At the heart of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Nan Feihuang sat cross-legged, enveloped by the unique energies of the dual springs.
Ever since awakening the Ice-Fire power of his Fang Tian Halberd, this place had become his ideal training ground. Here, his soul power circulated at an astonishing rate. Having consumed the Ice-Fire Heavenly Herbs, he was the only person who could withstand prolonged exposure to the scorching hot spring and the freezing cold spring simultaneously.
Today, as the bottleneck to Level 30 loosened, Nan Feihuang channeled the power of this miraculous land to make his breakthrough.
On the shore, Dugu Bo observed quietly, his heart filled with awe at this young monster's talent.
"He's only ten years old and already breaking through to the Soul Elder realm..." Dugu Bo muttered to himself. His granddaughter, a prodigy in her own right, had only reached this milestone at around fourteen or fifteen. Countless soul masters remained trapped at Level 29 for life, unable to take that crucial step.
The Soul Elder realm marked a significant milestone in a soul master's journey. The earlier one broke through, the greater their potential for future growth.
Nan Feihuang remained seated, his Fang Tian Halberd floating behind him. The double-edged weapon absorbed the surrounding Ice-Fire energy, its blades shimmering with opposing forces.
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open. With a surge of soul power, the springs around him erupted, sending water splashing into the air. Slowly, Nan Feihuang stood up. He appeared slightly taller, his frame lean yet powerful, with defined muscles that hinted at strength contained within.
Draping his robes over his shoulders, he leapt lightly to the shore, landing beside Dugu Bo. "Old Poison, I'll need your help for this. My third spirit ring has to be from a beast at least five thousand years old."
The effects of the Ice-Fire Heavenly Herbs had strengthened his body to unprecedented levels, far surpassing ordinary spirit masters. Like Tang San in the original story, he dared to absorb a spirit ring beyond his age. Though he wouldn't risk a ten-thousand-year ring just yet, anything below five thousand years would be a waste of his potential.
"Haha, five thousand years? Quite the appetite you've got," Dugu Bo said with a chuckle. "But for a monster like you, I suppose it's not impossible."
Under normal circumstances, Dugu Bo would never recommend a five-thousand-year ring for someone at this stage. However, Nan Feihuang's body was no longer ordinary. After consuming the heavenly herbs, his physical strength surpassed even most Soul Ancestors.
"Let's get started, then. For my third ring, I want a skill that enhances my physical attributes," Nan Feihuang stated confidently.
He already had strong offensive and control-type skills.
His Half-Moon Slash dealt true damage, remaining effective even against god-level enemies. The Eight Gates Golden Lock was a versatile crowd-control ability that could grow stronger with time.
Adding another offensive or control skill now seemed redundant. Instead, he wanted a skill that would strengthen his foundation—something akin to Dai Mubai's White Tiger Vajra Transformation, which was useful at any stage of development.
Dugu Bo nodded in agreement. "A good idea. Many powerful assault-type soul masters prioritize enhancement skills in their early stages. This ensures their early spirit rings don't become useless as their power grows."
"Come with me. I've lived in Sunset Forest for decades, and few know it better than I do. I know of a beast that should suit you perfectly."
Without another word, Dugu Bo led Nan Feihuang out of the protective poisonous barrier surrounding the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Sunset Forest was one of the largest soul beast habitats on the continent, second only to Star Dou Forest. While it lacked the terrifying apex predators of Star Dou Forest's central lake, it was home to countless thousand- and ten-thousand-year soul beasts.
After traversing deep into the forest, Dugu Bo finally stopped near a gorge where fierce winds howled. Even a Soul King would struggle to move here, but both Dugu Bo and Nan Feihuang walked with ease.
Dugu Bo glanced at Nan Feihuang with satisfaction. "Not bad, Little Flying General. You're handling this terrain better than I expected. With a physique like yours, you should have no trouble absorbing the ring from the beast I have in mind."
"Old Poison, what kind of beast are we hunting?" Nan Feihuang asked, his curiosity piqued.
Dugu Bo smirked, his gaze sweeping over the gorge. "Do you know the name of this place?"
Nan Feihuang shook his head. "I've never been here before. How would I know?"
"This is Behemoth Gorge."
"Behemoth?" Nan Feihuang's eyes widened in shock. "Are you saying we're hunting the legendary Behemoth Beast? But I heard they went extinct ages ago!"
Dugu Bo chuckled. "Extinct? Perhaps. I can't say for sure if any true Behemoths still exist. This gorge is named after them because they supposedly roamed here in ancient times. Nowadays, it's home to various bear-type soul beasts."
He continued, "The Behemoth Beast, though not a bear, often mated with bear-type soul beasts. This gave rise to hybrids carrying Behemoth bloodlines. For example, the Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear owes its terrifying power to its Golden Behemoth lineage."
Dugu Bo paused, a knowing glint in his eyes. "Today, we're looking for a Bloodthirsty Berserk Bear. It's a fire-attribute soul beast with a faint trace of Behemoth blood. It inherited the Behemoth's signature skill: Berserk. If you're looking for an enhancement-type skill, you won't find many better than this."
"Bloodthirsty Berserk Bear?" Nan Feihuang murmured, recognition dawning. He'd heard of this soul beast before. It was said that one of the nine great elders of Spirit Hall, Demon Bear Douluo, possessed this very soul beast as his martial soul.
A grin spread across Nan Feihuang's face. "Old Poison, you've really outdone yourself this time!"