Top-Grade Soul Beast, Mutated Golden Flame Sacred Armor Beetle

"I really didn't expect Manager Lin to personally lead this trip into Blazing Fire Canyon. If we hadn't signed an agreement and paid a deposit beforehand, I'm not sure whether my little treasury could have held out."

Wang Qi smiled at Lin Yan beside him and could not resist teasing him.

"I thought Third Young Master would think I intended to make a move against you in Blazing Fire Canyon."

"Not likely. Blazing Fire City may be a major city, but neither its number of nobles nor its population is suitable for establishing a Great Soul Arena. I imagine you offended someone at the Great Soul Arena; otherwise, you wouldn't have been sent here."

"You're a fire-attribute Soul Master. You probably offended a Second Generation Vermilion Bird, right? Tell me about it. I might even know them."

Among the descendants of the Five Great Families in the Great Soul Arena, the first generation were the absolute leaders. As long as they did not die, they were destined to take power in the future.

The second generation, however, was a mixed bag. Limited by talent, most were spoiled playboys. Thus, a saying had always circulated among the Great Soul Arena's core upper ranks: not all second-generation members who stayed behind were elites, but every third-generation member who had the courage to leave possessed brains and ambition.

There was also a rule within the Great Soul Arena: only members of the Five Great Families could act against members of the Five Great Families. If it were compared to a cultivation sect, the second-generation descendants of the Five Great Families would be inner disciples, the first generation would be core disciples, and these mid-to-high-ranking members outside the Five Great Families would be outer disciples. Even if they became outer sect elders, their status would still be slightly inferior to that of inner disciples.

Wang Qi was a Third Generation Vermilion Bird. Even after leaving the Great Soul Arena, he was still a Vermilion Bird. If Lin Yan wanted to rise through the ranks, he could only start with third-generation and first-generation disciples.

Lin Yan could not reach the first-generation core members, so he could only begin with third-generation disciples. Wang Qi was undoubtedly an excellent choice.

Lin Yan did not answer Wang Qi's question and followed beside him as they headed deeper into the outskirts of Blazing Fire Canyon.

As he looked at the injured soul beasts one after another, Wang Qi quickly used the Simulation Panel to examine the effects of their soul skills and their martial soul compatibility.

Soul Beast: Azure Flame Wolf. Age: 380 years. Absorption probability: 100% (unable to absorb). Martial soul compatibility: 43%.

Soul Beast: Explosive Flame Colt. Age: 590 years. Absorption probability: 100% (unable to absorb). Martial soul compatibility: 62%.

Soul Beast: Mutated Magma Snake. Age: 300 years. Absorption probability: 100%. Martial soul compatibility: 72%. Slightly increases cultivation talent.

Soul Beast

Blazing Fire Canyon truly deserved its reputation as a holy land for fire-attribute Soul Masters to obtain soul rings. Never mind whether they had found a suitable one; Wang Qi had already seen three soul beasts that could slightly increase his cultivation speed alone, an average of one per day.

There were even soul beasts with compatibility exceeding 80%. If Wang Qi had not guessed that Lin Yan might need his help someday in the future, he might have chosen his Second Soul Ring long ago.

In the blink of an eye, half a month passed in Blazing Fire Canyon. Wang Qi stood atop a hill and could no longer move.

As he stared into the valley, his eyes gleamed at the sight of an adult-sized, entirely golden Sacred Armor Beetle devouring the eyes of a five-thousand-year Explosive Flame Mammoth.

Soul Beast: Explosive Flame Mammoth. Age: 5,300 years. Absorption probability: 0%. Compatibility: 83%. Slightly increases cultivation talent.

Soul Beast: Mutated Sacred Armor Beetle. Age: 1,800 years. Absorption probability: 0%. Compatibility: 93%. Greatly increases cultivation talent.

As his consciousness touched the martial soul compatibility, Wang Qi entered an illusion. With his Martial Soul Possession activated, the Blazing Humanoid Martial Soul that had absorbed the soul ring of the Mutated Golden Flame Sacred Armor Beetle underwent tremendous changes. The red flames originally coiling around his body turned golden-yellow. A purple soul ring beneath his feet shone brightly, and Wang Qi was instantly engulfed in golden flames.

