New Advance Task

Sure enough, Shrek Academy won the Soul Master Competition. Zhang Lexuan barely had to make a move; relying on Han Ruoruo's Golden Rope, they secured the victory.

After the match, the three went to the Heavenly Soul Imperial Palace to meet Vina's father, where they also ran into the Shrek group who had come to receive their awards.

After the Heaven Soul Emperor introduced both sides, they exchanged brief greetings and did not speak further.

Only after the Shrek group had left did the Heaven Soul Emperor warmly entertain Lin Ran and Huo Yun'er.

However, Lin Ran's attention was drawn to something.

[Heavenly Soul Empire Imperial Seal detected. Meets mission objective. Submit mission?]

"No."

Lin Ran answered silently in his heart.

He had not expected that, after nearly a year, he would finally encounter an item capable of completing the Pre-paid Item transaction mission. Unfortunately, this was the Heaven Dou Empire's Imperial Seal. He could hardly ask Vina to steal it for him.

While humoring the enthusiastic Heaven Soul Emperor, Lin Ran inspected the mission.

[Pre-paid Item: Soul Dragon Wander (transaction pre-payment). Mission generated: Obtain an item containing sufficient fortune. Time limit: two years.]

That was right. This was the mission generated when he had pre-paid for Soul Dragon Wander. He now had two years remaining.

According to the system, every item possessed fortune. Spiritual treasures of heaven and earth, or items with symbolic significance, contained greater amounts of fortune, while ordinary objects contained very little.

He needed to provide the system with an item whose fortune met the required standard in order to complete the transaction.

Based on his original estimate, he would need to provide the system with a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone to complete this mission.

Exchanging a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone for Soul Dragon Wander would not have been a loss, but now, there seemed to be a better option.

Items with symbolic significance were far less costly than a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone.

Though he could not possibly set his sights on the Imperial Seal, surely some other major power would be willing to sell an item of symbolic significance.

After ending the banquet in high spirits, Lin Ran returned to the Heavenly Soul Royal Auction House the next day.

"My young friend, it has been a long time."

Inside the VIP Room, Laicai Douluo looked at Lin Ran, whose posture was upright and whose aura was restrained, and spoke with a sigh.

He had long seen that Lin Ran was no ordinary person, but he still had not expected Lin Ran to reach such heights—to be taken as Du Busi's disciple and directly become the Body Sect's Young Sect Master.

More importantly, those brutes of the Body Sect had not raised a single objection. It was clear just how deserved Lin Ran's position as Young Sect Master was.

Had he known Lin Ran would come this far, he would have invested heavily in him no matter what.

"It has indeed been a long time, Senior."

Lin Ran greeted him with a faint smile.

"I have another matter to trouble you with this time, Senior."

Laicai Douluo said with a chuckle, "As long as you do not haggle with me like you did the first time, then it will not be any trouble."

Lin Ran said, "Senior, have you heard of the Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade?"

Laicai Douluo pondered for a moment before replying, "That fierce blade? Of course I have heard of it. Legend says it was tainted by the malicious thoughts of an Evil Soul Master. From then on, every one of its owners was affected by those evil thoughts—either falling into the evil path or having evil energy invade their body and dying beyond treatment."

Lin Ran said, "I hope Senior can help me locate that fierce blade, then purchase it for me."

According to the Original Work, the Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade would eventually end up at the Starlight Auction House in the Star Luo Empire, where it would fail to sell over several auctions. Unfortunately, it was not yet at the Starlight Auction House.

He had once suspected that Dai Yuhao might have gotten to it first, but he eventually confirmed that was not the case.

He had already tested it with the system.

"System, pre-pay for the Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade in the Starlight Auction House."

[The Starlight Auction House does not possess the Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade.]

"System, pre-pay for the Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade or Blade of Life on Dai Yuhao."

[Dai Yuhao does not possess this item.]

That was why he had come to commission the Heavenly Soul Royal Auction House, whose commercial intelligence network was better informed.

Laicai Douluo frowned and cautioned him, "My young friend, the Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade's notorious reputation is not mere rumor. Those things truly happened. Do not ruin your future because of it."

