With a shrill cry from the King Kong Baboon, all the other King Kong Baboons immediately lunged at Gu Yang.
Baboons were among the Soul Beasts that held grudges the longest. Against Gu Yang, who had killed one of their own, they naturally spared no effort.
Unfortunately, they had overlooked Bone Douluo beside him.
"Roar!"
A dragon's roar rang out, and an enormous Bone Dragon Martial Soul abruptly appeared in the forest. Its skeletal wings spread and gave a mighty beat, whipping up a hurricane that sent dozens of King Kong Baboons flying.
The King Kong Baboons slammed into rocks and tree trunks, all suffering considerable injuries. Some of the weaker ones even died outright.
That included the King Kong Baboon leader, which seemed to have received special attention from Bone Douluo and was injured even more severely.
It crashed into a rock, coughed up blood, and struggled even to stand.
It let out another feeble screech. After looking at their leader, the surrounding King Kong Baboons actually chose to flee, one after another.
Bone Douluo did not stop them, as though he had never intended to act in the first place.
Only the King Kong Baboon leader charged at Gu Yang again.
It seemed determined to take Gu Yang down even at the cost of its own life, avenging the baboon it had lost.
Unfortunately, the King Kong Baboon was too badly wounded and had long since lost its former agility. When it charged up to Gu Yang, the bone blade in his hand likewise sliced across its body, snuffing out its life completely.
Gu Yang's bone sword could cut an opening even in Bone Douluo's defenses, let alone a King Kong Baboon's.
Not long after the King Kong Baboon leader fell, a purple Soul Ring appeared above its corpse.
As his gaze fell on it, Gu Yang naturally saw the Soul Ring's information as well.
[King Kong Baboon, 1,675 years, absorption success rate: 100%. After absorption, probability of obtaining a diamond defense-type Soul Skill: 71%; probability of obtaining a speed and agility-type Soul Skill: 28%; probability of obtaining another type of Soul Skill: 1%.]
"No wonder its build was different from the other baboons. It was a Thousand-Year Soul Beast..."
Gu Yang had barely finished his comment when he seemed to realize something.
Wait!
King Kong Baboon, age: 1,675 years, absorption success rate... 100%?
How could the absorption success rate be 100%? Normally, the upper limit for a first Soul Ring shouldn't exceed 500 years.
Could the AI's analysis be wrong?
"AI, is your data analysis accurate?"
"The core of this system uses algorithms and data to derive the most accurate conclusions from vast amounts of information. All data produced by its analysis is accurate and valid!"
The mechanical voice rang out in Gu Yang's mind, but it did not dispel his doubts.
"Then why is my success rate for absorbing this Thousand-Year King Kong Baboon's Soul Ring 100%? Shouldn't the upper limit for a normal Soul Master's first Soul Ring be no more than 500 years?"
The AI's voice continued to ring out in Gu Yang's mind, offering an explanation.
"The host has cultivated the Scripture of Supreme Mystery and maintained a long-term physical training regimen. Your physical fitness has long since far surpassed that of ordinary people. Moreover, your Martial Soul Awakening manifested Shikotsumyaku, bringing a tremendous improvement to every bone in your body and greatly enhancing your physical strength and recovery."
"When absorbing Soul Rings below ten thousand years, Soul Masters primarily rely on their own physical fitness. Thus, with the host's physical strength, the age limit for your first Soul Ring is no longer 500 years, but higher!"
"How many years?"
"Approximately 1,800 to 2,000 years."
Having resolved the crisis, Bone Douluo saw Gu Yang spacing out again and could not help reminding him, "You little brat, I'll keep watch around you. Hurry up and absorb that Hundred-Year King Kong Baboon Soul Ring. Soul Rings only remain for a limited time. After an hour, they dissipate on their own."
Yet barely had Bone Douluo finished speaking when he saw Gu Yang sit down right beside the King Kong Baboon leader's corpse and begin absorbing the purple Soul Ring that signified a thousand years.
This is bad!!!
Wrong one! Not this baboon, that one!
Can't this brat tell yellow from purple?
Is he color-blind?
