"This one won't do. Too old."
"Not this one either… I don't think Keke can absorb it."
Aether casually glanced at the Soft-Boned Rabbit soul beasts crawling on the ground, shaking his head repeatedly.
The soul beasts, having no idea what this human intended to do, could only huddle on the ground, trembling in fear.
They had no clue that they'd just narrowly escaped death. All they knew, deep in their instincts, was that they couldn't possibly defeat the human before them—an existence capable of threatening their very lives.
By sheer instinct, when faced with an overwhelming predator they couldn't fight back against, all they could do was lie down and submit, waiting to be at someone else's mercy.
But that didn't mean they were pitiable or undeserving of this treatment.
On the Douluo Continent, from the very beginning, soul beasts and humans had always been natural enemies.
Before awakening sentience, soul beasts were nothing but wild animals—creatures driven by primal instincts. The law of the jungle played out through them with brutal clarity.
Whether toward humans or other soul beasts, emotions played no part in their survival-driven existence.
Big fish eat small fish. Small fish eat shrimp.
To soul beasts, humans were merely another item on the food chain.
When they attacked civilian settlements, they wouldn't spare a child just because they were young, nor would they hold back against someone without spirit power.
The same went for humans.
In this world, advancing as a soul master meant relying on the hunting and killing of soul beasts to obtain soul rings.
It was a one-sided relationship of taking. Soul beasts, whose lives were constantly under threat, would naturally retaliate by instinct.
Between soul beasts and humans, the bond was one of conflict over survival and benefit.
Just as ordinary humans needed meat to grow and stay healthy, no one refused to eat chicken or duck just because they were small and defenseless.
And the reverse held true as well. If today, Aether and the others hadn't been strong enough, they'd have already been torn to shreds by this horde of soul beasts.
So Aether didn't feel the least bit guilty about deciding the life or death of soul beasts based on strength alone.
"This one… about eight or nine hundred years old. Keke might be able to try it."
Aether picked up a slightly larger rabbit, and after a bit of thought, decided to let Keke give it a shot.
Normally, the first soul ring a soul master absorbs shouldn't be too old—under four hundred years was considered safe.
This was because early in their cultivation, a soul master's body and spirit weren't yet developed enough to handle the pressure of a higher-age ring.
Forcing the absorption of a soul ring beyond their limit could result in serious harm.
Of course, that was just according to the typical theories about first soul ring absorption in Douluo.
But Yu Keke, whose body had been enhanced by elemental power, theoretically had no upper limit on the age of a soul ring as long as her spiritual strength was sufficient.
That's why Aether chose a soul beast around eight or nine hundred years old as her first soul ring target.
Don't be fooled by how timid she usually seemed—this girl, despite her young age, had already experienced the pain of life and death.
And when it came to mental strength, she was far more resilient than Aether had expected.
With the chosen beast in hand, Aether led the two of them deeper into the herd and picked out a Swiftwind Leopard soul beast estimated to be around two thousand years old—one recommended earlier by Wang Wan as a candidate for the second soul ring.
"Alright, let's break it up. It's getting a little too stuffy here."
With one foot on the Swiftwind Leopard and a limp rabbit in his hand, Aether glanced over at Paimon, who was holding her nose, and let out a helpless chuckle.
All these soul beasts were animals. Their lives revolved around killing, eating, and sleeping—so naturally, they reeked.
A few would've been tolerable, but with hundreds gathered in one place—and the three of them stuck in the middle—the air had turned pungent with the stench of blood and beasts.
Once Aether retracted his aura, every soul beast, without exception, slunk away in disgrace despite having charged in earlier with such bravado.
Not one dared to make a sound. One by one, they hunched low and backed off rapidly.
Only once they reached a safe distance did they turn tail and bolt at full speed.
"Keke, are you ready? Time to absorb your soul ring."
Aether gently patted Yu Keke's head, speaking with some concern.
"Mhm! I'm ready!"
Yu Keke nodded vigorously. Her big, bright eyes still held a trace of nervousness, but more than that, they shone with a firm determination—she yearned for strength.
"Here, take this one. Go over there and absorb it. Paimon and I will be right by your side."
Aether exerted a little force, and the rabbit in his hand was on its last breath—just waiting for Keke to finish the job.
Keke took the soul beast he handed her, carried it to a clearing, then tossed it onto the ground.
She activated her martial soul, raised her tiny fist, and, gathering the limited soul power she had, punched the beast squarely.
Buzz—
As the rabbit's life faded, a soul ring rose from its body. But its color… had already turned a faint shade of purple.
Still not precise enough in gauging soul power…
Aether frowned slightly as he looked at the floating ring. He had estimated it to be eight or nine hundred years old, but judging by the color, this beast had clearly stepped into the realm of thousand-year soul beasts.
Even if it was just barely over the threshold, there was a huge gap between a century and a millennium.
This gap became especially stark for the soul master absorbing the ring.
Some might be able to handle a nine-hundred-year soul ring, but the jump to a thousand years raised the difficulty significantly—and the risk along with it.
"Keke, maybe we should pick another one? This ring might be too hard for you to absorb."
Aether voiced his concern, worried about the strain.
"Umm… Big Brother, I want to try…"
Keke, normally so obedient, lowered her head in thought. After a moment, she looked up at Aether with hopeful eyes.
She could feel the immense energy pulsing from the ring—she wanted that power.
And for some reason, she felt an inexplicable confidence that she could absorb it.
"You can do it, Keke!"
Paimon hovered beside Aether, her tiny fists clenched in encouragement. She'd seen that look in Keke's eyes. This little girl was stronger than she seemed. She could do it!
"Alright, go for it!"
Aether smiled and shook his head lightly, no longer trying to dissuade her.
Well, if even little Paimon believes in you, then I definitely have to support you too.
"Mhm!"
With their support, Keke sat down cross-legged, focusing on calming her mind and spirit.
After a while, the energy fluctuations from the soul ring gradually settled and became less turbulent.
Keke glanced back at Aether and Paimon, then activated her soul power and reached out toward the ring, attempting to forge a link with it.
Time passed quietly—two to three hours went by without them noticing. Aether and Paimon chatted idly nearby as they kept watch.
By now, the soul ring in front of Keke had disappeared. Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead, trailing along her cheeks before dripping onto the ground, breaking into splashes.
From the look of agony on her face, her experience didn't seem any easier than Shui Yue'er's struggle with her third soul ring not far away.
_
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