Soul Bone and Spirit Cat

The last of the Thunder Prison's power faded, and the restless Thunderclap Soul Power in the forest finally fell still.

Yu Tianheng slowly rose. Four Soul Rings circled him, lighting up one after another: yellow, yellow, purple, and black. The Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring shone brilliantly.

After sensing the Dragon King's aura and overcoming the Thunder Prison Flood Dragon's spiritual backlash, his Martial Soul had transformed into a Thunder True Dragon. His aura had changed completely, carrying the oppressive might of a True Dragon. The blue lightning that once surrounded him had deepened into a purple-gold glow, and his vast, weighty draconic presence far surpassed that of an ordinary level-forty Soul Ancestor.

"How do you feel, Tianheng?" Dugu Yan asked with concern.

Seeing how worried she was, Yu Tianheng smiled faintly. "I'm fine. Here, let me show you my new fourth soul skill."

He thrust up his right arm, unleashing the Soul Power of the ten-thousand-year Thunder Prison Flood Dragon within him.

Purple-gold lightning gathered around his right fist. The phantom of a miniature Thunder True Dragon formed before it, its faint roar echoing through the forest.

"Fourth soul skill: Thunder Prison True Dragon World-Destroying Strike!"

The Thunder True Dragon phantom shot forward and slammed into a massive cliff face in the distance. A deafening explosion erupted. Lightning patterns crisscrossed the rock as shattered stone flew everywhere, and great slabs broke apart under the impact. The Thunder Prison Domain spread outward, while residual sparks still crackled across the cliff.

Everyone stared, shaken. Yu Feng clicked his tongue. "That's far beyond the power of an ordinary Soul King."

Then he looked toward the flood dragon's corpse. "Look. What's that?" As a Windhawk Martial Soul user, he had excellent eyesight. Everyone followed his gaze.

Between the plates of bone armor over the flood dragon's chest lay a solid, translucent purple-gold bone etched with natural lightning patterns. It glowed faintly, its power contained but immense.

"A Soul Bone!" Dugu Yan cried. "Oh my god, Tianheng, a Soul Bone!"

Yu Tianheng stepped forward, took it out, and examined it closely. "It's a right arm bone."

The others urged him, "Absorb it now. It's a perfect match for your Martial Soul."

Yu Tianheng did not stand on ceremony. He carefully picked up the warm, heavy Thunder Prison Thunder Right Arm Bone. It burned in his hand, its lightning power both gentle and domineering. An exceptionally pure lightning essence surged through his palm and into his meridians.

Without further hesitation, he sat cross-legged and guided his Soul Power into the bone. After only a few breaths, it flashed faintly and fused completely with his right arm.

Pale purple-gold draconic lightning patterns appeared beneath his skin. Fiercer, denser lightning power filled his entire right arm, sharply increasing his control over it.

He said, "True Dragon Thunder Prison Charge. It channels the power of a Thunder True Dragon into a devastating lightning charge. Its draconic pressure can tear through defenses, and a hit briefly creates a Thunder Prison that traps the target."

"Lucky me. It gave me a powerful skill."

Everyone crowded around to inspect the faint lightning patterns on Yu Tianheng's right arm, envy filling their hearts. Soul Bones were so rare that an ordinary Soul Master might never obtain one in an entire lifetime.

After a short rest, they continued wandering through the Star Dou Great Forest.

Yu Tianheng had successfully advanced to Soul Ancestor, while Zhu Zhuqing's Soul Power had reached level thirty. She needed only a suitable third Soul Ring, but they had yet to find the right Soul Beast.

"Let's look specifically for a fast, shadow-type feline Soul Beast suited to her Nether Civet Martial Soul," Jiang Baiyu said. "Then she can get her third Soul Ring."

Everyone nodded and set off.

The group moved slowly through the dense forest deep in the Star Dou Great Forest's middle region. Ancient Trees blocked the sky, their shadows overlapping. The dark, quiet surroundings were ideal habitat for shadow-type Soul Beasts.

To widen their search, Yu Feng flew high above the trees.

His Windhawk Martial Soul spread its wings, and green wind-aspected Soul Power held him aloft. From his vantage point, he could survey a hundred-meter stretch of forest. He searched every shadowed thicket and hidden hollow for traces of a Soul Beast suited to Zhu Zhuqing.

Zhu Zhuqing walked along the group's flank, her movements light and controlled, her aura tightly restrained. The phantom of her Nether Civet Martial Soul flickered behind her. Quiet and steady, she waited patiently for her chance.

They traveled for a long while without a clear direction. The forest was silent save for the soft rustle of leaves in the wind. Suddenly, Yu Feng stopped in midair and called down in a low voice:

"Straight ahead, in the thick undergrowth! A Soul Beast's coming. It's fast, and it's no young one."

Everyone stopped at once, alert, and quickly took up fighting positions.

Zhu Zhuqing's eyes lit up. Her Nether Civet Martial Soul trembled within her as a powerful resonance stirred deep in her blood.

