Second Soul Ring, Chu Jin Chose Devouring for Growth

The list of soul beasts Yue Guan had sent over was very thick.

All forty-two soul beasts had been screened by the Papal Hall and the Worship Hall. Every one of them possessed a certain degree of compatibility with Xiao Jin's current light and dragon attributes.

The top ten entries on the list even included detailed notes on their habits, combat methods, common habitats, and the possible directions of the soul skills they might produce.

After returning to his residence in the Worship Hall, Chu Jin did not make a choice immediately.

He spread the information on all forty-two soul beasts across the long table in the forging room and examined them page by page.

Xiao Jin lay on the other side of the table.

Whenever he turned to a page bearing an image of a dragon-type soul beast, it would lean over to sniff it, occasionally even sticking out its tongue for a lick.

Chu Jin pushed it away several times.

"It's just a picture."

"Eating it won't do anything."

Xiao Jin refused to believe it.

It hugged a picture of a Flame-Armored Dragon Lizard and took two bites. Only after confirming it had no flavor did it spit out the corner of the paper in disgust.

Chu Lie walked over from the forge and glanced down at the tabletop.

"What are you planning to choose for your second soul ring?"

"I haven't decided yet."

Chu Jin's finger landed on the first sheet of information.

"The top-ranked one is the Light-Eating Dragon Lizard."

"Second is the Thunder-Horned Golden Dragon Python."

"Third is the Blazing Sun Flying Dragon."

"The highest-ranked soul beasts all match its attributes very well."

Chu Lie's knowledge of soul beasts was limited.

He picked up the image of the Light-Eating Dragon Lizard and studied it for a while.

"Why is this thing so black?"

The soul beast in the illustration was covered in pitch-black scales, with thick limbs and a golden light sac growing from its abdomen. It had no dragon horns, and its mouth occupied more than half its face. Its teeth were densely packed, and it could hardly be called imposing.

"The Light-Eating Dragon Lizard lives in areas with strong sunlight."

Chu Jin explained, "Its scales absorb light, which is why its exterior appears black. The light sac in its abdomen stores the energy it swallows and can release it again in battle."

"Sounds like a good fit for Xiao Jin."

Chu Lie glanced at Xiao Jin, which was chewing on paper.

"It likes eating too."

Chu Jin nodded.

Xiao Jin's greatest potential lay in its growth.

Its first soul ring had come from the Radiant Nightmare Dragon Lizard, granting it Holy Dragon Soul Suppression and making up for its lack of control and mental suppression abilities.

The second soul ring could further strengthen its attack, speed, or defense.

The second-ranked Thunder-Horned Golden Dragon Python had a high chance of producing a lightning dragon-breath soul skill.

The Blazing Sun Flying Dragon, meanwhile, might grant flight acceleration and light-flame attacks.

All of those abilities were powerful.

They would also offer the most direct improvement to Chu Jin's current combat strength.

The Light-Eating Dragon Lizard, however, was different.

Among the candidate soul beasts, its frontal offensive power could only be considered average, while its defense and speed were equally unremarkable.

It had only one truly special trait.

Devouring energy.

Xiao Jin could now consume ores, soul beast materials, and small amounts of released Soul Power.

That ability was closer to an instinct within its martial soul bloodline and could not truly be used in battle.

If its second soul ring could strengthen that instinct into a soul skill, then future enemy attacks, lingering Soul Power on the battlefield, and even energy from certain special environments might all become nourishment for Xiao Jin's growth.

In the short term, lightning dragon breath was stronger.

In the long run, the Light-Eating Dragon Lizard's soul skill better suited Xiao Jin's path of growth.

The next morning.

Chu Jin brought the list to the Worship Hall's council chamber.

Golden Crocodile, Guang Ling, Yue Guan, and Qian Renxue had all already arrived.

When Yue Guan saw the Flame-Armored Dragon Lizard file with one corner bitten off by Xiao Jin, his eyelid twitched slightly.

"This illustrated volume is a copied edition of the Papal Hall library's sole surviving original."

"The little thing even eats paper?"

Chu Jin lifted Xiao Jin off the table.

"It was only trying it."

"And after trying it, the book lost a corner."

Yue Guan took back the file and carefully flattened the damaged section.

"Have you made your choice?"

"The Light-Eating Dragon Lizard."

Chu Jin placed the first file in the center of the table.

Guang Ling raised a brow.

"This old man thought you would choose the Blazing Sun Flying Dragon."

"Both flight and light-flame attacks would directly increase Xiao Jin's combat strength."

Golden Crocodile also said, "The Thunder-Horned Golden Dragon Python's lightning dragon breath is more suitable for frontal combat."

"If you choose devouring for the second soul skill, your combat strength will not improve very quickly."

Chu Jin had already considered it thoroughly.

"Xiao Jin currently lacks offensive soul skills, but it does not lack ways to attack."

"Holy Dragon Soul Suppression can create opportunities."

"The Heavy Halberd can deliver the attack."

"Xiao Jin's physical strength and scales will also continue to grow as it consumes materials."

"Rather than adding another attack method, I need to expand its avenues for growth."

A trace of approval appeared in Yue Guan's eyes.

"Go on."

"Ordinary ores and soul beast materials have to be purchased or searched for, and the same materials also become less effective over time."

Chu Jin looked toward the Light-Eating Dragon Lizard's file.

"If it gains an energy-devouring soul skill, then future battles themselves can become cultivation."

"The more attacks the enemy launches, the more energy Xiao Jin can use."

