The deeper they went into the forest, the quieter it became.
Not the natural quiet of the wild—
But a heavy, suffocating silence.
Even the wind seemed to avoid this place.
Xiao Wu followed closely behind Lin Ye, her usual playful expression gone. Her eyes were alert, scanning the surroundings carefully.
"This area…" she said softly, "we shouldn't be here."
Lin Ye didn't stop walking.
"Why?"
Xiao Wu hesitated before answering. "Because the spirit beasts here are… dangerous. Much stronger than before."
Lin Ye smiled faintly.
"That's the point."
Xiao Wu opened her mouth, then closed it again.
She had no way to argue.
Because everything she had seen so far—
Had already shattered common sense.
—
They continued forward for several minutes.
Then—
A low, rumbling growl echoed through the forest.
The ground trembled slightly.
Xiao Wu's body stiffened instantly.
"That's…"
Before she could finish—
A massive figure stepped out from the shadows.
It was a tiger.
But not an ordinary one.
Its body was enormous, covered in dark golden fur with black stripes that seemed to shift like shadows. Its eyes glowed with a deep, predatory light, and every breath it took carried terrifying pressure.
"A Ten-Thousand-Year Shadow Flame Tiger…" Xiao Wu whispered, her voice tight.
This was no ordinary opponent.
Even high-level Spirit Masters would think twice before facing it.
The tiger locked onto them immediately.
Its gaze was cold.
Calculating.
Dangerous.
Then—
It moved.
A blur of motion as it lunged forward, claws tearing through the air.
"Lin Ye!" Xiao Wu shouted instinctively.
But Lin Ye didn't move.
Not even a step.
"Good."
He raised his hand slightly.
"Stay."
BOOOOOOM!!!
An invisible force descended instantly.
The tiger's massive body was slammed into the ground mid-air, creating a deep crater upon impact.
The entire forest shook.
Xiao Wu's eyes widened in shock.
Even a ten-thousand-year beast…
Couldn't resist?
The tiger roared furiously, struggling against the pressure. Flames flickered faintly around its body as it tried to resist.
But it couldn't move.
Not even an inch.
Lin Ye walked forward slowly, his steps calm and unhurried.
"You're strong," he said lightly, "but not enough."
The tiger's eyes burned with rage.
It tried to rise again—
CRACK!!!
The pressure increased instantly.
Bones shattered.
Its body slammed deeper into the ground.
Then—silence.
Dead.
A deep black soul ring slowly rose from its body.
Xiao Wu stood frozen, unable to speak.
This… was completely beyond understanding.
Lin Ye looked at the soul ring with interest.
"A ten-thousand-year ring."
"Now this…"
"Is worth absorbing."
He sat down cross-legged without hesitation.
"Guard me."
Xiao Wu snapped out of her daze and nodded quickly.
"…Okay."
Her heart was still racing.
But she didn't question him anymore.
Because there was no point.
—
Lin Ye reached out and absorbed the soul ring.
The moment it entered his body—
[Ding!]
[Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring detected.]
[Applying 1,000,000,000x enhancement…]
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
A terrifying explosion of energy erupted outward.
The black ring twisted violently—
Turning deep red.
Then darker.
Then even deeper—beyond anything Xiao Wu had ever felt.
The sky dimmed.
The ground cracked.
Ancient auras hidden deep within the forest stirred slightly before falling silent again.
Xiao Wu staggered back, her face pale.
"This… this isn't normal…"
The pressure alone made it hard for her to breathe.
It felt like standing before something ancient. Something far beyond spirit beasts.
Moments passed.
Then—
Everything calmed.
Lin Ye slowly opened his eyes.
A deep crimson glow flickered within them before fading.
He exhaled softly.
"Good."
He stood up as if nothing had happened.
But the aura around him—
Was far more terrifying than before.
Xiao Wu looked at him in silence for a long moment.
"…You've gotten stronger again."
Lin Ye nodded slightly.
"Of course."
Xiao Wu hesitated, then asked quietly,
"Is there… a limit to you?"
Lin Ye thought for a second.
Then he smiled.
"Not that I know of."
"…"
She didn't know what to say.
—
Just as they were about to leave—
Lin Ye suddenly stopped.
His gaze shifted deeper into the forest.
"…There's more."
Xiao Wu's heart tightened.
"More?"
Lin Ye's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Yes."
"This one is stronger."
Before Xiao Wu could respond—
A deep, ancient roar echoed through the forest.
Unlike the tiger—
This roar carried something heavier.
Something… older.
The trees trembled.
The air itself seemed to grow dense.
Xiao Wu's face turned serious.
"That's not something we should provoke…"
Lin Ye smiled faintly.
"Too late."
He stepped forward.
Without hesitation.
Xiao Wu clenched her fists, then followed him again.
Because at this point—
She already understood.
Lin Ye didn't avoid danger.
He walked straight toward it.
And somehow—
He always came out on top.
—
Deeper in the forest—
A massive shadow moved slowly.
Its presence alone was enough to silence everything around it.
And now—
It had noticed them.
Lin Ye's lips curved slightly.
"Perfect."
His eyes gleamed faintly.
"This should be interesting."