At midnight that night
Xiao Wu sat beneath a tree, swinging her slender legs back and forth as she reported her entire conversation with Ning Rongrong that day to Lin Chen, while the lord and master rested his head on her thighs.
"Hehe... well done. Keep dropping hints to her like that~"
"Mm~" Xiao Wu's delicate brows drew together slightly, a hint of hesitation appearing on her pretty face. "Master, I..."
Lin Chen toyed with her hair and said calmly, "Whatever it is, just say it."
"I want to sacrifice my Soul Rings and Soul Bones to you, then start cultivating all over again~" Xiao Wu said softly.
"Why?"
"Because... Xiao Wu wants to become Master's beast pet completely~"
Lin Chen slowly sat up and slipped an arm around her slender waist. "Don't worry, I know what you mean. Leave everything to me."
"Mm~"
Seeing how obedient she was, Lin Chen couldn't help moving his hands up and down, then slowly leaned in and captured her soft, sweet lips...
Half a month later, in the inner reaches of the Heavenly Ridge Mountain Range
As the group ventured deeper, the rarity of the spiritual treasures they found rose sharply. Hundred-year spiritual herbs and fruits could be found almost everywhere, but the Soul Beasts they encountered grew correspondingly stronger.
Throughout the journey, Lin Chen had scarcely lifted a hand. The Tianshui Girl Group, Huo Wu, and Ning Rongrong had done all the fighting, and even when they encountered a stronger Soul Beast, Hu Liena could deal with it.
So Lin Chen had only been responsible for holding the line, as if he were out sightseeing.
"Oh, there's a lake up ahead!"
Shui Bing'er, who was walking at the front, cried out in delight. The other women's faces lit up with excitement. Along the way, they had only seen a few small rivers and hadn't even had a chance to bathe. Now, at last, they could have a proper rest.
"Wait!" Hu Liena cried sharply, her pretty face grave. "Brother Chen, something's not right~"
Hearing her command, the women instantly went on guard. This was the understanding they had developed over the past half month.
Lin Chen asked, "How far are we from Death Canyon?"
"Not far. Two or three days' journey at most~"
Hu Liena frowned slightly and continued, "The spiritual Qi here is unusual. It's even on par with the first level of Spirit Gathering Mountain. Even Death Canyon couldn't possibly reach this level!"
Lin Chen narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze settling on the lake ahead. "Wait here. I'll go take a look up ahead~"
"Brother Chen, be careful~"
"Brother Lin Chen, be careful~"
The lake was fairly large, spanning several mu, and surrounded by lush, dense woodland. A small island stood in its very center, bearing a strange tree several zhang tall, with dozens of green and red fruits hanging from its branches.
The closer he got to the lake, the denser the spiritual Qi became...
Lin Chen slowly approached the shore, his heart now in his throat. After all, there was no appealing to a Soul Beast's better nature. There were only accidents!
"Just as I thought, it's coming from the lake. There must be something good down there!"
Bang! Splash...
Just as Lin Chen was examining the shore, an enormous head surged out of the lake, raising towering waves. It opened its gaping maw and lunged at him.
"Fuck?!"
Fortunately, Lin Chen had remained on guard. He retreated the moment he heard the disturbance. "Everyone, scatter!"
Seeing Lin Chen beat a hasty retreat, the women instantly scattered.
The behemoth came ashore in pursuit, finally revealing its true appearance: a black python as thick as a water jar, with a small protruding horn atop its head.
This python was on the verge of transforming into a flood dragon.
Lin Chen quickly returned to the group, a flicker of excitement flashing through his deep eyes. "Judging by its presence, it's a Soul Beast of at least eighty thousand years, equivalent to a human Soul Douluo!"
Shock filled Hu Liena's alluring face. "How is that possible? Our Spirit Hall clears out this area every hundred years. How could such a powerful Soul Beast have slipped in?"
Lin Chen narrowed his eyes slightly. "Either it was a fish that slipped through the net, or... it had some other stroke of fortune! Now I'm even more curious about what's at the bottom of the lake!"
Soul Masters on the Douluo Continent generally judged a Soul Beast's age by its Soul Power fluctuations. This method was widely used, but it was not absolutely accurate. For example, if a Soul Beast had a stroke of fortune at thirty thousand years and its Soul Power surged to the level of an ordinary eighty-thousand-year Soul Beast, it would not be eighty thousand years old; it would simply have had another fortuitous encounter...
"Brother Chen, what should we do? Should we retreat?"
A cold glint flashed in Lin Chen's eyes. "Kill it. There's something on the island, and I reckon there's something underneath too. At the very least, the spiritual Qi in the lake is enough for us to gain several levels!"
Hu Liena cried sharply, "Then let's do it!"
Hisss...
