Douluo Continent: Simulating Douluo Dalu III: The Legend of the Dragon King, Exclusively Scheming Against Tang San

That settled it. Gong Yu, Gong Xue, and Gong Yue had all reached bottlenecks, so they could go to the Star Dou Great Forest together to hunt for Soul Rings.

Early the next morning, the group of ten set out.

Of course, although they called it a group of ten, there were actually two more: Zi JI and Bi Ji, who followed in secret. For Bi Ji and Zi JI, though, it was simply a trip home.

Gong Yu calculated the time and thought to himself that the Shitrek crowd should have set out too. He just didn't know whether they would run into each other.

Gong Yu didn't count Dai Mubai among the Shitrek crowd, though. That evil-eyed lustful tiger had been poisoned by Gong Lan. Although the poison had been purged, he wouldn't recover his vitality for a month or two, barring some unexpected development.

Gong Yu's group traveled to the Star Dou Great Forest by carriage. They didn't copy Shitrek's method and foolishly run there. They were only going to hunt for Soul Rings; how much exercise could they get from running that extra distance all the way there?

They traveled by carriage without stopping to rest along the way, reaching the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest early the next morning.

Na'er was especially cheerful because she had returned home. The others didn't understand her behavior, but Gong Yu knew perfectly well why.

As for Zi JI and Bi Ji, he imagined they felt much the same as Na'er.

In the past, Gong Yu had asked Zi JI and Bi Ji what they thought about hunting Soul Beasts.

Perhaps it was because there were still plenty of Soul Beasts in this era, and they weren't yet facing extinction. Besides, there was no shortage of killing among Soul Beasts themselves.

Thus, although Zi JI and Bi Ji felt somewhat uncomfortable about humans hunting Soul Beasts, they weren't opposed to it. As long as no one hunted Soul Beasts from their own clans, they wouldn't say anything.

Meanwhile, the Shitrek group had also arrived at the Star Dou Great Forest not long ago. The two groups entered the forest almost one after the other, Shitrek first and Gong Yu's group afterward, less than half an hour apart.

As they walked cautiously through the forest, Gong Yu asked mildly, "Xiao Xue, Yue'er, have you decided what Soul Beasts you want to hunt?"

"Anything is fine with me, as long as it's fire-attribute," Gong Xue said carelessly.

A smack followed as Gong Lan slapped Gong Xue squarely on her pert backside. "Give me a proper answer. What do you mean, anything? Choosing a Soul Ring is a matter of great importance. Can you really be so casual about it?"

"Oh, I know." Slapped by her sister again, Gong Xue couldn't help answering with a sulky pout. "I want to hunt a Flame Lord. Can you get me one, Sister?"

"No." Gong Lan answered bluntly. "There might be some in the volcanic regions of the continent's southwest, but we're in the Star Dou Great Forest. Where am I supposed to find you a Flame Lord here? Besides, Flame Lords are ancient creatures. Even if we found one, it would be at least a hundred thousand years old. Could you absorb it?"

Gong Xue replied, "Well, there you have it. What I want isn't available, so we'll just have to find something else. As long as we try to find something suitable, it'll be fine."

"You... you've learned to talk back, have you? Fine, then I won't concern myself with you anymore. Decide for yourself what Soul Beast you want to hunt!" Gong Xue's sudden retort took Gong Lan aback, but on reflection, her sister really wasn't the little tot she had once been. She shouldn't keep treating her like a child.

Gong Lan pretended to be angry and turned her face away. Seeing that, Gong Xue immediately tried to placate her. "Oh, Sister, don't be angry. I was wrong, all right? I'm thinking about it right now. I'll tell you what Soul Beast I want once I've made up my mind."

Just then, Gong Miaomiao unexpectedly chimed in, "Heh... who waits until they're inside the forest to think about what to hunt? Doesn't everyone decide at home first?"

"You wretched Seventh, what's it got to do with you?" Gong Xue shot back at Gong Miaomiao.

At that, Gong Yu stepped in to smooth things over. "All right, we're in the Star Dou Great Forest. This isn't the time to squabble."

The two immediately fell silent. Gong Yu continued, "Since Xiao Xue hasn't made up her mind, let's make a Phoenix-Crowned Flamingo our first choice. If we really can't find one, we'll consider something else!"

Gong Xue nodded repeatedly. "Mm-hmm, Big Brother is still the best to me. You've even thought it through for me."

"Tch... she was obviously just being lazy..." Gong Niuniu wanted to make another jab, but remembering Gong Yu's warning that the Star Dou Great Forest was no place to squabble, she swallowed the rest of her words.

Gong Yu then asked Gong Yue, "Yue'er, what about you? Have you decided what Soul Beast you want to hunt?"