Lin Ran said, "I have my own use for it. Senior only needs to purchase it for me. Here are two hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins. That should be enough, right?"

Lin Ran pushed a card toward Laicai Douluo.

The old man shook his head. "Since you insist, I will help you acquire it. But I will also inform Sect Master Du Busi of this matter."

He knew that none of the matters Lin Ran asked him to handle were simple. He did not want Lin Ran to one day fall into evil and become an Evil Soul Master, only for Du Busi to come twist his head off.

Lin Ran said, "Do as you please, Senior. However, I have one more matter."

The old man rubbed his brow and said helplessly, "Go on."

Lin Ran said, "I hope Senior can inquire whether any long-established major powers are willing to sell symbolic items passed down by their families—things like Imperial Seals. After I inspect the goods, I will pay a high price."

The old man looked at Lin Ran with an odd expression and said faintly, "You really dare to imagine it. What country would sell you its Imperial Seal? Have they no shame?"

Lin Ran coughed lightly. "Senior, just give it a try."

The old man sighed. "You really know how to make things difficult for these old bones of mine."

"Senior, you're still going strong in your old age!" Lin Ran flattered him.

The old man shot Lin Ran a sidelong glance and said leisurely, "Now that you need something from me, I'm still going strong in my old age. Before this, didn't you call me a shameless old scoundrel?"

How did he know?

Lin Ran said, "...Not at all. I've always held you in great respect, Senior."

The old man said, "Heh. I know better than you whether I deserve other people's respect."

Lin Ran: "..." So you knew what kind of reputation you had?

After Lin Ran and Laicai Douluo finalized their deal, he leisurely spent a week in Heaven Dou City before heading alone to the Star Dou Great Forest.

Though he was not really alone, because he knew Du Busi was definitely following him in secret.

Lin Ran checked his status panel.

Host: Lin Ran

Age: Eight

Martial Soul: Blood

Soul Power: Level 23. (First Ring: 800 years, Second Ring: 9,500 years)

Available Advances: 0

Pending Tasks:
1. Obtain an item containing a sufficient amount of Power of Luck. (Transaction Advance)

2. Go to the Star Dou Great Forest and hunt a Blood Phoenix over 9,500 years old. Time Limit: Half a year. (Same-Realm Advance)
(Note: This Soul Beast is a super Soul Beast. If you are a Child of Fortune, killing it will grant you the External Soul Bone, Blood Phoenix Wings.)

Blood Phoenix Wings External Soul Bone: A rare Soul Bone containing the profound truth of phoenix Nirvana. It comes with the soul skill Nirvana. So long as one has not completely died, activating the soul skill allows one to revive on the spot at full health, with a chance of even advancing further. Can be activated once per month.

The Blood Phoenix was the target Lin Ran had chosen for his second soul ring, and the Blood Phoenix Wings made him especially eager. Its attached Nirvana soul skill was particularly heaven-defying—reviving at full health from the brink of death and even growing stronger. Such a skill could be called divine.

Unfortunately, obtaining an External Soul Bone required becoming a Child of Fortune.

Ever since he had used the sect to complete tasks, Lin Ran had also used Same-Realm Advances to obtain a few things during this period.

For example, he had advanced a Mysterious Water Pill for Huo Yun'er, as well as some items for himself.

Because Same-Realm Advances could only provide things he could currently use, the advanced items were not particularly valuable, and the tasks were easy to complete.

He had also tried advancing Soul Bones, only to discover that External Soul Bone tasks were like the one for the Blood Phoenix Wings: he first had to become a Child of Fortune before an External Soul Bone was guaranteed to drop from a Soul Beast.

But did he really want to become a Child of Fortune?

There were many benefits to becoming a Child of Fortune, especially since the Power of Luck would be condensed by his future self.

Aside from having better luck, avoiding disaster, and obtaining External Soul Bones, he could also use luck to sense people in the future whose fortunes were connected to his, making it easier to gain their friendship.

However, becoming a Child of Fortune would most likely draw Tang San's attention. Did he really want to expose himself to Tang San for the sake of these things?