Ning Fengzhi, Chen Xin, and Gu Rong arrived at the back mountains.
Chen Xin immediately sensed the lingering energy and frowned. "That sword aura… it truly is from the Immortal."
Ning Fengzhi sniffed the air faintly, catching the scent of alcohol. He exhaled a quiet sigh. "His room is empty… but it contains the wealth he's accumulated over the past six years. This child may seem unruly, but he's proud and unyielding. Rongrong's words must have struck him hard, so he's drowning his sorrows in wine."
Gu Rong shook her head. "Pride without talent is nothing but a joke."
Ning Fengzhi remained silent, clearly agreeing with her words.
Chen Xin's brows furrowed deeper. He did not like seeing Aoi Kenshin in such a state. After all, he had once regarded the boy as his successor. In his eyes, a true swordsman could never be a drunkard—how could one wield a sword steadily while intoxicated?
"Drowning your sorrows in alcohol will never lead to greatness!" Chen Xin muttered, turning away in frustration.
At that moment, a beautiful figure came running toward them.
"Father… Immortal Brother has left the sect?" Ning Rongrong's voice trembled slightly.
Ning Fengzhi nodded solemnly. "He has suffered a severe blow. Rongrong, if you ever meet him again, make sure to… repay him in some way."
Ning Rongrong nodded, though her expression was complicated. Deep down, she felt she would hardly ever see Aoi Kenshin again. She was bound for Shrek Academy, a place known for training only the extraordinary, while he seemed destined for mediocrity.
"Let's go, Father."
As she turned, her foot suddenly struck something hard. Looking down, she saw it: a clay sword, split cleanly in two.
On the winding road, Aoi Kenshin rode a Cloud Hoof Horse, occasionally tilting his head back to sip wine. Travel-worn, his white shirt dust-stained, his long hair matted from neglect, he looked disheveled. Yet even in this state, he carried the air of a wandering swordsman.
His destination: the Star Dou Great Forest. Though he now possessed level twenty soul power, he still did not have a single soul ring.
Several days later, he finally arrived. Footsteps crunched through the thick undergrowth. Even the outer edge of the forest was densely vegetated. Though it was daytime, the canopy above made the forest dim; the air reeked of damp earth, grass, and decay. Tall bushes rustled occasionally, each easily taller than a man.
"Good thing these six years of stagnation weren't wasted," Aoi Kenshin muttered, scanning the dense foliage. "I've learned plenty about soul beasts. The Azure-Edged Mantis—its forelimbs are like swords and lightning-fast!"
He grinned. "In martial arts, speed is the ultimate weapon. My Azure Lotus Sword Martial Soul must strike faster and harder than any foe!"
Half a day passed as he deftly dodged the attacks of wandering soul beasts. Finally, he found his target.
Atop a towering tree, a giant mantis perched, slender, its carapace dark green with a metallic sheen. Amber-colored compound eyes gleamed from its triangular head, and its forelimbs, sharp as blades, were folded neatly across its chest.
Aoi Kenshin observed quietly.
"A hundred-year-old Azure-Edged Mantis… but this one's almost black. It must be nearing a thousand years old." His eyes sparkled with calculation. "Way beyond what a first soul ring can absorb. And combat-wise… even a level thirty Battle Soul Venerable would hesitate before this beast."
He prepared to move on when a sudden buzzing drew his attention.
Another Azure-Edged Mantis landed. This one was twice the size of the first.
Aoi Kenshin's eyes widened. "A female Azure-Edged Mantis?!"
In insects, unlike animals, the females are larger. He observed closely, curious about her behavior. Then he noticed the male mantis perched atop her.
"…Perfect timing."
He lifted his celadon gourd and swallowed a mouthful of wine. He wasn't a voyeur—he was remembering nature's rules. In dense underbrush, he hid silently.
Half an hour later, the male mantis abruptly tried to fly away. But the female anticipated it. With lightning speed, her sword-like forelimb slashed sharply, piercing the male's chest. Green blood sprayed into the air.
Aoi Kenshin's eyes gleamed. "Exactly the opportunity I've been waiting for! After mating, the female kills the male—nature itself provides me the chance!"
Even if the soul ring exceeded the absorption limit, he would attempt it. Six years of quiet reflection had taught him how precious strength truly was. He had to seize the moment.
The battle between the mantises intensified. The male lunged, lightning-fast; the female deflected with her blades. Metal clashed—clang! swoosh! swoosh! They collided midair, two green streaks of lightning in motion.
"Good thing I didn't act rashly," he murmured. "The combat power of an Azure Mantis is terrifying… a careless level thirty Battle Soul Venerable could die instantly!"
Aoi Kenshin drank again. His Wine Martial Soul, equal in potential to his Azure Lotus Sword, amplified his body and soul, healing his wounds and sharpening his sword's edge with each sip.
As the wine coursed down his throat, the lotus patterns on his sword glowed, blooming like a celestial flower. A razor-sharp aura erupted. Limbs and broken wings fell.
Several dozen breaths later, the male mantis plummeted to the ground. The female followed closely—victorious but severely wounded. One compound eye was destroyed, her blade broken, and a deep gash ran along her neck, spilling thick green blood.
She began devouring her prize, the male's dark green carapace turning black as she consumed him.
The female Azure-Edged Mantis was now approaching millennium-level power.
Before she could finish, a flash of sword light appeared. In the dim forest, blindingly cold light cut through the shadows. The female froze. A second later, green blood sprayed as she was severed clean in two at the neck.
From her corpse, a pale purple soul ring floated into the air.