Promotion to Soul Ancestor

Stepping into the Star Dou Great Forest, a damp and crisp scent of vegetation rushed to meet him. Towering ancient trees rose from the ground, their branches gnarled and intertwined. The dense canopy layered over itself, blotting out the sky and sealing away the scorching sun; only mottled, fragmented spots of light remained in the forest, swaying gently with the breeze.

Xiao Yi entered the outer perimeter of the Star Dou Great Forest on foot, choosing not to use Martial Soul Possession to hasten his journey.

His goal this time was to venture deep into the mixed zone in search of soul beasts. The level of danger there was countless times higher than in the outer perimeter, and there was almost no environment that could support him in recovering his soul power.

As for how to enter the mixed zone, Xiao Yi had long since made his plans...

Two and a half days later...

Deep within the dense forest, he was now extremely close to the territory of the Radiant Flood Dragon. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, illuminating a small path created by something being dragged along. A Nether Cold Ice Python, with a small horn already protruding from its head, slithered slowly across the ground.

A layer of icy mist permeated the air around it, masking both its own scent and that of Xiao Yi, who was lying on its back.

The man and the snake wandered through the mixed zone of the Star Dou Great Forest in this manner, having yet to encounter any real danger.

The Nether Cold Ice Python flicked its tongue from time to time, as if sensing its surroundings. It was collecting the scent and residual soul power in the air; this ability allowed it to detect the traces of a target from far away, whether it was hunting or fleeing.

The reverse was also true. Combined with the Nether Cold Ice Python's innate stealth talent, this was the only reason they could roam the soul beast forest so freely.

Xiao Yi had actually considered the tactic seen in some anime: hiding directly inside the beast's belly.

The creature was large enough that fitting his small frame inside would be absolutely no problem, and under the contract of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, they could not harm him.

It was just that, looking at that terrifying, gaping maw, Xiao Yi admitted he was a bit scared. That was simply no place for a human to hide...

Thus, he had come up with this method. Although it consumed a fair amount of soul power, it was still better than running naked through the Star Dou Great Forest with a human scent.

Another half-day passed, and Xiao Yi prepared to find a hidden spot to rest for the night. In a place like the Star Dou Great Forest, the night was countless times more dangerous than the day. For the past few nights, Xiao Yi had chosen to find a tree thick enough to burn out the center, hide inside, and then have the Nether Cold Ice Python guard the outside to conceal their presence.

Just as he was about to find a place to rest, a roar echoed from afar, followed by the violent bellow of a bear.

Xiao Yi and the Nether Cold Ice Python beneath him exchanged a look. The python flicked its tongue toward the direction of the sound, asking Xiao Yi if he wanted to go and take a look.

Xiao Yi straightened up from the back of the Nether Cold Ice Python and patted its large head.

"Let's go, let's go take a look."

"Hiss-hiss." The Nether Cold Ice Python twisted its body, maintaining the icy mist to mask their scent, and slithered rapidly toward the direction of the soul power fluctuations.

Deep in the dense forest, an 8,000-year-level Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear let out a tyrannical roar, wanting to tear the body of the enemy before it to shreds.

It stood over six meters long on all fours, with a shoulder height of more than three meters. When it stood on its hind legs, its massive, seven-meter-tall frame felt like a mountain pressing down. Its dark gold mane covered its entire body like steel armor, and a pair of giant claws nearly a meter long gleamed with a chilling light. Every step it took made the fallen leaves in the forest tremble, and a fierce, oppressive aura permeated the entire woodland.

The giant beast on the other side was no less impressive. It was over ten meters long, its body densely covered in thick, pale gold scales. Its sturdy, powerful limbs were tipped with incredibly sharp dragon claws. While its head still retained the form of a flood dragon, its dragon horns had already taken shape. It was clearly a Radiant Flood Dragon of about 9,000 years, and it showed signs of evolving into a true dragon.

For a Radiant Flood Dragon, evolving into a dragon was the destiny their species pursued their entire lives, for only by becoming a dragon could they become hundred-thousand-year soul beasts. However, because most Radiant Flood Dragons showed no signs of evolution in their youth, it was even more impossible after they reached adulthood.

Therefore, once a Radiant Flood Dragon began to evolve, it would begin a frantic intake of energy to complete its transformation from a flood dragon to a dragon.

This Radiant Flood Dragon was no exception. It was clear that it had reached the most critical juncture. Only by devouring a soul beast with high enough energy and bloodline before reaching adulthood, and then entering a deep slumber, could it cross that final step—a chasm that no beast of its species had ever crossed before.

The two beasts tangled together, erupting with terrifying force. Every strike from the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear carried enough power to split mountains and shatter rocks, but as it swiped at the Radiant Flood Dragon, it couldn't touch it at all.

The Radiant Flood Dragon, having already begun its evolution, was no longer a soul beast that could only crawl on the ground. Utilizing soul power and instinct, it could lift its massive body into the air, moving with such agility that it had the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear retreating step by step.

Xiao Yi sat on the back of the Nether Cold Ice Python, observing the struggle between the two soul beasts from the shadows. He did not intend to intervene in the fight; he only needed to forcibly control the Radiant Flood Dragon once it was mentally exhausted. This was no difficult task for the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils.

After several rounds of combat, the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's stamina was clearly failing. A tyrannical light flashed in its eyes, and energy gathered in its pair of dark gold claws, preparing to unleash a final, desperate strike.

Although the Radiant Flood Dragon was in good condition, it was also anxious. It was taking a huge risk with this excursion; although this place was far from the core zone, such a massive commotion might attract the attention and gaze of certain existences.

The Radiant Flood Dragon began to gather a golden ball of energy in its mouth, blasting it toward the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, which was still charging up its attack.

The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear was hit squarely in the chest, and a horrifying wound appeared, deep enough to reveal bone. Before it could retaliate, the Radiant Flood Dragon lunged forward, using its dragon claws to strike the bear's head. A blow capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks instantly killed the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, and a magnificent purple soul ring emerged from its corpse.

Just as the exhausted Radiant Flood Dragon prepared to enjoy its hard-won prize, a sound came from not far away.

A Purple Lightning Flood Dragon, similar in size, lunged at it fiercely, slamming into its body and sending it flying dozens of meters until it crashed through several large trees and came to a stop. The Radiant Flood Dragon let out an angry roar, but just as it prepared to move, it stopped abruptly.

A human youth appeared before it, dressed in a black robe, his eyes swirling with green petals. The Radiant Flood Dragon felt a wave of dizziness in its mind, and its consciousness was signed into a contract with the other party. A petal pattern appeared in its eyes before fading away, and its massive head tilted, leaning toward the youth.

Xiao Yi reached out and stroked the head of the Radiant Flood Dragon. Outside the three soul rings beneath him, a deep purple soul ring—only a step away from black—was added.

Level 42 soul power. Xiao Yi let out a long breath; now, he only needed to let them evolve according to his plan.

Glancing at the Nether Cold Ice Python, which was sniffing at the corpse of the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, Xiao Yi thought to himself that this was an unexpected harvest.