The Shock from the 40-Year-Old Soul Ring
As Xue Wuhen and the others were discussing, a black shadow suddenly leapt from the shadows beside them. Before anyone could react, it charged straight towards the Mirror Beast.
"Who is it?!" Xue Wuhen's expression immediately shifted. If the Mirror Shadow Beast was disturbed, it could become troublesome.
Xue Wuhen was about to rush over when Yuhao's voice echoed in his ears.
"Boss Xue, the soul bone has been handed over to Iron Wolf. You're free to leave now."
Xue Wuhen, having met Yuhao before, recognized the voice instantly.
Hearing that the soul bone was in Iron Wolf's hands, a smile appeared on Xue Wuhen's face as he said loudly, "In that case, we won't trouble you, little brother Huo."
He winked at his subordinates, signaling them to leave.
But when his men saw that their boss had no intention of leaving, they grew puzzled.
"Boss, aren't we leaving?"
"Are you all idiots? If this kid's lying and hasn't given the soul bone to the second child, our trip will be in vain."
Xue Wuhen shot a stern look at the subordinate who spoke, then urged, "Stay here and keep an eye on him. You go ahead and check on the second child. Once you confirm that the soul bone has been delivered, come back and report to me."
The subordinate gave a knowing look and muttered, "Of course, it's you, boss."
With that, the group of men turned back.
Meanwhile, Xue Wuhen remained crouched, his gaze fixed ahead, where the Mirror Shadow Beast had been spotted.
The reason he stayed behind was twofold: to ensure Yuhao hadn't lied, and to witness how the young boy would deal with the 5-year-old Mirror Beast.
Xue Wuhen was curious about Yuhao. The latter appeared to be no more than fifteen, and despite his maturity, in Xue Wuhen's eyes, he was nothing more than a child. A 15-year-old soul sect? Even a Soul King like himself would have no choice but to run if faced with such a beast.
Xue Wuhen couldn't fathom Yuhao's purpose in seeking the Mirror Shadow Beast. It couldn't be for an additional soul ring, could it?
Yuhao had long noticed that Xue Wuhen was still lingering, but he didn't care. He sensed no ill intent from the older man, and more importantly, Xue Wuhen's power was far too weak to be of concern.
With a swift "whoosh," Yuhao leapt from the shadows and charged straight toward the Mirror Beast, which was busily hunting.
Before revealing himself, Yuhao had been using his "Simulation" skill to blend his aura with the environment, ensuring the Mirror Shadow Beast wouldn't detect him.
The moment Yuhao appeared, it was too late for the Mirror Beast to react.
Yuhao dashed in front of the beast, his back tattoo faintly glowing, and tiny ice crystals beginning to form on his arms. A soul ring with four golden lines, as red as blood, appeared at his feet.
At that moment, Yuhao summoned the Ice Emperor Dragon Scorpion Martial Spirit.
"The Wrath of the Ice God!" Yuhao roared, thrusting both hands forward. The ultimate ice and power fused and erupted, released with tremendous force.
The 5-year-old Mirror Beast was sent flying by the attack. Its scales shattered into ice shards mid-air, which exploded on impact, causing multiple waves of damage.
Boom!
The Mirror Beast crashed to the ground. The powerful force of the Ice God's Wrath left it unable to rise.
This was a 5-year-old soul beast, yet it had been knocked down by a soul master who hadn't even yet bonded with a third soul ring.
On the other side, Xue Wuhen was stunned—not at the Mirror Beast being knocked down, but when the four crimson soul rings with golden patterns appeared beneath Yuhao's feet. His mind went blank.
He might not have known what the golden patterns signified, but he recognized the meaning of a red soul ring.
A 10-year soul ring!
And it had appeared on the body of a boy who appeared no older than fourteen. This was his first soul ring.
Xue Wuhen's extensive knowledge of over 40 years of experience had been shattered by Yuhao in an instant.
Yuhao, however, was unaware of the shock he had caused in Xue Wuhen's mind. Even if he knew, he wouldn't care.
As for the color of his soul ring, he hadn't bothered to use his "Simulation" skill to hide it. There was no need. His strength and the power backing him were more than enough to make him fearless of anyone or anything.
"A 5-year-old soul beast certainly is tough," Yuhao remarked, watching as the Mirror Beast slowly attempted to rise.
Though Yuhao said that, the Mirror Shadow Beast wasn't in good shape. The area where it had taken the brunt of the Ice God's Wrath had its scales completely shattered, exposing raw flesh beneath. Ice fragments continued to erode the wound.
The Mirror Beast glared at Yuhao, its eyes filled with a mixture of anger, resentment, and deep fear. Not just from the punch, but also from the terrifying aura of the 40-year-old soul ring beneath Yuhao's feet.
For a 5-year-old soul beast, the Mirror Beast wasn't so paralyzed with fear that it couldn't move. But it was still hesitant.
Yuhao, however, wasn't waiting for it to make a move.
With a swift flap of his golden dragon wings, Yuhao became a blur of light and appeared in front of the Mirror Beast.
It was the second soul skill of the Golden Dragon Wings—Golden Dragon Flash.
Boom!
Despite the Mirror Beast being on guard, Yuhao's speed was so overwhelming that the beast couldn't react in time. Yuhao's fist, empowered by the Ice Emperor Dragon Ao, struck hard.
The punch, both indestructible and imbued with immense power, punched a large hole in the Mirror Beast's scales.
Roar!
The Mirror Beast howled in pain and tried to resist, but the next thing it felt was Yuhao's piercing purple-gold eyes.
Soul Shock!
Yuhao's soul power was certainly weaker than that of the Mirror Shadow Beast, but in terms of mental strength, he had the upper hand.
The Mirror Beast felt as though its mind had been struck by a heavy hammer, leaving it disoriented.
Then came the activation of Soul Demon Flame.
Hoo! Hoo!
The burning pain from Yuhao's soul flame overwhelmed the Mirror Beast, and it let out a miserable roar that could be heard from over a kilometer away.
Yuhao shook his head slightly.
"I'll give you a bit of pain," he said coldly.
In an instant, his entire right arm transformed into a massive golden dragon claw. With a soft exhale, he shouted, "Golden Dragon Blitz!"