Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring!!

Tang Feng listened quietly.

He neither urged Zhu Zhuqing to go home nor commented on the arranged marriage.

One's fate should ultimately be decided by oneself.

Zhu Zhuqing waited for a while, but received neither comfort nor further questions.

Instead, she relaxed somewhat.

"Don't you think I'm just looking for trouble?"

"You've already made your choice."

Tang Feng leaned against the stone wall by the cave entrance.

"What others think isn't important."

Zhu Zhuqing watched him.

Tang Feng looked even younger than she was.

Yet whether facing a seven-hundred-year Wind Wolf or a Three-Ring Soul Elder, he had never shown any panic.

Even after hearing about the Star Luo Zhu Family, he had merely accepted it calmly.

Zhu Zhuqing suddenly remembered the yellow Spirit Ring that had gradually faded away earlier.

"Did you come to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt soul beasts?"

"I need my second Spirit Ring."

A flicker of surprise crossed Zhu Zhuqing's eyes.

"You still don't have a second Spirit Ring?"

"No."

She thought of the Soul Elder strangled to death by vines and suddenly did not know how to judge him.

Someone without even a second Spirit Ring had killed a Three-Ring Soul Elder head-on.

Zhu Zhuqing lowered her gaze to her fully healed arm.

"I'll come with you."

Tang Feng looked at her.

"Your injuries haven't healed yet."

"My speed doesn't rely solely on Soul Power."

Zhu Zhuqing rose from the stone platform.

Her long legs exerted strength once more, and her light body was already able to maintain its balance.

"Consider it... repayment for saving my life."

Tang Feng studied her for a moment.

"If danger comes, take care of yourself first."

"Alright."

The two rested in the cave for the night.

By the following morning, the wound at Zhu Zhuqing's waist had completely scabbed over.

She changed out of her damaged black combat outfit and took out a clean set of clothes from her pack.

Tang Feng stood outside the cave with his back to the entrance.

A moment later, footsteps sounded behind him.

Zhu Zhuqing had changed back into a black combat outfit, her long hair tied behind her with a black ribbon.

The clothing clung to her slender figure, making it easier for her to move swiftly between the trees.

She walked to Tang Feng's side.

"We can leave now."

The two continued deeper into the Star Dou Great Forest.

The Life Blue Silver Emperor extended along the ground.

The surrounding Blue Silver Grass continuously relayed the locations and ages of soul beasts.

After entering the depths of the forest, the number of hundred-year soul beasts gradually increased.

Half an hour later, a patch of shrubs suddenly collapsed.

A Bloodfang Boar over three meters long charged out.

Two crimson tusks curved forward, while its thick back was covered in black-red spikes.

A six-hundred-year Bloodfang Boar!

Zhu Zhuqing immediately completed Martial Soul Possession.

Black cat ears appeared atop her head, while two yellow Spirit Rings circled her legs.

Just as she was about to charge out, Tang Feng shook his head.

"Not enough."

The Ruination Blue Silver Emperor burst from the ground.

Dark blue vines wove into a barrier before the Bloodfang Boar, forcing it to change the direction of its charge.

The two bypassed its territory and continued onward.

Around noon.

A five-hundred-year Turtle-Shell Rhinoceros blocked their path.

Its back was covered in turtle-shell-like scales, and its sturdy limbs gave it far greater defenses than soul beasts of the same age.

Tang Feng did not make a move.

Zhu Zhuqing tapped the ground with her toes, her body darting out in an instant.

The Turtle-Shell Rhinoceros lowered its head, its horn ramming toward her waist and abdomen.

Zhu Zhuqing leaped lightly, her toes stepping over the rhinoceros's head.

Her first Spirit Ring lit up.

"Hell Stab!"

Her speed suddenly surged.

Her cat claws avoided the hard back armor and struck the Turtle-Shell Rhinoceros's neck several times in succession.

Blood flowed from the gaps between its scales.

The Turtle-Shell Rhinoceros kept turning, yet it was never able to keep up with her movements.

After several exchanges, Zhu Zhuqing seized an opening and severed the vital point on the side of its neck with one swipe.

Its heavy body crashed to the ground.

A yellow Spirit Ring rose above the corpse.

Zhu Zhuqing steadied her breathing and looked at Tang Feng.

"This one had strong defenses."

Tang Feng still shook his head.

"The age is too low."

