Only when the black Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring belonging to the Six-Winged Fire Phoenix appeared did Li Ye breathe a sigh of relief.
"All right, boy, go absorb your Soul Ring. I'll bring Yan Yan over first, then stand guard for you."
With that, Dugu Bo released his Martial Soul Possession, leaped into the air, and flew in the direction Li Ye had come from.
Seeing this, Li Ye sat down and adjusted his condition so that absorbing the Soul Ring would go more smoothly.
About an incense stick's worth of time later, Dugu Bo returned carrying Dugu Yan, then took up guard beside Li Ye.
Once he had adjusted his condition, Li Ye formed seals with both hands, drew the Soul Ring above his head, and began absorbing it.
A moment later, Li Ye appeared in his mental space again, and the spiritual form of the Six-Winged Fire Phoenix he had killed arrived there as well.
"Hello, Grandpa Spear, Grandpa Sword!" The moment he entered his mental space, Li Ye greeted the two elders before turning to face the Six-Winged Fire Phoenix.
"Mm, you're on your own this time, Xiao Ye." Seeing his confident expression, the two elders nodded at the same time and spoke in unison.
Li Ye's mouth twitched slightly at their words, but he did nothing more. After all, this Six-Winged Fire Phoenix could not compare to either the Titan Giant Ape or the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear from before. He was absolutely confident he could beat it into the ground.
But something seems off about the look in that Six-Winged Fire Phoenix's eyes. They were clearly their normal color just now, so why have they turned black?
Could it refuse to accept being killed by me and harbor too much resentment? That shouldn't be enough to cause this. After all, neither the Titan Giant Ape nor the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear had held this much resentment.
At the same time, Dugu Bo, who was guarding Li Ye, suddenly thought of something. He told Dugu Yan to watch over Li Ye alone while he went to inspect the Six-Winged Fire Phoenix's nest.
When he reached the nest, Dugu Bo was dumbfounded. He actually found six eggs still being incubated inside. Without even thinking, he knew they belonged to the Six-Winged Fire Phoenix.
No wonder the Six-Winged Fire Phoenix had not attacked him at first, only making its move after realizing his true intentions. It had been protecting its children.
The Soul Master World had an unwritten rule: do not kill pregnant beasts, birds incubating eggs, or scaled fish nursing their young.
Although Dugu Bo had never been one to follow rules, he would still instinctively abide by rules like these. After all, they concerned the future development of Soul Masters, and as a Titled Douluo, he naturally understood that reasoning.
Unfortunately, there were no more what-ifs now. Li Ye had already slaughtered the Six-Winged Fire Phoenix, and its eggs would probably end up in other Soul Beasts' mouths in a couple of days.
After fighting the Six-Winged Fire Phoenix for a long time, Li Ye felt that it was even harder to deal with than the Titan Giant Ape and Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear had been. Its reckless fighting style was as though Li Ye had killed its elderly mother.
But with Li Ye's current strength, however desperately the Six-Winged Fire Phoenix fought, it was nothing more than a struggle before death.
"Although I don't know why you harbor so much resentment toward me, it's time for you to hear my requiem!"
As he spoke, Li Ye planted the Ghost-Cold Sword in the ground, took up the Demonic Flame Spear with both hands, then brushed along its shaft from the center toward both ends.
As Li Ye lightly brushed the shaft, flames instantly soared from the Demonic Flame Spear. Its dark-gold shaft erupted with brilliant light, and a dragon-shaped phantom formed from desolate qi coiled behind him. Its powerful aura made even the space around him freeze.
"That's Desolate-Breaking Spear Intent! The boy really comprehended it. What a freakish genius!"
"A freakish genius indeed, but he's put his talents in the wrong place. If he'd comprehended my Heaven-Slaying Sword Intent, it would be far stronger than this."
"Fuck off! Nobody would take you for a mute if you kept your mouth shut!"
As Li Ye opened his tightly closed eyes, the flames, golden light, and dragon phantom all returned to the Demonic Flame Spear. At that moment, he felt that he had become one with it, able to execute every move and stance however he pleased.
