Two Spirit Bones, Master Lin Qi

"Senior, after a Soul Beast undergoes Humanoid Transformation, will it face a calamity even more terrifying than the Heavenly Tribulation?"

Xiao Wu had not lived long enough. She did not want to die.

She still had to serve as Lin Qi's Reserve Soul Ring—the kind that stayed in reserve forever.

"You're not wrong."

Six-Winged Golden Mantis said, "After a Soul Beast undergoes Humanoid Transformation, not only does its body become human, but even its thoughts are twisted. The boundary between Soul Beasts and humans becomes blurred, and in the end, they stand with humanity."

"That isn't even the most terrifying part. Humanoid Soul Beasts will ultimately struggle to escape the fate of sacrifice. Their Soul Rings and Spirit Bones will all become wedding clothes for others."

Hearing this, Xiao Wu was not as afraid anymore.

Instead, she hugged Lin Qi's arm.

"Lin Qi—no, Boss, Elder Brother Lin Qi, I'm the Reserve Soul Ring you chose. You can't just watch me become someone else's Soul Ring and do nothing."

She, Xiao Wu, was a rabbit with backbone. Since she had said she would be Lin Qi's Reserve Soul Ring, she would never go back on her word.

"Oh? Is that so? When the Titan Giant Ape and Sky Azure Bull Python arrived, who was it that made me call her Sister Xiao Wu?"

"Who? Who was it? Who dared to be so presumptuous?"

Xiao Wu put on an amnesiac expression, looking even angrier than Lin Qi.

"Brother Lin Qi, please calm down. Da Ming and Er Ming must have been muddleheaded for a moment and said something wrong. You're a magnanimous man, so please forgive them."

"Hmm?"

The Sky Azure Bull Python and Titan Giant Ape fixed their lantern-sized eyes on Xiao Wu.

Well, Sister Xiao Wu. We called you big sister, and this was how you treated us?

"I was wrong."

"This subordinate is guilty. Please forgive us, Your Highness."

Remembering that they had indeed been somewhat disrespectful to Lin Qi earlier, the Sky Azure Bull Python and Titan Giant Ape scrambled to admit their mistakes.

A wise man submitted to circumstances. Having become Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, they had no lack of discernment.

Six-Winged Golden Mantis said to Xiao Wu:

"Being able to follow His Highness is undoubtedly your greatest fortune. His Highness is the Beast God Inheritor. By his side, your mind can avoid being twisted."

Xiao Wu was overjoyed upon hearing that.

So becoming a Reserve Soul Ring was actually a good thing?

It was like Lin Qi had marked her. She was now a pet rabbit with a Master and would not be twisted into something else.

"However..."

Battle Saint Ape spoke up with an unfriendly look in his eyes.

"Is His Highness's revered name something a little rabbit like you can call directly?"

"Ah? Then should I call him His Highness too?"

"That won't do either. Even without undergoing Humanoid Transformation, you only have a Hundred Thousand Years of cultivation. You aren't even qualified to be His Highness's subordinate. Being allowed to serve as His Highness's maid is already your honor. You must address His Highness as 'Master.'"

"Master?"

Xiao Wu's face fell.

Her status had depreciated far too quickly. She was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, yet she was only fit to be a maid?

"What? You're unwilling?"

"I am, I am. Of course I'm willing."

Under the gazes of Battle Saint Ape and Six-Winged Golden Mantis, how could Xiao Wu dare say no?

"Master, Xiao Wu will definitely serve you well from now on."

Xiao Wu clasped her hands together before her lower abdomen and spoke softly.

"Good girl. Master will buy you candy."

Lin Qi smiled and shook his head.

Sigh! The moment she called me 'Master,' I knew a pathetic, thick wall had risen between Xiao Wu and me.

"Go check whether that Five-Colored Star Butterfly left behind any Spirit Bones."

"Yes, Xiao Wu will go right away."

Xiao Wu secretly clenched her little fists, but her movements did not pause in the slightest.

Spirit Bones were not so easily produced. The fact that the Earth Nether Sword Ridge Beast had produced an External Soul Bone last time had already been a surprise.

But after Xiao Wu approached and inspected it, she felt that her understanding had still been too limited by conventional knowledge.

Was Master an ordinary person?

Anything related to Master could not be judged by conventional knowledge.

The Five-Colored Star Butterfly had not only produced a Spirit Bone—it had actually produced two.

