Black Spirit Abyss lay at the heart of the Ancient Yue Hills. It was a vast fissure in an active volcano, shrouded in poisonous gas year-round.
Ordinary people and low-level Soul Masters could only shrink back at the sight. Only high-ranking Soul Saints could enter and leave Black Spirit Abyss freely.
Black Spirit Abyss was a forbidden zone for humans, but a paradise for certain rare Soul Beasts, such as Blazing Fire Demon Spiders and Flame-Devouring Beasts.
The Ancient Yue Hills were over six hundred li from Heaven Dou City. Riding an Azure Scale Horse, Meng Zhongqi soon reached Black Spirit Abyss.
Azure Scale Horses were a type of lesser-dragon Soul Beast. Gentle by nature, they had long since been domesticated as mounts for travel.
These Soul Beasts carried an exceedingly faint trace of dragon blood, allowing them to cover a thousand li a day and gallop for long stretches.
"To think that after decades, Black Spirit Abyss is still the same barren wasteland, without a single change."
Revisiting this old haunt stirred many feelings in Meng Zhongqi. The third Soul Ring of Meng Qianqiu's father had come from a Flame-Devouring Beast here.
Back then, to hunt for Meng Yunping's third Soul Ring, Meng Zhongqi, who had only just advanced to Soul Emperor, had risked venturing into Black Spirit Abyss.
After a fierce battle, he had finally hunted down a rare Flame-Devouring Beast in Black Spirit Abyss. That battle remained fresh in his memory.
"A Flame-Devouring Spirit Beast over ninety thousand years old!"
"Once I break through to Titled Douluo, I'll settle that blood debt!"
Flame-Devouring Beasts were known as spirits of fire, while Flame-Devouring Spirit Beasts were the kings and spirit sovereigns of their kind, monarchs of fire born and nurtured by heaven and earth.
When Meng Zhongqi had come here back then, he had hunted a thousand-year Flame-Devouring Beast, inadvertently enraging it and plunging himself into danger.
In that battle, Meng Zhongqi had exhausted every means and played every trump card. Only after surviving nine deaths and one life had he escaped with his life.
"Stay right here. Don't wander off!"
"I'm going into Black Spirit Abyss. I'll be back shortly!"
Meng Zhongqi dismounted and gave his attendants those instructions. Then he circulated his Soul Power, his figure shifting, and soon vanished from the spot.
"Blazing Fire Demon Spiders, I've finally found you!"
After entering Black Spirit Abyss and following a natural passage through the mountain, he soon discovered another five Soul Beasts beside a pool of magma.
There were five Blazing Fire Demon Spiders in all, both old and young. The oldest had nine crimson markings growing across its back.
A Blazing Fire Demon Spider formed a core at a hundred years old, and a crimson marking grew across its back, signifying a hundred years of age.
A thousand-year Blazing Fire Demon Spider developed golden rings of light across its abdomen and back, each ring signifying a thousand years of age.
The hairs covering a ten-thousand-year Blazing Fire Demon Spider King turned pale gold, while rings of orange markings grew across its body.
A hundred-thousand-year Blazing Fire Pattern Spider Emperor's skin changed from earthy black to crimson gold, while its limbs also turned crimson.
"This Blazing Fire Demon Spider has four crimson markings on its back. It looks like it's only just reached four hundred years old. That age is just right."
Meng Zhongqi soon found the target of this hunt: a roughly four-hundred-year-old Blazing Fire Demon Spider that suited Meng Qianqiu well.
"Fifth Soul Skill-Withering of Ice!"
Meng Zhongqi shouted inwardly, and a dark blue ball of light condensed in his hand. After striking its target, it would explode, producing highly disintegrative ice dust to attack the target.
This was a crowd-control skill, but in Meng Zhongqi's hands, it became a single-target damage skill, making its power even less to be underestimated.
"Hiss!"
Sensing danger, the Blazing Fire Demon Spiders scattered in all directions. One even turned and plunged into the magma pool.