After the flames receded, Wang Qi's body was covered in a suit of Golden Flame armor formed from Soul Power. Its defensive power, strength, and speed were all enhanced to varying degrees.

It was not over yet. As Wang Qi continuously released Soul Power within the illusion, the muscles on his back began to bulge. His shirt tore apart, and his entire ribcage was covered by a layer of golden armor streaked with orange-red flame patterns.

His strength, speed, and other attributes surged once more. By now, how could Wang Qi not know what had happened?

An External Soul Bone—an External Soul Bone capable of growing alongside a Soul Master until it reached a hundred-thousand-year age.

The illusion dispersed. Wang Qi turned to Lin Yan, pointed at the Mutated Golden Flame Sacred Armor Beetle, and said, "That one. My Second Soul Ring will be this Golden Flame Sacred Beetle."

"A Sacred Armor Beetle? No, this soul beast is not suitable as a Second Soul Ring. If you truly..." Lin Yan shook his head repeatedly as he looked at the nearly dead five-thousand-year Explosive Flame Mammoth beside the Sacred Armor Beetle.

Sacred Armor Beetles were high-grade soul beasts, extremely close to top-grade soul beasts. The Sacred Armor Beetle before them had clearly mutated. The power and aggression of its flames far exceeded those of ordinary Sacred Armor Beetles. It had even killed an Explosive Flame Mammoth of the same grade despite the difference in age. This Sacred Armor Beetle's bloodline had reached at least the level of a top-grade soul beast.

Lin Yan would never allow Wang Qi to risk absorbing a soul ring beyond his age limit, especially one from a top-grade Sacred Armor Beetle.

"Manager Lin, help me capture this Sacred Armor Beetle. As for the absorption, I have my own plans. Don't worry. Afterward, I'll deliver a great contribution to you. We'll split the profits fifty-fifty. How about it?"

"After spending more than half a month with Manager Lin in Blazing Fire Canyon, do you think I would do something reckless?"

Wang Qi's eyes brimmed with fervor and excitement. It was not only because this Golden Flame Sacred Armor Beetle would drop an External Soul Bone, but also because of those three dazzling words after absorbing its soul ring: greatly increases cultivation talent.

A moderate increase in cultivation talent had raised Wang Qi's Innate Soul Power from level 3.9 to level 5.9. What about a major increase in cultivation talent? Would it directly push his Innate Soul Power past level seven, or even to level eight? Perhaps even level nine, something Wang Qi did not even dare imagine?

Ninety-three percent compatibility. Since Wang Qi had transmigrated, this was the only soul beast he had ever seen with compatibility exceeding 90%. How rare was that?

Lin Yan stared silently at the Sacred Armor Beetle before turning back to Wang Qi and asking, "Are you certain you can absorb this Sacred Armor Beetle as your Second Soul Ring? I think it would still be in time to absorb it as your Third Soul Ring."

Hearing Lin Yan's words, Wang Qi shook his head. The data could change. Over the past half month, Wang Qi had seen Mutated Blazing Vines more than once. Even when their age exceeded a thousand years, the suffix indicating an increase in cultivation speed had disappeared.

Wang Qi guessed that as his talent continued to grow, soul beasts with traits that increased talent might become increasingly rare in the future.

Perhaps this meant that if Wang Qi reached level thirty in Soul Power and then absorbed the Mutated Golden Flame Sacred Armor Beetle, it could still improve his talent—but the increase would definitely not compare to what it could provide now.

"I know of a heavenly treasure that can greatly increase the age limit for absorbing soul rings after it is consumed."

"Manager Lin, do you think this contribution could earn us five million Gold Soul Coins at the Great Soul Arena?"

"If I told you that this heavenly treasure is not particularly difficult to obtain right now and is available on the market, do you think this contribution would be worth twenty million Gold Soul Coins?"

"Or do you think I'm the kind of person who jokes around with his own life?"