Gu Yang realized it too, so neither of them acted rashly.
"Could it be those hundred-thousand-year soul beasts in the heart of the Star Dou Great Forest?" Bone Douluo speculated.
But after a moment, neither of them saw any powerful soul beasts appear.
Only then did Bone Douluo gradually relax and prepare to help Gu Yang hunt down the Heavenly Dragon Horse.
Those that ran on the ground naturally could not compare to those that flew in the sky.
Even with the Heavenly Dragon Horse several hundred meters ahead, Bone Douluo easily caught up after summoning his Bone Dragon.
The enormous Bone Dragon Martial Soul swooped down, its claws easily piercing the Heavenly Dragon Horse's scales and sinking deep into its flesh.
Blood sprayed as the Bone Dragon twisted its claws, throwing the Heavenly Dragon Horse straight to the ground.
Badly wounded and brought down, the Heavenly Dragon Horse immediately let out a series of piercing screams, its presence weakening in an instant.
Only after a while did Gu Yang finally arrive. Seeing the Heavenly Dragon Horse lying on the ground, unable to rise but still clinging to life, he offered Bone Douluo some flattery. "Grandpa, you took down a ten-thousand-year soul beast in a single strike! You're the one who should follow the power attack system path!"
A Bone Dragon following the power attack system path?
That actually sounded promising!
Bone Douluo rolled his eyes at Gu Yang in exasperation. "Enough flattery. Didn't you see that this Heavenly Dragon Horse was already injured?"
Only then did Gu Yang notice the deep wound along the Heavenly Dragon Horse's back. It looked like a claw mark, with wisps of black Qi still lingering around it.
"This is..." Gu Yang murmured.
Bone Douluo also stared at the wound, which kept seeping black Qi. "This was left by a dark-attribute soul beast."
"Even if we hadn't attacked, this injury alone would likely have left lasting complications, even if it eventually healed."
Heavenly Dragon Horse... badly injured... ten thousand years later...
It seemed to fit together.
Seeing Gu Yang drift off again, Bone Douluo immediately reminded him, "If you want this Heavenly Dragon Horse for your third soul ring, get on with it. The Star Dou Great Forest isn't peaceful right now."
Gu Yang nodded, then walked toward the Heavenly Dragon Horse, extending the stark-white bone sword in his hand.
Even on the verge of death, there was not the slightest fear in the Heavenly Dragon Horse's eyes. Instead, there was a pride all its own.
The bone sword slit the Heavenly Dragon Horse's throat, ending its life completely.
Not long after the Heavenly Dragon Horse died, an ink-black soul ring condensed above its corpse.
[Heavenly Dragon Horse, 14,127 years. Absorption success rate: 100%. Probability of obtaining a light-type soul skill after absorption: 100%.]
Seeing the AI give an absorption success rate of 100%, Gu Yang immediately put his mind at ease and began the absorption.
Sitting cross-legged, he set the Scripture of Supreme Mystery circulating within him with practiced ease, slowly drawing the ten thousand year soul ring toward himself.
As the ten thousand year soul ring's energy entered his body, Gu Yang could not help frowning slightly.
A ten thousand year soul ring was different from a thousand-year soul ring, after all.
Although Gu Yang's body could now withstand the impact of a ten thousand year soul ring's energy, this was still his first time absorbing one, and he was doing so beyond his usual limits.
The terrifying energy madly scoured the meridians inside his body, causing Gu Yang considerable discomfort.
At the same time, a slight stabbing pain accompanied it in his head. Only when his head soul bone faintly appeared did the discomfort fall to a minimum.
Every beginning was difficult. After he endured all the discomfort, the meridians inside Gu Yang's body finally began to function in a steady rhythm.
His tightly knitted brows relaxed as well.
The entire process lasted more than half an hour before Gu Yang slowly awoke.
After he stood, Soul Power surged within him, and three soul rings appeared beneath his feet, pulsing in turn.
Purple, purple, black!
Only when the third soul ring beneath Gu Yang's feet lit up did Bone Douluo secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
Although Gu Yang had said he could absorb a ten thousand year soul ring, it still defied common sense. Only now could Bone Douluo finally put his mind completely at ease.
