Chapter 143: Soul Beast Surrender
Sunset Forest.
Dai Yao followed Dugu Bo, walking at a steady pace through the perilous soul beast forest.
With a Title Douluo level expert by his side, Dai Yao had no need to worry about his safety.
Under the pressure from Sword Douluo, he had reached level 40 and was now searching for his fourth spirit ring in the Sunset Forest.
When he obtained his third spirit ring, the Diamond Beast, a soul beast extinct in the Heaven Dou Empire, he had no choice but to venture into the Star Dou Great Forest to find the fourth.
Fortunately, he managed to acquire an upper-tier substitute for the Diamond Beast, the Dark Golden Terrorclaw Bear.
Compared to the Diamond Beast, the Dark Golden Terrorclaw Bear's spirit ring offered a much larger boost to Dai Yao's body.
The Baihu Dai family, after thousands of years of development, had speculated on the best three spirit rings for the White Tiger martial soul. However, after the third spirit ring, every White Tiger spirit master could choose their fourth spirit ring based on their personality and future needs.
There were few restrictions on the soul beasts for the fourth ring.
As they ventured deeper into the forest, the age of the soul beasts grew, and Dai Yao's excitement grew along with it.
His requirements for the fourth spirit ring were not low. After absorbing the Eight-Pointed Mystic Ice Grass and the Fierce Fire Apricot Blossom, his body could now easily absorb a 10,000-year spirit ring without any pain.
Moreover, with the boost from the Azure Light, even a 20,000-year spirit ring might not be a problem.
A 20,000-year fourth spirit ring would be terrifying to anyone.
According to the theory of spirit ring age limits, the maximum age for a fourth spirit ring was 5,000 years, 12,000 years for the fifth ring, and the limit for the sixth ring was 20,000 years.
In other words, Dai Yao's body was already comparable to that of a 60th-level soul master, and only elite soul masters of the same rank could absorb a 20,000-year spirit ring.
Looking at Dugu Bo walking ahead, Dai Yao felt a sense of hostility from him.
But it wasn't murderous intent.
"Dai Yao…"
It wasn't just Dai Yao who sensed the hostility, but also Zhu Zhuqing.
Yes, Zhu Zhuqing had also reached level 40 by now. Her cultivation speed had significantly accelerated since joining Dai Yao, allowing her to reach level 40 at this time.
Because of Dai Yao's liquid soul power, his cultivation speed was slower compared to other soul masters at the same rank, but with the power increase from several of his transcendent spirit rings, he finally caught up with Zhu Zhuqing's cultivation pace.
As for Feng Wutong, after taking the Rooster Comb Phoenix Tail Palm and reaching level 30, she had just received her spirit ring. Six months later, she was now at level 36.
A six-level increase in half a year was truly incredible.
This was partly because the spirit ring she absorbed was strong enough to give her a few extra levels, and also because when in Dai Yao's presence, the Chaotic Azure Lotus would unconsciously release an aura that accelerated her cultivation speed.
This was the reason for her astonishing speed.
Feeling the tremble on her shoulder, Dai Yao understood Zhu Zhuqing's concern. He turned around and softly reassured her:
"It's fine, don't be afraid. Poison Douluo doesn't have any ill intentions toward us."
He understood why Poison Douluo felt this way. His precious granddaughter had become Dai Yao's, but couldn't be his only wife. Any parent would feel upset in such a situation.
"My grandfather doesn't mean any harm."
Dugu Yan, standing to the side, placed her arm around Zhu Zhuqing's shoulder and smiled.
Dugu Bo, at the front, heard his granddaughter's words and was filled with anger, but also felt helpless about his granddaughter's choice. He could only snort coldly to release his dissatisfaction.
Dugu Bo's snort wasn't loud, but all three of them were soul masters and couldn't possibly miss it.
Dugu Yan, sticking her tongue out at her grandfather's back, made a face.
Dugu Bo glanced back for a moment, thinking to himself:
"Girls grow up too fast. It seems Yan Yan really likes this Dai Yao kid. Dai Yao can detoxify the poison accumulated in our Green Scaled Serpent lineage. He and Yan Yan are truly a natural pair."
"But this kid is too flirtatious!"
"This Zhu Zhuqing is one thing, but now there's also a beautiful maid with outstanding talent. If this goes on, what position will Yan Yan have beside Dai Yao?"
"No, I must do something about this."
...
Compared to the Star Dou Great Forest, the richness and strength of the soul beasts in the Sunset Forest were lacking.
The reason was that the Star Dou Great Forest was a tropical climate, while the Sunset Forest, located in the central part of the Heaven Dou Empire, was a temperate climate.
Powerful soul beasts tended to prefer tropical climates.
Screech—
Zhu Zhuqing's attack resulted in a thick layer of ice, but this ice didn't bring physical coldness. Instead, it created a sense of mental unease.
The creature attacked was a soul beast over a thousand years old—a Phoenix Monkey. After Zhu Zhuqing's strike, the Phoenix Monkey immediately collapsed to the ground, bleeding profusely and groaning in pain.
