Yu Tianlong Senses the Conspiracy, Slipping Away?

"Now, now, that's being too much of a stranger." Yu Yuanzhen interrupted him, his tone carrying a hint of unquestionable insistence.

"You are a disciple of my Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. As the Clan Master, it is only natural for me to personally take you to hunt for your spirit ring. How could I let an outsider be troubled with such matters?"

He paused, then added, "Besides, Xiaogang has just broken through to level ten and needs his first spirit ring. I'll take you two brothers together; it'll be a matter of killing two birds with one stone."

Upon hearing this, Yu Tianlong couldn't help but take another look at Yu Xiaogang.

Half a level of innate spirit power, and he reached level ten in two years?

For someone with only half a level of innate spirit power, this speed was simply incredible.

It seemed Yu Yuanzhen had been giving Yu Xiaogang special treatment in private; the resources invested were likely no less than what he himself had received.

Feeling Yu Tianlong's gaze, Yu Xiaogang's body stiffened slightly. He then looked up and squeezed out a smile: "Cousin, long time no see."

"Long time no see." Yu Tianlong nodded, though he felt that Yu Xiaogang's expression today was somewhat unnatural, even if he couldn't pinpoint exactly what was wrong.

"Alright, no time to lose. Let's set off now." Yu Yuanzhen clapped his hands, signaling for the two to follow. "I have already prepared the carriage and guards; we are heading straight for the Star Dou Forest."

Yu Tianlong opened his mouth, wanting to say that Dugu Bo was still waiting for him, but the words died in his throat.

Forget it. The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well wasn't going anywhere, so arriving a few days late wouldn't matter. Since the Clan Master had spoken personally, he couldn't refuse this favor.

"Yes, Clan Master." He replied, then looked back at the two Little Silvers waiting expectantly in the courtyard, silently saying in his heart: Wait a few more days, Little Silver. I will definitely take you to that place.

Little Silver seemed to sense his intent and let out a soft "luo," no longer urging him.

The three left the small courtyard, boarded the luxurious carriage prepared by the clan, and, surrounded by dozens of elite guards, headed toward the Star Dou Forest.

Inside the carriage, Yu Yuanzhen sat in the main seat, eyes closed in meditation. Yu Tianlong and Yu Xiaogang sat on either side, and for a time, the only sound in the carriage was the rumble of wheels rolling over the road.

Yu Xiaogang kept his head down, hands resting on his knees, fingers curling slightly as if lost in thought. His gaze darted toward Yu Tianlong from time to time before quickly looking away, as if he were peeking at something he shouldn't.

Noticing his odd behavior, Yu Tianlong asked, "Xiaogang, how has your cultivation been lately? How is the development of Luo Sanpao's devouring ability coming along?"

Yu Xiaogang's body gave a slight jolt, as if startled awake, and he hurriedly replied:

"It, it's not bad. Following the methods you taught me, I've definitely made much faster progress than before. I can already consume the meat of century-level spirit beasts now, and Luo Sanpao's strength has grown quite a bit."

"That's good." Yu Tianlong nodded. "Take it slow, no need to rush. Luo Sanpao has great potential; as long as you find the right method, it may not be impossible for it to become a top-tier spirit in the future."

"Mm... thank you, Cousin." Yu Xiaogang replied in a low, muffled voice.

Yu Yuanzhen kept his eyes closed, seemingly oblivious to the brothers' conversation.

But if one were to observe closely, they would notice the corners of his mouth hook upward in an imperceptible arc the moment Yu Xiaogang said the words "thank you, Cousin."

The carriage continued forward, driving toward the vast, boundless Star Dou Forest.

Outside the carriage window, the sky grew dim, and dark clouds began to gather on the horizon, as if heralding an approaching storm.

The air on the outskirts of the Star Dou Forest was humid and fresh, mixed with the scent of soil and vegetation.

Sunlight filtered through the layers of tree crowns, casting dappled shadows across the forest floor.

Occasionally, low roars of beasts drifted from afar, adding a touch of wild vitality to this vast forest.

Yu Tianlong stood under an ancient tree that required three men to embrace, watching Yu Xiaogang hunt a spirit beast not far away, his brow furrowing slightly.

The spirit beast Yu Xiaogang had chosen was a Wind-Patterned Deer that had just barely reached the century mark.

