Before he knew it, twenty days had passed since Yan and Xie Yue had gone their separate ways.
During this time, Yan had immersed himself deeply in his training. Through intense contemplation and experimentation, he finally developed his soul skill, the Fiery Sand Prison.
This move was exceptionally powerful, combining flames with sand particles to form a blazing cage that could trap his opponents. After many practice sessions, Yan had grown skilled in executing the Fiery Sand Prison, and its power had continued to increase.
Yan knew well that as his strength continued to grow, the terrifying power of this move would become even more pronounced. Determined to become stronger, he resolved to train even harder and achieve breakthroughs in the shortest possible time.
Since obtaining his fourth soul ring, Yan had felt a qualitative leap in his soul power. Using the Tai Chi energy flow technique during training allowed his soul power to circulate more smoothly, yielding better results.
That night, after finishing his training, Yan planned to reunite with Xie Yue and Hu Liena the next morning.
He calculated that it had already been two months since the three of them had arrived in Death Valley.
Back then, Bibi Dong had given them a time limit of three months.
Both he and Xie Yue had already broken through to level forty and obtained their fourth soul rings in just over a month.
He guessed that Hu Liena must have reached level forty by now as well.
~~~~~~~~
In the depths of the valley.
Accompanied by a sharp cry, a sly and fierce Dark Magic Black Fox fell at Hu Liena's blade.
Having reached level forty, Hu Liena had encountered this Dark Magic Black Fox during her search for a soul beast.
Dark Magic Black Foxes, being fox-type soul beasts, were a perfect match for Hu Liena's martial spirit.
They typically roamed alone, emerging only at night, like phantoms in the darkness.
Though they didn't have exceptionally powerful attacks, their stealth abilities and cunning minds allowed them to navigate even the perilous center of the valley with ease.
The one they encountered had a cultivation level of around five thousand years.
Such an opportunity was not one Hu Liena would let slip by.
The brother and sister had chased it for hours before finally cornering it and allowing Hu Liena to land the finishing blow.
The long pursuit left them both gasping for breath, utterly exhausted.
Even though they were physically drained, the thrill of having successfully hunted a soul beast kept Hu Liena elated.
"Brother, that Dark Magic Black Fox was so cunning; it kept us chasing it all night."
"Yes, it was quite the challenge."
Xie Yue wiped the sweat off his face, looking at the lifeless Dark Magic Black Fox on the ground with satisfaction.
"At least we managed to take it down, so all our effort paid off."
As they spoke, a purple mist rose from the fox's body, slowly forming into a brilliant purple soul ring, floating in the air.
Xie Yue, a bit excited, said, "Nana, the sun is almost up. Quickly adjust yourself and start absorbing the soul ring; I'll keep watch."
"Alright."
Hu Liena sat cross-legged beneath the purple soul ring, adjusted her state, and began the absorption.
Seeing her breathing steady, Xie Yue relaxed and sat nearby to recover his own soul power while keeping watch.
~~~~~~
Dawn broke, marking the start of a new day.
With his external soul bone wings, Yan could easily locate the siblings within the valley.
He spread his Flaming Wings and flew towards the distant horizon.
With the wings, Yan glided effortlessly through the valley, quickly sensing Xie Yue's aura and stopping about two hundred meters away.
Xie Yue sensed someone approaching as well.
Recognizing the familiar aura, Xie Yue stood up, excited. "Yan's here?"
Soon, Yan walked toward him with long strides.
Seeing Hu Liena in the process of absorbing a soul ring, Yan quickly understood what had transpired.
"Yan, you made it."
"Yes. How's Nana doing? Looks like she's been absorbing the soul ring for some time now?"
Xie Yue grinned, teasing, "What's this? You're actually worried about her? If you'd come a day earlier, you could've helped us hunt down that Dark Magic Black Fox."
"You hunted a Dark Magic Black Fox?"
"Yes, we chased it for hours before finally bringing it down."
Yan nodded.
"The Dark Magic Black Fox is a good match for Nana. I wonder what kind of soul skill she'll gain from this soul ring."
Xie Yue glanced over at Hu Liena, who was still absorbing the ring and smiled.
"I'm looking forward to it too. She should be about done."
"Let's sit for a while, then, and roast this rabbit."
Seeing the half-meter-long rabbit in Yan's hands, Xie Yue looked surprised.
Catching a rabbit in a valley full of ferocious beasts was no easy task.
"Yan, you've certainly grown skilled, even catching a rabbit!"
"Just luck."
"Always crediting luck, huh? Though I must say, you are pretty lucky. We're in for a good meal today, haha~~"
The two of them settled a little distance from Hu Liena, started a fire, and began roasting the rabbit while sharing their recent experiences.
As time passed, Hu Liena finally finished absorbing the soul ring.
Opening her eyes, she immediately smelled the mouthwatering aroma. When she looked over, she saw her brother and Yan enjoying the roasted meat and hurriedly stood up to join them.
"Brother, what kind of meat is this? Smells so good!"
Seeing his sister finish absorbing her soul ring, Xie Yue beamed.
"Nana, you're done with the soul ring! It's rabbit meat. We saved some for you, come sit with us."
Hu Liena glanced briefly at Yan, who was chewing on the meat and then sat down.
The intense chase of the Dark Magic Black Fox had drained her energy, and the soul ring absorption had taken hours. She was ravenous.
After a few bites, she finally felt satisfied.
"Brother, this rabbit meat is delicious!"
"Tasty, right? Yan caught it."
"Oh."
Hu Liena stole a quick glance at Yan, who was eating heartily, feeling a small thrill, as if the Yan she once knew had returned.
Back when the three of them trained in Death Valley, besides their provisions, it had always been Yan who hunted wild game. He had done it willingly, just to satisfy Hu Liena's appetite.
However, this time, Yan seemed a bit different. He no longer focused on Hu Liena's preferences, nor did he offer her the best parts; he simply continued eating without much regard.
As they ate, Xie Yue suddenly asked, "Nana, how much did your soul power improve after absorbing the soul ring?"
"Brother, it went up about a level and a half, just like yours."
"A level and a half, very nice! What's your fourth soul skill?"
Hu Liena put down the bone she was holding, wiped her mouth elegantly, and said with excitement:
"My fourth soul skill is an invisibility skill called Invisible Body."