After Feng Xiaotian's figure disappeared into the dense forest to the north, Feng Lingtian withdrew his gaze.
He turned around and looked over the remaining five people. Zhong Yue, Su Mei'er, Ji Ning, Bai Yu, and Feng Lingtian himself made six in total. Among them, Zhong Yue, Su Mei'er, and Ji Ning needed to obtain their second Soul Rings. Bai Yu was halfway through rank nineteen, only one final step away from rank twenty. Her main purpose in entering the mountains this time was to observe and provide support.
"Let's go," Feng Lingtian said. "We're heading south."
The six of them headed south.
The terrain to the south was rather different from the north. Dense forests dominated the north, their canopies blotting out the sky and sun, leaving the light dim. The trees to the south were sparser, allowing sunlight to spill down in broad swaths. Loose stones and short grass covered the ground, and the view was open.
Feng Lingtian led the way, with Zhong Yue and Shi Yan on either side, Su Mei'er and Ji Ning in the middle, and Bai Yu bringing up the rear. The six maintained a widely spaced formation, their footsteps making faint crunching sounds on the loose stones.
Before long, Zhong Yue quickened his pace for a couple of steps and came alongside Feng Lingtian.
"Captain," Zhong Yue lowered his voice, "of the three of us who need Soul Rings, one is Defense System, one is Control System, and one is Agility Attack System. Isn't our lineup a little skewed?"
Feng Lingtian glanced at Zhong Yue. Zhong Yue was usually easygoing and careless, but he became meticulous as soon as he entered the mountains. Feng Lingtian had noticed this before-at the academy, Zhong Yue acted as though nothing mattered to him, but once he entered combat mode, he was more serious than anyone.
"That's why I put Shi Yan beside you," Feng Lingtian said. "You take the attacks head-on, and Shi Yan fills the gaps. With two Defense System fighters working together, you can stretch the defensive line wide."
Zhong Yue looked back at Shi Yan. Shi Yan walked on the right side of the group, his arms a full measure thicker than an ordinary person's, each step landing a little heavier than anyone else's. As Zhong Yue looked at him, Shi Yan happened to look over too. Their eyes met briefly. Shi Yan gave a simple, earnest nod. Zhong Yue grinned, then turned back and kept walking.
Walking in the middle of the group, Su Mei'er suddenly spoke. "There's water up ahead."
The six stopped. Feng Lingtian tilted his head and listened. Sure enough, the faint sound of flowing water drifted from ahead, so quiet and mingled with the wind that it would have gone unnoticed without careful listening.
"I'll take a look," Ji Ning said.
Feng Lingtian nodded. Ji Ning's figure flickered where he stood, and the next instant, he had already darted far away.
A few breaths later, Ji Ning returned.
"There's a stream ahead, with a bamboo grove on the opposite bank." Ji Ning paused. "There are Soul Power fluctuations in the grove. It should be some kind of Soul Beast that lives among bamboo. Its age isn't low."
Feng Lingtian was about to speak when Su Mei'er suddenly raised her hand.
"Wait." The phantom fox tail behind Su Mei'er glowed faintly as she looked toward the stream. "There's something in the water."
The six slowed their steps and approached the stream. Passing through a patch of low trees, they found a clear mountain stream stretching across their path. It was narrow and shallow, with pebbles visible on the streambed.
But Su Mei'er frowned.
She stared at the streambed for several breaths, the phantom fox tail swaying gently behind her. "That stone. It has Soul Power fluctuations. Very weak, as though they've been deliberately suppressed."
Feng Lingtian followed her gaze. A grayish-brown pebble the size of a fist lay quietly on the streambed. He watched it for several breaths-then a ring of extremely faint markings glimmered along the edge of that "stone," resembling the seams of a shell.
"Shi Yan," Feng Lingtian said quietly.
Shi Yan stepped forward. He spread his arms slightly, and his Martial Soul condensed before him-a large bronze-colored bell with faint wind patterns engraved on its body.
The "stone" on the streambed moved.
Not one, but three. Three "stones" sprang from the streambed at once, unfolding eight slender legs each and exposing dark red markings on the undersides of their shells. Stone-Pattern Crabs, wind-attribute aquatic Soul Beasts skilled at camouflage. All three were around five hundred years old.
"Zhong Yue, front. Shi Yan, left." Feng Lingtian's voice was quiet but clear.
Zhong Yue stepped forward. His Martial Soul, the Wind Armor Black Tortoise, took shape around him-a set of greenish-gray tortoise armor covered his arms and torso, pale green wind patterns flowing across its plates. Rather than wait for the Stone-Pattern Crabs to pounce, Zhong Yue met them head-on.
The first Stone-Pattern Crab swung a pincer down at Zhong Yue's face. Zhong Yue raised his left arm, taking the blow squarely on his tortoise armor. The pincer struck the armor with a dull thud, but his arm did not budge. The wind patterns on the armor's surface flowed faintly, diverting the impact to either side.
