Chapter 136: Hunting in the Core Area, a Five-Thousand-Year Phantom Gale Leopard!
Normally, this place was an absolute forbidden zone. Only powerful figures or nobles holding a token issued by Emperor Xue Ye were allowed to enter.
With his hands clasped behind his back, Dugu Bo strolled leisurely through the jungle filled with a primitive aura. The surrounding soul beasts that attempted to approach were all frightened by the faint pressure of a Titled Douluo emanating from him, trembling as they scattered and fled.
He turned his head and looked at Ning Rongrong.
"In this core area, there are many kinds of soul beasts. Although they are not as wild as those in Sunset Forest or the Star Dou Great Forest, their bloodlines are purer, and the safety level is higher."
"Have you decided what type of soul beast you want to hunt for your second soul ring?"
Ning Rongrong nodded.
"Grandpa Dugu, I already thought about it before we set out. According to the inheritance of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the second soul skill should be a speed amplification."
Dugu Bo nodded slightly in agreement.
"Since you've decided on a speed type, do you have a target in mind?"
"There are quite a few agility-attack-type soul beasts in this forest. Wind Chime Birds, Ghost Tigers, Lightning Martens… all of them are good choices."
Ning Rongrong smiled.
"As long as it's an agility-attack-type soul beast, it will do."
"Anyway, the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul is quite special. It doesn't have very strict requirements regarding the soul beast's bloodline or species."
"As long as it's an agility-attack type and its cultivation years are sufficient, it can grant my martial soul the fixed soul skill 'Speed Amplification.'"
Just as Ning Rongrong said,
The reason the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul was known as the most universally applicable support-type martial soul was because its soul skill effects were extremely stable.
As long as she obtained her second soul ring,
It didn't matter whether the soul beast was a leopard that ran quickly or a bird that flew swiftly.
The final effect would always be the same: providing teammates with a speed boost based on a percentage of her own soul power.
In this regard, it was somewhat similar to Ye Lingling's Nine Heart Begonia martial soul.
The Nine Heart Begonia martial soul was even more extreme. No matter what soul ring it absorbed, it would always have only one soul skill: large-scale group healing.
The number and age of the soul rings merely allowed her to possess greater soul power reserves and stronger healing effects.
Therefore, for top-tier support martial souls like theirs, when obtaining soul rings, people often valued the age of the soul ring more than the rarity of the soul beast.
Of course, that was the traditional concept in the past.
Listening from the side, Lin Yuan had a different plan in mind.
Now that Ye Lingling had consumed the medicinal pill refined from the Nine Nether Soul-Returning Grass, the Nine Heart Begonia martial soul had undergone a fundamental transformation, and its curse had been broken.
Perhaps in the future, the development direction of her martial soul would no longer have to be limited to simple group healing.
Although the healing ability of the Nine Heart Begonia martial soul was unparalleled in the world, there was still room to explore areas such as single-target emergency treatment and life-force restoration (once her level became higher).
Moreover, now that Lin Yuan was here,
The soul rings Ye Lingling absorbed in the future would naturally need to lean as much as possible toward top-tier life-attribute soul beasts.
Although the characteristics of her martial soul meant there were no strict absorption restrictions,
The more a soul beast's soul ring aligned with the "life" origin attribute of the Nine Heart Begonia martial soul, the greater the potential help it would provide for the martial soul's future evolution.
However, the most urgent matter right now was still solving Ning Rongrong's second soul ring.
…
Over the next few days,
Under the guidance of Dugu Bo, the group began conducting a carpet-style search within the core region.
Finding a soul beast that was around five thousand years old and also an agility-attack type was not an easy task.
Although there were many soul beasts here, most of them did not meet the requirements.
Either their cultivation years were too low, only one or two thousand years, which did not match Ning Rongrong's current physique,
Or their cultivation years were suitable, but they were not agility-type soul beasts.
This search lasted for ten full days.
"Roar—!"
Just as everyone was beginning to feel somewhat tired,
A low yet rapid roar suddenly came from a dense forest ahead.
Immediately afterwards, a green afterimage darted swiftly between the tree trunks, moving at an astonishing speed.
"We found it. A Phantom Gale Leopard."
Dugu Bo's eyes lit up as he raised his hand, signaling everyone to stop.
"Judging from its size and the patterns on its body, its cultivation should be around five thousand two hundred years."
"It perfectly matches your requirements."
Hearing this, Ning Rongrong instantly became energized and poked her head out from behind Lin Yuan.
The Phantom Gale Leopard was over three meters long, its body streamlined and filled with tightly coiled muscles brimming with explosive power.
It stared warily at the group, its four claws slightly bent, ready to either launch an attack or flee at any moment.
"That's the one!"
Ning Rongrong excitedly waved her small fist.
"Everyone, help me take it down!"
"No problem."
Lin Yuan, Xiao Wu, and Dugu Yan exchanged glances and instantly entered battle mode.
Although they were facing a five-thousand-year soul beast, equivalent to the combat power of a human Soul Ancestor, their strength was far from weak.
"Move!"
Following Lin Yuan's command,
"Nine Treasures Turn Out Comes Glazed Light!"
Behind them, Ning Rongrong immediately summoned the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul.
"First: Strength!"
Three streams of colorful light landed precisely on Lin Yuan, Xiao Wu, and Dugu Yan.
A twenty percent strength boost!
"Second Soul Skill: Charm!"
Xiao Wu took the lead. Her eyes instantly turned an enchanting pink, and two waves of spiritual energy shot directly into the Phantom Gale Leopard's eyes.
The leopard, which had originally planned to rely on its speed advantage to maneuver around them, suddenly stiffened, a momentary haze appearing in its gaze.
Although Xiao Wu was currently only a Soul Grandmaster, her spiritual power was quite formidable, and the age of her second soul ring exceeded five thousand years.
Controlling this leopard was practically effortless.
That single moment of stiffness was enough to be fatal.
"First Soul Skill: Waist Bow!"
Her long legs suddenly exerted force, slicing through the air in a fierce arc. This time, she did not use battle armor, relying purely on the explosive power of her body and her soft combat skills.
"Bang!"
A powerful Shadowless Kick struck fiercely against the back of the Phantom Gale Leopard's neck.
"Aooo!"
The leopard let out a painful howl as its massive body staggered, nearly collapsing to the ground.
But it was still a five-thousand-year apex predator.
The intense pain instantly woke it up. Roaring in fury, green light surged around its body as it transformed into a whirlwind, attempting to counterattack Xiao Wu.
"You want to hurt her? Did you ask me first?"
A cold voice rang out.
"Martial Soul Possession!"
"Third Soul Skill: Jade Phosphor Dragon Tail Whip!"
Behind Dugu Yan, the phantom of the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor roared. Its several-meter-long gigantic tail lashed through the air with a tearing howl, fiercely whipping toward the Phantom Gale Leopard.
This strike carried not only terrifying power but also the corrosive poison of the Serpent Emperor.
"PAH!!"
With a crisp yet heavy explosive sound, the Phantom Gale Leopard's body, just as it was about to leap, was struck mid-air by the enormous serpent tail.
End of Chapter