Three days later.
Ming Dou Great Forest.
Giant trees, dozens of meters tall, tore the sunlight into fragments. Ancient vines coiled around the trees, and resin mixed with morning dew dripped onto the Blue Silver Grass. The wind rustled through the forest.
A group of four walked slowly. Jing Hongchen brought up the rear, while the confident and spirited Xiao Hongchen led the way. Xu Tianxi and Meng Hongchen walked on either side, alert.
Xiao Hongchen's confidence stemmed from having already hunted the Gilding Beast, their target for this trip, with Jing Hongchen's help. As in the original story, he obtained the life-saving divine skill, Gold's Affection.
As early as five months ago, Xiao Hongchen had already cultivated to Level 50. After absorbing a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring, his cultivation advanced rapidly, breaking through to the mid-stage of Level 53.
He was beaming, his raised lips unable to come down. He walked along, showing off to Xu Tianxi:
"Old Xu, if you see any Soul Beast you like later, just tell me, alright? I just broke through to Soul King, and I feel like I have nowhere to expend all this energy."
"Oh, I just broke through, and I feel like I can control over a hundred Level 5 Soul Guided Cannons to fire simultaneously. I just don't know if they'll be accurate. What do you think I should do—"
Xiao Hongchen patted his chest, lamenting the many troubles of a Soul King.
Xu Tianxi glanced at the guy and kindly offered an answer: "If you're bad, practice more."
Xiao Hongchen's mouth twitched. Xu Tianxi is too honest, he thought. Meng Hongchen chuckled, her bright eyes full of mirth.
Ever since little Xu arrived, Xiao has finally stopped being so arrogant.
Jing Hongchen laughed heartily, trying to smooth things over: "Xiao, Tianxi is right. You've just broken through, so you need to adapt well. Your Martial Soul has immense potential and needs to be properly developed."
"Additionally, cooperative soul hunting is indeed a good suggestion. Your current burst power can reach the Soul Emperor level. When you hunt that Icefire Poison Flood Dragon for Meng later, you two can hone your teamwork."
In the upcoming Pan-continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament, team battles have always been the top priority. Soul Engineers don't get many opportunities for practical combat, so this was a good chance to practice.
Of course, judging by the powerful methods Xu Tianxi displayed when he helped him deal with that thirty-thousand-year-old Gilding Beast two days ago, Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen were meant to work together.
"Haha, Grandpa, don't worry—"
Xiao Hongchen was about to pat his chest and agree, but then he heard Meng Hongchen, to his right, say with some concern:
"Grandpa, according to the intelligence we gathered, that twenty-thousand-year-old Icefire Poison Flood Dragon King is in a deep, secluded pool. It has the advantage of the terrain, and it possesses ice, fire, and poison attributes. It also has dragon bloodline, and its physical body is powerful. Even a Level 7 Soul Engineer isn't guaranteed a stable victory against it."
Xiao Hongchen's chest-patting motion paused. He was about to say something to boost morale, but Meng Hongchen hadn't finished speaking.
"Its poison is very powerful. I'm certain that if Xiao gets some on him, he'll be poisoned unconscious."
Xiao Hongchen's mouth twitched: "Meng—can't you just not use me as a negative example? Why don't you say Old Xu can't withstand the poison either?"
"I'm just speaking the truth. The poison of a twenty-thousand-year-old Icefire Poison Flood Dragon King is much stronger than mine. With your physique, if you get poisoned, the outcome will definitely be dire."
Meng Hongchen replied to Xiao Hongchen, her eyes curving into a beautiful arc as she smiled, saying:
"Besides, when we killed that Gilding Beast earlier, little Xu also made a move. Someone who didn't even get a chance to act should figure out if they can beat their junior now."
Hearing this, a black line appeared on Xiao Hongchen's forehead. He thought, What you said makes so much sense, don't say it next time.
Xu Tianxi gently raised his hand, saying with some uncertainty, "My Second Martial Soul possesses Ultimate Water. Theoretically—unless it encounters Ultimate Poison, otherwise it's immune to all poisons."
"Ultimate Water has that effect? Isn't water supposed to conduct poison?" Xiao Hongchen twisted his head sharply, his mouth wide open.
Jing Hongchen and Meng Hongchen looked at him, their eyes shining with wonder.
Xu Tianxi had never told them that Ultimate Water had such an ability.
