Just a Warm-Up to Build Some Luck

Once the figures from Shrek Academy completely vanished at the end of the forest, the tense atmosphere finally relaxed.

Tang Ya stared at the two top-tier Soul Beasts and curiously poked Lu Chen beside her.

"Little Chen, which one are you planning to absorb first?"

Hearing this, Lu Chen's gaze swept back and forth between the Mystic-Armored Dragon Turtle and the Mountain-Shaking Dragon Rhino.

Both Soul Beasts had cultivation levels of over ten thousand years and possessed considerable intelligence.

Seeing this human brat treating them like merchandise to be picked over, they immediately let out furious roars.

Their blood-red eyes locked tightly onto Lu Chen.

Their massive bodies struggled wildly, doing everything they could to break free from the iron cages.

Lu Chen paid them no heed and ultimately pointed at the Mountain-Shaking Dragon Rhino.

"Let's start with that one. The Mountain-Shaking Dragon Rhino carries the bloodline of the Mountain Dragon King, so its boost to strength should be much greater.

If my luck is truly that bad, I can consider the Mystic-Armored Dragon Turtle afterward."

He rolled his shoulders and turned to Luo Wei.

"Aunt Luo, please let it out. Leave the rest to me."

Luo Wei nodded, knowing that Lu Chen wanted to claim this Soul Ring personally.

"Brother Lu, that thing is a Thirty-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. Its bloodline is so powerful, and it's tough as hide and armor. Can you really take it?"

Long Aotian looked at Lu Chen curiously.

An ordinary Thirty-Thousand-Year Soul Beast already possessed combat power comparable to a peak Soul King.

One with an exceptionally powerful bloodline could even rival a Soul Emperor!

Lu Chen glanced at the Mountain-Shaking Dragon Rhino and casually said, "It's only thirty thousand years old. I could wear it to death.

Besides, I have Demonic Ape Transformation and Void-Splitting Shock. That's enough to shatter its internal organs."

Long Aotian's mouth twitched. "Right..."

He had forgotten that this guy had just obtained an External Soul Bone.

Luo Wei raised her right hand, formed it into a blade, and gave a light sweep.

The specially made iron cage, enough to imprison an ordinary Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, instantly shattered like papier-mâché.

"Roar—!"

The newly freed Mountain-Shaking Dragon Rhino let out an earthshaking roar as the ancient bloodline within it surged.

Its violent aura made even the surrounding air thick and sluggish.

Its blood-red beast eyes instantly locked onto Lu Chen.

Its four hooves stamped fiercely against the ground, and its massive body turned into a streak of dark-golden lightning.

It lowered its head and charged forward viciously.

That dark-golden horn, glinting with chilling light, was like the scythe of death as it aimed straight for Lu Chen's chest.

If such a terrifying charge struck head-on,

then even with the formidable physique granted by Lu Chen's Body Martial Soul,

his upper body would likely be pierced through in an instant, leaving behind a bloody hole.

He would die on the spot!

"Perfect timing!"

Facing an attack capable of instantly killing a Soul King, Lu Chen's eyes sharpened.

An excited curve rose at the corner of his mouth.

Not only did he not retreat, but blazing fighting intent ignited in his eyes.

In an instant, a three-meter-tall phantom of a golden giant rose up behind him.

The Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring beneath his feet suddenly erupted with dazzling light.

"First Soul Skill, Demonic Ape Transformation!"

The already surging blood and qi within Lu Chen instantly boiled.

His heart pounded violently like a war drum.

The terrifying pressure forced scorching steam out through his pores.

It turned into a ring of eerie red mist that swirled around his body.

With Demonic Ape Transformation nearly doubling his strength and speed, the muscles in his right arm bulged high.

His palm instantly transformed into a dark-golden claw.

Void-Splitting Shock!

Heartburst Liberation Fist!

Just as the rhino's horn was about to touch his clothes, Lu Chen had already finished gathering his strength.

Nearly one-third of his Soul Power was drained in an instant.

The abilities of his various Soul Bones layered atop one another, condensing into the most powerful punch he could currently deliver!

"Boom!"

As he threw his punch, the air around his fist compressed violently, producing visible white shockwaves.

Its speed actually surpassed the sound barrier, unleashing a piercing sonic boom!

"Bang—!"

Fist and horn collided, dark-golden streams of light and golden-red blood qi crashing wildly against one another.

Even the Mountain-Shaking Dragon Rhino, known for its defense and strength and possessing a cultivation level of thirty thousand years,

could not withstand this punch, which combined ultimate combat techniques with the power of Ten Thousand Year Soul Bones.

