Dawn.
Star Dou Great Forest.
Deep within the Mixed Zone.
Quan Batian walked at the very front.
The Destruction Dragon Spear lay across before him.
Its tip dragged along the ground, carving a shallow trail.
Quan Cangtian walked in the middle of the group.
Abundance Power radiated outward.
A pale green barrier enveloped his entire body.
Huo Yuhao followed behind him.
His Spirit Eye was open, scanning the surroundings.
Zixiao walked half a step beside Quan Cangtian.
Her right hand rested on the hilt of the Thunder Light Sword.
Xiao Xiao and Wang Dong walked side by side at the rear.
Wang Dong's Light Goddess Butterfly Martial Soul emerged.
Its wings fluttered faintly.
Xiao Xiao's Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron floated behind her.
Three cauldrons formed a triangle.
Quan Batian did not turn around.
"The depths are different from the outskirts."
He paused for two seconds.
"The Soul Beasts here can think."
Another pause.
"Don't die."
Huo Yuhao swallowed.
Wang Dong glanced at him.
She said nothing.
Deep within the dense forest.
The light dimmed.
The canopy blocked out the sky.
Quan Cangtian suddenly stopped.
His left hand pressed against his temple.
Abundance Power surged within his body.
He sensed it.
A mental fluctuation.
It was approaching.
Zixiao stopped at the same time.
Zixiao Divine Thunder flickered in her palm.
She looked at Quan Cangtian.
"It's here?"
Quan Cangtian nodded.
"Mm."
Huo Yuhao's eyes turned pale.
His Spirit Eye activated on its own.
Mental Detection was fully unleashed.
Sweat beaded on his forehead.
"Mental-type... very strong."
He gritted his teeth.
"Far stronger than that one from before."
Zixiao scanned the surroundings.
"How far?"
More sweat appeared on Huo Yuhao's forehead.
"...It's moving."
"Very fast."
Xiao Xiao's Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron let out a hum.
She used the cauldron to suppress the mental interference.
Wang Dong's Light Goddess Butterfly Martial Soul emerged uncontrollably.
She fought against the mental corrosion.
Quan Cangtian spoke softly.
"It's here."
Deep within the dense forest.
An eight-meter-tall Double-Headed Giant sat cross-legged on the ground.
Two heads.
Each head had one vertical eye.
Golden markings covered its foreheads.
The mark of a bloodline awakening.
It was watching them.
Of its two vertical eyes, one was gold and one was silver.
Quan Batian pointed the Destruction Dragon Spear.
The pressure of a level ninety-nine powerhouse descended.
The giant could not move.
It tried to stand.
But its body was pinned down by the pressure.
It could not move.
Quan Cangtian stepped forward.
Abundance Power condensed into green chains.
They wrapped around the giant's limbs.
The chains tightened.
The giant was restrained.
Zixiao drew her sword.
Zixiao Divine Thunder transformed into lightning serpents.
They shot toward the giant's two vertical eyes.
The lightning serpents coiled around its eyes.
Preventing it from launching mental attacks.
Huo Yuhao gripped the Spirit-Devouring Silver Knife.
His Spirit Eye was fully open.
He locked onto the giant's position.
Xiao Xiao and Wang Dong kept watch around the perimeter.
They prevented other Soul Beasts from approaching.
Quan Batian spoke quietly.
"Hurry. It won't hold for long."
Quan Cangtian did not look back.
"It's protected."
Huo Yuhao rushed forward.
The Spirit-Devouring Silver Knife stabbed toward the giant's left eye.
A silver-white blade flash streaked forth.
It pierced the golden vertical eye.
The giant screamed.
Mental fluctuations went berserk.
Quan Cangtian shouted.
"Yuhao! Now!"
Huo Yuhao pulled out the knife.
Then stabbed again.
It pierced the silver vertical eye.
The silver vertical eye was punctured.
The giant screamed, and both vertical eyes lost their light at once.
Its body swayed.
Then fell.
The ground shook.
It was dead.
Quan Batian withdrew his pressure.
A Soul Ring emerged.
A purple Soul Ring.
Six thousand years.
Quan Batian looked at Huo Yuhao.
"Absorb it."
Huo Yuhao sat down cross-legged.
The purple Soul Ring settled around him.
Quan Cangtian unleashed Abundance Power at full force.
Green light enveloped Huo Yuhao's entire body.
Protecting his meridians.
Sweat covered his forehead.
His face began to pale.
The energy of a six-thousand-year Soul Ring was too powerful.
Abundance Power was being consumed rapidly.
Quan Batian stood at the perimeter.
The Destruction Dragon Spear was planted in the ground.
The pressure of a level ninety-nine powerhouse spread outward.
Preventing any Soul Beast from approaching.
Zixiao stood beside Quan Cangtian.
The Thunder Light Sword lay across her knees.
She said nothing.
But she gripped the Thunder Light Sword tightly.
Xiao Xiao and Wang Dong stood guard around the perimeter.
The Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron and Light Goddess Butterfly were ready to respond to any sudden situation.
Quan Batian stood in the distance.
He spoke softly.
"Hold on."
Quan Cangtian did not look back.
His voice was hoarse.
"It's protected."
Zixiao said nothing.
But her gaze remained fixed on Quan Cangtian's face.
Huo Yuhao's process of absorbing the Soul Ring was exceedingly painful.
