Version Answer: Unyielding Soul Spirit!

Still dragons...

Oh no, they had changed things up this time.

Thousand-year Wind Eagles, Thousand-year Thunder Rocs, Thousand-year Fire Falcons, Thousand-year Ice Phoenixes...

Every last one was a thousand-year flying Soul Spirit. Their wings were wider than door panels, and their listed attributes were a flashy mess of wind, lightning, fire, and ice.

Bai Yuan: "..."

He took a deep breath and resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

Flying Soul Spirits really were good stuff. They could fly and fight, with mobility maxed out and every advantage in battle.

The problem was—

What the hell did these things have to do with his martial souls?

He lowered his head and looked at his hands, imagining it: the Worldbearing Coreflame in his left hand, Dawnmaker in his right, and a pair of huge wings on his back...

The image was too beautiful. He dared not look.

And what were the characteristics of flying Soul Spirits?

Speed, mobility, aerial suppression.

None of that matched his martial soul attributes at all.

The Core Flame followed the path of Destruction, while Dawnmaker was sharpness taken to the extreme. What he needed was overwhelming force head-on, one sword breaking ten thousand techniques.

If they gave him wings, was he supposed to fly into the sky and chop people up?

Well, chopping people up from the sky did sound pretty cool...

But thinking about it calmly, the soul skills of flying Soul Spirits would probably be acceleration, evasion, and aerial maneuvering. Those things simply could not produce any real chemistry with his martial souls.

The Core Flame's destructive power needed explosive bursts and sustained output, while Dawnmaker needed enhanced sharpness and stronger slashes.

What could flight bring him? Let him fly higher before throwing fireballs?

Bai Yuan silently rejected every one of those flying Soul Spirits in his heart.

No. Next.

Leng Yaozhu noticed the change in his expression and slightly raised an eyebrow. "Still not satisfied?"

"Teacher," Bai Yuan said after choosing his words carefully, "these flying Soul Spirits are indeed powerful, but they... don't seem to fit my martial souls very well."

Leng Yaozhu glanced at him and said nothing more, only replying calmly, "Keep looking."

Bai Yuan nodded and swiped again.

The next page.

A new batch of Soul Spirits appeared on the screen, with four words written in the classification column: Functional Soul Beasts.

He focused his gaze. This time, things truly were different.

Bai Yuan stared at the screen, the corner of his mouth twitching.

Functional Soul Beasts...

Indeed, every one of these Soul Spirits had their functions maxed out. Some assisted, some controlled, and some cast illusions. They looked fancy and varied; any one of them would make ordinary Soul Masters fight over it.

The problem was—

His martial souls had the Destruction attribute!

The Worldbearing Coreflame needed an increase in destructive force, while Dawnmaker needed its razor-sharp edge strengthened.

If they paired him with a flower, was he supposed to pull out a flower in the middle of a fight to detoxify himself?

Bai Yuan imagined that scene and found it far too absurd.

Besides, most of these functional Soul Spirits leaned toward support and control, completely mismatched with his fighting style.

What he needed was—pure Destruction.

The kind of power that made heaven and earth change color with a single blade strike or sword slash.

Not flashy detoxification, mana recovery, or illusion techniques.

Bai Yuan silently rejected these functional Soul Spirits as well.

No. Still wrong.

Leng Yaozhu noticed that he had stared at the screen without moving for quite some time and raised an eyebrow slightly. "What, these won't do either?"

Bai Yuan considered his wording. "Teacher, these Soul Spirits are certainly all powerful... but they don't seem to fit my martial souls very well.

"My martial souls have the Destruction attribute. What I need should be Soul Spirits that can strengthen my attacks and increase my destructive power, not support- or control-type ones."

Leng Yaozhu looked at him and nodded thoughtfully.

"Then let's do this."

She turned toward the staff member beside them. Her voice was unhurried, yet carried unquestionable certainty:

"Bring up the Unyielding Soul Spirits for him."

The staff member froze, hesitation flashing across his face. "Your Eminence, this..."

"It's fine. Use my authorization." Leng Yaozhu waved a hand and continued in an even tone. "When the time comes, say it was my decision. I'll explain."

"Understood!"

The staff member said no more. He immediately turned and began operating the Soul Guidance Screen, his fingers swiftly swiping across several interfaces before bringing up an encrypted file.

Listening from the side, Bai Yuan's heart skipped a beat.

Unyielding Soul Spirits?

At last, I've been waiting for you! Good thing I didn't give up. One of this era's version answers!

Before long, a new page popped up on the screen.

Leng Yaozhu motioned for the staff member to step back, then walked up to the screen herself. With a light tap of her finger, she displayed the information for Bai Yuan.

"Unyielding Soul Spirits," she began slowly, "are the most special category of Soul Spirits in the Spirit Pagoda's inventory."

Bai Yuan leaned closer to the screen, his eyes quickly scanning the introduction.

Unyielding Soul Spirits:

These Soul Spirits were exceptionally rare because they shared one trait: they were proud and untamable.

Without exception, the Soul Beasts that became Unyielding Soul Spirits had possessed noble bloodlines and formidable strength while alive.

