Crimson Phoenix Nirvana Golden Lotus

"Let's take a look inside."

Although there was only a small chance that a Fire-attribute soul beast suited to Chen Ming would appear in this eerie valley, even with its scorching power, there was still a chance.

Besides, for such scorching power to appear in this frigid environment, even if it had nothing to do with Chen Ming and was not a soul beast, it would undoubtedly be a Heavenly Treasure.

Yin Generates Yang, but only when Yin reached an extreme and received the proper guidance could it happen.

The chill here had not yet reached an extreme, yet it had coincidentally nurtured scorching power. It was worth investigating no matter what.

The four entered the valley.

There was nothing else in the valley, only a blooming lotus.

The lotus was entirely brilliant gold, as though it were formed from flames. The flames were crimson-gold, giving the entire flower a golden sheen. Moreover, every petal resembled a flamboyant flame, or perhaps outspread Phoenix Wings wreathed in blazing fire.

Chen Ming could not take his eyes off it.

Although it had yet to show clear signs of transforming into a soul beast, the foundation of this lotus alone was enough to rival a two- or three-thousand-year soul beast.

More importantly, what Chen Ming needed was not a complete soul beast soul ring. He needed the energy to construct a soul ring and the innate gift that would provide a soul skill.

This lotus was clearly a Heavenly Treasure, and it had yet to reach the point of transforming into a soul beast.

Yet it definitely possessed the corresponding innate gift. If he absorbed it in the form of a soul ring, he would certainly obtain the soul skill it should provide.

"Phoenix Bloodline, Fire attribute, and such abundant Life Force."

Du Busi drew in a sharp breath.

A tremendous opportunity!

"Teacher, I want this lotus. I think I can obtain the soul ring most suited to me!" Chen Ming said.

Du Busi frowned.

It was not that he could not bear to give this Heavenly Treasure to his disciple.

It was simply that he could not sense any Soul Power fluctuations from the lotus. Clearly, it was currently only a Heavenly Treasure and had yet to become a soul beast.

Could it provide a soul ring?

Still, the energy fluctuations from this lotus truly were at the level of a thousand-year soul beast. Yet considering its Phoenix Bloodline and intense Fire-attribute energy, if it truly transformed into a soul beast, setting aside its cultivation, its strength would at least be close to that of a ten-thousand-year soul beast.

"Even if you can absorb its soul ring as though it were a soul beast, can you withstand this lotus's energy?"

"Teacher, I'm certain that after consuming it, I can obtain its soul ring. As for whether I can endure it..." Chen Ming smiled. "Don't forget, it is originally a Heavenly Treasure. The power it contains is not inherently destructive. And that Life Force will feed back into my body immediately, strengthening my martial soul at once."

"Besides, I've been tempering my body in the Yang Spring for a month. I do have some resistance to Fire-attribute energy."

After thinking it over repeatedly, Chen Ming came up with many reasons.

"Also, the fire lotus's energy isn't concentrated in its lotus heart. I'll only consume the core portion, greatly reducing the energy impact. Once I've absorbed about half of it, you can help me integrate the remaining petals into my body."

With argument after argument, even Du Busi was swayed.

This was indeed incredibly tempting.

As long as Chen Ming could digest this fire lotus, his future would be boundless.

At that moment, Chen Ming's gaze was fixed on the fire lotus.

His thoughts returned to the Seventh Life.

"Was this a Heavenly Treasure created by the Essence Blood shed by that Fire Phoenix?"

In his memories, he had beaten that Fire Phoenix terribly. Even its Nirvana Fire had been scattered, and its Essence Blood had spattered across the sky. Although Chen Ming had collected most of it, some scattered droplets had fallen nearby.

As for the location, it was roughly here.

The Essence Blood released when the Fire Phoenix used its Nirvana Fire had fallen into this frigid valley and created a fire lotus.

Back then, Chen Ming had killed the Fire Phoenix. Now, in his ninth life, Chen Ming had coincidentally obtained the opportunity he himself had created back then.

It carried a strange sense of destiny.

Chen Ming gained some insight. The Spiritual Sense deep within his Soul Martial Soul was stirred, and he vaguely seemed to sense something.

He looked toward the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest, where an exquisite Three-Eyed Golden Lion also sensed something.

"A fluctuation of the Power of Destiny?"

Chen Ming was puzzled. Had he touched upon the Power of Destiny merely by sighing over it?

After touching upon the Power of Destiny, had he then resonated with the Auspicious Beast that wielded it?

As though recalling something, Chen Ming used his Spiritual Sense to draw upon the Power of Destiny and attempted to send several fragments over.

"I was still worrying about how to cast this net. Since I've coincidentally formed a connection with you, then perhaps all of this is Fate."

At the very center of the Star Dou Great Forest, a place outsiders saw as a perilous forbidden land, lay a picturesque lake.

By the lakeside, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's unusual state caught Di Tian's attention.

"What is it?"

"I think I just saw a soul master. It seemed like the Power of Destiny connected us." The Three-Eyed Golden Lion spoke her instinctive guess, looking somewhat lost.

Even now, she could not truly control the Power of Destiny, but she could sense that it was the Power of Destiny.

"A human soul master?" Di Tian's expression darkened.

Had human soul masters already reached for the Auspicious Beast?

"No, not necessarily. I sensed a familiar power from him—the fortune of soul beasts."

"The fortune of soul beasts?" Di Tian stared at the Auspicious Beast. "A soul master possesses the fortune of our soul beast race? Has a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast taken human form recently?"

The latter question was directed at Scarlet King behind him.

Scarlet King also frowned, unable to think of any soul beast in the Star Dou Great Forest that had recently taken human form.

"Then was it a soul beast from somewhere else?"

"What else happened?" Di Tian turned back and asked the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.

"I saw many scenes. In the future, a human youth will touch my Eye of Destiny with his forehead, and then—"

"What?!" Di Tian flew into a rage.

Of course he knew what that meant.

It meant that person's destiny would become entwined with that of the Auspicious Beast!

Damn it, human soul masters truly had set their sights on the Auspicious Beast!

"It wasn't the person I saw just now. It was another human, a pure human." The Three-Eyed Golden Lion instinctively added.

She seemed worried that Di Tian would vent his anger on the soul master whose destiny had become entwined with hers.

A sharp glint flashed in Di Tian's golden eyes.

"You just said that after the person touched your Eye of Destiny, something happened?"

"Then..." A trace of lingering fear flashed through the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's eyes. "Then I was no longer myself."

"You were no longer yourself?" Di Tian frowned.

What kind of scene was that?

"It wasn't a scene. It was a feeling," the Three-Eyed Golden Lion said.

Di Tian took a deep breath, feeling that something about this was abnormal.

The Auspicious Beast bore the fortune of the soul beast race. Nothing could be allowed to happen to her.

"Was there any other information?"

"Yes."

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion honestly recounted everything she had seen.

Not only did Di Tian's doubts remain unanswered, but he became even more confused.

"Canine Soul Beasts? Swapping souls?"

He did not understand.

"Come with me to see my lord."