On the second day of entering the Star Dou Forest, the group stepped into the mixed zone.
After entering, under Zhang Lexuan's deliberate command, their pace noticeably slowed. She suggested they penetrate deeper into the mixed zone — ideally, near the core region. The reasoning was clear: since everyone needed soul rings over ten thousand years old, and the closer one got to the core, the stronger the soul beasts became, her suggestion made perfect sense.
After a show of hands, the group unanimously agreed with Zhang Lexuan's plan.
So, maintaining formation and a steady pace, they headed deeper into the mixed zone.
"Senior Sister, there are no soul beasts nearby," Cheng Hui reported as he dashed out from a cluster of trees and landed beside Zhang Lexuan.
"Got it," Zhang Lexuan nodded. "Cheng Hui, take a break for now. No need to scout again just yet."
"Understood." Cheng Hui complied.
Once they entered the mixed zone, Zhang Lexuan withdrew her aura of suppression. Unlike the outer regions, the soul beasts here were stronger, fiercer, and more untamed. A soul master's aura could easily provoke large-scale retaliation. From this point on, the team had to rely solely on their agility-type soul master for reconnaissance.
By noon, the group had ventured nearly five kilometers into the mixed zone. Just as they were preparing to stop and rest, two battling soul beasts burst into their detection range.
"It's a Fire Spirit Tiger and a Diamond Armored Beast!" Zhu Ziyang called out.
Everyone turned to look at the outer courtyard junior. While staying alert, Zhang Lexuan asked, "Ziyang, you recognize those two soul beasts?"
"Yeah, I do. The blue tiger is a Fire Spirit Tiger. Even though its fur is blue, it's a genuine fire-attribute beast. It can breathe incredibly hot blue flames from its mouth. The other four-legged beast with a horn on its snout is a Diamond Armored Beast, also called a Diamond Rhino. Its skin is as hard as diamond, and that horn is its primary weapon. Its charging force can shake mountains!" Zhu Ziyang explained. "Both beasts are around twenty thousand years old!"
"That's right! Junior Ziyang's got it spot-on, Senior Sister," Zhu Lie immediately chimed in. "That Diamond Rhino is one of the soul beasts I had in mind. I didn't expect we'd come across it so quickly."
Everyone understood right away — whether they wanted to or not, this fight was happening.
"According to what little brother Ziyang said, doesn't that Fire Spirit Tiger seem perfect for me?" Wu Ming said, her eyes lighting up with desire as she stared at the Fire Spirit Tiger locked in battle with the Diamond Rhino.
"No, it's more suitable for Sister Xiaotao," Zhu Ziyang replied, shaking his head.
"What?" Wu Ming and Ma Xiaotao exclaimed in unison.
Wu Ming glared at Zhu Ziyang and said, "You brat, don't spout nonsense just because you're close to Xiaotao!"
"Don't worry about me, little brother," Ma Xiaotao said with a smile touched by gratitude. "I already have a soul beast in mind."
"Hmph! I never speak without reason," Zhu Ziyang retorted coolly. "The Fire Spirit Tiger's flames are gentle in nature. Wu Ming, your Golden Crow martial soul is explosive and intense. This soul ring wouldn't help you at all — it could even conflict with your nature. But Sister Xiaotao is different. The Fire Spirit Tiger's blue flames have rare purifying properties, which could help mitigate the flaws in her martial soul."
"Really?" Ma Xiaotao looked at Zhu Ziyang, surprise and joy flickering in her eyes. Wu Ming and the others were skeptical but intrigued.
Though Zhu Ziyang was young, his immense talent and close connection to Dean Yan hinted at the possibility that he might hail from some hidden sect. If so, his knowledge would make sense.
"I told you, I never talk nonsense," Zhu Ziyang said with a straight face. "Believe me or not, it's your choice."
"Xiaotao, are you really…" Wu Ming looked at Ma Xiaotao, concerned. Clearly, she believed Zhu Ziyang's reasoning, as she knew her own Golden Crow fire was indeed intensely explosive.
"I trust you, Ziyang!" Ma Xiaotao's uncertain gaze turned resolute.