Its massive body failed to last even a breath before the entire beast was blasted backward like a cannonball.

It smashed through more than a dozen towering ancient trees that would have taken two people to encircle.

Kicking up clouds of dust, it finally crashed heavily into a pit.

"Pfft..."

The Shaking-Mountain Dragon Rhino shook its head and struggled to get back up.

A large mass of thick blood spilled from the corner of its mouth.

A trace of surprise flashed through Lu Chen's eyes.

That punch had not only used the instantaneous burst of Heartburst Liberation Fist.

It had also included Void-Splitting Shock's defense-ignoring vibration damage, as well as the Blast damage from his right-arm Blast Fire Lion.

Yet after taking such a heavy blow, this rhino had merely coughed up blood!

"As expected of something with the bloodline of the Mountain Dragon King. It really is tough as hide and armor."

Even as he marveled, the fervor in Lu Chen's eyes grew stronger.

He looked forward even more to the terrifying boost he would receive after killing this top-tier Soul Beast!

"Again!"

Lu Chen grinned and charged forward once more like a phantom.

"Th-That's Brother Lu's true strength?"

Long Aotian watched in stunned disbelief from afar.

Even though he had obtained a Third Soul Ring that surpassed his age limit, he still felt a suffocating sense of pressure.

"If that punch landed on me, even with my Skin Martial Soul protecting me, I'd probably burst apart on the spot!"

Long Aotian shuddered and inwardly called him a monster.

Tang Ya's pretty face beside him was flushed, her beautiful eyes filled with shock and admiration.

The man and beast clashed madly through the forest, and the battle lasted for more than an hour.

Relying on the nearly cheating-like recovery ability of his Immortal Body, Lu Chen searched for an opening amid countless head-on collisions.

In the end, he seized the instant when the rhino was exhausted. His speed suddenly increased, and his right claw gripped its head tightly.

"Void-Splitting Shock!"

The terrifying vibration waves were instantly driven to their limit, piercing through the rhino's heavy armor.

They directly shook its Brain into a pulp.

As the rhino's massive corpse crashed heavily to the ground, Lu Chen stood upright, breathing hard.

He casually tore off the clothes that had long been reduced to strips of rags and helplessly complained,

"It really is tough as hide and armor. It nearly drained all my Soul Power."

If not for the recovery power of his Immortal Body, he truly would not have been able to withstand even a casual blow from this ancient variant.

"Little Chen, hurry and see if a Soul Bone dropped!"

Tang Ya rushed forward impatiently, staring fixedly at the rhino's corpse with a face full of anticipation.

A Soul Bone from this Mountain-Shaking Dragon Rhino was far more valuable than the fifty-thousand-year Soul Bones on Lu Chen's body.

It was absolutely a top-tier Soul Bone!

Lu Chen gave it a casual glance, then shook his head with a hint of regret on his face.

"Nothing dropped."

But he quickly adjusted his mindset and consoled himself.

He would treat the Soul Bone as a warm-up.

It was fine if it did not drop.

As long as the upcoming buff-type Soul Skill did not go wrong, that was enough.

"Sister Xiao Ya, the Mountain-Shaking Dragon Rhino has a noble bloodline. Don't waste its corpse."

Upon hearing Lu Chen's words, Tang Ya instantly understood what he meant.

She nodded and gave a soft "Mm."

Then she released her Dark Blue Silver Grass.

Tang Ya's Dark Blue Silver Grass possessed the ability to devour life force.

Luo Wei and Long Aotian had already witnessed it during their earlier exploration.

Thus, they were not surprised when they saw her activate her Martial Soul now.

However, seeing Tang Ya surrounded by black qi, Luo Wei could not help but remind her,

"Xiao Ya, with Little Chen here, it's fine for you to absorb Soul Beasts' life force freely.

But if you are alone outside, remember not to devour things recklessly.

Not only will this cause your Brain to be eroded by resentment and make you lose your sanity.

It may also cause other Soul Masters to mistake you for an Evil Soul Master."

"Don't worry, Aunt Luo. Xiao Ya understands!" Tang Ya replied with a serious nod.

The pitch-black vines twisted and writhed like they had found delicious prey, rapidly plunging into the rhino's body.

In an instant, a stream of pure life force continuously flowed into Tang Ya's body.

At the same time, a trace of special energy was mixed within it, spreading through her meridians.

"Hm?"

Tang Ya looked surprised and hurriedly calmed herself to sense it carefully.

She could clearly feel her body becoming increasingly resilient.

The meridians within her body were quietly expanding and strengthening, and even her strength seemed to have increased slightly.

Although the enhancement was not particularly great, she could clearly feel that tangible change.