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"Finally found you, Mirror Shadow Beast!"
As soon as Lan Minghua spoke, Dugu Yan asked in confusion, "Master, isn't that an Ice Jade Scorpion? Why are you calling it a Mirror Shadow Beast?"
Not long ago, she had been chased by a ten-thousand-year Ice Jade Scorpion. That terrifying pursuit left her with a vivid impression.
The scorpion before her looked exactly the same as the one that had just attacked them.
So why did Lan Minghua insist it was a Mirror Shadow Beast and not an Ice Jade Scorpion?
Lan Minghua chuckled lightly and said calmly, "There are countless soul beasts on the continent with strange abilities. Sometimes, what you see is not always the truth."
"ROAR!!"
Just as he explained, the so-called "ten-thousand-year Ice Jade Scorpion" launched an attack.
Its mountain-sized body leapt forward, enormous pincers striking from both sides toward Lan Minghua.
The scorpion tail behind it was not idle either, the venomous stinger slicing through the air as it stabbed downward.
Had Lan Minghua not possessed the overwhelming strength of a ninety-eighth-rank Titled Douluo, even he might have been deceived by the Mirror Shadow Beast's illusion.
That was why, in the original story, Oscar finding the Mirror Shadow Beast was nothing short of incredible luck.
"Hmph, such petty tricks, daring to flaunt them before me."
Lan Minghua struck with a single palm. The body of the "Ice Jade Scorpion" shattered instantly, breaking apart like a mirror into countless fragments.
The Mirror Shadow Beast, as if struck by thunder, was hurled back like a cannonball, smashing into the tunnel wall before falling unconscious.
Lan Minghua had controlled his strength carefully. He didn't want to kill the beast with one strike only to have to search again.
Dugu Yan was stunned. She hadn't expected that the creature, whose aura and spirit fluctuations had been identical to an Ice Jade Scorpion, would actually be the transformed Mirror Shadow Beast.
Even soul beast clans like Meng Yiran's had never heard of such a creature.
Lan Minghua collected the unconscious Mirror Shadow Beast and said softly, "Let's go. The soul beasts you need are ready. Once we find Oscar, you can begin absorbing."
Hearing this, the three women grew excited.
Some of them had been stuck at the fortieth rank for quite some time, unable to advance. Their motivation to cultivate had nearly run dry.
Now, with the chance to obtain their fourth spirit ring at last, how could they not be thrilled?
Lan Minghua had already located Oscar. Carrying the three young women, he moved through the tunnels with practiced ease, as if traveling a familiar road home.
Soon, they reached the Ice Silkworm's cave, where Oscar was hiding.
Lan Minghua kicked open the roof of the silkworm nest and descended with the three women.
The Ice Silkworms lifted their heads and looked at them curiously.
Sensing the immense power of Lan Minghua through their keen spiritual perception, they didn't even bother resisting and simply continued to eat.
To them, even if death was inevitable, they might as well die with full stomachs.
Hearing the commotion, Oscar opened his eyes in surprise and joy. When he saw Lan Minghua, the tension in his body finally eased.
"Master…"
The moment he spoke, a wave of weakness washed over him. He nearly fainted after uttering just two words.
Lan Minghua flashed to his side, using soul power to dispel his exhaustion.
"You've done well as senior brother. You showed responsibility and didn't embarrass me."
Oscar scratched his head sheepishly once he regained his strength.
When Serpent Spear Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo had chased him, he had indeed been a little reckless.
If not for accidentally falling into the cavern, he might have been captured alive.
If Spirit Hall had then used him to threaten Lan Minghua, he would truly have had no face left to live.
Ignoring Oscar's embarrassment, Lan Minghua ordered, "Each of you, catch an Ice Silkworm."
"Ice Silkworms?" Oscar pointed doubtfully at the nearby silkworms, still eating without the slightest vigilance. "Those things? Why catch them?"
Lan Minghua's fists itched to strike. How could his "good disciple" talk so much nonsense?
Calm down. Breathe. This is the eldest disciple.
Taking a deep breath, Lan Minghua forced a smile that wasn't a smile and glared at Oscar. "I told you to catch them, so just catch them. Why so many questions?"
Oscar shivered and quickly scurried off to catch several silkworms, dividing them among Zhu Zhuqing and the others.