"Good." Zhu Ziyang nodded. "That Fire Spirit Tiger has cultivated for about nineteen thousand years. Can you handle it, Sister Xiaotao?"
"I can!" Ma Xiaotao responded firmly.
Wu Ming fell silent. By standard reckoning, the safe limit for a fifth soul ring was twenty thousand years. Attempting a soul ring so close to the edge was extremely risky.
"Settled? If so, come over and absorb the rings," Zhang Lexuan said as she strolled over, looking relaxed.
"What?" Zhu Ziyang blinked, then looked ahead. The two soul beasts had already been captured. Zhu Lie was standing beside the Diamond Rhino.
He clicked his tongue and looked at Zhang Lexuan in disbelief.
"That was fast!"
They'd only been talking for five minutes at most!
"Me, Ruoruo, Shen Xu, and Zhang Weiwei — four Soul Emperors over Rank 70 — took action. Two soul beasts not even at twenty thousand years? What could they do? Don't underestimate soul masters, and don't overestimate soul beasts, Ziyang," Zhang Lexuan said with a chuckle.
"Got it!" Zhu Ziyang nodded in acknowledgment.
"Xiaotao, go ahead," Zhang Lexuan smiled at her. "Don't worry about danger — Elder Xuan is here."
"Understood, Senior Sister." Ma Xiaotao nodded, cast a look at Zhu Ziyang, and walked toward the Fire Spirit Tiger with steady steps.
While Ma Xiaotao and Zhu Lie began absorbing their soul rings, the others surrounded them for protection. Han Ruoruo inspected the soul beast corpses for soul bones — unfortunately, there were none.
So, everyone sat down to rest and wait.
"Where are you from, little brother Ziyang?" Wu Ming asked curiously as she sat beside him. Her question instantly drew everyone's attention.
"I'm from Anyang City in the Heaven Soul Empire," Zhu Ziyang replied with a smile.
"Anyang City? Where's that? I've never heard of it," Wu Ming asked, puzzled. The others also seemed confused — none had heard of this place.
"It's just a small city. It's normal you haven't heard of it," Zhu Ziyang said lightly.
"Anyang City, under the jurisdiction of the Northern Province in Heaven Soul Empire, near the Extreme North. Am I right?" Luo Wei interjected, smiling sweetly.
"Yes! Senior Sister, have you been there?" Zhu Ziyang was pleasantly surprised.
"No, I've only heard Ling Luochen mention it before," Luo Wei replied. "When she went to the Extreme North to hunt a soul ring, she stopped by Anyang City."
"I see," Zhu Ziyang said, nodding with sudden understanding.
Ling Luochen — she was the blue-haired girl who had intervened when Ma Xiaotao lost control of her martial soul. Her martial soul was the Ice Element, a rare elemental type. It made perfect sense she'd been to the Extreme North.
"So, are you the descendant of some hidden sect?" Wu Ming asked eagerly. Her curiosity had only grown.
"Why do you think that?" Zhu Ziyang asked in surprise.
"Because you became a Soul Ancestor at age twelve! Aside from hidden sect disciples who've trained from birth, I can't think of another explanation," Wu Ming said with full certainty.
"So that's what you thought," Zhu Ziyang chuckled. "Sorry to disappoint, but I'm just a kid from a regular family."
"No way!" Wu Ming exclaimed. Others who'd been secretly listening stopped pretending and openly stared at Zhu Ziyang. A few even showed faint traces of admiration.
"You're amazing!" Wu Ming said after a long pause. Her tone carried genuine respect. "I was just a Soul Grandmaster at twelve — compared to you, I feel completely embarrassed!"
"Yeah!" Several others nodded along subconsciously.
"It's really nothing," Zhu Ziyang said humbly.
But to Wu Ming and the others, that humility felt like a dagger — a slap in the face. Other than Zhang Lexuan, Han Ruoruo, and Zhang Weiwei, the rest of the group fell into quiet self-pity.
Unseen by the group, hidden in the shadows…
"This brat really knows how to talk!" Elder Xuan grumbled.
(End of Chapter)
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