Although she found this a little absurd, Qian Renyue knew now was not the time to dwell on it. She could investigate her original body's background later; her top priority today was taking down this Netherworld Flower Emperor. "Little Phoenix, do you have any way to deal with this big flower?"
Since the Ice Crystal Phoenix was also a ten-thousand-year soul beast, Qian Renyue figured it probably had some ideas. Resources should be put to good use, after all, and she could not let this one go to waste.
"Not for now, Master. This soul beast is already fifty thousand years old. With your current strength, you can't take it down unless it chooses to acknowledge you as its master and willingly lets itself be killed, just like me. But Netherworld Flower Emperors generally have no independent consciousness. They only care whether they share a destined connection with the soul master who approaches them. Perhaps you could try using your blood, Master."
The Ice Crystal Phoenix offered the suggestion.
It had chosen to sacrifice itself because it had taken a fancy to Qian Renyue's bloodline. Perhaps the same method would work on the Netherworld Flower Emperor. Although it did not know exactly who its master was, she contained a considerable amount of soul power. Not only could it nourish the phoenix, but it could also nourish those two immortal herbs. Who wouldn't love that?
However, the Ice Crystal Phoenix would never tell Qian Renyue any of this. It knew very well that anyone who could serve as a vessel for such nourishment was no ordinary person. If it told her, she would probably keep agonizing over the matter. Rather than burden its master with needless worries, it was better to remain silent.
Of course, the Ice Crystal Phoenix had its own selfish motives, too.
"Blood?"
Qian Renyue said, "Using blood would only enrage this thing even more, wouldn't it? I remember the Soul Beast Encyclopedia saying that blood is the one thing this soul beast most hates to see. The moment it sees any, it flies into a rage. Though there is indeed one particularly special kind of blood that can make it lower its guard."
Qian Renyue blinked, but she was not a soul beast.
According to the book, only a soul beast's blood could make this big flower lower its guard and expose its weakness.
Seeing Qian Renyue hesitate, the Ice Crystal Phoenix offered another suggestion. "If you don't think that method will work, Master, we could give fighting it a try. But you must remember one thing: we're only testing the waters, not fighting to the death. Ordinary soul masters wouldn't come looking for this soul beast anyway. We can always come back once we're stronger."
The Ice Crystal Phoenix had no idea why Qian Renyue was so determined to kill this soul beast and could only earnestly try to talk sense into her. It did not want the nourishing vessel it had just found to kick the bucket like this. Besides, Little Phoenix had only just awakened and still had plenty of good days ahead. How could it let its master run off and become a fool who had no idea of her own limits?
"I know. Don't worry, I'm not that stupid."
"Ice Forge!"
Qian Renyue used her fusion soul skill, summoning a bow of ice.
She gripped the ice bow, the phoenix wings behind her beating steadily. Pure white snow suddenly began falling from the sky, making even Dugu Bo, perched on a distant branch, feel a chill.
"This little girl..."
Dugu Bo stared at Qian Renyue and rubbed his chin. For the first time in thirty years, he felt he had finally seen something that truly broadened his horizons.
White snow fluttered down, and frost crystals condensed in the air. Qian Renyue raised her bow and drew the string. The frost crystals transformed into ice arrows-one, two, three, four, five.
Five ice arrows rested on the bow. Qian Renyue stirred the flames in her hand and poured them into the arrows. Their shafts were instantly covered in alternating red and blue, flickering in the wind as they aimed at the sleeping Netherworld Flower Emperor.
Qian Renyue closed her left eye, and the pink iris of her right reflected a dazzling light. That single glance seemed to provoke the Netherworld Flower Emperor. Its petals abruptly opened, revealing a vast crimson river of stars filled with an eerie gloom. Slender Other Shore Flower petals intertwined one after another, with tiny round red pearls dangling from their long, strip-shaped bodies. As snowflakes fell, the pearls shone red, and blazing flames suddenly erupted over them. A long, slender flower tendril wreathed in fire reached toward Qian Renyue!
"Master, watch out!"
Qian Renyue loosed her ice arrows in a flash. Her eyes tightened, and with Ice Forge in hand, she immediately flew in another direction. The ice arrows and the Netherworld Flower Emperor's outstretched tendril canceled each other out in midair. A powerful surge of soul power swept toward her, throwing her off balance and nearly blowing her away. Only the Ice Phoenix Wings behind her steadied her body, leaving her to crash into a nearby tree trunk instead!
Protected by the Ice Phoenix Wings behind her, Qian Renyue suffered little damage from the impact. She took flight again. Before long, the injured Netherworld Flower Emperor flew into a rage and abruptly sent out five flower tendrils. Qian Renyue dodged through the air as the tendrils shifted endlessly behind her. In mere moments, the tiny pearls at the tip of each tendril transformed into enormous mouths. Five mouths attacked from five directions, lunging to swallow Qian Renyue whole!
Whoosh-
The Ice Phoenix Wings wrapped around Qian Renyue's body. Those enormous heads bit down on a pale blue sphere of light, with Qian Renyue sheltered inside by the Ice Crystal Phoenix. At the sight, the Netherworld Flower Emperor seemed to hesitate. Rather than swallowing the sphere outright, its tendrils slowly withdrew, their movements delicate and measured. Watching from afar, Dugu Bo could not help finding this strange.
Boom!
The Netherworld Flower Emperor roared, and cracks began appearing across the sphere's surface. Qian Renyue spread her wings and frowned slightly. The Netherworld Flower Emperor must have been provoked by the evolved flames just now. If she continued clashing with it head-on, she would likely end up paying dearly today. After weighing her options repeatedly, Qian Renyue retreated rather than further antagonize this fifty-thousand-year soul beast that had already gone berserk.
A few minutes later, the sphere of light vanished. Qian Renyue withdrew her external soul bone, and Ice Forge dissipated. She landed safely, directly beneath the branch where Dugu Bo stood.
Whoosh~
Dugu Bo jumped down from the branch. Seeing that Qian Renyue was unharmed, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Little girl, looks like you're not that foolish. You do know when to advance and when to retreat!"
Towering trees covered the depths of the Sunset Forest, shrouding everything in gloom and a lingering chill. A breeze gently stirred the branches, making them creak as cold air brushed her face. Qian Renyue suddenly felt that everything here was strangely familiar to her.
"Of course I do. As long as the green hills remain, there'll always be firewood to burn!" Qian Renyue gave Dugu Bo an offhand answer, then turned to gaze deeper into the forest.
The farther in one went, the darker it became. Dense leaves and tangled grass roots filled the depths, and the slightest lapse in attention could leave someone stepping on an unknown soul beast. Thus, soul masters generally avoided venturing farther in.
The Star Dou Great Forest was divided into soul beast territories, and naturally, the Sunset Forest was as well.
The Netherworld Flower Emperor already occupied a territory for ten-thousand-year soul beasts. Since it had not ventured deeper, that meant something even stronger lay within. Yet for some reason, as Qian Renyue gazed into those deeper reaches, she kept feeling that something inside was calling to her. Her brows drew together slightly. Before she could ask anything, Dugu Bo spoke beside her-
"Little girl, farther in is the territory of soul beasts fifty thousand years old and above. You keep staring over there. Don't tell me you want to go in?"
Although Qian Renyue was very strong, she had already been unable to defeat a non-offensive fifty-thousand-year soul beast. If she still wanted to venture deeper, Dugu Bo felt he ought to take back what he had just said.
This girl did not know when to advance and when to retreat. She was every bit as much of a blockhead as the master who had assigned her that appalling mission!
Before you continue