Golden-maned Lion Mastiff or Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear?

Only by enduring the bitterest hardships could one become the finest beast of burden!

The more hardship one endured, the better a beast of burden one became; endure the most, and one would ultimately become the king of beasts of burden!

Originally, Xu Tianchen had thought he only needed to fight spirit beasts and gain combat experience. But Xu Chengjing and Kong Deming had unanimously decided to add to his burden—he would study theoretical knowledge and learn how to use soul tools quickly and accurately.

He studied how to use soul tools in the morning, then put them to the test in the afternoon.

Moreover, the spirit beasts Xu Tianchen fought included practically everything except those that swam in water. As long as Mo Ransheng had a spirit beast's blood, he could make Xu Tianchen fight the corresponding spirit beast.

After a month, Xu Tianchen's training could finally be put on hold for the time being. Of course, this was not because he had completed his training goals, but because he had broken through to Rank 30 and needed a Spirit Ring to shatter the bottleneck.

A Rank 30 quasi-Soul Venerable not yet seven years old!

Unfortunately, Spirit Masters with ultimate attributes would see their advancement slow after reaching Rank 30, only returning to normal speed after Rank 70.

This past month had also made Xu Tianchen feel as though he had returned to the final hundred-day sprint before the college entrance exams. He studied all kinds of theoretical knowledge and learned to use various soul tools in the morning, was dragged off to fight spirit beasts with soul tools in the afternoon, and still had to cultivate at night.

The carefree days he had enjoyed before turning six were gone forever.

But now that he had broken through to Rank 30, he could go out and have fun for a few days again.

The moment Xu Tianchen broke through that night, he learned through Steward Zhao that his father was in the study. He immediately rushed there in a frenzy, wanting to share the good news and ask whether his dear father had prepared a suitable spirit beast for him.

And when he asked—

Well, there really was one.

There were even two options. The first was a Golden-maned Lion Mastiff. When they had first discovered this spirit beast, the people Xu Chengjing had sent out had not recognized it. They had only seen that, despite possessing only around a thousand years of cultivation, it could effortlessly hunt ten-thousand-year spirit beasts. Only later, after consulting classics seized from the former Three Douluo Kingdoms, did they learn that it was a Golden-maned Lion Mastiff.

The other was the renowned "Earth Ripper," the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear—a formidable spirit beast capable of battling ten-thousand-year spirit beasts with only a hundred years of cultivation.

But Xu Tianchen was in no mood to hear what the second spirit beast was. All he could think about was the Golden-maned Lion Mastiff.

What was a Golden-maned Lion Mastiff?

That was Tang Wulin's strictest "father"!

With ten thousand years of cultivation, it could elbow a Titled Douluo-level Tang Wulin into submission!

What kind of concept was that? It was equivalent to a ten-thousand-year Golden-maned Lion Mastiff being as strong as a five-hundred-thousand-year Xiong Jun!

It was said to be the bloodline origin of all canine and lion species.

It possessed astonishingly great strength, as well as a powerful innate domain—the Dominating Domain.

This domain not only eliminated pain, but also drastically boosted its attack and defense, while increasing the power of all its supplementary abilities by fifty percent.

In terms of bloodline, Scarlet King—the three-hundred-thousand-year Three-headed Crimson Demon Mastiff ranked eighth among the Ten Great Fierce Beasts—might even have to call this Golden-maned Lion Mastiff his ancestor.

It possessed the Dominating Domain and was not affected by bloodline suppression.

Here was a joke: the fake chosen child of the Three Douluo Kingdoms era—Tang Wulin!

The real chosen child of the Three Douluo Kingdoms era—Golden-maned Lion Mastiff!

"I choose the first one. I want the Golden-maned Lion Mastiff!"

Xu Tianchen said directly to Xu Chengjing. Hesitating for even a second would have been disrespectful to the Golden-maned Lion Mastiff, Tang Wulin's "strict father." As for whether he could obtain the Golden-maned Lion Mastiff's Spirit Ring—

What a joke. Xu Tianchen had never even considered that.

