The cliff rises abruptly from the ground like a knife cut, its steep walls appearing as if cleaved by a giant axe, rugged and jagged.

Halfway up the steep cliff, there is a cave that is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, like a beehive built in a dead corner, quietly hidden in the embrace of the mountain, waiting for the right person to discover it.

The temperature inside the cave, mutated by the flames emanating from the Azure Flame Golden Roc, was almost hot enough to steam an egg. The scorching heat quickly soaked Qian Renxue's clothes with sweat, and her face was flushed as if she had been exposed to the blazing sun. Even the ground was scalding hot.

"Teacher, the living environment of the Azure Flame Golden Roc is too hot." Qian Renxue's voice was hoarse, like a traveler walking in the desert, whose throat had been parched for a long time.

Walking ahead of Qian Renxue, Wei Ming, who was scouting the way for her, said without turning his head, "That's right. Not only are the Azure Flame Golden Rocs rare soul beasts, but the places they inhabit can also occasionally produce unexpected surprises. That's why I insisted that you personally step into the cave to experience it."

"surprise?"

This touches upon a blind spot in Qian Renxue's theoretical knowledge.

"Xiaoxue, look what's that up ahead." Wei Ming stopped, his voice tinged with amusement.

Qian Renxue walked curiously to the teacher's side, and upon seeing her, her eyes widened in surprise.

"What a beautiful nest..."

Countless long, branch-like tendrils, entirely crimson and crystal clear, even faintly glowing with red light, meandered into a giant oval-shaped bird's nest deep within the cave.

Around the bird's nest, large and small white-gold bird feathers were scattered.

"This is... Boro Rui?" Qian Renxue's attention was completely drawn to the magnificent "crystal" bird's nest. Hesitantly, she searched her memory for the name of the matching spiritual plant.

That's right, it's a spiritual plant, not a crystal ore.

The long, branch-shaped strips in front of me, with their beautiful colors and crystal-like appearance, are not formed from hard minerals, but from a rare and precious material that only grows in hot regions, or even near active volcanoes—the Poluo Rui.

The medicine can cure cold toxins and change the cold constitution. When applied externally to the body, it can temporarily grant the person the ability to resist fire, so that they can walk barefoot in molten lava without getting burned. However, the effect only lasts for a maximum of 15 minutes, and it needs to be reapplied after 10 minutes.

Wei Ming asked with his hands behind his back, "Xiao Xue, what are the growing conditions for the Bodhi Root?"

Qian Renxue subconsciously replied, "It grows in high-temperature environments; the hotter the better."

"Yes. The Azure Flame Golden Roc's innate accompanying flame has an exceptionally high temperature. The mere emanation of fire elemental energy can turn the air in the entire cavern they've dug into a steam room, not to mention that they often lie in their nests. Without any deliberate effort, it naturally nourishes these rootless budding plants." Wei Ming explained the knowledge beyond the textbook.

"Earlier, the Azure Flame Golden Roc was frequently hunted by Soul Masters because of Bo Luo Rui, which made its race rare. It wasn't until the establishment of the Spirit Hall and the promulgation of the conditions and regulations of the Soul Master Code that people realized they needed to restrain themselves and stop killing indiscriminately."

As he said this, Wei Ming straightened his chest with pride.

"As the young master of the Spirit Hall, Xiaoxue, you may inherit the position of the highest authority in the Spirit Hall in the future. You may supplement and modify the conditions in the Spirit Master Code, but you must never forget your original intention, which is to protect."

"Yes, I know, teacher!" Qian Renxue smiled and kept the extracurricular knowledge her teacher had imparted in her heart.

The two Soul Saints, who were silently following behind the two children, showed no emotion whatsoever, appearing as if they were taking a leisurely stroll.

However, beneath their black armor, their muscles were taut and bulging, maintaining constant vigilance.

Qian Renxue stepped forward, picked up a relatively large white-gold feather that had fallen beside the nest, and looked at the deep golden quill that was almost inversely proportional to the color of the feather. Her eyes lit up: "Teacher, this Azure Flame Golden Roc's cultivation level seems to be around eight hundred years. Perhaps I can..."

"No, Xiaoxue." Wei Ming immediately rejected Qian Renxue's estimate and said seriously, "The limit for a Soul Master's second Soul Ring is 764 years. It's fine if it's a year or two over, but if the difference is more than 10 years, we can't ignore it!"

Qian Renxue hesitated for a moment, glanced at the vermilion peace knot tied on her right wrist, pursed her lips, decided to follow her intuition, looked into Wei Ming's eyes, and said seriously, "But I think I can withstand a soul ring of about eight hundred years."

Upon hearing this, Wei Ming felt a headache coming on and said with exasperation, "Did you just listen to me? The second cultivation period for a Soul Master should never exceed 764 years! Besides, you are the young master of the Spirit Hall. If anything happens to you, I will have no face to face your grandfather and your father!"

Qian Renxue's expression was firm: "You yourself said you're just an ordinary Soul Master. But I am the owner of the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul, inheriting the sacred bloodline of the angels. Since ancient times, there have been geniuses on the continent who, after experiencing extraordinary trials, directly upgraded their first Soul Ring from the hundred-year level to the thousand-year level, and didn't even explode and die. Can they do it, but I can't overcome this cultivation gap of more than forty years?"

"But!"

“Teacher!” Qian Renxue calmly interrupted Wei Ming and continued, “If I were still a Soul Warrior instead of a Soul Master, I would definitely not choose a Soul Beast with a cultivation level that exceeds several decades. But now I am a Great Soul Master, and with the physical training I’ve had since I was 5 years old, and the body tempered by the rare and precious medicinal liquids I’ve been soaking in since childhood, I believe that I can now withstand an 800-year-old second Soul Ring.”

The two Soul Saints behind them looked at each other, not daring to utter a sound.

Soul Saint, but a Guardian Knight.

The difference in social status is an obstacle that no matter how strong one's soul power is, it cannot be overcome.

Wei Ming stared intently at Qian Renxue, his voice deep and serious: "What if something goes wrong during the process of absorbing the soul ring? Aren't you afraid? Even if you fail and suffer irreparable injuries, won't you regret it?"

"I'm not afraid, and I have no regrets."

Wei Ming closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again a few seconds later and said, "Since you've made up your mind, then do it this way."

Qian Renxue's eyes lit up. "Thank you, teacher."

“No need, this is your second soul ring. Success or failure depends on you.” After saying that, Wei Ming looked at the two temple knights. The three of them exchanged a glance in mid-air, and the two Soul Saints nodded.

......

The sun, high in the sky, hides its bright and beautiful face, sinking into the chaotic canyon and disappearing below the horizon.

The ground temperature changes as the sun moves away, exhibiting extreme temperature differences that are completely different from those during the day.

After a hard day of hunting, the Azure Flame Golden Roc, wanting to return to its nest for a good rest, slowly flew towards its nest.

The Azure Flame Golden Roc has a beautiful white-gold body, a wingspan of up to six meters, and sparks fly when it flaps its wings.

Upon closer inspection, you'll find that not only the wings but also the feathers on the body are ablaze with golden sparks, making it look as if the wearer is draped in a veil of flames.