Douluo: The Exiled Immortal Descends, Sword and Wine Slay the Gods Chapter 52: Hunting the Third Spirit Ring — Li Zhexian’s Tar

After bidding Zhu Zhuqing farewell,

Li Zhexian devoted himself entirely to preparing for his third Spirit Ring.

As soon as word got out that he was heading out to hunt a Spirit Beast,

Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling naturally offered to join him, but surprisingly, the four mbers of the Heaven Dou Imperial Battle Team were just as fired up.

Yu Feng spoke up without hesitation:

"Idol! Your first two Spirit Rings were already at the thousand-year level. I have to join you for your third hunt!"

Li Zhexian thought it over for a mont and agreed.

His goal for this trip was ambitious.

With more people,

They would stand a better chance of killing powerful Spirit Beasts.

"For Spirit Masters, the third Spirit Ring has a limit of a thousand years."

"But I have the healing power of the Sword Wine Martial Soul, along with the fortified physique forged by the Molten Frost Spirit Vein Body."

"With such a foundation, how could I settle for diocrity?"

"I must pursue a Spirit Ring that surpasses the limit!"

Once preparations were complete,

The group of seven set off for the Star Dou Great Forest.

...

anwhile—at the Crown Prince's residence.

"He's left Heaven Dou City?"

Xue Qinghe, holding a jade pot, watered a radiant spiritual blossom bathed in morning light. She didn't even look up.

"Mhm, they should reach the forest's outskirts by tomorrow morning."

Snake Lance hesitated, then asked,

"If the young master is concerned, why not send Porcupinefish to secretly follow him?"

Xue Qinghe put down the jade pot, her fingers brushing lightly over the delicate petals.

"He doesn't like it."

Without another word, she walked toward the back courtyard.

She arrived before a jagged rock garden.

The artificial mountain silently shifted open, revealing a sloping tunnel that led downward into darkness.

Xue Qinghe descended, her footsteps echoing through the still air.

The sense-activated soul tool lamps embedded in the walls lit up one by one, illuminating the horrifying scene at the end of the tunnel.

A mangled, bloodied figure was chained to the wall by thick iron links driven through both shoulders, nailed tightly against the cold stone.

It was hard to find a single uninjured patch of flesh on him.

His right wrist, in particular, was twisted and folded, with bone fragnts piercing the skin, a truly shocking sight.

Sensing soone's arrival, he lifted his head with great effort.

"Kill... kill ..."

"Just like you killed Qin Ming... kill ..."

Xue Qinghe's expression was calm.

Snake Lance stepped forward.

He poured a viscous green dicinal liquid from a jade bowl onto Zhao Wuji's body.

Hissss…

With a faint sizzling sound, the mutilated wounds began to regenerate before their eyes—even the twisted wrist returned to normal.

And yet—

Zhao Wuji showed no relief. On the contrary, his eyes were filled with terror.

"If you've got the guts, kill ! KILL !!"

He roared hoarsely, his voice like a madman's.

In response—

Two sinister-looking old eunuchs, holding instrunts of torture, stepped forward silently.

They moved with practiced efficiency.

Within monts, the stone chamber once again echoed with the gut-wrenching sound of bones breaking… and suppressed, agonizing screams.

Soon after—

Zhao Wuji was reduced once more to a mass of blood and ruin.

"…Kill …"

Xue Qinghe's gaze remained cold and indifferent.

"Shatter every bone in his body, feed him the 'Rotting Grass,' and send him back to Shrek."."

"Until Li Zhexian personally executes him—he is not allowed a single day of peace. And under no circumstances is he to recover."

Porcupinefish and Snake Lance both nodded silently.

Xue Qinghe turned and walked away.

If Li Zhexian wanted to deliver justice personally—

Then she would leave him that chance.

When the ti ca,

She would heal Zhao Wuji—

So that Li Zhexian's sword could drink deep from the blood of his enemy.

...

After several days of travel,

Li Zhexian and his group of seven finally reached the edge of the Star Dou Forest.

The vast, ancient forest stretched before them like a slumbering primordial beast.

Canopies of towering trees devoured the sunlight, casting fractured shadows on the forest floor below.

"Let's move."

With a crisp call, Li Zhexian took the lead—

Stepping into the impenetrable darkness beneath the trees.

The other six followed close behind, and their figures were quickly swallowed by the sea of forest.

Ancient trees rose like ink-black pillars.

Their gnarled branches twisted overhead, forming a woven ceiling that blocked nearly all light.

Only scattered beams managed to pierce through, making the surroundings feel even more shadowy and deep.