Although Bone Douluo could not determine the King Kong Baboon leader's exact age, he could roughly estimate that it was over 1,500 years old. This was simply beyond what Gu Yang could absorb as his first Soul Ring.
In a flash, Bone Douluo reached Gu Yang's side, but it was already too late to stop him. Gu Yang had begun absorbing it.
At the sight, Bone Douluo's brows knitted tightly.
Wasn't this little bastard usually pretty sharp? Why was he being so reckless today?
Forget it. If things look bad, I'll interrupt him right away. Although it'll do considerable damage to his body, that's still better than losing his life.
Besides, with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's resources, nursing him back to health won't be difficult.
With Bone Douluo standing guard, Gu Yang was not the least bit worried about being disturbed and absorbed his first Soul Ring with peace of mind.
He absorbed the Soul Ring's power into his body bit by bit. It felt warm and very comfortable.
Then Gu Yang felt as though his body had broken through some kind of shackle, with a sense of clarity that came as naturally as water flowing into a channel.
It was a breakthrough in his Soul Power Level.
And a breakthrough in the Scripture of Supreme Mystery!
At that moment, Soul Power circulated wildly within Gu Yang, its quantity growing ever greater. In the blink of an eye, it reached several times its previous amount. His body's vitality also improved further at a rate visible to the naked eye. Every bit of flesh and every bone throbbed with explosive power.
"He's about to succeed? How is that possible?!"
Standing guard beside Gu Yang, Bone Douluo also noticed that something was amiss. From the moment Gu Yang began absorbing the Soul Ring, his breathing had remained exceptionally steady, as though absorbing this Thousand-Year Soul Ring posed no difficulty at all.
But this was a Thousand-Year Soul Ring! Could it be that this wasn't a Thousand-Year Soul Ring, and he was the one who couldn't tell yellow from purple?
Bone Douluo quickly suppressed that absurd thought.
Although absorbing a Thousand-Year Soul Ring as Gu Yang's first Soul Ring was outrageous, and the process was going so smoothly it bordered on the ridiculous, if he truly succeeded, it would undoubtedly be a miracle.
Naturally, Bone Douluo was happy to see it happen.
Half an hour later, as Gu Yang absorbed the final wisp of the Soul Ring's power into his body, a purple Soul Ring appeared beneath his feet.
Even though Bone Douluo had already prepared himself, he could not keep shock from covering his face at the sight.
The upper limit for a Soul Master's first Soul Ring was just over four hundred years. Countless people in the Soul Master World had established that conclusion at the cost of their lives. Even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, even he and Sword Douluo Chen Xin, had never broken that limit.
Yet now Gu Yang had actually exceeded it, and not by a few years or a few decades, but by several times, reaching over a thousand years!
At that moment, Gu Yang finished absorbing the ring and awakened. Looking at Bone Douluo before him, he chuckled. "Grandpa? Thanks for standing guard for me!"
Hearing this, Bone Douluo came back to his senses, his face full of disbelief.
"You've finished absorbing it?"
"Yes."
"Does your body feel uncomfortable at all?"
"No. I feel surprisingly good."
"You've got far too much nerve, brat! You actually dared to forcefully absorb a Soul Ring over a thousand years old as your first Soul Ring. You're lucky to be alive! No more reckless stunts!"
Bone Douluo looked Gu Yang over, feeling as though they had just survived a disaster, but he also issued him a warning.
Gu Yang then explained to Bone Douluo why he could absorb an older Soul Ring beyond the normal limit.
Gu Yang had indeed deliberately absorbed it without Bone Douluo's permission. After all, absorbing a Thousand-Year Soul Ring as one's first Soul Ring was simply too inconceivable. Even if Gu Yang had told Bone Douluo the reasoning behind the AI's analysis, Bone Douluo might not have allowed him to act so recklessly.
Only by beheading first and reporting afterward-successfully absorbing it before explaining the theory to Bone Douluo-could he make a more convincing case.
And with this successful precedent, there would be a chance that Bone Douluo would agree the next time he absorbed a Soul Ring beyond the normal limit.