"Is... is it over?" Only then did Su Yun breathe a sigh of relief. She hurried to the injured Ling Ren's side, and gentle healing light covered his wound. The hideous gash immediately began closing at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"Fuck, that really packed a punch..." Ling Ren grimaced and sucked in cold breaths, but his face bore the excitement of victory. Ji Qiu also wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked at Lin Yan with a complicated gaze. "If you hadn't spotted it early and warned us in time, Lin Shuo, we probably would've suffered for it just now." He was now thoroughly convinced.
Lei En withdrew his Martial Soul and looked at the three yellow Soul Rings on the ground, sighing. "All three of these Soul Beasts were nearly a thousand years old. They were really tough to deal with."
Lei En looked at Lin Yan again and praised him sincerely. "Brother Lin Shuo, what sharp eyes! What fine skills! We owe you so much this time! You not only found the Soul Beast best suited to Xiao Yun, but also spotted the guardian beasts right away and directed us in battle, letting us finish the fight so quickly!"
His words were no exaggeration. Lin Yan's performance in the battle just now-his keen observation, his grasp of timing, and his instantaneous tactical commands-had all played crucial roles.
Lin Yan sheathed his sword and shook his head slightly. "It was everyone's combined effort. Now that the danger is gone, let's have Su Yun absorb the Soul Ring quickly, before any unexpected complications arise."
He pointed at the Dew-Condensing Cattail glowing with lustrous white light. The thousand-year-old Dew-Condensing Cattail Soul Beast had no offensive abilities. It seemed to have been frightened by the fierce battle just now, its emerald leaves all curled up and trembling faintly, as though pleading silently.
Lei En nodded firmly. "Right! Important business first! Xiao Yun, hurry! Kill it and absorb its Soul Ring!"
Su Yun looked at the Dew-Condensing Cattail, her eyes filled with excitement and anticipation, but even more with a complicated reluctance to hurt it. She walked slowly up to the Dew-Condensing Cattail, but did not act immediately. Instead, she crouched down, extended her fair hand, and gently stroked its curled leaves.
"I know you're a living being too." Su Yun's voice was as soft as the breeze in the valley, carrying a barely perceptible tremor. "Our meeting here is a matter of fate, and also... destiny. We Soul Masters must absorb Soul Rings to break through. That is a rule ordained on this continent since ancient times..."
She took a deep breath, a sincere plea showing in her eyes. "But a life shouldn't simply vanish completely like this. Please... please scatter your seeds. Leave behind your bloodline, leave behind your descendants, and let your life continue in another form. Will you?"
The other four were all taken aback, never expecting Su Yun to say such a thing. Ling Ren opened his mouth to speak, but Lei En stopped him with a look. Watching Su Yun's earnest, compassionate profile, Lei En sighed softly. Ji Qiu looked thoughtful. Lin Yan watched quietly, his gaze deep, giving no indication of his thoughts. He seemed to understand, yet also seemed to be scrutinizing.
The thousand-year-old Dew-Condensing Cattail seemed to understand Su Yun's words. Its curled emerald leaves briefly stopped trembling, as though sensing the gentle Soul Power flowing from her palm, utterly devoid of malice. After a moment of silence, under everyone's astonished gazes, its curled leaves began to unfurl little by little, cautiously, as though responding to that respect.
Then the entire Dew-Condensing Cattail began emitting an even richer, lustrous white light. The plant itself began to quiver gently in a rhythm, as though performing some solemn ritual. As it trembled, countless tiny, faintly glowing tufts began rising slowly from the large, pure-white puffball at its top.
They were just like those of an ordinary dandelion, but every tuft contained pure life energy. Like sprites granted life, they shimmered with soft white light and rode a breeze from somewhere in the valley, drifting lightly and slowly in all directions, toward the grass, toward the cracks between rocks, toward the distance... Somewhere in this valley, they would take root and sprout, nurturing new life.
The sight was breathtakingly beautiful, filled with the grandeur and tenderness of life passing on.
When the last seed-bearing tuft floated into the distance, the white light over the Dew-Condensing Cattail rapidly dimmed. All its emerald leaves seemed to lose every bit of support and vitality in an instant, going completely limp and drooping to the ground, their color turning ashen. It had completed the final charge of its life. Like an elder who had fulfilled every wish, it calmly accepted the approaching end.
A glimmer of tears shone in Su Yun's eyes, but her gaze became utterly resolute. She took another deep breath and drew the sharp dagger from her waist.
"Thank you... goodbye."
She spoke softly, then drove the blade down with a steady wrist.
The dagger pierced precisely into the main stalk where the Dew-Condensing Cattail's energy was most concentrated. There was no struggle, no resistance. The plant rapidly withered and disintegrated, all its essence surging wildly toward the now-bare base at its top, finally condensing into a brilliant Soul Ring that radiated purple light and slowly floated upward!
Su Yun hesitated no longer. She sat cross-legged, breathed deeply, and strove to bring herself into her best condition. Then she circulated her Soul Power with all her strength, carefully guiding the Dew-Condensing Cattail Soul Ring, which contained thirteen hundred years of cultivation, to settle slowly around her body.
The Dandelion Martial Soul automatically appeared behind her, its pure-white, fluffy body swaying faintly.
The purple Thousand-Year Soul Ring's energy began flowing slowly into Su Yun's body like a gentle stream. Her body shuddered sharply, her brows drew together slightly, and fine beads of sweat instantly seeped out across her forehead.
But soon, the pained expression on her face eased, replaced by comfort and peace.
The Dew-Condensing Cattail Soul Beast was gentle by nature, and Su Yun's Martial Soul was highly compatible with it. More importantly, Su Yun's earlier actions, filled with respect and compassion, seemed to have dispelled the last traces of hostility and unwillingness in the Soul Beast's lingering will, making the fusion of the Soul Ring's energy exceptionally smooth. Although that immense energy continually washed through her meridians and soul, it was like warm spring water, nourishing rather than destroying.
She could clearly feel her Soul Power growing rapidly and undergoing a qualitative change under the impetus of this force. As her Martial Soul's origin absorbed this power of the same source, it too underwent a subtle yet profound transformation, becoming more substantial and more filled with vitality.
Seeing this, Lei En, Ling Ren, and Ji Qiu immediately spread out without hesitation, forming a triangle with Su Yun closely guarded at its center. Their sharp gazes swept every corner of the valley where danger might appear as they devoted their full attention to guarding her, allowing nothing to disturb this crucial absorption process.
Lin Yan also stood to one side, calmly observing Su Yun's condition. He could clearly sense her presence rising steadily and firmly under the Soul Ring's influence. Everything was developing in the best possible direction.
The valley fell quiet once more, with only the rustle of the breeze brushing through blades of grass and the faint sound of energy fluctuations produced as Su Yun absorbed the Soul Ring. Time passed little by little.
About two hours later, the final wisp of energy from the brilliant purple Soul Ring completely merged into Su Yun's body. A powerful surge of Soul Power erupted from her, and her presence was noticeably much stronger than before. She had successfully broken through to rank thirty-one! The Dandelion Martial Soul behind her also seemed fuller and more lustrously white, the vitality it radiated growing richer still.
Su Yun slowly opened her eyes, an incomparably radiant smile spreading across her face.
"It worked! I did it!" she exclaimed jubilantly, then eagerly sought to share her joy.
"I'm a rank thirty-one Soul Elder now."