Bibi Dong held her left hand before her, cradling a strange purple fruit between her five fingers.
A Ten-Thousand-Year Dragon Scale Fruit.
It was the highest form of Dragon Scale Fruit. If it grew any further, it would become a Plant-type Soul Beast.
One glance was enough for Xu Zi to feel the blood quicken throughout his body, as though he had begun to grow faintly hot.
The source of this strange reaction was inseparably linked to the dragon within the Purple Sun...
Even in medicinal potency alone, the Ten-Thousand-Year Dragon Scale Fruit was already extremely close to an immortal herb.
If a dragon-type Soul Beast or a human dragon descendant consumed it, its effects would rival those of a peerless immortal herb.
If Xu Zi consumed it, the Purple Brilliant Heaven Destroying Dragon might break free of the sun on the spot and become a separate Martial Soul.
Or perhaps... turn against its master.
For precisely that reason, a surging will was seeping out of the Purple Sun, this "half-hatched dragon egg," constantly urging Xu Zi to take the strange fruit and consume it.
At that moment, the Martial Soul's will and his own held each other in check, leaving Xu Zi with his head lowered and his breathing ragged and heavy, his eyes constantly shifting between clarity and brilliant purple.
Bibi Dong took in every reaction of the person standing below her.
Holding such a rare treasure as though she had the entire situation in her grasp, she slowly explained, "Unfortunately, you were looking in entirely the wrong direction. This fruit comes from the continent's warm, rainy, and resource-rich south."
"The Star Luo Empire's Platinum Bishop brought it back and presented it to me during the council meeting just now."
"The Star Luo Empire?" Xu Zi murmured.
"Correct." Bibi Dong descended the steps with measured grace, came to Xu Zi's side, and held up the Ten-Thousand-Year Dragon Scale Fruit.
"For this fruit of yours, our Pope Hall's Platinum Bishop of the Star Luo district expended his once-a-year opportunity to conduct an inspection within the Star Luo Empire, as well as over four million Gold Soul Coins."
"But since I promised to find this fruit for you as a reward, I certainly won't go back on my word."
Then Bibi Dong lowered her left hand, holding it flat before Xu Zi's eyes.
Now that he was truly looking at it, Xu Zi's heart missed half a beat... then began pounding violently.
In that instant, a hundred thoughts flashed through his mind.
He could not help asking himself: If I use this Ten-Thousand-Year Dragon Scale Fruit to truly recreate the Dragon God's companion as my Martial Soul, can my current physique and mind bear its descent?
Will this God King Level Martial Soul turn against its master?
No one had ever considered this question, nor would anyone think to.
But if the ancestor of the Purple Brilliant Heaven Destroying Dragon truly became a Martial Soul...
Its strength would be no different from directly obtaining a Golden Dragon King Martial Soul, and its quality might even surpass it...
His moment of deliberation ended in a flash, and Xu Zi made the safest decision-
"Wait, Your Holiness." Xu Zi lowered his head slightly.
"Hmm?" Bibi Dong paused. "What is it? You don't want it?"
Xu Zi shook his head and explained, "Absorbing this treasure may take me several days. I would certainly miss the opening match the day after tomorrow and the other events."
"Besides, I know my mind is still immature. Faced with this temptation, I certainly wouldn't be able to control myself. It would be better to leave it with you for now, Your Holiness."
"Let it serve as my motivation to reach the finals. It won't be too late for you to give it to me after the grand finals end."
"Poor self-control?" Bibi Dong nodded thoughtfully. "It certainly isn't entirely your fault. It is a dragon-type Martial Soul, after all."
"But you're still young. Even if you can't restrain yourself in the future, don't consume any more ten-thousand-year whale glue. That isn't something someone your age should touch."
Xu Zi was somewhat dumbfounded. Only after two and a half seconds did he realize that the Heaven Dou Spirit Temple had actually dug up the fact that he had bought and consumed ten-thousand-year whale glue before absorbing his two-thousand-year second ring.
