Lin wasn't greedy either. Mainly because he couldn't absorb all the energy at once.
He would still need energy for further evolution, and Xiao Xiao didn't want to use it all up.
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion didn't object either. It crouched obediently beside her, its big eyes fixed on Xiao Xiao.
It seemed to be saying, "I want it. I want that energy."
Lin smiled and looked at Red King. "Red King, I'll take the energy first. Don't rush. Nothing will happen."
Red King nodded, thinking it over with its three heads and finding his words reasonable.
"Fine, I'll wait."
"You're a friend of the Rui Beast. I trust you, and this is the respect I should show."
Red King understood.
Lin didn't mind. He pretended to draw a strand of energy from his hand, though he had actually taken it out of his storage ring.
The energy gathered in Xiao Xiao's hand, sealed by Lin's superior energy.
Red King sensed it and found nothing strange. "Your energy has a very high quality, but there's too little of it. It's useless to me."
"If I had your level of strength, I'd think this little energy was useless too."
Lin smiled and handed the energy in his palm to the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion shook its head. A thread of brilliant golden energy emerged from the center of its brow, and its eyes released a faint golden glow.
The energy Lin had delivered was wrapped in the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's energy. Seeing this, Xiao Xiao drew out four more strands.
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion repeated the process, wrapping up all four strands and happily storing them away. It looked at Xiao Xiao with satisfaction.
"Roar, roar." Looking at Xiao Xiao, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion cried out again.
Red King rolled its eyes. "Rui Beast, what kind of soul ring do you need? I'll catch one for you right now."
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion was truly trusted.
Lin fell silent and carefully sensed his martial soul.
"A roughly fifteen-hundred-year-old Black Tiger-type dragon Soul Beast."
"That will do."
Lin wasn't sure whether he could absorb a soul ring with so many years behind it, but he knew he needed to cultivate Soul Power.
During evolution, the amount of superior Soul Power he could absorb would not be that great.
But there was still a limit. Fifteen hundred years was what Lao Yao had told him. Otherwise, he would have wanted to try two thousand years.
Dragon-type Soul Beasts were of very high rank. A thousand-year soul ring contained far more Soul Power than an ordinary Soul Beast's.
"You really aren't polite, kid."
"A dragon-type soul ring? You've got quite the appetite. Aren't you afraid Di Tian will come looking for trouble?"
Red King teased Xiao Xiao.
Lin grinned. "Didn't you ask me to choose? Don't tell me the mighty Red King is going to haggle with a ten-rank Soul Master like me."
"Hmph, how could that be? Just wait. Watch over the Rui Beast, and I'll be right back."
Red King snorted coldly. This human actually dared to look down on it. How infuriating!
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion also let out a laugh, then leaped onto Lin's shoulder and lay against his neck to rest.
She seemed to like the scent of the energy on Lin's body.
Less than three minutes later, Red King returned, dragging back a huge black dragon.
"Kid, hurry up and absorb it. Hmph!"
Red King was thoroughly disdainful.
But before Lin could kill the giant dragon himself, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion acted. She strode proudly up to the dragon, pointed at Lin, and roared a few times.
Lin blinked. Was this little fellow telling the dragon to sacrifice itself to him?
"Wait, Rui Beast, are you asking it to sacrifice itself to me?"
Lin quickly stopped her.
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion nodded. Lin's eyes lit up, and he immediately said, "Then... how about this? I can choose another soul ring. Since it's a sacrifice, fifteen hundred years seems a little low."
"I'm telling you, kid, don't push your luck. Dragon-type soul rings are extremely rare."
"If you want one with even more years, dream on."
"No way!"
Red King directly spoke up to stop him. Humans were indeed greedy. It had no idea whether the Rui Beast making friends with him was a good thing or a bad thing.
Lin grinned. Forget it. There'll be plenty of time later. I'll fleece you next time.
Lin could also tell that Red King was unhappy, so he didn't keep pushing.
Fifteen hundred years it was, then. If he'd known, he would have asked for a stronger one from the start.
A miscalculation. Lin sighed inwardly.
The next moment, the giant dragon let out a mournful roar and sacrificed itself to Lin.
Because it was a sacrifice, the Soul Power was much gentler.
Lin didn't hesitate and immediately began evolving. The Three-Eyed Golden Lion, having used up her energy again, promptly ran to Lin's side and enjoyed the warmth.
Red King watched with a dazed expression, suspicion filling its eyes. Its three heads were nearly tangled in thought. Forget it. If I keep thinking, I'm going to get a headache.
After a long while, Lin finally woke from his cultivation.
A dark purple radiance shone around Lin, and a purple soul ring rose beneath his feet.
"Rui Beast, stay back a little."
Lin spoke, and in the next instant, his voice rang out. "First Soul Skill: Dark Domain!"
As soon as the Soul Skill appeared, darkness instantly enveloped a three-meter radius around Lin. Lin's strength immediately increased by thirty percent, and his attacks gained a corrosive effect.
He felt that his current self, combined with the Six Stages of Heaven-Shattering, could completely stand against a thousand-year Soul Beast.
Now, his Soul Power evolution could speed up again.
Red King sensed the darkness and clicked its tongue twice. "Kid, aren't you afraid people will mistake you for an evil Soul Master?"
(P.S.: The reason for giving Black Tiger a dark attribute is that the author wanted to bring out Bai Hu Jing's presence later. Besides, strength itself has no inherent good or evil. Wasn't Shi Luo Ke always saying that? Huo Yuhao said the same thing.)
"By your logic, Di Tian is dark too. Does that mean humans should kill him?"
(P.S.: The author later corrected the protagonist's wording. It was around Chapter 22.)
Lin replied irritably. This fellow really didn't know how to speak.
Red King scratched its head. What he said seemed to make sense, but why did it still feel unpleasant?
"I can't be bothered with you. Hmph."
Red King didn't say anything more to Lin.
Lin withdrew his Soul Skill and martial soul, then reached out and picked up the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.
"I'm leaving. If I don't return in three months—"
"Then this deal will be postponed indefinitely. Is that acceptable?"
Lin rubbed the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's belly and spoke gently.
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion nodded. "Roar, roar."
Red King rolled its eyes. "The Rui Beast says that's fine."
"And don't go bothering those weaker Soul Beasts again."
Lin gave a sheepish smile. "Don't worry."
After handing the Three-Eyed Golden Lion to Red King, Lin turned and left.
After taking two steps, he looked back and said, "Rui Beast, if you want to take human form someday, come find me. I'll give you a name then."
After saying that, Lin left.
The Rui Beast fell into thought. Take human form? Perhaps that was possible.
"That brat actually wants to scheme against the Rui Beast. He really has nerve."
"Next time, I'll make sure to teach him a lesson."
Before Red King could finish, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion had already run away.
Red King shook its head helplessly.
Just as Red King was grumbling, Lao Yao spoke. "Kid, the Rui Beast's third eye contains the power of destiny."
Before you continue