The python let out a hiss and instantly lunged at Shui Bing'er and the other women. In its eyes, Lin Chen and his companions were nothing more than flesh and blood for its maw, easy to swallow in a single bite.
So fast!
Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er's expressions changed slightly. Though the python was slower on land than in the water, it was still far faster than a Soul Ancestor.
Seeing the python attack, Shui Bing'er instinctively shoved her younger sister aside. "Yue'er, get away!"
"Sister!"
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh... bang!
At that moment, Lin Chen instantly appeared in front of the two women. With a wave of his hand, he sent a surge of Soul Power pushing them back. "Get back!"
"Second Soul Skill, Sword Mound!"
"Third: Soul, Fourth: Defense!"
As Lin Chen and Hu Liena gave the word, Ning Rongrong, who had long been ready nearby, acted. The moment Lin Chen made his move, the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's support buffs appeared on him.
Bang! Boom, boom, boom...
The python slammed head-on into Lin Chen's third Soul Skill. The tremendous impact drove Lin Chen back several zhang, leaving two gouges in the ground.
Lin Chen's expression changed slightly. The moment his second Soul Skill vanished, he hurriedly leaped away. The python, carried by its momentum, continued its headlong charge and knocked down more than a dozen thick, ancient trees.
"Xue Wu, Martial Soul Fusion Skill!"
"Okay!"
Xue Wu leaped into the air, her shapely figure forming an arc before merging perfectly with Shui Bing'er's Martial Soul.
"Ice and Snow Drifting!"
Whoosh...
Ice and snow instantly covered everything within dozens of zhang, and the python's massive body was frozen in place.
Huo Wu said in delight, "It worked!"
Crack... crack...
Shui Bing'er's expression changed slightly. "Oh no, it's too strong! Brother Chen, we can't hold it!"
Although her Martial Soul Fusion Skill with Xue Wu was powerful, both women were only Soul Ancestors, making it difficult for them to restrain a Soul Douluo-level Soul Beast for long.
"Fifth Soul Skill, Eyes of Charm!"
Just as the two women's hold failed, Hu Liena's control skill followed. Her brown eyes abruptly turned pink as she stared straight into the python's eyes.
Her fifth Soul Skill was a Charm-type control skill that could make its target obey her every command. It was exceptionally overbearing. Though it was difficult to use effectively against Soul Masters or Soul Beasts whose Soul Power far surpassed hers, it could still confuse them and dull their perception.
Under Hu Liena's control, a trace of bewilderment appeared in the python's large golden-brown eyes, but the look lasted for less than a breath.
"Ugh..." As her prey regained its senses, Hu Liena grunted, suffering a considerable backlash.
"Fifth Soul Skill, Ten Thousand Swords Pay Homage!"
"Third: Soul!"
During the two breaths in which Shui Bing'er, Hu Liena, and Xue Wu had restrained the python, Lin Chen had finished preparing his fifth Soul Skill. Thousands of white swords rained down upon it all at once, producing a great clattering din.
Hisss...
The python roared. Its hard scales had kept it from suffering much damage, leaving it with only some pain, but that pain stirred its ferocity all the more.
Its golden eyes swiveled, and it swiftly attacked Ning Rongrong. Evidently, the highly intelligent beast had guessed how important she was.
"Ah..." A hint of panic appeared on Ning Rongrong's pretty face.
"Rongrong, get out of the way!"
At that moment, Xiao Wu instantly moved in front of her and activated her fourth Soul Skill. "Invincible Golden Body!"
Invincible Golden Body granted her invincibility for three seconds. Even a Titled Douluo's attack could do nothing to her, much less a Soul Beast at the Soul Douluo level.
Bang! Boom, boom, boom...
Though the powerful impact could not hurt Xiao Wu, it sent her flying back dozens of zhang. The moment Invincible Golden Body wore off, she quickly used Teleportation to leap away.
With Xiao Wu having bought them time, the attacks of Lin Chen, Hu Liena, and the Tianshui Girl Group came one after another.
Hisss...
The python roared and continued lunging at Ning Rongrong, intent on swallowing her.
Ning Rongrong was too slow. Even though Xiao Wu had stalled it for three seconds, she had only run a dozen or so zhang. The python could cross that distance in an instant.
Thump!
By then, Lin Chen had arrived. He scooped her up beneath the knees and held her in his arms. Looking at the charging python, he shouted:
"So what if you're an eighty-thousand-year Soul Beast? I don't believe you're impervious to blades and spears!"
"Fourth Soul Skill, Sword Domain!"
"Third: Soul!"
Rumble...
Everything within dozens of zhang instantly became a sea of swords. White soul swords rose from the ground one after another, surrounding the python.
But the python relied on its powerful defenses to shatter great swaths of the Sword Domain!
Spurt!
"Hisss... roar..."
At that moment, the python roared as blood sprayed from its belly. It had been wounded!