Jiang Nannan

Time flew, and a year passed in the blink of an eye beneath the sun, moon, and stars.

At the edge of the core region of the Star Dou Great Forest.

A boy sat on the ground, looking as though he had stepped out of a fairy tale. His pure, snow-white hair was soft and flowing, as if kissed by moonlight. It shimmered faintly silver in the sunlight and fell casually over his forehead, partly concealing his brows and eyes and lending him an air of mystery. Most striking of all were his eyes, one gold and one red. His golden eye was like the brightest autumn sunshine, sparkling with a lively radiance as though it held endless treasures; his red eye resembled a burning flame, dancing with wildness and passion. The two colors complemented each other like different gemstones set into his exquisite face, making him look both noble and unique. Every movement radiated an innate handsomeness and charm that made him unforgettable at first sight. It was hard to imagine just how handsome he would become when he grew up.

At that moment, three black Soul Rings circled him, deep and mysterious.

Beside him, the Ice Empress stood with her foot on the corpse of a Two-Headed Bloodthirsty Bat. Worry filled her eyes as she gazed intently at the boy and sighed. "Was agreeing to let little Chen absorb this seventy-thousand-year Soul Ring really the right choice? This is no easy feat, after all."

Although Tian Chen's first two Soul Rings had also been ten-thousand-year rings, he had only absorbed them successfully because soul beasts from the Far North had sacrificed themselves, combined with his physique being stronger than an ordinary person's.

This Two-Headed Bloodthirsty Bat, however, was not only seventy thousand years old. As a mutated bloodthirsty bat, it also possessed a spiritual attribute. This trait meant that the soul-shaking effect of its Soul Ring could very well surpass those of other soul beasts at the same level.

While the Ice Empress worried about Tian Chen, he was locked in a fierce battle with the Two-Headed Bloodthirsty Bat's soul inside his sea of consciousness. The bat attacked him relentlessly, trying to tear him apart. Tian Chen erected a sturdy barrier with his spiritual power and tried to persuade it. "Two-Headed Bloodthirsty Bat, stop struggling! Become my Soul Ring, and I'll revive you once I become a god."

The Two-Headed Bloodthirsty Bat seemed deaf to Tian Chen's words. It suddenly raised both heads and let out a furious roar that shook heaven and earth. The roar carried not only boundless ferocity and killing intent but also an invisible spiritual shock that struck deep into Tian Chen's soul, making the surrounding air tremble.

Looking at the Two-Headed Bloodthirsty Bat, Tian Chen sighed softly and said with a hint of resignation, "Since we can't reach an agreement, there's no point talking."

Tian Chen slowly extended a finger. Terrifying Blood-red Thunder rapidly gathered upon it, then shot out.

The bolt moved too quickly to follow, beyond even the limits of the naked eye, as though the very laws of heaven and earth had been warped by the strike. Before the Two-Headed Bloodthirsty Bat could react, it was hit. Its massive body slammed into the ground with a deafening crash. The thunder's power not only destroyed its bodily tissues but swiftly eroded its remaining vitality, plunging it into unprecedented pain and despair.

After releasing the bolt, Tian Chen slowly sat cross-legged on the ground. Countless blood-red arcs of lightning surged around him, as though he held the most violent power in heaven and earth within his palm. At the same time, an enormous blood-red figure appeared behind him, its overwhelming aura seemingly capable of tearing the heavens apart and shaking the earth. This power filled the Two-Headed Bloodthirsty Bat with crushing terror from the depths of its soul—the awe and helplessness that arose only in the presence of a truly supreme being.

He then slowly extended his hand, and the blood-red figure mirrored his movement as though responding to him. The Two-Headed Bloodthirsty Bat was effortlessly caught in his grasp like an insect.

Caught in Tian Chen's hand, the Two-Headed Bloodthirsty Bat struggled endlessly, trying to escape his control. Yet both its strength and its resistance were insignificant before him.

"I tried reasoning with you at first because I wanted to spare you some suffering. But that doesn't mean I was afraid of you. Did you really think I couldn't handle you?" Tian Chen smiled faintly. If he truly wanted to destroy this soul, it would take no effort at all. A Dou Di stood above all things in heaven and earth, and everything was suppressed in their presence. In a sense, Tian Chen himself was an independent world, which was precisely why he could release the origin power of heaven and earth on his own.

"Since you insist on refusing to submit, I'm sorry." With that, Tian Chen crushed its soul.

Meanwhile, as the soul fused with him, Tian Chen's third black Soul Ring finally stabilized, fitting perfectly with his other two rings.

Tian Chen slowly rose, feeling the surging power within him. He opened his eyes, and a trace of resolve flashed through his gold and red pupils. He knew he had taken another step toward his goal of saving the Soul Beast Clan and bringing his two elder sisters with him to ascend to the Divine Realm.

He clenched his fists and said with some frustration, "My cultivation speed keeps dropping more and more. Given the energy level of Blood Demon Heart-devouring Thunder, cultivating in this world really is rather difficult."

Beside him, the Ice Empress watched his transformation with both relief and concern. She was relieved that Tian Chen's strength had made another qualitative leap, but worried that absorbing such an old Soul Ring might have hidden consequences for him. Still, seeing his confident gaze, she gradually relaxed.

Tian Chen turned and gave the Ice Empress a small smile. "Sister Ice, don't worry. I'm fine. This Two-Headed Bloodthirsty Bat wasn't enough to stump me. Not only did I get the soul skill I wanted, but my Soul Power also reached rank thirty-three." He lightly clapped his hands to show that everything had gone smoothly.

The Ice Empress nodded, a faint smile appearing on her face. "Little Chen, you're always full of surprises, but don't make us worry like this again."

Tian Chen nodded earnestly at her words. "Sister Ice, we've accomplished what we came here for. Since that's settled, let's return to the Far North as soon as possible! We shouldn't keep Sister Snow waiting."

The Ice Empress gave a slight nod of agreement.

The two quickly set off. On the way back, Tian Chen made full use of Three Thousand Thunder Movement, channeling Soul Power into his legs and using the power of lightning to greatly increase his speed, as though he had become a bolt flashing through the wind and snow.

Since Tian Chen's Blood Emperor Body already possessed a lightning attribute, he did not need to strengthen his body by tempering it with lightning as Xiao Yan had in Battle Through the Heavens. This innate advantage allowed Tian Chen to cultivate the technique directly through his Blood Emperor Body's lightning properties.

Over the past two years, he had successfully trained this movement technique to the Thunder Flash stage, leaving him just one step away from its highest stage, Three Thousand Thunder. He understood the importance and practical value of this high-level Earth-tier movement technique, so he had never slacked off in his training.

After three days of travel, Tian Chen and the Ice Empress decided to take a short break at an unremarkable little tavern in the Dou Ling Empire. They expected to reach the Far North the next day.

Tian Chen was stuffing a chicken drumstick into his mouth. Traveling and cultivating at the same time had worn him out, so he was taking this opportunity to replenish his energy.

Just then, a conversation behind him caught Tian Chen's attention.

"Hey! Have you heard? They've found the person the Xuanming Sect was looking for."

"Really? I heard the Xuanming Sect's young master, Xu Sanshi, is incredibly picky. None of those beauties in Lingdou City caught his eye before, so just how stunning must this one be?"

"To tell you the truth, I happened to see her once. That figure, that face—slurp. Just thinking about her gets me excited," a sleazy-looking middle-aged man said, swallowing his saliva.

At those words, Tian Chen's expression shifted, and a name flashed through his mind.

"Jiang Nannan!"