"Sister Yuan'er, hurry and absorb the Soul Ring!"
Gu Wuchen said, "Remember to cook it properly when we get back."
"I'll leave it all to you, young master."
Ye Yuan'er giggled and immediately sat down cross-legged. She drew the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring from the corpse, letting it float above her head, and immediately began absorbing it with her full concentration.
Gu Wuchen still couldn't put his mind at ease. He cautioned her, "Sister Yuan'er, don't rush while you're absorbing it. Keep your mind steady. I'll be out here protecting you, so nothing will go wrong."
Ye Yuan'er didn't answer, only giving a slight nod in response to Gu Wuchen's words.
Gu Wuchen waved for everyone to spread out and stand guard around the area, preventing other Soul Beasts from being drawn by the smell of blood and disturbing Ye Yuan'er as she absorbed the Soul Ring.
Then he used a trace of the Snow Empress's power to form a barrier around Ye Yuan'er's body.
Only after arranging her protection did Gu Wuchen put his mind at ease.
With his mind finally at ease, Gu Wuchen turned and walked over to the Heavenly Flame Fire Dragon King's corpse. He crouched down and searched it carefully.
A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast was guaranteed to yield a Soul Bone. He wanted to see what kind of Soul Bone this Fire Dragon King, with its exceptional bloodline, would drop.
When his fingertips touched the Fire Dragon King's right arm, he felt a flow of warm Soul Power.
Gu Wuchen raised a hand and drew it out. A right arm bone, scarlet all over and marked with a dragon-scale pattern, floated out of the corpse.
"A right arm bone, of all things."
Gu Wuchen's eyes lit up. He casually put the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone into his Storage Soul Tool, still intending to give it to Ye Yuan'er to absorb when they returned to their residence.
As soon as he put the Soul Bone away, Gu Wuchen's stomach let out a loud rumble.
He rubbed his growling belly and looked at the enormous Fire Dragon King's corpse before him. He still couldn't quite restrain himself.
He took out the dagger he carried and precisely sliced a few strips of tender meat from the choicest part of the Fire Dragon King's back.
This was the freshest, tenderest meat, and it contained pure fire-attribute Soul Power, making it an excellent ingredient.
For someone with a physique impervious to ice and fire, eating it meant nothing but sizzling deliciousness.
Carrying the meat he had cut, Gu Wuchen walked to the nearby lava pool. He set a flat, clean rock beside the lava, then took out some seasonings and carefully sprinkled them over the meat before slowly roasting it with the lava's heat.
Fat sizzled and dripped, and the rich aroma of meat soon spread through the air, making the Soul Masters standing guard in the distance glance over again and again.
Meanwhile, Salas looked at Dugu Bo, who stood nearby surrounded by an imposing draconic presence. The question he had held in all the way here finally drove him to approach.
He lowered his voice and asked cautiously, "Senior Poison Douluo, if I may be so bold, wasn't your Martial Soul the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor? How is it that now..."
He didn't finish, but his meaning was clear. No matter how he looked at it, this Martial Soul, with its dragon horns and overflowing draconic presence, had nothing to do with a serpent-type Martial Soul.
Dugu Bo glanced at him and burst out laughing, his voice full of pride. "What? Are Spirit Hall members the only ones allowed to have their Martial Souls mutate? Can't this old man's Martial Soul evolve?"
Salas gave a couple of awkward chuckles, even more puzzled.
Martial Soul Evolution was already a rare occurrence, one in ten thousand. To evolve directly from a serpent emperor into a dragon was simply a tale out of the Arabian Nights.
Was Martial Soul Evolution really so casual these days?
Still, he couldn't help feeling deeply envious.
Seeing the astonishment on his face, Dugu Bo didn't explain further. He merely looked up at Gu Wuchen, who was roasting meat, his eyes full of gratitude.
He owed all of this to Young Master Gu.
"It's done!"
Smelling the aroma drifting toward him, Gu Wuchen immediately dug in.
