"Radiant Elemental Dragon..."
Yu Xiaogang's eyes narrowed as he carefully reread the passage in the diary.
A hint of excitement gradually appeared on his face.
According to the diary's records, the Radiant Elemental Dragon was an extremely rare light-attribute dragon-type Spirit Beast.
Not only was it rare, but it was also renowned for its terrifying combat power.
Among dragon-type Spirit Beasts, it ranked near the very top.
Even among all Spirit Beasts on the Douluo Continent, it was considered a fearsome existence.
The diary's owner had written a detailed description of the creature.
A thousand-year-old Radiant Elemental Dragon could easily challenge ordinary ten-thousand-year Spirit Beasts.
Once its cultivation exceeded ten thousand years, it would become the undisputed ruler of its territory.
Most Spirit Beasts of the same age wouldn't even dare provoke it.
Its bloodline was simply too powerful.
As he continued reading, Yu Xiaogang's expression became increasingly animated.
Even the Death Spider Emperor Spirit possessed by Bibi Dong was considered one of the most powerful Spirit Beasts in existence.
Yet according to the diary's description, the Radiant Elemental Dragon was even more terrifying.
Perhaps not overwhelmingly stronger.
But undeniably superior.
What truly surprised Yu Xiaogang, however, wasn't its strength.
It was its age.
The diary clearly recorded that the Radiant Elemental Dragon encountered by the Spirit Saint was approximately nine thousand years old.
Nine thousand years.
Yu Xiaogang immediately began calculating.
The events described in the diary had taken place roughly ten years ago.
That meant the Spirit Beast's current cultivation might have already exceeded ten thousand years.
A ten-thousand-year Radiant Elemental Dragon.
The thought alone made his heart race.
A smile spread across his face.
"If it really survived until now..."
"Then it might be the perfect choice for my third spirit ring."
In truth, Yu Xiaogang had considered the Radiant Elemental Dragon long ago.
Ever since awakening the Radiant Holy Dragon Spirit, he had spent countless hours researching Spirit Beasts that matched his attributes.
The Radiant Elemental Dragon had naturally been among his preferred choices.
However, there was one major problem.
They were simply too rare.
Rare enough that most Spirit Masters never even heard of them during their entire lives.
As a result, Yu Xiaogang had only regarded it as a backup option.
A beautiful possibility.
Nothing more.
Yet now, a clue had suddenly appeared before him.
And it wasn't just any clue.
It was a detailed sighting recorded by a Spirit Saint.
The reliability of such information was exceptionally high.
Yu Xiaogang immediately stood up.
His eyes shone with excitement.
"I need to inform Father immediately."
If the Radiant Elemental Dragon was truly still alive, then he absolutely could not let this opportunity slip away.
At that moment, Bibi Dong, who had been watching him from nearby, finally couldn't contain her curiosity.
"What did you see?"
She tilted her head.
"What could possibly make you this happy?"
Yu Xiaogang handed her the diary.
"The owner of this diary encountered a Radiant Elemental Dragon in Sunset Forest."
Bibi Dong froze momentarily.
Then realization appeared on her face.
"A light-attribute dragon-type Spirit Beast..."
"And your Spirit is also a light-attribute dragon."
Her eyes widened slightly.
"No wonder you're so excited."
As someone who knew Yu Xiaogang better than almost anyone else, Bibi Dong immediately understood the significance of this discovery.
The compatibility between Spirit Master and Spirit Beast was extremely important.
The greater the compatibility, the stronger the resulting Spirit Ability would usually be.
In Yu Xiaogang's case, the match couldn't be more perfect.
Not only were the attributes identical, but both belonged to powerful dragon bloodlines.
Most importantly, the Radiant Elemental Dragon was naturally ferocious.
Any Spirit Ability produced from such a creature would almost certainly be extraordinary.
Bibi Dong sighed inwardly.
She suddenly felt a little jealous.
Not because she disliked Yu Xiaogang's success.
Rather, because his luck was absurd.
The man hadn't even reached the cultivation level required for his next spirit ring yet.
And his future spirit ring had practically delivered itself to his doorstep.
How unfair was that?
Still, she couldn't help but point out a possibility.
"This diary is already ten years old."
"What if the Radiant Elemental Dragon was hunted long ago?"
Yu Xiaogang nodded.
"That's certainly possible."
Although he said so, his actual confidence remained quite high.
The reason was simple.
Nine thousand years was an incredibly awkward cultivation age.
For talented Spirit Masters who pursued the optimal spirit ring configuration, their fourth spirit ring would generally be around five thousand years old.
Their fifth spirit ring would usually exceed ten thousand years.
The Radiant Elemental Dragon sat directly between those two thresholds.
Too strong for a fourth spirit ring.
Too weak for a fifth.
As a result, most elite Spirit Masters would ignore it.
As for ordinary Spirit Masters...
Yu Xiaogang shook his head slightly.
The possibility was even lower.
Ordinary Spirit Masters usually relied on Soul Hunting Teams to acquire spirit rings.
Such teams operated for profit.
They were not charitable organizations.
If a target Spirit Beast posed excessive danger, they simply refused the mission.
No amount of money was worth dying for.
A nine-thousand-year Radiant Elemental Dragon was precisely the kind of Spirit Beast that most Soul Hunting Teams would avoid at all costs.
The diary itself provided evidence.
A Spirit Emperor had actually been chased around by the creature.
That alone spoke volumes.