Yes, this was the legendary God Slayer Phoenix Monkey, with ten years of cultivation, unarmed, losing to the protagonist after a solo fight.
Just as Zhu Zhuqing was about to kill the Phoenix Monkey, Dai Yao stopped her:
"Zhuqing, don't kill it. Since this soul beast can't become your spirit ring, let it go."
Dai Yao believed that soul beasts not being hunted for a spirit ring didn't need to be killed. The relationship between soul beasts and soul masters was one of balance, with both sides gaining and losing.
As time passed, there would be fewer and fewer soul beasts available for hunting, and wanton killing only exacerbated the problem.
While Dai Yao couldn't change the world's view, it was enough for him to refrain from such actions.
"Okay."
Zhu Zhuqing replied coldly, her soul power moving, causing the chilling, mental-striking ice energy to slowly dissipate from the Phoenix Monkey's body.
Zhu Zhuqing never opposed Dai Yao's words.
The Phoenix Monkey screeched once more, its pupils filled with relief after surviving, and it anthropomorphically bowed to Zhu Zhuqing before turning into a gust of wind and leaping to the treetops, disappearing.
Up ahead, Dugu Bo was left dumbfounded, his expression showing astonishment.
"What kind of martial soul does Zhu Zhuqing have? Even my Green Scaled Serpent King felt a faint sense of suppression. Dai Yao's Holy White Tiger martial soul also seems to be of a higher quality than mine. What kind of monsters are these around Dai Yao!"
"If Dai Yao weren't so flirtatious, he'd really be a good match for Yan Yan."
"Zhu Zhuqing is seven years younger than Yan Yan, but their soul power levels are nearly the same. As she continues to grow, her level will keep increasing. With Dai Yao around, Yan Yan's position will only diminish."
The recent incident didn't disturb the team's relaxed atmosphere. Dugu Bo would assist the three of them in fending off powerful enemies, but anything they could handle on their own, they would.
Night.
Fires flickered as everyone sat around the campfire on the ground.
The moon was bright and the stars sparse. In a forest populated by soul beasts, lighting a fire was always a dangerous act, but with a Title Douluo's protection, it was no longer a threat.
Just then, a strange chill began to spread from all directions.
"Come out!"
Feeling the change in the surroundings, Dai Yao immediately stood up and shouted into the dark forest. He glanced at Dugu Bo's expression, which remained calm and indifferent, indicating that this was a soul beast they could handle.
Relieved, a white phantom slowly emerged from the forest.
Dai Yao's pupils contracted, and he muttered softly:
"What is this?"
The soul beast appeared transparent, taking the form of a human female. Her figure was seductive, with exquisite features, emanating a faint glow. She floated a foot above the ground, her bare feet hovering in the air.
A trail of shattered ice was left behind wherever it floated past.
In the temperate Sunset Forest, while nighttime temperatures could be quite low, they weren't cold enough to naturally form ice. This made the soul beast's frigid nature all the more apparent.
Dai Yao's gaze locked onto the soul beast, his mind racing to recall its name.
"A human female, translucent body, emitting a ghostly glow, and leaving frozen paths behind..."
A name surfaced in his memory. It wasn't that Dai Yao lacked knowledge, but this soul beast was exceptionally rare.
Thanks to his education at Star Luo Imperial Academy, Dai Yao's understanding of soul beasts rivaled even Tang San's.
Star Luo Imperial Academy was the premier institution of the Star Luo Empire, boasting incredibly strong faculty. Many of its teachers were Soul Douluo-level experts, and they had meticulously compiled a soul beast compendium that surpassed anything else in the world. Written by the foremost experts in the soul master community, it was leagues ahead of Grandmaster's notes.
The compendium was continually updated with input from generations of scholars. Extinct soul beasts and newly discovered ones were cataloged, making it an invaluable resource. Access to this compendium was strictly guarded, and it was considered the academy's greatest secret.
Grandmaster, on the other hand, was only a level 29 Grand Soul Master. While he might accurately verify information about ten-year soul beasts, his ability to validate knowledge diminished significantly with hundred-year beasts, let alone those spanning thousands or tens of thousands of years.
When Tang San obtained his first soul ring, Grandmaster struggled even against an ordinary hundred-year soul beast. This demonstrated that Grandmaster's understanding of high-level soul beasts was at best speculative.
"The Daughter of the Netherworld," Dai Yao muttered, swallowing hard as he uttered the name of this exceedingly rare soul beast.
The Daughter of the Netherworld was said to originate from the Netherworld itself, only appearing in the human world at specific times. Many doubted its very existence.
This soul beast was extraordinarily powerful. Upon entering the human world, it exuded an intensely cold field that tormented countless human soul masters. Even at its hundred-year level, it could rival typical thousand-year soul beasts.
"Judging by the glow radiating from this Daughter of the Netherworld, it must be eight thousand years old!"
As Dai Yao explained, Dugu Yan and Zhu Zhuqing began to grasp the beast's terrifying nature. Hearing it was eight thousand years old, Dugu Yan exclaimed in shock, while even the perpetually cold Zhu Zhuqing couldn't hide her surprise.
