Soul Bones were hard to come by, and he was picky, too. He absolutely refused anything under a hundred thousand years old. After all, there were only six Soul Bone slots.
With so many Ferocious Beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest, how could he possibly lower his standards and choose a ten-thousand-year one?
He wanted nothing under a hundred thousand years.
That left Soul Rings as his only option now.
Normally, a three-ring Soul Elder like him could absorb, at most, a thousand-year Soul Ring. But things were different now.
He was a Titled Douluo now. So what if he absorbed a 100,000-Year Soul Ring as his third ring? What of it?
Still, the 100,000-Year Soul Ring was just an exaggeration. He was not stupid enough to go straight for one.
The most powerful part of a 100,000-Year Soul Ring was the Soul Beast's mental assault. Even with a 100,000-Year Soul Bone, his mental power was still too weak.
That 100,000-Year Soul Bone template had not truly fused with him, either. It could be detached at any moment, so how much of the mental assault could it really shoulder for him? He did not dare attempt a 100,000-Year one, and obtaining one would be difficult anyway.
But biting off more than he could chew would do him no good. He was not greedy enough to absorb a 100,000-Year ring as his third Soul Ring. A Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring would satisfy him.
It would still provide him with tremendous Soul Power and spare him years of arduous cultivation. This was the real way to use debt collection, the exploit he had envisioned.
The system would not let him exploit loopholes, but he insisted on doing it-and doing it with flair.
This was the only way he could take advantage of the system.
As for the so-called unusual Soul Ring colors, if someone without strength transmigrated to the Douluo Continent with a thousand-year first ring and a ten-thousand-year third ring, they would have long since been seized and boiled into soup. But he was different.
He had the system backing him up, and his Martial Soul Mutation was now outrageously Heaven-Defying.
Although it was a Beast Martial Soul, it leaned toward support. He could simply refrain from unleashing those Soul Skills; his first two were enough.
Once he reached the Soul King level, he could unleash his Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Skill, and no one would suspect a thing.
His first two skills were normal, after all.
The plan worked.
Now he needed to make use of Ning Fengzhi and the others to help him kill a ten-thousand-year Soul Beast. In return, he would help them escape this beast tide.
He could not harm them, but he could trap them.
And to Lin Yan, damage immunity was hardly a drawback. On the contrary, it was the perfect opportunity to show off.
With strength at his disposal, of course he had to display his prowess before others. Otherwise, how was it any different from wearing embroidered finery through the night?
With a thought, Lin Yan immediately directed Kunpeng to pursue Ning Fengzhi.
In a single shift, he arrived above Ning Fengzhi and the others.
"Sect Master Ning, Miss Ning Rongrong."
Lin Yan's shout immediately drew everyone's attention.
Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, Ning Rongrong, and the others looked at Lin Yan in surprise.
"You're the owner? What brings you to the Star Dou Great Forest?"
"It's a long story. I closed the shop for half a day to collect a debt. On my way back, I happened to run into you facing a beast tide.
"You really are something, killing so many Soul Beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest that you stirred up a beast tide. Heh."
Hearing Lin Yan's words, Ning Fengzhi gave an awkward smile.
In their haste, and with Lin Yan distracting them, they had actually failed to notice the terrifying Kunpeng beneath his feet.
"Sir, now isn't the time to chat. This beast tide might not be large, but it still packs quite a punch. Don't let us drag you into this. Hurry and run."
"Run?"
A smile appeared on Lin Yan's face. The next moment, Kunpeng beneath him immediately released a terrifying Ferocious Beast's pressure.
"The word 'flee' isn't in my dictionary."
Humm-
Invisible ripples spread outward, and a divine beast's murmur resounded through the sky over the entire forest.
The aura emanating from Kunpeng overwhelmed the bloodlines of the entire Douluo Continent. This absolute bloodline suppression had nothing to do with the world; it suppressed creatures at the very root of their being.
The terrifying beast tide instantly fell silent. Those Ferocious Beasts that had lost their reason seemed to gain intelligence, abruptly coming to their senses before pressing themselves flat against the ground and trembling.
Only Soul Beasts approaching ten thousand years, or those at that level and above, could barely withstand this pressure. Even Da Ming and Er Ming, the two hundred-thousand-year Soul Beasts, suffered considerably. At that moment, their eyes were filled with fear of Kunpeng.
"What a terrifying bloodline aura. Just who are you?"
Da Ming and Er Ming both spoke in astonishment.
Kunpeng's aura was simply too terrifying. They felt that their bloodlines were not even worthy of carrying Kunpeng's shoes.
But pressure was pressure, and strength was strength.
As two top-tier Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, they naturally could not be frightened away by a Soul Beast's aura alone. They had to take down these humans.
These humans had upset the balance of the Star Dou Great Forest. Hunting Soul Beasts to obtain Soul Rings out of necessity was understandable, but wanton slaughter in the Star Dou Great Forest without seeking Soul Rings was unacceptable to them. This was their duty.
"You aren't worthy of knowing who Kunpeng is," Lin Yan snorted coldly.
Meanwhile, Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, Ning Fengzhi, and the others were utterly shocked to see all the Ferocious Beasts cowed.
His aura alone could make hundred-thousand-year Ferocious Beasts submit.
"Sir, this..."
"He's my pet and mount. His name is Kunpeng."
"Just what sort of being is this Kunpeng of yours?"
"He's merely a Soul Beast from my pet shop. Just a pet, something to get around on.
"Our Cultivation Room raises all sorts of other powerful Soul Beasts, too.
"After you return, you can look into it if you have the chance. After all, we don't only cultivate children. We work with Soul Beasts as well."
"Of course, of course. Then, sir, could we custom-order a Kunpeng?"
"Perhaps. Let's leave that for now. I'll disperse these Soul Beasts for you first," Lin Yan said lightly, as though he were preparing to scatter a swarm of ants.
"Sir, these are all top-tier Ferocious Beasts. Though they've been cowed, their strength is still there. A beast tide isn't something human strength can withstand. Let's leave first. You alone might..."
"Might what?" A trace of disdain appeared on Lin Yan's face.
The next moment, the Xuanyuan Sword abruptly materialized in his hand. Terrifying sword intent erupted, its various powerful attributes intimidating everything around him.
Sensing the sword radiance in Lin Yan's hand, Sword Douluo's eyes lit up as well. His sword power stirred with delight, and even his Seven Kill Sword shone, as though eager to compete with the mighty sword.
"What a fine sword. So powerful. Is this the owner's strength?"
But before he could react, Lin Yan's nine Soul Rings appeared in the next instant, stunning everyone present.
Nine blood-red Soul Rings blazed with dazzling bloody light. The terrifying auras of 100,000-Year Ferocious Beasts poured out one after another, making even the surrounding air oppressive and leaving the onlookers all the more shaken.
"Nine Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings! The owner actually has nine Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings! How is that possible? Just who in the world is he?"
At that moment, even the widely experienced Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo were utterly won over.
They had spent their entire lives unable to obtain even a single Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring.
When they needed Soul Rings, they had lacked both strength and backing. By the time they were strong enough to hunt Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, they no longer needed Soul Rings.
This was a lifelong regret for them, yet Lin Yan actually had hundred-thousand-year rings by the wholesale.
Who could take that?
Everyone present instantly sucked in a breath of cold air, thinking to themselves how terrifying he was.
Before you continue