The sun had barely risen, and a thin fog clung to the forest floor, muffling sound and distorting perception. Mo Xuan adjusted the Spirit Spring strapped to his chest, feeling the familiar pulse of golden energy—the Space Soul Ring now fully integrated and responding with subtle intelligence.
[Soul Power: 11.6]
[Spirit Spring Mastery: 75/100]
[Soul Ring Progress: 45% → 50%]
"This morning," Mo Xuan murmured, voice low and calculated, "we push further. Not just one beast… multiple. Coordination and control are essential."
Lin Yue's twin martial souls flared faintly, a soft aura of calm energy surrounding him. "Are you certain?" he asked, eyes scanning the fog, sensing faint disturbances ahead.
Mo Xuan's cold gaze swept over the forest. "There is no certainty. Only strategy."
A low growl echoed through the trees. Then another, and another. Shadows shifted in the fog—three Rank 5+ beasts, larger than anything he had faced in a single encounter: a Thunder Sabertooth Tiger, a Frostmane Direwolf, and a Fireclaw Panther. Each moved with intelligence, instinct, and malice.
[Wild Spirits Detected: Rank 5+ — Thunder, Frost, Fire Attributes]
Mo Xuan crouched slightly, dagger in hand, Spirit Spring glowing gently. The ancient beast stirred within his consciousness, purring with amusement. Finally… real chaos. Let us see your control, your efficiency, your subtlety.
He released the first pulse of the Spirit Spring, subtly altering the snow beneath the Frostmane. The wolf stumbled slightly, claws slipping as it lunged forward. Lin Yue mirrored the pulse with his support aura, amplifying the spatial manipulation.
The Thunder Sabertooth lunged next, lightning crackling along its fur. Mo Xuan twisted space beneath it, redirecting the charge harmlessly while allowing Lin Yue to strike with twin attack energy. The Fireclaw Panther circled from above, leaping from a tree branch in a blur of red-orange fur, claws glinting in the dawn light.
Efficiency, not force… the ancient beast reminded him. Use the battlefield, use your Spring, combine with him.
Mo Xuan exhaled and synchronized his movements with Lin Yue's aura. The Space Soul Ring allowed him to shift objects, terrain, and even portions of the snow mid-air. Branches, snow, and frozen shards twisted subtly, forming barriers and channels of influence. Each beast moved as he intended, forced to react to the invisible control.
[Combat Strategy: Multi-beast control using Spirit Spring + Space Soul Ring]
The Frostmane lunged again. Mo Xuan's dagger glinted as he teleported the snow beneath it, forcing it slightly off-balance. Simultaneously, Lin Yue struck from the side, his twin attack aura amplifying the spatial distortion. The wolf yelped in frustration, restrained yet unharmed.
The Fireclaw Panther's leap was the final test. Its speed was extreme, but Mo Xuan anticipated the trajectory, teleporting a snow-laden branch mid-air into its path. The Panther crashed lightly, startled, landing gracefully yet constrained by the altered environment.
Excellent… the ancient beast purred. Coordination, subtlety, destruction—all at once. You are learning.
Mo Xuan's pulse quickened, feeling the surge of latent energy from his first Soul Ring. A second pulse of Spring energy burst outward, folding space subtly around the Panther, forcing it to slow mid-leap. Lin Yue combined his attack and support auras, striking simultaneously in perfect timing.
[Soul Power Growth: 11.6 → 11.8]
[Spirit Spring Mastery: 75 → 82/100]
[Soul Ring Progress: 50% → 65% toward next ring]
The three beasts finally retreated, growls echoing through the fog, cautious and calculating, leaving faint glowing tracks where the Spring and Space Soul Ring had interacted with them. Mo Xuan exhaled slowly, assessing the results. Every movement had been precise, every strike non-lethal, yet every beast recognized the control, the dominance, and the strategy.
Lin Yue stepped closer, twin auras dimming slightly. "You… anticipated all three simultaneously. Incredible. Your Spring… your Soul Ring… combined with our synergy… it's flawless."
Mo Xuan's cold expression softened fractionally, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Flawless efficiency is nothing without control. Remember this. Power wasted is power lost."
By late afternoon, they returned to the village. Mo Xuan quietly poured Spirit Spring water into wells and jars, enhancing the villagers' vitality subtly, while the ancient beast purred approvingly in his consciousness. You grow stronger… faster than I anticipated. But power without restraint will invite challenges.
Mo Xuan's eyes flicked toward Lin Yue, twin auras barely perceptible, yet the connection was there—silent, shared, potent. Cooperation, synergy, subtle tension, and mutual reliance had been established. This partnership, he realized, could be as dangerous to enemies as his Soul Ring.
Snow fell lightly over the village, covering tracks, energy imprints, and evidence of the high-level hunt. Inside his hut, Mo Xuan allowed a brief moment of relaxation, Spirit Spring pulsing gently, the golden energy mingling with the pulse of his first Soul Ring.
Tomorrow… we hunt again. The threshold of the next Soul Ring is closer than ever, he thought, feeling the latent power coiling within his chest like a storm ready to break.
[Soul Power: 11.8]
[Spirit Spring Mastery: 82/100]
[Soul Ring Progress: 65% toward second ring]
[Team Formation: Mo Xuan & Lin Yue fully synergized; multi-beast coordination tested successfully]
[Ancient Beast Status: Fully aware, teaching multi-target strategy, subtle destruction, and battlefield control]