"Master, there are... there are two Spirit Bones?"

Xiao Wu tried her best to persuade herself to remain calm. It was only a trivial matter. So what if there were two Spirit Bones?

"Two?"

Even Lin Qi was somewhat surprised.

Could a single Soul Beast produce two Spirit Bones at once?

"Eh? Master Meng, this one seems to be another External Soul Bone. Take a look, am I right?"

Lin Qi handed one of the Spirit Bones to Master Meng.

"Correct. It is indeed an External Soul Bone. After absorbing it, a Soul Master can grow a pair of Butterfly Wings on their back and gain the ability to fly."

Even across the entire Douluo Continent, there were not many Soul Masters with the ability to fly.

Other than Soul Masters whose Martial Souls inherently possessed flight abilities, only exceptionally powerful Soul Masters could fly through the air using their own Soul Power.

Even though this Spirit Bone was not yet Ten-Thousand-Year, if word got out, Soul Masters would fight over it until their heads bled.

However, it was not particularly useful to Lin Qi.

His First Soul Skill had already granted him the ability to fly, and his flight speed was much faster than that of the Five-Colored Star Butterfly.

The other Spirit Bone produced by the Five-Colored Star Butterfly was a Torso Spirit Bone, one of the six main Spirit Bones.

As usual, Lin Qi gave the Five-Colored Star Butterfly, which had sacrificed everything for him, a grand burial.

With so many Soul Beasts above Hundred Thousand Years attending its funeral, along with Lin Qi, the Beast God Inheritor, it could be considered the greatest honor.

"Monkey, Six-Wing, I'm preparing to leave."

Lin Qi had gained a great deal from this trip to the Star Dou Great Forest.

Although he had acquired the identity of an Ancient Beast God Inheritor, he had no intention of staying in the Star Dou Great Forest forever.

"Your Highness, please take care after leaving. If this old man and that human guardian hiding in the shadows prove useless, you may summon us at any time to command us."

The old man naturally referred to Master Meng.

The guardian in the shadows was Leng Qing, who had perfectly fulfilled his duty as a protector and had never shown himself.

"Hmph! I can naturally protect the Young Master properly. I don't need the two of you worrying about it."

Perhaps feeling that he had been underestimated, Leng Qing's voice drifted over from afar.

Xiao Wu shrank her neck again.

She had not known that, apart from Master Meng, there were other powerful experts protecting Lin Qi.

Moreover, that voice alone contained an unrivaled, domineering will. His strength was likely even greater than Master Meng's.

"Your Highness, Senior, what should we do?"

Da Ming and Er Ming asked.

They had originally only come to see Sister Xiao Wu. They had never expected to learn such a massive secret.

After learning the hidden history of the Soul Beast race, they felt a share of responsibility settle onto their shoulders and wanted to contribute to the future of Soul Beasts.

"You will follow Monkey and Six-Wing's orders. Don't try to be clever and do anything unnecessary," Lin Qi said.

"Yes, this subordinate understands. We will definitely obey the orders of the two seniors."

The Sky Azure Bull Python and Titan Giant Ape spoke solemnly.

Although they had not received any specific task, both felt an immense burden settle onto their shoulders—the weight of the fate of all Soul Beasts.

"I'm leaving."

Lin Qi waved his hand and departed with his abundant gains.

Behind him, Battle Saint Ape, Six-Winged Golden Mantis, Titan Giant Ape, and Sky Azure Bull Python all saw him off respectfully.

Spirit City, Pope Palace.

As soon as Chrysanthemum Douluo and the listless Ghost Douluo returned, they hurried to report their experiences in the Star Dou Great Forest.

Within the solemn and imposing Pope Palace, Bibi Dong, dressed in magnificent robes, frowned.

"Ghostly, what kind of Soul Beast did you encounter?"

"This... this subordinate only saw some golden fur and did not clearly see the Soul Beast's full appearance."

"Useless."

"Yes, this subordinate is guilty."

Ghostly lowered his head and repeatedly begged forgiveness.

With a sweep of her sleeve, Bibi Dong rebuked, "Leave."

"Yes, this subordinate takes his leave."

Bibi Dong was angry not because Ghostly and the others had failed to help Xie Yue obtain Soul Rings, such a trivial matter.

She had plans for the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts in the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest, but now such a powerful Soul Beast had appeared.

If it was alerted, obtaining a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring would become troublesome.