Invincible Soul Emperor

With the Blood Wheel Eye, Ye Qingchen could see every change within the girl’s body with perfect clarity. However, this also caused him some trouble. Under the gaze of the Blood Wheel Eye, everything about the girl—from the inside out, including every pore—was vividly displayed in his mind. Such stimulating imagery would probably be too much for any normal man to handle. Ye Qingchen was a normal man, and a vigorous young one at that. But to acquire the Movement Technique Martial Skill he so desperately needed, he could only suppress the distracting thoughts and continue to observe attentively. He also made a silent resolution: he would never use the Blood Wheel Eye on a woman again unless it was absolutely necessary. After all, what he was doing now was no different from being a peeping tom. While Ye Qingchen’s moral standards weren’t exceptionally high, he definitely disdained such behavior.

Meanwhile, the operational pathways of the girl’s movement technique gradually became clear in his mind. The Dual Pupil Martial Soul was even spontaneously filling in the more obscure and difficult-to-understand parts for him.

About an hour later, the complete manual for the movement technique finally materialized in his mind: "Fire Spirit Charm Shadow, a high-level Earth Rank Movement Technique Martial Skill. At Minor Accomplishment, it can increase one’s speed tenfold. At Major Accomplishment, it can instantly increase speed fiftyfold and leave an afterimage to confuse the enemy. At the Perfection Realm, it can even leave behind a Fire Spirit to fight for its user, obstructing opponents."

To think it’s a high-level Earth Rank movement technique! This observation has paid off big time! Ye Qingchen couldn’t help but exclaim internally. Among the Martial Techniques cultivated by Martial Artists, rarity increased from offensive techniques, to defensive techniques, and finally to Movement Technique Martial Skills. Of course, special abilities like Secret Techniques were not included in this ranking. This meant that Movement Technique Martial Skills were the rarest of them all.

A high-level Earth Rank movement technique like this was especially precious, its value likely on par with a Heaven Rank offensive Martial Technique. No wonder this girl was able to hold out for so long against the formidable Willow Soul Tree Demon. With the Fire Spirit Charm Shadow, it was easy to understand why.

Moreover, what excited Ye Qingchen the most was that the girl before him had clearly cultivated the Fire Spirit Charm Shadow to the Minor Accomplishment Realm. Therefore, upon obtaining this manual, he had also directly reached the Minor Accomplishment Realm.

However, before Ye Qingchen could even start celebrating, he discovered another Martial Technique that piqued his interest. He saw that every time the Willow Soul Tree Demon attacked, a faint green Light Membrane would appear on its willow branches. Under the observation of his Dual Pupil Martial Soul, it was precisely this layer of Light Membrane that allowed each of the Willow Soul Tree Demon’s attacks to exhibit strength far beyond its own.

Ye Qingchen naturally wouldn’t let such a skill go. Having just comprehended Fire Spirit Charm Shadow from the girl, he felt even more confident. After all, he was facing the Willow Soul Tree Demon, which shared the same origin as his Willow Wood Martial Soul. The success rate of copying its skill was definitely higher than it was for the Fire Spirit Charm Shadow. Most importantly, when facing the Willow Soul Tree Demon, all Ye Qingchen saw were layers of withered bark, which made it far easier to concentrate than when he was copying the girl’s Martial Technique.

Another fifteen minutes passed, and the complete Martial Technique of the Willow Soul Tree Demon emerged in his mind: "Willow Soul’s Brilliance, a mid-level Earth Rank Martial Technique. By consuming the life force of one’s own willow wood, it enhances attack and defensive power tenfold. The larger the area covered, the greater the consumption."

This is simply tailor-made for me!

Although it was only a mid-level Earth Rank Martial Technique, this excited Ye Qingchen even more. He possessed the Willow Wood Martial Soul, which meant his supply of willow wood life force was virtually inexhaustible. With the ability to strengthen his attack and defensive power tenfold, wouldn’t affixing it to a Spiritual Artifact be even more heaven-defying? If anyone else obtained this Martial Technique, it might only be considered a mediocre skill, but in Ye Qingchen’s hands, it was a perfect fit.

Ye Qingchen was in high spirits. In less than two hours, he had acquired two Earth Rank Martial Techniques—a greater haul than he had managed in ten days in the Training Mountain Range. The battle was still raging on. As long as he kept watching, he might be able to comprehend even more skills.

However, the girl was now showing signs of exhaustion after such a prolonged fight. Fire Spirit Charm Shadow was formidable, but its stamina consumption was equally astonishing. It was impressive that she had maintained it for so long, but she had reached her limit. As her movements slowed, she was struck several more times by the Willow Soul Tree Demon. Her clothes were torn in several more places, revealing more of her fair skin.

This young woman is about to collapse. Seeing as I just stole her Martial Technique, I can’t just stand by and do nothing, Ye Qingchen thought. He had copied Fire Spirit Charm Shadow from her; he couldn’t bear to watch her be killed by the Willow Soul Tree Demon. Besides, after being worn down by the girl for so long, the Tree Demon was also an arrow at the end of its flight. Otherwise, if it were at its peak, even if he had wanted to intervene, Ye Qingchen would have been no match for it.

The girl was knocked down again. The Willow Soul Tree Demon pressed its advantage, swinging its branches to lash at her head. At this moment, she struggled with all her might to resist, but on the ground with her arms numb, she was completely exhausted. Unable to defend or even move an inch, she could only watch the approaching branches with a look of utter despair in her eyes. She had no doubt that if those branches struck her, she would face a certain and absolute demise.

Just as she gave in to despair, she felt countless willow tendrils wrap around her body. A pulling force then yanked her backward, allowing her to narrowly evade the Willow Soul Tree Demon’s attack.

Before she could even react, a figure appeared in front of her, thrusting a sword forward to block the Tree Demon’s next attack.

Just now... he seemed to use Fire Spirit Charm Shadow. The first thought that entered the girl’s mind was that the person who had suddenly appeared had used her family’s closely guarded secret, Fire Spirit Charm Shadow. But when the person turned his head, he looked completely unfamiliar. He was definitely not a member of her family.

The person who appeared was, of course, Ye Qingchen. He had first used the binding ability of his Willow Soul Martial Spirit to save the girl, then used Fire Spirit Charm Shadow to instantly accelerate and block the Willow Soul Tree Demon’s attack.

Seeing the girl, barely clinging to life but with intensely bright eyes, Ye Qingchen shook his head. He tossed her a Spirit Pill, then focused all his attention on the Willow Soul Tree Demon.

A Rank Six Spirit Pill? Picking up the Spirit Pill, the girl was even more astonished. The young man before her had casually given away such a precious pill. Who on earth was he? But given the current situation, she had no time to ponder such questions. She could only swallow the Spirit Pill and, under the nourishment of its power, fall into a deep sleep.