The two-ring angel

In the Star Dou Great Forest.

Qian Daoliu led the group along a different route, temporarily avoiding the area where the presence of Abundance was strongest.

They had yet to uncover the cause of the forest's abnormalities, but Qian Renxue's acquisition of Soul Rings could not be delayed any longer either.

The Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul had granted her innate level 20 Soul Power, but because she had not absorbed any Soul Rings, that vast Soul Power remained suppressed within her.

She had to absorb two Soul Rings in succession to truly pass through the first two realms.

Qian Renxue walked beside Qian Daoliu.

"Grandpa, are we still going to look for Soul Beasts?"

"Yes."

Qian Daoliu looked ahead.

"We'll get both your Soul Rings first, then investigate the changes in the forest."

Guang Ling surveyed their surroundings.

"This place hasn't been affected too deeply by that power yet. We should be able to find normal Soul Beasts."

Holding the Imperial Bow, Lin Yuan walked at the rear of the group.

Ever since they entered the Star Dou Great Forest, the Imperial Bow had been conveying a faint sensation to him.

Its direction had never changed.

The presence that stirred a reaction from the Imperial Bow lay deep within the forest.

But their target was still far away.

For now, the most important thing was to obtain Soul Rings for Qian Renxue.

Half an hour later, the group discovered a Holy Light Spirit Deer around four hundred and thirty years old beside a stream.

It possessed a pure light attribute, making it highly suitable for Qian Renxue's first Soul Ring.

With Guang Ling restraining it, Qian Renxue quickly brought it down and delivered the final blow herself.

A yellow Soul Ring rose, and Qian Renxue sat cross-legged to absorb it. Half an hour later, she successfully obtained her first Soul Ring.

"First Soul Skill, Angel Assault!"

The Soul Ring lit up. Qian Renxue shot forward as a streak of golden light, leaving a palm print burning with sacred flames on an ancient tree.

This Soul Skill could enhance both her speed and her attack power.

However, a large amount of Soul Power remained suppressed within her. She had to absorb another Soul Ring before she could truly become a Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster.

The group continued searching. It was not until evening that Guang Ling discovered a Radiant Gold Light Falcon around seven hundred and sixty years old.

This Soul Beast possessed light, speed, and defense attributes, making it just right for Qian Renxue's second Soul Ring.

Guang Ling sealed off its flight paths with ice arrows, while Qian Renxue unleashed Angel Assault, knocking it out of the sky before finishing the kill.

A second yellow Soul Ring rose.

Because the Soul Ring was relatively old, Qian Renxue's presence fluctuated violently during absorption. Qian Daoliu released Angel Soul Power to stabilize her meridians, ultimately helping her complete the absorption successfully.

Two yellow Soul Rings rose one after another from beneath Qian Renxue's feet.

The suppressed Soul Power within her was fully released, and she officially became a level 20 Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster.

Lin Yuan looked at the Soul Rings beneath her feet.

"You've caught up this time."

Qian Renxue stood.

"I haven't caught up. My Soul Power is higher than yours."

Qian Daoliu asked:

"What is your second Soul Skill?"

"Second Soul Skill, Angel Holy Shield!"

The six wings behind Qian Renxue folded together, and golden light formed a semicircular barrier around her.

The green motes drifting nearby were blocked by the sacred flames on the barrier's surface as soon as they approached, but they did not disappear completely.

"It can enhance defense and purify abnormal powers it comes into contact with," Qian Daoliu said.

Qian Renxue frowned slightly.

"But it can't completely purify this green presence."

Lin Yuan watched the green motes still writhing outside the barrier.

Clearly, the power of Abundance existed on a level far above ordinary Soul Power.

Just then, a beast's roar suddenly rang out from the distant forest.

The sound was low and carried unmistakable pain.

A second roar followed, then a third.

The surrounding trees began to shake violently.

Twisted figures slowly emerged from the shadows.

Gale Wolves, Ironclad Rhinoceroses, and several Soul Beasts of other species.

Green branches had sprouted from all their bodies.

Some had grown several extra limbs. Others had shattered heads, yet their flesh continued to writhe.

The life force radiating from their bodies was suffocatingly dense.

Qian Renxue immediately released her Martial Soul.

Two yellow Soul Rings rose from beneath her feet.

"Second Soul Skill, Angel Holy Shield!"

Her six wings folded together.

A golden barrier swiftly expanded, protecting her and Lin Yuan within it.

The mutated Soul Beasts lunged against the barrier, and sacred flames spread along their bodies.

Their green branches withered constantly, only to regrow even faster.

Qian Daoliu raised his right hand.

A beam of golden holy light descended from the sky.

Boom!

Several mutated Soul Beasts were pierced through in an instant, their bodies shattering on the spot.

Yet the flesh scattered across the ground did not completely lose its vitality.

Green branches emerged from the severed ends, reconnecting their broken bodies.

Within moments, they stood again.

Guang Ling summoned an ice-blue longbow.

Several ice arrows flew out, freezing those Soul Beasts along with their branches.

"These things are even harder to kill than before."

Lin Yuan raised the Imperial Bow.

His sky-blue Soul Ring abruptly lit up.

"First Soul Skill, Star Chaser."

An arrow pierced a mutated Soul Beast's chest.

The power of The Hunt rapidly spread along the green markings within its body.

Its growing flesh and branches lost their vitality at the same time, and the Soul Beast fell heavily to the ground.

This time, it did not rise again.

