Sugar-Coated Cannonballs

Recovering from her shock, Bibi Dong looked deeply at Xuan Hao. Her gaze, once filled with mere curiosity, now held a determined resolve.

Twin Martial Souls, and not just any, but the legendary Golden Dragon and Silver Dragon, said to stand at the apex of Soul Beasts.

She absolutely had to bring this child back with her.

But she also knew that this child harbored resentment. In his eyes, Martial Soul Hall was the culprit that "killed his parents" and "abandoned him."

Forcing him to come along would only breed more hatred. What she needed was for him to feel a sense of belonging, for him to willingly call her "Teacher."

Returning to the camp, Hu Liena had already efficiently set up the tents.

To Xuan Hao's surprise, there were two tents standing at the campsite.

One was the one Bibi Dong and Hu Liena had used before, and the other was brand new.

"Go inside and sleep," Bibi Dong said, pointing to the new tent.

Seeing Xuan Hao hesitate, Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow and added, "Don't even think about sleeping in the trees. There are quite a few Soul Beasts around here at night. If some blind one carries you off in the middle of the night, I'll have to spend time fishing you out. It's too much trouble."

Without waiting for Xuan Hao's reply, she pulled Hu Liena into the other tent.

"Goodnight," Hu Liena said, winking at Xuan Hao before entering the tent, her smile sly yet friendly.

Xuan Hao stood in place, looking at the tent that seemed so warm and cozy. He touched his nose.

He knew, of course, that Bibi Dong was just making an excuse. With the strength of a Titled Douluo, even if he were snatched a hundred meters away, she could instantly turn the Soul Beast to dust.

"A sugar-coated bullet..."

Xuan Hao sighed, but his body moved obediently into the tent.

After all, who would prefer sleeping on hard branches when there were soft cushions available?

Since he couldn't resist, he might as well enjoy it.

The inside of the tent was lined with thick blankets, insulating them from the ground's moisture.

Just as Xuan Hao was about to lie down, his gaze was suddenly drawn to a paper-wrapped package by the pillow.

He picked it up and saw that it was the packet of dried Black Horned Barbarian Bull he had refused earlier due to "pride."

Xuan Hao froze for a moment, his grip on the jerky tightening slightly.

"Tch... Trying to win me over."

He muttered, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curve upwards.

This time, he didn't act coy. He tore open the packaging and began to eat heartily.

It smelled so good.

That night, Xuan Hao slept soundly.

Even though they were in the perilous Star Dou Great Forest, with Bibi Dong, a peak expert, nearby and Ghost Douluo guarding them from the shadows, it was probably safer than the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.

The next morning, the three set off again.

Perhaps it was because last night's "sugar-coated bullet" had worked, or perhaps it was the unintentional kindness shown by Bibi Dong and Hu Liena, but the atmosphere between them was no longer as stiff and awkward as it had been at the start.

For the next three days, they wandered around the outer edges of the mixed zone.

But luck was a fickle thing. Despite Bibi Dong's vast Spiritual Power coverage, the Soul Beasts they encountered over these three days were mostly unsatisfactory.

"That one won't do. It's a four-hundred-year-old Wind Baboon, too weak."

"That Mandala Snake's age is sufficient, but its attributes don't match."

Bibi Dong had extremely high standards for Hu Liena's second Soul Ring, preferring quality over quantity.

As for Xuan Hao, Bibi Dong had a clear plan.

"Sub-dragon species Soul Beasts are rare even in the Star Dou Great Forest."

During a rest break, Bibi Dong handed Xuan Hao a water bottle and patiently explained, "Since we can't find a sub-dragon, we'll set our sights on Soul Beasts with top-tier strength attributes."

"For example, the Diamond Tiger, Great Ape, or Ironclad Tyrannosaurus. Although these Soul Beasts don't possess True Dragon bloodline, their innate abilities are extremely compatible with your Golden Dragon Martial Soul, allowing them to maximize its extreme strength characteristics."

Xuan Hao listened obediently, occasionally asking questions, all of which Bibi Dong answered patiently.

Through these question-and-answer sessions and daily interactions, Xuan Hao's guardedness towards Bibi Dong gradually melted away.

After all, who could refuse a stunningly beautiful, incredibly powerful "big sister" who also showed such care and concern for him?