The three girls felt reluctant as they held the wriggling silkworms.
After all, creatures that looked like maggots were hardly appealing to young women.
"Master, we've caught them. What do we do now?" Oscar asked.
Lan Minghua dropped a bombshell: "Your fourth spirit rings will all be ten-thousand-year rings. These Ice Silkworms are essential for that."
"What? Ten-thousand-year spirit rings?!"
Oscar and the three girls widened their eyes, utterly shocked.
In their understanding, the optimal configuration for spirit masters was yellow, yellow, purple, purple.
Now they were being told to directly absorb ten-thousand-year spirit rings for their fourth? Anyone would be dumbfounded.
Lan Minghua looked at them with disappointment and said, "Two of you already have third spirit rings over five thousand years. So what's so strange about your fourth being ten-thousand years?"
Only then did Oscar and Zhu Zhuqing remember that their third spirit rings were indeed at the five-thousand-year level.
"These Ice Silkworms possess powerful spiritual energy. Absorbing their soul power has a chance of enhancing your spiritual strength. As long as your spiritual power is strong enough, absorbing ten-thousand-year rings will not be a problem."
Lan Minghua cast a glance at Oscar and continued, "Oscar, you'll use Beiming Divine Art to absorb the Ice Silkworm's spiritual power yourself."
Then he turned to the three girls. "As for you, I will use Beiming Divine Art to help you absorb their spiritual power."
"Yes, Master."
Oscar sat cross-legged, holding the silkworm and beginning to absorb.
Once Zhu Zhuqing and the others understood the purpose of the silkworms, they no longer minded and did the same.
Satisfied, Lan Minghua nodded and began transferring the silkworms' spiritual power into the three women using Beiming Divine Art.
He didn't completely drain each silkworm but switched to another once enough was absorbed.
The silkworms didn't resist either, knowing that resistance would end the same way.
"Whatever happens, happens," they seemed to think.
Lan Minghua admired their calm demeanor and mused, "Interesting little creatures. Perhaps I should keep some. That way, if any future disciples lack spiritual strength, we won't need to trek into the Frozen Forest again."
Soon, after adapting to the new spiritual energy, Oscar and the others were ready. Lan Minghua distributed their respective soul beasts:
Oscar received the ten-thousand-year Mirror Shadow Beast, Dugu Yan the ten-thousand-year Ice Jade Scorpion, Zhu Zhuqing the ten-thousand-year Frost Leopard, and Meng Yiran the Frost-scaled Ice Python.
"These are your targets. Absorb them."
"Thank you, Master!"
The four disciples happily accepted their assigned soul beasts, swiftly killing them and sitting cross-legged to absorb the rings.
Lan Minghua stood guard nearby, ensuring no accidents occurred.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, Tang San, Yu Xiaogang, and Flender were in Star Dou Forest hunting for soul rings.
But unlike Lan Minghua's group, Tang San and Flender still had to protect Yu Xiaogang.
"Xiaogang, what kind of soul beast do you think Little San should choose for his third ring?"
Yet Yu Xiaogang fidgeted, unable to give a proper answer.
Seeing this, a flicker of killing intent surfaced deep within Tang San's eyes.
If Flender hadn't been there, he might have already abandoned Yu Xiaogang.
After all, he was now a disciple of the Clear Sky Sect and son-in-law of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. With such background, what theory did Yu Xiaogang have that he didn't?
The only reason he didn't act was because he didn't want to bear the reputation of betraying his master and forsaking his ancestors.
Besides, under so many watching eyes, he didn't yet have the power.
Yu Xiaogang suddenly felt a chill down his spine, realizing something was wrong with Tang San.
"Damn, this can't go on. With Tang San's nature, he definitely won't let me live."
His thoughts raced. Just as he was about to say something, the ground beneath him collapsed.
"Ahhh!"
With a scream, Yu Xiaogang fell several meters into a hidden pit.
It happened so suddenly that even Flender didn't react in time.
"Damn it! Why is there a hole here?" Yu Xiaogang cursed angrily, rubbing the back of his head.
But the moment he opened his eyes, a hideous human face filled his vision.
In an instant, Yu Xiaogang was so terrified he lost control of his bladder and bowels, screaming at the top of his lungs.
"Gh-gh-gho-ghost!!"
(End of Chapter)