"Of course, if you can't restrain your carnal desires in the future, beauties gather like clouds in our Holy City. You may plunge into those myriad lights to seek them out..."
Bibi Dong suddenly leaned close, staring earnestly into Xu Zi's eyes as she warned him in a stern voice, "But never let me discover that you've committed an evil act such as forcing yourself on a woman!"
At that moment, a rich fragrance filled his nostrils, yet Xu Zi felt a tingling at the tip of his nose.
He immediately realized that this fragrance was poison-attribute Soul Power that Bibi Dong had inadvertently released when her emotions became unstable.
Xu Zi hurriedly stepped half a pace back, bowed, and replied, "Yes. I will keep that firmly in mind."
At the same time, he stirred his Purple Sun Martial Soul, circulating Light-Fire Soul Power through the front half of his body to dispel the bodily fragrance wafting over from Bibi Dong.
(Foreshadowing: Light-Fire Soul Power was mentioned in chapters four and five: stars are light and earth, while the sun is light and fire.)
Immediately, the tingling sensation caused by the mild poisoning vanished completely wherever the Light-Fire Soul Power flowed.
Bibi Dong also realized she had lost her composure and quickly turned aside.
"Since you're so determined, I'll keep it for you for now."
Her soul tool ring glimmered, and the deep-purple, gold-patterned Dragon Scale Fruit vanished.
"One more thing."
As Bibi Dong walked back to the throne atop the steps, she said, "There's news of the Tyrant Dragon Soul Beast you wanted."
Xu Zi, who had been about to take his leave, suddenly froze. Only after a long while did he draw a deep breath, towering waves surging through his heart. They really... found it!
It's only been three days...
Spirit Hall's reach at its peak was actually this vast.
"It's also within the Star Luo Empire."
Bibi Dong sat down, arranging her skirts as she spoke. "That Tyrant Dragon Soul Beast is quite ferocious. It feeds on all sorts of dragon-type Soul Beasts. Even White Armored Earth Dragons are on its menu."
"This purple Dragon Scale Fruit grew on the mountain of dragon remains it had piled up. Several teams from the main halls in the Star Luo Empire followed the vine to the melon, tracing that mountain of remains to its cave."
"Then where did this Tyrant Dragon appear?" Xu Zi hurriedly asked.
Bibi Dong greatly enjoyed her subordinate's eager attitude. Unhurriedly, she said, "The Star Luo Empire reported that treasure-hunting teams had frequently disappeared after entering the Soul Beast forest where the Tyrant Dragon lives, so they didn't dare send anyone into the cave to capture it."
"But I've already dispatched Ghost Elder, who serves under me. I believe he'll be able to bring the Tyrant Dragon back in just a few days."
Xu Zi's heart settled completely, and delight showed on his face. "Thank you, Your Holiness."
He lowered his head to conceal his joy, for the King of Sub-Dragons, the Tyrant Dragon, was the key to his Martial Soul Evolution!
Aside from its physical abilities, such as possessing the Golden Dragon King's bloodline and devouring dragon bloodlines, the Tyrant Dragon...
Also possessed traits of the soul-
The Tyrant Dragon was born with an Unyielding Dragon Soul formed from its unyielding will. Even if its cultivation was below one thousand years, its Soul Ring would still carry that unyielding will, which could take the form of a consciousness and crush a Soul Master's spiritual sea.
Over twenty thousand years later, Tang Wulin had only managed to subdue the Tyrant Dragon Unyielding Soul Spirit by relying on the Golden Dragon King's Divine Core.
If Xu Zi devoured the Tyrant Dragon's body and absorbed its unyielding will, both his physique and spiritual power would reach a critical threshold!
That threshold would be enough to let the Purple Brilliant Heaven Destroying Dragon shed its shell completely, and perhaps even recreate the former splendor of the Dragon God's companion.
Now that there was definite news of the King of Sub-Dragons, that crucial piece, how could Xu Zi not be overjoyed?
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