Green Banyan's Arrangement, Golden Earth Dragon King's Sacrifice!

The next morning.

A Soul Guidance Carriage left Blue Sea Village. It was several times faster than an ordinary carriage and much steadier; those inside felt only slight bumps.

Inside the carriage, Gu Shengge watched the ever-changing scenery outside the window and asked Green Banyan in his still-childish voice.

"Big Sister Green Banyan, where are we going? The Star Dou Great Forest?"

Green Banyan shook her head and explained gently, "The Star Dou Great Forest is more than seven thousand kilometers from Eastsea City. We're going to the Holy Light Forest, which is closest to here. Though it isn't as large as the Star Dou Great Forest, the Soul Beasts living there are all light-element Soul Beasts, making them more suitable for you."

Gu Shengge fell into thought.

He remembered that when Soul Masters absorbed Soul Rings, the energy contained within the rings would also raise their cultivation. He just wondered whether the mother and daughter inside his body would steal that Soul Ring energy as well.

After two days and two nights of travel, the Soul Guidance Carriage arrived at a Soul Hunting Town outside the Holy Light Forest at noon on the third day.

After lunch, Green Banyan took Gu Shengge into the Holy Light Forest.

The moment they entered the forest, fresh air carrying a faint earthy fragrance washed over them. Gu Shengge felt thoroughly refreshed, his pores opening unconsciously as he greedily breathed it in.

Looking up, he saw vast stretches of trees blocking their path like fierce tigers. Shadows swayed beneath the branches, while the gentle sunlight draped the leaves in a gauzy veil and filtered through the gaps, scattering flecks of light across the ground.

Green Banyan extended her jade-like hand to Gu Shengge and said with a gentle smile,

"Though the Holy Light Forest is smaller than the Star Dou Great Forest, it is still one of the continent's few gathering grounds for high-level Soul Beasts. Danger lurks everywhere. Come, hold Big Sister's hand. I'll take you to find a Soul Beast."

"Mm."

Gu Shengge nodded obediently, placed his small hand in Green Banyan's, and followed her deeper into the Holy Light Forest.

The pair encountered no obstacles along the way. Aside from a few harmless little Soul Beasts, they did not even come across a single hundred-year Soul Beast.

As for why that was, Gu Shengge guessed that Green Banyan had intimidated the Soul Beasts with the aura of a Title Douluo, making them too afraid to approach.

The instant they entered the Holy Light Forest, a green tree pattern lit up on the Golden Earth Dragon King's forehead inside a cave deep within the forest. It abruptly awoke from its slumber.

That one has come!

The Golden Earth Dragon King moved its mountain-sized body and left the cave, following the sensation from the mark on its forehead.

"Roar!!!"

It opened its dragon maw and released a deep, heavy roar. At the same time, an incomparably powerful dragon's might spread outward, overwhelming heaven and earth alike. Mountains trembled, the ground quaked, and the roar shot into the clouds, resounding for hundreds of miles!

The surrounding Soul Beasts all lowered their heads upon hearing the Golden Earth Dragon King's roar and sensing its pressure.

Then the Golden Earth Dragon King broke into a wild sprint. Like a rampaging tank, it thundered forward, making the earth shake and the mountains sway. Any Soul Beasts or trees standing in its way were crushed beneath it as it charged toward Green Banyan.

At the forest's outskirts, after wandering around for some time without finding a suitable Soul Beast, the pair found a patch of grass and rested for the moment.

Green Banyan sensed the Golden Earth Dragon King rapidly approaching. Turning to the boy beside her, she said, "Little Shengge, don't worry. The Soul Beast suitable for you is already on its way."

Gu Shengge nodded. "Mm, Big Sister Green Banyan, I'm not worried."

More than ten minutes later, the pair felt a faint tremor run through the ground and immediately rose to their feet. Gu Shengge looked alert. Could a powerful Soul Beast be coming?

He looked around and saw the surrounding trees beginning to shake violently as well. Leaves rustled down in showers, while a rumbling sound like muffled thunder came from the southeast. It drew closer and louder, like the Thunder God's hammer striking heavily against the earth, causing the ground to shake even more fiercely as though an earthquake had struck.

