Don't Rush, Just Hold On!

Half a year has passed since the end of the Soul Master Tournament. At this moment, in Sunset Forest, a young man with long blue hair is following behind a rugged man with a scruffy beard.

"My affairs are none of your business. What you need to do now is to quickly become stronger as I instruct you, so that you are capable of protecting the people who are important to you, instead of being powerless even when your teacher is captured. Do you want to be like me back then, unable to even protect the people you love?"

As he spoke, the burly man looked dejected, his fists clenched tightly. He couldn't help but recall the woman who was the gentlest and kindest in the world in his heart, and the image of her sacrificing her life.

"How can I ignore this? I'm your son! I never expected my teacher to be captured by Yu Tianshuang. I never imagined he'd be strong enough to kidnap my teacher from the Shrek Academy. But Dad, you're the person I love most too. How can I leave you to suffer like this..."

Hearing his son, whom he had neglected since childhood, utter such moving words, Tang Hao's weathered face showed a hint of emotion, but the next moment he pulled up his hood and said Lengleng:

"You don't need to worry about my injuries. I'm not going to die anytime soon, and even if you wanted to heal me, there's nothing you can do. Even Titled Douluo with healing abilities can't help you. Alright, we'll talk about that later. The place I'm taking you next is a place where you're almost guaranteed to die. You need to be prepared..."

Inside the Lost Track Grand Canyon, Yu Tianshuang looked at the fallen 70,000-year-old Dark Blue Horned Dragon. Her Soul Power and Divine Power were almost exhausted. She barely managed to kill it by relying on the newly mastered Ring Fusion. But at this moment, her internal organs were churning, and she couldn't help but cough up a few mouthfuls of blood.

"Cough cough."

"Fortunately, after this period of training, I finally mastered the Ring Fusion technique. Otherwise, relying solely on Ring Fusion wouldn't have been enough to kill it. My current strength, in a desperate fight, is roughly equivalent to this 70,000-year-old Dark Blue Horned Dragon, around the level of a newly promoted Titled Douluo. No, once you reach the Titled Douluo level, Soul Master's abilities far surpass those of Soul Beast. The endless Soul Skill and Soul Bone are incomparable to those of Soul Beast."

From the storage ring his grandfather had given him when he left Hagen-Dazs City, Yu Tianshuang took out a clean set of clothes to change into. After changing, he casually touched the front of his clothes and looked Youyou towards the end of the canyon.

"How can it be so patient? I'm already in this state, and it still hasn't come out. It seems Bibi Dong's prediction was right. This old horned dragon is indeed very cunning. No wonder it has lived for so long..."

After killing the 60,000-year-old Dark Blue Horned Dragon, Yu Tianshuang sensed a faint Divine Power observing him while meditating inside the ice wall. However, he was surprised that even after so much time had passed and in his current poor condition, there was still no reaction.

"It doesn't matter. Since you're not coming to find me, I'll just pretend this never happened. Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast's mind is no different from a human's; it's not so easily fooled..."

Recalling the instructions Bibi Dong gave before leaving, Yu Tianshuang felt somewhat helpless. Although she had heard Bibi Dong mention the characteristics of this Soul Beast on the way, she hadn't expected it to be so... well, so steady...

Unfortunately, some things are the less likely they are to happen the more you insist on them, while other times they come knocking on your door when you're ready to give up.

"Human brat, how dare you slaughter so many of my people! You're asking for trouble! Do you even know where you are?!"

Just as Yu Tianshuang sat down to meditate and regulate his breathing, he heard a deafening sound coming from the direction of the end of the canyon. Then, in a very short time, a super-large Dark Blue Horned Dragon, thirty meters tall, flapped its huge wings and flew into the air above him, roaring.

"Roar!!!"

Yu Tianshuang quickly stood up, summoned the Heavenly Frost Cold Qi, and without thinking, flew up on her sword, transforming into a blue streak of light and instantly flying a distance away.

"So this is the cunning old dragon that Bibi Dong mentioned? I didn't expect it to be so big, and what's with those wings? Isn't it a horned dragon? Holy crap..."

Yu Tianshuang hadn't initially paid much attention to Bibi Dong's instructions, because the Dark Blue Horned Dragon was an earth dragon, and earth dragons couldn't fly and were slow. He had thought that if he encountered it, he could simply fly into the sky, and even if it was Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, it wouldn't be able to do anything to him. But now that this old dragon actually had wings, what was the point? His life was more important. He wouldn't let his confidence swell to the point that he could fight Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast just because he could kill enemies of a higher level.

"Me, me, me go???"

