Risking It All to Kill a Soul Beast

Lin Yongming crouched low, his left arm numb from the impact. He tilted his head to the right, his ear turned toward the Thunder Leopard, ready to respond to its next attack.

"Ming'er, are you okay? Don't scare me like that," Lin Chong exclaimed, horrified that his son had rushed ahead of him.

"Xiao Ming!" the village chief also called out in concern.

"Dad, I'm fine. As expected of a soul beast, its strength is impressive," Lin Yongming replied, standing up with Lin Chong's help.

The surrounding villagers were equally shocked. Not only was the Thunder Leopard incredibly fast, but they were also amazed that Lin Yongming, a six-year-old, had managed to block its attack.

"Is this what it means to have soul power? Is Xiao Ming already considered a soul master?"

"This is unbelievable."

"The blind kid is so strong. Could I have blocked that attack?" Lei Zhengming, the village chief's grandson, looked at his hands doubtfully.

Of course, the reason Lin Yongming was only slightly shaken by the attack was due to the Thunder Leopard's poor physical condition.

The Thunder Leopard had been trapped in a cage for days, and its injuries from the hunters had not yet healed. Under normal circumstances, such an attack would have at least caused Lin Yongming to cough up blood or suffer minor injuries.

"Ming'er, don't be so reckless. If something happens to you, how will I explain it to your mother?" Lin Chong said, still trembling with fear.

"Dad, I'm fine. As a soul master, hunting soul beasts is something I'll have to face eventually. And if I remember correctly, from the book you read to me yesterday about soul masters and soul beasts, a soul master must personally kill a soul beast to absorb its soul ring," Lin Yongming explained, using this as a justification.

"But you're still so young. How can you..." Before Lin Chong could finish, the Thunder Leopard let out a furious roar.

Roar...

Seeing the soul power emanating from Lin Yongming, the Thunder Leopard was reminded of its own suffering. Its eyes filled with hatred as it glared at Lin Yongming.

In that moment, the Thunder Leopard's attention was fully focused on Lin Yongming. After its roar, it dug its front claws into the ground and lunged at him.

"Blind kid, watch out!" Lei Zhengming shouted in warning.

However, Lin Yongming had already sensed the Thunder Leopard's movements. Without waiting for Lin Chong to say anything, he took the initiative to attack.

"Killing Intent Wave!" As he charged forward, Lin Yongming activated his Killing Intent Wave skill.

This skill was unique—it could be used both passively and actively.

Sure enough, under the influence of the Killing Intent Wave, the Thunder Leopard's speed decreased. The skill's intimidating effect was working. If the Thunder Leopard had been more intelligent, the impact would have been even greater.

If Lei Zhengming had faced Lin Yongming's Killing Intent Wave, he might have been paralyzed with fear, his spirit shattered, and could have even died without a physical wound.

"Wave Slash!" When he was about a meter away from the Thunder Leopard, Lin Yongming struck first.

His upward slash hit the Thunder Leopard directly in the center. Thanks to the Wave Slash's restraining effect, the Thunder Leopard was momentarily immobilized in mid-air before being sent flying backward.

Lin Yongming knew the importance of following up on an advantage.

He charged forward with his blade, but this time, his attack missed as the Thunder Leopard kicked off the ground and leaped to the right.

The Thunder Leopard then pounced at Lin Yongming again.

Lin Yongming countered with another Block skill.

And so, the battle between the boy and the beast unfolded before the villagers' eyes. While everyone else watched in awe, Lin Yongming's father was filled with anxiety, wanting to step in and help his son but finding no opportunity as the fight grew faster and more intense.

"Ming'er, you have to be careful!" Lin Chong paced back and forth in front of the village chief, not daring to blink.

After a few minutes, the Thunder Leopard began to falter. The intense movement caused its old wounds to reopen, and its hunger and exhaustion quickly drained its stamina.

Lin Yongming, who had been fighting with full concentration, also noticed that the Thunder Leopard's attacks and speed were weakening.

Of course, Lin Yongming was also tired. After all, he was just a six-year-old child, and his breathing grew heavier with each passing moment.

"Almost there. Just a little more," Lin Yongming thought as he landed another strike. The Thunder Leopard, now too weak to dodge properly, took a direct hit to its front paw.

With a pained roar, the Thunder Leopard stumbled and fell.

"Now's my chance! Earth Splitting Slash!" Lin Yongming's Thunder Blade glowed with a deep blue light as he unleashed a blade of energy. The attack struck the Thunder Leopard from its abdomen to its back, instantly rendering it immobile.

"Die!"

Lin Yongming seized the opportunity and lunged forward. He jumped into the air, driving his blade downward with all his strength. The blade pierced through the Thunder Leopard's skull and embedded itself into the ground.

The Thunder Leopard's body twitched as its hind legs struggled, but Lin Yongming held firm. Slowly, the Thunder Leopard let out a faint whimper before falling completely still.

Lin Yongming let out a sigh of relief, releasing the hilt of his blade. He sat down on the ground in front of the Thunder Leopard, not caring about the dirt, and allowed himself to breathe heavily.

Lin Yongming's first battle had ended in victory. If someone were to tell this story, no one would believe it—a soul beast appearing in a small kingdom and being killed by a six-year-old child. It was almost too dramatic to be real.

The moment Lin Yongming sat down, Lin Chong rushed over.

"Ming'er, are you okay? Are you hurt? Village doctor, get the village doctor!" Lin Chong shouted anxiously.

"Dad, I'm fine. I'm just a bit exhausted," Lin Yongming said, waving his hand.

"You call this fine? You're covered in blood. Let me check your wounds," Lin Chong said, frantically examining his son. He soon realized that the blood wasn't Lin Yongming's—it was from the Thunder Leopard. Aside from a few torn clothes and minor scratches, Lin Yongming was unharmed.

"Thank goodness, no serious injuries," Lin Chong sighed in relief.

The village chief and the other villagers began to approach, but they stopped halfway when they noticed something happening to the Thunder Leopard's body.

A surge of soul power emerged from the Thunder Leopard, forming a yellow ring above its body. This was the soul ring—a crucial element for a soul master's advancement.

"Dad, the soul ring has appeared. I need to rest for a moment before I can absorb it," Lin Yongming reminded his father.

"So this is a soul ring... and it's yellow. Alright, Ming'er, go ahead. I'll watch over you," Lin Chong nodded.

"Everyone, a soul master needs peace and quiet to absorb a soul ring. Let's not disturb Xiao Ming for now," the village chief said to the crowd.

"Understood, Chief."

"Wow, the blind kid is amazing. So this is the soul ring that soul masters need," Lei Zhengming and the other children whispered among themselves, their eyes wide with awe.

After a brief rest, Lin Yongming noticed that everyone had fallen silent, watching him intently. He began to guide the Thunder Leopard's soul ring, preparing to absorb it.

The process had officially begun.