Gong Yue sounded a little sheepish. "I haven't decided either. I only advanced yesterday and haven't had time to think about it. But I think my cabbage Martial Soul can probably absorb any Soul Beast's Soul Ring. It's for eating anyway, so it can't possibly give me an offensive Soul Skill, can it?"

Gong Yu was at a loss for words. Truth be told, Gong Yue's Martial Soul was both the easiest and the hardest to find a Soul Ring for.

It was easy because her Martial Soul could absorb any kind of Soul Ring.

But it was difficult because they had never been able to find a Soul Beast truly compatible with her Martial Soul to obtain a Soul Ring from.

Moreover, the cabbage manifested by Gong Yue's Martial Soul had to be eaten raw, and it tasted awful that way.

Gong Yu thought it over and said, "Since your Martial Soul can absorb any Soul Beast's Soul Ring, Yue'er, we might as well set our sights higher."

"What do you mean?" Gong Yue didn't quite understand. Neither did the others, so they all looked at Gong Yu.

Gong Yu said, "I mean we should pick only the finest Soul Beasts to take Soul Rings from!"

"Young Master, you mean dragons..." Gong Lan was about to speak, but halfway through, Gong Yu covered her mouth. He also glanced at Na'er and, seeing no change in her expression, immediately felt relieved. He just hoped Zi JI hadn't heard!

But Zi JI had heard. She didn't show herself, however, and instead sent Na'er a voice transmission.

After listening to Zi JI's transmission, Na'er walked over to Gong Yu and said softly, "Brother Yu, actually, absorbing a dragon-type Soul Beast isn't out of the question."

"What do you mean?" This time it was Gong Yu's turn not to understand. He hadn't expected Na'er, the Silver Dragon King, to say such a thing.

Na'er explained, "Some members of the dragon clan were gravely injured in the past. Their lifespans were affected, and they don't have long to live, so they can choose to sacrifice themselves. But I have one question for you, Brother. Will the sisters all have to reach that stage in the future?"

The stage Na'er referred to was naturally becoming a god at level one hundred. The girls didn't yet know that becoming a god at level one hundred was even possible, and it wasn't time to tell them, so the two used a substitute expression in their conversation.

Gong Yu nodded. "I do intend for them to reach that stage. After all, the two of us are destined to live a very long time because of our bloodlines. But if they don't reach that stage, they'll live a thousand years at most, so I plan to find them places where they can inherit gods' legacies in the future.

"Most of them can only take the path of Godhood Inheritance. If they want to reach that stage through their own abilities, perhaps only Qianqian and Niuniu can do it."

Chapter 49: Emerald Swan

Na'er nodded. After spending so many years together, she naturally knew that Gong Qianqian and Gong Niuniu's Martial Souls were special.

She continued, "Since you want them all to reach that stage, Brother Yu, those dragon-type Soul Beasts whose lives are nearly at an end won't be losing out even if they sacrifice themselves. As long as their souls are preserved afterward, they may have a chance to follow them to the Divine Realm in the future."

Gong Yu nodded. He agreed with Na'er's view, but he still had a question. "The problem is, don't Soul Beasts only gain the ability to sacrifice themselves when they reach the hundred-thousand-year level? Where are you going to find so many hundred-thousand-year dragon-type Soul Beasts to make sacrifices?"

Na'er suddenly smiled. "Brother Yu, you're right, but you're also wrong. Soul Beasts do only learn how to sacrifice themselves at a hundred thousand years, but that's because all Soul Beasts at that level awaken the inherited memories in their bloodlines. Sacrifice is an ability learned from those inherited memories.

"But the ability can be passed on. Lower-level Soul Beasts don't know how to sacrifice themselves for two reasons: first, they haven't awakened their intelligence; second, their clans have never had a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast, so the inherited memories in their bloodlines have never been awakened, and there is no way to pass down the method of sacrifice."

Understanding dawned on Gong Yu. "So that's how it is. In other words, any Soul Beast that has awakened its intelligence can learn the method of sacrifice from a Soul Beast in its clan that's over a hundred thousand years old."

"Yes," Na'er said mildly. "But generally speaking, Soul Beasts that reach the hundred-thousand-year level won't pass the method down. Sacrifice is no different from death, after all. No one wants to see their descendants die, do they?"

Gong Yu marveled inwardly. Human texts and records wouldn't contain so many secrets about the Soul Beast Clan. If Na'er, the ruler of all Soul Beasts, hadn't explained so much to him, he might never have learned these things in his lifetime.

With his doubts resolved, Gong Yu asked, "Then what dragon-type Soul Beast do you plan to have sacrifice itself for Xiao Xue and Yue'er?"

