All of Dugu Feng's focus was now on obtaining his third Spirit Ring and the evolution of his Core Pearl.
The closer the Core Pearl's energy approached 100%, the greater the hope for its evolution.
This anticipation grew infinitely in his heart.
Such expectation made Dugu Feng unwilling to waste even a single moment.
Upon returning to his clan, he immediately headed to the underground cavern.
He began detoxifying the clan's Soul Masters once more.
With the experience from the first time, the process was now familiar and smooth.
The progress was swift—in less than half a month,
the Core Pearl's energy increased by another five points, reaching 81%.
One evening,
Dugu Feng and Old Nine appeared together in the Sunset Forest.
"Young Master, my Martial Soul is the Nine Heavens Centipede, but among centipedes, the truly venomous Spirit Beast is the Nine Heavens Dragon Centipede.
Such Spirit Beasts are extremely rare, but they can still be found in the Sunset Forest.
It just requires some patience from you, Young Master!"
Old Nine carefully chose his words as he spoke to Dugu Feng. Having never interacted with Dugu Feng before, he was being particularly cautious while guiding him to hunt for a Spirit Ring.
"No rush. Better to lack than to accept mediocrity. The ideal target should be around four thousand years in age!"
For his third Spirit Ring, Dugu Feng intended to hunt a centipede.
Another one of the Five Poisons.
When he first began cultivating, Dugu Feng had even considered going to the Star Dou Great Forest to steal the Human-Faced Demon Orb that Tang San had absorbed.
However, his second Spirit Ring had already been absorbed from an 1,800-year Spirit Beast, and that Human-Faced Demon Orb was only two thousand years old—unsuitable for him.
Moreover, the birth of an External Soul Bone involved a degree of chance.
Even if he found that Human-Faced Demon Orb, obtaining the Eight Spider Lances wasn't guaranteed.
After some thought, Dugu Feng decided to follow his clan's suggestion and first absorb the Spirit Ring of a Nine Heavens Dragon Centipede.
As for the Eight Spider Lances? It wasn't as if they would fuse permanently upon absorption.
He could always steal them later.
With careful planning against an unsuspecting target, the chances of success were overwhelmingly high.
Dugu Feng refocused his thoughts and sharpened his senses to the present.
Moving through the forest at night was dangerous.
This was mainly because the Nine Heavens Dragon Centipede had a habit of basking in moonlight during the night.
The weather had been clear these past few days, and the bright moonlight draped over the earth like silver gauze, filtering through the trees.
Such conditions made it the easiest time to find a Nine Heavens Dragon Centipede.
Dugu Feng had always felt that the Sunset Forest could be called the Forest of Poison Spirit Beasts.
All kinds of poison-attribute Spirit Beasts were highly active here.
Along the way, most of what he saw and heard were highly venomous Spirit Beasts.
Suppressing all traces of his aura, he moved like a lurking serpent, following closely behind Old Nine.
They checked five possible locations where the Nine Heavens Dragon Centipede might appear, covering nearly a third of the Sunset Forest.
Yet, they found nothing.
For the next three days, their footsteps marked every corner of the forest.
Finally, at the edge of the forest, Old Nine's face lit up with joy.
"There's the scent of a Nine Heavens Dragon Centipede here... and there are no powerful Spirit Beasts nearby, which means this must be its territory!"
Dugu Feng's expression brightened.
A discovery was all they needed.
They immediately went into hiding nearby, waiting for the Nine Heavens Dragon Centipede to appear.
As dusk deepened, Dugu Feng sensed movement.
The ground trembled slightly.
Then, two dark green antennae emerged from the earth, swaying back and forth.
They seemed to be probing their surroundings.
Dugu Feng and Old Nine were hidden among the treetops not far away, concealing their auras to the utmost.
Dugu Feng even used his domain power to shield both of them.
After several minutes of waving its long antennae, sickle-like centipede legs emerged from beneath the ground.
It moved swiftly.
In moments, its full form was revealed.
Countless legs, a vivid emerald green, made it seem as though it was gliding across the ground.
Its speed was extraordinary.
"It's a Nine Heavens Dragon Centipede, but its age has reached five thousand years. Young Master, should we keep searching?"
Old Nine transmitted his voice directly into Dugu Feng's mind using soul power.
Before setting out, Dugu Feng's physical endurance had been tested—absorbing a four-thousand-year Spirit Beast would pose no issue.
But five thousand?
A fierce determination flashed across Dugu Feng's face. Five thousand it is, then.
Although his first two Spirit Rings had been absorbed beyond their usual limits, neither had caused him much pain.
After all, since the age of four, he had endured daily poison flare-ups, hardening his tolerance for suffering.
Now that he had encountered this third Spirit Ring, he would seize the opportunity and push his limits.
"Let's act! This is the one!"
Dugu Feng steeled his resolve.
Seeing this, Old Nine leaped forward, transforming midair into a massive centipede.
His Martial Soul Avatar manifested.
The enormous centipede rolled across the ground, and Dugu Feng caught only glimpses of its razor-sharp, venomous spikes.
These spikes moved like saw blades, slicing cleanly through the Nine Heavens Dragon Centipede.
Its body was nearly severed in two.
The cut was made precisely where its head met its torso.
How brutal of Old Nine!
Dugu Feng swiftly closed in on the Nine Heavens Dragon Centipede, firing successive bursts of Azure Phosphorous Finger Force.
The already nearly bisected creature finally split apart completely.
At the same time, Mixed Poison seeped into the gaping wound in the centipede's body.
Once this was done, Dugu Feng retreated several hundred paces.
"Screech!"
A piercing, agonized shriek echoed sharply through the forest.
Though split in two, the Nine Heavens Dragon Centipede was not yet dead.
It thrashed violently on the ground.
Nearby trees and plants were flattened by its convulsions.
"A centipede dies but never stiffens"—this saying held true.
And this was a five-thousand-year Spirit Beast, no less.
Old Nine remained in his Martial Soul Avatar form, vigilantly scanning the surroundings.
With such a commotion, the last thing they needed was opportunistic scavengers appearing.
Dugu Feng kept his eyes locked on the Nine Heavens Dragon Centipede as its thrashing gradually weakened.
The two long antennae on its head drooped lower and lower.
A purplish glow began to coalesce.
It was nearing its end!
Dugu Feng approached as flickering purple light condensed over its body, forming a Spirit Ring.
Excitement surged within him—he was finally about to reach the Soul Expert realm.
With Old Nine guarding him, Dugu Feng had no fear of danger.
He immediately sat down cross-legged.
One yellow and one purple Spirit Ring rose around him, while pincer-like appendages emerged from his shoulders.
These crystalline silver pincers were etched with faint white patterns.
This, of course, was the Killing Intent of his Slaughter God Domain.
Among his abilities, his External Soul Bone had proven the most compatible with the Slaughter God Domain.
The External Soul Bone, much like his Weapon Soul, was the perfect vessel for the domain's power.
As the domain expanded, it amplified Dugu Feng's strength.
He entered his optimal state.
In the next moment, he extended his right hand.
Guided by his Soul Power, the purple energy hovering over the Nine Heavens Dragon Centipede's corpse connected with his own power.
In an instant, it transformed into a cascading torrent of energy, pouring into Dugu Feng's body.
This energy was vast and mighty, filled with an icy aura.
Before Dugu Feng could react, the energy had already flooded his meridians, rampaging wildly through his body.
"Come on!"
Dugu Feng's eyes shone brightly, flickering with purple light as he began fusing with his third Spirit Ring.
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