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Hua Tianyu was not surprised. Bai Chen already possessed the strength to contend with ten-thousand-year soul beasts.
Bai Chen withdrew his Dark Gold Terror Claws and asked with a smile:
"Teacher, do you believe me now?"
Hua Tianyu nodded.
"With your physical strength, you really can try absorbing a ten-thousand-year soul ring."
But after saying that, Hua Tianyu hesitated and asked with some concern:
"But if you do that, what about the Sun-Moon Royal Soul Master Academy? When they see your black second soul ring, won't they see you as a threat?"
A thousand-year first soul ring was shocking, but it wasn't completely impossible.
According to Hua Tianyu, there had been people in the Body Sect who achieved something like that before.
As long as the martial soul greatly enhanced the user's physique, combined with top-tier medicinal support and secret techniques, it was possible to obtain a thousand-year ring as the first ring.
However, obtaining a ten-thousand-year second soul ring was absolutely unheard of.
Even the Body Sect's training maniacs could not possess the physical strength of a Soul Emperor at the second ring stage.
Bai Chen simply laughed.
"As for that… your disciple already has a solution prepared."
As he spoke, he snapped his fingers.
Under Hua Tianyu's shocked gaze, Bai Chen's soul ring changed color:
purple → black → blood-red → white.
Then Bai Chen said proudly:
"I can just use this method to disguise my second soul ring as purple."
The problem Hua Tianyu thought of had naturally occurred to Bai Chen as well.
So Bai Chen had secretly asked Cai Xin for help.
The Shrek Academy and Tang Sect had methods for disguising soul ring colors.
After learning it, it was easy to make fake rings look real.
Of course, this technique could not compare with true soul ring simulation techniques.
A simulated soul ring could even imitate the aura of the ring itself.
This disguise technique was more like painting over the ring.
But for rings below 100,000 years, it was good enough to avoid suspicion.
Hua Tianyu looked at him as if he were looking at a monster.
"Where did you learn this trick? Don't tell me someone from the Sun-Moon Empire taught you."
Bai Chen scratched his head awkwardly and laughed.
"Hehe… actually a teacher there taught me."
"I met a very nice instructor there. Since he was also from the Heaven Dou Empire, he treated me well."
"That technique was passed down in his family. After I begged him long enough, he finally taught it to me."
Far away at the Sun-Moon Royal Soul Master Academy, someone suddenly sneezed.
"Ah-choo."
Hua Tianyu didn't know the truth behind that story, but although he found it strange, he still believed Bai Chen.
He sighed.
"I didn't expect such a thing… you should thank that teacher properly."
"Yes, I know."
Bai Chen had always been doing that.
He truly respected Teacher Cai Xin.
With the soul ring disguise problem solved, Hua Tianyu's last concern disappeared.
He patted Bai Chen on the shoulder and smiled.
"Good. Then I can take you to hunt a ten-thousand-year soul ring without worry."
"Wait a couple of days. When Tian breaks through to Level 20, we'll depart."
"Yes!"
Bai Chen nodded excitedly.
The next two days passed while they waited.
During that time, Bai Chen reported his progress at the Sun-Moon Royal Soul Master Academy to Ning Fengzhi.
Ning Fengzhi was very satisfied with his achievements and increasingly believed that giving his daughter to Bai Chen was the correct choice.
Two days later, Ning Tian successfully broke through to Level 20 with the help of the Nine-Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's experts.
He could now also obtain his second soul ring.
So the group set off again, returning to the entrance of the Star Dou Great Forest.
It had already been one year since Bai Chen last entered this forest.
Over that year, Bai Chen and Ning Tian had grown significantly and now possessed the ability to protect themselves.
Therefore, Hua Tianyu adjusted the plan and decided to let Bai Chen handle the battles.
After two days of training, he had confirmed that Bai Chen's strength was already very close to a Soul Emperor.
With Ning Tian's support, he had practically crossed the threshold of the Soul Emperor realm.
For someone like Bai Chen, ordinary thousand-year soul beasts posed no threat.
Only ten-thousand-year soul beasts could be considered proper opponents.
Bai Chen advanced through the forest like a warrior breaking through enemy lines, eventually reaching the mixed zone of the Star Dou Forest.
Once they entered the mixed zone, the strength of soul beasts changed drastically.
Ten-year soul beasts disappeared entirely.
Even hundred-year beasts appeared only in groups.
In this area, thousand-year and ten-thousand-year soul beasts were the norm.
Bai Chen slowed his movements.
Although ten-thousand-year beasts shouldn't appear frequently here, in the Star Dou Forest nothing was guaranteed.
For example, in the original story Huo Yuhao encountered the Three-Eyed Golden Lion in this very zone.
Soul beasts in the mixed zone had also begun developing territorial awareness.
Although it wasn't as strict as in the core region, being cautious could still help avoid particularly powerful enemies.
Bai Chen's group searched the area for an entire day.
However, they still didn't encounter a soul beast suitable for Bai Chen's soul ring.
After discussion, they decided to go deeper into the mixed zone.
At this distance, they were already quite close to the core region.
So the task of fighting soul beasts could no longer be left to Bai Chen and Ning Tian alone.
Hua Tianyu and Ning Fengzhi took on the responsibility of combat.
With the two of them present, even if they encountered fierce beasts, escaping would not be a problem.
After moving deeper into the forest, Bai Chen finally encountered the soul beast most suitable for him.
"Roar—"
"Raaah—"
The ground began to tremble slightly.
From ahead came the furious roars of soul beasts, clearly indicating that a battle was already taking place.
Hua Tianyu sensed the situation and said seriously:
"This is not good. There are at least four soul beasts fighting ahead, and their cultivation is probably above fifty thousand years."
"They likely wandered out of the core region during their fight."
"Let's go around them."
"Mm."
Ning Fengzhi nodded in agreement.
But just as they were about to change direction—
"Wait."
Bai Chen suddenly stopped them.
He spread his right hand, and the Dark Gold Terror Claws extended outward.
In a strange voice he said:
"If I'm not mistaken… one of the soul beasts fighting ahead should be a Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear."