The Golden Hawksbill Turtle let out a piercing shriek, a mournful cry bursting from its mouth that seemed to make the entire Star Dou Great Forest tremble.
An intensely concentrated red light shot from its forehead, then spread with incredible speed, forming a red halo that kept expanding outward. Everything in its path was dyed blood-red.
At that moment, the Golden Hawksbill Turtle turned dark red from head to toe, its entire body as clear and translucent as a gemstone.
"Boy, you are blessed with extraordinary fortune. I hope you will resurrect me someday."
"Immortality is too difficult. I know I cannot achieve it myself, so I can only place my hopes in you humans!"
The Golden Hawksbill Turtle spoke in human language, a hint of madness in its eyes.
In an instant, its body crumbled inch by inch. The red light forged from its flesh and blood contracted around Tang San, condensing into a blood-red Soul Ring.
A Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring!
More precisely, it was two hundred thousand years old. There was actually a golden stripe on that blood-red Soul Ring.
Seeing that golden stripe appear, both Er Ming and Xiao Wu were startled.
They had thought this Golden Hawksbill Turtle had only just reached a hundred thousand years, never imagining that it had concealed its cultivation. It seemed that if the Golden Hawksbill Turtle had wanted to escape, even Er Ming could not have been certain of taking it down outright.
The bloody light abruptly landed on Tang San's left arm, and the outline of a red left arm bone traced with golden patterns flashed past.
Plop.
All the strange phenomena vanished. A little turtle fell into the lake, and Er Ming scooped it up, astonishment in his eyes.
"It could actually retain a trace of vitality after sacrificing itself, without dying completely?"
"As expected of a Golden Hawksbill Turtle."
Tang San looked at Er Ming and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you to look after it for me."
With its original body still present, resurrecting it would be much simpler. He would only need to find those few crucial medicinal herbs when the time came.
Er Ming snorted and carefully cupped the little turtle in his hands.
"You don't need to tell me. I'll leave this little thing with Big Brother for safekeeping. Whatever else, it's still a member of the Star Dou Great Forest."
"I really don't know what was going through this fellow's head, voluntarily sacrificing itself."
"I'd never even heard of Soul Beasts willingly sacrificing themselves to humans before, and now I've run into two at once!"
At those words, Xiao Wu stuck out her tongue, hugged Tang San's arm, and began coaxing him sweetly.
"Brother San, hurry and show us what your new Soul Skill does."
Her lovely, large eyes were full of curiosity. Tang San had obtained a new Soul Skill, and from a two-hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast at that. Its effects certainly would not be weak.
What Xiao Wu feared most was that her failure to sacrifice herself would instead hinder Tang San's path to godhood.
With just one word from Tang San, she could sacrifice herself again at any time.
At her words, six Soul Rings appeared beside Tang San. The red Soul Ring bearing a single golden stripe flickered faintly, its dazzling red light seizing the soul.
As the Soul Ring flickered, countless strands of Blue Silver Grass immediately rose, knotting and weaving together. Looking closely, one could actually see golden patterns running across them.
In the blink of an eye, the Blue Silver Grass formed a semicircle, continuously emitting dazzling light. Blue mingled with gold, forming a shield in front of Tang San.
Sixth Soul Skill: Blue Silver Emperor Gold Shield!
Its effect was simple and blunt: it blocked all attacks, providing invincible defense!
The Golden Hawksbill Turtle was renowned for its defensive power to begin with, and the Soul Skill it had bestowed on Tang San this time was also defensive in nature.
"This shield forms extremely quickly, and I can control its direction myself."
Tang San murmured to himself. With a thought, the Blue Silver Grass immediately transformed into a sphere, enclosing him and Xiao Wu.
Being able to change its shape at will gave him much greater control, and Tang San immediately thought of many ways to use it.
Then golden patterns appeared across his left arm. An invisible ring of light emerged from Tang San, initially enveloping his entire body before expanding continuously until it formed an area with a radius of five meters.
Two-hundred-thousand-year Golden Hawksbill Turtle left arm bone, attached skill: Golden Turtle's Three Burrows.
Effect: allowed him to teleport freely to any location within the area, while reducing the effects of attacks against Tang San from all enemies within range by eighty percent. Duration: one minute.
This Soul Bone Skill was likewise an exceptionally potent lifesaving skill, incomparably powerful.
After hearing the description, Xiao Wu jumped for joy.
"That's wonderful! I was worried that not sacrificing myself would affect you, Brother San. Looking at it now, this Golden Hawksbill Turtle's Soul Bone and Soul Skill are both stronger than what my sacrifice produced."
At her words, Er Ming scratched his head, feeling as though his already not-so-clever brain was about to explode.
What did she mean, stronger than what her sacrifice originally produced? Hadn't she not sacrificed herself?
Just where had this Soul Master come from? How had he bewitched Xiao Wu like this?
But he did not dwell on it. After all, with Er Ming's intelligence, he would not have figured anything out anyway.
Seeing that Tang San had finished absorbing everything, Er Ming gave a low growl and said, "You've finished what you came to do. It's time to leave."
"Xiao Wu, I don't know what you're thinking, but I hope you won't leave the Star Dou Great Forest just yet."
"Even in here, so many Soul Masters came to surround and hunt you. It would be even worse outside."
"Can you wait until you reach maturity and have the ability to protect yourself before going out?"
Er Ming truly feared that something would happen to Xiao Wu if she left the Star Dou Great Forest. If Tang San had not appeared today, Xiao Wu would probably have met with disaster.
Hearing this, Xiao Wu did not answer Er Ming immediately. Instead, she turned to look at Tang San.
"You decide."
Now, Xiao Wu no longer gave anything further thought. By this point, she should already have been dead. Whatever she did next, she would leave entirely to Tang San.
Tang San considered for a moment, then said, "The Soul Hunting Operation has only just begun, and we still don't know what the Worship Hall and Bibi Dong intend. Stay in the Star Dou Great Forest for a while first."
"I'll come get you before long."
With that, Tang San shared another deep kiss with Xiao Wu. Only then did Xiao Wu reluctantly turn and leave.
Er Ming shot Tang San an irritated glare, then turned and left.
Once Xiao Wu and Er Ming had disappeared into the depths of the forest, Yue Guan stepped forward.
"Xiao San, what do you plan to do next?"
"After leaving the Star Dou Great Forest, I was supposed to return to the Pontiff Hall with Gui Mei to meet the Pope and take part in the next stage of the Soul Hunting Operation."
"If..."
Yue Guan's meaning was perfectly clear. If Tang San had somewhere else to go, he would follow, even if it meant defying orders.
Tang San shook his head, declining Yue Guan's kind offer.
"Don't worry, Elder Yue Guan. I'll be fine."
"Next, I'm returning to Heaven Dou City. I previously asked Elder Gui Mei to report the matter concerning the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and there are still things I need to handle."
"Besides, I suspect someone wants to see me, too."
As he spoke, a sharp gleam flashed through Tang San's eyes, and he turned to look toward Heaven Dou City.
If I've guessed correctly, you must already be impatient to see me.
Qian Renxue!
Before you continue