They were proud by nature, with unyielding blood flowing through their bones. They would not easily bow their heads to anyone.

And it was precisely because of that pride that Unyielding Soul Spirits were extremely difficult to absorb.

Ordinary Soul Spirits could be successfully fused as long as a Soul Master's spiritual power met the standard.

But Unyielding Soul Spirits were different—they resisted, struggled, and could even retaliate.

Throughout history, many Soul Masters had tried to forcibly absorb Unyielding Soul Spirits. At best, they suffered severe injuries; at worst, their Soul Power collapsed, or they died on the spot.

Thus, although the Spirit Pagoda stored several Unyielding Soul Spirits, few dared set their sights on them.

Unless you possessed enough strength to make them submit willingly.

"Among these Unyielding Soul Spirits," Leng Yaozhu said as her finger slid across the screen and pulled up a file marked in red, "there is one that is the most special existence in the entire Spirit Pagoda inventory."

On the screen, the image of a colossal creature slowly emerged.

Bai Yuan's pupils contracted slightly.

It was a Tyrant Dragon.

In the image, it stood as towering as a mountain. Its gray-black scales were as thick as city walls, every piece marked by irregular, savage patterns.

Its enormous head took up nearly a quarter of its body. A pair of cold vertical pupils seemed able to pierce through the screen as they stared directly at Bai Yuan.

Leng Yaozhu's voice sounded beside his ear:

"The Tyrant Dragon, the king of draconic species that went extinct in ancient times.

"An adult Tyrant Dragon could contend against a true dragon. A Tyrant Dragon with ten thousand years of cultivation might not even lose to an ordinary Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast."

She paused, her gaze falling upon Bai Yuan.

"And this Tyrant Dragon Soul Spirit is the only known one in existence."

"The Tyrant Dragon went extinct in ancient times, so there is only this one Soul Spirit.

"The Spirit Pagoda once considered destroying it because it was too unruly. Within the Spirit Ascension Platform, it often devoured other Soul Beasts."

"But it was simply too rare, so it was ultimately preserved."

"So," Leng Yaozhu said with profound meaning in her voice, "an ordinary Soul Master simply cannot suppress this Tyrant Dragon Soul Spirit. Only a sufficiently powerful bloodline can make it lower its head."

She looked at Bai Yuan, her gaze sharp.

"Do you dare try?"

Bai Yuan fell silent for several seconds.

Then he grinned.

Bai Yuan looked at the Tyrant Dragon's image on the screen, his thoughts racing.

Tyrant Dragon... Golden Dragon King bloodline... Unyielding Soul Spirit...

The corner of his mouth twitched.

He knew this thing far too well.

Wasn't this a traitor?

In the original story, who had ultimately taken in this Tyrant Dragon Soul Spirit?

Tang Wulin.

The chosen son who possessed the Golden Dragon King bloodline.

Tang Wulin's most devoted Soul Spirit! What proud and untamable Soul Spirit? It simply hadn't met the right person!

The Tyrant Dragon sensed the Golden Dragon King's aura and willingly submitted, eagerly running over to become his underling. It became one of Tang Wulin's most important Soul Spirits in his early days.

And now...

Bai Yuan looked down at himself.

What did he have? The Worldbearing Coreflame? Dawnmaker?

Destruction attribute? Sharpness attribute?

Did any of that have even the slightest connection to the Golden Dragon King bloodline?

No.

Then what was he supposed to use to subdue this Tyrant Dragon? Talk-no-jutsu?

Bai Yuan imagined the scene: standing before the Tyrant Dragon with his arms spread wide, gazing deeply into its eyes as he said, "Come with me"—

Then the Tyrant Dragon sent him flying with one sweep of its tail.

Too realistic.

And even if he got lucky and truly subdued this Tyrant Dragon...

Bai Yuan shuddered.

Wouldn't that make him Tang Wulin's "senior"?

The moment Tang Wulin appeared in the future, the Tyrant Dragon would sense the Golden Dragon King bloodline, betray him on the spot, and eagerly run over to become Tang Wulin's Soul Spirit.

He, Bai Yuan, would become a complete clown.

He had no interest in making a wedding dress for someone else.

That one still had not appeared yet.

Bai Yuan took a deep breath, putting on a troubled expression as he turned toward Leng Yaozhu.

"No, Teacher."

Leng Yaozhu raised an eyebrow. "Hmm?"

"My Soul Spirits are rejecting it," Bai Yuan said solemnly. "It isn't compatible with me."

"..."

The manager beside them nearly thought he had misheard.

Not compatible?

That was a Tyrant Dragon! An Unyielding Soul Spirit! One of the highest-grade beings in the Spirit Pagoda's inventory! Something countless people dreamed of obtaining!

And this kid was saying he didn't want it?!

The manager opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but after looking at Leng Yaozhu's expression, he forcibly swallowed the words.

Leng Yaozhu did not seem particularly surprised. She merely looked at Bai Yuan thoughtfully.

