"Let's rest here for a while. Senior Brother must have used up quite a bit of Soul Power."
When the group reached a clearing, Yu Tianling made the suggestion.
"All right."
Hu Liena and Xie Yue nodded in agreement.
"Xiao Ling, what Soul Beast did Master pick out for you?"
While Xie Yue recovered his Soul Power, an idle Hu Liena walked over to the equally idle Yu Tianling.
"Master hopes my second Soul Skill will have some control effects, so she recommended that I look for a two-thousand-year-old Thorn Dragon. For one thing, this Soul Beast's spatial attribute is very compatible with my Martial Soul. For another, it can provide me with a very good control skill."
"A Thorn Dragon?"
The name of this Soul Beast was completely unfamiliar to Hu Liena.
That was only natural. Even Yu Tianling had only read a brief introduction to Thorn Dragons in a book.
To find Yu Tianling a Soul Beast with a spatial attribute that might also provide a control Soul Skill, Bibi Dong, Chrysanthemum Douluo, and the others had practically scoured Spirit Hall's entire archive. In the end, they learned that Thorn Dragons existed in Thorn Ridge within the Star Dou Great Forest, and settled on this Soul Beast.
Thorn Dragons were among the finest lesser dragons. A Thorn Dragon around two thousand years old could often fight a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor to a standstill. They possessed a spatial attribute, and their Spatial Thorns ability could create an independent Thorn Space to control enemies. They were certainly powerful.
Just then, Xie Yue finished resting, so the group continued toward Thorn Ridge, planning to obtain Yu Tianling's Soul Ring first. Of course, if they encountered suitable Soul Rings for Hu Liena or Xie Yue along the way, they would not pass them up.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Hu Liena and Yu Tianling exchanged a glance.
"Brother Yue, something's happening!"
Yu Tianling warned him.
The three immediately summoned their Martial Souls. Hu Liena leaped into a tree and looked toward the source of the sound.
Looking at the fox beauty standing in the tree, Yu Tianling could not help swallowing.
Fox-eared girls-the ultimate weapon against shut-ins.
Hu Liena now looked completely different from usual. Pointed fox ears had grown on her head, and a fluffy fox tail had sprouted from her rear, glowing red. Her allure had increased exponentially.
"It's a Thornfire Fox! And the flames on its tail are pale purple. It's over fifteen hundred years old!"
Hu Liena's pleasantly surprised voice came from the tree.
"Wonderful, Nana! It's just right for you."
"And Thornfire Foxes have a fire attribute. Your third Soul Ring should have a flame effect!"
Xie Yue's eyes also lit up at the news. It really was perfect for his younger sister.
"Thornfire Foxes are timid by nature. Unless we trap it in one go, it'll be very difficult to catch it again once it escapes, so we have to be fast!"
With the Thornfire Fox decided upon, Yu Tianling promptly analyzed how to capture it.
"Leave it to me!"
"Here it comes!"
Just then, Hu Liena called out, and Yu Tianling finally saw the Thornfire Fox's true face.
It was a fox with fiery-red fur all over, with pale purple only around its tail. It was only as large as a cat and was charging toward Yu Tianling.
"First Soul Skill, Spatial Assault!"
Yu Tianling immediately activated Martial Soul Possession. Then his first Soul Ring lit up, and he lunged straight at the Thornfire Fox.
Whoosh!
Seeing the child attacking it, the Thornfire Fox opened its mouth. A ball of flame abruptly appeared and hurtled toward Yu Tianling.
The Thornfire Fox had thought Yu Tianling would surely dodge, giving it a chance to escape. It had not expected him to have magic resistance. Without dodging or evading, he continued attacking the Thornfire Fox.
By the time the Blazing Fire Fox tried to dodge, it found that it could no longer do so.
Boom!
Yu Tianling knocked the Thornfire Fox down with a single palm strike, leaving a sizable, deep crater in the ground. The Thornfire Fox lay inside, barely breathing, blood flowing ceaselessly from the corner of its mouth.
"Hmm?"
"Sister Na, a long night breeds many dreams. Finish it quickly!"
Suddenly, Yu Tianling noticed cuts from sharp blades on the Thornfire Fox's body, as well as a feather embedded in its leg. He hurriedly called for Hu Liena to finish it as soon as possible.
He guessed that, like Oscar's Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent, this Thornfire Fox was someone else's prey. Its pursuers would probably arrive before long.
Although they were not afraid of trouble-after all, they not only had a Seven-Ring Soul Sage beside them, but also a rank ninety-five Titled Douluo following them in secret-the sight of that feather gave him a suspicion.
The feather looked particularly like the feathers carved on the Angel God's statue outside Spirit Hall. At that thought, he could not help recalling someone.
Hu Liena excitedly came to Yu Tianling's side and took out a short blade, ready to claim her third Soul Skill.
"Wait! Spare the fox!"
Just as Hu Liena was about to thrust her blade, a clear voice suddenly rang out, impossible to distinguish as male or female.
"Squeak!"
As a group of people burst out from the direction the Thornfire Fox had come from, the fox suddenly let out a shrill cry.
Everyone looked at the Soul Beast in the crater. Hu Liena was leaning forward, her short blade having pierced straight through the Soul Beast's brain.
"You!"
An arrogant, overbearing youth of seventeen or eighteen, with dazzling reddish-brown hair, glared furiously at Yu Tianling, who had yet to withdraw his hand.
After hearing the voice, Yu Tianling had abruptly shoved Hu Liena, making her topple forward with the short blade in her hand.
Seeing that familiar face, Yu Tianling could not help sighing inwardly. They really were from the Heaven Dou Empire-the fourth prince, Xue Beng.
Then this must be Xue Beng, whom Qian Renxue was impersonating.
With that thought, Yu Tianling looked at the young man beside Xue Beng, whose expression had remained unchanged throughout. He had short golden hair and wore a white shirt, with an unmistakably aristocratic bearing.
To keep the other party from noticing anything amiss, Yu Tianling merely swept his gaze over him before looking at Xue Beng and asking coldly.
"What? Do you need something?"
So this is that woman's new disciple? He certainly looks good, and he's clever enough, too.
Looking at the aloof, white-haired boy before him, Xue Qinghe could not help thinking this.
Recalling Yu Tianling's little maneuver just now, Xue Qinghe could not help curling his lips.
"You're asking if I need something? Are you looking to die, you little brat? Didn't you hear us tell you to stop? That Thornfire Fox was my prey!"
The red-haired youth cursed arrogantly.
"Hmm?"
Lin Qingze frowned and immediately released his Soul Rings. Seven rings pulsed up and down around him.
"Xue Beng, don't be rude."
At this sight, Xue Qinghe's lips curved slightly. His goal had been achieved. Then, without changing his expression, he turned and reprimanded the youth.
"Sir, I am Xue Qinghe, crown prince of the Heaven Dou Empire. This is my younger brother, the fourth prince, Xue Beng."
"My younger brother is unruly by nature. Please forgive him. Since the Thornfire Fox is already dead, we shall take our leave."
With that, without waiting for Lin Qingze to respond, Xue Qinghe pulled the still-furious Xue Beng around and left. The group departed as hurriedly as they had arrived, heading in another direction.
Yu Tianling, I look forward to meeting you again.
Xue Qinghe could not help feeling a little anticipation.