Sensing the terrifying aura emanating from Li Ye, the Six-Winged Fire Phoenix, which he had just swept back with his spear, showed a flash of resolve in its eyes before charging at him without regard for anything else.
At the sight, Li Ye's gaze sharpened. As he thrust his spear, his entire body moved with it.
In an instant, Li Ye appeared behind the Six-Winged Fire Phoenix, a drop of bright-red blood still clinging to the Demonic Flame Spear's tip.
As the blood fell from the spear tip, the Six-Winged Fire Phoenix's body crashed to the ground. However unwilling it was, there was nothing it could do.
After the Six-Winged Fire Phoenix closed its eyes, its body vanished from Li Ye's mental space. Sensing that he had refined the Soul Ring's power, Li Ye turned and said goodbye to the two elders before leaving his mental space.
As Li Ye opened his eyes, he immediately leaped up and hovered in midair. Five Soul Rings-yellow, purple, purple, black, and black-flashed rhythmically around him.
The next moment, something Li Ye had never expected happened. The Six-Winged Fire Phoenix's six wings actually burst apart, then flew behind him and condensed into three pairs of brand-new phoenix wings on his back.
Witnessing this sudden scene, Li Ye froze. He had gotten another Soul Bone, and it was another External Soul Bone at that!
Could I have poured all my luck for this lifetime into Soul Bone drops? Otherwise, how could so many Soul Bones have dropped for me?
Seeing the Six-Winged Fire Phoenix wings on Li Ye's back, Dugu Bo was shocked as well. He had previously heard Li Ye say he had obtained two External Soul Bones while acquiring his fourth Soul Ring, and now he had actually obtained another. Was this really luck a human could possess?
As for Dugu Yan, she gazed at Li Ye with her usual admiration, happy for him as though she had obtained the Soul Bone herself.
Thinking of how he now had three External Soul Bones, none of which had fully fused with him, Li Ye immediately decided to have Dugu Bo put some pressure on him to speed up their fusion.
"Grandpa Dugu, could you exert some Soul Power pressure on me? I want to test my current strength."
"Don't rush, boy. Come take a look with me first." With that, Dugu Bo led Li Ye to the Six-Winged Fire Phoenix's nest.
Looking at the six enormous phoenix eggs covered in red phoenix patterns in the nest, Li Ye was momentarily stunned.
Only then did he understand why the Six-Winged Fire Phoenix had harbored so much resentment. It still had children that had yet to hatch.
At this thought, Li Ye felt somewhat ashamed and guilty, and a trace of apology entered his gaze as he looked at the fifth Soul Ring on the Demonic Flame Spear.
But shame was shame; it did not mean Li Ye regretted it. The Six-Winged Fire Phoenix could only blame its bad luck for running into a killing star like him.
"Grandpa Dugu, rather than let these eggs get eaten by other Soul Beasts or rot here, I might as well take them back. Once they hatch and grow up, they can serve as mounts, and we'll have a few sect-guarding divine beasts for our sect."
Hearing Li Ye's words, Dugu Bo immediately caught on. "Mm, that's certainly a good decision."
If Li Ye had not reminded him, he would almost have thrown away the sect-guarding divine beasts delivered right into his hands. And to think he had felt a little ashamed just now.
Now that I think about it, shame, my ass! We're raising your children for you. Taking your Soul Ring and Soul Bone isn't too much to ask, is it?
Six-Winged Fire Phoenix: Do I need you to raise them for me? What, am I incapable of raising them myself? Who asked you to stick your nose in?!
After putting the six Six-Winged Fire Phoenix eggs into the Wishful Hundred Treasure Purse, Li Ye and Dugu Bo returned to Dugu Yan's side.
"Grandpa, what did you two go do?"
"Nothing much. I just went with the boy to raid a bird's nest and pick up a few eggs."
Hearing Dugu Bo's words, Dugu Yan's face was full of question marks. Did these two really have that much time on their hands?
Before you continue