Trailing behind the humanoid soul beast was a Feng Baboon, its eyes filled with fear.
It was the same Feng Baboon they had let go earlier.
Realizing this, Dai Yao cursed under his breath,
"Damned creature! So it lured the Daughter of the Netherworld here. If I'd known, I wouldn't have shown it mercy!"
The Daughter of the Netherworld floated closer, leaving a trail of icy road beneath her feet. Her exquisite face revealed a peculiar expression—desire.
The freezing air pricked at Dai Yao's skin. His martial soul immediately activated, and the fierce aura of the White Tiger enveloped him as he assumed a combat stance. Beside him, Zhu Zhuqing and Dugu Yan also activated their martial souls, watching the Daughter of the Netherworld warily.
Dai Yao shouted coldly,
"Don't come any closer! If you take another step, we'll attack! With your intelligence, you should understand my words. Don't seek death!"
But the Daughter of the Netherworld ignored his warning and continued her approach.
"Foolish creature," Dai Yao muttered.
His second soul ring lit up, and countless white lights converged, illuminating the dark night as if it were day. Just as the White Tiger Fierce Light Wave was about to be unleashed, Zhu Zhuqing stepped forward in a daze, stopping him.
Dai Yao halted his soul skill, leaving him slightly uncomfortable, but he didn't blame Zhu Zhuqing. Instead, he asked with confusion,
"What's wrong?"
"I think she's here for me," Zhu Zhuqing murmured.
"For you...?"
"Yes. My instincts tell me she has no ill intentions."
Her response made Dai Yao pause. A soul master's instincts were not baseless; they were often key to surviving life-and-death situations.
After a moment of hesitation, Dai Yao took a deep breath and made a decision:
"Alright, you can approach her, but prioritize your safety. If anything seems off, call out, and I'll be there immediately."
"Understood," Zhu Zhuqing replied with a slight nod, stepping forward with measured elegance toward the Daughter of the Netherworld.
Watching her retreating figure, Dai Yao's eyes flickered with thought.
"The Daughter of the Netherworld... the Ghostly Dominion... Could it be because of this connection?"
Moments later, Zhu Zhuqing and the Daughter of the Netherworld met. The soul beast's delicate face lit up with joy. She let out soft, muffled cries, extending her slender, translucent fingers.
To Dai Yao and Dugu Yan, her sounds were grating, like noise, but Zhu Zhuqing seemed to understand something. With a startled expression, she waved her hands, but the Daughter of the Netherworld persisted. Zhu Zhuqing eventually relented with a nod.
"What's going on, Zhuqing?" Dai Yao shouted in confusion.
Turning back, Zhu Zhuqing gave him a reassuring smile before speaking softly to the Daughter of the Netherworld. Then, she quickly returned to Dai Yao's side, her face alight with excitement.
"She said she wants to become my soul ring," Zhu Zhuqing announced.
"What? Become your soul ring?"
Dugu Yan exclaimed in disbelief, and even the normally detached Dugu Bo, seated by the fire, looked surprised.
A soul beast willingly offering itself as a human's soul ring was an incredibly rare phenomenon.
In the history of Douluo Continent, such instances were limited to Xiao Wu sacrificing herself for Tang San out of love, followed by Da Ming and Er Ming doing the same for Tang San due to Xiao Wu.
These few cases highlighted just how rare this occurrence was.
Dai Yao, however, looked as if he had expected it.
"You understand why?" Dugu Yan asked, tilting her head.
Dai Yao nodded with a smile and explained,
"Zhuqing's martial soul is the Ghostly Dominion, the sovereign of the Netherworld. For any Netherworld creature, becoming the soul ring of their sovereign is the ultimate honor."
"I see," Dugu Yan said, her expression clearing. She then glanced enviously at Zhu Zhuqing.
"Zhuqing, having an eight-thousand-year Daughter of the Netherworld as your soul ring will break the limits of a fourth soul ring. I'm so jealous!"
Dai Yao urged,
"Don't hesitate. Absorb her soul ring now. Delays could lead to complications. We'll protect you."
Without further delay, Zhu Zhuqing approached the Daughter of the Netherworld.
She extended her pale, slender fingers, touching the soul beast. A surge of extreme cold spread outward, freezing the surrounding forest into icy sculptures.
The Daughter of the Netherworld began to dance around Zhu Zhuqing, as if bowing in submission to her sovereign and offering a prayer.
As the dance came to an end, a soul ring of deep purple with hints of black emerged from the Daughter of the Netherworld's body. Her translucent form slowly merged with Zhu Zhuqing's.
The soul ring sank into Zhu Zhuqing's body.
A hum resonated through the air. Zhu Zhuqing's curvaceous form floated briefly as her complexion turned pale. Yet, a faint smile lingered on her face. Waves of soul power surged around her, causing the air to grow colder.
After a few moments, she finally descended, her chaotic soul power settling.
Seeing this, Dai Yao let out a sigh of relief, knowing the absorption process had begun.
Suddenly, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Dugu Bo's thin, angular face.
"Kid, come with me," Dugu Bo said.
(End of Chapter)
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