The Auspicious Beast's Astonishing Wisdom

Gao Ren's choice for his Second Soul Ring had not been a passing whim. He had thought it through carefully.

Two people at Shrek Academy had led him to choose a Soul Beast with the ability to cleanse negative conditions.

Mu En and Ma Xiaotao.

In everyone else's eyes, Mu En's lifelong disability had been caused by the former leader of the Body Sect: Du Busi's elder brother, Du Bisou, who had gravely injured him.

Mu En had indeed been badly wounded in his battle with Du Bisou, but his very foundation had remained unharmed.

After that battle, Mu En had been eager to recover, so he had chosen to absorb a Dragon Core.

He had found the Dragon Core in the Ancient Ruins, within the corpse of a Light Dragon Soul Beast.

He had believed its baleful energy had long since faded. In truth, it had merely lain hidden.

At his peak, that trace of baleful energy would have been no concern. But he had absorbed it at his weakest... and it had nearly killed him.

As someone who had crossed into this world, Gao Ren knew that the Dragon Core's baleful energy would torment Mu En until the day he died, only falling quiet along with him.

Gao Ren thought his Overlord Drumstick might be able to end Mu En's suffering early.

The Overlord Drumstick's First Soul Skill alone had solved Xuan Zi's problem of never having eaten his fill in over two hundred years.

That told him the Overlord Drumstick Martial Soul had the potential.

That was why he had chosen a Soul Beast capable of cleansing negative conditions.

Even if he could not completely purge the Dragon Core's baleful energy from Mu En, easing his burden by even the tiniest bit would be worthwhile.

As for Ma Xiaotao, that went without saying.

Apart from the Evil Fire of her Evil Fire Phoenix, she had no other need for a Soul Skill that cleansed negative conditions.

"I want a thousand-year Soul Beast. I'm not too particular about its attribute, but it must be able to cleanse negative conditions."

"Cleanse negative conditions?" The Three-Eyed Golden Lion tilted her head in thought, then immediately settled on a kind of Soul Beast. "I know just the Soul Beast for you!

Wait here. Uncle Scarlet King and I will look for one. We should find it soon!"

The Auspicious Beast turned and ran. The Scarlet King hurried after her, and the two Soul Beasts soon disappeared.

Once they were gone, the inner courtyard students began discussing whether they should leave.

"Do we really have to wait here for those two Soul Beasts to come back? We can just kill a Soul Beast for little brother Gao Ren on our way home."

"Why don't we leave now? What if they've gone to fetch reinforcements? We did just kill a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast."

"That could happen. Shrek City has been hit by Beast Tides from the Star Dou Great Forest plenty of times after a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast was killed."

"..."

Midway through their discussion, the inner courtyard students all turned toward Xuan Zi, the one they relied on.

"Often, Soul Beasts keep their word better than humans do. The Auspicious Beast said she'd repay A-Ren, so she will." Xuan Zi's expression remained calm.

Just as Xuan Zi had said, the Auspicious Beast and the Scarlet King had not gone for reinforcements. True to her word, she was helping Gao Ren find his Second Soul Ring.

"What kind of Soul Beast are you looking for, little ancestor?"

"A Purifying Water Swan!" the Auspicious Beast answered without looking back. "I caught one in the Mixed Zone before and roasted its leg.

When Gao Ren said he wanted a Soul Beast that could cleanse negative conditions, I thought of them."

Purifying Water Swans were water-attribute Soul Beasts, among the more distinguished swan-type Soul Beasts. Only Emerald Swans, one of which had ranked among the Ten Great Ferocious Beasts, stood above them.

"A Purifying Water Swan? That does fit the boy's requirements." The Scarlet King nodded.

"Uncle Scarlet King, let's bring him a ten-thousand-year Purifying Water Swan."

The Scarlet King thought he had misheard. "What?"

"We'll give him a ten-thousand-year Purifying Water Swan as repayment."

All three of the Scarlet King's heads stared wide-eyed. "Little ancestor, that boy specifically asked for a thousand-year Soul Beast!

Even if you put a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast's Soul Ring right in front of him, how could he absorb it at level twenty?

If you want to kill him, just say so. I'll go back and get Xiong Jun and the Myriad Demon King!"

Now this was the Emperor Auspicious Beast of our Star Dou Great Forest!

Little ancestor's acting was so good she even fooled me!

As wild thoughts raced through the Scarlet King's three canine heads, the Auspicious Beast suddenly roared:

"When did I ever say I wanted to kill him?!"

The Scarlet King's thoughts screeched to a halt. Confusion filled his face. "If you don't want to kill him, why give him a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast?"

"Who said he'd have to absorb it himself?" The Auspicious Beast looked exasperated. "Just have the ten-thousand-year Purifying Water Swan offer itself in Sacrifice."

Once Soul Beasts passed ten thousand years of cultivation, their intelligence grew rapidly.

At a certain point, they could even rival humans.

A Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast could therefore offer itself in Sacrifice. It could understand what that meant.

"Sacrifice?!" The Scarlet King felt as though every wrinkle in his brain had been ironed flat. Forgetting all concern for the Auspicious Beast's dignity, he blurted out, "Oh, little ancestor! How can you favor an outsider this much?!"

The Auspicious Beast did not get angry. She simply asked the Scarlet King a question.

"Uncle Scarlet King, tell me: how long will Gao Ren need to become a Soul Elder and require his next Soul Ring?"

The Scarlet King did not quite understand why she had asked, but he answered earnestly anyway.

"With his talent, if he cultivates normally, it'll still take him two or three years at the very least... Little ancestor, why do you ask?"

"Two or three years? That's two or three whole years!" The Auspicious Beast looked close to losing her mind. "Once he leaves the Star Dou Great Forest, I'll have to wait two or three years, maybe even longer, before he comes back...

If I'd only smelled the lingering scent like before, maybe I could have endured that long without an Overlord Drumstick.

But I've eaten one now! If I have to go that long without another Overlord Drumstick, I think I might go mad!"

The Scarlet King opened his mouths, but for a moment he had nothing to say.

If he recalled the taste of the Overlord Drumstick while hungry, his drool would surely reach the ground.

"If the ten-thousand-year Purifying Water Swan offers itself in Sacrifice, Gao Ren's Soul Power will rise quickly. The sooner he reaches level thirty, the sooner he'll come to the Star Dou Great Forest to get his Third Soul Ring from us."

Feeling quite pleased with herself, the Auspicious Beast paused before continuing. "That way, we'll get to eat Overlord Drumsticks sooner.

Uncle Scarlet King, don't tell me you don't want one. If you don't, I'll eat it all myself when the time comes. I won't even give you a bone."

At that moment, the Scarlet King's three heads fell into fierce disagreement.