To reliably hunt such a Spirit Beast, one would likely require at least a Spirit Saint.
And what ordinary Spirit Master could afford to hire a Spirit Saint?
The answer was obvious.
Very few.
Therefore, the chances of the Radiant Elemental Dragon still being alive were surprisingly high.
The more Yu Xiaogang thought about it, the more excited he became.
Meanwhile, Bibi Dong felt increasingly conflicted.
She puffed out her cheeks slightly.
"What incredible luck."
Her voice carried a faint trace of dissatisfaction.
"You haven't even reached the required rank yet, and you've already found such an amazing Spirit Beast."
She looked at Yu Xiaogang thoughtfully.
The gap between them had already become frustratingly large.
His cultivation speed was ridiculous.
His combat power was ridiculous.
Even his research ability was ridiculous.
Now he was preparing to obtain another powerful spirit ring.
At this rate...
Would she ever be able to defeat him?
The thought made her slightly depressed.
However, Bibi Dong quickly adjusted her mindset.
A determined look appeared in her eyes.
"No."
"I can't keep thinking about surpassing him through spirit rings and Spirit Abilities."
"If I continue comparing those things, I'll never catch up."
She clenched her fists.
"I need to become stronger in other ways."
Bibi Dong was a true genius.
Someone born with Full Innate Spirit Power.
She possessed pride.
She possessed ambition.
Most importantly, she possessed the determination to improve.
Even if Yu Xiaogang remained ahead of her, she refused to give up.
One day, she would surpass him.
That was a promise she silently made to herself.
---
After dealing with the assassin incident, Yu Xiaogang personally thanked Yue Guan and Gui Mei.
Without their assistance, matters could have become far more troublesome.
The two Title Douluo accepted his gratitude with smiles.
On the journey back to Spirit Hall Academy, Yu Xiaogang spent much of the time conversing with Yue Guan.
The conversation proved surprisingly enjoyable.
Before long, Yu Xiaogang discovered that Yue Guan possessed an unusual hobby.
Flowers.
Plants.
Medicinal herbs.
Anything related to botany fascinated him.
Thanks to his Chrysanthemum Spirit, Yue Guan had spent decades collecting books and conducting research on various plants.
His knowledge was astonishing.
He could casually discuss rare medicinal herbs, plant-type Spirit Beasts, and even extinct species.
Yu Xiaogang listened attentively.
While he wasn't particularly interested in ordinary flowers, another topic quickly captured his attention.
Celestial herbs.
Or more accurately...
Heaven and Earth Treasures.
The moment Yue Guan mentioned them, Yu Xiaogang's interest surged.
Years ago, when he first began researching methods to change his fate, he had explored two primary possibilities.
Spirit Bones.
And Heaven and Earth Treasures.
Spirit Bones were relatively straightforward.
Their existence was publicly recognized.
However, Heaven and Earth Treasures were different.
Although many books mentioned them, almost none provided detailed information.
It was as though every record had been intentionally obscured.
As a result, Yu Xiaogang's understanding remained extremely limited.
Now, however, he was speaking with perhaps the greatest botanical expert in Spirit Hall.
Naturally, he wasn't going to miss the opportunity.
Seeing Yu Xiaogang's interest, Yue Guan became even more enthusiastic.
People passionate about a subject often loved sharing it with others.
Especially when those others genuinely listened.
The two quickly agreed to meet again later.
At that time, Yue Guan would personally teach Yu Xiaogang everything he knew regarding celestial herbs and Heaven and Earth Treasures.
By the time their conversation ended, Spirit Hall Academy had already appeared in the distance.
The group soon arrived at the academy gates.
After exchanging farewells with Bibi Dong, Yue Guan, and Gui Mei, Yu Xiaogang entered the academy alongside Lin Lang.
As Yu Xiaogang's guardian, Lin Lang had already arranged accommodations nearby.
His room happened to be directly beside Yu Xiaogang's.
After returning to his dormitory, Yu Xiaogang immediately sat down at his desk.
The first thing he did was prepare a letter.
His excitement regarding the Radiant Elemental Dragon hadn't faded in the slightest.
Every moment mattered.
The sooner his father received the information, the sooner the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan could begin searching.
Carefully, he wrote down everything recorded in the diary.
The Spirit Beast's appearance.
Its location.
Its approximate age.
Every useful detail.
After finishing, he sealed the letter and immediately arranged for it to be delivered.
Only then did he finally relax.
Leaning back in his chair, Yu Xiaogang let out a long breath.
His future third spirit ring might finally have a direction.
A genuine direction.
Not merely speculation.
Not merely hope.
But a real possibility.
With that matter settled, he returned to the diary.
The Spirit Saint's experience within Sunset Forest continued for several more pages.
The more Yu Xiaogang read, the more amused he became.
Apparently, being chased by a nine-thousand-year Radiant Elemental Dragon had dealt a tremendous blow to the man's confidence.
After all, he was a Spirit Emperor.
A powerful expert admired by countless people.
Yet he had been chased across the forest by a Spirit Beast that hadn't even reached ten thousand years of cultivation.
The humiliation clearly lingered.
Unable to bear the embarrassment, the Spirit Saint eventually left Sunset Forest altogether.
He didn't even remain in the Heaven Dou Empire.
Instead, he departed immediately, eager to forget the experience.
As a result, the treasure map he had previously purchased at an auction remained tucked away inside his storage soul tool.
Forgotten.
Ignored.
Hidden between the pages of his diary.
Waiting for someone else to discover it.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)