Once again, Hu Liena used her first soul skill, Fox Fire, while fighting back and keeping an eye on her brother Xie Yue. The relentless swarm of bloodthirsty bats was wearing her down, and the nauseating smell of blood in the air made her feel queasy.
"Damn, these bats! The more I kill, the more they come!"
"Brother, please don't lose focus!"
"This is all Yan's fault, suggesting that we split up to 'enhance our training.' What a terrible idea."
As Hu Liena struggled to fend off the horde, a sudden barrage of blazing sparks rained down from above, each one striking the airborne bats with precision. Their shrieks filled the air as they fell, turning to ashes upon impact.
A figure cloaked in flames surged into the scene, engulfing more of the bats, which scattered in terror at the fiery display.
"Yan!" Hu Liena shouted with relief. Yan had arrived just in time to save them.
Seeing her brother unharmed, Hu Liena felt a wave of relief. "Yan, thank goodness you showed up when you did, or else…"
Her voice trailed off as she noticed something. "Wait a second, was that firestorm your new soul skill? Did you already get your fourth soul ring?"
Yan simply nodded in response, glancing over at Xie Yue, who was still absorbed in the soul ring absorption process. A hint of annoyance flashed across Hu Liena's face as she pointed at Yan, her voice filled with frustration:
"Yan, what's with you? You've changed! You were never like this before!"
Yan smiled coolly and replied, "People grow up, Liena. I'm not the same as I once was."
Hu Liena was momentarily taken aback by his response. Yan, a proud and often arrogant soul master among his peers, had always shown deference to her and Xie Yue. Everyone knew Yan liked Hu Liena, and she, too, was aware of his feelings. But she could never quite accept his affection, feeling that something essential was missing.
Hu Liena now looked at Yan with a mixture of pain and confusion. "What's going on? Do I care about him?"
"No! He's just playing hard to get. I don't believe he can keep this up."
Lost in thought, Hu Liena was jolted back to reality as Yan spoke up. "I'll keep an eye on Xie Yue. Go clean yourself up."
She snapped out of it, realizing the bloodstains on her clothes from the bats. She turned and hurried away without a word. Yan cast a glance at the body of the White-Faced Demon Tiger, a beast about three meters in length with formidable speed and strength, ideal for Xie Yue's training. The floating ring above him hinted at a spirit power of nearly five thousand years.
After some time, Hu Liena returned in fresh clothes, glancing at Yan, who was meditating, and quietly began her own recovery practice. After an hour, Xie Yue finally completed the absorption process, drawing a look of relief from Hu Liena.
"Brother, you're finally done!"
"Yes, thanks for watching over me," Xie Yue replied, his gaze lighting up at the sight of Yan.
"Yan! You're here too. Perfect timing!" He paused, noticing the lingering scent of blood in the air.
"Nana, did other spirit beasts come during my absorption?"
"Yes, a swarm of bloodthirsty bats," Hu Liena replied, glancing at Yan. "If Yan hadn't arrived when he did, we wouldn't have been able to fend them off."
Xie Yue nodded gratefully. He knew how vicious the bloodthirsty bats could be, fast and nearly impossible to escape. "Yan, thank you. You saved us."
"Think nothing of it. So, how much did your spirit power increase with this fourth ring?" Yan asked.
Xie Yue smiled confidently. "That White-Faced Demon Tiger had about five thousand years of cultivation. Absorbing its spirit ring boosted my power by nearly a full level and a half."
"And what's your new skill?" Hu Liena asked eagerly.
Xie Yue chuckled, summoning a blade shaped like a crescent moon. "My new skill, Moonlit Dance, combines strength and speed perfectly."
In an instant, he vanished and reappeared ten meters away, his moon blade slicing a boulder clean in half with graceful precision. He then reappeared at his original spot with breathtaking speed, as if gliding on moonlight. Hu Liena and Yan watched in awe.
"Brother, that was amazing!" Hu Liena exclaimed, her eyes full of admiration. Yan nodded, offering his congratulations.
"Well done, Xie Yue. That's a powerful skill."
Xie Yue looked pleased, sheathing his moon blade. "Yan, I suspect you also obtained your fourth soul ring?"
Yan nodded. "I was fortunate to encounter an injured Skyfire Fox with about six thousand years of cultivation. Killing it and absorbing its ring raised my power by two levels."