"This ability can also work together with Overlord Army."

Qian Renxue quickly understood what he meant.

"As the number of enemies increases, Overlord Army boosts your strength."

"Xiao Jin can then consume the lingering Soul Power on the battlefield to sustain itself."

"The longer the battle lasts, the more advantageous it becomes for you."

Chu Jin nodded.

That was the core reason he had chosen the Light-Eating Dragon Lizard.

In a one-on-one fight, a devouring soul skill might not be as useful as a powerful offensive soul skill.

But on a large-scale battlefield, the scattered Soul Power and elemental energy would be immensely abundant.

As long as Xiao Jin could keep using it, Chu Jin would possess endurance and growth speed far beyond those of ordinary soul masters.

Golden Crocodile did not continue objecting.

"The soul skill produced is random."

"Even if you hunt a Light-Eating Dragon Lizard, you may not obtain the devouring ability you want."

"I know."

Chu Jin said, "Its bloodline traits consist only of devouring and counterattacking. The chance of obtaining a corresponding soul skill is already higher than with other soul beasts."

Yue Guan flipped open the later pages of the information.

"Light-Eating Dragon Lizards are not numerous."

"According to the Spirit Hall hunting teams' records, three were once discovered in the southwestern region of Sunset Forest. One of them was close to two thousand years old."

"Around seventeen hundred years would be most suitable."

A normal second soul ring for a soul master would usually not exceed eight hundred years.

Seventeen hundred years was already the age of an ordinary third soul ring.

Over the past year, Golden Crocodile had continuously strengthened Chu Jin's physique, so naturally he knew the limits of Chu Jin's body.

Yet Qian Renxue still frowned slightly.

"Can his body withstand it?"

Golden Crocodile answered directly.

"In terms of physical strength alone, he is already close to an ordinary Soul Elder."

"His spiritual power is even higher."

Yue Guan added, "Over the past year, Xiao Jin's feedback, dragon-blood medicinal baths, Whale Rubber, and high-intensity body training have never stopped."

"The first soul ring of the Radiant Nightmare Dragon Lizard has also been continuously strengthening his spirit."

"Seventeen hundred years carries risks, but they are within a controllable range."

Qian Renxue looked at Chu Jin.

"How do you feel?"

"I can do it."

Chu Jin was not blindly overestimating himself.

Over the past year, he had recorded the changes in his body almost every day.

Muscle strength.

Meridian resilience.

Bone strength.

The duration for which he could use Double Pupils.

The mental consumption of Holy Dragon Soul Suppression.

He had clear records of all of it.

The pressure brought by a seventeen-hundred-year soul ring should be within the limits of what he could endure.

Guang Ling leaned back in his seat.

"Then it's settled."

"Who is going this time?"

Golden Crocodile said, "This old man will lead the team."

"I'll go too."

Qian Renxue volunteered.

Over the past year, she had often trained together with Chu Jin and Xiao Jin, and her holy light attribute could also attract the Light-Eating Dragon Lizard.

Yue Guan thought for a moment.

"The Light-Eating Dragon Lizard can devour light-attribute soul skills."

"With Xiaoxue there, it will indeed be easier to lure it out."

In the end, Golden Crocodile, Chu Jin, and Qian Renxue were confirmed as the three travelers.

Guang Ling had originally wanted to go as well.

But Golden Crocodile left him behind in Spirit City to handle other matters with a single sentence: "There's no need for two Worship Hall elders to hunt a soul beast that's only a thousand-odd years old."

Before they departed, Yue Guan gave another warning.

"After the Light-Eating Dragon Lizard devours energy, it can release it from the light sac in its abdomen."

"Do not attack it continuously with high-intensity soul skills."

"If the light sac fills with energy, the attack it releases will far surpass its own age."

Qian Renxue nodded.

Chu Jin also firmly committed that record to memory.

The three left Spirit City and headed for Sunset Forest.

Sunset Forest was different from the Star Dou Great Forest.

Its area was smaller, and its soul beasts were generally younger, but it contained many valleys, swamps, and underground caves with complex terrain.

Light-Eating Dragon Lizards favored environments with abundant sunlight and dense rock formations.

Golden Crocodile directly led the two of them toward the southwestern region.

On the third day after entering the forest.

The surrounding light began to become abnormal.

Though the blazing sun hung high overhead, the forest was remarkably dim.

Large numbers of leaves had turned grayish-white, as though they had been deprived of sunlight for a long time.

Xiao Jin stopped walking.

Its nose twitched lightly, and the scales across its body gradually tightened.

Qian Renxue also released a wisp of angelic Soul Power.

The instant the golden light appeared, it was drawn by some force and slowly drifted deeper into the forest.

"Nearby."

Chu Jin activated Double Pupils.

The light energy drifting through the air was flowing in the same direction.

The three followed the flow of energy.

After passing through a stretch of low stone forest, a broad valley appeared ahead.

Not a single blade of grass grew within the valley.

Every rock had been bleached white by the light, yet the central area was shrouded in dense darkness.

The moment Xiao Jin stepped into the valley, a powerful pulling force came from within the darkness.

The golden holy light covering its body was forcibly drawn away.

Its entire body slid forward uncontrollably as well.

Chu Jin's gaze sharpened.

Their martial soul link instantly tightened.

He grabbed Xiao Jin's hind leg, but his own feet were dragged several meters forward as well.

Deep within the darkness, two golden-yellow eyes slowly opened.

A huge maw lined with dense, sharp teeth appeared between the rocks.