Chapter 7: First Soul Ring, In Hand
Star Dou Forest.
Located at the border between two great empires, it was one of the three major soul beast habitats.
The rarely-trodden forest carried the earthy scent of the wild, and the air was extraordinarily fresh.
After fusing and consuming another Grade-8 Clear Spirit Grass, Su Ye had now broken through to level 10, qualifying him to obtain his first soul ring.
Knowing how dangerous this place was, Su Ye didn't dare to act recklessly. Wearing leather armor and carrying a longsword, he cautiously explored the outer edges.
Of course, if he really encountered a century-old soul beast, Su Ye wasn't afraid at all.
Along the way, having fused with many rare metals, his Ironfeather Falcon Martial Soul had already evolved into a Five-Colored Mystic Feather Hawk.
Although it was a beast-type Martial Soul in form, its defensive power rivaled that of a tool-type Martial Soul.
Once he activated Martial Soul Possession, his body would feel like it was encased in indestructible armor—more than enough to go head-to-head with a hundred-year-old soul beast.
"If I'm lucky enough to run into a decades-old Fire Luan fledgling, that would be amazing."
Knowing he might be overthinking it, Su Ye still searched the forest with hope.
Along the way, he didn't overlook any medicinal herbs good for strengthening the body. He collected them all into his backpack, planning to try making medicinal baths later.
That's right—Su Ye's first target was not a hundred-year-old soul beast…
But a fire-type soul beast with decades of cultivation!
Of course, Su Ye knew that absorbing a hundred-year soul ring would offer better effects.
But he could increase the age of a soul ring through fusion. As long as he collected enough soul rings, even by hunting ten-year soul beasts, he could eventually synthesize a ten-thousand-year soul ring.
Since this was his first time hunting a soul beast and absorbing a soul ring, Su Ye wanted to play it safe and gain experience first.
As for choosing fire as the attribute…
His Martial Soul followed the path of Extreme Metal, and the Eight Extremities Fist emphasized powerful close-range strikes. Since his melee strength and defense were already strong, he wanted to balance things out with ranged explosive power.
Fire was naturally his first choice.
"…Hmm? A sound?"
Soon, a fierce, chilling howl rose from beyond a bush, accompanied by the crunching sound of bones being chewed.
It sounded like a wild beast was eating.
Su Ye became extremely alert and quietly crept over. A roasted meat scent wafted toward him.
A black wolf over a meter tall was pinning down a fawn with its right paw, tearing into it. The fawn's fur was scorched—no wonder there was a smell of roast meat.
"This is…" When Su Ye noticed the fiery orange mane around the wolf's neck, joy flashed across his face.
Scarlet Flame Wolf.
A fire-element soul beast.
When it attacks, its body releases intense flames to burn its enemy.
A page from the "Soul Beast Archive" surfaced in Su Ye's mind, describing this exact beast.
Fire attribute!
And its effect was for Martial Soul Possession!
It was a perfect match for him.
Without a sound, Su Ye quietly took out the bow from his back, planning to shoot first—just in case the beast ran off.
But—snap!—a sudden rustle from the bushes came from the bowstring.
Realizing the noise gave him away, Su Ye's heart sank.
Wolves had incredibly sharp hearing.
Sure enough, the Scarlet Flame Wolf instantly turned around, baring its fangs and growling menacingly in a low tone—a clear warning.
Blood from the fawn dripped to the ground, and the wolf crouched low, assuming a perfect pounce posture.
Seeing that it recognized him as a human, the wolf didn't hesitate and immediately charged at Su Ye.
"Perfect timing!"
A cold glint flashed in Su Ye's eyes. He threw down the bow and also charged forward.
Despite evolving his Martial Soul for so long, he hadn't yet had a proper fight—this was the perfect chance to test it out.
"Martial Soul Possession!"
With a loud shout, a dark light surged from Su Ye's body. A multicolored black hawk materialized out of thin air.
As Su Ye dashed through the bushes, the Five-Colored Mystic Feather Hawk soared low, diving at the Scarlet Flame Wolf.
Su Ye felt light underfoot. His speed surged, as if he were about to take flight.
His soul power level wasn't high yet, so full aerial flight would just waste energy—so he stayed grounded.
What Su Ye wanted was speed.
Howl—!
As he neared, the Scarlet Flame Wolf suddenly lunged, jaws wide open, aiming to rip Su Ye's throat out.
Su Ye raised his arm to block. The Mystic Feather Hawk collided with the Scarlet Flame Wolf with a heavy thud.
"???"
The Scarlet Flame Wolf, biting down on Su Ye's arm, looked stunned.
The satisfying taste of warm blood filling its mouth never came.
Instead, it felt like biting into solid metal. Its fangs ached and nearly broke.
Su Ye stepped back a meter, using clever footwork to dissipate the force of the impact.
"Pretty strong…"
"But now—it's my turn!"
Seeing that the wolf couldn't break through his defense, a cruel smile crept onto Su Ye's lips.
Close-quarters combat was his favorite!
With a sudden twist of his right arm, Su Ye forced the wolf's jaw wide open—leaving it full of openings.
Eight Extremities Fist, also known as "Open Gate Eight Extremities," focused on one word in attack: Open.
Only by opening the enemy's guard first could you unleash a flurry of powerful strikes and take them down quickly.
With the Overlord Bow Draw Stance, Su Ye unleashed a powerful punch. Utilizing the rotational force from his twisting motion, he blasted it straight toward the Scarlet Flame Wolf's neck.
Struck at one of its weakest points, the wolf couldn't withstand the blow—its tongue lolled out, and froth sprayed from its mouth.
Normally, a hit like that would send the Scarlet Flame Wolf flying. But the Mystic Feather Hawk's claws had already dug deep into the wolf's leg, anchoring it in place.
Though the Eight Extremities Fist was not inherently lethal in its forceful strikes, its relentless chaining combos absolutely aimed to kill.
With a heavy drop of his right elbow, Su Ye launched a fierce flurry of elbow strikes toward the wolf's head, like a storm of raging fists.
Bang!Bang!
The wolf's wretched howls echoed throughout the forest, startling countless soul beasts into flight.
Even a wolf known for its ferocity could scream so miserably—proof of the terrifying force it had just encountered.
Crack—!
As the Scarlet Flame Wolf's body glowed red, preparing to unleash its flames, Su Ye gave it no chance—his longsword pierced straight through the top of its skull.
Blood spurted violently as the wolf let out a final, pitiful cry. Its front legs gave out, and it collapsed to the ground.
Its eyes were wide open in disbelief, filled with confusion—as if it couldn't comprehend how a human youth had beaten it in close combat.
"Beautiful!!"
Gazing down at the corpse, Su Ye let out a long breath.
His eyes held no fear of killing—only the joy of victory.
In his past life or this one, humanity had always stood at the top of the food chain.
What does it feel like to slaughter a pig?
Of course—it feels like it's time to feast.
"To get a hundred-year soul ring this quickly… seems my luck isn't bad at all…"
Though the Star Dou Forest was vast and uninhabited, running into other human soul masters would still be a major risk for Su Ye.
Looking at the yellow soul ring before him, Su Ye slung his bow over his shoulder, dragged the Scarlet Flame Wolf's corpse, and quickly vanished from the area.
Rustle—The boy's silhouette disappeared deep into the forest.
…
…
The hidden dragon dives into the sea—his future holds infinite promise.
(End of Chapter)