Qian Daoliu turned to look at the Imperial Bow in Lin Yuan's hands.

The Six-Winged Angel's power could purify and resist the contamination of Abundance.

Lin Yuan's power of The Hunt, however, could erase it outright.

The two powers seemed to be natural enemies.

The group quickly cleared out the mutated Soul Beasts nearby.

But the roars from deep within the forest did not stop. Instead, they grew more numerous and drew ever closer.

Standing amid the remains strewn across the ground, Qian Daoliu's gaze gradually grew grave.

Qian Renxue had already obtained two Soul Rings.

Their original purpose for this journey had been fulfilled.

Withdrawing now was undoubtedly the safest choice.

But these Soul Beasts had come from different directions, indicating that the infected area was still expanding.

If they did not find the source soon, the entire Star Dou Great Forest could spiral out of control.

Once these mutated Soul Beasts charged out of the forest, the nearby towns would have no way to resist them.

After a moment of silence, Qian Daoliu made his decision.

"We keep going deeper."

Guang Ling looked at Lin Yuan and Qian Renxue.

"With them?"

"Splitting up now would be even more dangerous."

Qian Daoliu turned to the two of them.

"From now on, stay close to Guang Ling and me. Do not go more than ten paces away."

"No matter what you see, do not act on your own."

Lin Yuan nodded.

Qian Renxue also put aside the joy of having just obtained her Soul Rings.

Qian Daoliu then looked at Guang Ling.

"If anything happens to me, don't linger to fight."

Guang Ling frowned.

"You think the source could threaten you?"

"I don't know."

Qian Daoliu's answer was utterly direct.

Precisely because he did not know, he had to prepare for the worst in advance.

"If I can't get away, take Lin Yuan and Xiao Xue out of here immediately."

"Once you return to Spirit City, inform the entire continent of what happened in the Star Dou Great Forest."

"Spirit Hall, the two great empires, the Upper Three Sects, and every advanced Soul Master Academy must all receive the news."

Qian Renxue stepped forward.

"Grandpa..."

"This is only planning for the worst."

Qian Daoliu looked at her.

"Only if you survive can the news get out."

Guang Ling was silent for a moment before finally nodding.

"I understand."

The group continued deeper in the direction from which the mutated Soul Beasts had appeared.

The green motes in the air grew increasingly numerous.

Flowers and grasses grew, rotted, then sprouted new branches and leaves from the decaying flesh.

The boundary between life and death was gradually disappearing within this forest.

The Imperial Bow in Lin Yuan's hands vibrated incessantly.

That sensation had become incomparably clear.

The source was just ahead.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the forest.

Two figures moved swiftly through the trees.

In the lead was a tall man dressed in black.

Long black hair fell down his back, and his golden eyes were cold and majestic.

The Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King, Di Tian.

Beside him was the burly Xiong Jun.

On the Silver Dragon King's orders, the two had come to investigate this foreign power that had suddenly appeared in the forest.

Along the way, they had already encountered dozens of mutated Soul Beasts, including even Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts.

Xiong Jun shattered a mutated Soul Beast with a slap.

As soon as its flesh hit the ground, green branches emerged from the severed ends, reconnecting its shattered body.

Xiong Jun's expression turned exceedingly ugly.

"Why can't we kill these things for good?"

Di Tian released the power of darkness, engulfing the Soul Beast along with its branches.

Moments later, tender green shoots still slowly emerged from the ashes.

"Their power comes from somewhere else."

Di Tian looked into the depths of the forest.

"Unless we cut off the source, it doesn't matter how many we kill."

Xiong Jun also looked ahead.

"Our lord was right."

"This power really is extremely dangerous."

Di Tian did not answer.

He could sense that the original laws governing life throughout the Star Dou Great Forest were being distorted.

Life could only grow, but could no longer die normally.

If this continued, sooner or later the forest would be completely filled with these monsters that could never die.

"Pick up the pace."

"The source is just ahead."

The two groups rapidly approached the depths of the forest from different directions.

Qian Daoliu passed through a stretch of rotting woodland, and the view before him suddenly opened up.

At that same moment, Di Tian passed through the thick green mist and stopped.

Everyone's gaze fell upon the center at once.

An enormous ancient tree towered there.

It would take more than ten people joining hands to encircle its trunk, and its immense canopy blotted out almost the entire sky.

Countless thick roots emerged from the ground, connecting to the bodies of Soul Beasts all around it.

Some of the Soul Beasts were already dead.

Others were still struggling in agony.

The roots continually absorbed their flesh and blood, then made new flesh and blood grow from their wounds.

Green liquid slowly trickled down the bark.

Every drop that landed on the ground made the nearby vegetation grow wildly.

The Six-Winged Angel behind Qian Daoliu manifested on its own.

The string of the Imperial Bow in Lin Yuan's hand gave a piercing twang.

On the other side.

Di Tian's eyes turned into golden dragon eyes.

Xiong Jun's arms were also covered in dark golden fur.

With the Ancient Tree of Abundance between them, both sides discovered each other at the same time.

No one attacked immediately.

For the instant they appeared, all the blood-red markings on the ancient tree's surface lit up.

In the center of the trunk, a long, narrow fissure slowly opened.

Like a gigantic eye.

It first looked at Qian Daoliu.

Then it looked at Di Tian.

Finally, it fixed its gaze on Lin Yuan.

The next moment.

The entire earth trembled at once.

Countless roots burst out of the ground.