When the sun had completely set, Xia Tian followed Qian Feng quietly into the valley.
They had to be this careful because the environment inside the valley was self-contained. If outsiders disrupted the valley's stability, they would alarm the spirit beasts within.
Then the spirit beast they were waiting for would no longer dare to show itself.
After entering the valley, Qian Feng led Xia Tian to hide in a patch of bushes. They didn't even set up a tent.
Because the butterfly spirit beasts would appear at night.
While waiting patiently, Qian Feng explained where the intelligence came from.
"Records about the special space-type spirit beasts in this valley were left by a Spirit Hall senior five hundred years ago. That senior was a rare space-attribute spirit master."
"Unfortunately, by the time he discovered the spirit beasts in the valley, he had already broken through to Spirit Sage. There wasn't a suitable spirit ring for him within that spirit beast population."
"But you can try now."
Xia Tian grew interested. "Senior Qian Feng, did that space-attribute senior from five hundred years ago eventually become a Titled Douluo?"
Qian Feng shook his head. "No. That senior's innate spirit power was only Level 6. Even with Spirit Hall's resources, he ultimately stopped at Soul Douluo."
Space attributes were rare, but attributes didn't determine the quality of a spirit.
"However, the cultivation insights he left behind are among the few space-attribute insights in Spirit Hall. They're currently stored on the upper floors of Spirit Hall's library, and you need sufficient contributions to read them."
That was Qian Feng's final remark.
Xia Tian blinked.
Qian Feng was actually playing mind games with a child.
Saying it like that was clearly bait—tempting Xia Tian to contribute to Spirit Hall in exchange for those cultivation insights.
But what could Xia Tian do?
"I'll definitely work hard and learn from Senior Qian Feng!" Xia Tian said, looking fired up.
Qian Feng raised a hand and suppressed him. "Be quiet. Don't make too much noise and attract unrelated spirit beasts."
"Oh."
Xia Tian obediently sat back down.
If Qian Feng weren't strong enough and Xia Tian didn't lack confidence, he would have already used a memory-extraction spell to enter Qian Feng's mind and take everything he wanted.
Without question, if he could take Qian Feng down, Xia Tian's gains would be enormous.
Unfortunately, he couldn't.
Xia Tian sat on the ground with three leaves in his hand. He tossed them in front of himself and watched them fall freely.
Qian Feng naturally noticed Xia Tian's behavior, but he simply assumed a child couldn't sit still and was playing.
In reality, Xia Tian was divining.
As he stared at the falling leaves, his pupils tightened slightly, and a faint silvery-white glow flickered within them.
There were many forms of divination.
A Seer could improve through studying divination and would always find a method suited to them.
What Hogwarts' Divination class taught was a variety of divination methods and how to correctly interpret results.
But a true master of prophecy could go beyond ritual forms and predict in a more direct way.
Just like what Xia Tian was doing now.
Normally, he could use a crystal ball to divine for himself.
Now, using freshly picked leaves from the valley, he could predict the changes that would occur here next.
The result was: a slight disturbance.
"A slight disturbance in the valley... so it shouldn't cause a big commotion. For soul hunting, that's a good result."
Time passed bit by bit.
At midnight, Qian Feng woke Xia Tian from meditation.
Qian Feng was quite satisfied that Xia Tian didn't forget cultivation, but now it was time for business.
"The target spirit beast has appeared."
Hearing the reminder, Xia Tian became cautious, held his breath, and peeked out of the bushes.
Under the moonlight, the valley was no longer quiet. Beams of light and shadow appeared, making it look breathtakingly beautiful.
Looking closely, those lights were actually butterflies in flight. Each butterfly dragged a trail of flame-like glow as it danced, fed, and played throughout the valley.
"Those are the target spirit beasts," Qian Feng said. "Even though I don't recognize this species, I can roughly judge their age from their spirit power fluctuations."
"To be safe, I'll choose one that has just reached four hundred years, rather than pushing your endurance limit."
"Thank you for your trouble, Senior. I'll follow your arrangement," Xia Tian said without objection.
For a first spirit ring, Xia Tian didn't demand much. He didn't have the conditions to pursue some ultra-high-quality ring.
As long as it wouldn't hinder his future spirit ring growth, he could accept it.
Rather than chasing an extra one or two hundred years to break a limit, it was better to break through quickly and raise his level sooner.
Qian Feng observed the butterfly swarm for a while, then suddenly moved. In an instant, he completed spirit possession and activated a spirit skill.
"Fifth Spirit Skill: Slight Disturbance!"
Hearing Qian Feng murmur the skill name, Xia Tian fell silent for a moment.
Leaving aside why people had to speak the name out loud when using a skill, why was Qian Feng's skill called that?
Why was it the same as Xia Tian's divination result?
"I keep feeling like my divinations have been a bit strange lately. Or rather... aside from my normal daily divinations, my predictions about certain things always come with some special coincidences," Xia Tian muttered inwardly.
Fortunately, there didn't seem to be any issue regarding fortune or misfortune.
Meanwhile, Xia Tian watched Qian Feng's skill without blinking.
Qian Feng raised his hand and released a breeze. The breeze gradually intensified, but even as it swept into the butterfly swarm, it didn't whip up a strong wind—only a slight disturbance.
The skill truly matched its name.
But it couldn't be that simple.
The breeze was only a cover.
Using the disturbance as concealment, an undercurrent within the wind turned into an invisible hand, binding a butterfly spirit beast and sweeping it into the bushes.
None of the other butterfly spirit beasts even noticed.
It was a feint in the open and a strike in secret.
Qian Feng slapped the butterfly spirit beast hard, knocking it out, then tossed it in front of Xia Tian and handed him a dagger.
"Kill it, then absorb the spirit ring."
"Senior was so cool just now!" Xia Tian widened his eyes and looked at Qian Feng with admiration, as if stars were about to shine from them.
Qian Feng avoided Xia Tian's gaze, put his hands behind his back, and assumed a composed, showy posture.
"It was only a minor effort."
Xia Tian thought: Fifth Spirit Skill from a Soul Douluo, and he calls it a minor effort.
After thanking Qian Feng again, Xia Tian held the dagger and looked at the butterfly spirit beast in front of him.
The butterfly spirit beast's wings were seven-colored. With its wings spread, it measured about forty centimeters across.
Sensing carefully, there truly was a space-attribute fluctuation on its body.
Xia Tian didn't hesitate at all. With one stab, he pierced straight through the butterfly spirit beast's head.
The butterfly spirit beast struggled instinctively a couple of times, then its vitality drained away rapidly.
The moment it fully died, spirit power rose from its body and formed a yellow spirit ring above the corpse.
Xia Tian didn't waste time. He sat down cross-legged and began absorbing the spirit ring.
Qian Feng glanced at Xia Tian absorbing the ring and raised his guard as well, protecting him.
He genuinely had started to like this child.
"The Grand Worshipper was right. He really is a good child."