"Ninety-seven… ninety-eight… ninety-nine… one hundred!"
Yang Fan dropped the Heavy Xuan Ruler from his shoulder and collapsed onto the ground, sprawled flat on his back.
Ten days!
From barely managing a few steps at first, he could now—just barely—push past one hundred strides.
For the entire ten days, he'd trained relentlessly on the outer fringes of the soul beast forest, hauling the ruler like a beast of burden.
Not once had he encountered a decent soul beast—proof enough of how sparse they were in this part of the Great Star Dou Forest.
Though his Dou Qi hadn't grown dramatically, his soul power had been forged through relentless pressure. He could feel it—he was on the verge of breaking through.
The sensation was subtle, indescribable—like something inside him was about to burst forth.
Sitting on a gentle slope, Yang Fan glanced back. The ravine where he'd slain the Flame Tiger was already far behind him.
"Little one—there's people ahead," Yao Lao warned suddenly.
Yang Fan jolted upright, his Flaming Soul Breaking Spear materializing in his hand almost instinctively.
As useful as the Heavy Xuan Ruler was, it still wasn't a weapon he could wield in combat—not yet.
"On the other side of this hill—about a dozen of them."
Yao Lao was deeply satisfied with Yang Fan's reflexes.
Good.
A true cultivator must always stay alert—especially in a perilous place like the soul beast forest.
Gripping his spear, Yang Fan crept cautiously up the slope—and sure enough, several hundred meters below, a group of identically dressed soul masters were surrounding a soul beast.
Is this the extent of Master Yao's soul perception?
He could sense people through an entire mountain—and even count them precisely!
"Raging Demon Bear?!" Yao Lao's voice carried a hint of surprise. Clearly, he recognized the creature.
"Master, what's special about this soul beast?" Yang Fan asked.
He knew only that it was a strength-type beast—but its uses in the Dou Qi world were unknown to him.
"The beast itself isn't remarkable," Yao Lao explained, "but its bear gallbladder is a superb antidote—exactly what we need."
He'd kept Yang Fan's mention of the Ice-Fire Yin-Yang Well firmly in mind.
To confront a poison-specialist Title Douluo, they'd need ample antidotes—and this was a perfect opportunity.
"Want to experience a real battle between experts?"
Yao Lao chuckled mischievously.
"You… what are you planning?" Yang Fan asked nervously.
That smile sent chills down his spine.
"I'll lend you my power. Go down and retrieve the bear's gallbladder—while it's still alive."
Yao Lao knew: to become a true powerhouse, one must first understand how powerhouses fight. The earlier Yang Fan experienced it, the better for his future cultivation.
"Alright… alright!" Yang Fan steeled himself.
Soul beasts in the wild belonged to no one—finders keepers.
In fact, many had drawn swords over suitable soul rings in these very forests.
"Ready?"
Before Yang Fan could react, a mysterious force flooded his body.
It was immense—but didn't threaten to rupture him. Instead, it made his frame feel dense, solid, brimming with latent power.
The next second…
Yao Lao's account has been logged in from a new device!
Yang Fan extended his right hand—and a pale-white flame flickered to life in his palm.
Is this… Bone Chilling Cold Flame?!
This was his first time seeing Yao Lao's legendary Heavenly Flame.
Strangely, it emitted no heat—in fact, it felt terrifyingly cold.
The moment it appeared, frost-like rime crystallized on the surrounding grass and leaves.
Yang Fan briefly fantasized about manifesting Dou Qi wings and swooping down for a brutal, dimension-crushing strike—
—but he couldn't activate it.
"Stop fooling around, you little brat!" Yao Lao snapped.
"The gallbladder only retains its full potency if harvested while the bear is still alive!"
Yang Fan snapped back to focus.
Couldn't blame him—he was just getting used to his master's "account."
Before moving, he pulled a rag from his soul tool and wrapped it around his face, hiding his "ugly-handsome" features.
Then—
With a casual pull of his palm, the Heavy Xuan Ruler—once so heavy it nearly killed him—now felt like a child's toy.
He cloaked himself in Dou Qi and descended the slope from the flank.
Up close, he finally saw the group clearly:
Ten students in black-dominated uniforms, flanked by five instructors positioned strategically around the Raging Demon Bear—a sub-500-year beast they were clearly corralling.
Any observer would recognize this: a soul academy using holiday break to help students hunt soul rings.
Leading them was a woman in black.
Beneath her outfit, her mature, voluptuous figure was unmistakable. Her delicate brows carried a sharp, heroic air.
Even from a distance, Yang Fan recognized her instantly:
Liu Erlong—the headmistress of Lanba Academy.
"The team leader's actually a stunning beauty," Yao Lao murmured approvingly from within Yang Fan's mind.
"Master, your drool's dripping into my mind," Yang Fan deadpanned.
"You little rascal—stop mocking your master and get to work!"
Yang Fan's expression turned serious. His eyes locked onto Liu Erlong—he was about to make his move.
Just as the Lanba Academy instructors prepared to let their students finish off the bear—
Yang Fan charged out from the flank, Heavy Xuan Ruler on his shoulder.
In a flash, he appeared before the Raging Demon Bear.
He slammed the ruler into the ground—and a shockwave erupted, instantly blasting several Soul King-level teachers backward.
The sudden intrusion stunned the Lanba Academy group.
And then—a dragoness went berserk!
"Who the hell are you?!" Liu Erlong roared.
Famously hot-tempered, she was used to stealing soul rings from others in the forest—not the other way around.
Without a word, Yang Fan swung the Heavy Xuan Ruler upward in a vicious thrust.
A blade of condensed Dou Qi—white as a crescent moon—sliced through the air and struck Liu Erlong's crossed forearms.
In that split-second clash, she realized: This kid isn't ordinary.
Small in stature—but terrifyingly strong!
The next instant, a crimson dragon silhouette flared behind her.
Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon soul masters, upon reaching Soul Elder rank, underwent partial draconic transformation with each major breakthrough.
Though Liu Erlong's martial soul had mutated, she'd inherited this trait perfectly.
As her seven soul rings blazed to life, her limbs transformed—arms into clawed dragon forelimbs, legs into scaled hind legs.
What had been a beautiful woman now looked monstrous and fearsome.
Her first two soul rings flared brightly.
Though no visible skill activated, her aura visibly intensified—dragon scales armored her forearms like gauntlets.
Then—she threw a devastating punch!
Crimson soul power surged forth, coalescing mid-air into the snarling head of a fire dragon.
Intimidating? Absolutely.
But facing a Soul Saint's full-power strike, Yang Fan didn't retreat.
He channeled Dou Qi into the Heavy Xuan Ruler and brought it down in a crushing overhead slash.
The two energy waves collided—shockwaves tore through the air, snapping thick tree trunks in half, sending dirt and stone flying.
Yang Fan watched as Liu Erlong staggered back several steps before stabilizing herself.
He, however, hadn't moved an inch.
Is this… Yao Lao's true power?!
Even without a single soul skill, he'd forced back a Soul Saint-level expert like Liu Erlong.
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