After stowing away the soul bone, Gu Xuan didn't stop there. He directly collected the carcass of the Sword-Winged Demon Dragon as well. Aside from Mi He's soul ring, he truly left nothing behind.
The others had heard Gu Xuan's earlier words about using the dragon's blood and remains to hatch the egg, so they weren't surprised by his thoroughness.
With Mi He still in the midst of absorbing his soul ring, the rest of the group either stayed on high alert to prevent any accidents or, like Gu Xuan, made themselves comfortable. Gu Xuan produced a large sunshade, set up a reclining chair, and began sipping on coconut juice, waiting leisurely.
Ning Fengzhi hadn't intended to act so relaxed, but seeing Gu Xuan pulling Dugu Yan into the "lounging session," he eventually gave in. He joined the team of recliners, holding a fresh coconut and happily sipping away.
Three more hours passed, and Mi He's absorption process finally drew to a close.
The nine soul rings on his body—two yellow, two purple, and five black—vibrated slowly. As the final black ring settled into place, a powerful surge of soul power erupted from him. The terrifying pressure unique to a Titled Douluo flared out before being pulled back into his body, returning to a state of calm.
Mi He stood up excitedly, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. The nine rings rhythmically pulsed around him, announcing his official entry into the realm of the Titled Douluo.
"Teacher, Sect Master, I succeeded!" Mi He exclaimed to Chen Xin and Ning Fengzhi.
Chen Xin walked over and patted his shoulder. "Excellent. Your soul power has actually reached the peak of Rank 91. It seems this soul ring provided more gains than we anticipated."
Mi He was overjoyed. "It wasn't just the soul ring. The medicinal energy from the Barrier-Breaking Pill I took earlier was also fully refined and absorbed during the process, allowing me to reach the peak of Rank 91 in one go."
Ning Fengzhi added, "Mi He, it seems it won't be long before you break through to Rank 92. Congratulations are in order."
Zuo Yi and Long Wu stared at the vibrating rings around Mi He with envy. Soon! Soon they would have nine rings of their own.
The exchange of pleasantries held little interest for Gu Xuan, so he busied himself teasing Dugu Yan. In the eyes of the elders, it just looked like the young couple was flirting.
By the time the excitement died down, evening had arrived. They set up camp for the night, and at dawn the next day, the group set off for their next destination: the territory of a Greatclaw Tyrant Dragon.
The Greatclaw Tyrant Dragon was an 80,000-year soul beast Gu Rong had encountered nearly a decade ago. While much time had passed, powerful soul beasts rarely abandoned their territory, so the group headed there first to see if it was still present.
Long Wu's Martial Soul was the Terrorclaw Tyrant Dragon, just one word off from the target. The Greatclaw Tyrant Dragon and Long Wu's Martial Soul shared the same lineage, both possessing a trace of the Golden Dragon King's bloodline, making them top-tier beast souls and creatures.
However, the distance between the demon dragon's lair and the tyrant dragon's territory was significant. It took the group seven days to arrive, only to be met with disappointment.
The Greatclaw Tyrant Dragon was nowhere to be found in its territory. Long Wu was the most dejected by this news, but Gu Xuan quickly noticed something odd.
While the dragon was gone, there were no other soul beasts in the area. What did that prove? The dragon hadn't abandoned its home or died; it had simply stepped out briefly. If it were truly gone, such a vast and prime territory would have been carved up by other beasts by now. It wouldn't be this quiet.
Gu Xuan thought for a moment and looked at Zuo Yi. "Uncle Yi, would you mind flying up to see if there are any large-scale battles nearby? This dragon might have gone out to hunt."
Hearing this, the others realized the possibility. Zuo Yi nodded, and a pair of azure wings formed on his back. They weren't feathered like a bird's; his Martial Soul, the Wind God's Wings, manifested as energy-based wings. To Gu Xuan, they looked remarkably like "Qi Wings" from other cultivation stories.
With a gentle flap, Gu Xuan—who was standing right in front of him—didn't feel a single gust of wind, only a light breeze. Zuo Yi's figure shot into the sky like a cannonball, piercing the clouds.
This was why Zuo Yi dared to take the title "Wind God." Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin had originally proposed "Wind-Winged Douluo," which matched his Martial Soul perfectly, but Zuo Yi insisted on "Wind God." Looking at him now, the name was well-deserved.
Zuo Yi had an innate soul power of Rank 8, and at sixty years old, his speed surpassed almost everyone. Even the Needle-Tailed Swift, known as the fastest on the continent, was slightly inferior to him. However, because he rarely appeared in public, very few in the Soul Master world knew of him.
A few moments later, Zuo Yi returned silently to the group. He smiled at Long Wu. "Young Master Xuan was right. Your ninth soul ring isn't going anywhere. That Greatclaw Tyrant Dragon is currently locked in a fierce battle with a peculiar turtle-type soul beast. The situation is quite intense."
Long Wu was delighted and looked toward Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin.
Ning Fengzhi remained silent for a moment before asking, "What is the approximate age of that turtle-type beast? What does it look like?"
Zuo Yi recalled the sight. "It looks to be around 70,000 years old, but its defense is incredibly formidable. The Greatclaw Tyrant Dragon is already at the 90,000-year mark, but it can't seem to break through the turtle's shell."
"The turtle is emerald green all over, but its shell is covered in profound, intricate patterns. Its limbs are powerful, and it seems able to reflect the dragon's attacks."
Hearing this, Gu Xuan and Ning Fengzhi exclaimed in unison, "The Heavenly Net Turtle? To think such a nearly extinct soul beast still exists!"
A bright glint flashed in Ning Fengzhi's eyes. The Heavenly Net Turtle was considered one of the absolute top-tier defensive soul beasts. While he didn't know what soul skill it would provide for his Eight Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, absorbing such a top-grade creature for his eighth ring would definitely not be a loss.
70,000 years—it was the perfect limit for his eighth soul ring.
Without hesitation, the group rushed toward the battlefield. Ning Fengzhi and Long Wu were both brimming with excitement; their breakthroughs were within reach.
No one doubted they would succeed. With Chen Xin at the peak of Rank 97, Dugu Bo and Mi He at the peak of Rank 91, the Rank 90 Zuo Yi and Long Wu, and the Rank 80 Ning Fengzhi—not to mention the "tag-alongs" Gu Xuan and Dugu Yan—this lineup was overkill. Forget two 90,000-year beasts; even a 100,000-year soul beast would be in for a beating, destined to become a soul ring or a soul bone.
(End of Chapter)
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