then did he raise his eyes to look at Lu Yuan.

"Right now, you are ranked first."