Humans, why are they always favored by heaven?

Since Old Mu had been convinced, Chen Fu could clearly feel that his experiments were going much more smoothly. Whatever he wanted, he got, with no room for bargaining.

As the precious materials buried deep in Shrek Academy's vaults were brought out one after another, Old Xuan was starting to wonder if Old Mu had been possessed. Meanwhile, Chen Fu's Soul-Inducing Capture Device was gradually taking shape.

During this period, Chen Fu tested Old Mu with the [Divine Ring] device. As expected, the [Divine Ring]'s output limit couldn't shake the mental defenses of a Peerless Douluo—it only made Old Mu feel a little itchy.

After a new round of calculations incorporating his martial soul, Chen Fu determined that the Soul Spirit Particles would at least need a giant circular track for acceleration to achieve the speed necessary to pierce through a Peerless Douluo's mental density.

Once the conclusion was reached, Old Mu wasn't in a hurry. He said he would find a way to procure the materials for the new equipment.

Finally, when the academy's autumn semester ended and classes were dismissed, Chen Fu completed his work.

When fully deployed, the entire device resembled a Mechanical Giant Spider the size of a building, its densely packed, orderly little mechanical legs giving off a strange visual impression of both order and chaos.

After finishing his self-check, Chen Fu disassembled the Mechanical Giant Spider's various functional components and stored them separately in a Spatial Soul Tool. He didn't have a Spatial Soul Tool large enough to fit the whole machine.

During this time, his Soul Power Level had reached rank forty-nine, not too far from rank fifty. As for Ma Xiaotao, she had already reached rank sixty half a month ago.

"Ready?"

Looking at the old man and the girl waiting for him outside, Chen Fu nodded.

Then Old Mu grabbed both their hands. The surrounding space shattered like a mirror, and in an instant, the three of them teleported from the Lin Pavilion into a forest of giant trees.

"This is already the outer edge of the Star Dou Great Forest. From now on, we just wait for an opportunity."

Shrek City wasn't far from the Star Dou Great Forest. If you counted the border areas, they were practically neighbors.

Over the next few days, Old Mu led the two of them slowly toward the core area. Their target was a Fierce Beast, so there was no rush.

"Little White, spit fire."

Chen Fu held up the roast chicken in his hand and gave the order to the white ring.

"Spit on your head!"

Ma Xiaotao was so angry she swung her fist and lightly punched Chen Fu. The white soul ring's spirituality was becoming more and more apparent—in a sense, it was the tentacle of her soul.

"I'm just teasing. Little Blue, add fire."

Chen Fu chuckled, then gave the order to the Technology Throne residing within the blue Data Soul Ring.

Ma Xiaotao had given him the idea. Using a Data Soul Ring, which was one with his own soul, as the intelligence for the Technology Throne was undoubtedly an excellent choice.

Flames ignited out of thin air, roasting the chicken in Chen Fu's hand until it was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

He split half with Ma Xiaotao and gave the other half to Old Mu, then stood up and looked into the distance.

"Old Mu, we've been wandering around for seven days now. How come we haven't run into a single Fierce Beast stepping out for a stroll?"

"Soul Beasts have long lifespans and a slow pace of life. It's normal."

Old Mu took the roast chicken Chen Fu handed him without any disdain.

"But you two are in luck. I just sensed the aura of a soul beast. A Fierce Beast isn't far."

Grabbing one kid in each hand, Old Mu shattered space and performed a spatial jump.

With a jolt, Chen Fu found himself sitting on a furry, fleshy cushion.

"Humans!"

A sudden mental pressure surged toward them, but Old Mu blocked it before it could reach them.

Only then did Chen Fu and Ma Xiaotao react. A massive wolf-like creature stood before them, while beneath their feet was a soul beast with the appearance of a golden-maned lion.

"Touch it, and you all die!"

A vast, surging black flame burned half the sky red.

Old Mu patted the soul beast beneath his feet to signal it to behave, then raised his hand and wiped away the sky-filling black flames. Only then did he look at the other party and say:

"Keep it down, Scarlet King. We're here to make a deal."

"The Auspicious Beast cannot be compromised, human!"

The soul beast addressed as Scarlet King already felt the threat of death from the tiny human before him, but the Auspicious Beast could not be compromised!

