Three-Eyed Golden Lion

Lin Yun settled down beside the Lake of Life.

With Di Tian's help, Lin Yun built a wooden cabin. Though the place he lived in was simple, the things he used were anything but.

His sleeping blanket was made from the feathers of Bijie's Emerald Swan clan, his pillow was the heartwood of an ancient ten-thousand-year-old tree, and his quilt was made from the hide of a tiger-type Soul Beast.

Even for his daily meals, Di Tian personally sought out different Hundred-Year Soul Beasts, hunted them down, and brought them back for Lin Yun to eat.

Of course, rare spiritual fruits scarcely seen in the human world were available for him to eat whenever he wanted, in whatever quantity he wanted.

With this treatment and these resources, Lin Yun was already hesitating over whether he should give up the excellent conditions of the Star Dou Great Forest to go to a backwater place like Shrek Academy.

No wonder the Auspicious Beast had such an air of nobility when she appeared in the Original Work. The Star Dou Great Forest really did raise her in luxury!

Still, Lin Yun only hesitated for a moment. He definitely still had to go. As good as the Star Dou Great Forest was, it could not help him grow quickly. If he did not go to Shrek, many of his plans could not be carried out.

Turning the roasted meat in his hand, Lin Yun propped his chin up with one hand. His eyes were completely unfocused, and no one knew where his thoughts had wandered.

This was his third month in the Star Dou Great Forest.

Yet even with the vast resources of the Star Dou Great Forest supporting him, his Soul Power had barely risen by one level. The difficulty of improving the incomparably viscous Soul Power within his body left Lin Yun speechless.

At this rate, Lin Yun could only rise four levels in a year.

For an ordinary Soul Master, or even a talented one, that rate of improvement would already have been quite good. But Lin Yun was not satisfied!

Four levels a year meant only twelve levels in three years. If he still could not break through to Soul Elder by the time he entered Shrek at twelve, wouldn't that be ridiculous?

"Di Tian, Di Tian! I'm back!"

Just then, a crisp and pleasant voice rang out. This unfamiliar voice made Lin Yun forget to keep turning the roasted meat as he turned to look.

From the direction of the voice, an exceptionally beautiful Soul Beast sprang out from the bushes.

It resembled a lion, with four dragon-like claws wreathed in golden flames. Its body was covered in translucent golden fur like crystal, with fine scales growing beneath it, while a crimson vertical eye grew from the center of its brow.

If Lin Yun had to describe it, he thought this lion looked more like a qilin.

And he recognized this Soul Beast's identity.

The Emperor Auspicious Beast, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion!

"Ah, who are you?!" The Three-Eyed Golden Lion jumped in fright. Only ferocious beasts were normally allowed to enter the Lake of Life, and she was the sole exception.

She had merely gone out to play for a while, only to return and find an extra person in her home. How could the Three-Eyed Golden Lion not be surprised?

More than that, she seemed to sense an extraordinarily familiar aura from this person, as though he were family.

Family...?

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion was somewhat bewildered.

Ever since she had been born, there had only been herself at her side. It was only after she met Di Tian and Bijie that she truly gained a family, but that was closeness born of their relationship, not their bloodline.

Yet Lin Yun genuinely made her feel a closeness that came from their bloodline.

As if possessed, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion actually stepped up before Lin Yun, her three large eyes watching him curiously.

Lin Yun smiled faintly and reached out to rub the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's large head. Her crystal-like golden fur was incredibly soft and felt wonderful to the touch.

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion had initially wanted to dodge, but the familiar feeling coming from Lin Yun left her unable to make any movement. The instant his hand touched her, her entire body trembled. It was as though every cell in her body was sending her feelings of delight.

A power hidden deep within her bloodline was gradually awakening as well, and all the golden fur on her body seemed to brighten.

"Purr... purr..."

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion narrowed her eyes in enjoyment, rubbing her large head against Lin Yun's palm as a great cat's purr unconsciously rumbled from her throat.

It felt good—too good!

It was not only the Three-Eyed Golden Lion who felt good. Lin Yun did too. After coming into contact with her, he discovered that his Golden Dragon King Bloodline had become active as well. Even his viscous Soul Power flowed a little more smoothly when it circulated.

It sped up his cultivation!

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion could actually increase his cultivation speed!

"Oh, the Auspicious Beast is back?"

At that moment, Di Tian stepped out of space. He was startled when he saw the man and beast so close together, but after noticing their intimate interaction, he finally relaxed.

One was a little ancestor, while the other was an old ancestor. If these two ancestors got into a conflict, Di Tian felt that he would not even have a place to cry.

But thinking about it, the Honored One was one of the Dragon Clan's most noble beings, while the Auspicious Beast carried part of the Honored One's bloodline. How could there possibly be any conflict between them?

The bond between their bloodlines would naturally draw them closer together.

Di Tian felt that he had worried for nothing.

"Ah!"

Di Tian's voice startled the Three-Eyed Golden Lion awake. When she saw that this stranger was rubbing her, she sprang away like a startled rabbit. Her golden fur even seemed tinged with a shy blush.

"Di Tian, where did you go?!" The Three-Eyed Golden Lion skipped over to Di Tian's side, hid behind him, and poked her head out to curiously watch the smiling and silent Lin Yun.

"And who is he?"

Di Tian affectionately patted the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's head and spoke reverently. "This is the Honored One, the greatest leader of our Dragon Clan. Just now, I went to carry out the task the Honored One assigned me."

"The... Honored One?" the Three-Eyed Golden Lion murmured in confusion.

"Yes, the Honored One!" Di Tian nodded. Looking toward Lin Yun, he lightly waved his hand, and several strange bones appeared before them.

There were wings, sharp claws, spider legs, and several oddly shaped bones.

Five pieces in total.

"Honored One, these are all the External Soul Bones we have preserved." Di Tian gently sent the five External Soul Bones floating before Lin Yun.

Since Lin Yun could absorb Soul Rings normally, he could naturally absorb Soul Bones as well. Di Tian had asked Lin Yun about it. The Star Dou Great Forest had preserved quite a few Soul Bones, including Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones. If Lin Yun needed them, Di Tian could bring them all to him.

However, Lin Yun did not need those Soul Bones. Instead, he had Di Tian bring out every External Soul Bone in the Star Dou Great Forest for him to choose from.

There did not need to be too many—one kind for each body part would do—but their quality had to be good, and they had to possess extremely high potential for growth.

Lin Yun was in no hurry to absorb the normal six types of Soul Bones, but External Soul Bones that could grow stronger alongside a Soul Master were naturally better absorbed as early as possible.

That was why Di Tian had done this.