"Run all you like. You still won't escape my grasp!"
The dark blue ball of light sped straight toward its target, soon freezing one of the Blazing Fire Demon Spiders into a huge block of ice.
"Why use an ox-cleaving blade to kill a chicken!"
"I'm a high-ranking Soul Douluo. If you weren't useful to Qiu'er, you probably wouldn't encounter me in your entire lives."
"Falling into my hands is an honor for you!"
Meng Zhongqi's fifth Soul Skill was merely a crowd-control skill. He had only restrained this Blazing Fire Demon Spider, not taken its life.
"Time to head home!"
Supporting the Blazing Fire Demon Spider with one hand, Meng Zhongqi slowly walked out of Black Spirit Abyss. The return journey was considerably slower than the trip there.
Despite hurrying as much as he could, it took Meng Zhongqi several days to drive the carriage back to Heaven Dou City and return home.
"Qiu'er!"
"Come out quickly. Your matter's been taken care of."
After several days of torment, the once lively Blazing Fire Demon Spider now clung to its last breath. Anyone with eyes could see that it did not have long to live.
"Coming, Grandpa!"
Meng Qianqiu hurried forward and took a sharp blade.
"Qiu'er, hurry and kill it. If you wait any longer, it'll die on its own, and then my trip will have been for nothing."
Meng Zhongqi's voice rang out, urging Meng Qianqiu to act quickly. Meng Qianqiu nodded, walked over to the Blazing Fire Demon Spider, and crouched beside it.
The weak are prey to the strong. This world has always been this cruel!
Though there's no grudge between us, I can only sacrifice you for my future and my interests. I'm sorry!
With one slash of the blade, the Blazing Fire Demon Spider died on the spot. Already at death's door, it did not even struggle.
Perhaps death was a release for it, too.
Hummm...
As the Blazing Fire Demon Spider died completely, countless yellow points of light appeared in the surrounding air and gathered above its corpse.
In less than a moment, a yellow Soul Ring appeared above the corpse. This was a concrete manifestation of the laws of this world.
Meng Qianqiu narrowed his eyes and immediately sat cross-legged. Then he released his Martial Soul, drawing the Soul Ring slowly closer.
As the Soul Ring approached his Martial Soul, Meng Qianqiu felt an unprecedented pressure. A scorching surge of power poured into his body, and for a moment, heaven and earth spun around him.
Meng Qianqiu felt as though he stood in a sea of fire, while a phantom appeared before his eyes. It was the Soul Beast's remnant soul!
Or rather, it was the Soul Beast's final assault!
"Focus your mind on your dantian. Stabilize your Martial Soul!"
The scorching, overbearing Soul Power rampaged through Meng Qianqiu's body, repeatedly battering his meridians and tempering his flesh before slowly beginning to transform his body.
Meng Qianqiu chose to grit his teeth and endure. This was only a Hundred-Year Soul Ring. How could he let it make him submit?
To him, this was nothing more than a little wind and frost!
Only perseverance remained in Meng Qianqiu's mind. He was an insignificant person; faced with hardships and suffering, he could only grit his teeth and endure!
Walk the road. Stride forward!
Meng Qianqiu gritted his teeth and persisted. Gradually, he forgot the pain. Gradually, he sank into bewilderment, his mind a sea of chaos.
"First Soul Skill: Fire Roar!"
Meng Qianqiu awoke from the chaos. He held both hands crosswise before him, and a mass of intense firelight erupted from his body.
"Good, good!"
"Your first Soul Skill actually combines attack and amplification. It looks like you've gained quite a lot this time!"
Meng Zhongqi nodded in satisfaction. After Meng Qianqiu activated his first Soul Skill, all his attributes received a tremendous boost.
Moreover, when Meng Qianqiu activated his first Soul Skill, a dazzling burst of firelight erupted, carrying a shock wave whose outward offensive power was far from weak. This was an unexpected delight.