Now that Gui Yuan could increase the age of his Soul Rings, they could relax their requirements for Soul Ring age within a certain range when hunting Soul Beasts in the future, and hunt rarer Soul Beasts instead.
Of course, this only applied when both were Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts.
If the choice was between one several tens of thousands of years old and one a hundred thousand years old, there was no need to think. They would pick the hundred-thousand-year one without hesitation.
Which Soul Beast that had grown to the hundred-thousand-year level was simple? The simple ones had long since been eaten.
Besides, a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast was guaranteed to drop a Soul Bone.
Gui Yuan said, "Then shall we go see Teacher now?"
Yue Guan nodded. "Yes, let's go now."
The three turned and left the garden, heading toward the Pope's Palace.
Gui Yuan walked in the middle, with Yue Guan and Gui Mei on either side.
Yue Guan was still muttering, "Your Second Soul Ring is already ten thousand years old. You brat really are..."
Gui Yuan chuckled. "Just lucky, just lucky."
Yue Guan raised a hand and smacked the back of his head. "That luck of yours is a little too good. And if you really can increase your Soul Rings' ages every year, all your Soul Rings will reach the hundred-thousand-year level sooner or later."
Inside the Pope's Palace.
Seeing the two return, Bibi Dong raised her eyebrows slightly. "Is something wrong?"
Yue Guan stepped forward and briefly explained how Gui Yuan's Soul Ring had increased in age.
Her gaze fell on Gui Yuan. Her expression was calm, but inwardly, her thoughts churned.
Why were the differences between people's Divine Trials so huge?
Back when she learned that Gui Yuan had received a deity's inheritance, increased the ages of his Soul Rings, and obtained a divine artifact, she had sought out Qian Daoliu to learn more.
She had asked Qian Daoliu whether everyone who underwent Divine Trials received rewards like these.
Qian Daoliu's answer was that only those who received the Top-tier Eight Trials could increase their Soul Rings' ages.
Aside from that, only the Divine Trials themselves could ultimately grant a divine artifact, as well as at least one God-given Soul Ring.
As Qian Daoliu said those words, his gaze held an indescribable meaning.
He knew she also had Divine Trials, and that their presence leaned toward darkness.
It had taken Bibi Dong a long time to recover after hearing those words.
She had received the Rakshasa God's inheritance, yet after passing her Divine Trials, she had received no rewards apart from an increase in Rakshasa Affinity.
Nothing at all!
Bibi Dong gathered her thoughts, her voice returning to its cool tone. "You can increase your Soul Rings' ages every year?"
Gui Yuan nodded. "That seems to be the case for now."
Bibi Dong tapped the armrest lightly with her fingers. "Then we do need to adjust our strategy for hunting Soul Beasts."
"When you cultivate your Second Martial Soul in the future, prioritize Soul Beasts with special bloodlines. We can relax the age requirements somewhat."
She did not mention his First Martial Soul, because a Food-type Martial Soul did not have high requirements for a Soul Beast's bloodline. Compatibility was the key.
"Do not spread word of this." Bibi Dong looked at Gui Yuan. "I will teach you how to use Soul Skills without displaying your Soul Rings later. Until you can do that, do not show your Soul Rings in front of outsiders. Do not tell Nana, either."
"If other factions learn that your Soul Rings can automatically increase in age, someone may spare no cost to eliminate you."
Gui Yuan nodded solemnly. "I understand, Teacher. Does that mean I can't tell Grandpa Qian either?"
Bibi Dong paused. "...You can tell him."
"All right, you may leave."
The three turned and took their leave.
After leaving the Pope's Palace, Yue Guan and Gui Mei prepared to return and rest.
Yue Guan turned to Gui Yuan. "Xiao Yuan, don't spend all day cooped up in the garden making food. You're only eight years old, and you're already a rank forty-three Soul Ancestor. Ordinary genius Soul Masters haven't even reached rank twenty at your age."
"Go make some more friends, or you'll be too lonely. Nana's older brother Xie Yue is quite good. You two can spend more time together."
Gui Yuan nodded. "I understand, Dad."
Yue Guan added, "Nana and Xie Yue also have a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Demon Charm. You have Self Martial Soul Fusion yourself, so you can exchange more insights on that."
Gui Mei picked up the thread beside him. "Martial Soul Fusion Skills aren't invincible. They have a windup, and the lower the compatibility, the longer the windup."
"This isn't just your problem. It's a hurdle the two of us need to overcome as well."
Gui Yuan listened attentively. "I understand, Second Dad."
Gui Mei nodded and said no more.
Yue Guan draped an arm over Gui Mei's shoulders. "All right, we're heading back."
The two turned toward their sleeping quarters, their steps light.
Gui Yuan stood where he was and watched for a while, then chuckled softly.
After the three left, Bibi Dong sat alone for a long time.
She stood, passed through a dim secret passage, and entered an underground chamber.
Bibi Dong stopped in the center of the chamber, and a purple-black vortex appeared out of thin air before her.
Without hesitation, she stepped inside.
The Rakshasa Secret Realm.
Inside the secret realm was a void, without light, sound, or any sense of direction.
Bibi Dong stood within it and looked up into the pitch-black emptiness.
"Why have I received no rewards after passing the previous trials?"
Her voice was cold, carrying a challenge she had long suppressed.
"Increases to Soul Ring ages, divine artifacts, God-given Soul Rings... why do others have these things, but I don't?"
Her voice spread through the void, and then there was no response.
It was like throwing a stone into a dry well, only to hear no sound of it hitting the bottom.
Bibi Dong clenched her fingers. "Why won't you answer me!"
Her voice echoed through the void a few times before vanishing without a trace.
There was still no response.
Bibi Dong stood there and waited a while longer. In the end, she turned and stepped out of the Rakshasa Secret Realm.
The purple-black vortex slowly closed behind her. Bibi Dong stood in the chamber, silent for a long time.
What she did not know was that when the Rakshasa God had given her the inheritance, he had already fallen, leaving only a remnant soul.
Passing on the inheritance was already his limit. Where would he find any extra divine power to grant rewards?
Under the normal Divine Trial system, an inheritor who wanted increases to their Soul Rings' ages would usually receive them all at once only after completing the final trial.
But Bibi Dong did not know any of this.
All she knew was that she had survived trials through nine deaths and one life, only to receive nothing, while her strength still had to be suppressed at Level 98.
Outside the Pope's Palace.
Yue Guan and Gui Mei walked along a corridor.
Yue Guan tilted his head toward Gui Mei. "Old Ghost, when do you think Xiao Yuan will learn to hide his Soul Rings while using Soul Skills?"
Gui Mei said evenly, "With his comprehension, it won't take long."
Yue Guan thought for a moment. "True. That brat learns everything quickly."
"By the way, do you have any thoughts about the windup for our Martial Soul Fusion Skill?"
Gui Mei was silent for a while. "Not at the moment. But the compatibility between our Martial Souls has improved, so the fusion's windup should have become shorter. Why don't we try it?"
Yue Guan's eyes lit up. "All right, let's try."