Continuing forward, they soon encountered another Nether Mamba Snake.
"This one's age is sufficient, but its attributes aren't quite right. It leans too much towards poison and its attack power is weak. It's not suitable for you" Bibi Dong shook her head once more.
Next, the trio encountered several more spirit beasts, but after Bibi Dong's evaluations, none of them were deemed perfect.
Just as they were about to take a break, a spirit beast suddenly appeared in the sky.
"Screech!"
It was a flying spirit beast. Lu Leng focused his gaze and saw that it was an eagle-like spirit beast. It wasn't particularly large, standing about one meter tall and a little over two meters long. Its eyes were sharp, and its feathers were pitch black, with only the tail feathers showing a hint of white.
Its physique was robust and majestic, exuding an air of dominance, like a king looking down from above. Its sharp claws resembled daggers ready to strike, their cold gleam intimidating.
It seemed to have noticed Lu Leng and the others, circling above them. Under the sunlight, one could see purple streaks of light flashing across its wings. Upon closer inspection, it became clear that these streaks were not just light—they were lightning!
This spirit beast actually possessed the rare lightning attribute! Lu Leng was astonished; it was the first time he had seen such a magnificent spirit beast.
After a brief moment of eye contact, the spirit beast didn't leave. Instead, it let out a piercing cry and turned to charge towards Lu Leng and the others.
"Is this thing crazy?!" Lu Leng was shocked. Without any provocation, the spirit beast was attacking them.
With Bibi Dong and Yueguan, two powerful Douluos, present, the spirit beast's actions were practically suicidal.
Seeing this, Bibi Dong snorted coldly, "Foolish and reckless!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo immediately stepped forward, unleashing the aura of a Titled Douluo. But the spirit beast showed no fear; instead, its eyes gleamed with madness. As it dove, thunderous sounds erupted around it, its feathers glowing with purple light, and the air around it burned from the intense friction. At the same time, it extended its sharp claws and charged straight at Chrysanthemum Douluo.
"Third Soul Skill, Aura Barrier!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo activated his third soul skill, a restraining ability that could immobilize enemies within the barrier for a short period. He used this skill because the spirit beast's speed was so fast that he could only see a blur.
With the barrier in place, the spirit beast should have stopped.
But that wasn't the case. Not only did the spirit beast not stop, it completely vanished. Lu Leng only saw a flash of purple lightning appear out of thin air, and then the spirit beast was gone without a trace.
"Where did it go?" Chrysanthemum Douluo was shocked. He couldn't sense the spirit beast within his barrier.
The spirit beast must have used a soul skill to escape the barrier's range in advance.
At that moment, Lu Leng suddenly felt a chill run down his back. Instinctively, he drew his sword and, without hesitation, executed a slash. But his blade cut through empty air—there was nothing there! Was it an illusion? No, it wasn't!
Because the prickling sensation on Lu Leng's back had disappeared.
"Screech!!"
But just as the feeling vanished, Lu Leng heard a scream beside him.
Turning his head, he saw it was Bibi Dong!
She actually punched the spirit beast to the ground with a single blow, leaving it struggling to get up! Lu Leng's eyes widened in shock. This spirit beast, which had even outsmarted Chrysanthemum Douluo, was completely incapacitated by Bibi Dong's punch! Just how terrifying was her strength? Once again, Lu Leng gained a renewed understanding of his teacher's power.
"This spirit beast is called the Thunderous Silent Swallow. It's relatively large in size but belongs to the swallow family. Its speed is comparable to the fastest swift-tailed swallows, and it surpasses them in attack power, which the swift-tailed swallows cannot match. It's fearless and cruel by nature, which is why it attacked us on sight."
"Judging by its tail feathers, it's around sixteen thousand years old. Your first spirit skill emphasizes strength, so choosing a second spirit skill focused on speed and agility would complement it well. It also has a certain level of offensive capability, making it a perfect fit for you. However..." Bibi Dong said with satisfaction, explaining why she hadn't killed it immediately.
"However, it's two thousand years older than ideal, right?"
Bibi Dong nodded.
Lu Leng, however, didn't seem bothered. "Just two thousand years? No big deal. This is exactly when the protagonist's halo comes into play. Today, I must absorb its spirit ring!"
The moment Lu Leng saw the Thunderous Silent Swallow, he was already captivated. Its appearance was simply too cool, especially its unruly and domineering aura—it was like the ultimate show-off among spirit beasts.
So, he had immediately thought how great it would be to absorb its spirit ring. Now that the opportunity was within reach, he naturally didn't want to give it up, even if it meant taking on the added risk of two thousand years.
'Hmph, Tang San could absorb spirit rings beyond his level. Why can't I?' Lu Leng stepped forward and with a single slash, killed the Thunderous Silent Swallow.
'Brother Swallow, don't let me down. Pass on a bit of that show-off energy to me,' Lu Leng prayed, not for safety, but for this.
If Bibi Dong had known, she would have absolutely forbidden him from absorbing it.
Lu Leng extended his Zhanluo Blade, using his spirit power to guide the spirit ring closer. The deep, ink-black spirit ring shrank as soon as it touched the blade, slipping onto it. At the same time, an overwhelmingly powerful energy surged into Lu Leng's body.
"Holy crap!"
Lu Leng cursed out loud. He hadn't expected the energy to be so ferocious. Right from the start, he could barely hold on; he bit his tongue in time, forcefully suppressing the energy.
Unable to find an outlet, the energy began to rampage wildly inside Lu Leng's body, wreaking havoc. It felt as if there was a bolt of lightning within him, accompanied by a scorching, numbing sensation. Soon, Lu Leng's face turned red, and blood began to seep from his skin, staining his clothes in no time.
"Dammit, this is too risky. Those two thousand years definitely aren't something to take lightly," Lu Leng regretted, feeling like he was about to lose control. The overwhelming energy was on the verge of exploding out of him.
"Hold on! Whether you succeed or not depends entirely on you now!"
Bibi Dong's calm voice reached his ears. Lu Leng's spirit was shaken, and his mind flashed back to the loneliness he had seen in Bibi Dong the previous night. A stubborn determination rose in his expression.
"I can't fall here. I still have to marry a rich, beautiful woman!" Lu Leng gritted his teeth and held on, but the rampant energy wasn't about to give up easily. It continued to relentlessly assault his mental barriers.
With each collision and defense, the two forces continuously clashed and erupted. Lu Leng was on the verge of giving up several times, but he managed to hold on through sheer determination.
Time passed agonizingly slowly. Lu Leng's expression grew increasingly grim, and his body was already drenched in blood. The blood even vaporized, forming a mist of blood around him! This scene made Bibi Dong and Chrysanthemum Douluo's hearts race with fear and awe. "To endure what ordinary people cannot—some are destined to be strong from the moment they are born!" Chrysanthemum Douluo felt a deep sense of admiration from the bottom of his heart.