"This is Golden Jade Bee honey—no bear can resist its allure."
Facing the swarm of Golden Jade Bees, Ye Xuanji remained expressionless. With a delicate motion of his jade-like hand, he gently grasped the air—and the massive hive was instantly encased in soul power, floating into his palm.
The bees inside were trapped as well.
"Watch closely, boy. This is how you use Golden Jade Bee honey."
A gentle stream of soul power flowed into the hive. The already agitated bees instantly went berserk. In the next breath, an aroma exploded outward—hundreds of times more potent than before—spreading in all directions like an invisible wave.
"Now," Ye Xuanji said calmly, "we wait for the fish to bite."
He snapped off a nearby branch, released his soul power, and with a backhand strike, drove the hive deep into the trunk of a tree.
Immediately, the Golden Jade Bees poured out of the hive like a tidal wave—fleeing in utter panic. Within moments, they vanished from sight.
"This honey," Ye Xuanji explained as he led Junting to hide nearby, "when activated by soul power, amplifies its fragrance a hundredfold. The bees abandon it immediately—otherwise, any bear drawn by the scent would devour their entire colony, hive and all."
Not long after—
ROOOAR!
A thunderous roar split the sky.
The sound shook the forest, sending flocks of birds scattering into the heavens. The crashing of falling trees grew louder—and closer.
"It's coming. But…"
Ye Xuanji's eyes lit up at first—then narrowed in confusion. "That roar… sounds odd."
"Master, the soul beast is here," Junting said tensely, his gaze locked on the direction of the collapsing trees. He could feel the approaching storm of raw power—and his grip on the Seven Kill Sword tightened instinctively.
CRASH!
The tree bearing the hive toppled over.
Four bear-like figures emerged from the dust.
Two of them were colossal—over five meters long, shoulders as broad and solid as fortress walls, their black fur shimmering with a faint metallic luster. The other two were slightly smaller but otherwise identical.
And on their massive forelimbs gleamed claws of terrifying sharpness—dark gold in color, each over a foot long, some even longer. The sight alone sent chills down the spine.
Clearly, this was an entire family.
"What luck!" Ye Xuanji exclaimed. "We didn't lure a Terror Claw Bear—but instead hooked a whole family of Dark Gold Terror Claw Bears! Four of them!"
Junting, who only knew the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear from descriptions, hadn't recognized them at first. But Ye Xuanji—a veteran of countless hunts—named them instantly.
The Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear, known as the "Earth Tearer", was among the ultimate apex soul beasts—a warlord of the forest.
With claws far more fearsome than those of the ordinary Terror Claw Bear, it was undeniably a far superior choice for Junting's first soul ring.
Ye Xuanji turned to Junting, whose eyes were gleaming with excitement. "Your luck is amazing, boy. You've stumbled upon exactly what you hoped for. The two adults are tens of thousands of years old—but the two young ones are around three hundred years each. Either one will make a perfect soul ring for you."
"Thank you, Master," Junting said quietly, eyes fixed on the bears as they began feasting on the hive.
"Stay back. Don't move."
Ye Xuanji retreated deep into the undergrowth with Junting, masking the boy's presence with his aura. He dared not let Junting near the battlefield—two Dark Gold Terror Claw Bears of ten-thousand-year strength fighting together rivaled even a Title Douluo. Any stray blow would obliterate Junting instantly.
In a flash, Ye Xuanji appeared before one of the younger bears.
His sword intent locked onto it—the beast froze in primal terror.
Before it could react, it collapsed, unconscious.
But as Ye Xuanji seized the bear to retreat, the two adult Dark Gold Terror Claw Bears reacted with terrifying speed.
Shielding their last cub behind them, they let out deafening roars and lunged—one from the front, one from the rear—claws slashing to cut off his escape.
Bzzz!
Starlight erupted. Sword qi crisscrossed the air, felling the few remaining trees in an instant.
Between the intersecting beams of light, a colossal character—"KILL"—ten meters tall, materialized in midair and engulfed both bears.
The lead bear raised its body in defense. A layer of dark-gold radiance surged through its fur—not outward, but inward, reinforcing every strand like steel needles.
It braced just in time to block the "KILL" sigil.
But resisting a Super Douluo's attack came at a cost.
The radiant "KILL" character sliced through its defenses like tofu. Dark-red blood gushed from its chest, flesh torn to shreds.
Seeing its mate maimed, the second bear's fury exploded. Its massive claw shot forward—swelling threefold in midair, from three feet to three meters. The dark-gold talons blazed with lethal light, aimed straight for Ye Xuanji's head.
Ye Xuanji's eyes sharpened. His second soul ring—a yellow flash—activated.
Starlight streamed from the Star Saint Sword, forming a blazing halo around him like a miniature sun. The claw's strike slammed into the barrier—and stopped dead.
Seizing the opening, Ye Xuanji retreated in a blur. In one hand, he grabbed Junting; in the other, he held the unconscious young bear. Mounting his sword, he shot skyward—leaving only the enraged roars of the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear couple echoing below.
…
THUD!
A plume of dust rose as Ye Xuanji landed in a clearing.
