Yu Tianlong laughed helplessly and reached out to rub the heads of the two little ones.
"All right, all right, I know you're both amazing. But next time, remember to leave me a chance to show off, or I'll feel like I don't exist as your master."
Only then did Dugu Bo come back to his senses. He stepped forward, looked at the Blazing Sun Snake's corpse and the purple Soul Ring on the ground, then glanced at the two Luo Sanpao standing proudly beside Yu Tianlong. He couldn't help clicking his tongue in amazement.
"Not bad, kid. Your two Luo Sanpao are getting more and more outrageous. One absorbs fire, the other delivers the killing blow, and they work together flawlessly. I've lived a long time, but this is the first time I've seen Martial Souls cooperate with such understanding."
"They've grown up together since they were little, so they understand each other perfectly." Yu Tianlong smiled and walked over to the Blazing Sun Snake's corpse. He sat down cross-legged.
"Senior, sorry for the trouble. Please guard me while I absorb this Soul Ring."
"Don't worry. With me here, nothing will disturb you."
Dugu Bo stood with his hands clasped behind his back. Green Soul Power slowly flowed around him, and a powerful aura spread out, keeping watch over everything within dozens of meters.
Yu Tianlong took a deep breath, closed his eyes, circulated his Soul Power, and drew the purple Thousand-Year Soul Ring slowly toward himself.
Little Gold walked over to the Blazing Sun Snake's corpse, lowered its head, opened its mouth, and began to devour it.
Over the past six months, they had settled into a routine: while Yu Tianlong absorbed a Soul Ring, Little Gold devoured the Soul Beast's corpse. The two things happened in tandem, often producing twice the result for half the effort.
Golden light and purple radiance interwove, enveloping Yu Tianlong.
His aura began to steadily rise.
A gentle breeze swept across the volcanic rock fields of Sunset Forest, carrying the scent of sulfur and scorched earth.
Yu Tianlong sat cross-legged beside the Blazing Sun Snake's corpse. The purple light of the Soul Ring around him gradually dimmed as it merged into his body.
He slowly opened his eyes, a flash of light glinting in them. A stronger, more solid surge of Soul Power spread from within him.
"Level twenty-three." Yu Tianlong clenched his fist, feeling the power surging through him, and smiled with satisfaction.
Little Gold stood nearby, a full size larger than before absorbing the Soul Ring. It was nearly a meter and eighty centimeters long, with a shoulder height reaching Yu Tianlong's waist.
The golden scales covering its body were denser, gleaming with a metallic sheen in the sunlight. A distinct crack had split the bump on its forehead, and something inside seemed to be wriggling.
Its limbs were even sturdier, and cold light flickered at the tips of its claws. Every breath it took carried a faint golden mist, accompanied by the distant rumble of wind and thunder.
Little Silver crouched on a jutting rock, its silvery-white fur fluttering gently in the breeze, purple markings faintly visible between the strands.
It had grown a little too, but was clearly a size smaller than Little Gold, only about two-thirds as big.
At that moment, it was pawing at a stone scorched red-hot by the Blazing Sun Snake's flames, having the time of its life. But every now and then, when it looked at Little Gold, its eyes betrayed a hint of envy and hurt.
"Rrr..." Little Silver dropped the stone and hopped over to Yu Tianlong, rubbing its little head against his arm. Its glassy eyes welled up as if to say:
"Look, it's gotten bigger again, and I'm still this small..."
Yu Tianlong laughed helplessly and reached out to rub its fluffy head.
"Don't worry. When it's time for the third Soul Ring, I'll prioritize you. Once you absorb a Soul Ring with a suitable elemental attribute, you'll definitely make huge strides too."
"Rrr?" Little Silver tilted its head, as if checking whether its master was lying.
"Really. When have I ever lied to you?" Yu Tianlong promised earnestly. "Three rings. Just three rings, and I'll make sure you come first."
Only then did Little Silver give a satisfied "rrr," hop back onto his shoulder, and lift its tail high, returning to its usual proud self.
Dugu Bo watched the interaction between the man and the two beasts, an amused smile on his face. "Your Martial Soul has developed quite a bit of intelligence. It's like you're raising two children."
"They are children, after all." Yu Tianlong smiled, stood up, and stretched his limbs. "Senior, thank you for this. If you hadn't led the way, I'd never have found such a good Soul Beast."
"Enough with the empty pleasantries." Dugu Bo waved a hand. "What's your second Soul Skill? Let me see."
Yu Tianlong didn't refuse. At a thought from him, Little Gold understood at once, lifted its head, and let out a deep roar!
"Second Soul Skill, Golden Dragon Body!"
Hum!
Golden light surged from Little Gold like a tide, enveloping its entire body.
Amid that dazzling radiance, Little Gold swelled once more, growing from its original length of one meter and eighty centimeters to more than two and a half meters!
Its limbs became even sturdier, its muscles forged like fine steel. The scales that had covered only parts of its body rapidly spread across it, forming a complete suit of golden armor!
Its eyes turned a pure dark gold, its pupils narrowed to slits, and a cold dragon's might radiated from them. A golden light glimmered within the crack on its forehead, as if something were about to break free from its cocoon!
"Roar—!"
Little Gold unleashed a deafening roar. It no longer sounded anything like "rrr, rrr"; it had become a true dragon's furious bellow!
The roar spread outward, making the loose stones around them tremble and rustle. Even the air seemed to freeze.
Dugu Bo's pupils contracted slightly. He could clearly feel that after using its second Soul Skill, Little Gold's aura had surged by at least half!
And that overbearing, inviolable presence was unmistakably a high-level defensive state. Ordinary control skills and negative effects would likely have little effect on it in this state.
"Golden Dragon Body... It increases all attributes by fifty percent and grants immunity to most control effects while active." Yu Tianlong gave a brief explanation.
"It's a strengthening-type Soul Skill that offers both offense and defense. It works even better when paired with Golden Dragon Claw."
"What a Golden Dragon Body!" Dugu Bo couldn't help praising it.
"Your second Soul Ring was well worth choosing! The Blazing Sun Snake is renowned for its vigorous vitality, so its Soul Ring granting you a skill that strengthens the body is a perfect match. And your golden Luo Sanpao already specializes in strength. With this Soul Skill, it's like a tiger with wings!"
"You flatter me, Senior." Yu Tianlong scratched his head, a little embarrassed, though he couldn't hide a trace of pride in his eyes.
He had Little Gold dispel Golden Dragon Body. The golden light faded, and Little Gold returned to its usual size, but the dragon's might that had just awakened in it hadn't completely dissipated. It still lingered around the creature, lending it a greater air of majesty than before.