The Dark Blue Horned Dragon King was bewildered as Yu Tianshuang transformed into a streak of blue light, rapidly shrinking in size and vanishing without a trace. From what it had observed over the past few weeks, this kid's fighting style was supposed to be fearless and all-out battle. Why did he run away the moment they met? It had thought its imposing manner would ignite his fighting spirit, but had it gone too far and scared him away? That wouldn't do; it couldn't miss this once-in-ten-thousand-years Nirvana of the dead phoenix...

"Human, how dare you do this? You've killed so many of my people, and you think you can just walk away?"

Although the Dark Blue Horned Dragon King was somewhat anxious, after some thought, it decided it had to maintain the imposing presence of the three kings of the Lost Track Canyon. Moreover, it had already decided to use this as a condition to get the human boy's help; otherwise, it would have to pay another price...

A tremendous roar echoed throughout the canyon. After the Dark Blue Horned Dragon finished roaring, it immediately flapped its huge wings and chased after Yu Tianshuang in the direction she had left.

"Human, today I, the Dark Blue Horned Dragon King, will make you pay the price! I... human... stop! I'll let it go! I have something to discuss with you! Stop! I won't hurt you, human!!!"

After chasing for a while, the Dark Blue Horned Dragon King continued to release its oppressive aura and roar from the front. However, it realized that no matter how fast it accelerated or how much it chased, it could not close the distance with Yu Tianshuang and was slowly being left behind. This made it lose its composure, so it had to lower its voice and speak as softly as possible.

"Alright, senior, stop now. Let's keep this distance. What do you need me for?"

Yu Tianshuang watched as even the Dark Blue Horned Dragon King, who had evolved and gained the ability to fly, could not escape the characteristics of its race. Its speed was not fast at all, and it could not catch up with him. Just then, she heard his tone soften. Remembering what Bibi Dong had told her, she changed her mind and spoke from a great distance.

"Alright, alright, human kid, let's keep this distance, okay? Stop running. I didn't expect you to be so fast, I miscalculated..."

Upon hearing Yu Tianshuang's voice, the Dark Blue Horned Dragon was overjoyed and immediately stopped, halting in place before speaking.

"Alright, senior, what do you need me for? Speak..."

Seeing the Dark Blue Horned Dragon stop, Yu Tianshuang flew a short distance before also stopping, stepping onto the exquisitely designed Heavenly Frost Cold Qi, and asked.

"Humans, you have slaughtered so many of my people, I... Hey, hey, you brat, why are you so impatient? Don't be hasty, listen to me..."

Upon hearing these words from the Dark Blue Horned Dragon King, Yu Tianshuang immediately turned around and prepared to fly away. Seeing this, the Dark Blue Horned Dragon King quickly changed its tone and offered some comforting words.

"Senior, if you continue to use this as an excuse and don't get to the specifics, I'm really leaving. You see, right now you're asking for my help, and you can't do anything about it. Whether I help you or not is my business. Besides, whether it's humans or Soul Beast, it's all about the survival of the fittest. I killed them with my own strength. If you have the ability to catch up with me, then whether you kill me or not is entirely up to you, isn't it?"

"Ah, yes, yes, you're right, kid. I can overlook the fact that you killed my people, but right now, an immense opportunity is presented to you. I see that you, at the Soul King level, can fight so many of my people, which means you must also have a great opportunity, so..."

"Senior, please just get to the point. There's no need for these formalities. I'm very pressed for time..."

"Don't rush, don't rush, listen to me slowly..."

The Dark Blue Horned Dragon had barely begun speaking when it saw the impatience on Yu Tianshuang's face in the distance through its vertical pupils, and quickly tried to comfort her.

"Since you've come here for training, you must know that within this Lost Track Grand Canyon reside three great kings and two major clans. One of those three kings, the Dark Phoenix, is currently preparing for Nirvana. What you may not know is that the Dark Phoenix is different from other Soul Beast Soul Beast. Every 100,000 years of cultivation, we must undergo a tribulation. Only by successfully passing it can we continue to live for another 100,000 years; otherwise, we will turn to ashes and vanish..."

"The Phoenix clan is different. They possess a talent that all Soul Beast envy: Nirvana. You've probably heard of the phoenix's rebirth from the ashes. Every 100,000 years, like us, they undergo a Ferocious Beast Heavenly Tribulation. But if they fail to survive, they don't turn to ashes; instead, they transform into an egg and are reborn from the Nirvana."

