Years Later: An Encounter in Star Dou Forest—Ink Jade Bamboo

Several months ago, Chu Chen's Soul Power had already reached level forty. However, considering that graduation was approaching and that he intended to further refine the Great Desolation Scripture and his physical cultivation, he postponed obtaining his Spirit Ring.

Thus, several months later, Chu Chen arrived at Star Dou Forest!

To reach Heaven Dou City, he would inevitably have to pass through Star Dou Forest, which was why he had delayed it until now.

"Life Attribute Spirit Beasts are far too scarce... And after searching all this way, I've only found low-year ones..."

Chu Chen walked alone through Star Dou Forest.

He had long since completed his transformation. The past several years had remade him entirely, and the Life Aura of the Blue Silver Emperor constantly influenced him.

Even in height alone, he could rival some adults. His lean, tall frame appeared slender, yet it was packed with muscle and exuded power.

"That Dean of Nuoding Academy really was something. He insisted on naming me an outstanding graduate and even put me on the honor roll..."

Chu Chen recalled the smiling face of Nuoding Academy's Dean from several months earlier and could not help feeling both amused and exasperated.

Ever since he had met the Dean when he first enrolled, the Dean had taken exceptional care of Chu Chen over the past six years. Not only had he exempted Chu Chen from his Work-Study Student duties, but he often personally took him out to eat as well...

Over time, their relationship became so good that Yu Xiaogang was jealous to the point of tears.

Chu Chen had also noticed more than once the subtle relationship between the Dean and Yu Xiaogang, so he curiously asked whether Yu Xiaogang was truly the Dean's friend...

The answer he received was...

A friend only for appearances' sake...

Chu Chen had been speechless for an entire day...

"..."

Coming back to his senses, Chu Chen had now entered a relatively deep region of Star Dou Forest. Along the way, he had indeed encountered Life Attribute Spirit Beasts.

However, those Spirit Beasts were too weak, so Chu Chen simply ignored them.

Thus, Chu Chen chose the same method: searching for places with dense Life Aura. There, he would usually find Spirit Beasts with higher cultivation that were best suited to the Blue Silver Emperor!

After searching for a long time, he finally found something.

Chu Chen arrived at a swamp brimming with vigorous life force. Many Spirit Beasts lived here, including quite a few Ten Thousand Year Spirit Beasts.

Chu Chen looked around, hoping to find one suited to him.

"This... this is Ink Jade Bamboo?! I knew of an Ink Jade Bamboo growing at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, but I never expected... to see one here in Star Dou Forest as well."

Chu Chen was overjoyed. This Ink Jade Bamboo was clearly one of the Spirit Beasts best suited to the Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul!

"What is going on with this Ink Jade Bamboo..."

Chu Chen landed some distance away and quietly watched the Ink Jade Bamboo before him. It was not difficult to determine its cultivation.

Although this special Spirit Beast was black as ink on the surface and gleamed like jade, every time its stalk grew to nine sections, it underwent a rebirth. Afterward, the color of its leaf tips would undergo a special change!

In Chu Chen's estimation, this Ink Jade Bamboo might possess a cultivation of nearly eighteen thousand years!

"Ink Jade Bamboo with eighteen thousand years of cultivation is somewhat short of the twenty-thousand-year Spirit Ring I envisioned, but it's acceptable..."

The moment he approached the Ink Jade Bamboo, Chu Chen sensed a surging life force erupt.

Boom!

Afterimages burst forth. Bamboo blades filled the sky, slicing through the air and blasting toward Chu Chen with terrifying piercing force, descending in an overwhelming storm.

Chu Chen's expression changed. As he retreated, the Blue Silver Emperor burst from the ground and formed a wall that blocked the Ink Jade Bamboo's attack. The rain of bamboo blades lasted a long time and carried immense power.

"What an Ink Jade Bamboo. Its bamboo blade attacks alone are already so fierce, and they even carry a Life Attribute."

Chu Chen was exceptionally sensitive to the Life Attribute!

Ink Jade Bamboo itself was not considered a Life Attribute Spirit Beast. What it excelled at was its indestructible defense.

Its powerful defensive ability could even unleash a special rebounding attack, fully enhancing both its attack and defense. Moreover, Ink Jade Bamboo itself could launch both group and single-target attacks.

Boom!

The bamboo blades dissipated, and the Ink Jade Bamboo stood proudly ahead, incomparably aloof, as though its earlier attack had merely been a warning to Chu Chen.

At this moment, Chu Chen's heart was filled with excitement.

This swamp was extraordinarily unusual and seemed to naturally contain Life Aura, benefiting countless Spirit Beasts. This Ink Jade Bamboo was clearly one of them!

While retaining Ink Jade Bamboo's ultimate defensive power, it had deeply rooted itself underground and mutated to possess a powerful Life Attribute.

No matter how he looked at it, this was the Fourth Spirit Ring best suited to Chu Chen.

"Today, I'll take you as my Fourth Spirit Ring!"

Chu Chen laughed. With a thought, Blue Silver Emperors shot forward one after another, while Blue-Gold Radiance rippled outward like waves and swept toward the Ink Jade Bamboo.

Whoosh!

The Blue Silver Emperors tore through the air. Then, the Blue Silver Emperor in Chu Chen's hand rapidly condensed into a great blade. He charged forward with it in hand, Blue Silver Emperors circling around him and continuously covering his advance.

The Ink Jade Bamboo erupted with another attack. Its resilient stalk bent slightly as peculiar currents condensed into bamboo leaves. The leaves appeared in the air, and as the Ink Jade Bamboo's stalk rebounded, their power stacked together.

The bamboo leaves poured down, covering every direction in attack!

That berserk assault rained down on Chu Chen like falling petals battered by a storm, while he seized the chance to unleash his First Spirit Ability.

First Spirit Ability, Life Streamer!

The Light of Life protected Chu Chen. Facing the Ink Jade Bamboo's attack head-on, he swung the Blue Silver Emperor great blade down.

With a loud thud, not only did the Ink Jade Bamboo suffer no significant damage, but it rebounded Chu Chen's force. A tremendous force surged back, nearly making him lose his grip on the blade.

That strike had only left a tiny mark!

"Damn... As expected of Ink Jade Bamboo. What terrifying defense..."

Chu Chen cursed under his breath as an invisible Life Magnetic Field spread outward. This was his Second Spirit Ability: Life Deprivation!

Affected by Life Deprivation, the Ink Jade Bamboo's movements slowed. Blue Silver Emperors swiftly wrapped around its entire body, unleashing their life-draining ability.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Chu Chen attacked again. The Blue Silver Emperor great blade swept sideways as he gathered Life Energy in his hand and charged toward the Ink Jade Bamboo with the strength of his powerful body!

Only now did Chu Chen's battle fully reveal the undying, indestructible vitality of the Blue Silver Emperor.

An endless stream of Blue Silver Emperors contained surging life force. They possessed neither ultimate attack nor ultimate defense; what they relied upon was simply pure vitality.

Unending and ceaseless!

"Third Spirit Ability, Life Primordial Matrix!" Chu Chen shouted, revealing for the first time his current strongest ability—and also his first Ten-thousand-year Spirit Ability!

Blue-Gold Light descended from high above and formed a matrix, flowing with the Light of Life of the stars as it enveloped the Ink Jade Bamboo.