"Ice and Fire Sub-Dragon Lizard... I never expected you to choose this Soul Beast for your first spirit ring. You've really given me a difficult problem."
After Yu Yan named the Soul Beast, Yu Qingfeng's attitude and tone clearly showed that he had seen an Ice and Fire Sub-Dragon Lizard before.
"I found it in the school's introduction to continental Soul Beasts. It's the Soul Beast most suited to me."
That was no lie. Yu Yan had combed through every book in the library that documented Soul Beasts. After considering and ruling out many of them, he had chosen the Ice and Fire Sub-Dragon Lizard.
It needed ice and fire attributes, and the richer its dragon bloodline, the better. Among the many Soul Beasts, only the Ice and Fire Sub-Dragon Lizard perfectly met those requirements.
Having judged from Yu Qingfeng's tone that he had seen this kind of Soul Beast before, Yu Yan looked at him and asked, "Brother Yu, have you seen one before?"
"Yes. Two years ago, I followed a Soul Beast hunting team to help a noble's son obtain a Soul Ring. We saw an Ice and Fire Sub-Dragon Lizard on the outskirts of Sunset Forest. It was quite distinctive, with a single horn on its head streaked red and blue. It was fast and powerful, and someone in our team got injured..."
Yu Qingfeng admitted that he had seen an Ice and Fire Sub-Dragon Lizard and briefly explained what had happened.
Listening to Yu Qingfeng, Yu Yan recalled what the books had said. Ice and Fire Sub-Dragon Lizards had a strong territorial instinct and formidable combat power. If they were not the target Soul Beast, one had to stay as far away from them as possible after encountering one.
"Brother Yu, if that Soul Beast is difficult to deal with, I have some backup options here."
Seeing Yu Qingfeng describe the Ice and Fire Sub-Dragon Lizard so frighteningly, Yu Yan assumed that Yu Qingfeng might not be able to handle one. After he finished recounting the past, Yu Yan prepared to mention several alternatives.
As someone who always planned for the worst and prepared contingencies, Yu Yan had found three other Soul Beasts as backups in addition to his ideal choice, the Ice and Fire Sub-Dragon Lizard.
Those three backup Soul Beasts could also be found in Sunset Forest.
Since Sunset Forest contained many ice-and-fire-attributed Soul Beasts, Yu Yan guessed that it might be related to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well or the remains of the Ice and Fire Dragon King.
Before Yu Yan could mention his backup options, Yu Qingfeng waved a large hand. "No need to tell me about them. No other Soul Beast could be better than the Ice and Fire Sub-Dragon Lizard. Besides, I only said it would be difficult to handle, not that it couldn't be handled. Leave this matter to me."
The importance of the first spirit ring went without saying. Since Yu Yan's first choice was the Ice and Fire Sub-Dragon Lizard, there was no need to consider any other Soul Beasts.
So what if it was difficult? He could put in a little more effort and call in a favor. The important thing was making Yu Yan, this genius, remember his favor and grow closer to him.
A timely gift of coal in the snow always left a deeper impression than adding flowers to brocade.
"Thank you, Brother Yu."
Yu Yan thanked Yu Qingfeng again. Being able to choose the Ice and Fire Sub-Dragon Lizard was naturally for the best.
As for owing someone a favor, it did not matter. So be it.
Even if he did not owe Yu Qingfeng a favor, Yu Yan would still help him if anything happened in the future, considering that he was Old Man Yu's son.
"With our relationship, of course I'll help you."
With the Soul Beast they would hunt decided, the remaining issues were merely trivial details.
Yu Yan sat at the table eating while listening to Yu Qingfeng and Li Rong discuss which friend to invite as reinforcements. He truly could not contribute to that topic at all.
After confirming which friend to invite, Li Rong looked at Yu Yan, who was quietly eating. "Little Yan, how old an Ice and Fire Sub-Dragon Lizard Soul Ring are you planning to absorb?"
"I'll try to get as close to the age limit of the first spirit ring as possible."
Yu Yan answered Li Rong's question. It was something Yu Qingfeng had never asked him before.
The age limit for the first spirit ring was precisely 423 years. This was part of the Martial Soul theory released by Yu Xiaogang, so there was absolutely no way it could be false.
As for why, Yu Yan could only say that those who knew, knew.
