"Master Turtle Hermit, are you really going to help me get a soul ring? A hundred-year one?"
In Dragon City Junior Academy, Ku Lin's small face brimmed with excitement as he craned his neck and followed closely behind Xiao Lin's back.
"Of course — but call me Turtle-Hermit Lin."
Xiao Lin turned to look at Ku Lin.
Although Ku Lin was ten years old and two years younger than Xiao Lin, his stature was far smaller — like an underdeveloped boy. Yet Ku Lin's face looked noticeably more weathered than Xiao Lin's.
That was why Xiao Lin had disguised himself to look older, wearing a swirl-pattern mask; otherwise Ku Lin would never have believed someone who looked younger than him.
"By the way, Ku Lin — this isn't free. I'm conducting an experiment, and I need one or two volunteers. Do you know any classmates who, like you, can't afford to obtain a soul ring?"
When Xiao Lin explained his purpose, Ku Lin's doubts vanished.
"I do have a friend," Ku Lin said. "Her name's Chen San. She's ten as well. Her martial soul is Blue Silver Grass, innate soul power level two, and she's now level ten, but no one's helped her get a soul ring."
Ku Lin described his friend Chen San. Although Chen San had awakened Blue Silver Grass, she refused to accept a future as a worthless soul master — she wanted a hundred-year first soul ring. But she couldn't afford to pay someone to hunt a suitable soul beast for her.
"All right — have her come by. I'll get both of you hundred-year soul rings for free."
When Xiao Lin heard Chen San's martial soul, his eyes lit up. These two were perfect candidates for his self-condensing soul ring experiment.
Two hours later, Xiao Lin had temporarily become Ku Lin and Chen San's teacher.
Chen San didn't trust Xiao Lin at all — she crossed her arms and stared suspiciously at the masked man. If not for Ku Lin's assurance, she wouldn't have come. Especially since Xiao Lin still wore a mask and didn't show his true face.
"Ahem. Since you're both willing to be my volunteers, I'll speak plainly." Xiao Lin cleared his throat. "I'll get you hundred-year soul rings, but before that you must pass my test."
"A test?" Ku Lin's head swelled and he blurted out.
"You must complete my special training over the next ten days," Xiao Lin explained. "In these ten days I must see unbreakable spirit and stubborn determination from you."
"Specifically," he continued, "you'll help deliver messages around Dragon City. Every day you'll swim the waterways around the city, climb mountains, run and chase, and use your soul power to carve your future dream onto stone."
"That's your test?" Chen San snapped back the moment Xiao Lin finished speaking. She looked at him with outright distrust — what was the use of such training?
"Turtle-Hermit Lin — I don't get it either," Ku Lin admitted. He'd assumed the test would be to travel north to the extreme north and hunt a soul beast. But Xiao Lin was telling them the test took place inside Dragon City — so how would they obtain soul rings afterward?
"Don't underestimate my training plan. Without a strong spirit and body, how could you ever absorb an extreme soul ring? Just do as I say."
Xiao Lin spoke firmly, and a powerful Soul-Sect aura surged out from him.
With Xiao Lin's guarantee of strength, their doubts vanished. Under his lead they began training. Xiao Lin didn't have many resources, which explained the simplicity of the regimen.
…
While Xiao Lin began his self-condensing experiment, elsewhere — inside the Spirit Hall of Xueling Province — the Spirit Hall's chief, Batu, stamped about in fury, seeing red.
He could not imagine that several cadres he had sent out had been completely wiped out by a small gang of soul masters. How could he not be enraged? Several cadres were dead — that was bad — but his business interests had been damaged, and that infuriated him most. What kind of soul-master squad could accomplish such a thing?
In a rage, Batu secretly began dispatching people to investigate the appearances of Xiao Lin and his group. He wanted to deal with them personally. If he didn't handle Xiao Lin's group himself, he would never sleep peacefully again. After all, posing as the head of the Spirit Hall forever couldn't be his only recourse. Without the income, pretending to be the Spirit Hall chief had little benefit beyond hiding his identity.
For a moment, Batu's Douluo-level aura leaked out slightly in his anger.
…
On the other side, in Soul City's Papal Hall, Bibi Dong sat on the papal throne and listened calmly to a report from Guimei.
"So you've investigated the Titan Giant Ape in the core area of the Mingxing Dou Great Forest?" Bibi Dong's delicate, beautiful face showed a trace of pleased color. She had temporarily completed part of the Rakshasa Divine Trial and was now a Super Douluo powerhouse — no longer limited by the trial's constraints. Hearing news of the Titan Giant Ape excited her.
"Yes, Your Holiness. But the Titan Giant Ape is accompanied by another hundred-thousand-year soul beast — the Forest-King Celadon Ox-Python." Guimei knew of Bibi Dong's ambitions, but he still felt concern at two soul beasts of that age — especially the Forest King Celadon Ox-Python.
Hearing Guimei's report, Yue Guan in the Papal Hall felt his heart skip. He had recovered from his previous Titan Ape injuries with the help of a soul bone and had grown stronger, but the Titan Giant Ape's terrifying power still cast a psychological shadow over him. Faced with the Titan Giant Ape and the Forest King Celadon Ox-Python together, Yue Guan no longer had the courage to attack with full force. His old wounds ached at the thought.
"Forest King — the Celadon Ox-Python?" Bibi Dong murmured, already calculating their odds. After a brief pause, a touch of helplessness crossed her face.
"Fine. Give them time."
She then looked at Guimei and said in a firmer voice, "Guimei, for finding that hundred-thousand-year soul beast, you have done well. I will reward you with this ten-thousand-year right-arm bone."
"Absorb it quickly, and assist me in hunting the Titan Giant Ape and the Celadon Ox-Python."
With that, a translucent soul bone flew into Guimei's hand. His breathing quickened and he swore immediately, "Thank you, Your Holiness. I will devote myself fully to your service."
Then Guimei hesitated and said reluctantly, "Your Holiness, I must report something. Over the five years I spent tracking the Titan Giant Ape, I came close to being discovered several times. I fear it may have developed some sense of me."
"Besides that," he added, "I also spotted a soul beast even stronger than the Celadon Ox-Python." A look of recollection crossed his face.
"What kind of soul beast?" Bibi Dong's eyes brightened — there was something stronger than the Celadon Ox-Python?
"I don't know for sure. From a distance I saw it — it had three massive heads and moved extremely fast." Guimei didn't know precisely what it was, but sensing its terrifying strength, he dared not approach.
"Looks like this matter needs long-term planning," Bibi Dong said, slightly alarmed. She temporarily shelved plans to hunt the Titan Giant Ape. Even a single beast of that level required several similarly ranked soul masters to contend with. Three beasts of a hundred-thousand years or more was not something she dared to act on lightly.
"Guimei, investigate this carefully. Find out exactly what that soul beast is."
"Yes, Your Holiness."
(End of chapter)