"Such a powerful Soul Spirit—ordinary people would certainly want to give it a try." Her tone was calm, with no emotion detectable in it.

Bai Yuan chuckled and scratched his head, wearing an expression that said he was helpless too.

But inwardly, he thought:

Try it? If I try it, I'll become Tang Wulin's stepping stone.

I'm not doing that.

That one still had not appeared yet.

Leng Yaozhu stared at him for several seconds before suddenly chuckling and shaking her head.

"Fine. Since you think it isn't suitable, I won't force you."

She turned to the manager.

"Are there any others?"

The manager wiped the sweat from his forehead and quickly nodded. "Yes... yes! Your Eminence, we still have some..."

"Then keep looking." Leng Yaozhu interrupted him casually. "Let him choose for himself."

Bai Yuan sighed inwardly in relief, though he still wore that obedient expression on his face.

"Thank you, Teacher!"

He lowered his head, looking back at the Soul Guidance Screen as his finger lightly swiped across it.

He muttered silently to himself:

Come out already, that one...

I've been waiting specifically for you.

Bai Yuan took a deep breath and lightly swiped with his finger.

The next page.

Several Soul Spirit images slowly emerged on the screen.

Each one radiated a unique aura, while the classification column bore the same four words: Unyielding Soul Spirits.

He looked closely.

[Golden-Crowned Thunder Eagle]

Thousand-year · Flying type · Unyielding Soul Spirit

Descended from the ancient Thunder Eagle King, it had golden feathers all over its body, crown-like golden plumes atop its head, and a wingspan exceeding ten meters.

Born with mastery over the power of lightning, it was extraordinarily proud and never submitted to the weak.

Legend had it that a Golden-Crowned Thunder Eagle acknowledged only one master in its lifetime.

The prerequisite was that you could make it bow its head. Otherwise, it would rather die than submit.

He had heard that line enough times already!!

[Shadow Demon Wolf]

Thousand-year · Beast type · Unyielding Soul Spirit

A mutated variant of the Abyssal Demon Wolf clan, its body was pitch-black, its eyes blood-red, and it was incredibly fast, specializing in shadow ambushes.

Cunning and proud by nature, it would not easily submit to anyone.

It recognized only those far stronger than itself. If the weak tried to subdue it, they would only be toyed with to death.

[Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff]

Thousand-year · Beast type · Unyielding Soul Spirit

The ancestor of canine Soul Beasts, and perhaps the origin of feline Soul Beasts as well.

A Soul Beast that resembled both a lion and a dog, covered in golden fur and bearing black ghost-face markings on its head, appeared before Bai Yuan.

Bai Yuan's gaze locked firmly onto the final image.

Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff.

Its golden fur shone as brilliantly as the blazing sun.

Even through the screen, those vertical pupils radiated an unruly, unyielding air.

Bai Yuan stared at it, the corners of his mouth slowly curving upward.

This was the one.

He had waited far too long for this moment.

Where had this Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff appeared in the original story again?

What were its achievements?

It had faced Tang Wulin, who possessed the nine-ring Golden Dragon King bloodline, head-on and nearly beaten him flat.

Three punches had knocked the Dragon King dream out of him!

With ten thousand years of cultivation, its strength rivaled that of a 480,000-year Dark-Gold Dreadclaw Bear.

Once the Domination Domain was activated, it could boost all attributes by over 50%, while also possessing the special abilities to ignore pain and resist bloodline suppression!

And most importantly, it was not affected by Golden Dragon King bloodline suppression.

It was not a dragon, so it had none of the bloodline restraint issues.

Pure physical damage. A pure stat-based Soul Spirit.

Bai Yuan stared at the screen, the corners of his mouth slowly lifting.

This was the one.

This was what his martial soul deserved.

Bai Yuan took a deep breath. He was already bursting with excitement inside, yet he tried his best to remain calm on the surface.

He turned to Leng Yaozhu, his tone serious.

"Teacher, this one."

He raised a finger and tapped the image of the Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff on the screen.

Leng Yaozhu raised an eyebrow slightly. "Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff? An Unyielding Soul Spirit, with a thousand years of cultivation... are you sure?"

"I'm sure." Bai Yuan nodded, his gaze resolute. "This is the one."

Leng Yaozhu looked at him for a few seconds, then suddenly chuckled. "I thought you would choose the Golden-Crowned Thunder Eagle or the Shadow Demon Wolf.

"Those two are no worse than this one in quality."

Teacher, you just don't understand. This was a pure stat monster!

The answer to Soul Land 3's Soul Spirit meta!

Bai Yuan shook his head and grinned.

"Those aren't suitable for me.

"This one and I are fated."

Leng Yaozhu did not ask further. She turned to the staff and said,

"You heard him. Go make the preparations."

"Yes, Your Eminence!" the manager hurriedly answered before turning to make the arrangements.

Bai Yuan's gaze returned to the Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff on the screen as he began making calculations in his mind.

Next, all he had to do was make it bow its head.

Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff, huh?

You only acknowledge the strong, huh?

Then today, I'll show you what a true powerhouse is.

I'll show you what Blazing Sun!!! is.