Xu Tianchen's stance was: If anyone had anything to say, they could take it up with his Ultimate Douluo-level master and mistress!

Seeing Xu Tianchen so excited to choose the first option, Xu Chengjing covered his forehead and said, "Wait until I'm done speaking."

Xu Tianchen calmed his excitement somewhat and said, "All right. Please continue."

Xu Chengjing continued, "Although the Golden-maned Lion Mastiff is excellent, it only has around nine thousand years of cultivation. The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, however, has ten thousand years of cultivation. Think carefully about the pros and cons yourself. I will not make the decision for you."

"Are there no Golden-maned Lion Mastiffs with other cultivation levels?"

Xu Tianchen was somewhat unwilling to accept this. According to his original plan, he had wanted to absorb a ten-thousand-year Spirit Ring for his third ring. After all, both his spiritual power and physical constitution met the requirements now.

But he also did not want to pass up such a top-tier spirit beast as the Golden-maned Lion Mastiff.

"No. The people I sent have practically searched the entire Star Dou Forest outside the core area and only found that one. Even your mistress sent people in to search, but they did not find a second one," Xu Chengjing replied.

This truly was a case of not being able to have both fish and bear's paw!

He had to choose one of the two. It was so difficult!

On one side was the ten-thousand-year Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, whose combat strength could rival a Titled Douluo's. On the other was the overpowered Golden-maned Lion Mastiff, but it only had nine thousand years of cultivation. His second Spirit Ring was already nearly eight thousand years old, yet his third Spirit Ring would only be nine thousand years old.

But there was only one Golden-maned Lion Mastiff. If too much time passed and it ran elsewhere, they might not be able to find it at all. Searching for it then would not only cost time, but resources as well.

As for the Golden-maned Lion Mastiff being eaten by another spirit beast... Heh, don't make your Lion Mastiff brother laugh.

It would be impressive enough if it did not eat other spirit beasts first. Though it only had nine thousand years of cultivation, its combat strength should conservatively be at the level of a fierce beast with two or three hundred thousand years of cultivation.

In the Star Dou Forest, unless Di Tian, Xiong Jun, Myriad Demon King, or the Silver Dragon King hiding beneath the Lake of Life made a move, who could kill it?

That was right. Xu Tianchen felt a little regretful. What was he even hesitating over?

What right did a mere ten-thousand-year Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear have to compare with this nine-thousand-year Golden-maned Lion Mastiff?

"Golden-maned Lion Mastiff. I choose the Golden-maned Lion Mastiff. I have Twin Martial Souls anyway, and a nine-thousand-year third Spirit Ring is already very strong. Normal people's fourth Spirit Rings are not even that high. At worst, I'll absorb a higher-year Spirit Ring for my fourth ring later."

"Ten-thousand-year Spirit Rings are common, but Golden-maned Lion Mastiffs are not!"

Xu Tianchen looked at Xu Chengjing and spoke with resolute eyes.

"Good! As long as you do not regret it in the future." With that, Xu Chengjing took out a map and handed it to Xu Tianchen. "This is a map of the Star Dou Forest. The marked location is where that Golden-maned Lion Mastiff regularly operates. Pack up tonight. Tomorrow, have your master accompany you. After hunting the spirit beast, you can stay over there and have fun for a few more days before returning later."

"Understood. Then this child will take his leave."

After putting away the map, Xu Tianchen took his leave of Xu Chengjing and exited Xu Chengjing's study.

Xu Chengjing watched Xu Tianchen gradually depart, then turned and returned to the study. He gently turned a vase beside the bookshelf. Accompanied by a rumbling sound, a hidden passage appeared before him.

The moment the door opened, the soul lamps inside lit up one after another. Xu Chengjing walked in, and the door behind him closed as he entered.

Xu Chengjing walked along the hidden passage until he reached a coded door. After entering the password, the door opened with a beep.

The moment it opened, he saw a large table inside, surrounded by ten chairs. Apart from the chair in the very center, which was empty, every other chair was occupied.

Xu Chengjing walked to the empty chair and sat down. Then he addressed the people present. "Sorry, everyone. Something came up just now, and it took a little time to deal with."