Soul Ring Revealed at Last, Tormenting Soul Beasts for a Chance at Fate

However.

Under everyone's expectant gazes.

Yu Xiaoheng did not even glance at the trembling Linju. He walked straight past it.

He stopped before the newly appeared soul beast that was over two thousand years old and being jointly suppressed by several elders.

He came to a halt.

A flash of delight crossed his eyes.

This trip to the Star Dou Great Forest had brought such an unexpected windfall.

Yu Xiaoheng's thoughts raced.

With his current Perfected Holy Dragon Body, the strength of his physical body had long surpassed the age limit imposed by the Soul Master system for a First Spirit Ring.

Even absorbing a Soul Ring around Three Thousand Year posed little risk.

This Dragon Transformation Ancestral Awakening Xi Guang Linju before him was at least two thousand five hundred years old. The power contained within its dragonized bloodline was far more violent, and naturally, much harder to absorb than that of ordinary soul beasts.

But even this did not reach his limit.

Compared to the originally chosen One Thousand Four Hundred Year Linju, this mutant was the true gift of heaven!

As for that One Thousand Four Hundred Year one...

Yu Xiaoheng's peripheral vision swept over Yu Xiaogang, whose expression shifted unpredictably among the crowd.

Perfect.

This Linju was useless to him now. Leaving it for Yu Xiaogang was just right.

Though there had been some unpleasantness between them earlier, Yu Xiaogang was still his blood-related younger twin brother.

He could not possibly let him absorb a spirit skill that only let him fart in the future, could he?

Just as he was about to make his move, the Dragonized Linju pinned to the ground stared fixedly at him with its golden vertical pupils, within which surged an intensely humanlike hatred.

Yu Xiaoheng paused.

He understood at once.

Most soul beasts lived alone, but the Xi Guang Linju before him existed in herds.

This mutant, clearly already capable of surviving independently, had appeared without hesitation to rescue its parents and kin after sensing they were in danger.

Family...

His actions sent everyone into an uproar.

"Young Master! You must not!"

"This is a soul beast over two thousand years old! You have not yet attached your First Spirit Ring—you absolutely must not take such a risk!"

"That's right, Young Master! Please reconsider! If anything goes wrong, even dying ten thousand times would not absolve us!"

The elders were terrified out of their wits, while the disciples erupted in commotion.

They had just witnessed the Young Master's power, but strength was one thing and absorbing a Soul Ring was another! This completely defied the iron law of the Spirit Master world! The benefits of body refinement had limits too!

Yu Yuanzhen also froze.

Although he had faith in his eldest son, that faith was not enough to support challenging the common knowledge of the entire continent.

He stepped forward, his voice heavy and steady as a mountain.

"Xiao Heng, come back!"

"Follow the original plan and absorb the One Thousand Four Hundred Year Soul Ring."

Yet Yu Xiaoheng merely shook his head.

"Father, my mind is made up."

"I am completely certain."

Yu Yuanzhen frowned deeply and was about to speak again when he caught sight of Yu Xiaogang's expression from the corner of his eye.

Yu Xiaogang clenched his fists tightly. Jealousy and unwillingness intertwined across his face before finally turning into a soft murmur.

"Xiao Heng... has he already grown to this extent...?"

Though quiet, the words landed clearly in Yu Yuanzhen's ears.

His heart stirred.

Yu Xiaogang was Xiao Heng's twin brother. No one understood Xiao Heng's temperament better than he did.

Since even the ever-proud Yu Xiaogang believed this was not empty boasting, then perhaps... he truly was certain?

The resolve in Yu Yuanzhen's eyes gradually faded.

In the end, he slowly nodded.

That nod made the hearts of countless clan disciples leap into their throats.

Deep within the dense forest.

"Th-this Titled Douluo has gone mad too? He actually agreed?"

Rou'er's eyes flickered as she felt that everything happening before her was like a farce.

