Born Unyielding, Die Fighting

The Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff was utterly savage; everyone knew how difficult it was to fuse with.

Leng Yaozhu looked at Gu You. Though she did not know what the child was thinking, if he wanted to try fusing, then he could try. She would not object.

As for whether he would fail, she actually thought the chances were small. The fact that Gu You had brought it up meant he was mentally prepared, and as his teacher, she would naturally support him.

"Come with me." Leng Yaozhu stood and said to Gu You, "As a soul spirit developed through the Spirit Transmission Pagoda's special methods, the Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff is still difficult to fuse with. Be prepared."

"Got it."

Gu You made an OK gesture.

After leaving the room, they took the elevator, and this time they went straight to the top floor of Heavenly Spirit Pagoda.

As the elevator doors opened before him, Gu You saw a corridor only a few meters long.

Both sides of the corridor were transparent glass. Standing there, high in the clouds above Shrek City, one could see the grace and splendor of the entire city.

As the saying went, it was lonely at the top...

But standing at this summit, Gu You did not feel the same at all.

After taking a few steps out of the corridor, they entered a slightly cramped room.

The room was filled with display cases, sealed in special glass. Inside the cases were Soul Spirit Balls, each radiating lights of different colors, with dark shadows twisting within.

"Teacher, are these Soul Spirit Balls for sale?" Gu You asked curiously as he looked at the Soul Spirit Balls storing soul spirits.

Soul Spirit Balls could store soul spirits, and could even capture soul beasts. Although there were not many land soul beasts left on the continent, there were plenty in the ocean! From the look of it, Soul Spirit Balls would still have quite a wide range of uses in the future.

"If you want some, I'll give you a few later."

Leng Yaozhu smiled it off. After walking for a while, she stopped before a display case, gently opened the glass door in front of it, and took out a Soul Spirit Ball that flickered with golden light inside.

"A five-thousand-year Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff soul spirit. Are you ready?" Leng Yaozhu held the Soul Spirit Ball in her hand and looked at Gu You.

"Let's do it."

Gu You found an open space, sat down in a meditative posture, and closed his eyes.

Seeing this, Leng Yaozhu brought her hands together, and a vast surge of soul power poured into the Soul Spirit Ball.

After the Soul Spirit Ball came into contact with her soul power, cracks began appearing across its surface, until finally, it burst apart completely.

"Roar—!"

In an instant, along with dazzling golden light, a roar shook heaven and earth, making the entire top floor of Heavenly Spirit Pagoda tremble.

The golden light gradually dimmed, and the phantom of a golden beast two meters long and six feet tall at the shoulder condensed into view.

Although the golden beast was a phantom, its body shifted between solid and illusory, as if it existed between reality and illusion.

There were also black ghost-face markings on its head, ferocious beyond compare.

Its form resembled both a lion and a hound. Its entire body was covered in a layer of brilliant golden fur, and beneath that fur were fine golden scales, symbols of its ultimate defensive power.

After the Soul Spirit Ball exploded, many special runes formed around the Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff.

These runes shone with gorgeous golden light, suppressing its power to prevent any accidents.

Gu You's spiritual power fluctuations began to spread, and soon they came into contact with the Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff, forming a spiritual connection with it.

In the next instant, his heart shook. He opened his eyes, and the scene before him was no longer the top floor of Heavenly Spirit Pagoda, but a vast, ethereal world of nothingness.

"Roar—!" Another roar immediately followed. Hearing it, Gu You's ears rang.

He looked toward the direction the roar had come from.

After a streak of golden light flashed through his pupils, he saw a golden beast.

It was the Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff!

It looked like a lion, but its muzzle was slightly longer than that of lion-type soul beasts. In addition to its normal two eyes, there was a third eye on its forehead in the shape of a vertical pupil. At this moment, golden light flickered in its two eyes, while the vertical pupil radiated an eerie red glow.

Seeing Gu You look at it, the Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff moved its four limbs and walked toward him step by step.

Its claws were like dragon claws, and with every step it took, a ball of golden flame appeared beneath its feet.

So this was the Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff?

As for the Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff's appearance, Gu You could only describe it in two words: domineering.

Seeing the Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff walk toward him, Gu You sensed no desire to attack.

If it did not attack first, Gu You naturally would not make a move either. He could tell that the Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff was not unintelligent. If they could talk, no one wanted to resort to violence.

"Human!" The Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff stopped a few meters in front of Gu You, and then its deafening voice exploded in his mind.

"There are two auras on you. One comes from the dragon race. Although it is not a true dragon, that aura makes even me wary."

"Can you tell me who it is?"

Gu You fell silent for a moment. He thought it over, then said, "My second martial soul is the Purple Imperial Heaven-Extinguishing Dragon! Perhaps you may not know it, but in the ancient era when the dragon race ruled, it was born alongside the Dragon God."

"Progenitor of the sub-dragons..." The Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff's gaze darkened as it looked Gu You up and down.

"I have no idea how long ago I was created by you humans. Countless human soul masters have wanted to fuse with me. But did you ever know this? Our clan is born unyielding, and even in death, we fight!"

"Roar—!"

After saying that, the Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff let out an angry roar at Gu You.

"So don't even dream of fusing with me! Don't even dream of making me bow my head and submit!"

Gu You was stunned by what the Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff said. He subconsciously retorted, "Since when does fusing with you mean making you bow your heads and submit? Do you know why human soul masters fuse with soul spirits?"

"Why? Isn't it merely to pursue power? After the fusion, we still can't escape the fate of being restrained."

The Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff's voice continued to echo in his mind.

"You're wrong. Soul masters fusing with soul spirits is indeed for the sake of pursuing power, that much can't be denied. But what I want to tell you is that most soul masters fuse with soul spirits in order to develop alongside them."

Gu You's tone was firm.

He could not deny that some soul masters were far too extreme toward soul spirits.

But most ordinary soul masters would not fail their soul spirits. Fusion meant a lifetime together, even releasing them externally to fight.

Hearing what Gu You said, the Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff fell silent.

Trapped inside the Soul Spirit Ball, it yearned too deeply for freedom.

"Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff, are you really willing to be trapped here? Trapped for thousands of years? Tens of thousands!"

"Leave this place with me. I promise you, I'll give you the freedom to be released as a soul spirit, and I'll use spiritual power to improve you, making you even stronger, so you can vie with me for the peak of the continent!"

"And even if I grow to the pinnacle, I'll only have a few hundred years of lifespan. After I die, you'll regain your freedom. At that time, the contract and fusion between you and me will also end."

"Of course, if I can become a god in this era, then you and I can share eternal life. When that time comes, the soul spirit contract will also end."

Gu You painted a grand picture. His terms were not bad in this era; he did not believe the Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff would refuse.