Suotuo City Great Soul Arena Combat, Qian Renxue Returns to Spirit Hall

The life of a Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear—its battles, its hunts, the strength and will it had accumulated over ten thousand years.

All of it transformed into streams of information that flowed into Gu Linyuan's mind like trickling rivulets.

He saw the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear growing up in a primeval forest. He saw it battle powerful foes time and again, and he saw its terrifying claws tear apart every enemy that stood in its way.

Then he understood.

What soul skill this Soul Ring would grant him.

The black Soul Ring completely merged into the Scepter of Destruction.

Beneath the purple Soul Ring, an additional ring of black light slowly pulsed.

Two rings.

One thousand years old, and one ten thousand years old.

Gu Linyuan closed his eyes and felt the surging Soul Power within his body.

Rank twenty-one.

Rank twenty-two.

Rank twenty-three.

Rank twenty-five.

Rank twenty-six.

Rank twenty-seven.

Gu Linyuan's cultivation rose steadily, finally stopping firmly at the threshold of rank twenty-seven.

Gu Linyuan opened his eyes. His pitch-black pupils were deeper and brighter than before.

He lowered his head and looked at his left hand.

At the instant the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear's Soul Ring merged with him, he had also sensed another force.

It was the most precious part of the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear—not its Soul Ring, but its bones.

Seventy percent of the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear's essence lay in its forepaws.

At that moment, the strength of the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear's left forepaw had transformed into a piece of dark-gold bone and fused into his left hand.

Dark Gold Dreadclaw Left Palm Bone.

An External Soul Bone!

Gu Linyuan raised his left hand and spread his five fingers.

He could feel that the dark-gold bone had perfectly fused with the bones of his hand, becoming part of his body.

As long as he wished, his left hand could instantly transform into the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear's claws, powerful enough to tear through anything.

A thousand-year Soul Ring, a ten-thousand-year Soul Ring, and an External Soul Bone.

All of it felt like a dream.

"So soon, I've already broken through to rank twenty-seven? How fast..."

Gu Linyuan murmured.

He thought of how Ning Rongrong had only been rank twenty-six when he left the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Back then, Ning Rongrong had called herself a genius and thought of herself as a heavenly dragon.

But now, after only a few days, his cultivation had broken through to rank twenty-seven.

His cultivation was already one rank higher than Ning Rongrong's.

Although he had never taken his relationship with Ning Rongrong to heart, he still couldn't help feeling an indescribable exhilaration as he sensed the surging Soul Power within him.

It had taken Ning Rongrong six years of cultivation to reach that level, while he had surpassed her in a mere few days.

Moreover, his cultivation was no longer far behind Tang San's.

His strength had far exceeded the standard this world defined for geniuses.

Even against a Spirit King, Gu Linyuan would be capable of fighting if he went all out!

The Destruction attribute, a ten-thousand-year Soul Ring, and the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Left Palm Bone—stacked together, even Gu Linyuan found it difficult to imagine how powerful he was now.

"How do you feel?"

The Goddess of Life's voice sounded beside him, gentle and concerned.

Gu Linyuan stood up, stretched his muscles and bones, and felt the power surging within his body.

"Very good."

He looked at his mother, the corners of his lips curving slightly upward.

"Better than ever."

The Goddess of Life smiled, her expression full of relief and pride.

She reached out and gently brushed a fallen leaf from Gu Linyuan's shoulder.

"That's good."

"But Yuan'er, your current strength still isn't enough."

Her voice was soft, yet carried a gravity that could not be ignored.

"This continent is far more complicated than you imagine. Spirit Hall, the two great empires, the various sects... undercurrents are surging, and the tides of power are constantly shifting."

"But before you truly grow strong, Mother will always protect you."

She had originally intended to arrange for a Second-Class God to descend and protect Gu Linyuan personally, but after thinking it over, she gave up on the idea.

Excessive pampering would do nothing to aid Gu Linyuan's growth.

This world was perfectly suited to serve as his whetstone.

Especially Tang San. Since he had been able to force Xiao Zi into such a state tens of thousands of years later, his talent and strength were certainly extraordinary.

If Yuan'er could suppress him through his own strength, it would greatly benefit his future cultivation.

Gu Linyuan looked into his mother's gentle green eyes, and warmth welled up in his heart.

He wanted to say that he didn't need protection and could rely on himself.

But he didn't say it.

Because he knew that this was his mother's heartfelt wish.

The heartfelt wish of a mother who had waited countless years and had finally gotten to see her child.

"Okay."

He nodded, his voice very soft.

"Then I'll trouble you, Mother."

Moonlight flowed like water over the Soul Hunting Forest.

A sprig of Blue Silver Grass, brought forth by the Goddess of Life's divine power, swayed gently beside Gu Linyuan's feet.

A dewdrop hung from the leaves of the Blue Silver Grass, sparkling with crystalline light beneath the moon.

Like a tear. Or like a star.

"Yuan'er, I'm leaving first. If I stay too long, Xiao Zi will start to worry."

"Next time we meet, I'll bring her here. Then, when you face Tang San, Yuan'er, you'll have another trump card."

As the Goddess of Life finished speaking, her figure turned into specks of green light. Wrapped around the sprig of Blue Silver Grass, they vanished without a trace.