Every bite filled Gu Wuchen with satisfaction.
"Little Wuchen, stop eating! You're making Sister Xue die of craving!"
The Snow Empress's anxious voice rang out in his mind.
Gu Wuchen's movements paused, but he didn't stop eating. He took a few more bites before replying in his mind, Sister Xue, I'm hungry. You can't expect me not to eat, can you?
The Snow Empress was very unhappy. "Little Wuchen, why didn't you answer just now? You even had to eat a few more bites before answering. You're making Sister Xue die of craving! You little rascal!"
I want some so badly. Naughty Little Wuchen, eating at a time like this!
Sister Xue, don't worry. There's plenty of Soul Beast meat left. This is only a small piece. When we get back to the villa, I'll have Sister Yue'er cook some for you.
He was a child not yet eight years old. No matter how much he ate, he couldn't possibly finish all that Soul Beast meat, and there was still plenty of the choicest part left.
As he spoke, Gu Chen took a few more bites, paying no attention to the Snow Empress's complaints.
Once he had eaten his fill, he rubbed his belly, thoroughly satisfied.
"Young Master Gu certainly knows how to enjoy himself, eating Soul Beast meat at a time like this."
Dugu Bo smiled, sat down beside Gu Chen, and struck up a conversation.
"Senior Dugu, whatever else happens in life, we still have to eat, don't we?" Gu Chen smiled, immediately fetched another large piece of Soul Beast meat, and handed it to Dugu Bo.
"Young Master Gu, what is this for?" Dugu Bo asked, puzzled.
Gu Chen pressed the Soul Beast meat into Dugu Bo's arms. "Take it to Miss Yeyuan for her to try. This Soul Beast meat will be a great tonic for her."
"Meat from a hundred-thousand-year-old Soul Beast isn't easy to come by."
Dugu Bo was taken aback, then said gratefully, "Thank you, Young Master Gu, for thinking of my Yeyuan. I truly can never repay this debt!"
He couldn't repay it. He simply couldn't.
"Senior Dugu, there's no need to be so formal. Since you chose to join the Gu Clan, we're family. When you return to the Gu Clan one day, bring Miss Yanyan along to meet my parents."
Gu Wuchen smiled.
Dugu Bo nodded in agreement and put the Soul Beast meat into his Storage Soul Tool.
Just then, a rippling presence spread outward. Gu Wuchen turned to look and saw that the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring that had been floating above Ye Yuan'er's head had completely merged into her body.
"Level ninety-two!"
Ye Yuan'er opened her eyes, her face full of delight.
The power of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast truly was extraordinary. She had broken straight through to level ninety-two.
Dugu Bo and Gu Wuchen stood up to congratulate her.
Ye Yuan'er smiled. "Young master, Senior Gu, you're too kind. Oh, right, I'll go..."
Ye Yuan'er had just started to turn around and search for the Soul Bone when Gu Wuchen called her back and gave her a look.
Ye Yuan'er understood instantly.
A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast was guaranteed to drop a Soul Bone. If Spirit Hall had helped her hunt one, the Soul Bone might have been handed over to them on the grounds that they had helped her. But now, she didn't have to hand over the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone.
Gu Wuchen went to the Heavenly Flame Fire Dragon King's corpse and cut off its choicest parts.
Once everything was settled, the group left the Star Dou Great Forest and returned to Heaven Dou City.
Many of the Soul Masters were still shaken. An opportunity to join a hunt for a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast hardly ever fell to them.
"Since Young Master Gu's business has been settled, Samo won't stay any longer."
After bowing, Salas set off back to the Spirit Hall Branch.
Dugu Bo likewise took his leave and returned to his own villa.
When Ye Yuan'er and Gu Wuchen returned to the villa,
Gu Wuchen finally took the Soul Bone out of his Storage Soul Tool.
"Sister Yuan'er, a hundred-thousand-year right arm bone. Our luck was pretty good."
"Young master, I won't take it. Keep this Soul Bone and absorb it yourself!"