On a mountain range outside Nuoding City.
Eight-year-old Xiao Yan had a wiry frame, sallow skin, and an exceptionally sturdy build.
Every punch and movement was like that of a young flood dragon.
Bang!
Xiao Yan gathered his strength in his fist, released it through his lower body, and struck out.
"Eight Extremes Collapse!"
Boom!
A faint glow burst from his fist like a crimson ray.
It was too blazing!
A startling cloud rose from the flat ground, leaving not a trace of grass or trees.
A rock in the distance instantly burst apart, turning into several fragments.
Xiao Yan clapped his hands, quite pleased.
"As expected of me!"
After several days of practice, he could already unleash Eight Extremes Collapse with ease.
A wisp of mysterious smoke rose.
Xiao Yan hurriedly bowed. "Teacher!"
Yao Lao shook his head. "You have great talent. It's no easy feat to have grasped the form of Eight Extremes Collapse in just a few days."
To an ordinary person, that might have been praise.
But Xiao Yan noticed his own shortcoming.
"I've only grasped its form? Could there be intent as well?" he asked.
Yao Lao nodded. "Relax your mind. I'll show you!"
Xiao Yan naturally wouldn't guard against Yao Lao.
In that instant, Yao Lao took control of his body.
A faint trace of mysterious white flame flickered in his eyes.
Yao Lao lowered his stance slightly, gathering strength in his fist and releasing it through his body.
"Eight Extremes Collapse!"
Bang!
The same Eight Extremes Collapse burst forth.
Boom!
Another boulder in the distance was struck and reduced to fine powder.
Xiao Yan, who hadn't paid much attention before, finally looked astonished.
"How could it turn a boulder into powder?"
Shattering a boulder was simple.
But turning a boulder into powder...
Xiao Yan knew he couldn't do that yet.
"You haven't experienced real combat, so you still don't know where a martial technique's true explosive power lies," Yao Lao remarked.
Real combat?
"Once you've obtained your First Soul Ring, you'll need real combat to train."
Xiao Yan nodded.
Then he put on his clothes.
Xiao Yan came to the foot of the mountain.
A carriage had been waiting there for quite some time.
Yu Tianming waved. "Over here!"
The two had arranged to hunt for a Soul Ring today!
"There are three major Soul Beast gathering grounds on the Douluo Continent!"
"The Star Dou Great Forest, the Sunset Forest, and the Far North!"
"The Star Dou Great Forest is the most vast, and it has a tendency to rank first among the three major Soul Beast gathering grounds."
"The Far North lies on the frontier, and few people explore it."
"And the Sunset Forest lies just over a hundred li east of Tiandou City!"
Xiao Yan nodded. "I've looked into it. The Sunset Forest has the most powerful fire-attribute Soul Beasts!"
This time, they would go to the Sunset Forest!
Besides, Nuoding City was already very close to the Sunset Forest.
Yu Tianming smiled. "Looks like you've read quite a few books lately."
Xiao Yan chuckled.
Yao Lao, inside the ring, grumbled inwardly, If this brat reads books, then the one pulling the carriage must be a sow.
Over the past few days, Xiao Yan had borrowed countless books from Yu Tianming.
About Soul Masters.
About the Douluo World.
About Soul Beasts.
About cultivation.
About medicine.
About Heavenly Flames.
In short, Yao Lao had read nearly every scrap of useful knowledge.
And what had Xiao Yan read?
Cultivation methods, cultivation methods, and more cultivation methods!
"I'll never be short of books when I need them; wherever I'm lacking, I'll turn to Yao Lao!"
Xiao Yan was full of confidence.
But Xiao Yan hadn't neglected everything else; he still had some understanding of the basics.
For instance, the "Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well" they were going to visit this time!
"There's a kind of Heavenly Flame buried in a volcano there. While we're getting your First Soul Ring, we'll also go see what's really there!"
Only Heavenly Flames could pique Yao Lao's interest!
"There's also an Immortal Herb called the Infernal Delicate Apricot. If you can obtain it, your Martial Soul will grow much stronger!" Yao Lao said excitedly.
These immortal medicines and Heavenly Flames!
If Xiao Yan could obtain them, his foundation would be incomparably solid.
That was indispensable to becoming a supreme powerhouse!
At the thought, Yao Lao laughed again.
Watching Yao Lao laugh heartily, Xiao Yan felt that he was even more excited than Xiao Yan himself.
Once I grow strong, I'll definitely help Teacher rebuild his physical body!
Xiao Yan swore silently.
The carriage Yu Tianming had found was quite unusual. It was actually a Soul Beast!
A Meteor Swift Fire Steed!
This Soul Beast actually had a hundred years of cultivation!
"He's the old fellow who left the clan with me back then," Yu Tianming explained.
A glimmer of tears flashed in his eyes. This powerful deputy hall master was actually weeping.
"The fighting was too brutal back then. Because of that Yu Xiaogang, I nearly lost my home and family!"
"In the end, I left the clan, and this Swift Fire Steed was the only one left to keep me company."
A horse's neigh rang out, tinged with sorrow.
For a moment, Xiao Yan didn't know how to comfort the old man.
"It doesn't matter. Now that I've recovered my strength, I'll return to the clan sooner or later!" A sharp light flashed in Yu Tianming's eyes as he spoke solemnly.
Xiao Yan smiled. "By then I might have grown strong, and I'll go with you!"
Yu Tianming laughed. "Let's talk after you've got your First Soul Ring, haha!"
Fight their way back into the clan!?
That was the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon...
One of the Upper Three Sects.
But this child really was different!
The two chatted, and before they knew it, the sun had set.
Dusk fell, and billowing clouds appeared in the distance.
A vast expanse of mountains and forest came into view.
This was the Sunset Forest!
One of the three major Soul Beast gathering grounds!
"We're finally here!"
"I've sat so long I've got hemorrhoids."
Screech!
A piercing cry rang out.
Before the two could find their footing, a phantom silhouette blotted out the sky as it swooped down!
It was an avian Soul Beast!
"Black Luan!"
Yu Tianming recognized the Soul Beast at a glance.
Hum!
The Black Luan beat its wings, firing several bolts of wind like sharp arrows!
The Meteor Swift Fire Steed instantly fled.
Yu Tianming raised one hand, blue scales spreading across it.
"First Soul Skill: Thunder Dragon Claw!"
Boom!
A dragon claw blazing with blue light surged upward, reaching for the Black Luan.
The Black Luan beat its wings, trying to escape, but the dragon claw exploded.
A localized thunderstorm erupted!
The Black Luan coughed up blood, and its feathers were all blasted off.
Its whole body was blackened, like a roast chicken.
It fell to the ground.
A look of surprise crossed Yu Tianming's face. "A seven-thousand-year-old Black Luan. How could such a powerful exotic beast appear on the outskirts of the Sunset Forest?!"
"Let's take a look first!" Xiao Yan said.
He swallowed.
He had never seen Yu Tianming fight before and only knew that he was a Soul Saint.
A Soul Saint with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul.
Seeing him make a move today, Xiao Yan finally understood why the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon ranked first among Beast Martial Souls.
Thunderous Might-it was fucking terrifying.
The two moved forward and approached the Black Luan.
Blood as black as ink flowed out, and the Black Luan clearly didn't have long to live.
But Xiao Yan noticed something odd. The Black Luan also had several puncture wounds!
They looked like snakebite marks.
"My Soul Skill didn't cause those." Yu Tianming also looked surprised.
"Something's happened deep inside the Sunset Forest!"
If something could drive a seven-thousand-year-old Black Luan to the outskirts, one could imagine what kind of battle was raging inside.
Suddenly, a streak of green light shot out of the Black Luan.
"Watch out, it's poisonous!" Yao Lao warned immediately.
Xiao Yan hurriedly told Yu Tianming, who instantly grabbed him and soared into the air.
The Black Luan instantly exploded where it lay.
A cloud of deadly poison burst outward, scattering chunks of flesh everywhere.
Even Yu Tianming's scalp went numb.
"This..."
"Look at the ground!" Xiao Yan looked toward the center of the scattered remains.
The phantom silhouette of a green snake flickered in and out of sight...
(We've reached a new map. Guess who's about to appear!!!)
(Thank you all for the daily recommendation votes and favorites!!!!)
(End of chapter)