Zhu Zhuqing frowned.

"Your Soul Power Level isn't high. A thousand-year Spirit Ring is already your limit."

"My Blue Silver Grass can withstand it."

"How many years are you planning to absorb?"

Just as Tang Feng was about to answer, the Life Blue Silver Emperor suddenly sent a warning.

A black shadow flashed through the forest.

It was so fast that only fragmented afterimages remained.

A three-thousand-year Ghost Shadow Leopard!

Zhu Zhuqing immediately rushed out.

"Hell Stab!"

She transformed into a streak of black light, her cat claws shooting toward the Ghost Shadow Leopard's neck.

The Ghost Shadow Leopard twisted its body in midair and easily evaded the claws.

It did not tangle with Zhu Zhuqing. Its four paws stepped across tree trunks as it pounced directly toward Tang Feng behind her.

Its claws tore through the air, leaving only half a foot between them and Tang Feng's head and neck.

Tang Feng raised his left hand.

The Ruination Blue Silver Emperor spread out instantly!

Three vine nets rose simultaneously from the ground and behind ancient trees.

Boom!

The Ghost Shadow Leopard crashed into the first vine net, its claws shredding several vines.

Its killing pounce did not stop.

The second vine net was forcibly smashed apart as well.

At the instant before its claws descended, Tang Feng shifted half a step sideways, narrowly avoiding the most fatal spot.

Sharp claw tips grazed his shoulder.

His clothes tore, and a bloody gash appeared.

Tang Feng did not even furrow his brow.

The third vine net had already closed behind the Ghost Shadow Leopard.

Ruination vines bit into its flesh.

Serrated grass blades sliced through its fur, and dark purple corrosive power rapidly seeped into its flesh and blood.

[Vampiric Habit triggered!]

Strands of life force flowed back along his Martial Soul.

The wound on Tang Feng's shoulder quickly stopped bleeding, and the torn flesh began to heal under the ability of his soul bone.

The Ghost Shadow Leopard exerted force with all four limbs and shredded several vines in the blink of an eye.

More Ruination Blue Silver Emperor vines burst from underground.

The vines wrapped around its waist, abdomen, forelimbs, and hind legs, tightening layer upon layer.

The Ghost Shadow Leopard was soon bound into a massive dark blue vine cocoon.

Tang Feng steadied himself.

"Now!"

Zhu Zhuqing instantly appeared above the vine cocoon.

Her first Spirit Ring blossomed with yellow light.

"Hell Stab!"

Pfft!

Her cat claws passed through the gaps between the vines and pierced through the Ghost Shadow Leopard's skull.

The struggling vine cocoon gradually fell silent.

Purple motes drifted from the corpse and quickly condensed into a purple Spirit Ring.

Zhu Zhuqing landed beside Tang Feng.

She first looked at the Spirit Ring, then turned to Tang Feng's shoulder, where the bleeding had already stopped.

"What about your wound?"

"It's healed."

Tang Feng pulled up his torn collar, covering the faint mark left on his shoulder.

Zhu Zhuqing pressed her lips together.

Healing others was already rare enough.

Relying on damage dealt during battle to heal himself was even further beyond her understanding of plant Martial Souls.

"A three-thousand-year Ghost Shadow Leopard. Its speed and attack are both well suited for you."

Tang Feng stared at the purple Spirit Ring and fell silent for a moment.

"Three thousand years is still not enough."

Zhu Zhuqing abruptly raised her head.

"Don't tell me you want... a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring?"

"Yes."

"Absorbing a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring as your second Spirit Ring—do you know what the consequences will be?"

"I do."

Tang Feng looked toward the depths of the forest.

Through the senses sent by the Life Blue Silver Emperor, several powerful auras existed in the distance.

"I can sense it. There are stronger soul beasts over there."

Zhu Zhuqing looked at his profile.

She had originally thought Tang Feng only wanted to challenge a two- or three-thousand-year Spirit Ring.

Now, it seemed she had still underestimated his goal.

The purple Spirit Ring remained in the forest as it slowly faded away.

The two continued deeper.

After crossing a stream, the surrounding trees grew even taller.

Ordinary hundred-year soul beasts had become scarce.

Tang Feng suddenly stopped.

Within his life perception, two powerful auras were colliding ahead.

The surrounding Blue Silver Grass was flattened in swathes.

Large numbers of soul beasts were fleeing outward from that area.