Underfoot, the forest floor was blanketed in soft, ankle-deep detritus—

a layer of decaying leaves and moss from centuries past.

The moist, rotting air crept in through every gap.

From deeper within the woods,

dull, thunderous roars echoed from ti to ti, shaking the treetops overhead.

The seven moved in silence, forming a defensive ring.

Each watched a different direction, advancing cautiously toward the forest's interior.

"…Idol?"

Yu Feng, keeping his eyes fixed on the southeast, couldn't help but ask in a low voice:

"We're already here in Star Dou. You gonna tell us your target for the third Spirit Ring now?"

The others all turned to look at Li Zhexian.

After a brief pause, he answered:

"The Blood-Toothed Demonic Tiger isn't bad."

"Blood-Toothed Demonic Tiger?"

Everyone exchanged confused looks—they weren't familiar with that Spirit Beast.

Only Dugu Yan's eyes widened as she gasped.

"Blood-Toothed Demonic Tiger?!"

"Li Zhexian, you've set your sights on that kind of monster?!"

Ye Lingling's sapphire eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"Yanyan, you've heard of it?"

All eyes turned to Dugu Yan.

She took a deep breath and spoke slowly:

"My grandfather ntioned it once…"

"The Blood-Toothed Demonic Tiger is one of the top predators in the Star Dou Forest—second only to the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear. Extrely rare and incredibly difficult to find."

She paused, then added sothing even more shocking:

"Chen Xin the Sword Douluo's fourth Spirit Ring ca from a Blood-Toothed Demonic Tiger."

There was no need to say more.

Just the words "Sword Douluo's fourth Spirit Ring" hit with the weight of a mountain.

Sword Douluo Chen Xin—acknowledged as the strongest attack-type Douluo. His na alone stood as proof of strength.

Dugu Yan continued:

"It's precisely because of Sword Douluo's reputation…"

"…that Spirit Masters with weapon-type Martial Souls all dream of hunting a Blood-Toothed Demonic Tiger—"

"In hopes of gaining the sa Spirit Ability as Chen Xin: Killing Intent Unleashed."

But then she added:

"That said—Spirit Abilities are unique to the individual."

"Even if you kill the sa Spirit Beast, the abilities you gain will almost never be identical."

"And besides, hunting a Blood-Toothed Demonic Tiger isn't easy. Countless Spirit Masters have died beneath those fangs."

"Idol, you're insane! That's aweso!"

Feng looked at Li Zhexian with eyes full of admiration.

"Chen Xin got his fourth ring from one of those, and this is only your third!"

Everyone looked at Li Zhexian with newfound reverence.

Ye Lingling's heart stirred.

So this is why her mother believed Li Zhexian could one day rival Chen Xin…

"Brother Zhexian's Qinglian Sword is already unparalleled in its sharpness!" Dugu Yan proudly lifted her chin, as if she were a part of his glory.

"Even my grandfather said that the edge of Zhexian's sword, in his youth, was even sharper than Chen Xin's!"

Faced with their praise, Li Zhexian rely shook his head and smiled faintly.

Just then—

A green snake shot out like an arrow.

But Li Zhexian moved even faster.

His sword fingers flicked upward, and a burst of sword light cleaved the snake clean in two.

His eyes glead with sharp intent.

Blood-Toothed Demonic Tiger?

He wasn't satisfied.

Hunting one would be following Chen Xin's path.

Even if he reached the peak, he'd only beco the second Chen Xin.

But he, Li Zhexian, had his own sword path.

Still…

Spirit Beasts suited to top-tier sword-type Martial Souls were exceedingly rare.

For now, he had to settle on the Blood-Toothed Demonic Tiger as a tentative target—and adapt as needed.

They pressed onward for over an hour.

Morning mist began to rise from the dew, turning the forest into a sea of fog and obscuring their view.

Just as they crested a ridgeline—

Swish—!

Swish—!

Swish—!

Sharp sounds of cloth slicing through the air suddenly rang out from deep within the forest ahead.

In the blink of an eye, more than a dozen figures flitted past, ghostlike, darting between the trees at shocking speed.

Most startling of all—

They were all dressed in green, each carrying a longsword on their back, and all had black cloth wrapped tightly around their faces—completely covering their eyes!

Despite being blindfolded,

they moved like wind and shadow through the dangerous Star Dou Forest, with effortless, flowing footwork.

Li Zhexian's pupils contracted slightly.

Whose soldiers are these—

Pah! Which sect's disciples are these?!

Why is their entrance so damn cool?!