But he did not cry out.
His Spirit Eye glowed with purple light.
His spiritual power gradually stabilized amid the rampage.
Huo Yuhao opened his eyes.
A flash of purple light crossed his Spirit Eye.
He stood up.
He clenched his fist.
His spiritual power spread outward.
All the Soul Beasts within ten meters froze.
The low-level Soul Beasts fainted outright.
He withdrew his spiritual power.
He looked at Quan Cangtian.
"Level thirty-three."
Quan Cangtian withdrew the Abundance Power.
His face was pale.
Zixiao immediately supported him.
Quan Cangtian waved his hand.
"I'm fine."
Huo Yuhao looked at Quan Cangtian.
His expression was complicated.
"Thanks."
Quan Cangtian said nothing.
He merely nodded.
Zixiao shot Huo Yuhao a glare.
She said nothing.
Quan Batian walked over.
He glanced at Quan Cangtian.
He said nothing.
But he reached out.
And patted Quan Cangtian's shoulder.
That was acknowledgment.
Evening came.
The campfire was lit.
Quan Cangtian sat beside the fire.
Green light flickered at his fingertips.
He was recovering his Soul Power.
Zixiao sat to his left.
She rested with her eyes closed.
Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong sat across from the fire.
Huo Yuhao was adapting to his new Soul Skill.
Xiao Xiao stood on the other side of the campfire.
Her gaze rested on Quan Cangtian.
She opened her mouth.
Then closed it again.
Quan Cangtian opened his eyes.
"Something wrong?"
Xiao Xiao did not look at him.
Her gaze shifted to the fire.
"Earlier... did I hold everyone back?"
Quan Cangtian did not answer immediately.
He watched the fire.
A few seconds passed.
"You did well keeping watch."
Xiao Xiao looked up at him.
"I mean... when that spiritual attack came, I reacted too slowly."
Quan Cangtian looked at her.
"You're only level eighteen. The spiritual aspect was never your strong suit."
Xiao Xiao bit her lower lip.
"But I want to become stronger."
Quan Cangtian looked at her.
He said nothing.
Xiao Xiao lowered her head.
"I know I can't compare to Sister Zixiao, or Wang Dong..."
Quan Cangtian interrupted her.
"Don't compare."
Xiao Xiao looked up.
Quan Cangtian watched the fire.
"Your cauldron can suppress souls, and your Xiao can control the battlefield. That is your path."
A pause.
"Don't walk someone else's path."
Xiao Xiao froze for a moment.
Then she nodded.
"...Mm."
Late at night.
At the edge of the camp.
Quan Batian stood there.
His back was to the campfire.
Quan Cangtian walked over.
He stood beside his grandfather.
Quan Batian did not turn around.
"We'll deal with the Dark Soul Cult after we return."
Quan Cangtian looked at him.
"They'll come again?"
"They will."
"Then why not now—"
Quan Batian interrupted him.
"Quick battle, quick resolution."
A pause.
"Your path does not lie with the Dark Soul Cult."
Quan Cangtian said nothing.
Quan Batian turned to look at him.
"We hunt Zixiao's fourth Soul Ring tomorrow."
Quan Cangtian nodded.
"Alright."
Dawn.
The sky had just begun to brighten.
The group packed up camp and set out.
Quan Batian walked at the very front.
The Destruction Dragon Spear was in his hand.
Quan Cangtian walked in the middle of the group.
The glow of Abundance Power around him was brighter than yesterday.
Huo Yuhao's Spirit Eye remained open.
He was adapting to his new Soul Skill.
Zixiao walked beside Quan Cangtian.
The Thunder Light Sword was drawn half an inch.
Xiao Xiao and Wang Dong walked side by side at the rear.
Without turning his head, Quan Batian spoke.
"The edge of the Core Zone."
A pause.
"Thunder Vein Sub-Dragon, twenty thousand years old."
Zixiao's eyes turned cold.
She said nothing.
Quan Cangtian looked at her.
"Are you ready?"
Zixiao nodded.
The Thunder Light Sword was fully drawn.
Her voice was cold.
"I've waited a long time."
At the edge of the Core Zone.
Quan Batian suddenly stopped.
The Destruction Dragon Spear struck the ground.
He turned to Quan Cangtian.
"They're here."
Quan Cangtian nodded.
The Abundance Power spread outward.
He sensed two presences.
One was the Thunder Vein Sub-Dragon.
It was at the edge of the Core Zone.
The other was the Dark Soul Cult.
They were approaching.
He looked at Zixiao.
"Do we hunt the Soul Ring first, or deal with the Dark Soul Cult first?"
Zixiao said nothing.
Her grip tightened around the Thunder Light Sword.
Quan Batian snorted coldly.
"Both."
He looked into the depths of the forest.
"Quick battle, quick resolution."
The Thunder Vein Sub-Dragon was waiting.
The Dark Soul Cult was waiting too.
This time, Quan Batian had no intention of letting them go.
[Joy Envoy Bullet Screen]: 6,000-year Bloodline Awakened Twin One-Eyed Giant King! Huo Yuhao reached level 33! Third Soul Skill "Soul Deterrence" acquired! Xiao Xiao: I want to become stronger! Quan Cangtian: Don't walk someone else's path! Dark Soul Cult: We're back! Quan Batian: Deal with them together!
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