8: Sky Dream Ice Silkworm

"Ten thousand years?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Nannan's eyes widened. Her peerless face was full of shock, as though she had heard something utterly unbelievable.

After all, her Third Soul Ring had not even reached two thousand years. Yet Li Changsheng was directly planning to go for ten thousand years.

Damn it, why was the gap between people so huge?

She could hardly be blamed for thinking that way. Even at Shrek Academy, she had never seen—or even heard of—anyone daring to absorb a Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast ring as their Third Soul Ring.

Jiang Nannan was not the only one stunned. Even Mother Jiang looked as though she had seen a ghost.

A Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring for the Third Soul Ring? Wasn't that absurdly outrageous?

"Correct."

Li Changsheng nodded, confirming that was exactly what he meant.

"Changsheng, do you know what you're saying? That's a Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast!"

After her brief shock, Mother Jiang was the first to recover.

She stopped walking and turned to look at the child beside her. Her beautiful face was filled with seriousness and gravity. "Putting aside whether your body can withstand it, even your Spiritual Power might not be able to deal with the soul shock it produces."

"It's fine. I believe I can handle it."

He might have believed her if it were anything else, but a soul shock? Heh. What soul could possibly shatter his Sea of Consciousness under the protection of the Taiji Diagram, the Heaven and Earth Profound Yellow Exquisite Pagoda, and the Grand Pure Daoist Venerable?

"Don't worry, it'll definitely be fine. I have a special method."

Seeing that Jiang Nannan and Mother Jiang still did not quite believe him, Li Changsheng could only make up a lie. "Did you forget about that pill from before? They both came from the same person."

"So that's how it is. All right, then."

Upon hearing this, the two of them no longer doubted him.

Jiang Nannan in particular had specifically asked around after entering Shrek Academy. When she learned that even a healing-system Titled Douluo might not be able to cure her mother's illness, she had been shocked for a long time.

Thus, the three of them bypassed the outskirts and began searching deeper within the area.

Before long, a creature as massive as a small mountain caught their attention.

Its entire body was covered in heavy golden armor, as though it had been pieced together from countless golden gemstones. Under the sunlight, it radiated a brilliant, dazzling glow that made their eyes sting.

"Is that... a Golden Armored Sacred Rhinoceros?"

Mother Jiang's beautiful eyes immediately lit up as she looked at the creature in the distance. Clearly, she had not expected to encounter an existence of this level on this trip.

"This one looks pretty good."

After studying it for a moment, Li Changsheng asked curiously, "Auntie, what do you think?"

"It'll do. In that case, wait here. Don't go anywhere!"

With that, she stepped forward under Jiang Nannan and Li Changsheng's watchful eyes.

A Ten Thousand Year Golden Armored Sacred Rhinoceros possessed incredibly formidable defense and offensive power. Even for an Agility System Soul Emperor like Mother Jiang, dealing with it was extremely difficult.

"Sister Nannan, do you think Auntie can beat that thing?"

Li Changsheng crouched on the ground, propping his chin on one hand as he asked with a puzzled expression.

"I don't know."

Jiang Nannan shook her head. Concern appeared on her face as she suggested, "Should we go help her?"

"Help? Us?"

Li Changsheng looked up at Jiang Nannan's peerless face. Seeing that she was not joking, he fell silent.

After a moment, he rose to his feet and said softly, "All right, but you have to be careful. Don't get hurt."

"Don't worry. I don't need you reminding me or worrying about me!"

Jiang Nannan smiled in reply, then charged out first.

"Second Soul Skill, Gravity Control!"

As Jiang Nannan entered the battle, the Golden Armored Sacred Rhinoceros's attention was immediately diverted.

Combined with that nearly heaven-defying Second Soul Skill, Mother Jiang instantly seized an opening.

The Golden Armored Sacred Rhinoceros roared furiously into the sky in pain, and streaks of Golden Light burst forth from its body.

"Nannan, retreat!"

Mother Jiang's pupils contracted when she saw this. Without hesitation, she hurriedly shouted to her daughter.

This was one of the Golden Armored Sacred Rhinoceros's counterattack skills, and it possessed unparalleled destructive power.

Jiang Nannan's expression changed drastically. Her Third Soul Skill, Teleportation, activated.

Although she dodged many of the golden beams, some still shot straight toward her.

Just as she was preparing to meet the attack head-on, an even more resplendent Golden Light erupted from her body.

With a deafening boom, the Golden Light struck the Golden Pagoda. The impact jolted Jiang Nannan back to her senses, and she quickly retreated.

The one who had acted was Li Changsheng. As for that Golden Pagoda, it naturally needed no explanation—it was the strongest defensive treasure in the world, the Heaven and Earth Profound Yellow Exquisite Pagoda.

"Sister Nannan, are you all right?"

Li Changsheng hurried to Jiang Nannan's side and asked.

"I'm fine. Luckily you were here. Otherwise, even if I didn't die, I would have been seriously injured."

Jiang Nannan shook her head and answered softly.

"You're helping me hunt a Soul Beast. How could I possibly stand by and watch you fall into danger? That would be ridiculous!"

After saying that, Li Changsheng joined the battle.

With the Heaven and Earth Profound Yellow Exquisite Pagoda's defense, he could block roughly seventy or eighty percent of the Golden Armored Sacred Rhinoceros's attacks, allowing Mother Jiang's attacks to land squarely on it.

In the end, under the three of them working together, the Ten Thousand Year Golden Armored Sacred Rhinoceros collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

"We finally won!"

Jiang Nannan let out a breath and wiped the sweat from her brow. She looked utterly exhausted.

"Changsheng, I'll ask you one more time. Are you sure you want to choose it as your Third Soul Ring?"

Mother Jiang came to Li Changsheng's side and asked again.

"Yes, I've made up my mind. I'll have to trouble Auntie and Sister Nannan to protect me!"

With that, he sat down cross-legged and began absorbing his Third Soul Ring, which was also his first Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring.

Meanwhile, in the direction of the Lake of Life, a silver-white streak of light fled rapidly toward the outskirts. It did not dare pause for even a moment, afraid that the fierce beasts led by Di Tian would catch it and use it as a power bank again.

"Huh? This power?"

While fleeing, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm seemed to sense something. It said in confusion, "Such powerful sacred power. Let's go take a look!"