Wishing Upon the Treasure-Dropping Coin

After hearing Zhao Ming's words, Qian Renxue fell silent.

She looked at Zhao Ming's still-cute yet resolute face, her heart filled with complicated emotions.

A child of seven and a half should have been basking in the affection of his parents, growing up carefree in an academy. Yet Zhao Ming already had to face the trial of a ten-thousand-year spirit ring alone.

She wanted to say, "No, it's too dangerous," but the words would not come out. She knew that since Zhao Ming had come to her about this matter, he had already made up his mind.

This child was far more mature than others his age. Every decision he made had always been carefully considered.

Besides, this was a divine trial, a test from the gods. How could mortals presume to comment on it?

After a long while, Qian Renxue let out a soft sigh and patted Zhao Ming on the shoulder. Her palm was warm and strong, and the warmth passing through his clothes made Zhao Ming's heart warm as well.

"Xiaoming, go ahead and do it. Your sister will support you."

Two days later, everything was ready.

Qian Renxue personally prepared Zhao Ming's luggage. From changes of clothes to dried rations and drinking water, from healing pills to various emergency spirit tools, she packed an entire storage spirit tool full.

She even tucked in a distress flare from the Angel lineage, reminding Zhao Ming to fire it immediately if he encountered danger he could not handle. The Angel Legion had troops stationed near Star Dou Forest to guard against beast tides, and they would arrive as quickly as possible upon receiving the signal.

Zhao Ming put everything away one by one, then left the Crown Prince's Palace with Snake Spear Douluo. They took a carriage south toward Star Dou Forest.

After more than ten days of travel, the scenery along the way changed from bustling towns to sparse villages, then from sparse villages to rolling wilderness.

When an endless dark-green sea of forest appeared on the distant horizon, Snake Spear Douluo reined in the horses.

"Star Dou Forest is ahead." Snake Spear Douluo jumped down from the carriage, stretched his limbs, and turned to Zhao Ming. "Kid, are you sure you want to absorb a ten-thousand-year third ring? It's not too late to change your mind. I can help you find a thousand-year spirit beast of suitable age."

Zhao Ming shook his head, jumped down from the carriage, and stared resolutely at the boundless dark-green forest. "Uncle Snake Spear, my mind is made up."

Snake Spear Douluo sighed and did not try to persuade him again. He had already tried more than ten times during the journey, and Zhao Ming had rebuffed him with the same words every time.

The child was good in every way, except that he had far too many ideas of his own. Once he made a decision, not even nine oxen could pull him back.

On the way to Star Dou Forest, Zhao Ming had already made a "wish" to the Treasure-Dropping Coin, describing in detail the spirit beast he needed.

"I want an extremely powerful control-type spirit skill. Mental control is fine, physical control is fine too, and having both would be even better. I'm not picky.

"It would be best if it also came with an all-attribute boost—the higher, the better. And if possible, throw in an external spirit bone too. I've already confirmed that I can't absorb spirit bones from the six main body parts, so I want to find out whether I can absorb an external spirit bone."

After making his wish, Zhao Ming clearly sensed that more than half of the accumulated fortune within the Treasure-Dropping Coin's Fortune-Gathering Domain had suddenly been consumed.

That mysterious, indescribable aura poured forth like floodwaters from an opened dam, merging into heaven and earth, as though an invisible hand had plucked the strings of fate in the dark.

Zhao Ming's heart settled completely. So much fortune had been expended, which meant his wish's "order" had been accepted. All that remained was to wait for the "delivery."

After Snake Spear Douluo hid the carriage, the two entered Star Dou Forest one after the other.

The moment Zhao Ming and Snake Spear Douluo stepped into Star Dou Forest, the Treasure-Dropping Coin began to work its magic.

The outer region of Star Dou Forest was not much different from an ordinary forest. Towering ancient trees blocked out the sky, vines twisted through the woods, and shrubs grew thickly everywhere.

Snake Spear Douluo walked ahead to clear the way. Though his nine spirit rings had not yet been released, the presence of a Title Douluo naturally radiated from him. The nearby low-level spirit beasts had long since fled at the scent of danger, and even the chirping insects and singing birds had fallen quieter.

As he walked, he considered their target for this trip. Zhao Ming wanted to absorb a ten-thousand-year third ring; it was simply a fantasy. But since the young mistress had agreed, he could only do his best to cooperate.

The soul shock from a ten-thousand-year spirit ring was still an enormous risk. However, with him guarding Zhao Ming at his side, at least he could ensure that nothing went wrong during the absorption process.

Zhao Ming followed behind Snake Spear Douluo, appearing calm on the surface while secretly waiting for a spirit beast to come knocking.

They had not gone far when a sharp eagle cry suddenly rang out overhead.

Snake Spear Douluo abruptly looked up. His gaze pierced through the layered canopy, and the sight in the sky made his pupils contract.

It was an enormous bird of prey. Its outspread wings spanned seven or eight zhang, blotting out the sky. Its entire body was covered in fiery-red feathers that gleamed in the sunlight, like a blazing flame soaring through the heavens.

Its tail feathers were exceptionally long, trailing behind it like a streak of flowing fire. Every beat of its wings left a faint crimson afterimage in the air.

A Firefeather Eagle over sixty thousand years old!

Snake Spear Douluo's expression changed slightly. Firefeather Eagles were among the most elite avian spirit beasts in Star Dou Forest, with a trace of phoenix blood flowing through their veins.

These raptors were ferocious by nature and fiercely territorial. Even Title Douluo were unwilling to provoke them lightly. It was not that they could not defeat them, but these beasts could fly, and they were extremely fast. While Title Douluo could also fly, unless they were agility-attack types, they would most likely be unable to catch one.

What drew Snake Spear Douluo's attention even more was that the Firefeather Eagle had a lion-like spirit beast clutched in its talons.

The spirit beast was a full size larger than an ordinary lion, its body covered in a layer of dark-gray mane. Even though the Firefeather Eagle's sharp talons had it tightly gripped, its body still struggled faintly. It was clearly not completely dead yet.

Wait, this was the outer region of Star Dou Forest. Why would a Firefeather Eagle and a spirit beast of this level appear here?

Before Snake Spear Douluo could figure it out, the Firefeather Eagle circling in the sky suddenly did something no one could have expected—it inexplicably released its talons.

The lion-type spirit beast fell straight down from a hundred zhang in the air like a kite with its string cut. It crashed through layers of treetops amid a series of snapping branches, then slammed heavily into the ground less than three chi in front of Zhao Ming.

Bang! A dull boom shook the ground, blasting a huge crater into the earth as dirt and shattered stones flew in every direction.

Snake Spear Douluo instinctively shielded Zhao Ming behind him. Looking down at the spirit beast in the crater, he could not help crying out in shock, "Th-this is a twelve-thousand-year Netherworld Sword Lion King! One of the most elite spirit beasts, renowned for its strength and spiritual power!"