First Soul Skill, Black Tortoise: Wind Armor.
Shi Yan cut in from the left. His bell was not for smashing, but for ramming. Gripping its body with both hands, he charged at the second Stone-Pattern Crab, bell and body together.
Feng Lingtian did not attack. Standing beside the stream, he kept his gaze locked on the third Stone-Pattern Crab. That crab had not lunged forward. Instead, it silently moved toward the flank, trying to get around Zhong Yue and Shi Yan's defensive line.
Feng Lingtian moved.
Activating Gale Flash Step, he vanished from where he stood and appeared beside the third Stone-Pattern Crab the next instant. His first Soul Skill, Falcon Strike: Cloud Piercer, activated, and he cut in with a diving strike, blocking the crab's path.
"Su Mei'er," Feng Lingtian said.
The phantom fox tail behind Su Mei'er lit up. With a flick of her right hand, a bluish-purple chain silhouette shot from her palm-Wind Lightning Chain. The chain sealed off the Stone-Pattern Crab's retreat. Its eight legs struggled desperately, but with Feng Lingtian blocking the front and Wind Lightning Chain cutting off the rear, it was completely pinned in place.
Zhong Yue seized the opportunity. The tortoise armor on his right arm slammed hard into the first Stone-Pattern Crab's shell, knocking it upside down into the stream, its eight legs pointing skyward. Zhong Yue gave it no chance to right itself. His tortoise armor slammed down again, and the shell cracked with a sharp, brief snap.
A yellow Soul Ring rose from the Stone-Pattern Crab. Five hundred and sixty years.
Zhong Yue glanced at the Soul Ring and grinned. "That age will do."
Feng Lingtian nodded. Although Stone-Pattern Crabs were hardly rare Soul Beasts, five hundred and sixty years was already a solid age for a second Soul Ring.
Zhong Yue sat cross-legged, took out a porcelain bottle, poured out some Foundation-Fortifying and Essence-Nurturing Powder, and swallowed it before reaching out to touch the Soul Ring. The yellow ring of light became a streak that surged into his body. His body jolted violently as the Stone-Pattern Crab's lingering Soul Power rushed into his meridians. A trace of pain flashed across his face, but he soon settled down.
A short while later, Zhong Yue opened his eyes. Second Soul Ring, a five-hundred-and-sixty-year-old Stone-Pattern Crab. Second Soul Skill, Tortoise Shell: Spinning Shield. The tortoise shell could spin rapidly at will, serving as a mobile shield to protect teammates.
Zhong Yue stood and raised his right hand. A piece of tortoise armor separated from his arm guard and began spinning rapidly above his palm. A layer of pale green wind swirled around its edge, giving off a low hum. With a casual push, he sent the spinning shell flying. It traced an arc through the air, circled around to hover in front of Bai Yu, then flew back into his hand.
"Offense and defense." Zhong Yue grinned.
Shi Yan had finished as well. His movements were not as large as Zhong Yue's. He had simply used his bell to force the second Stone-Pattern Crab beside a large rock, then rammed both bell and crab into it. The ringing bell mingled with the crack of a breaking shell. The crab's eight legs twitched a few times, then went still.
A second yellow Soul Ring rose.
Feng Lingtian drew back his fingers, removing the blockade. Su Mei'er withdrew her Wind Lightning Chain at the same time. All eight legs of the third Stone-Pattern Crab moved together as it scurried into a gap among the stones on the streambed without looking back.
Shi Yan sat cross-legged and guided the Soul Ring into his body. His absorption process was calmer than Zhong Yue's. The stability of his bell Martial Soul gave him a natural advantage in enduring the impact of Soul Power.
A short while later, Shi Yan opened his eyes. Second Soul Ring, a four-hundred-and-ninety-year-old Stone-Pattern Crab. Second Soul Skill, Bell Toll: Invigoration. The ringing bell increased the strength attribute of teammates within range.
Shi Yan stood and struck the bell in his hands. Its rich, lingering toll rang out, and everyone felt warmth rise in their chests, the strength in their arms seeming to increase a little.
The corners of Feng Lingtian's mouth lifted slightly. "Let's go. Across the stream."
The six crossed the stream on its stones. The water was icy, washing over their shoes and soaking their trouser hems. Bai Yu slipped while crossing, and Shi Yan reached out to steady her. Bai Yu softly said, "Thank you." Shi Yan gave a simple, earnest nod, released her, and continued forward.
Once they crossed the stream, the bamboo grove lay right before them.
The bamboo grew densely, each stalk as thick as the mouth of a bowl, its emerald-green surface marked with pale green wind patterns. Wind-Pattern Bamboo, steeped in wind-attribute Soul Power year after year, with stalks several times harder than ordinary bamboo.