Finally, on the fourth day of entering the forest, a breakthrough arrived.

Around noon, in a secluded valley, they discovered a fox with jet-black fur and a third vertical eye on its forehead—a Three-eyed Demonic Fox.

"Around seven hundred and fifty years old, cultivating both spiritual and charm attributes. It's practically tailor-made for you."

A hint of satisfaction flashed in Bibi Dong's eyes as she immediately struck and heavily wounded it.

Hu Liena seized the opportunity, moved forward to deliver the finishing blow, and began absorbing the Soul Ring. The process went smoothly. An hour later, she successfully advanced to the rank of Soul Grand Master and gained a very powerful charm-based control skill.

With Hu Liena's issue resolved, the remaining task was Xuan Hao's.

Hu Liena was a clever girl. She could see how much her Teacher valued Xuan Hao and understood that the Teacher wanted to take this talented young man under her wing.

Thus, during the rest of their journey, she took even better care of Xuan Hao, acting like a considerate senior disciple. Not only did she proactively share her food, but she also offered him a hand when the path became difficult.

Perhaps good luck was contagious.

That evening, as night just began to blanket the forest, the three of them had just set up their tents and were preparing to start a fire when a wild tiger's roar shattered the night's tranquility.

"Roar--!!"

A fierce tiger, over three meters long, with muscles bulging like granite and fur shimmering with a metallic sheen, leaped out from the bushes. Its pair of scarlet eyes stared intently at the three people in the camp.

"Diamond Tiger?"

Bibi Dong's eyes lit up. Without even getting up, she casually waved a hand.

An invisible wave of Soul Power erupted instantly. Before the majestic Diamond Tiger could pounce, it was slammed to the ground as if by an unseen giant hand.

"Boom!"

The ground trembled. The Diamond Tiger let out a piercing wail, its limbs pinned firmly to the ground, unable to move. Its bones, originally as hard as iron, creaked under the unbearable pressure.

Bibi Dong walked up to the immobilized tiger and examined it carefully. Then, she turned to look at Xuan Hao, a smile curving her lips.

"It seems we won't be sleeping tonight."

"A Diamond Tiger of around 850 years. Its defense is astonishing, and its strength is a top-tier among Soul Beasts of the same level. As the first Soul Ring for the Golden Dragon, although it's not a sub-dragon species, it's definitely a top-quality one."

She looked at Xuan Hao and handed him a sharp short sword. "Go, kill it."

Xuan Hao took the short sword, took a deep breath, and walked up to the Diamond Tiger, which was still growling.

Although it was his first time killing such a ferocious beast, he didn't hesitate much. In this world, it was either you die or I die.

"Pfft!"

The short sword accurately pierced the Diamond Tiger's eye socket, directly penetrating its brain.

The Diamond Tiger convulsed violently a few times before quickly falling silent. A ring of bright yellow, with a hint of purple halo, slowly floated up from its corpse.

"Sit cross-legged, focus your mind on your Martial Soul, and use your Soul Power to guide the Soul Ring," Bibi Dong's voice sounded in his ear. "Remember, this Soul Ring has a high age, so the impact will be strong. Hold onto your true heart and don't be overwhelmed by the violent energy."

Xuan Hao sat down as instructed and raised his hand to summon the phantom image of the Golden Dragon.

As the Soul Ring entered his body, a scorching hot current instantly surged through his limbs and bones, as if countless red-hot knives were wildly churning within him.

The energy of an 800-year-old Soul Ring was indeed too overbearing for a first Soul Ring.

Xuan Hao's brows furrowed instantly, his teeth clenched, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably. Fine beads of blood even seeped from his skin.

"Hold on!" Bibi Dong, who had been guarding him, immediately released a gentle wave of Spiritual Power to protect Xuan Hao's heart meridian. "The Golden Dragon is the Ancestor of Strength. Use your will to control this power, not to be burst by it!"

Xuan Hao heard Bibi Dong's voice. In his sea of consciousness, the proud Golden Dragon seemed to be enraged by this external, savage power.

"Roar--!!"

A resonant dragon's roar exploded within him.

Golden light erupted from Xuan Hao's body, forcefully suppressing the violent tiger's malevolent energy.