Watching the Goddess of Life leave, Gu Linyuan's gaze gradually sharpened.

"Whew."

"My cultivation has broken through to rank twenty-seven."

"And I can still feel quite a bit of Soul Ring energy left in my body that I haven't fully refined. Once it's completely refined, I should be able to break through again."

"I should be able to break through to Soul Elder very soon."

Gu Linyuan spoke in a low voice.

The power contained within the Ten-Thousand-Year Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear far exceeded Gu Linyuan's expectations.

That vast energy was enough to push him toward rank thirty.

"But after years of accumulation, it's only natural for my cultivation to advance a little faster now."

Although Gu Linyuan's cultivation had not broken through during those years, the strength of his body had visibly improved.

After all, the powers of life and Destruction had been constantly tearing apart and remodeling his flesh. It would have been strange if he weren't strong.

Now that he had absorbed a thousand-year Soul Ring and a ten-thousand-year Soul Ring, and also possessed the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear Palm Bone—the standard equipment of a powerhouse—it was only natural for his cultivation to rise more than usual.

"If nothing unexpected happens, I should be able to break through to Soul Elder in two or three months."

"But advancing too quickly in cultivation can indeed plant hidden dangers for my future progress. If I want to solidify my foundation, ordinary cultivation methods won't be enough."

"For now, I'll go train in the Soul Fighting Arena."

Gu Linyuan took a deep breath.

The Soul Fighting Arena was indeed a place where one could rapidly stabilize one's cultivation.

Practical combat was always the most plain and effective method of cultivation.

With the Source of Life protecting his body, he could fight without restraint and had no need to worry about suffering any hidden physical injuries from battle.

Spirit Hall.

After leaving the Soul Hunting Forest, Qian Renxue did not return to Heaven Dou City. Instead, she headed straight for Spirit City.

She wanted to ask her grandfather exactly who that woman was.

Qian Renxue told Qian Daoliu everything that had happened from beginning to end.

"Xue'er, are you telling the truth? You really encountered a god from the God Realm?"

Qian Daoliu's murky eyes instantly cleared, and he asked in disbelief.

"Mm."

"Then you must have encountered the Goddess of Life." Based on Qian Renxue's description, Qian Daoliu quickly identified the Goddess of Life.

After all, there were only two goddesses in the entire God Realm with such strength. And among the deities who governed life, there was only one.

"Grandfather, are you willing to tell me something about the God Realm now? What rank does the Goddess of Life hold in the God Realm?" Qian Renxue looked at her grandfather with beautiful, curious eyes. Could Gu Linyuan's parents really be God Kings?

"Actually, my understanding of the God Realm isn't poor. It's just that after the Capital of Slaughter appeared, our Qian Clan's ancestors asked the Angel God about its origins. That was how we learned about the Asura God and the other four God Kings..."

"The Goddess of Life governs creation and life, and is the most respected God King. The God of Destruction governs Destruction and is the strongest God King in the God Realm, even surpassing the Asura God. The Goddess of Life and the God of Destruction love each other. If Gu Linyuan is the Goddess of Life's child, then he is also the offspring of the God King of Destruction..."

Gu Linyuan's mother, the Goddess of Life, governed life and was the most respected deity!

And his father, the God of Destruction, was the most powerful deity in the God Realm, the one who held supreme authority!

What kind of heaven-defying background was this?

Gu Linyuan was already so powerful, so why had he come down to the lower realm?

If some woman really got together with that fellow, wouldn't it be easy for his parents to arrange a First-Class Godhood for her? Maybe she could even choose whichever Godhood she wanted.

The moment she thought of the Godhood she had sought throughout her life, yet which some people could obtain with a single gesture, she suddenly felt completely numb.

"Xue'er, you must befriend him. With his help, your chances of inheriting the Angel God King's Godhood will increase infinitely."

"Moreover, if you truly become the new Angel God in the future, befriending Gu Linyuan will mean that you have connections in the God Realm."

Qian Daoliu took a deep breath.

Previously, he had estimated that Qian Renxue's chances of inheriting the Angel God's Godhood were only around ten percent. Qian Renxue's talent was indeed high, but throughout history, none of the many geniuses of the Qian Clan had ever succeeded.

But with Gu Linyuan's help, success would practically be guaranteed.

Of course, it would still depend on the circumstances. If she and Gu Linyuan were merely ordinary friends, her chances of becoming a god would only increase by ten or twenty percent. If they became close friends, she would have a fifty-percent chance. If she could form a romantic bond with Gu Linyuan, then it would practically be one hundred percent.

If Xue'er went to see the Goddess of Life with a swollen belly, then for the sake of her grandchild, the Goddess would surely give Xue'er a Godhood to inherit.

This was more than a shortcut. It was a road reaching straight to the heavens.

However, Qian Daoliu could not say these things outright. As her grandfather, he could only offer veiled hints and hope that this girl, Xue'er, would not act foolishly.

"Grandfather, I understand."

Qian Renxue gently stroked her violently heaving chest and spoke in a low voice.

She knew that her heart was already in turmoil.

I'm such a wicked woman. I actually want to do something like that just for the sake of a Godhood...