The Bear's Strength!

After breaking through to Soul Grandmaster, Lin Yun had become much more relaxed.

He was now just over ten years old. There was still roughly a year and a half before Huo Yuhao came to the Star Dou Great Forest.

When Huo Yuhao first appeared, he had been described as an eleven- or twelve-year-old boy. However, he presumably had not quite reached twelve yet and was probably around eleven years and seven or eight months old.

By that calculation, Lin Yun only had about a year and a half left to stay hidden away in these deep mountains and ancient forests.

At first, Lin Yun would compare the resources of Star Dou with those of Shrek. Although the treatment and resources he enjoyed in Star Dou completely crushed Shrek's, he still could not suppress his desire to return to human society.

In the end, he still felt somewhat out of place with Di Tian and the others.

It had nothing to do with right or wrong, nor with sides. It was simply because he could not find the same feeling he had when interacting with humans.

He only hoped that after going to Shrek, the natives of Douluo Continent would not leave him seeing black before his eyes. Otherwise, as a baby outsider, he could only unleash the Soul of Sett.

And the prerequisite for all of this was becoming strong enough!

Thus, even without anyone pushing him, Lin Yun continued to cultivate diligently.

With large amounts of nutritious soul beast meat to devour at will and countless spiritual fruits rich in Soul Power to eat whenever he pleased, Lin Yun had somehow still maintained a pace of one level every three months over the course of a year.

Thanks to eating well, coupled with the abundant heaven and earth energy around the Lake of Life, Lin Yun, despite his incredibly slow cultivation speed, had still managed to advance one level every three months like an ordinary genius. Even he was stunned.

In one year, he had risen from level twenty-three to level twenty-eight. After absorbing a hundred-thousand-year Azure Shadow Divine Eagle External Soul Bone, Lin Yun reached the bottleneck of level thirty.

This time, Lin Yun did not go elsewhere to search for a soul beast. Instead, he directly summoned Di Tian.

"Honored One, what are your orders?" Di Tian stepped out of space and asked in a low voice beside Lin Yun.

"I'm level thirty. I need a Soul Ring," Lin Yun said.

"A Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear, twenty thousand years old. Go to Xiong Jun's territory and bring one back for me."

"Yes, Honored One." Di Tian nodded, then turned and stepped into space.

Watching Di Tian's departing figure, Lin Yun could not help but marvel at the convenience of the Power of Space. No matter how many times he saw it, Di Tian's elusive spatial leaps filled him with envy.

It was just too damn stylish!

Flying with wings was cool, but compared to shrinking the earth into inches and traveling through space, it was instantly reduced to scraps.

No, after absorbing my third Soul Ring, I need to find time to absorb that Demon Spirit External Soul Bone. Hopefully, that External Soul Bone can grant me a spatial soul skill!

I am the Golden Dragon King. Don't fail to appreciate my kindness!

Meanwhile, Di Tian swiftly arrived at Xiong Jun's territory.

As fellow ferocious beasts of the Star Dou Great Forest, Xiong Jun was extremely familiar with Di Tian's aura. The moment Di Tian stepped out of space, Xiong Jun sensed his presence.

Amidst Earth-Shaking tremors, a massive dark-gold bear dozens of meters tall slapped a towering ancient tree apart with one paw and emerged from the forest.

"Di Tian, what do you want with me?" Xiong Jun's voice rumbled like thunder exploding across flat ground.

With his hands behind his back, Di Tian gazed calmly at Xiong Jun and said, "Xiong Jun, I have come under orders. I need to take one of your clansmen to serve as the Honored One's third Soul Ring, with a cultivation of twenty thousand years."

"What? One of my clansmen?" Xiong Jun's voice abruptly rose several octaves as he refused without hesitation. "No. Our Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear clan is already small in number. Every clansman's life is incomparably precious. I absolutely will not agree."

Especially not a twenty-thousand-year Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear!

One had to know that Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bears had never grown easily. The hardships and dangers they faced before reaching adulthood were countless. A twenty-thousand-year Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear was already an adult, one of the clan's pillars.

The moment Xiong Jun heard the request, he rejected Di Tian.

Faced with Xiong Jun's resistance, Di Tian's expression did not change, and his tone remained calm. "Xiong Jun, I am not discussing this with you. Any soul beast should pave the way for the Honored One's growth."

"Not to mention a mere twenty-thousand-year Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear—even you and I must not hesitate in the slightest when the time comes for sacrifice."

"This is all for the soul beast clan."

The Soul Power around Di Tian began to boil, and an invisible pressure descended upon Xiong Jun.

In Di Tian's eyes, Xiong Jun's resistance was not worth mentioning. He had come under orders, and no matter how many obstacles lay in his way, he would crush them beneath his feet, just as he had said.

No one was allowed to become a stumbling block on the Honored One's path to growth!

He, Di Tian, would serve as the Honored One's sharpest blade, cutting apart every obstruction!

Even if that obstruction was Xiong Jun!

Xiong Jun fell briefly silent. Within his dark-gold eyes, the same color as his fur, his gaze flickered uncertainly. At times it revealed violence, and at others, hesitation.

Di Tian did not urge Xiong Jun. He simply waited silently for his decision.

However, Di Tian had already prepared himself for battle. He understood that taking away one of Xiong Jun's clansmen would never be so simple. This battle was unavoidable.

Sure enough, as time passed second by second, Xiong Jun finally made his decision.

"Di Tian, I know that no one can change a decision you have made. But if you think you can take one of my clansmen away so easily, that is impossible," Xiong Jun said in a deep voice.

"I have one condition!"

"Speak." Di Tian raised his chin slightly, his tone still calm.

Xiong Jun's Soul Power erupted in an instant. A trace of blood-red stained his dark-gold eyes, and fervent battle intent shot into the heavens.

"Fight me! In our last battle, my Sky-Rending Claw was slightly inferior, and I lost to you. But now, I have been transformed. Let us finish that unfinished battle!"

Boom—!

The berserk Soul Power unique to soul beasts instantly swept outward, blasting apart countless plants and reducing everything within a hundred meters of Xiong Jun to ruins.

This was—the bear's strength!

Roar—

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" Xiong Jun's thick forelimbs pounded against his chest as he vented his blazing battle intent as wildly as an ape.

Di Tian smiled faintly. Black Soul Power gradually surged from his body, while a trace of chill appeared in his brilliant golden vertical pupils.

Very good.

I was just wondering how to deal with this bear who dared disrespect the Honored One. I had just been thinking whether you would choose to fight me.

Good, good, good. You've delivered yourself right to my door!

"Fine. I will grant your wish. If you wish to fight, then fight!" Di Tian said with a faint smile.

—Roar!

The true form of the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King appeared!