Xu Tianxi pondered, "Ordinary water conducts poison, but Ultimate Water is different. Every ultimate attribute has unique characteristics. Ultimate Water is infinitely changeable and can display extreme purity and clarity. Poisons simply cannot integrate into it."
"With this pure water elemental protection, all poisons in the world are hard-pressed to invade my body. Even if they enter, they cannot circulate or take effect within me."
Are ultimate attributes all that ridiculous?
Xiao Hongchen lowered his head and looked at his hands. The Three-legged Golden Toad, this lame Divine Beast Martial Soul, still had a lot of room for improvement. Why couldn't it be more ambitious and get some Ultimate Gold?
If he had Ultimate Gold, would he still fear Xu Tianxi? At least he could go—three-seven, right?
Xu Tianxi shook his head: "Not every ultimate attribute can grant immunity to poison. I guess I'm just lucky. If it were Ultimate Wood, Ultimate Gold, or other ultimate attributes, they might not be useful in this regard—"
"Stop." Xiao Hongchen pulled out a Gold Soul Card and shoved it at Xu Tianxi's mouth, pouting, "You don't need to say the rest."
Xu Tianxi nodded lightly and took the Gold Soul Card.
He had originally wanted to share some knowledge with Xiao Hongchen, but since he didn't want to hear it, he dropped the subject.
Approaching their destination, Xiao Hongchen took the lead. Xu Tianxi and Meng Hongchen's bodies glowed with bright silver and icy blue light respectively, enveloping them completely.
As the light dissipated, it transformed into exquisite Soul Guided Armor, covering their foreheads, shoulders, chests, elbows, lower abdomens, hips, knees, and hands—thirteen areas in total. Flying Soul Guided Devices appeared on their backs.
After activating her Level 5 Soul Guided Armor, a pair of slender, icy blue longswords, thin as cicada wings and emanating a cold glow, extended from Meng Hongchen's hands.
Xu Tianxi pulled out a pair of gold-rimmed glasses from somewhere and put them on. A fierce aura of a Level 5 Soul Guided Device subtly emanated from the frames. Two Milk Bottles appeared in his left hand.
The gold-rimmed glasses were a Level 5 Soul Guided Device he had modified under the guidance of Jing Hongchen and Xuan Ziwen, inspired by the powerful Level 7 Soul Guided Device, Eye of Fear, and named Path of Bright Light.
This Soul Guided Device possessed three major functions: long-range detection of target auras, a 50% increase in Spiritual Power output, and the addition of decomposition, explosive, and freezing effects to spiritual attacks. Its core magic array was intricate and complex, comparable to a Level 6 Soul Guided Device. Xu Tianxi had carefully experimented for a considerable time before successfully creating it.
The flaw in the Eye of Fear was its inability to lock onto a target, only self-locating. Xu Tianxi broadened his thinking, using its principles to develop glasses with a similar effect, which were much more suited to his own use.
Moreover, this Soul Guided Device also referenced the concept of Hongchen Blessing, featuring a charging effect. After eighteen days of charging, it could unleash an attack three times as powerful as Xu Tianxi's own cultivation.
After rounding a few hills, the ground beneath their feet instantly became muddy, glowing with a chilling darkness. Within that chill, a warmth surged, as if they were experiencing both ice and fire.
A strong, fishy smell permeated the air. Ahead was a circular depression, and a deep pool over a thousand feet wide came into view.
The pool water was still, yet it made one's hair stand on end even before getting close, with eerie green mist swirling within it.
"This guy's poison is incredibly potent. Old Xu, you're strong, you go first. I'll be right behind you."
Xiao Hongchen dipped a finger, enveloped in Soul Power, into the pool water, then recoiled it lightning-fast, wincing in pain and a deep dread rising in his eyes.
"Alright, remember to call me 'Brother' later."
Xu Tianxi nodded, his eyes slightly narrowed. Three disguised Soul Rings rose beneath his feet, the Eye of Life slightly opened, and a moon, about a zhang wide, suddenly appeared in the air behind him. Its moonlight enveloped both Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen.
"Third Soul Skill, Cold Moon Gazing Whale Fall!"
The Third Soul Ring on Xu Tianxi glowed brightly. The moonlight transformed into dense water and lightning elements, forming a lake of water and lightning light with a diameter of over thirty meters beneath their feet. Ripples spread towards the green, argon-filled flood dragon pool.
A "whoosh" sound resonated in the air. The virulent green mist, upon encountering the ripples infused with Ultimate Water, was purified completely, like a shadow meeting light. The water in the corner of the pool even began to clear.
"Roar—!"
The purification of the poisonous mist didn't last long. The Soul Beast, which Xu Tianxi's "Path of Bright Light" had detected as extremely dangerous, quickly reacted.
With a long roar, large splashes of water churned on the surface of the pool, and the water flowed inward. A gigantic, triangular flood dragon head emerged, followed by its massive body, over a meter in diameter. The length exposed above the water exceeded seven meters.
Facing humans, the Icefire Poison Flood Dragon naturally showed no goodwill. Deep anger surged in its ice-blue eyes with a hint of red. It then opened its bloody maw, spewing dense green poisonous mist, reeking to the heavens, instantly filling a space of tens to hundreds of meters.
"Excellent! Meet my Silver Demon Whale!"
Xu Tianxi praised, then with a thought, a "bang" echoed in the lightning-filled lake of water and lightning. A massive, streamlined silver creature suddenly leaped out, charging fearlessly towards the Icefire Poison Flood Dragon's mist.
Its appearance was clearly that of a Deep Sea Silver Demon Whale. Its eyes seemed to hold spiritual essence, and a real oppressive aura surged around its body, no less than that of a Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast.
This was, of course, not a real Deep Sea Silver Demon Whale, but one condensed from Spiritual Power and Soul Power. Yet, it was as solid as a real entity, possessing true combat power.
The great whale's eyes were wide open, shooting out two circular silver lights. Carrying the unmatched might of Ultimate Water, and with an absolute elemental advantage, it effortlessly pierced through the poisonous mist and blasted towards the Icefire Poison Flood Dragon's main body.
The Icefire Poison Flood Dragon King instinctively sensed a terrifying threat from the Silver Demon Whale's attributes, realizing that the opponent subtly countered its most prized poison. It didn't use elemental defense, but instead chose to leap into the air to dodge, splashing large amounts of water.
This leap also revealed its entire body, which was over twelve meters long. The Icefire Poison Flood Dragon King bared its fangs and claws, shifting its body with a flash. From its bloody maw, filled with misaligned fangs, it suddenly spewed an energy storm mixed with ice and flames, sweeping towards the "Silver Demon Whale."
The "Silver Demon Whale" let out a low roar. A layer of water and lightning barrier surged on its massive, energy-bodied form. Whether it was ice or flames, a strange phenomenon occurred when they approached that barrier—their energy level was reduced, with flames being particularly diminished.
Ultimate Water has an absolute suppressive effect on any fire attribute other than Ultimate Fire. Ice attributes are also affected by suppression.
After enduring that innocuous attack, the Silver Demon Whale rolled a few times to dissipate the force. Dense water and lightning elements, accompanied by a whale's cry, converged, condensing into spheres of lightning and water, like a dazzling meteor shower, returning the favor by launching into the sky.
"Ow~!" Due to the attribute counter, the Icefire Poison Flood Dragon King, unable to unleash even three-tenths of its full power, roared in fury, its chest filled with resentment and apprehension.
It didn't want to directly clash with the Silver Demon Whale's dangerous attacks. Its body flickered, beginning to maneuver and dodge, yet it couldn't avoid being hit.
The lightning-water spheres, condensed from Ultimate Water and Soul Power close to Ultimate Lightning, were terrifyingly powerful. Even with the formidable physique of the twenty-thousand-year Icefire Poison Flood Dragon King, getting hit still resulted in shattered scales, torn flesh, and scattered blood.
For a time, the whale and the flood dragon battled fiercely. The Silver Demon Whale's raw strength was considerably less than the flood dragon king's, but by relying on Ultimate Water to suppress its opponent's three attributes, it actually fought the flood dragon king to a standstill.
Outside the pool, Xu Tianxi held a Level 5 Milk Bottle in each hand, absorbing its Soul Power to maintain the operation of his Third Soul Skill. Silver and purple light flickered in his eyes as he closely watched the battling whale and flood dragon.
He seemed to immerse his mind into the "Deep Sea Silver Demon Whale," transforming into a unique summoner, guiding the "Deep Sea Silver Demon Whale" to entangle with the Icefire Poison Flood Dragon.
And this scene was the greatest achievement of his four months in seclusion.