Ten-Thousand-Year Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear

Even a nine-thousand-nine-hundred-and-ninety-nine-year soul ring, even one just a second away from breaking through to ten thousand years, would not cause a spiritual backlash. As long as one's physique was strong enough, it could be absorbed.

Lin Ming nodded, yet he still did not abandon his decision. "I already had Elder Mu test me. With my current spiritual power, I can withstand a soul ring under twenty thousand years."

Lin Ming's formidable spiritual power was not because he had consumed a heavenly treasure like Tang San's Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew, which could greatly enhance spiritual power. It was simply because he had lived two lives, and his spiritual power had been innately stronger than that of others.

Coupled with the many precious heavenly treasures mixed into his daily meals, it had reached this level.

Since Lin Ming had invoked Mu En, Lin Feng naturally had nothing more to say.

"Fine. Since Elder Mu said so, your grandfather won't say anything more. Have you decided what kind of soul beast you want?"

Lin Ming thought carefully, and a familiar figure surfaced in his mind.

"I choose the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear!" Lin Ming blurted out instinctively.

"What did you say?" Lin Feng asked in disbelief.

"A ten-thousand-year Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear? Do you know what that means?"

The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear was a top-tier soul beast in the Star Dou Great Forest, possessing the formidable ability to fight opponents above its level.

Correspondingly, the soul rings and soul bones they produced far surpassed those dropped by ordinary soul beasts.

"I've made up my mind, Grandpa. I want a Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, at the ten-thousand-year level!"

Lin Ming's idea had not come from nowhere. For his fourth soul ring, and also his first ten-thousand-year soul ring, he had long considered it in his mind.

As for why he had chosen the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, on one hand, it was because this soul beast was exceptionally powerful. On the other hand, it had to do with one of the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's nicknames.

The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear had a nickname: the Dark Gold Bone-Exploding Bear. As the name implied, its drop rate was truly high.

Seeing Lin Ming's determined expression, Lin Feng let out a soft sigh and shook his head. "Fine, fine. Since it's your choice, your grandfather respects it."

Not far from where the grandfather and grandson flew, a figure reeking of alcohol followed them at a suitable distance.

"A ten-thousand-year Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear. That kid really has some nerve."

As Xuan Zi spoke, he raised the wine gourd in his hand and took a huge swig.

He had originally intended to find Lin Ming to study new recipes, but then he heard that Lin Ming was going to obtain his fourth soul ring. Xuan Zi also happened to be planning to go to the Star Dou Great Forest to stock up on ingredients, so he came along with the grandfather and grandson.

Xuan Zi was a level ninety-eight Super Douluo. With Lin Feng's level ninety-four cultivation, there was no way he could detect Xuan Zi following them.

Xuan Zi strolled leisurely along the ground. With every step, he shot forward a great distance, following the grandfather and grandson at an unhurried pace.

In less than a day, Lin Feng brought Lin Ming to the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Since their target this time was a top-tier soul beast like the ten-thousand-year Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, one capable of rivaling a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, encountering one in the outskirts was practically impossible.

Lin Feng did not linger and immediately led Lin Ming toward the deepest part of the Mixed Zone, in the direction of the Core Zone.

Along the way, adhering to the principle of not killing indiscriminately, Lin Feng merely released the pressure of a Title Douluo whenever he encountered weak soul beasts, frightening them away.

If they truly came across stubborn fools unafraid of death, Lin Feng usually chose only to take a detour and leave them behind.

But Xuan Zi, who followed behind them, did not behave that way. If he saw one with tasty meat, he took it down directly. If the meat was no good, he sent it flying with a slap.

In Xuan Zi's words, "I kill soul beasts to eat meat, not for soul rings or soul bones. Soul beasts are allowed to eat other soul beasts, but I'm not allowed to eat soul beasts?"

With such crooked reasoning, his actions turned from indiscriminate slaughter into foraging. He had merely compared himself to a newborn calf that feared no tiger.

An hour later, the grandfather and grandson reached the deepest part of the Mixed Zone.

Here, nearly every soul beast that appeared had at least ten thousand years of cultivation. Lin Feng no longer dared advance quickly, since he still had to protect Lin Ming.

With Lin Feng's current strength, he could contend with a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. But if he faced several soul beasts above fifty thousand years at once, he would struggle somewhat, not to mention having to protect Lin Ming.

Therefore, after entering the depths of the Mixed Zone, Lin Feng became cautious and vigilant.

His spiritual power slowly spread through the surroundings as he carefully searched for the target of their journey.

Watching from the shadows, Xuan Zi shook his head. "That kid Lin Feng is just too cautious. Let this old man lend them a hand."

Whenever Xuan Zi wanted to help, trouble was bound to follow.

As a peak level ninety-eight Super Douluo, Xuan Zi's spiritual power was immensely powerful. Its range, once spread out, surpassed Lin Feng's by an unknown amount.

He easily found a Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear nest somewhere deep in the Mixed Zone.

Half an hour later.

Just as Lin Feng and Lin Ming were still searching with difficulty.

"Roar!!!"

An enraged soul beast's roar came from the distance. Lin Feng focused his gaze and saw three enormous figures rushing toward them.

They were three bears, towering like small mountains, their muscles bulging all over. Most importantly, they had brown fur patterned with dark golden markings, along with incomparably sharp, incredibly long golden claws.

Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bears, kings among soul beasts, beings that could stand against Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts once they reached ten thousand years.

And now, three of them had appeared before them at once, their eyes red as they rampaged.

"This is bad. Ten-thousand-year Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bears. They seem to have been enraged, and their cultivation levels aren't low. Each is at least over ten thousand years."

Lin Feng furrowed his brow.

Under normal circumstances, as a level ninety-four Title Douluo, facing three ten-thousand-year Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bears would at most leave him feeling strained. It was not as if he could not defeat them.

But things were different now. Lin Ming was beside him, and he had to fight while ensuring Lin Ming's safety. That was the hardest part.

With his grandson at his side, Lin Feng simply could not unleash his full strength.

Ten-thousand-year Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bears were already terrifyingly powerful. Now that Lin Feng could not use his full strength, taking on three at once was truly difficult.

At that moment, Xuan Zi was leisurely drinking atop a large tree.

"I brought three of them over at once so they can pick whichever they like. They'll definitely thank this old man."

That was right. Xuan Zi had lured these three Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bears over.

All three were between ten thousand and twenty thousand years old, making them highly suitable for Lin Ming.

But Xuan Zi had not considered whether Lin Feng had the strength to restrain all three at once.

Lin Feng was not like him, a Super Douluo, and a top-tier level ninety-eight Super Douluo at that.

Lin Feng possessed only level ninety-four strength. Even if he used everything he had learned in his life, he could at most barely display the strength of level ninety-five. But with Lin Ming beside him, he could not fight without restraint.