"Our target was never the Auspicious Beast."

Old Mu stroked the golden little lion's smooth fur. "The Auspicious Beast is just a bargaining chip to get you to listen to me."

Deep within the forest, super-strong presences had already turned their attention toward them.

Old Mu met their gazes and extended an invitation. Times were different now—top-level conversations made things easier to clarify.

"Interesting."

A man in a black robe with gold patterns quietly appeared above Scarlet King's head.

"If you leave that place, you won't be able to get away today."

"At the very least, I can still push back half your forest."

Old Mu didn't take the threat to heart. Both sides were peak-level powerhouses with things to lose; under normal circumstances, neither would truly choose to fight. Besides, the value of the bargaining chip in his hand made the Auspicious Beast nothing more than a bonus.

The black-robed man gave Old Mu a deep look. One against two, he could still win—but the cost wouldn't be worth it.

"Speak, then. What kind of deal do you want to make?"

Then Old Mu transmitted the Soul Ring Attachment experiment to the black-robed man in the form of spiritual power.

After a moment of silence in the air between them, Chen Fu felt a gaze scrutinizing him from head to toe.

"This Seat is more curious about the first method."

"Everything requires taking things step by step, isn't it?"

Indeed So, the black-robed man nodded slightly. Though the second method of Soul Ring Attachment still targeted their soul beasts, the beasts involved would occupy a very delicate position.

Even... at certain times, the choice of soul beasts could turn humans against each other?

"The future of this technology lies in breaking free from soul ring limitations, requiring external breakthroughs. Being constrained by soul beasts is not something I am satisfied with."

Chen Fu interjected at the right moment. Although the humanoid creature before him might be the most powerful individual he had ever encountered, in this experiment, he was the main subject.

So this is Youngster Mu's real bargaining chip? Indeed, if it can be achieved, an Auspicious Beast or such is merely a bonus.

"How can you ensure your words will come true?"

Regardless, the black-robed man felt it was worth a try.

"By relying on the experiments I am conducting on myself."

Three transparent soul rings plus one blue soul ring appeared before the eyes of everyone present.

A soul ring devoid of any fluctuation from Soul Beast Soul, spiritual power, or soul power appeared before him, and the black-robed man was finally moved.

He had thought it was just empty promises, but Did Not Expect That Human was already walking the path.

"Human, this beast tribe accepts the deal."

An attempt that could change the necessity of life-and-death struggle between humans and soul beasts—he could not refuse it. After tens of thousands of years of settling, he had to admit that humans were indeed uniquely favored.

Once the agreement was reached, Chen Fu quickly retrieved functional modules from his Spatial Soul Tool to assemble them, while directing everyone to clear the area and set up barriers to prevent interference with the experiment.

The massive Spider-Type Soul Tool was gradually assembled. This device, used for Soul Ring Engraving, Chen Fu named it: the Soul Ring Engraver.

Regarding this, many later scholars held a bias toward the first-generation classic Soul Ring Engraver not being given a title by Chen Fu: it was ugly. --To the Greatest Guide

As everyone busied themselves, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, curled up in a corner, saw no one paying her any attention, so she got up on her own and let out a grievance-filled roar toward the black-robed man standing on the other side.

"See if you'll run off recklessly again. Luckily, their target was never you, or else facing such a top-tier powerhouse, I might not have been able to save you in time."

The black-robed man stroked the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's golden, smooth fur and secretly transmitted a message:

"That Human, can you make anything out about him?"

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion was a Luck Divine Beast, capable of sensing the presence of luck to a certain degree, and also possessed an overpowered ability like the Eye of Destiny.

Hearing This, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion channeled Soul Power to look at That Human. The latter, as if sensing something, looked up from his mechanical assembly to meet her gaze, then continued installing new modules.

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion's gaze blurred for a moment, but she quickly recovered.

"I can't see the past or future, and the present I can see is nothing but chaos..." A clear, ethereal female voice sounded beside the black-robed man.

"And..."

The Little Golden Lion sniffed hard.

"He has a strange smell on him."

"How is it strange?"

"It's just... similar to the lake water and that worm."

Hearing This, the man was silent for a long time.

Humans, why are you always uniquely favored?