This type of spirit beast was known for its speed and docile temperament; its combat power was nearly at the bottom of its rank, and its only advantage was that it was relatively easy to hunt.

It took quite a bit of effort for Yu Xiaogang's Luo Sanpao, with Yu Yuanzhen's secret assistance, to corner the Wind-Patterned Deer and then knock it out with a "fart" that carried a paralyzing effect.

The entire process was utterly unremarkable.

That's it? Yu Tianlong thought to himself. The first spirit ring concerns the foundation of a spirit master's future. He finally reached level ten after so much effort, and he's just going to settle for this?

He looked at Yu Yuanzhen, expecting the Clan Master to offer some guidance on his son's first spirit ring choice. After all, Yu Xiaogang's talent was already poor; if he chose such a mediocre ring, his path ahead would only become more difficult.

But Yu Yuanzhen merely stood to the side with his hands behind his back, his face devoid of expression, as if what Yu Xiaogang was hunting was of no consequence.

He didn't even spare Yu Xiaogang a glance, his gaze lingering on Yu Tianlong instead.

Yu Xiaogang absorbed the spirit ring, his spirit power barely breaking through to level eleven. He stood up, head bowed, and walked silently behind Yu Yuanzhen without saying a word.

"Alright, Xiaogang's spirit ring is settled." Yu Yuanzhen finally spoke, his tone flat, before turning to Yu Tianlong with a warm smile instantly appearing on his face. "Now, it's your turn, Tianlong."

He patted Yu Tianlong's shoulder with moderate force, carrying the affection of an elder:

"You are a level thirty spirit grandmaster; your third spirit ring is crucial. Given your talent and the unique nature of Luo Sanpao, an ordinary thousand-year spirit ring is no longer worthy of you. In my opinion, you must start with at least a ten-thousand-year spirit ring to match your potential."

Yu Tianlong felt a chill in his heart.

A ten-thousand-year spirit ring? Absorbing a ten-thousand-year ring as his third? That was too big a leap. Although he did possess the ability to absorb rings beyond his level, the risks of going straight to ten thousand years for a third ring were still significant.

"Clan Master, wouldn't a ten-thousand-year spirit ring be too risky?" Yu Tianlong said tentatively. "I could start by absorbing a suitable thousand-year ring, playing it safe..."

"Now, now, no need to belittle yourself." Yu Yuanzhen waved his hand, his tone brooks no argument.

"Your Luo Sanpao can devour and evolve; absorbing spirit rings beyond your level is no problem for you at all. Rest assured, I will personally take action to hunt the most suitable ten-thousand-year spirit beast for you. You only need to focus on absorbing it."

He spoke with great sincerity, his eyes full of "care" and "expectation." If his intuition hadn't been blaring alarms, Yu Tianlong would have almost been moved by this "deep affection."

But it was precisely because this "care" was so thick—so thick that it could even ignore his own biological son—that the alarm bells in Yu Tianlong's heart rang even louder.

A clan head who remains indifferent to his own son, yet shows such deep concern for a collateral descendant... is this reasonable?

Scenes from the past two years flashed through Yu Tianlong's mind: the pouring of resources without regard for cost, the personal guidance every few days, and now, personally leading a team to hunt for a spirit ring. He would even settle for a mediocre spirit ring for his own son, yet he insisted on saving the best for "him"...

This was no longer just "valuing" someone; it was as if he had staked everything he owned on him.

But Yu Tianlong, when it came down to it, was merely a collateral descendant whose parents were both dead. Even if his talent were exceptional, it shouldn't be enough to make the head of the clan go to such lengths.

Unless... he had some other motive.

Yu Tianlong's heart sank.

He recalled Yu Xiaogang's uncharacteristic "humility" in seeking advice over the past two years, and the undisguised greed in Yu Xiaogang's eyes every time he looked at his Luo Sanpao.

He recalled the look in Yu Yuanzhen's eyes behind those gentle smiles whenever he "cared" for him—as if he were appraising a precious object...

A terrifying conjecture gradually took shape in his mind.

"Clan Head," Yu Tianlong stepped back half a pace, forcing a smile onto his face, "perhaps we should call it a day. I'm not in the best state, and there's no rush to discuss the third spirit ring; we can talk about it another time."