Na'er said, "I'm not having a dragon-type Soul Beast come to sacrifice itself. I wouldn't do that. Zi JI is the one having a mutated Soul Beast from her clan make the sacrifice."

Na'er was the Silver Dragon King, after all. Naturally, she wouldn't lower herself to having a member of her own kind make a sacrifice.

"A mutated Hell Demon Dragon? What attribute does it have? And how old is it?" Gong Yu's eyes widened. This was the first time he had heard of a mutated Hell Demon Dragon. Since it had mutated, it surely wouldn't have retained the Hell Demon Dragon's original attributes.

Na'er said, "It's a Hell Flame Dragon with nearly fifty thousand years of cultivation. It retained the Hell Demon Dragon's original darkness attribute, but its water attribute became a fire attribute because of the mutation."

Gong Yu held his chin and thought for a moment. "Its fire attribute does make it suitable for Xiao Xue. But if she suddenly gets a Soul Ring tens of thousands of years old, you know what she's like. I'm really afraid she won't be able to keep herself in check, so let's look for other Soul Beasts first.

"As for the sacrifice, that Hell Flame Dragon can't have only a few years left to live, can it? I think we can wait a few more years. It won't be too late for it to sacrifice itself when Xiao Xue absorbs her fifth ring, and those years will give us a chance to temper her temperament."

Na'er said thoughtfully, "That's true. Eighth Sister's temperament really isn't very steady. It would be better to wait a few years."

Na'er then seemed to receive another voice transmission. "What about Third Sister? Does she need a sacrifice? Bi Ji just sent me a message too. She said there's a Soul Beast in her clan whose life is also nearly at an end, and it can choose to make a sacrifice."

Gong Yu's eyes lit up, and he felt a little excited. "Bi Ji is the chief of the Emerald Swan clan. If an Emerald Swan sacrifices itself for Yue'er, perhaps there'll be another unexpected effect. Shall we give it a try? How old is that Emerald Swan?"

Na'er blushed. "It's at the s-sixty-thousand-year level."

Gong Yu rolled his eyes. The Emerald Swan Na'er had mentioned was even older than the Hell Flame Dragon, and Gong Yue was only absorbing her Third Soul Ring. A sixty-thousand-year Third Soul Ring would probably frighten a lot of Soul Masters if word got out.

Na'er hurriedly explained, "But that Emerald Swan probably only has a year or two left to live, so if you want its Soul Ring, it's best not to wait. After all, no one can guarantee that nothing unexpected will happen."

"I see. It looks like we can't wait. If we could wait a few years for their temperaments to mature, perhaps it would be a little better," Gong Yu said regretfully. "Since that's the case, make the arrangements. Have Bi Ji bring that Emerald Swan here."

Na'er then sent Bi Ji a voice transmission.

About half an hour later, Bi Ji returned with an Emerald Swan.

The Emerald Swan was exquisite. If it sat motionless in one place, it really would look as though it had been carved from jade.

Bi Ji spent some time instructing the sixty-thousand-year Emerald Swan, teaching it the method of sacrifice.

Then the sacrifice began.

A dazzling curtain of emerald light abruptly spread from the center of the Emerald Swan's brow, becoming a halo of emerald light that expanded in an instant.

Everything the emerald halo passed over was dyed green, and everything came to a standstill at that moment.

Emerald flames then began to burn around the Emerald Swan. They weren't ordinary flames, but an extremely peculiar green blood flame, and what burned within it was the Emerald Swan's blood, its life, and its more than sixty thousand years of cultivation.

The green blood flame burned ever more fiercely, gradually changing from green to dark green. During the transformation, the Emerald Swan's body slowly faded, like a green crystal growing increasingly transparent.

All the green spread into a gigantic ring that slowly contracted around the Emerald Swan and Gong Yue, forming a transparent green dome that enclosed them both.

Two hours later, the green dome slowly faded and finally vanished.

At that moment, Gong Yue slowly opened her eyes. She first smiled at Gong Yu, then prepared to stand.

But as soon as she got up, the Soul Power within her began to run rampant. The Emerald Swan had sixty thousand years of cultivation, and the Soul Power that came with it was simply too immense for Gong Yue to withstand.

She hadn't even gotten her footing when she nearly fell. Fortunately, Bi Ji was quick to catch her and help her sit down.

Bi Ji then stood before Gong Yue and began forming numerous peculiar hand seals, sending each one into Gong Yue's body.

Only after Bi Ji finished did the Soul Power within Gong Yue stabilize.

