Chapter 7 – Four Hundred Years
The sudden voice made Xiao Han abruptly open his eyes. Shui Bing'er beside him was also startled awake, and the two of them simultaneously turned their gaze toward Lin Zhi Ruo.
Lin Zhi Ruo had silently positioned herself in front of them. Her eyes were sharp like an eagle's, and her body exuded a faint soul power fluctuation, clearly ready for battle.
"Soul beasts are coming. Don't be afraid, I'm here."
Outside the cave, the deep growls and the sound of claws scraping the snow grew closer. It was obvious that it wasn't just one soul beast, but a group.
Xiao Han's heartbeat quickened. Even though he had been in this world for six years, he had never seen a real soul beast before.
Lin Zhi Ruo said,
"It's Snowfield Ice-Sealing Beasts, and there are quite a few. They usually don't move alone."
The wind howled outside the cave, carrying the beasts' cries, making the atmosphere even more eerie and terrifying.
The Snowfield Ice-Sealing Beasts, as pack predators in the Frozen Forest, were fast, strong, and capable of slowing and freezing enemies—creatures even experienced soul masters were reluctant to provoke.
"Xiao Han, Bing'er, stay here and don't move."
As she spoke, Lin Zhi Ruo released her Ice Sparrow Martial Soul.
Though the Ice Sparrow was small in size, its icy power was extremely fierce, and it could fly at incredible speed, nearly like teleportation.
As her third soul ring quietly lit up, circles of ice-blue light gathered around her, as though even the surrounding air was being frozen.
In the blink of an eye, the group of Snowfield Ice-Sealing Beasts had reached the cave entrance.
There were over a dozen of them, and one was significantly larger than the others—it was clearly the leader.
Its eyes glowed a fierce red in the darkness. Its body was muscular and radiated power and dominance. Its fur, fluttering in the cold wind, shimmered with silver-white and a faint ice-blue hue—both beautiful and dangerous.
The lead beast stood at the front of the pack, not attacking immediately but eyeing the three of them from above, as if assessing their strength.
Lin Zhi Ruo deliberately restrained her soul power, the corners of her mouth lifting in a subtle smile.
She sensed that the leader beast was about 3,000 years old, while the others were only a few hundred years.
Such a group posed no pressure.
Seeing Xiao Han and Shui Bing'er, the Snowfield Ice-Sealing Beasts bared their fangs—an unspoken provocation, a disdain for the weak.
As their soul power spread, the temperature plummeted. The air instantly froze into frost, and the snow on the ground solidified into ice.
Lin Zhi Ruo smiled faintly.
"Xiao Han, Bing'er, your first soul rings are ready."
"Mom, Bing'er and I both want ones around 400 years old."
"Got it!"
Roar~
With a low and long howl from the lead beast, the rest of the pack responded and charged at them ferociously.
"Fools!"
As her fifth soul ring suddenly lit up, Lin Zhi Ruo unleashed her fifth soul skill—Ice Spike Assault.
This was a ten-thousand-year soul skill.
Instantly, the space around Lin Zhi Ruo seemed to freeze solid. Then, countless sharp ice spikes appeared out of nowhere like a rain of arrows, cutting through the night, aimed directly at the oncoming beasts.
Wherever the ice spikes passed, even the air was split into icy rifts.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
The ice spikes pierced through the beast pack's formation. Even the lead beast, unable to fully dodge, was grazed and roared in pain.
The pack was thrown into chaos. Some were pierced and collapsed twitching on the ground; others scrambled to escape, losing their momentum.
Only then did the lead beast realize that this human soul master was no ordinary opponent. With a low roar, it ordered a retreat.
"Ice Seal!"
A vast power of ice burst from Lin Zhi Ruo, instantly freezing the area within a hundred meters.
The fleeing beasts that hadn't gotten away were trapped in the sudden ice, unable to move, wailing in despair.
Inside the cave, Xiao Han and Shui Bing'er were shocked by everything they had witnessed.
It was their first time seeing Lin Zhi Ruo's true strength.
"Mom, you're amazing!"
Xiao Han couldn't help but shout, his eyes glowing with admiration and excitement.
Lin Zhi Ruo looked at the frozen Snowfield Ice-Sealing Beasts and asked,
"Xiao Han, Bing'er, are you ready?"
"We're ready."
Xiao Han and Shui Bing'er nodded simultaneously, eyes full of determination.
Ending a soul beast's life with their own hands was a step every soul master had to go through.
"Xiao Han, go kill the one on the left. Bing'er, take the one on the right."
"Okay."
Both beasts had been hit by ice spikes and were now frozen, barely clinging to life with only their heads visible.
Xiao Han drew a sharp short sword from his soul tool, and together with Shui Bing'er, approached the two beasts from either side.
Getting this close to a soul beast for the first time, Xiao Han's heart pounded, but he didn't hesitate. He thrust the short sword into the beast's throat.
The beast struggled for a moment, then went still.
On the other side, Shui Bing'er also ended her beast.
"Today, we'll spare the rest of you!"
With a gentle wave of her hand, Lin Zhi Ruo released the ice seal. The remaining beasts fled like wild horses, disappearing from view.
"Xiao Han, Bing'er, remember. It's natural for soul masters to hunt soul beasts for soul rings, but we mustn't kill indiscriminately. We only take what we need."
"Got it."
A yellow mist rose slowly from the body of the slain beast, gradually condensing into a soul ring glowing faintly with yellow light.
"Bing'er, you go absorb the soul ring first. Adjust your state and guide the ring's energy into your body with your mind."
"Okay."
Shui Bing'er sat beneath the yellow soul ring, crossed her legs, and began to absorb it after adjusting her state.
Xiao Han was eager.
"Mom, I'll go absorb mine too."
"These two beasts are both around 400 years old. I'm a little worried you might not be able to handle it yet."
"Don't worry, I can do it."
Xiao Han was full of confidence.
"Alright then, go ahead. Take it slow, don't rush."
"Okay."
Xiao Han sat down and began to absorb the soul ring after adjusting his state.
He closed his eyes and focused completely on guiding the ring's energy.
The energy raged through his body like a storm, sharp and cold as if countless icy blades were slicing through his meridians.
Gritting his teeth, Xiao Han did his be
st to maintain internal balance, using the techniques Lin Zhi Ruo had taught him to slowly channel the foreign energy into himself.
(End of Chapter)
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