Hearing this, Yu Tianshuang roughly understood why the Dark Blue Horned Dragon King had sought him out, but there was still one thing he didn't understand. After thinking for a while, he asked:

"If that's the case, then the Phoenix clan can live and cultivate indefinitely, right? Why are there so few Phoenixes in the world? And since you know the Nirvana time of this Phoenix, I think its cultivation level is at least no lower than yours. Judging from your aura, it's only slightly weaker than the 390,000-year-old Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion I encountered in the Far North. Therefore, you should be around 290,000 years old. Based on this, this Phoenix's strength is at least 290,000 years. And considering the level of Phoenixes, even if both are 290,000 years old, I think you're no match for it. So..."

Upon hearing Yu Tianshuang's words, the Dark Blue Horned Dragon King couldn't help but sigh, "This human before me is not only exceptionally talented and possesses astonishing combat power, but he is also extremely intelligent, having so quickly and astutely discovered the key point."

"Don't be in such a hurry, let me finish. Although the phoenix is blessed with extraordinary abilities, even if it fails to overcome the Ferocious Beast Heavenly Tribulation, it can still undergo Nirvana to survive and be reborn. However, the world is fair. Since you have been given such strong talent, there will also be some weaknesses. That is, if the phoenix fails to overcome the Heavenly Tribulation of the Ferocious Beast Heavenly Tribulation, then even if it successfully undergoes Nirvana, its cultivation will not break through. Moreover, the time for Nirvana will continue to increase with the number of Nirvana in the current year. The reason why the number of phoenixes in the world is becoming increasingly rare is because of this. Many phoenixes undergo Nirvana too many times in the current year, so many that the time for Nirvana far exceeds 100,000 years. However, the time of the Ferocious Beast Heavenly Tribulation is fixed. Those phoenixes that undergo Nirvana too many times, resulting in Nirvana time exceeding 100,000 years, will be permanently transformed into an egg and will never be able to restore their true form."

After hearing the Dark Blue Horned Dragon's words, Yu Tianshuang suddenly understood. So that's how it is. If the phoenix's Nirvana time exceeds 100,000 years, then when the Ferocious Beast Heavenly Tribulation descends and continues to kill the phoenix that has been Nirvana as an egg, the phoenix will continue to be Nirvana. Although it will still not die, it will forever remain an egg.

"Senior, so those phoenixes that are forever transformed into eggs, even the heavenly tribulation can't completely kill them? They just keep turning from eggs into eggs indefinitely?"

"That's right, the phoenix is immortal. Even the eggs in the process of Nirvana cannot be completely reduced to ashes by the heavenly tribulation. The eggs will continue to Nirvana and become eggs again, but what's the point? To be an egg forever is no different from being dead."

No wonder the phoenix's Nirvana ability is so powerful, yet so few phoenixes actually survive in time; now I understand.

"I've come to you for this very reason. Based on my deduction, this Dark Phoenix is unlikely to survive the Ferocious Beast Heavenly Tribulation this time either. And from what I understand, this phoenix has already Nirvana three times during its tribulation of breaking through from 390,000 to 400,000 years ago. That means if it still can't survive this time and continues to undergo Nirvana, it will be the fourth time. And the fourth time, it will Nirvana 80,000 years. The time for a phoenix's Nirvana increases exponentially, and since it's going to Nirvana for so long this time, it will definitely hide its Nirvana eggs very well. The reason I'm asking for your help is that I can find the location of its Nirvana, and I hope you can kill it. That way, I will be the true king of this Lost Track Grand Canyon."

This dead phoenix has been weighing on his head for a full 290,000 years, and with such a golden opportunity, he is about to undergo his 300,000-year tribulation. In its current state, it certainly cannot survive it. However, if this human can kill the dead phoenix and absorb its phoenix essence blood to evolve, he will be confident in surviving the Ferocious Beast Heavenly Tribulation. At that time, only the Wasteland Wolf King, who has just survived the 100,000-year Ferocious Beast Heavenly Tribulation, will remain in the Lost Track Grand Canyon, and he will truly be the king here.

"Kill a phoenix undergoing Nirvana? No, senior, didn't you just say that phoenixes are immortal? Even the Ferocious Beast Heavenly Tribulation cannot completely kill a phoenix; it will only allow them to continue their Nirvana. I am just a human, and a mere Soul King at that. What merit do I possess to do such a thing?"

After hearing the Dark Blue Horned Dragon King's words, Yu Tianshuang felt utterly bewildered. What made it think it could kill the Phoenix? This thing was either daydreaming or trying to lower her guard. She had thought it really had some incredible opportunity. Sigh, she'd better hurry up and get Bibi Dong to kill it and get the Soul Ring and Soul Bone...

After pondering for a while, Yu Tianshuang was convinced of the Dark Blue Horned Dragon King's idea. He immediately prepared to reach into his clothes and crush a small spider lying there, but the Dark Blue Horned Dragon King's next words made him stop in his tracks, his eyes wide open.