Ignaz didn't follow the unicorns deeper into the cave. Watching such an indecent scene was out of the question—he was a man with traditional values and would never do something that shameful.
Instead, he stayed outside, leaning against the rock wall, listening carefully to the sounds within. From the size of the stallion earlier, it was at least a ten-thousand-year beast, while the mare was perfectly suited for Ye Lingling's fourth spirit ring.
From the moment he chose to tail them, both of these rare healing-type beasts were already his for the taking. One way or another, he wouldn't let them slip away.
"Rumble… rumble…"
The noises from the cave rose and fell, intense yet strangely rhythmic, like a rollercoaster ride.
Half an hour later, the sounds finally died down.
"Neigh—!"
The mare's voice rang out again, urgent and tinged with anger, completely different from the soft tones she had made during courtship. Suddenly, a deafening crash shook the cave wall, stalactites crashing down. The vibrations inside instantly put Ignaz on high alert.
"Don't tell me these two beasts got so rough that the mare actually ended up dead. That would be a real mess…"
Ignaz's spiritual sense surged into the cave. In an instant, he saw a complete model of the cavern, heat signatures of every living being etched into his mind.
There, a smaller unicorn was rising shakily to its feet, glaring furiously at the larger stallion. Its wings snapped open, unleashing a blast of spirit power. The stallion, realizing something had gone wrong, bolted toward the cave entrance in panic.
One fled, the other gave chase, throwing out its only offensive technique. Seeing this, Ignaz's expression darkened. He slammed a fist against the stone wall in anger.
"That bastard! Knowing full well males must die after mating, and still trying to run away? A true scumbag beast."
The unicorns burst from the cave mouth—only to find Ignaz already blocking their path. Blood Thunder Spear in hand, he unleashed his third self-created technique.
"Sea Wave Trick: Resonant Ocean Kill!"
The world within sixty meters froze. Stones hung weightless in the air. Ignaz shot forward, directly confronting the stallion. As the unicorn reared up to strike, he brought his spear down on its skull.
"Bang—!"
The stallion staggered, its consciousness slipping, its body wobbling. The mare, struggling against the time-locking skill, barely had time to react before Ignaz struck her with the same technique.
Both unicorns collapsed with a heavy thud, unconscious.
"Pathetic. If you weren't a ten-thousand-year beast, I'd have already turned you into Lingling's spirit ring. Running away after mating—you really are trash."
But though Ye Lingling had already taken the Yearning Heartbroken Red immortal herb, she still lacked the long-term body training required to safely absorb a ten-thousand-year ring. For a healing-type Spirit Master, the risk was far too high.
To keep them subdued, Ignaz fed both unicorns heavy-grade sleeping pills, then sealed them away inside his Hundred-Treasures Pouch. Even while flying back toward Dugu Bo, he kept his spiritual sense locked onto the pouch, ready in case the unicorns woke unexpectedly due to the immortal herbs stored inside. Thankfully, they remained unconscious.
When he returned, countless beasts had surrounded the poisonous fog barrier, roaring in fury. At the center loomed the fifty-thousand-year Shadow Devil Leopard, pacing outside the miasma, ready to charge in at any moment.
"Looks like Dugu Bo's already captured the seventeen-hundred-year Shadow Devil Tiger."
Breathing a sigh, Ignaz flew straight into the toxic mist in full view of the enraged beasts. None of the flying spirit beasts could catch him.
Spotting his return, Dugu Bo shouted to the anxious group inside, "Ignaz is back!"
When Ignaz stepped from the green fog, Dugu Yan smirked.
"Kid, if you'd stayed away any longer, these two little ladies would've gone looking for you themselves."
"I'm fine. More than fine—I brought a little gift for Lingling."
With a wave of his hand, the two unconscious Emerald Holy Unicorns appeared before everyone.
"They're both asleep. Lingling, hurry, finish off the mare and make it your fourth spirit ring."
"Alright."
In front of everyone's expectant eyes, Ye Lingling drew a dagger from her waist. Though reluctant, she pierced the mare's neck. Its body twitched, then fell still.
A deep violet spirit ring rose from the corpse. Lingling looked at her mother, then at Ignaz and the others. Her heart swelled with joy. She sat cross-legged and began the process of absorbing the ring.
While Zhu Zhuqing and Ye Lingling meditated, Ignaz turned to Ye Wuyi.
"Aunt Ye, this ten-thousand-year healing beast—I'll let the Breaking Clan safeguard it for now. Once Lingling reaches Spirit King, she can absorb its ring."
"Good. I'll leave it to you. My Ye Clan owes you more than we can ever repay."
She studied him with warm approval. Ignaz hadn't only solved the clan's long-standing spirit problem, but also treated her daughter with a care that clearly went beyond simple friendship. As a mother, she could see what was in both their hearts. To have him as Lingling's future husband… she couldn't be more satisfied.
Ignaz, however, felt a bit helpless. Ever since helping evolve Lingling's spirit, he had wondered if the Nine-Heart Begonia her mother bore could also transform.
But with the twelve immortal herbs he held, not one guaranteed success. The Black Jade Divine Bamboo offered some chance, but the risk was too high. If it failed, not only would the Begonia remain unchanged, but the herb itself would be lost.
Still, if Yang Wudi could refine the rare herbs he'd already gifted him into pills, that might be the solution. An immortal herb, reforged into medicine, would at least avoid total loss. Even if the Begonia couldn't evolve, the attempt wouldn't be wasted.