Marvel: Beginning with the Collection of Shinra Tensei

Han Yu nodded and said, "There is a thousand-year-old dragon serpent soul beast here. Based on my investigation, it should be around five thousand years old. This one is quite suitable for you."

"What do I need to do later?" Erina asked.

Han Yu stroked his chin and replied, "I'll lure the soul beast out. After I heavily injure it, you'll step in to deliver the final blow. To acquire the soul ring from a soul beast, you must personally deal the finishing strike; otherwise, it won't work."

"Do you need our help?" Ace asked. He felt a bit embarrassed for tagging along but not being of much help to Erina.

"No need. You and Yan can wander around, just don't stir up too much trouble."

Han Yu smiled faintly. He trusted Ace and Xiao Yan completely. Both of them were measured and well-mannered individuals who wouldn't cause unnecessary problems. As long as others didn't provoke them, everything would be fine.

"Alright then, we'll watch how you two hunt this soul beast."

After finalizing their plan, Han Yu was about to stand and attack the lake to lure out the thousand-year soul beast. However, his body suddenly froze, and he pushed Erina, who was also trying to stand, back down.

"Wait. It seems someone else is making a move for us."

"Who are those people? They don't look ordinary," Ace remarked.

He noticed their matching uniforms and the commanding aura they exuded as they moved. These were clearly not ordinary individuals.

Erina, though slightly annoyed by being pushed down, followed Han Yu's gaze when he gestured with his chin.

A group of people, both men and women, walked toward the lake. There were about twenty of them, but the most eye-catching figure was a young girl standing at the forefront.

Noticing the emblem pinned on their left chests, Han Yu squinted his eyes and muttered softly, "It's the Spirit Hall!"

"These people belong to a powerful faction called the Spirit Hall. Their branches span across two nations on this continent. However, they were eventually destroyed by Tang San," Han Yu explained.

"Destroyed? Why?" Erina asked.

"Because the Spirit Hall killed Tang San's mother. She was a soul beast nearly a hundred thousand years old. They also destroyed the sect of one of Tang San's close friends," Han Yu replied simply.

"A hundred thousand years!" Erina exclaimed in shock.

The number 'a hundred thousand' was beyond her comprehension. Just a few days ago, she was an ordinary human with a lifespan of no more than a hundred years. Now, as a soul master with immense potential, her lifespan had already exceeded that, possibly reaching far longer.

"A hundred thousand years... how many events could such a creature have witnessed?" Erina sighed in awe.

Although she didn't fully grasp the significance of a hundred-thousand-year-old soul beast, for someone who had only recently surpassed the limits of human mortality, it was an unfathomable concept.

"Should we make a move now?"

Seeing the sizeable number of opponents, Ace felt a surge of excitement. These were people from another world, and he was itching to see what it felt like to clash with them.

As he spoke, flames began to flicker and dance around his fingertips, burning brightly in the air.

Han Yu raised his hand and shook his head. "No rush. Let's keep watching..."

"Are we really going to take on this soul beast? This Azure Water Dragon Serpent is a six-thousand-four-hundred-year-old soul beast. With our previous strength, hunting it wouldn't have been an easy task," said a long-haired young man at the front of the group.

The girl he addressed was named Hu Liena, the sole disciple of the current Pope of the Spirit Hall, holding an incredibly high status.

Hu Liena didn't possess breathtaking beauty, scoring perhaps a seven out of ten in appearance. However, her figure was nearly flawless—tall, curvaceous, and exuding a charm that surpassed most women, even though she appeared to be no older than twenty.

Among the group behind her, many young men would occasionally turn their heads to glance at her silhouette, their eyes gleaming with admiration. Even some women couldn't help but stare.

Hu Liena gazed at the calm lake and said, "The soul ring of this beast will greatly enhance my abilities. I must obtain it."

"Alright then, everyone, get into position. Elder Hun Ling, we'll be counting on you," the young man named Xie Yue said to an elderly man beside him.

The elder, known as Hun Ling, wore a white robe and had a thin white beard hanging from his chin. Despite his age, his face glowed with a healthy, youthful radiance.

"Since the young lady has spoken, we must secure this soul ring. Please prepare yourself for the final strike," Hun Ling said respectfully.

Hun Ling released his clasped hands, and an intense wave of soul power erupted from his body, rustling the leaves and grass around him. Circles of radiant rings emerged beneath his feet.

Yellow, Yellow, Purple, Purple, Purple, Black, Black—seven soul rings floated up and down around him, a dazzling display of power. He was a Level 75 Soul Sage!

The hunt for the Azure Water Dragon Serpent began!

Hun Ling's figure blurred as he suddenly appeared in the middle of the lake, a long sword in his hand shimmering with visible energy waves. With a forceful thrust, he stabbed it into the lake.

The once-calm lake erupted violently. From beneath the water, a pair of crimson eyes emerged, staring menacingly. In the next moment, a colossal head burst out from the depths, sending a towering column of water skyward. The sheer size of the beast blocked out the sun, and its massive body had only partially emerged.

Roughly estimated, the Azure Water Dragon Serpent was over a hundred meters long!

Its body was covered in emerald green scales, each reflecting sharp, blinding light under the sun. Its enormous triangular head bore two crimson eyes that gleamed with a chilling, predatory intelligence.

The dragon serpent locked eyes with Hun Ling, who stood effortlessly on the lake's surface. A flicker of wariness crossed its crimson pupils. Over thousands of years, it had developed a degree of intelligence and could distinguish between strength and weakness.

With a thunderous roar, towering water columns shot out from around the Azure Water Dragon Serpent like piercing arrows aimed at Hun Ling.

"Hmph, just a beast, yet it dares make such a show of power!" Hun Ling snorted.

His long sword glowed with a fiery red light, and with a loud shout, a solid wave of orange-red sword energy slashed outward.

"Fifth Soul Skill: Crimson Slash!"

The fiery attack clashed with the incoming water columns, and to everyone's surprise, it had the upper hand. The water columns evaporated into steam, and the residual fiery energy struck the serpent's scales.

The Azure Water Dragon Serpent let out an agonized roar, its massive mouth opening wide. Inside, a glowing water sphere rapidly condensed before it was hurled straight at Hun Ling.

"That water sphere isn't ordinary. If it hits, even a slight miscalculation could result in severe injuries," Han Yu remarked in a low voice.

Erina stared unblinking at the battle between Hun Ling and the Azure Water Dragon Serpent. She wanted to carefully observe and learn how soul masters fought.

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