The group drew together and edged toward the dense bushes.

The shadows among the leaves warped, and a pitch-black figure leaped out without a sound, landing on a thick branch.

The Soul Beast's fur was black enough to swallow the light around it. Its long, powerful limbs were lined with taut muscle, and its sharp claws gleamed coldly. Deep violet Vertical Pupils watched them through wisps of dark mist. It moved without a sound, every part of it radiating the vicious caution of a speed-type Soul Beast.

Perched above them, it fixed its gaze on the intruders. Its back arched, ready to strike at any moment.

"A Hell Spirit Cat! A thirty-eight-hundred-year-old Hell Spirit Cat!" Dugu Yan exclaimed in delight.

Zhu Zhuqing's eyes shone just as brightly. A Hell Spirit Cat was the Soul Beast best suited to her Martial Soul, but they were rare and hard to find. How could she not be excited to encounter one so suitable?

"Don't charge in blindly," Jiang Baiyu warned. "It's too fast. If it slips away, we'll lose it."

Yu Feng struck first. His Windhawk Martial Soul took possession of him, and the wings on his back flared with light. "Third soul skill: Wind Blades! Fourth soul skill: Cloudflow Wind-Splitting Slash!"

Dozens of green wind blades whistled out, crossing one another to seal off every escape route.

The Hell Spirit Cat reacted instantly. Like a phantom, it twisted and darted between the blades, its black body blurring as it dodged most of the attack. Using the trees' shadows for cover, it lunged toward the ground.

Osler burst from the shadows. Shadow-aspected Soul Power surged as he slashed out with his claws, trying to stop its advance. But the Hell Spirit Cat's movements were too elusive. It slid sideways past his attack, its claws scoring deep furrows in the earth.

Dugu Yan raised a hand and released a cloud of green poison mist, hoping to restrict its movement.

But the Hell Spirit Cat sensed the Poison and immediately changed direction, avoiding the mist.

Zhu Zhuqing's gaze remained calm. As her Nether Civet Martial Soul took possession of her, she tapped a foot against the ground and became a dark blur, meeting the Soul Beast head-on.

They flashed past each other, claws clashing with sharp metallic rings. Both possessed the speed of a Hell Spirit Cat; only streaks of black could be seen darting through the forest.

The thirty-eight-hundred-year-old Hell Spirit Cat instinctively tried to overwhelm its opponent with speed. But Zhu Zhuqing's Martial Soul Origin was the same as its own, allowing her to anticipate its moves with uncanny precision. After a brief struggle failed to give it the upper hand, the cat decided to retreat and turned to flee into the forest.

"Don't let it escape!" Yu Tianheng shouted when he saw what it intended. Lightning surged around his right arm, and Thunderclap Soul Power spread out, sealing off a broad stretch of forest.

Trapped, the Hell Spirit Cat snarled in agitation. A crescent mark flashed on its brow, and it split into three cats that darted in different directions.

The others hurried to intercept them. As a creature favored by the moon, the Hell Spirit Cat possessed a unique clone skill: if one clone escaped, it could swap places with its true body. It was a troublesome ability.

With the group blocking every path, the Hell Spirit Cat had no choice but to return to a single body. It lunged at Zhu Zhuqing.

But now it had enemies on every side, leaving itself exposed.

Zhu Zhuqing seized that fleeting opening. Driving all her Soul Power into her claws, she gathered nether power and slashed at the cat's vital spot.

Slash.

Her Soul Power claws pierced flesh. The Hell Spirit Cat's large body shuddered and crashed to the ground. After a few spasms, it lay still.

A Soul Ring glowing dark violet and threaded with faint silver moonlight slowly rose above the corpse.

Breathing a little hard, sweat beading on her brow, Zhu Zhuqing looked at the ring. Once she had steadied her breath, she sat beneath it and closed her eyes to focus.

Dense violet mist and pale silver moonlight poured from the Soul Ring into every part of her body. Its Soul Power brimmed with nether attributes, along with a strange power connected to the moon and to a space all its own.

Zhu Zhuqing gritted her teeth and absorbed the Soul Ring faster.

The others formed a circle around her, keeping close watch for Soul Beasts that might disturb her. Ye Lingling kept her Nine-Hearted Begonia Soul Power ready, prepared to protect Zhu Zhuqing at any moment.

Time passed. Half an hour went by.

The violet mist and moonlight around Zhu Zhuqing gradually faded. Three Soul Rings circled her: yellow, yellow, and purple.

The aura of a level-thirty Soul Elder surged outward. She slowly opened her eyes, a faint glimmer of violet and silver crossing them. At the same time, a pale crescent mark appeared on her brow.

"I did it." Zhu Zhuqing rose and flexed her limbs. The phantom of her Nether Civet Martial Soul stretched behind her, far stronger than before, with a trace of lunar power now woven into it.

On closer inspection, her Martial Soul seemed more agile than before. A silver crescent mark had appeared on its brow as well.