"This bear is only three hundred years old—below your theoretical absorption limit for a first soul ring," he said, setting the bear down. "But the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear is a top-tier soul beast, far surpassing a four- or five-hundred-year Terror Claw Bear. You're not losing out at all. Go ahead—absorb it."
The three-hundred-year-old bear, utterly helpless in the hands of a Super Douluo, had already been paralyzed—its bones shattered internally, its body limp.
"Understood."
Junting summoned the Seven Kill Sword, stepped forward, and parted the dark-gold fur at the bear's nape.
Under the beast's hateful glare, he drove the Seven Kill Sword straight through its neck—piercing the spinal cord, delivering a clean kill.
Even so, the resistance he felt at the tip of his blade made him marvel at the bear's terrifying defense. 'If Master hadn't crippled it first, I might not have pierced its hide at all.'
But as a yellow soul ring slowly rose from the corpse, all such thoughts vanished. His heart pounded with anticipation—'Once I absorb this, I'll truly be a soul master.'
He quickly settled into position: legs crossed, eyes closed, the Seven Kill Sword resting across his knees. He extended his soul power to draw in the ring.
"Sit straight. Focus your mind on your martial soul," Ye Xuanji instructed gravely. "No matter how violently the soul ring's energy assaults your body, keep your consciousness clear. Only then can you successfully absorb its power."
Junting held those words close. Determination and excitement warred within him.
As the ring drew near, an overwhelming pressure crashed over him—so intense his bones groaned faintly under the strain.
The ring hovered above his head. Due to the unique nature of the Seven Kill Sword, it rapidly shrank into a yellow star and imprinted itself onto the blade. The yellow light, now uncontained, surged into Junting's meridians like a floodgate breaking.
His body jolted violently.
Before he could react, a torrent of searing heat flooded his veins—like molten lava burning through his flesh—while a savage, bestial will hammered at his mind.
Eyes shut tight, Junting trembled uncontrollably. Pain wracked his nerves and skull alike, twisting his face into a grimace.
'What a ferocious Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear—truly domineering!'
The Seven Kill Sword on his lap let out a soft hum. Killing intent flowed from the blade, wrapping around Junting like a protective shroud. Under its overwhelming pressure, the soul ring's feral aura gradually dissolved.
Soon, his breathing steadied.
Watching this, Ye Xuanji's eyes gleamed with understanding. "No wonder the Seven Kill Sword is hailed as the number one sword martial soul—it carries innate sword momentum."
Confident that the absorption would proceed smoothly, Ye Xuanji turned his attention to the bear's corpse. With fingers shaped like a sword, he began severing its four paws.
After all, Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear paws were among the "Ten Greatest Delicacies Under Heaven"—exquisitely flavorful and immensely nourishing. Perfect for his new disciple.
He cleanly removed three paws—until his sword-finger met unexpected resistance on the left forelimb.
A flicker of surprise crossed Ye Xuanji's face. He finished severing the limb, then swiftly dissected it—revealing a strange, dark-gold bone within.
His expression shifted instantly.
"An external soul bone," he murmured, examining the claw-shaped relic. He glanced at his disciple, lost in thought—then sighed with quiet awe.
"Boy… your luck is truly extraordinary."
By then, Junting opened his eyes and exhaled a long lungful of turbid air. The euphoria of his first soul ring absorption was indescribable—like floating on clouds, weightless and blissful.
"How do you feel?" Ye Xuanji asked, smiling.
Junting rose slowly, eyeing the yellow star now etched onto his sword. "Strong. My whole body is brimming with power."
He swung the Seven Kill Sword—yellow light flared—and a blade of sword qi tore through the ground, cleaving a boulder in two.
"What's your first soul skill called?" Ye Xuanji observed the cut, nodded slightly, and asked.
"First Soul Skill : 'Sword Unsheathed.' It coats the blade in potent sword qi, increasing attack power by 50%. The effect lasts until my soul power runs out or I deactivate it."
Junting hesitated. "Master… is this soul skill too weak?"
Afterall, in fanfictions that he's read in his past life, even basic amplifying soul skill started at 100%—and this came from a Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear!
"Weak?" Ye Xuanji shook his head, realizing his disciple's misconception stemmed from inexperience.
"This soul skill is excellent."
To clarify, he cited an example: "Ten thousand years ago, Sword Douluo Chen Xin's first soul skill was also 'Sword Unsheathed'—but his only gained 30% attack boost, plus sword qi. Yours gives 50%. That's top-tier."
Junting immediately understood.
It seems that the views on the Douluo Continent cannot be based solely on the impressions from novels, otherwise, he would suffer greatly.
As he reflected—
"Catch, boy."
Before he could react, a dark-gold claw landed in his hands. Junting instantly realized what it was and turned to the dismembered bear. "Master…"
"Enough," Ye Xuanji waved dismissively. "Since you absorbed its soul ring, this external soul bone belongs to you. Only then can its power be fully unlocked. But don't absorb it yet—the Dark Gold Terror Claw's energy is too violent for your current body to handle."
"Yes, Master."
Junting obeyed without question.
He had no desire to cripple his arm out of impatience.
Once Junting stored the soul bone in his ring, Ye Xuanji summoned the Star Saint Sword once more. In a streak of starlight, master and disciple soared out of the Star Dou Forest—leaving the wilds behind, and stepping onto the path of legend.
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