A Six-Hundred-Year Sub-Dragon for His First Spirit Ring? Old Poison: Are You Crazy? I Was Getting Ready to Bury You

On Saturday morning, an unremarkable carriage stood outside Heaven Dou Royal Academy. But anyone with a discerning eye would have noticed that the horse pulling it was a Wind-Chasing Colt with the bloodline of a Hundred-Year Soul Beast. The discreet green snake emblem on the carriage was enough to make any noble give it a wide berth.

"Move it. Quit dawdling around like a girl."

Dugu Bo's impatient voice came from inside the carriage.

Yu Tianyu tossed his backpack into the carriage, hopped in with practiced ease, and plopped down beside Dugu Yan. Grinning at Dugu Bo, he said, "Old Poison, you're in quite a temper this early in the morning. Didn't sleep well last night? Is the poison attacking your heart, or are the soles of your feet itching again?"

Dugu Bo's eye twitched violently. He fought the urge to slap the boy to death, then snorted and closed his eyes.

Dugu Yan blushed and edged a little closer to Yu Tianyu. "Are you really sure you can do this? We're going deep into Sunset Forest."

"Don't worry." Yu Tianyu casually pulled an apple from his backpack and took a bite. "To me, that place is an all-you-can-eat buffet."

The carriage sped along, soon leaving Heaven Dou City behind and entering the lush, verdant Sunset Forest.

Two hours later.

The three of them stood before a valley surrounded by a dense poisonous miasma. This was Dugu Bo's lair, and the location of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.

"Kid, I laid the Jade Phosphorus Snake Poison Array in this miasma." Dugu Bo pointed at the dark-green fog ahead, a gleeful smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You may have absorbed a little of Yan Yan's poison the other day, but the concentration here is a hundred times stronger. Without my antidote, even a Soul Grandmaster would dissolve into a puddle of pus. So? Beg me, and I'll give you the antidote."

He wanted to see this arrogant brat give in for once.

But Yu Tianyu merely shrugged and strode straight into the poisonous fog.

"Beg you? No need."

Dugu Bo froze. He was just about to reach out and grab him when he saw something that made him question everything he knew.

Yu Tianyu walked into the fog and not only didn't hold his breath, but took a deep breath instead, his face filling with bliss.

"Haa—ah—"

Yu Tianyu opened his mouth and inhaled like a whale swallowing water. The thick poisonous fog around him formed a vortex and rushed into his mouth and nostrils!

Every cell in his body seemed to cheer, and the faint Poison Dragon factor within him began to dance with delight.

"It's a little bitter, but there's plenty of it, and it's filling." Yu Tianyu turned back and gave the dumbfounded Dugu Bo a thumbs-up. "Old Poison, this security array of yours is just an appetizer to me. Thanks for the meal."

Dugu Bo's hand hung frozen in midair. His mouth twitched. "Monster... You're a complete and utter monster!"

Dugu Yan covered her mouth and giggled. Seeing her grandfather get put in his place was strangely satisfying.

Beyond the Poison Array, the view opened up all at once.

The dark forest gave way to an inverted-cone-shaped valley. At its center lay a strange hot spring, bubbling away.

One half was a milky-white cold spring, radiating bone-chilling cold; the other was a crimson hot spring, bubbling with scorching heat. The two utterly opposing forces met at the spring's center without interfering with each other, maintaining a delicate balance.

Countless exotic flowers and herbs grew around the spring. Yu Tianyu couldn't name them all, but their rich spiritual energy alone told him they were priceless treasures.

"The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well..."

Looking at the astonishing sight, Yu Tianyu made no effort to hide the greed in his eyes. This wasn't just an herb garden—it was a gold mine waiting to be developed!

His gaze immediately settled on the two Immortal Herbs at the center of the spring: the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the Infernal Delicate Apricot.

One was white, the other red, and both radiated a deadly allure.

"What, stunned by the sight?" Dugu Bo sneered. "Pick whatever herbs you like, but I'll make this clear: if you can't cure our poison, I'll toss you into that spring and boil you alive."

Yu Tianyu tore his gaze away and shook his head. "I can't eat those two just yet."

He knew his limits. Though his Dragon Slayer Magic physique was powerful, he still hadn't obtained his First Spirit Ring. His physical abilities were still at the "mortal" stage. If he devoured those two Immortal Herbs of Ultimate Attribute now, there was a good chance he'd explode.

"I need to get a Spirit Ring first." Yu Tianyu turned toward the forest behind them. "I need to strengthen my body and improve my resistance. Only then will I be able to withstand that kind of medicinal power."