Feng Lingtian stopped and raised a hand to signal those behind him to halt.
Something was moving deep within the bamboo grove.
Ji Ning's pupils contracted slightly. "A green bamboo viper, ahead on the left, between the third and fourth stalks. Seven hundred and sixty years."
Feng Lingtian looked in the direction Ji Ning indicated. A small, emerald-green snake coiled around a bamboo branch, its body about two fingers thick, pale green wind patterns flowing over its scales. Its head was raised slightly, its scarlet tongue flicking in and out.
Seven hundred and sixty times. Two hundred times higher than the Stone-Pattern Crabs from before.
Feng Lingtian looked at Zhong Yue. Zhong Yue had already obtained his second Soul Ring and did not need to absorb another. But this green bamboo viper was an excellent opponent to practice on.
"Try your new Soul Skill," Feng Lingtian said.
Zhong Yue grinned and stepped forward. The tortoise armor of his Wind Armor Black Tortoise took shape around him.
The green bamboo viper noticed. Its head snapped toward Zhong Yue, its body tensing.
Zhong Yue did not approach rashly. He raised his right hand and activated Tortoise Shell: Spinning Shield. A piece of tortoise armor separated from his arm and shot toward the viper, spinning rapidly.
The viper sprang from its bamboo branch like a green arrow, dodging the spinning shield and shooting straight at Zhong Yue's face.
Zhong Yue raised his left arm, taking the strike squarely with Black Tortoise: Wind Armor. The viper's venomous fangs bit into the tortoise armor with a piercing scrape. Wind patterns flowed over the armor's surface, dissipating most of the impact. At the same time, Zhong Yue swung his right arm, smashing his tortoise armor toward the snake's body.
The viper reacted extremely quickly, twisting in midair and narrowly dodging the blow. Its tail flicked against a bamboo branch, and it lunged again.
Su Mei'er flicked her right hand, and Wind Lightning Chain sealed off the viper's escape route to the left. Ji Ning moved at the same time, blocking the right. The viper was forced back in front of Zhong Yue.
Zhong Yue's spinning shield returned, tracing an arc through the air as it struck toward the viper from behind. Sensing the rush of wind at its back, the viper instinctively sprang upward-straight into the range of Zhong Yue's frontal attack.
The tortoise armor on his right arm smashed out, hitting the snake squarely in the body. The viper was knocked flying, struck a stalk of Wind-Pattern Bamboo, and slid to the ground. It struggled a few times, then went still.
A deep yellow Soul Ring rose. Seven hundred and sixty years.
Zhong Yue recalled his spinning shield, and the tortoise armor reattached to his arm. The wind patterns on its surface flowed faintly, a little brighter than before-not because he had absorbed a new Soul Ring, but because his Soul Power and Martial Soul had become better attuned through battle.
"With Spinning Shield and Wind Armor together, I can hit and take hits," Zhong Yue said.
Feng Lingtian nodded.
Feng Lingtian's gaze fell on Su Mei'er. Her phantom fox tail had remained lit the whole time, never fading.
"Across the stream," Su Mei'er said. "Upstream, there's a stretch of scattered rocks. There are Soul Power fluctuations over there. Fire attribute."
Feng Lingtian frowned slightly. "What age?"
Su Mei'er closed her eyes, and the phantom fox tail shone a little brighter. A few breaths later, she opened her eyes. "Around nine hundred years."
Nine hundred years. That was a very high age for a second Soul Ring.
"Let's take a look."
The six followed the stream upstream. The bank grew narrower, the loose stones more numerous. After walking for about the time it took an incense stick to burn, they reached a stretch of scattered rocks.
Su Mei'er stopped, the light of her phantom fox tail dimming. "Behind that rock."
Feng Lingtian followed her gaze. A boulder half a person's height stood in the middle of the rocky stretch, and a faint red glow showed through a crevice behind it.
It was not light, but fur.
A fox with a scarlet body lay curled up asleep in the crevice. Its fur was a fiery red, with a tuft of dark red hair at the tip of its tail. A Crimson Flame Fox, a dual wind-and-fire-attribute Soul Beast. Around nine hundred years old.
"A nine-hundred-year-old Crimson Flame Fox," Feng Lingtian said quietly. "Dual wind and fire attributes. Its tail lashes are fast, and its fire breath is extremely hot. Don't take it head-on. Zhong Yue, Shi Yan, draw its attention. Ji Ning, harass it from the flank. I'll control its movement."
Su Mei'er said nothing. Her phantom fox tail unfurled behind her, scarlet light flowing along its outline.
"I'll go," Su Mei'er said.
Feng Lingtian glanced at her. Her phantom fox tail trembled slightly. Not from nervousness, but excitement.
"Watch out for its fire breath," Feng Lingtian said.
The corners of Su Mei'er's mouth curved slightly, but she did not answer. She stepped out from behind cover and walked toward the scattered rocks.