"By the way, Uncle Ma… why is she here if you only went to call your friends?" Li Shen asked.
Ma let out a sigh before replying.
"I was talking with my friends when she overheard us. Then she questioned me about the voice. At first, I didn't want to tell her anything, but since she's a Titled Douluo, I had no choice but to explain everything," he said, then added,
"But if that voice was telling the truth—and your Martial Soul really is that powerful—then with your talent, you could definitely enter Spirit Hall Academy and eventually become a Titled Douluo yourself."
Li Shen nodded thoughtfully.
If she's here, then maybe she was sent by the Ultimate Douluo of Spirit Hall… He probably read the report and decided to send her. Since he's the one who receives guidance from the Angel God, he must believe I've been favored by a god too, Li Shen guessed.
And he was absolutely right. Qian Douluo had thought exactly that when he sent her—after all, she was the fastest in Spirit Hall at the time.
They wanted to confirm whether Li Shen's Martial Soul was truly powerful—perhaps even a God-rank Martial Soul, like the Angel Spirit passed down in their clan.
If it was, they would take him to Spirit Hall.
If not, they'd simply treat it as a failed mission—and return.
"Get ready—we're leaving," she said firmly.
Li Shen nodded.
"Hold on. With her around, no one can harm you," Uncle Ma added reassuringly. Li Shen nodded again and stepped out of the Spirit Hall building.
As he emerged, she appeared beside him, gently pulled him into a hug, and soared into the sky.
"Hold on tight and point me in the right direction," she said, not noticing the faint blush on Li Shen's face. Her chin rested lightly on his head, making him feel like he was in paradise.
Clearing his throat to regain composure, Li Shen looked at the system-provided coordinates and said, "Go that way."
Ling Yuan nodded wordlessly and soared through the air. Her Martial Spirit, the Spirit Kite, allowed her to fly even without a specialized flying skill. Carrying Li Shen with ease, she glided in the direction he pointed.
They continued flying until Li Shen asked her to stop.
"Is that the cave?" she asked, spotting an opening nestled beneath the roots of a massive tree.
"No wonder no one found it. This is a perfect hiding spot," she remarked, landing with Li Shen.
"Beautiful sister, the beast is inside. I'll leave it to you now," Li Shen said sweetly, stepping aside. Then he crawled behind a boulder to hide—after all, he was still just a six-year-old, and this was no place for a child to fight.
Ling Yuan chuckled softly at the compliment, recognizing his attempt to butter her up. "Beautiful sister, huh? Fine, I'll let it slide this time," she said, feeling slightly pleased despite herself.
Behind the boulder, Li Shen nodded seriously.
As expected, no matter the woman, call her beautiful and her mood will improve, he thought wisely, watching her move toward the cave.
He stayed hidden, waiting for her to engage the Darkgold Terrorclaw Bear. Once it was injured and near death, he planned to strike and absorb its spirit ring—or rather, to tame it and turn it into a summoned beast. But of course, it wouldn't be that easy.
He couldn't just force a bond; the spirit beast had to be willing. That required him to communicate with the bear—and it wouldn't listen unless it was already on the verge of death.
To make things worse, this particular bear species was known to be temperamental. It attacked first and only wondered later why a human was even there.
Ling Yuan stood just outside the cave, her sharp eyes scanning the shadowy interior. The dense energy inside made her frown. Something powerful was in there.
Without hesitation, she activated her fifth spirit ring—Flaming Feather Descent.
With a sweep of her hand, a burst of blazing feathers shot from her palm like a rain of firebirds, soaring into the cave. The feathers lit up the darkness with brilliant orange and gold light, igniting the air with their burning aura.
Then—a low, guttural growl echoed from the cave's depths.
A moment later, a massive shadow stirred, followed by a thunderous roar that shook the earth.
From within the smoke and dust emerged a towering beast, its golden-brown fur laced with glinting metal streaks. Razor-sharp claws gleamed under the sunlight. Its eyes burned with primal fury.
It was unmistakable.
A Darkgold Terrorclaw Bear.
But Ling Yuan's eyes narrowed.
This isn't just any bear... it's over 10,000 years old.
A 10,000-year Darkgold Terrorclaw Bear was no joke—even Titled Douluo treated them with caution.
Her expression darkened.
Is someone trying to kill Li Shen by luring such a beast here? Did someone plant this bear, knowing he'd come?
She leapt high into the sky, flames trailing behind her as she hovered.
"Li Shen, do you want me to kill or subdue it?" she called down.
From behind a boulder, Li Shen peeked out and replied calmly, "Just subdue it. Its age doesn't matter to me."
That answer only confused her more, but she nodded anyway.
What's this kid planning? she wondered.
With a shout, she dove down like a meteor, streaking toward the raging bear. The beast turned with a roar and charged forward—not toward her, but straight at the boulder where Li Shen was hiding.
Ling Yuan's eyes widened. "Not so fast!"
She flashed forward in an instant, intercepting the bear just before it reached Li Shen. Claws met flame, and the two clashed with explosive force, sending shockwaves through the forest.
Li Shen backed away behind the boulder, watching silently, his expression calm and calculating.
The battle had begun.
Flames danced in the sky. Claws tore through stone.
And above it all, Ling Yuan and the ancient beast exchanged blow after blow—a fiery guardian against a rampaging monster.
****
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