With such a precise number, if Yu Xiaogang had not copied it from somewhere, Yu Yan would eat something from the toilet.
"Little Yan, don't blame me for meddling, but the stronger the Soul Beast, the harder its Soul Ring is to absorb. Absorbing the Soul Ring of an Ice and Fire Sub-Dragon Lizard already carries a certain degree of risk, yet you're choosing one at the age limit as well. The risk is far too great. You should have learned this knowledge at school. Are you really confident you can absorb a Soul Ring produced by an Ice and Fire Sub-Dragon Lizard at the age limit?"
The Ice and Fire Sub-Dragon Lizard was not weak. Li Rong had originally wanted to choose one around two hundred years old, which would be easier for them to deal with and easier for Yu Yan to absorb.
Who could have expected Yu Yan's target to be an Ice and Fire Sub-Dragon Lizard at the age limit?
Li Rong's concern was perfectly normal. Many commoner-born Soul Masters had died from various accidents while absorbing high-age Soul Rings.
Especially after Yu Xiaogang announced the age limit for the first spirit ring, there were always people who overestimated themselves and exploded to death after choosing Soul Rings that were too old. She was worried that something might happen to Yu Yan while he absorbed the Ice and Fire Sub-Dragon Lizard's Soul Ring.
"The quality of my Ice and Fire Twin Fish Martial Soul isn't weak. I've always trained my body, and I haven't taken shortcuts in cultivating Soul Power, so my foundation is very solid. Absorbing the Soul Ring of an Ice and Fire Sub-Dragon Lizard should be no problem."
The quality of Yu Yan's Martial Soul, his physical condition, and the quality of his Soul Power were all excellent. He had also absorbed Sun and Moon Essence twice to strengthen himself.
With all those advantages accumulated, he had absolute confidence that he could absorb the Soul Ring produced by an Ice and Fire Sub-Dragon Lizard at the age limit.
As for absorbing a Soul Ring beyond that age limit, Yu Yan had not considered it for the time being.
"Little Yan, why don't you think it over again? A Soul Ring at the age limit isn't so easy to absorb. Safety is what matters most."
After hearing Yu Yan's words and finishing the food in his mouth, Yu Qingfeng also spoke up to persuade him.
Although Yu Qingfeng often regretted not absorbing a hundred-year Soul Ring now, if one had truly been placed before him back then, he might not have dared to absorb it.
"Brother Yu, Sister Li, don't worry. I had a teacher at Balak Junior Soul Master Academy test me. Absorbing a Soul Ring at the age limit definitely won't be a problem."
Yu Yan used a well-intentioned lie to end this difficult-to-explain matter.
After hearing that Yu Yan had received approval from a school teacher to absorb a Soul Ring at the age limit, Yu Qingfeng and Li Rong were completely reassured. They then resumed discussing whom to invite as reinforcements.
After lunch, Yu Qingfeng went to find his friend for support, Li Rong sent her son to her parents' home in Balaque City to be looked after, and Yu Yan headed to the north gate of Balaque City to wait.
Balaque City, north gate.
Standing beneath the city wall by the gate, Yu Yan saw Yu Qingfeng arriving in a horse-drawn carriage.
"Come on, Little Yan, get in."
Yu Qingfeng had spotted Yu Yan before Yu Yan spotted him. A Soul Master's eyesight was much better than an ordinary person's.
Yu Qingfeng drove the carriage in front of Yu Yan and extended a hand toward him.
Yu Yan grabbed Yu Qingfeng's hand and was pulled directly into the carriage.
Inside the carriage compartment, Yu Yan saw Li Rong and a middle-aged man dressed in black.
"This is Yu Yan, the genius I told you about from the village where Qingfeng lived. We're making this trip to help him obtain a Soul Ring."
Li Rong called Yu Yan over to sit beside her. After introducing Yu Yan to the middle-aged man, she introduced their friend to Yu Yan.
"This is Qingfeng's and my friend, Ma Zhiyu. He's a two-ring assault-type Battle Soul Master."
Yu Yan greeted him, but he merely nodded indifferently, looking as though he did not want to speak.
With two two-ring assault-type Battle Soul Masters and one one-ring Support-type Soul Master, this lineup could definitely help Yu Yan hunt a suitable Ice and Fire Sub-Dragon Lizard.
Before you continue