Aries Gold Cloth

Yu Lin failed to maintain his composure for a split second, his face clearly showing his astonishment. He had explicitly told this kid that the Star-Eating Sheep possessed no combat capability, yet the boy still chose it as his first soul ring.

However, just as a rebuttal reached his lips, he recalled the instructions Qian Daoliu had given him before their departure: prioritize the child's own wishes regarding his soul ring selection and do not interfere too much.

After weighing his options, Yu Lin decided to warn Lin Beiya one last time. After all, he was a genius with Innate Full Soul Power; it would be a pity if he were ruined under his watch.

"You better think this through, kid. While the age of this beast is appropriate, I can almost guarantee it won't grant you a powerful offensive soul skill. The best-case scenario is a skill that absorbs starlight to accelerate your soul power recovery."

"Thank you for the reminder, Elder Yu, but I trust my martial soul's judgment. This one is the right choice, I'm sure of it."

Yu Lin scratched his head in frustration. He regretted thinking this child was more mature than his peers; who exactly did he inherit this stubbornness from?

But since he was under orders, he decided not to say anything more. After all, Lin Beiya wasn't his own child.

"Fine, have it your way."

With a sharp eagle cry that pierced the clouds, a jet-black Falcon appeared behind Yu Lin. Simultaneously, two yellow, two purple, and four black soul rings rose from the Falcon in sequence, revealing Yu Lin's cultivation as a Spirit Douluo.

This was considered the highest combat power beneath a Titled Douluo; Qian Daoliu clearly held Lin Beiya in high regard.

The eagle's cry shattered the tranquility by the lake. The herbivorous soul beasts scattered and fled in all directions, including, of course, Lin Beiya's target: the Star-Eating Sheep.

But how could a Star-Eating Sheep escape the capture of a flying-type Spirit Douluo? It was quickly swatted unconscious by Yu Lin's claw and carried back to Lin Beiya.

"Thud."

As the four-meter-long sheep was tossed onto the ground, a cloud of dust billowed into the air.

"Cough... cough..."

Lin Beiya waved his hands in front of his face. He had every reason to believe Yu Lin was retaliating for his stubbornness.

As Yu Lin retracted his martial soul and landed, a golden dagger instantly plunged into the ground in front of Lin Beiya.

"Use this. Stab it directly through the eye of the Star-Eating Sheep."

"Thank you, Elder Yu."

After expressing his gratitude, Lin Beiya pulled out the dagger and slowly approached the Star-Eating Sheep. Having often gone into the forest to hunt game with his chubby friend, he wasn't afraid of the sight of blood.

He decisively drove the dagger into the sheep's eye socket. After a brief tremor of its plump body, the creature lost all signs of life, and a pale yellow soul ring slowly rose from its corpse.

"Try to guide the soul ring onto your martial soul using your soul power."

Nodding, Lin Beiya summoned the Athena Statue once more and sat cross-legged on the ground, attempting to guide the ring using the method Yu Lin had taught him.

As the pale yellow ring slowly settled over the statue, a powerful shockwave surged through his entire body.

Swallowing his cry of pain, Lin Beiya gritted his teeth and held on.

Watching from the side, Yu Lin began to release his spiritual power to keep watch over the surroundings. As a genius with Innate Full Soul Power, he didn't believe Lin Beiya would be unable to withstand the impact of a mere 400-year soul ring.

The facts proved him right. As time passed, the pained expression on Lin Beiya's face gradually calmed; now, it was just a matter of endurance.

An hour later, the pale yellow soul ring solidified around the statue, and Lin Beiya opened his eyes.

Seeing the joy on the little guy's face, Yu Lin couldn't help but shake his head.

"Tell me, is it a skill that accelerates soul power recovery?"

"Eh?"

Forgetting that Yu Lin was still nearby, Lin Beiya instantly wiped the smile from his face, his eyes still shining with excitement as he looked at the Platinum Bishop of the Martial Soul Hall.

"Elder Yu, the soul skill I obtained is not that."

"Oh? Did it not even inherit that kind of ability?"

Yu Lin's heart sank, and he once again concluded that this child was half-ruined.

But Lin Beiya's next move made all those thoughts vanish from his mind.

A dazzling golden light erupted from the statue, and the first soul ring he had just obtained began to glow.

"First Soul Skill: Aries Gold Cloth!"

A golden pillar of light connected heaven and earth. Before Yu Lin's stunned eyes, a sheep-like figure seemingly crafted from gold slowly appeared in his field of vision.

"This... what is this?"

Yu Lin felt something was off about calling the object in front of him a sheep, as he couldn't sense a shred of life force from it.

Looking at the Aries Gold Cloth in its unassembled state, Lin Beiya wore a satisfied smile.

Then, under Yu Lin's persistent shock, he shouted:

"Cloth, equip!"

The golden sheep shattered into pieces upon Lin Beiya's command, flying into the air before diving down to instantly cover his arms, legs, chest, and finally, his head.

By the time Yu Lin regained his senses, Lin Beiya had transformed into a heroic warrior clad in golden armor.

"No way, your Star-Eating Sheep can grant this kind of soul skill?"

Yu Lin felt his years of knowledge had been trampled into the dirt. Regardless of Lin Beiya's actual combat power, the sheer appearance alone made it worth it.

The Platinum Bishop's look of astonishment greatly satisfied Lin Beiya's vanity. After stroking the signature golden horns of the Aries, Lin Beiya spoke slowly:

"Elder Yu, the power of this soul skill is more than just this."

"You can hold back, just use the strength of a Soul Grand Master to launch an attack at me."

Hearing this, Yu Lin leaned back tactically and looked at Lin Beiya, who was clad in golden armor. He couldn't help but think that this kid was useless—how much had he been drinking to get this delusional?

To think he would want to challenge an attack at the level of a Soul Grand Master right after obtaining his first soul ring; even if he was dressed like the Pope, he shouldn't be this arrogant, right?

But since the kid had already spoken, Yu Lin decided to take him down a peg.

"Then you'd better be careful, kid."

The pitch-black Falcon spread its wings once more, and several visible wind blades were instantly launched toward Lin Beiya.

Yu Lin knew how to temper his strength; these attacks only possessed the power of a peak-level Spirit Master.

Facing the incoming wind blades, a smile curled at the corners of Lin Beiya's mouth. He spread his arms, now covered by the Sacred Cloth, to his sides, and a nearly invisible wall of light manifested before him.

"Crystal Wall!"

The wind blades quickly made contact with the light wall, causing ripples to spread across its surface like water before it slowly returned to stillness.

Three seconds later, as Lin Beiya pushed his palms forward, the calm light wall erupted with dazzling radiance once more. After a surge of energy, several blades of light were launched toward Yu Lin.

The Platinum Bishop of the Martial Soul Hall now perfectly embodied the expression of eyes wide as copper bells.

After grabbing an incoming light blade with one hand and crushing it, the surprise on Yu Lin's face did not vanish; instead, it grew even more intense.

Because he realized that the power of these light blades was infinitely close to double the strength of the attack he had launched.

In other words, this kid's first soul skill not only possessed astonishing defense, but could also reflect an enemy's attack with double the force.