Berserk Giant Ape

Back when he had been at Jiang He's home, Dugu Bo had gone to considerable effort just to make him faint from the pressure.

For a moment, Dugu Bo found himself in a dilemma.

Following the traditional Soul Ring age configuration would be safe, but what if it wasted Jiang He's current talent?

After all, he had never seen Innate Soul Power at level twenty. In fact, ninety-nine percent of the continent's Soul Masters had probably never even heard of it.

But if they followed Jiang He's plan and directly went for a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring... if he could not withstand it, everything would be for nothing.

After hesitating for a long while, Dugu Bo said, "Your starting point is indeed far higher than that of other Soul Masters. But that does not mean you can withstand a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring. My personal recommendation is that you first try Thousand-Year Soul Rings for your first two rings. That would already put you far ahead of other Soul Masters."

Faced with Dugu Bo's advice, Jiang He was exceptionally resolute. Shaking his head, he said, "No, Teacher. Thousand-Year Soul Rings and Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Rings are fundamentally not the same thing. As a Title Douluo, you should understand that better than anyone. Do you still use Thousand-Year Soul Skills in battle now?"

Dugu Bo fell silent.

Thousand-Year Soul Skills?

Other than occasionally using them to bully weaker opponents, how could he possibly use such things?

At the Title Douluo stage, battles between those of the same level mainly relied on Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Skills.

After all, Jiang He was right. Thousand-Year Soul Skills and Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Skills were not even the same type of thing.

Just as he was struggling with the decision, Jiang He spoke again. "Teacher, no matter what, I have to try a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring. Even if I die, I want to die with an all-black Soul Ring configuration!"

Jiang He's almost unreasonable attitude made Dugu Bo's expression complicated.

He could tell that Jiang He was serious.

His goal truly was a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring!

If it had been anyone else, Dugu Bo might have laughed at their ignorance and arrogance.

But Jiang He... even before awakening his Martial Soul, he had dared to covet the Immortal Herb of a Title Douluo in order to become stronger.

If he said something like this, he had to mean it.

After thinking for a long time, Dugu Bo composed his expression and looked at Jiang He seriously. "I know this is not the first bold decision you have made. But I still have to tell you that not every risk brings rewards, and luck will not always stand by your side. Have you really thought this through?"

"Mhm!" Jiang He nodded heavily. "Teacher, I have. I want to absorb a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring!"

"Fine! Then your teacher will go mad with you this once. If you succeed, I will be happy for you. But if you fail, the only thing I can do for you is collect your corpse."

"Thank you for granting my wish, Teacher."

Jiang He clasped his fists toward Dugu Bo.

"Let's go. We will find your first Soul Ring. Although I have agreed to let you absorb a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring, you may only try one that has just entered the ten-thousand-year level. On this point, there is no room for negotiation!"

"Understood, Teacher. As long as it has entered the ten-thousand-year tier, that will do."

Seeing Jiang He agree, Dugu Bo grabbed him and flew directly out of the poisonous barrier.

Before long, Dugu Bo brought Jiang He to the sky above an unfamiliar area.

Pointing at a Soul Beast below, he said, "A Berserk Giant Ape. I watched it break through to ten thousand years last year. It is also a strength-type Soul Beast, which suits your requirements very well. Do you want it?"

Jiang He followed the direction of Dugu Bo's finger.

Not far below, a black giant ape was staring up at the two of them.

It stood over five meters tall, and it was currently pounding its chest, which was covered in black fur as hard as metal.

Its eyes were blood-red, and corrosive saliva occasionally dripped from the corners of its mouth.

Most eye-catching of all were its disproportionate, massive arms that hung down to its knees.

The knotted muscles looked as if they had been forged from tempered steel, producing dull blasts through the air whenever they moved.

"Roar... roar..."

The Berserk Giant Ape let out low growls.

It had also sensed Jiang He's ill-intentioned gaze.

Yet the faintly discernible dangerous aura radiating from Dugu Bo made it afraid to act rashly.

At this moment, Jiang He was already using the system to analyze it.

Over the years, he had attended quite a few classes at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, and the system had acquired a substantial amount of supplementary information. Using that information together with the situation before him, it could analyze and estimate the Berserk Giant Ape's details.

[Berserk Giant Ape, approximately 10,200 years old. A strength-burst-type Soul Beast. Absorbing this Soul Beast's Soul Ring has a high probability of granting the host a strength-burst-type Soul Skill, and a low probability of granting a physique-enhancing Soul Skill.]

Although Dugu Bo had said that this Berserk Giant Ape had broken through to ten thousand years last year, a Soul Beast's age was merely a data-based manifestation of its cultivation and power.

Those that could grow to ten thousand years could not possibly gain one year of cultivation for every year they lived.

If they truly gained only one year of cultivation per year, they would have been eaten clean ten thousand years ago.

Having received the system's analysis, Jiang He said to Dugu Bo beside him, "I'll trouble you, Teacher. This one will do."

"Good!"

Dugu Bo answered, then fully unleashed his aura and pressed it down upon the Berserk Giant Ape below.

"ROAR!!!"

Sensing the threat to its life, the Berserk Giant Ape roared furiously. The muscles all over its body bulged high, and its eyes were completely consumed by crimson.

How could it possibly be willing to wait for death to descend?

However, its resistance was nothing more than a joke before Dugu Bo.

Even if he was mocked as the weakest Title Douluo, he was still a Title Douluo!

"Hmph!"

Dugu Bo snorted coldly. The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor appeared behind him, while nine perfectly configured Soul Rings emerged beneath his feet.

The fourth Soul Ring flickered. The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor behind him opened its mouth and spat a purple-green arrow toward the Berserk Giant Ape below.

The Berserk Giant Ape was struck by the arrow before it could even dodge.

Its movements immediately became sluggish, and even its body began to sway unsteadily.

Dugu Bo explained to Jiang He beside him, "This is my fourth Soul Skill, Death Arrow. The death poison carried by this arrow will slowly erode its body. When the poison reaches its heart, it will die. Once the poison spreads to just outside its heart, you can go kill it. By then, it will have no ability to resist at all."

As he spoke, Dugu Bo took a long blade from his Soul Tool and tossed it to Jiang He.

"Understood, Teacher."

Jiang He caught the blade and waited with Dugu Bo.

The Berserk Giant Ape below was still struggling, trying to escape the area.

But its movements became slower and slower.

In the end, it collapsed helplessly several hundred meters from where it had originally been.

Dugu Bo glanced at the Berserk Giant Ape's condition and nodded.

"Almost."

As he spoke, he brought Jiang He to the Berserk Giant Ape's side.

"Go on. The poison is about to spread into its heart. Just stab its heart with the blade."

"Okay."

Jiang He answered, then quickly ran toward the Berserk Giant Ape.

By now, the Berserk Giant Ape had completely lost its ability to resist. In the end, it could only watch helplessly as Jiang He drove the long blade into its heart, feeling its life force fade away with hatred filling its eyes...