Bi Ji then said to Gong Yue, "I've placed six seals inside you to seal the sixty thousand years of cultivation in your Soul Ring. When you can withstand ten thousand years of cultivation, the first seal will release on its own. When you can withstand twenty thousand years, the second will release, and so on until all of them are released."

Chapter 50: Emerald Cabbage

Gong Yue slowly stood and first thanked Bi Ji. "Thank you, Sister Bi Ji!"

Bi Ji nodded, then concealed herself and withdrew into the background once more.

Bi Ji was kindhearted and had appeared from time to time over the years to treat their injuries, so the sisters had long since become quite familiar with her.

After Bi Ji left, the lively Gong Xue was the first to step forward. "I wish I could be like Third Sister and get a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring for my third ring too!" she said enviously.

Afterward, she glanced at Gong Yu.

But Gong Yu turned his head and spoke to the air. "Don't look at me. I'm not a god, and I don't have the ability to get you a ten-thousand-year Third Soul Ring too."

Gong Xue puffed out her cheeks, looking displeased. It was the first time she had been rebuffed by Gong Yu.

Seeing Gong Xue rebuffed, everyone couldn't help laughing.

Gong Yu turned to Gong Yue. "Yue'er, how do you feel after absorbing that sixty-thousand-year Emerald Swan's Soul Ring?"

"I feel like my Martial Soul has changed a little." As Gong Yue spoke, she released her Martial Soul. A vivid green cabbage manifested from her right palm, and then three Soul Rings-one yellow, one purple, and one black-slowly rose one after another from beneath her feet, pulsing around her.

"Did your Martial Soul mutate?" Gong Lan blinked her large eyes and lowered her head to gaze intently at Gong Yue's Martial Soul. The cabbage in Gong Yue's hand looked as if it had been carved from jade, exquisite beyond compare.

Gong Yue nodded. "Yes. My cabbage Martial Soul has now become an Emerald Cabbage."

"Then what kind of Soul Skill did you get?" Gong Lan asked.

But Gong Yue put on a mysterious air and smiled faintly. "It's a secret for now."

Hearing that, everyone, who had been looking on expectantly, felt disappointed.

Now that Gong Yue's Soul Ring had been settled, the group continued onward.

The ten of them wandered around the Star Dou Great Forest for another hour or more, but still didn't find the Soul Beast they wanted.

They had no choice but to keep going. With Bi Ji and Zi JI protecting them, they didn't have to fear danger even if they entered the core area.

As dusk approached, the group, still pressing forward, suddenly felt a deeply uncomfortable presence rush toward them.

Then, with a whoosh, a dark figure flashed past not far ahead of Gong Yu and the others.

"Everyone, use the Purple Demon Eye," Gong Yu reminded them mildly. The Tang Sect's other secret techniques weren't all that impressive, but the Purple Demon Eye really was useful.

"I still can't see what it is. It's too fast," Gong Xue called to everyone. A faint purple glow emanated from her eyes, and somehow, set against her red outfit, it looked especially well matched.

Gong Yu hadn't clearly seen what the dark figure was either. He looked at Na'er, who nodded and said, "It was a big black tiger with a pair of black feathered wings on its back and a scorpion-like barb on its tail."

Gong Yu's pupils contracted. He immediately realized what the big tiger Na'er had described was. Somewhat shocked, he said, "A Dark Demon Evil God Tiger?"

Na'er nodded. Because she could draw on her main personality's spiritual power, she could easily track the big tiger and confirm beyond doubt that it was a Dark Demon Evil God Tiger.

Gong Yu sighed. "Then we'd better change direction. That Dark Demon Evil God Tiger should be the only one in the world, and its cultivation definitely won't be less than sixty thousand years. None of us can absorb it right now, and even if someone could, we don't have the ability to hunt it!"

Everyone nodded, wholeheartedly agreeing with Gong Yu.

But Na'er shook her head. "Too late. Zi JI has already attacked. The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger is an evil beast. There's no Soul Beast in the Star Dou Great Forest that doesn't hate it. Now that she's finally encountered it, how could Zi JI waste the chance to kill it?"

Gong Yu nodded. "It's not wrong to call it an evil beast. The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger was originally a white tiger. It was corrupted by an extremely evil attribute left behind after an evil god possessed it, causing it to mutate. In the end, its own light attribute mutated into a darkness attribute. But it carries a god's inheritance, so we have to follow and take a look."

Na'er nodded in agreement. Zi JI alone was enough to deal with the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, and with Bi Ji guarding everyone, there wouldn't be any danger. So there was no harm in going to take a look.

The group immediately gave chase in the direction the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger had disappeared.

As they pursued it, the trees around them lay crooked and toppled, clearly traces left by Zi JI's battle with the big tiger.