"A Spirit Ring?" Dugu Bo frowned. "This is Sunset Forest. There are plenty of Soul Beasts, but few that suit you. What are you after? A three- or four-hundred-year Fire Dragon?"

The Soul Master World generally recognized 423 years as the limit for a First Spirit Ring.

"No."

Yu Tianyu's eyes blazed as he pointed toward a pool outside the valley. "When we passed by earlier, I smelled something fishy. There's a big one over there."

"If I'm not mistaken, it's an Iron-Armored Poison Flood Dragon of around six hundred years."

Dugu Bo's expression changed. He looked at Yu Tianyu as if he were insane. "Six hundred years? And a flood dragon, at that? Kid, has the poison rotted your brain?"

"The limit for a First Spirit Ring is around four hundred years. And whatever else you say, that so-called Grandmaster's theory is right about that. Besides, Flood Dragon Soul Beasts carry the bloodline of the dragon clan. Their physical strength is terrifying, and their resentment is even stronger. Absorbing its Spirit Ring would be harder than absorbing that of an ordinary thousand-year Soul Beast!"

"If you're looking to get yourself killed, don't drag me into it! I don't want to bury you!"

Even Dugu Yan panicked. She grabbed Yu Tianyu's sleeve. "Tianyu! Don't be reckless! Six hundred years is way too much!"

"Yu Xiaogang's theory?"

Yu Tianyu gave a disdainful snort. "That's because he's a useless man. The theories he came up with are limits for ordinary people."

"But I'm here to break limits."

"If a Dragon Slayer Mage can't handle a half-blood Flood Dragon, what's the point of talking about slaying dragons?"

With that, he ignored their protests and headed straight for the pool.

"Crazy... You're completely insane!" Dugu Bo was so furious his mustache bristled, but he still followed. "Fine! I'll watch you die! When you explode, I'll chop you up and use you for fertilizer!"

Beside the Black Water Pool.

A giant beast over five meters long lay on the bank, basking in the sun. Its entire body was covered in iron-gray scales, a single horn grew from its head, and two claws sprouted from its belly. A nauseating stench radiated from it.

The Iron-Armored Poison Flood Dragon had a cultivation of six hundred and twenty years. It possessed extremely powerful defenses and poison attacks, making it the nightmare of any Spirit Master at the same level.

"Roar—!"

Sensing the humans, the Iron-Armored Poison Flood Dragon jerked its head up, its vertical pupils glittering with menace. It could sense an aura on the blue-haired human before it that it found utterly repulsive.

The aura of a natural enemy!

"Not bad. Those scales are hard. They'll be perfect for strengthening my defense."

Yu Tianyu rolled his wrists. Without wasting a word, he pushed off the ground and shot forward like a cannonball.

"Fire Dragon's—Iron Fist!"

Red flames instantly enveloped his fist as he slammed it into the Iron-Armored Poison Flood Dragon's head with unstoppable force.

"Thud!"

The dull impact sent the Iron-Armored Poison Flood Dragon's head lurching to one side, and several scales flew off. But it was still a Sub-Dragon species, with astonishingly tough defenses. After taking the blow, it angrily swung its tail at Yu Tianyu with a howling rush of wind.

"What tough hide!"

Yu Tianyu used the force to leap backward and dodged the sweeping tail, but the gust it kicked up still stung his cheeks.

"So this is a six-hundred-year Flood Dragon? It's definitely a lot stronger than that useless senior in the cafeteria."

But the fighting spirit in his eyes only burned brighter.

"Fire Dragon's—Roar!"

Yu Tianyu cupped his hands around his mouth, took a deep breath, then unleashed it in a blast!

Boom!

A massive pillar of fire swept out, and the heat instantly evaporated the water around the pool.

Though the Iron-Armored Poison Flood Dragon had strong defenses, it was a water-and-poison type and naturally feared fire. Struck head-on by flames imbued with dragon might, it let out a piercing shriek, its scales glowing red-hot.

"Now!"

While its vision was obscured, Yu Tianyu closed in again. Rather than use any fancy techniques, he simply leapt onto the Flood Dragon's neck!

"Get down!"

His fists rained down, every punch carrying explosive flames and crushing force.

"Dragon Slayer Secret Art: Crimson Lotus Explosive Flame Blade!" (Simplified version)

Though he still had no Spirit Ring and couldn't unleash the true Secret Art, his Dragon Slayer Magic gave him a special "critical hit bonus" against dragon creatures. With that, he beat the six-hundred-year behemoth into a bloody mess.