A moment later, the woods were flattened by a colossal creature. The Golden Earth Dragon King appeared before Gu Shengge, and his eyes instantly widened in shock.

What level of Soul Beast is this? Ten thousand years? Or even a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast?!

The Golden Earth Dragon King's scales were golden, yet dim rather than dazzling, carrying a heaviness like that of mountains. It was estimated to be thirty or forty meters long and over ten meters tall. Its limbs were as thick as mountain pillars, while its pair of coiling dragon horns curved like spirals, wrapped in golden Lie Yans. Its tail swung like a giant pendulum, making the mountains sway and the earth tremble. Its pale yellow dragon eyes contained dignity and ancient desolation.

The faint dragon's might it released without meaning to made Gu Shengge's body sink, and breathing became somewhat difficult.

Green Banyan stepped in front of Gu Shengge. Seeing that her little brother seemed frightened, she shot the Golden Earth Dragon King a displeased glare. The Golden Earth Dragon King was so frightened that it retreated two steps, humanlike grievance appearing in its eyes.

"Little Shengge, this is the first Soul Ring Big Sister chose for you. Are you satisfied?"

Green Banyan turned and asked Gu Shengge. Gu Shengge stared at the Golden Earth Dragon King, utterly stunned to hear that this Soul Beast was the first Soul Ring his sister had chosen for him.

Although his Innate Soul Power had reached rank thirty, and his body had been strengthened by the Creator God's Bloodline far beyond that of ordinary people, this Soul Beast clearly did not seem like something he could absorb!

"Big Sister, how many years old is this Soul Beast? I've heard others say that a first Soul Ring can only absorb a hundred-year Soul Ring at most. It's so huge, so its age must be quite high, right?"

Gu Shengge asked Green Banyan timidly. While size was not an absolute measure of a Soul Beast's age, this Soul Beast was so enormous and looked incredibly similar to a giant dragon, save for its lack of wings. Its age had to be very high.

Green Banyan rubbed Gu Shengge's little head and explained with a smile.

"This is the Golden Earth Dragon King. Its cultivation has already reached one hundred thousand years. But don't worry. Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts possess the ability to sacrifice themselves. As long as it sacrifices itself to you, you can absorb its Soul Ring regardless of the difference in levels."

"One hundred thousand years! A sacrifice! Big Sister, why would it sacrifice itself to me?"

Gu Shengge was even more stunned and confused. Green Banyan did not explain further, only telling him to accept the Golden Earth Dragon King's sacrifice with peace of mind. When the time came, she would tell him everything.

Then Green Banyan looked at the Golden Earth Dragon King and ordered, "Begin, Dipan."

"Yes, Your Excellency." The Golden Earth Dragon King nodded respectfully.

As for Gu Shengge, he glanced at Green Banyan. Seeing that she still wore her gentle, elegant smile, he could only suppress the doubts in his heart and accept the Golden Earth Dragon King's sacrifice.

Even if he wanted to resist, he could not do so before a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast and a Title Douluo.

But he still had the Spring Autumn Cicada. If anything truly went wrong, the Spring Autumn Cicada could still take him back to be reborn.

As he pondered this, the Golden Earth Dragon King let out a low roar. A blinding red light bloomed from its brow and enveloped Gu Shengge, plunging everything within the red light into absolute stillness.

Crimson Lie Yans ignited across its somewhat dim, heavy golden body. Its life, cultivation, and dragon blood all became fuel for the Lie Yans, making the bloody fire burn ever brighter and fiercer!

As the bloody Lie Yans burned more intensely, their color changed from crimson to dark red. The Golden Earth Dragon King's body gradually faded amid the burning, turning into a red agate as large as a small mountain!

When the Golden Earth Dragon King's entire body had faded away, the intense, blazing red light transformed into a massive ring that enveloped both it and Gu Shengge. The ring began to slowly contract, merging into Gu Shengge's body!

PS: As for the protagonist's Soul Ring lineup, does anyone have any good Soul Beast recommendations?