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Masked Douluo was feeling both shocked and suspicious. The other person was acting so confident—did they have some hidden ace up their sleeve? That made sense. As a Rank 9 Soul Engineer, it was hard to believe they didn't have more Rank 9 soul tools on them… maybe even one of those terrifying fixed-mounted Rank 9 Soul Cannons. If he got hit by one of those, there was no way he'd survive. Dying like that would just be way too humiliating.
Not knowing anything about Luan Yu, the Masked Douluo felt uncertain and decided to back off. He chuckled softly, "Hahaha, I see now. So it looks like I was being a little reckless. How about this—about twenty kilometers from here, there's a valley where you can find a Holy Flame Tiger. It's also a light-attributed soul beast. It's not as strong as this Paradise Bird, but it's still pretty decent. Think of it as my way of apologizing."
Luan Yu's expression softened a bit on the surface, but deep down, she was full of scorn. Yeah, right. Like I'd believe you. Just looking at your creepy half-human-half-ghoul face screams 'Evil Soul Master'. She'd be a real idiot to take his word for it.
"Since you're being so sincere, let's just call it even," Luan Yu said with a smile and nodded.
"Hahaha, great! Then I'll be on my way."
With that, the Masked Douluo tossed her a map and turned to disappear into the depths of the forest in a flash of blue-black light.
"Pfft, does he think I'm an idiot?"
Luan Yu flicked her finger, sending a thin slash of sword energy that shredded the map to pieces. Her face was full of contempt.
She was right to be suspicious. There wasn't any Holy Flame Tiger at that location—what was really there was an elder from the Evil Soul Master sect, another Title Douluo-level powerhouse. If Luan Yu had actually gone over there, she'd basically be walking into a death trap.
If two Title Douluo-level Evil Soul Masters ambushed them, none of them would make it out of this cursed forest alive.
"Auntie!"
"Luan Yu Auntie!"
The four of them—Liuxing, Liuying, Xu Tianzhen, and Ye Guyi—breathed a sigh of relief seeing that a fight hadn't broken out. They quickly gathered around Luan Yu.
That Evil Soul Master just now had been way too intimidating. Liuying had even secretly taken out her Sam Transformation Device, ready to transform into Sam at a moment's notice.
"We're leaving. This place is too dangerous to stay," Luan Yu said seriously, ready to lead them away.
"Wait, Auntie Luan Yu—I want to bury the Paradise Bird. We can't just leave it out here like that," Ye Guyi said quietly, a touch of sadness in her eyes.
She had only seen the bird once, but she'd felt an immediate fondness for it.
"…Alright," Luan Yu nodded, then took the group to the spot where the Paradise Bird had crashed.
"Huh?"
When she saw the bird lying among the rubble, Luan Yu let out a soft sound of surprise. Liuxing and Liuying looked startled too—they could both still sense a faint trace of life from the bird. Weak, but definitely there.
"No way... It's still alive?!"
Luan Yu couldn't believe it. That had been a finishing blow from a Title Douluo-level Evil Soul Master. Even a ten-thousand-year soul beast would've been killed instantly. And yet, this Paradise Bird had somehow survived. No wonder she found it so hard to accept.
Ye Guyi's face lit up, and she rushed to the bird's side. Its once-pure white feathers were now dirty and dusty—like a divine goddess who'd been dragged through the mud. Just looking at it filled her heart with pity.
"Auntie Luan Yu, is there still hope for it?"
Luan Yu looked at the grayish energy spreading from the bird's wounds and sighed while shaking her head. "It's no use. The best thing you can do now is end its suffering, Guyi."
Ye Guyi froze at her words and lowered her head in silence.
Liuying's expression turned complicated. She'd seen death many times, but watching life slip away right in front of her eyes still hurt. It always reminded her how fragile life really was.
"Hurry up and do it, Guyi. Even if you don't, it's going to die anyway," Xu Tianzhen said urgently. She liked the Paradise Bird too, but not as much as Ye Guyi clearly did.
Kneeling beside the bird, Ye Guyi seemed to sense something. The Paradise Bird slowly opened its pure, gentle eyes and let out a soft cry.
As she saw her reflection in the bird's eyes, Ye Guyi bit her lip, raised the dagger in her hand—and brought it down hard.
Xu Tianzhen was right. If it had to die, better for it to go quickly than be tortured to death by that evil energy inside it.
A soft yellow spirit ring rose from the bird's body as its eyes closed for the final time—still without a single trace of hatred in them.
"Let's get out of here first. The spirit ring won't vanish right away—we'll find a safer place."
Luan Yu's voice was firm. They were still in the area where they'd met the Evil Soul Master. Who knew if that guy might come back with backup?
The others didn't object. This place was definitely not safe—not the right place to absorb a spirit ring.
Luan Yu led the group and carried the Paradise Bird's body in the opposite direction from where the Evil Soul Master had left. Running into him again would just be way too awkward.
Before long, she found a small cave. Judging by the bones scattered inside, it used to be a soul beast's den—but there was no smell or energy left. Clearly, the beast hadn't been back in a long time. Probably never would.
It's not uncommon for soul beasts to go hunting and get killed by something stronger.
Luan Yu laid the Paradise Bird's body down. The yellow spirit ring was already fading slightly—if they waited too long, it would vanish. She quickly had Ye Guyi start absorbing it.
Ye Guyi suppressed the complicated emotions in her heart and summoned her Sacred Angel Martial Soul. A platinum-white light flared up, and a tall, majestic female angel with twin wings appeared behind her. Echoes of a mysterious hymn filled the air, like a divine chant from some higher power.
Liuxing, Xu Tianzhen, and the others stared in awe. The Angel Martial Soul was truly on another level, even accompanied by its own mysterious hymn. Talk about dramatic flair.
As Ye Guyi activated her spirit possession, the Paradise Bird's spirit ring was drawn toward her as if by some invisible force and began to fuse with her.
Less than half an hour later, the angel behind Ye Guyi had a glowing yellow ring around it—she had successfully absorbed the spirit ring and officially become a one-ring Soul Master.
Xu Tianzhen looked frustrated. Ye Guyi had it so much easier than she did. No pain, and it took barely half the time. What the heck? Was she just destined to look bad in comparison?
Ye Guyi opened her eyes. The platinum glow faded, and the angel vanished into thin air.
She looked at the Paradise Bird's body with a complicated expression, still full of questions. Could the Paradise Bird really be connected to the Angel God? Otherwise, how had she managed to absorb its spirit ring so easily?
"....."