"Yes, I've made up my mind."
Su Changqing answered without the slightest hesitation.
It was something he had decided long ago, on the journey back to Spirit City with Hu Liena.
"What type of spirit beast?"
"Defense-type. I'm not lacking in boosts, area attacks, or powerful attacks right now. What I lack is defense and interference. Interference isn't that important to me, so I can give it up. That's why I want my fourth spirit ring to be defensive!"
Hearing Su Changqing's answer, Hu Liena nodded in agreement.
"With your current strength, only your physical constitution is somewhat lacking. If you get caught at close range by a strength-type Spirit Master, it'll definitely be painful."
As she said this, a seductive smile appeared on Hu Liena's face.
"I really couldn't tell that someone as young as you understood so much about martial spirit theory!"
As she spoke, she lovingly rubbed Su Changqing's head.
"Just a little."
Su Changqing brushed Hu Liena's hand away, then raised his own hand and directly pinched her pretty cheek.
Hu Liena's face was far softer than Su Changqing had imagined. It was practically delicate enough to break with a puff of air, and it felt really good!
No wonder pinching faces was addictive. It really was stress-relieving!
"You..."
Hu Liena's pretty face instantly flushed red, turning into a ripe apple as her entire body grew slightly hot.
"It feels pretty good. No wonder Sister Nana likes pinching my face so much," Su Changqing said calmly.
Yet his hand showed no intention of stopping.
Hu Liena bit her cherry lips and clenched her small fists, temporarily unable to think of anything to say.
After around ten seconds, she finally asked, "Have you touched enough?"
"More or less. That'll do for today. I'll touch it again whenever I feel like it."
Su Changqing contentedly lowered his hand.
Hu Liena slapped him irritably after hearing that.
"You little brat, can a girl's face be touched whenever you want?!"
"So what? Don't you touch me all the time too, Sister Nana?"
Hu Liena was rendered speechless.
That really did make sense!
She couldn't very well touch Su Changqing whenever she pleased while refusing to let Su Changqing touch her, could she?
After a moment of silence, she said somewhat awkwardly, "You should be secretly delighted. My face has never been touched by a man before."
Su Changqing smiled. "Then I'm quite honored."
Hu Liena looked a little smug. "Good that you know."
Inside the other carriage, Bibi Dong took in the pair's actions completely. The expression on her face changed subtly, and her long eyelashes trembled slightly.
"I didn't expect Nana to have such a good relationship with him. It seems keeping him here won't be difficult, but..."
Bibi Dong's brows furrowed slightly.
"This child comes from the Feng clan of Heaven Dou City. I wonder whether she has noticed him..."
Time passed without them realizing it, and the three of them successfully arrived at the Star Dou Great Forest.
Bibi Dong did not lead Hu Liena and Su Changqing through a slow exploration. Instead, she released her Soul Power and directly flew with them into the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest.
The three landed deep within the forest, and an extremely intense pressure immediately surged into their hearts, making Hu Liena and Su Changqing feel considerable discomfort in their chests.
Su Changqing released his spiritual power, and images of the surrounding area continuously flashed through his mind.
So this is the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest? There are so many powerful spirit beasts. If they weren't intimidated by Bibi Dong's pressure, Hu Liena and I would probably have been torn to pieces already! Su Changqing thought to himself.
Bibi Dong should have been level ninety-eight now, or perhaps had only just broken through to level ninety-nine. Although she was powerful, Hu Liena and he absolutely could not let down their guard!
The spirit beasts in the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest possessed the ability to instantly kill them!
"This is the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest. Thousand-year spirit beasts are nearly impossible to find here. Have you and Nana decided what spirit beasts you need?" Bibi Dong asked.
Su Changqing said, "Your Eminence the Pope, Sister Nana's physical condition has long since surpassed what it once was. After taking the immortal herbs, her endurance has also improved significantly. I suggest trying a spirit ring between twenty thousand and twenty-five thousand years."
"Twenty-five thousand years?"
The moment Su Changqing said that, both Bibi Dong and Hu Liena revealed shocked expressions.
One had to know that the maximum age for a fifth spirit ring was only a little over ten thousand years!
"Are you certain?" Bibi Dong asked doubtfully.
The reason she questioned him rather than rejecting him outright was because she knew that Su Changqing's spirit rings were all Exceeding Spirit Rings.
"I'm certain. Please trust me, Your Eminence the Pope!"
Bibi Dong considered it for a moment before ultimately agreeing.
"Very well. I will choose to trust you this once. Tell me, what spirit beast do you need?"
"Your Eminence the Pope, I need a spirit beast around thirty thousand years old that can provide me with a defensive spirit skill. That should be the maximum intensity I can currently withstand!"
"Thirty thousand years?"
Even Bibi Dong found it hard to believe what he was saying!
Under normal circumstances, such an age would require at least the cultivation of a Spirit Emperor! Yet this was only Su Changqing's fourth ring!
"Trust me, Your Eminence the Pope."
Seeing Su Changqing's resolute expression, Bibi Dong did not question him any further.
"Fine. However, obtaining spirit rings this time will count as training. I will only be responsible for capturing the spirit beasts and ensuring your safety. You will have to complete the hunt yourselves."
"No problem."
"This disciple understands."
Seeing that neither of them had any objections, Bibi Dong continued leading them through the area in search of suitable spirit beasts.
After walking for an unknown length of time, Bibi Dong's spiritual power seemed to sense something. In the next instant, her body appeared in the sky.
Then, her scepter pointed forward, releasing a vast wave of Soul Power.
"Roar—"
Accompanied by an enraged cry of pain, an elephant covered in long fur and bearing enormous tusks was viciously hurled down not far from Hu Liena and Su Changqing!
"This Aurora Mammoth is approximately thirty-six thousand years old. Can you withstand it?" Bibi Dong slowly descended and looked at Su Changqing.
At the same time, she merely extended a jade-like finger, and the terrifying pressure of her Soul Power left this thirty-thousand-year spirit beast utterly incapable of resisting!
So strong...
This was the first time Su Changqing had felt the true gap between himself and a top-tier powerhouse.
It seemed he still had a long way to go before becoming a true powerhouse. He absolutely could not slack off!
"Your Eminence the Pope, I don't think I'll have any problem!"
As he spoke, Su Changqing had already stepped forward into the Aurora Mammoth's attack range. One yellow and two purple spirit rings emerged around him.
"Roar—"
As Bibi Dong withdrew her pressure, the Aurora Mammoth instantly flew into a rage. A naturally hot-tempered species, it completely erupted at this moment and vented its fury upon Su Changqing!
Bibi Dong narrowed her beautiful eyes as she watched the human and beast before her.
Let me see just how strong you really are, Bibi Dong thought.
Before you continue