"This time, our target is a Hundred-Year Soul Beast."
Walking along a path through the Soul Hunting Forest, the tall, thin man at the front probed the unfamiliar undergrowth as he spoke to the people behind him.
"Since this is a First Spirit Ring, even if it's a Hundred-Year Soul Beast, we should try to pick one with a lower age. That'll prevent accidents. Everyone be careful and keep looking."
On the Douluo Continent, a Hundred-Year Spirit Ring as one's First Spirit Ring was already an extremely risky choice. For children with weak Martial Souls and bodies that had not undergone sufficient tempering, enduring an ordinary Hundred-Year Spirit Ring was already the limit.
As for Xiao San from the original story, without the Mysterious Heaven Skill refining it, his malnourished little body probably could not even withstand an ordinary Hundred-Year Spirit Ring.
First Spirit Rings of two hundred or three hundred years were indeed an extravagant hope for commoner Soul Masters.
Following the group, Lin Yue examined the composition of this beast-hunting squad and came to a rough estimate.
One Soul Elder, four Soul Grandmasters, and an eleven-year-old boy who had just reached the Soul Master realm and had yet to obtain a Spirit Ring.
Such a lineup should have been enough to kill an ordinary Hundred-Year Soul Beast. As long as they did not encounter one with too high an age, there would be no problem at all.
"Watch your steps. Don't enter the inner reaches of the Soul Hunting Forest. No matter what Soul Beast we find, as long as it's a hundred years old, take it down and leave as quickly as possible. Don't invite unnecessary trouble."
The speaker was Zhao Zhang, captain of the Skeleton Mercenary Group. At that moment, his tense gaze swept across every thicket.
Although the strongest Soul Beasts in the Soul Hunting Forest did not reach a thousand years, he had only recently broken through to Soul Elder. If they were surrounded by Soul Beasts, things could still go wrong.
"Xiaoqi, go scout from the trees."
"Okay."
The one who answered and stepped out of the group was a woman, also the Skeleton Mercenary Group's only female Soul Master. Dressed in tight leather, she nodded solemnly and leaped onto a branch in two steps.
Watching the pair of Willow Leaf Twin Blades in her hands, Lin Yue understood.
Her Martial Soul was the Willow Leaf Twin Blades, and she had one white and one yellow Spirit Ring. She was an Agility Attack Type Soul Grandmaster.
"Report: I can't see any powerful Soul Beasts. They're all ten-year plant types. Should we go deeper into the forest?"
"That's right!"
Unable to find a suitable target, Zhao Zhang stepped into the woods and waved his hand, about to lead the team deeper into the Soul Hunting Forest when a tusk suddenly stabbed out before him.
"Roar!!"
A gigantic beast the size of a small hill burst from the forest. Its enormous crimson-stained tusks flashed coldly as it rammed fiercely into Zhao Zhang, who was leading the way!
"Careful, it's a Hundred-Year Armored Rock Boar!"
The instant she saw the Soul Beast, Lin Xiaoqi leaped down from the branch and shouted a warning to everyone.
"Captain, are you all right?"
"Don't worry, I won't die. Shi Da, protect Xiao Song. Xiong Li, come help me!"
Caught off guard by the tusk's stab, Zhao Zhang could only be grateful that this Soul Beast had just reached a hundred years. If it had been a stronger Soul Beast, he would not even have had time to react before dying on the spot!
As his orders were rapidly issued, a phantom flashed behind Zhao Zhang. The shadow of a pangolin fused into his body.
One white and two yellow Spirit Rings appeared instantly—Soul Elder-level strength!
"Martial Soul Possession, First Soul Skill, Bone Claw Rend!"
A steel-gray gleam immediately coated his already sharp, slender fingers. With one slashing strike, they pierced deeply into the Hundred-Year Armored Rock Boar's skull!
But the rock boar's bones were astonishingly hard. His claws could not penetrate any farther, leaving only five bloody holes.
"Roar!"
The pained rock boar struggled violently and sprang out from the trees, its enormous body appearing before the group.
It was a gigantic Soul Beast over a meter tall, with tawny fur and an armor of hardened mudstone covering its entire body.
Bristles like steel needles protruded from the areas its armor did not cover. Its hill-like body radiated oppressive strength, and its sharp tusks seemed to still bear traces of dried blood.
"This is the one. Move quickly and take it down!"
Wiping the slight scrape at his waist, Zhao Zhang gave the order. The three Soul Grandmasters in the team all summoned their Martial Souls.
The Soul Grandmaster called Xiong Li was the first to charge forward. His Martial Soul was a black bear nearly as large as he was.
The instant his white and yellow Spirit Rings lit up, his body swelled several sizes. A white glow from his Soul Skill flashed over his claws as he swung one at the Armored Rock Boar's head.
Struck hard by the bear paw before it could steady itself, the Soul Beast staggered.
"First Soul Skill, Pitfall!"
At the back of the team, the small, thin man standing beside the boy waved his hand. A Beast Trap forged of refined iron appeared in his grasp—it was clearly his Martial Soul.
As his white Spirit Ring lit up, he threw the Beast Trap beside the Armored Rock Boar. With a click, the sprung trap instantly snapped the Armored Rock Boar's front leg!
Roar!!
Roaring in pain, the Armored Rock Boar fixed its crimson eyes directly on the rear of the group.
Shi Da, holding the Ironwood Shield Martial Soul, stepped forward beside the child who had come to hunt a Spirit Ring, shielding the employer and his control-type Soul Master teammate behind him.
Lin Yue also completed his Martial Soul Possession in an instant. Scarlet blood energy wrapped around his left arm, and his yellow Spirit Ring flashed as his speed suddenly surged.
In the next moment, he crossed over Xiong Li's body. The blood blade condensed in his hand slashed down, and the Armored Rock Boar's prized tusk snapped instantly beneath the strike!
The Armored Rock Boar's strongest means of attack—the pair of tusks that had given countless Soul Masters headaches—was broken!
Sensing Lin Yue's combat strength, all five members of the Skeleton Mercenary Group narrowed their eyes in surprise.
This kind of destructive power was not something an ordinary Soul Master could possess. A Hundred-Year Spirit Ring truly was powerful; its Soul Skill was far beyond anything an ordinary ten-year ring could compare to!
"Good! Keep going!"
Seeing that the Armored Rock Boar's greatest threat had been removed, Zhao Zhang stepped forward. With a savage grin, he directly blocked all the Armored Rock Boar's escape routes, forming a pincer attack with Xiong Li!
Enraged, the Armored Rock Boar was about to lower its body and charge when intense pain shot through the shattered bones in its front leg. Its hoofing motion froze, but the bloodlust in its eyes only grew stronger.
"Second Soul Skill, Savage Charge!"
Before the boar could catch its breath, Xiong Li spread his arms, and the Hundred-Year Spirit Ring of his black bear Martial Soul flashed brightly!
Under the effect of the Soul Skill, his body practically turned into a solid rolling log as he crashed straight toward the boar!
Its leg was already restrained by the Beast Trap, leaving the boar no time to dodge. It was struck head-on and sent flying, smashing brutally into a tree trunk!
Its huge body thrashed, but the successive heavy blows made it impossible for the boar to rise.
Seizing the chance while the prey was off balance, Liu Qi, standing on a branch, pounced alongside Zhao Zhang toward the fallen Armored Rock Boar. Countless sharp, bloody flashes streaked past as they attacked the Soul Beast's chest and abdomen with all their strength.
Blood splattered everywhere. Under such a siege, the Hundred-Year Armored Rock Boar was soon at death's door, taking in far less air than it let out.
"All right, Xiao Song. Go collect your first Hundred-Year Spirit Ring."
Shi Da, who had kept the Ironwood Shield raised in front of the employer, finally lowered his guard. He patted the boy on the shoulder and handed him a sharp knife.
"Thank you, Uncle Shi!"
The boy thanked him with a smile, took the dagger, and hurried toward the Armored Rock Boar, which had nearly been disemboweled and was about to die.
As the sharp dagger stabbed into the boar's neck and eye sockets, the already dying Soul Beast finally breathed its last after several strikes. Its legs twitched, and its final vitality completely faded.
A pale yellow Spirit Ring, still tinged with white, slowly rose from the corpse. Yet it was enough to fill the dagger-wielding boy's face with joy as he immediately sat cross-legged and tried to absorb it.
There was no matter of compatibility, nor was there any room to choose. Even though his Martial Soul was merely a wooden stick, he could not afford to be picky. He would absorb whichever Hundred-Year Spirit Ring he caught.
Even so, it already surpassed the First Spirit Rings of every member of the mercenary group.
Perhaps this was the limit of a commoner Soul Master's First Spirit Ring.
As he sighed inwardly, Lin Yue lowered his gaze slightly, only for a notification to sound in his mind.
[Ding, successfully killed the Hundred-Year Soul Beast Armored Rock Boar. Battle concluded. Received 100 points.]
Even an ordinary Soul Beast like this could provide 100 points. That was not bad. If he wanted better rewards, he truly needed to fight stronger Soul Beasts...
Just as the young employer's expression gradually calmed and the Spirit Ring was about to enter his body, a dagger was suddenly extended toward Lin Yue.
Facing Lin Yue's slightly puzzled gaze, Zhao Zhang smiled.
"You did well this time. Go dissect the Armored Rock Boar's corpse. Quite a few Soul Beast parts can be sold as materials for a high price. We'll split the money afterward."
Nodding slightly, Lin Yue accepted the dagger. He had barely taken two steps when an explosive shout, carrying a bloody stench, came from behind him.
"Kid, die!"