Under the bright midday sky, the scorching sunlight illuminated all of Life Lake. By then, the Sky Azure Bull Python had vanished from this world completely, leaving only a sparkling, translucent blue Soul Bone lying on the ground.
Su Yuntao's eyes suddenly flew open. His Gale Two-Headed Wolf Martial Soul immediately activated, and three strangely mismatched Soul Rings—a white one, a yellow one, and a red one—rose around him.
When a Soul Ring came from hunting a Soul Beast, the person had to adapt to the Soul Ring. But when it came from a sacrifice, the Soul Ring adapted to the person. Life was the greatest miracle in the world, and that was why this blood-red Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring had appeared on Su Yuntao.
At the level of a hundred thousand years, even an ordinary Titled Douluo might not have the physical strength to absorb a Soul Ring successfully.
With Su Yuntao's current physical strength, even a thousand-year Soul Ring would have been difficult for him to absorb. But the Sky Azure Bull Python's sacrifice changed everything, radically altering his Soul Ring configuration.
Besides giving Su Yuntao a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring and leaving behind a Soul Bone, the Sky Azure Bull Python's sacrifice had also raised his Soul Power by more than ten levels. In the original story, Xiao Wu's sacrifice had raised Tang San's Soul Power from level sixty to around level sixty-six.
The Soul Power boost from the Sky Azure Bull Python's sacrifice was even more pronounced, since it was far more powerful than Xiao Wu. Su Yuntao could feel that his Soul Power Level had probably reached the Soul King rank.
That wasn't all. The Sky Azure Bull Python's vast life force had poured into Su Yuntao, greatly accelerating his cultivation.
After the hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor sacrificed itself for Tang Hao, he never cultivated at all. He spent his days drinking and drowning his sorrows, wasting away, yet his Soul Power Level still rose automatically to level ninety-five.
The Sky Azure Bull Python's life force was far more abundant than the Blue Silver Emperor's. With both the Immortal Herb and the Sky Azure Bull Python's life force bolstering him, Su Yuntao's cultivation speed might well have become the fastest on the Douluo Continent! At present, the only person who could perhaps match him was Qian Renxue, with her Innate Level 20 Soul Power!
Along with his body and attributes improving across the board, Su Yuntao's Gale Two-Headed Wolf had been strengthened once again. In addition to the gale and fire represented by its two heads, lightning now covered his Martial Soul from head to toe. Clearly, the Sky Azure Bull Python's Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring had granted his Gale Two-Headed Wolf an immensely powerful Thunderbolt attribute.
The Gale Two-Headed Wolf Martial Soul could already be called the Blazing Two-Headed Wolf. Now, it seemed it could also be called the Thunder Two-Headed Wolf.
What's more, the Sky Azure Bull Python Left Arm Bone at Su Yuntao's feet was even more precious than a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring. If he fused with this hundred-thousand-year Soul Bone, his physical strength would reach an utterly terrifying level.
Even all nine Soul Rings of a Titled Douluo combined couldn't compare to a single Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring, let alone a hundred-thousand-year Soul Bone.
Although Su Yuntao's innate deficiencies meant that he couldn't fully unlock the potential of his Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring and Soul Bone for now, he was already invincible among those of the same rank.
The main purpose of Immortal Herbs was to renew one's talent and improve one's constitution, while Soul Rings and Soul Bones primarily strengthened the body and provided powerful Soul Skills.
The combination of Immortal Herbs and a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring and Soul Bone had made up for every one of Su Yuntao's shortcomings. He now had outstanding talent, a strong constitution, a powerful body, and formidable Soul Skills.
Apart from Qian Renxue, with her Innate Level 20 Soul Power, no young Soul Master of his generation could rival him!
The Titan Giant Ape stood nearby, its expression complicated as it stared into space in silence. Though it was a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast, everything that had happened was too much for it to take in all at once.
Su Yuntao sighed and spoke slowly. "Titan Giant Ape, don't grieve too much. Once I become a god, I'll bring your elder brother back to life!"
The Titan Giant Ape said nothing. Clearly, it didn't believe a word Su Yuntao had said.
Seeing this, Su Yuntao didn't say anything more. Some things could only be proven through action.
"Titan Giant Ape, please escort me out of the Star Dou Great Forest. Tomorrow, I'll safely return Xiao Wu and take your elder brother's Soul Bone."
At that, the Titan Giant Ape silently put away its elder brother's Soul Bone, grabbed Su Yuntao in one hand, and ran toward the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Before long, Su Yuntao reached the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest. He then hurried toward Nuoding City, while the Titan Giant Ape didn't return to the forest. It simply waited quietly where it was.
Time passed, and soon the sun set again. Su Yuntao returned to the western outskirts of Nuoding City. At the hiding place he'd prepared beforehand, he ate a little food, then picked up the unconscious Xiao Wu and set off running toward the Star Dou Great Forest.
Late that night, the long-waiting Titan Giant Ape finally saw Xiao Wu, unconscious in Su Yuntao's arms.
"Human! What happened to Sister Xiao Wu?" the Titan Giant Ape asked in a low voice.
Su Yuntao replied slowly, "I'm very sorry. There's nothing wrong with Xiao Wu's body. I only gave him a sleeping potion."
The Titan Giant Ape looked displeased, but said nothing more. It simply handed Su Yuntao the Sky Azure Bull Python's Soul Bone.
"Human, I hope you'll keep your promise!"
"Titan Giant Ape, I've safely returned Xiao Wu as agreed. I'll honor the rest of our agreement as well."
The Titan Giant Ape's expression was now utterly different from before. It was as if its elder brother's death had made it grow up overnight.
"Human, I won't say anything else. I know that although you're weak, you're clever, and you always have a backup plan. Even if I killed you now, it wouldn't solve anything; it would only leave my Soul Beast Clan teetering on the brink of disaster."
"I hope you'll keep your promise. If you dare break it, I, the Titan Giant Ape, will make sure you pay!"
With that, the Titan Giant Ape turned to leave, carrying Xiao Wu.
"Wait!"
The Titan Giant Ape looked back. "Human, what is it?"
Without a word, Su Yuntao took the Lovesick Heartbreak Red out of his Storage Soul Tool. At the sight of it, the Titan Giant Ape felt a stir in its heart.
"Titan Giant Ape, this is called the Lovesick Heartbreak Red. It can conceal someone's aura. For Xiao Wu, it's absolutely vital."
"After he takes human form, he'll have to come into contact with humans. Once he has the Lovesick Heartbreak Red, he won't reveal his identity even if he runs into a Titled Douluo!"
A glint appeared in the Titan Giant Ape's eyes. It was clearly very tempted by the Lovesick Heartbreak Red.
"Human, what are you scheming now? Tell me—what do you want?"
Su Yuntao smiled. "Nothing much. I just want you to help me hunt two ten-thousand-year Soul Beasts for Soul Rings, to fill out my fourth and fifth Soul Rings."
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