Breakthrough, Soul Elder

Facing the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear, which had closed its eyes, cast aside all defenses, and calmly accepted death, Lin Yun could only kill it in the least painful way possible.

Golden dragon scales emerged across his right hand, and Lin Yun's Golden Dragon Claw appeared once more. To spare the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear any pain, he even used the Power of Annihilation, which he could currently only barely wield.

"Don't worry. Just go to sleep. When you wake up, you'll be even stronger than your father," Lin Yun said softly.

The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear understood Lin Yun's words. Its body, which had been trembling slightly in fear of death, gradually relaxed.

"Woo—"

The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear let out a soft cry. Lin Yun nodded, then brought down his savage dragon claw. The Power of Annihilation passed through the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear's skull and instantly pulverized its brain.

Yet its exterior remained completely unharmed.

Buzz—

A deep Soul Ring carrying intense soul power fluctuations gradually condensed. A twenty-thousand-year Soul Ring from a Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear displayed its power without restraint before Lin Yun.

Lin Yun stared at the Soul Ring before him in silence for a long time.

The might of the Power of Annihilation ensured that the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear felt no pain before its death. And after Lin Yun became a god in the future, it would truly awaken as though it had merely slept, resurrected in its strongest form.

"Di Tian, take its body to Xiong Jun and give it a proper burial. As for what you asked, this king agrees." Lin Yun sat cross-legged before the Soul Ring and guided it down onto himself.

Like the Titan Snow Demon's Soul Ring, this Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear Soul Ring did not feel particularly violent. Instead, it actively and cooperatively merged into Lin Yun's body.

Perhaps that was the hidden benefit of a soul beast willingly accepting death.

Although soul beasts below one hundred thousand years could not sacrifice themselves, they could make the energy within their Soul Rings gentler and easier to absorb.

Perhaps...

Being the Co-Lord of Soul Beasts really wasn't so bad.

Everything that had happened over the past few years had gradually made Lin Yun accept his identity as the Co-Lord of Soul Beasts. Perhaps at first, he had merely invoked the Golden Dragon King's identity as a banner to save his own life.

But now, he truly had grown fond of these lovable soul beasts and was willing to help them break free from Douluo Continent, that unbreakable prison for soul beasts.

Trust went both ways.

The soul beasts were willing to give their all for Lin Yun, so naturally, Lin Yun would spare no effort in helping them.

As Di Tian watched Lin Yun enter a meditative state, a heartfelt smile appeared on his usually stern face.

It seems that battle back then made Honored One understand many things. He is completely different from before.

But the Golden Dragon King of today was even more worthy of their service!

On Lin Yun, Di Tian truly saw hope for the revival of the soul beast race. With an Honored One of unparalleled strength, courage, wisdom, and compassion for his subordinates, what could they possibly be dissatisfied with?

Carrying the lifeless body of the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear, Di Tian quietly left the Lake of Life.

After finding Xiong Jun again, Di Tian gently placed the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear's body on the ground.

Xiong Jun, whose back was turned to Di Tian, trembled slightly. His voice was somewhat complicated as he asked, "Is it dead?"

"Yes. Its Soul Ring has become part of Honored One's strength, and Honored One has also agreed that when it returns, it will be no weaker than you, the chief of the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear clan." A smile appeared on Di Tian's face.

Xiong Jun seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. He slowly turned around and walked over to his son's body.

"For the sake of the soul beast race, all of this is worth it."

The pitch-black Soul Ring pulsed like breathing. Streams of immense soul power continuously poured from it into Lin Yun's body, where he gradually refined them.

Along with the Soul Ring's energy came another kind of special energy.

This was another power the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear had offered to Lin Yun. After circulating through a full major cycle within Lin Yun's body, it ultimately gathered in his right palm.

There rested the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear Palm Bone he had once absorbed. Now, Xiong Jun's son infused the power from its origin that condensed soul bones into Lin Yun's original Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear Palm Bone, strengthening this External Soul Bone.

Once the final trace of soul bone power had been refined, the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear Palm Bone, originally at the ten-thousand-year level, could now wield the power of a forty-thousand-year soul bone.

That was the nature of a growth-type External Soul Bone.

Not only could it increase in power as Lin Yun grew stronger, but it could also raise its age through soul bone power of the same origin.

The absorption of the Soul Ring was also nearing its end.

Five hours slowly passed.

The fully absorbed Soul Ring finally settled into Lin Yun's third Soul Ring slot, completely becoming part of his power.

Soul Ring configuration: purple, purple, black!

The bottleneck of Soul Elder was instantly shattered. Lin Yun's soul power, which had been stuck at level thirty, rose at an astonishing speed before finally stopping at level thirty-four.

It had to be said that the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear's Soul Ring was indeed extremely compatible with Lin Yun's Golden Dragon King Martial Soul. It even stirred the Golden Dragon King Bloodline hidden within his body.

Unbeknownst to Lin Yun, the surface of the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear Palm Bone gradually became covered in dragon-scale-like patterns. Even the Dark Gold Dreadclaw soul skill attached to the soul bone evolved into the Sky-Rending Dragon Claw.

The feathers on the Eagle Wings of the Azure Shadow Divine Eagle External Soul Bone on his back were gradually replaced by dragon scales, while the shape of the wings slowly shifted toward that of dragon wings.

Huff—

Having finished cultivating, Lin Yun slowly exhaled a breath of stale air. His tightly shut eyes suddenly opened, and his brilliant golden pupils turned into scarlet vertical slits for an instant before quickly returning to normal.

A powerful aura abruptly erupted. The fluctuations of his soul power alone had already reached the level of a Soul King!

And not an ordinary Soul King, but the kind of genius Soul King with a profound foundation.

Roar!!!

A resounding Dragon's Roar echoed across the Lake of Life as a majestic golden dragon phantom soared into the sky!

"Congratulations, Honored One!" Di Tian dropped to one knee, his face filled with fervor as he watched the golden dragon roaring toward the heavens. His eyes brimmed with worship and awe.

This was divine might!

Honored One, the final glory of the dragon race!

(Gu Yuena:?) Di Tian, are you looking to die?!

The brilliant golden scales with their metallic luster gradually receded beneath his skin. Lin Yun's Dragon Transformation slowly faded, and the surging fluctuations of soul power around him gradually calmed.

After lowering his head to glance at his fist, Lin Yun suddenly threw a punch through the air. The sheer speed of it created a sharp gust of wind!

"I've become stronger!"

This year, he was eleven years old. His Soul Power Level was thirty-four, his Soul Ring configuration was two purple and one black, and his Martial Soul was the Golden Dragon King!

"Ignorant and foolish Shrek Soul Masters! Just wait. This king will soon come and rule over you!"