Hunting Spirit Rings, Hundred-Year Rock Boar

"This time, our target is a Hundred-Year Soul Beast."

Walking along the narrow paths of the Soul Hunting Forest, the tall, thin man at the front probed the unfamiliar underbrush as he spoke to the people behind him.

"Since this is for a First Spirit Ring, even if it's a Hundred-Year Soul Beast, we should choose one with the lowest possible age to avoid accidents. Stay sharp, everyone. Keep looking."

By common understanding on the Douluo Continent, choosing a Hundred-Year Spirit Ring as one's First Spirit Ring was already extremely risky. For children with weak Martial Souls and bodies that had not undergone sufficient tempering, even an ordinary Hundred-Year Spirit Ring was the limit they could endure.

As for Xiao San from the original story, without the Mysterious Heaven Skill to refine it, his malnourished little body probably could not have withstood even an ordinary Hundred-Year Spirit Ring.

First Spirit Rings of two or three hundred years were indeed an unattainable dream for commoner Soul Masters.

Following the group, Lin Yue examined the composition of this beast-spirit team and made a rough assessment.

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 many years of cultivation, there would be no problem.

"Watch your steps. Don't enter the inner region of the Soul Hunting Forest. No matter what Soul Beast we encounter, if it's a hundred years old, take it down, then 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.

Though 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 badly.

"Xiaoqi, go scout from the trees."

"Okay."

The one who answered and stepped out from the group was a woman, and the Skeleton Mercenary Group's only female Soul Master. Dressed in tight leather armor, she nodded solemnly and leaped onto a branch in two steps.

Watching the two willow-leaf blades in her hands, Lin Yue understood.

Her Martial Soul was the Willow Leaf Twin Blades, with one white and one yellow Spirit Ring. She was an agility-type Soul Grandmaster.

"Report: I can't see any powerful Soul Beasts. They're all ten-year plant types. Should we continue deeper into the forest?"

"That's right!"

Unable to find a suitable target, Zhao Zhang stepped into the woods. With a wave of his hand, he was about to lead the team deeper into the Soul Hunting Forest when a tusk suddenly thrust out before him.

"Roar!!"

A massive creature the size of a small hill burst from the forest. Its huge crimson tusks flashed coldly as they slammed into Zhao Zhang, who was leading the way!

"Watch out! 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 only just reached a hundred years. Had it 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 phantom of a pangolin possessed his body.

One white and two yellow Spirit Rings appeared at once, revealing the strength of a Soul Elder!

"Martial Soul Possession, First Soul Skill, Bone Claw Rend!"

A steely gray glow immediately covered his already sharp, slender fingers. With one slash, they pierced deeply into the Hundred-Year Armored Rock Boar's skull!

Yet the rock boar's bones were astonishingly hard. The claws could not penetrate any deeper, leaving only five bloody holes.

"Roar!"

The injured rock boar struggled violently and leaped from the trees, its enormous body appearing before the group.

It was a massive Soul Beast over a meter tall, with tawny fur and armor seemingly cast from mud and stone covering its entire body.

Bristle-like mane protruded from the parts its armor could not cover. The rock boar's hill-like physique radiated immense pressure, and faint traces of dried blood seemed to cling to its sharp tusks.

"This is the one. Take it down quickly!"

Wiping the light scrape at his waist, Zhao Zhang gave the order, and the three Soul Grandmasters in the group all summoned their Martial Souls.

The Soul Grandmaster called Xiong Li charged forward first. His Martial Soul was a Black Bear nearly as large as he was.

The moment one white and one yellow Spirit Ring lit up, his body swelled several times over. White light from a Soul Skill gleamed on his claws as he slapped a paw toward the Armored Rock Boar's head.

The unsteady Soul Beast was struck hard by the bear paw and staggered.

"First Soul Skill, Pitfall!"

At the back of the group, the skinny man standing beside the boy waved his hand. A Beast Trap forged from refined iron appeared in his grasp, clearly his Martial Soul.

As his white Spirit Ring lit up, the Beast Trap landed beside the Armored Rock Boar. With a click, the sprung trap instantly snapped the Armored Rock Boar's front leg!

Roar!!

Howling 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 was here to obtain a Spirit Ring, protecting both the employer behind him and his control-type Soul Master teammate.

Lin Yue also completed Martial Soul Possession in an instant. Scarlet blood energy wrapped around his left arm, and with a flash of his yellow Spirit Ring, his speed surged dramatically.

In the next instant, he leaped past Xiong Li's body. The blood blade formed in his hand slashed down, and the Armored Rock Boar's proud tusk snapped apart 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!

Noticing 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 what an ordinary ten-year one 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 blocked all of the Armored Rock Boar's escape routes, forming a pincer attack with Xiong Li!

The enraged Armored Rock Boar was about to lower its body and charge when pain shot through the shattered bones in its front leg. Its digging motion froze, but the bloodlust in its eyes only intensified.

"Second Soul Skill, Savage Charge!"

Before the boar could catch its breath, Xiong Li spread his arms, and the Black Bear Martial Soul's Hundred-Year Spirit Ring flashed brightly!

Under the Soul Skill's effect, his body nearly became a solid rolling log as he charged straight at the boar!

With its leg restrained by the Beast Trap, the boar had no time to dodge. It was sent flying by the solid impact and smashed viciously into a tree trunk!

Its massive body flailed, but the successive heavy injuries made it impossible for the boar to stand.

Seizing the moment their prey lost balance, Liu Qi, standing on a branch, pounced upon the fallen Armored Rock Boar alongside Zhao Zhang. Countless bloody flashes of steel swept down 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 more air than it could breathe out.

"All right, Xiao Song. Go collect your first Hundred-Year Spirit Ring."

Shi Da, who had kept the Ironwood Shield raised before his employer, finally lowered his guard. He patted the boy on the shoulder and handed him a sharp little knife.

"Thank you, Uncle Shi!"

The boy thanked him with a smile, took the dagger, and hurried toward the nearly disemboweled, dying Armored Rock Boar.

As the sharp dagger pierced the boar's neck and eye sockets, several strikes finished off the already dying Soul Beast. Its legs twitched, and its final trace of life 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 delight as he immediately sat cross-legged and attempted to absorb it.

There was no compatibility to consider, nor any room for selection. Though his Martial Soul was merely a wooden stick, he could not be picky. If he found a Hundred-Year Spirit Ring, he absorbed it.

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 Lin Yue sighed inwardly, he lowered his gaze slightly. Then a notification sounded in his mind.

[Ding, successfully killed the Hundred-Year Soul Beast Armored Rock Boar. Battle concluded. Obtained 100 points.]

Even an ordinary Soul Beast like this could give him 100 points. That was not bad. If he wanted better rewards, he really needed to fight stronger Soul Beasts to have a chance...

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 look, Zhao Zhang smiled.

"You did well this time. Go carve up the Armored Rock Boar's corpse. Quite a few Soul Beast parts can be sold as materials for a good price. We'll split the money afterward."

Nodding slightly, Lin Yue took the dagger. He had only taken two steps when a furious shout accompanied by a bloody stench came from behind him.

"Brat, die!"