Ah Yin's nature made her feel somewhat reluctant to watch. She even had the urge to step forward and dissuade them.

"Absorbing a Soul Ring over two thousand five hundred years old as his First Spirit Ring... he'll definitely die!"

"Don't go." Rou'er grabbed her, her expression solemn. "That Titled Douluo's aura has locked onto the entire area. We can hide only because the countless soul beast auras of the Star Dou Great Forest are concealing us. The moment we show ourselves, we'll die."

Ah Yin stopped and let out a faint sigh.

Rou'er looked at the tall figure in the distance and suddenly said, "Ah Yin, do you think... this might be the chance at survival that the Cycle of Heavenly Law has left for us soul beasts?"

"Hm?"

"Among humans, there will always be people blessed with tremendous fortune, but they are often too confident, just like that boy. Perhaps many geniuses die during their growth because of their own arrogance. Otherwise, with how quickly they grow, what future would our soul beast race have left?"

Upon hearing this, Ah Yin also fell into thought, finding the words quite reasonable.

Just as everyone believed Yu Xiaoheng would raise his dagger and create an unprecedented miracle—or meet his death.

He instead made a move that left everyone dumbfounded.

Yu Xiaoheng turned around and, without the slightest hesitation, dragged over the bound One Thousand Four Hundred Year Xi Guang Linju.

He dragged it before the dragonized mutant.

Splat—!

The Jade Dagger rose and fell.

Blood sprayed everywhere!

He did not stab a vital spot. Instead, he sliced open a wound on the young Linju's leg so deep that bone was visible!

"Chirp—!"

A shrill, miserable cry echoed through the forest.

The suppressed Dragonized Linju instantly went berserk. Its golden vertical pupils turned bloodshot red, and a beast-like roar burst from its throat as it struggled frantically. Its immense power even made the elders suppressing it strain to hold it down!

The hatred in its eyes nearly became tangible!

Everyone was stunned.

"Young Master, what are you..." one elder asked tremblingly.

Yu Xiaoheng did not turn around. As he used the dagger to carve new wounds into the young beast, he spoke.

"I once read of a secret method in an ancient text."

"A soul beast's Extreme Emotion before death can feed back into its Soul Ring, greatly improving the Soul Ring's quality and the power of its spirit skill. It can even produce a Soul Bone."

"That emotion is either selfless love during a sacrifice, or... hatred that cuts to the bone."

"In ordinary hunts, even if a soul beast bears resentment, it cannot reach the level of 'hatred.' After all, it is the Law of the Jungle, the Cycle of Heavenly Law. But family-based soul beasts are different."

The instant his words fell, the entire area became deathly silent.

Yu Xiaoheng had thought his actions, so close to the Demonic Path, might provoke disgust from his clansmen.

Yet in the next moment.

An elder was the first to react, a fanatical realization flashing through his eyes.

"So that's how it is! So that's how it is!"

He shouted, "What are you all standing around for?! Didn't you hear the Young Master? Move!"

In an instant, every disciple and elder of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan moved!

Without a trace of hesitation, they pounced on the two subdued Thirty Thousand Year Xi Guang Linju. Using every method at their disposal, they began tormenting them madly!

Miserable howls rose one after another!

"Roar—!!!"

The dragonized mutant's eyes split with rage. Watching its parents and kin being tortured to death before its eyes, its reason was completely Devoured by frenzied hatred. It desperately rammed against its restraints, Soul Power boiling around its body, yet it could not move at all!

Yu Xiaoheng quietly watched its eyes.

Within them remained only venomous resentment and hatred fierce enough to burn everything away.

It was done.

Now!

A sharp gleam flashed through his eyes. At the instant the Dragonized Linju's hatred reached its peak, he thrust the Jade Dagger in his hand fiercely into its heart without hesitation!

Splat!

All roaring and struggling came to an abrupt end.

A deep Purple Spirit Ring, speckled with dazzling golden light, slowly rose from the Dragonized Linju's corpse!