"Brat, what's your third soul skill?"
"Grandpa, my third soul skill is a light-type soul skill, Holy Dragon's Protection. It can remove all negative effects and grant immunity to them."
"And your Soul Power level?"
"Thirty-four!"
Sensing his third soul skill, Gu Yang found it reasonably acceptable. Anyone who had played games knew this skill was essentially immunity to crowd control.
Bone Douluo, on the other hand, looked somewhat conflicted, seemingly not too satisfied with Gu Yang's third soul skill. He still preferred Gu Yang to follow the traditional defense system path, or even the power attack system path.
But since the soul ring had already been obtained, there was nothing to be done. Bone Douluo could only take Gu Yang back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Deep within the Star Dou Great Forest.
In its core region.
There lay a clear lake.
A faint mist drifted over the water, surrounded by trees, like an immortal realm.
Beside the lake, an enormous ape like a small mountain crouched on guard.
Before long, the previously calm surface of the lake suddenly churned. The water bulged upward, then streamed down in a patter, revealing a bull-headed, serpent-bodied monster no smaller than the enormous ape.
Shockingly, the next moment, the two giant beasts actually spoke in human language.
"Second Brother, things probably bode ill for Xiao Long."
"Was it those two annoying black tigers?"
"They were involved, but the final blow came from a powerful human."
"A human? Could it be that group from a few years ago?"
"It wasn't them... I'm afraid the Star Dou Great Forest won't be peaceful anymore..."
"Sister Xiao Wu..."
"Gu Yang, no more cultivating!"
"Chat with me for a while!"
"All you ever do is cultivate. Don't you find it boring?"
"Let me tell you, a few days ago, I heard Dad mention a really fun place. I think it was called Shrek Academy. Apparently, they only accept monsters there. They won't even take students with ordinary talent."
"I think you're a little monster!"
"After all, what normal person reaches a Soul Power level of thirty-nine at ten years old?"
"If you aren't a monster, then no one in this world deserves to be called one."
Seeing Gu Yang open his eyes, Ning Rongrong could not help a smug smile curling at her lips.
"What? Can't keep cultivating now, can you?"
"Spend today strolling around Heaven Dou City with this young lady, then cultivate tomorrow. I promise I won't bother you tomorrow."
Gu Yang glanced at Ning Rongrong beside him. "Oh, right, you got one thing wrong. My Soul Power level isn't thirty-nine. It's forty."
"So I'll be leaving the sect in the next few days to obtain my fourth soul ring. I won't be keeping you company."
"Forty?"
Before Ning Rongrong could react, Gu Yang immediately vanished from in front of her in a flash.
Only after shaking off that nuisance Ning Rongrong did Gu Yang ask the AI about his fourth soul ring.
"AI, what's the maximum age I can withstand for my fourth soul ring?"
The familiar mechanical voice then echoed in Gu Yang's mind.
"Based on the host's current physical condition, combined with our data analysis, the maximum age you can withstand for your fourth soul ring is 40,000 years!"
After confirming the maximum soul ring age he could withstand, Gu Yang sought out Bone Douluo again and arranged to go out with him to obtain his fourth soul ring.
Bone Douluo was naturally very attentive when it came to helping Gu Yang go out and hunt for soul rings.
After all, Gu Yang's cultivation speed had never disappointed him.
Ten-thousand-year soul beasts were already very rare on the Douluo Continent, let alone soul beasts around 40,000 years old.
Thus, they once again chose the Star Dou Great Forest as the place to obtain his soul ring.
Following the route they had taken on their previous visit to the Star Dou Great Forest, Gu Yang and Bone Douluo, one young and one old, continued toward the core region.
Yet before they had gone many steps, Gu Yang suddenly felt his heart palpitate, accompanied by an oppressive discomfort.
"Brat, what's wrong?"
Noticing something amiss with Gu Yang, Bone Douluo asked with concern.
Gu Yang shook his head slightly. "Grandpa, I'm fine. I just have a strange feeling, like something has its eyes on me."