Soul Beast Advancement, Absorbing the First Soul Ring

The four of them wandered the outskirts of the Star Dou Forest.

They had yet to find a spirit beast of a suitable age.

After consulting with one another, Gu Rong and Chen Xin decided to head toward the core area, maintaining the utmost vigilance as they scanned for any movement in their surroundings.

It was not until they had fully entered the core region that Gu Rong finally spotted a Thunder Tiger on a small hillside that was a perfect match for Han Yu.

As they approached the slope, a few dark clouds drifted across the sky, threatening to dissipate.

The Thunder Tiger was lying on a massive boulder, licking its wounds. The ground for yards around was barren, pockmarked with charred, blackened craters.

It was three meters long with heavy, broad paws. Its entire body was a deep violet, and its fur stood on end like steel needles; the arcs of electricity dancing between them made it look as if it were draped in a suit of lightning armor.

Suddenly, the sound of wind stirred in the distance, rustling the grass.

The Thunder Tiger transformed into a bolt of electricity, vanishing from its spot in an instant to peer into the distance toward the source of the sound.

Gu Rong pointed at the Thunder Tiger on the ground and said, "This Thunder Tiger has six markings on its tail, making it about six hundred years old. While its age isn't high, it is an extremely rare spirit beast, rumored to be able to evolve through lightning strikes.

"It excels at extreme bursts of speed over short distances and is a beast that possesses both power and agility. It never bites its prey, instead relying on its lightning to boost its speed before striking its enemies dead with its forepaws.

"The Thunder Tiger is one of the most ideal spirit beasts for assault-type spirit masters, and it should be a perfect fit for your Green Bamboo Bee Cloud Sword martial soul."

When Chen Xin heard that the Thunder Tiger was only six hundred years old, his brow twitched, but after considering Han Yu's unique circumstances, he chose to remain silent.

Given that he had already advanced to a spirit master with a four-hundred-year spirit ring, coupled with his exceptionally resilient meridians, there was indeed nothing to worry about. In fact, in Chen Xin's view, the age Han Yu could absorb might even be higher.

Han Yu's gaze fell upon the wounds on the Thunder Tiger, and his eyes flickered.

He sensed a familiar power of lightning within them. The Evil-Warding Divine Thunder was a heavenly lightning nurtured by the Ten-Thousand-Year Golden Thunder Bamboo, sharing the same origin as the lightning in the natural world. This meant the Thunder Tiger had just been baptized by heavenly lightning, and its age was certainly not what it appeared to be.

"Teacher, after a Thunder Tiger evolves through lightning strikes, does its tail grow corresponding markings? It looks like it was struck by lightning," Han Yu said, pointing to the charred craters on the ground.

"Er... I don't know about that." Gu Rong froze, frowning as he shook his head.

He had only skimmed through a few books and knew nothing of such obscure knowledge. Even the books in his memory only contained brief, simple records; there was no detailed explanation of how a Thunder Tiger evolved through lightning. Perhaps even the authors themselves were unaware of such secrets.

Gu Rong was at a loss. If this spirit beast's age far exceeded six hundred years, it would be too dangerous. He did not want his disciple to take risks out of greed for a higher age.

"Then let's just find another one! Grandpa Sword and Grandpa Bone are so powerful, they can find a suitable spirit beast in no time," Ning Rongrong said, crossing her arms and lifting her chin as she urged the three of them.

"Let's go," Chen Xin said first.

"Wait, won't we know once we kill it?" Han Yu tilted his head, his face wearing an expression of innocent, childlike confusion.

Chen Xin stopped in his tracks, stumped by the question and unsure how to respond. He looked toward Gu Rong and found the man wearing the same expression.

It was the first time they had heard such a perspective. Usually, when hunting spirit beasts, they would only strike after selecting a suitable target; today's situation was extremely rare.

At the same time, they gained a profound understanding of their disciple's temperament. He truly did not view spirit beasts as anything more than objects. On second thought, there didn't seem to be anything wrong with that—what was wrong with being ruthless to one's enemies?

"Han Yu, you've certainly taught Old Bone and me a lesson today," Gu Rong laughed, patting Han Yu on the shoulder with a tone full of admiration.

Gu Rong raised his hand casually, and the Thunder Tiger was held fast as if by an invisible giant hand. It lay on the ground as docile as a house cat, its fur trembling. Its copper-bell-sized eyes were filled with terror; the speed it relied on for survival had proven completely useless.

Unexpectedly, the next moment, a bizarre scene unfolded.

A torrential downpour began, accompanied by fierce winds and the faint rumble of thunder.

"Interesting. This beast has quite the fortune, undergoing two consecutive waves of heavenly lightning tempering." Gu Rong became interested and released his control over the Thunder Tiger, leaving it in place.

As the sky darkened, bolts of lightning fell from time to time. The fur on the Thunder Tiger's back acted like a lightning rod, drawing the heavenly strikes directly onto its body. Under the barrage of lightning, the tiger's fur gradually grew lustrous. It let out shrill, low roars, stubbornly standing its ground to keep from collapsing.

As the final bolt of lightning vanished, the Thunder Tiger slammed its front paws into the ground. Its body was renewed, its wounds vanished, and its eyes shone with wild joy. Its thick tail swished back and forth, and of the six markings, only a single black line remained.

It had evolved into a thousand-year spirit beast.

"Teacher, I want its spirit ring," Han Yu said, looking up at Gu Rong.

"Absolutely not." Gu Rong refused immediately without a second thought.

His expression was stern as he stepped in front of the Thunder Tiger. "Han Yu, this is a thousand-year spirit beast. Attempting a thousand-year ring for your first spirit ring is impossible to succeed.

"With your talent, there is no need to pursue such a momentary boost. Your future will be no less than ours. If something happens to you, the loss will outweigh the gain.

"Old Fossil, say something! Aren't you the one who opposes relying on external forces the most?"

Unexpectedly, Chen Xin did not side with Gu Rong, but instead looked at Han Yu earnestly.

Han Yu took a deep breath and explained softly, "Teachers, the Spirit Gathering Array actually has another function besides assisting in cultivation: when absorbing a spirit ring, it can help resist the impact of spirit power, increasing the success rate for a spirit master.

"Furthermore, there is the matter of my own body. The lightning power within the Green Bamboo Bee Cloud Sword enhances my physical constitution and protects my meridians from damage. This is what I rely on to dare to absorb a thousand-year spirit ring. Teacher Chen Xin knows this."

Gu Rong looked at Chen Xin, and seeing him nod, he turned back to Han Yu's firm, confident gaze and fell silent.

Chen Xin pondered for a moment, weighing the feasibility of this approach.

Finally, he nodded slightly. "Let him try. I will use my sword intent to protect his heart meridians."

"Fine," Gu Rong agreed with a nod. "If you feel any discomfort, stop the absorption immediately."

"Yes, Teacher," Han Yu replied.

Ning Rongrong stood to the side, her gaze fixed tightly on Han Yu. She twisted her handkerchief into a ball, her heart filled with worry as she muttered, "Han Yu, you idiot... you are not allowed to get hurt!"

Han Yu approached the unconscious Thunder Tiger and summoned his second martial soul, beginning to set up arrays at his feet.

In addition to the Spirit Gathering Array, he also set up a Soul Calming Array and a Heart Clearing Array.

He was determined to complete this feat that defied all limits with his absolute focus.

Han Yu's eyes were sharp. Cyan light condensed in his palm, and the Green Bamboo Bee Cloud Sword fell into his hand.