Ling Ziyue

Each Energy Crystal contained a vast concentration of energy, the core essence that sustained a Soul Beast's reincarnation.

By the energy requirements for reincarnation, just five Energy Crystals would be enough to support the perfect reincarnation of Di Tian's soul.

As for Long Yeyue and Yun Ming, Long Yeyue needed two and Yun Ming one, but the two of them together would probably come to five, bringing the total expenditure to only ten crystals.

This time, he had pocketed a windfall of twenty Energy Crystals for nothing.

These Energy Crystals would be enough to support many more things he wanted to do later.

What cook didn't sneak a little for himself?

Could a cook who didn't steal be a good cook?

As a reincarnation grandmaster, how could he not skim off some energy?

If he didn't, what would he use to reincarnate more people?

What would he use to make more people's dreams come true?

Besides, calling something between his own people stealing was far too distant!

This was called borrowing.

But naturally, this little maneuver of Lin Ming's couldn't escape the Golden Dragon King's notice.

"Kid, how many Soul Beasts can this extra energy reincarnate? I want to devour their flesh and blood sooner.

"The sooner I get stronger, the sooner you get to enjoy it too, right?"

"Is that something you can say to my face?"

Lin Ming rolled his eyes at the Golden Dragon King, but soon, a figure in the distance hurtled toward them, arriving at the center of the Lake of Life.

It was none other than the Myriad Demon King, who had been sent out on orders yesterday.

Soul Power surged behind him. Several ugly pig Soul Beasts with feeble auras huddled together, their grayish-brown fur dull and lusterless, suspended behind him in the grip of his Soul Power.

Beside him were also dozens of unremarkable Wind Baboons. These were clearly half-breed Wind Baboons born from crossbreeding Wind Baboons with ordinary baboons.

Soul Beasts were already so scarce now that even finding ten-year hybrid Wind Baboons like these was no easy task. Because the Myriad Demon King was moving so fast, even with a barrier protecting them, the extreme speed had frightened them badly, leaving every one of them curled up.

Directly above the Myriad Demon King was a thin child of about six.

The child was filthy all over, with chains binding her limbs. She was clearly a slave.

Though her face was dirty, the child looked rather delicate-featured.

Lin Ming's gaze instantly landed on the people and Soul Beasts before he watched the Myriad Demon King in silence.

Feeling Lin Ming's gaze, the Myriad Demon King dared not be negligent. He stepped forward and bowed, his tone utterly respectful:

"My Lord, I have fulfilled your orders.

"I have brought back everything you requested."

He turned sideways and raised a hand, beginning his introduction:

"These are Fangtooth Pig Soul Beasts. They are only a little stronger than ordinary wild boars and are universally acknowledged as the lowest of ten-year Soul Beasts.

"Their bloodlines are thin, their potential nonexistent. They have no value whatsoever.

"These Wind Baboons are likewise at the ten-year level.

"But even Soul Beasts of this level fetch astronomical prices in this era.

"It took me a little time to get my hands on them, which was why I returned late."

Lin Ming nodded slightly without asking where the money had come from.

He might think these Soul Beasts of the Star Dou Great Forest had rebellion in their bones, and he might think they were weak, but he couldn't possibly think they had no money.

With tens of thousands of years to accumulate wealth, even a pig could save up quite a sum.

Besides, these were all leaders of their respective groups within the Soul Beast Clan. Even just the money looted from the corpses of the people they had killed probably amounted to several hundred million, didn't it?

Lin Ming's gaze first settled on the pig Soul Beasts.

Pig-type Soul Beasts suited Long Yeyue perfectly. After all, Long Yeyue was Yu Xiaogang's descendant. A match made in heaven, all right?

As for the Wind Baboon, that fellow was a Godslayer. Pairing Yun Ming with a Wind Baboon was already letting him marry above his station.

These two vessels had been chosen extremely well, and he was very satisfied.

Finally, Lin Ming turned his gaze to the most important one, the child. Noticing his scrutiny, she lifted her dark eyes.

Looking at Lin Ming, whom even the Myriad Demon King treated respectfully, she hid wariness in her eyes, but neither cried nor struggled.

She had been excessively quiet from beginning to end, nothing like a six-year-old child.

"Aren't you afraid of me?" Lin Ming asked, his voice very calm.

The child raised her head, met Lin Ming's gaze, and spoke hoarsely:

"No."

"Why not?" Lin Ming raised an eyebrow and pressed.

"Because I have value to exploit." The child's tone was steady, her reasoning clear. The logic of her speech was entirely beyond the mental capacity expected of her age. "I'm expensive.

"And the slave trader told me someone was specifically looking for a person burdened with a blood feud, rather than choosing a slave at random. If you were willing to pay a high price for me, I must be useful to you. As long as I still have value, you won't kill me."

"Interesting. You're a clever one.

"Myriad Demon King, what's her situation?" Lin Ming asked.

The Myriad Demon King immediately understood:

"My Lord, her origins are unknown. Even the slave trader didn't know her background.

"But according to the slave merchant in the Black Market, she deliberately hid among the slaves to escape enemies hunting her down.

"The slave dealer couldn't be bothered to ask further. Selling her meant money either way.

"She has yet to awaken her Martial Soul, but her Spiritual Power far exceeds that of ordinary people. After assessing her, the slave holding camp speculated that she possessed a High-Rank Mental Attribute Martial Soul, so they auctioned her off as an expensive mystery box. Ordinary people couldn't afford her.

"I also paid a great deal to buy her."

"Is that so?" Lin Ming looked at the child. "Is that why you're so confident?"

The child nodded frankly:

"That's right. Because I'm expensive, I don't think you paid so much to bring me back just to abuse me for amusement."

"You deliberately hid among the slaves. Who were you hiding from?"

At this question, a trace of hatred flashed through the child's eyes, followed by utter unwillingness to accept it:

"Someone you can't afford to offend."

"Hahahahaha!"

The moment the child said this, before Lin Ming could speak, the Golden Dragon King burst out laughing.

"Little brat, there's no one under heaven we can't afford to offend.

"Even the gods in the heavens are people we can afford to offend, let alone some worthless native of the mere Douluo Continent!"

"Shut up.

"Since when was it your turn to show off here?

"It's my turn to laugh!"

"Hahahahaha..."

Lin Ming's hearty laughter rang out, carrying absolute confidence.

"There's no one under heaven I can't afford to offend.

"Besides, you're overthinking it.

"Though I paid a high price for you because I valued your talent and your potentially powerful Martial Soul, what I bought was never your potential. It was your life."

Hearing Lin Ming's words, the child finally showed a flicker of panic.

She had accounted for everything, but she hadn't expected Lin Ming to be a madman.

If he wanted to kill and abuse people, he could simply buy cheap slaves. The money spent on her could have bought several hundred slaves to play with.

But from Lin Ming's tone, it really seemed he wasn't after her potential or looking to train her into a subordinate. He wanted her life.

"You want my life?"

"That's right.

"You're very clever, but your cleverness is useless with me.

"I only need your body." Lin Ming's expression suddenly grew solemn and terrifying. "I'm going to pull out your soul, then stuff a new soul into your body. And what's even worse, it'll be a Soul Beast's soul.

"Then you'll become a human-beast symbiote.

"Heh heh heh."