Qian Yu cut him off, his tone calm:
"Leave the small fry to Dong'er and me.
Just keep your eyes on the leader.
An 80,000-year Soul Beast is no small matter. Go all out. If it comes to it, I'll suppress its petrification talent."
Hearing Qian Yu's promise, Dugu Bo's confidence soared, and a feverish fighting spirit blazed in his eyes:
"Thank you, my lord!
This old man is off!"
Before the words had even left his mouth, Dugu Bo leapt into the air, transforming into the phantom of a gigantic Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor as he charged straight into the depths of the poisonous miasma.
Soon, deafening booms and the anguished cries of countless snakes rang out from the valley floor.
Standing beside Qian Yu, Bibi Dong looked down and asked softly:
"Yu-ge, will Senior Dugu have a hard time dealing with an 80,000-year-old Medusa all by himself?"
Qian Yu smiled and answered casually:
"The poison in his body was just refined. Although his Soul Power has reached Level 90, he hasn't fully adapted to his new strength yet.
Let him struggle a little first and draw out his potential. It'll help him form a Soul Core later."
Bibi Dong nodded thoughtfully:
"So that's why you wanted him to use this Medusa to hone his skills."
BOOM—!
As they spoke, a thick pillar of green light burst through the poisonous miasma.
Dugu Bo shot into the sky.
Close behind him came a terrifying giant serpent, over thirty meters long!
Its wild, writhing mane was made up of venomous snakes. A pair of vertical pupils fixed on Dugu Bo as it let out a hair-raising shriek.
At the edge of the valley, countless venomous snakes also surged out like a tide.
Dugu Bo shouted:
"My lord, the beast is out!"
Qian Yu raised his head slightly. Looking at the 80,000-year-old Medusa, which radiated terrifying pressure, he curled his lips into a cold smile:
"Dong'er, get ready to clear out the snakes around us. Think of it as a chance to get familiar with your new Soul Skill."
A spark of excitement flashed in Bibi Dong's eyes:
"Leave it to me, Yu-ge!"
Qian Yu gave a slight nod, then turned his gaze to the Medusa in the air and said coolly:
"Dugu Bo, don't let it release its petrifying beam. Strike its weak spot!"
Qian Yu was about to make his move and suppress the 80,000-year-old Medusa.
But then his brows suddenly furrowed, and his gaze snapped toward a concealed cave deep in the valley.
"Yu-ge, what's wrong?"
Bibi Dong cleared away the venomous snakes swarming toward them with her webs as she turned to ask.
Qian Yu narrowed his eyes and said in a deep voice:
"There's an even stronger Soul Beast aura hidden in that cave.
Judging by the intensity of the fluctuations, it's at least 90,000 years old!"
Dugu Bo drew a sharp breath:
"Over 90,000 years old?!
I've been in the Sunset Forest all this time, and I never sensed it!"
Qian Yu said nothing. Six brilliant golden wings instantly spread behind him as he entered Martial Soul Possession with his Seraphim!
Golden light gathered in his hand, forming a Seraphim Sword wreathed in Holy flames.
"Enough noise."
Qian Yu snorted and casually swung his sword.
A dazzling golden sword beam sliced through the 80,000-year-old Medusa's defenses as easily as a knife through tofu.
It slammed the beast into the ground, spewing blood as it was reduced to its last breath in an instant.
Dugu Bo was overjoyed and hurried forward:
"Thank you, my lord!
I'll kill it and absorb its Soul Ring right away!"
"Wait."
Qian Yu raised a hand to stop Dugu Bo, his gaze still fixed on the cave deep in the valley:
"Don't rush to kill it.
The real one hasn't come out yet."
With that, Qian Yu flicked his hand and sent an even more dazzling golden sword beam roaring toward the concealed cave.
BOOM—!
The cave collapsed in an instant.
A shriek, even sharper than before and filled with boundless pressure, rang across the entire valley.
A terrifying giant serpent, even larger than the 80,000-year-old Medusa, shot into the sky. Its scales were a dark gold.
The poisonous miasma around it churned violently at its appearance.
A flicker of surprise crossed Qian Yu's eyes. Then he smiled faintly:
"So that's it. It's an Empress Medusa that's 98,000 years old.
No wonder the 80,000-year-old one was only guarding the entrance."
"98,000 years!"
Dugu Bo's eyes widened, and his voice trembled with excitement.
Before the Empress Medusa could unleash its power, Qian Yu flashed into existence above its head.
The Seraphim Sword erupted with blinding Holy light and came crashing down with unstoppable force!
BANG—!
In a single exchange,
the Empress Medusa let out a shrill scream as its body plummeted, crashing hard to the ground beside Dugu Bo.
Its bones were shattered throughout its body. It could barely draw breath, let alone exhale, and had completely lost the ability to fight back.
Qian Yu put away the Seraphim Sword and slowly descended, looking calmly at Dugu Bo:
"Forget the 80,000-year-old one.
Absorb this 98,000-year-old Empress Medusa as your ninth Soul Ring."
Dugu Bo looked at the dying Empress Medusa beside him, so excited he could barely speak. He dropped to his knees:
"98,000 years... my lord!
This is a 98,000-year Soul Ring!
The ninth Soul Rings of most Titled Douluo on the mainland aren't even half as old!
I'll repay your immense kindness, even if it costs me my life!"
Qian Yu waved a hand and said calmly:
"Enough. No more chatter.
While it's still alive, hurry up and absorb it. Dong'er and I will guard you."
Dugu Bo took a deep breath, forcing down his elation.
He formed a poisonous blade of Soul Power in his hand and was about to stab the Empress Medusa in a vital spot:
"Yes! I'll send it on its way!"
"Wait."
Just as the blade was about to fall, Qian Yu suddenly spoke up and stopped Dugu Bo.
Dugu Bo froze, then turned with a puzzled look:
"My lord, what is it?"
Qian Yu didn't answer right away. Instead, he looked down at the dying Empress Medusa beneath his feet, a flash of keen interest in his eyes:
"98,000 years is already an exceptional age.
But it's still 2,000 years short of reaching 100,000."
Bibi Dong walked over to Qian Yu and asked curiously:
"Yu-ge, what do you mean?"
Qian Yu's lips curved upward slightly as he voiced an extremely bold idea:
"I was thinking, since its age is already so close to the 100,000-year threshold,
could we artificially create a 100,000-year Soul Beast?"
"Artificially create a 100,000-year Soul Beast?!"
Dugu Bo and Bibi Dong cried out in unison.
Qian Yu nodded, his tone certain:
"Exactly.
Given the Empress Medusa's current cultivation base, all we need to do is feed it one or two Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma.
With the medicinal power of the Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma, we can force it across that threshold and help it break through to the 100,000-year level!"
At this, Qian Yu looked at Dugu Bo and smiled faintly:
"Then what you absorb won't be a 90,000-year Soul Ring. It'll be a genuine 100,000-year red Soul Ring!
And a 100,000-year Soul Beast is guaranteed to yield a 100,000-year Soul Bone!"
Hearing the words "100,000-year red Soul Ring" and "guaranteed to yield a 100,000-year Soul Bone,"
Dugu Bo felt his head spin. Even his breathing stopped.
Before you continue