"No?" Skydream was stunned. He hadn't expected that a Soul Beast with 980,000 years of cultivation offering to sacrifice himself would be rejected.
Skydream anxiously said, "Didn't you hear about my cultivation? My energy is just 20,000 years short of rivaling a deity."
Hearing Skydream's tone, Li Xun grinned.
"It's precisely because the energy within you is too powerful that I don't want it. Even if you sacrificed yourself, my body wouldn't be able to handle it. Not just me, even a Title Douluo would likely explode from the overwhelming energy."
"Does that mean I can only wait here for death?" Hearing Li Xun's explanation, Skydream's earlier doubts gradually faded, and he muttered to himself in a daze.
"What death? Aren't you perfectly fine now?" Li Xun asked, puzzled.
"Fine? What's fine about it!" Skydream sighed instinctively, then a spark of inspiration flashed in his mind. Right, even if he couldn't sacrifice himself, he could still use this human to escape from here!
The fact that the other party didn't even need his sacrifice clearly indicated he wasn't a bad person, and there was a high chance of success. Having made up his mind, Skydream said somewhat awkwardly, "Actually, I'm trapped here right now."
He now regretted his earlier stubbornness and felt a bit embarrassed. He immediately recounted his life story and how he had drifted to the Star Dou Great Forest to Li Xun.
"So, that Emerald Great Swan was sucking your energy while you were nearby, huh?" Li Xun teased.
"Heh, I'm just a bit prideful, you know!" Skydream instinctively twisted his body. "I see your ability to manipulate plants is quite impressive. With some time, you could probably help me carve out a passage to escape."
"Can you help me out?"
"Although the risks are great, considering how well we've hit it off, I can lend you a hand." At this point, Li Xun paused. "But have you thought about what you'll do once you're out?"
"From what you've said, you're not skilled in combat. But this place is far from the Far North Land, and it's surrounded by human nations and Soul Beast territories. Even if you escape here, other Soul Beasts might still capture you."
"Moreover, you were driven out of the Far North Land. Even if you return, I doubt your situation would improve."
Li Xun's words left Skydream stunned. He thought carefully and sadly realized that he was indeed, as the other had said, nothing more than a walking energy source.
Any Soul Beast with some strength, as long as it wasn't scared off by his mental power, could easily overpower him.
"But isn't staying here also a dead end?" Skydream's recently rekindled hope quickly plummeted again.
"I've thought of a way, but it depends on whether you can pull it off."
"What way?"
"You could research how to seal your cultivation and then, through sacrifice, divide your energy into several parts. When my physical body is capable of withstanding it, we can gradually unlock and infuse them into Spirit Rings. This way, I won't explode, and you might even retain your consciousness."
Li Xun manipulated a vine to pat Skydream. "If you succeed, you'll never have to hide again. When the time comes, I'll take you with me to become a deity."
Upon hearing this, Skydream was momentarily stunned, then silently began to ponder the feasibility of the method in his mind. After a short while, he realized that the success rate of this method seemed inexplicably high, as if it had been tailor-made for him.
"This method is indeed quite interesting. Also, you should call me brother!" After weighing the pros and cons, Skydream's thoughts became more active.
"Alright, little brother. Since you've agreed, I'll take my leave now. You can stay here and study this method thoroughly. Hopefully, by the time I return, you'll have perfected it."
"Huh? You're leaving already?"
Skydream was taken aback, then said listlessly, "I'll do my best, but you must come back soon. I can't stand staying in this place for another day."
"Alright."
As the words fell, the vines swiftly retracted from the cave, and Li Xun's body slowly floated up to the ground.
The purpose of this trip was now accomplished. All that remained was for Skydream to refine the improved Sacrifice method. The next time he returned, he would take it with him.
"Xiao Xun, how did it go? What about the Ferocious Beast at the bottom of the lake?" Sword Douluo's anxious heart gradually eased upon seeing Li Xun.
"Everything went smoothly, but the number of 100,000 Year Soul Beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest far exceeds my expectations, and their strength is even more formidable."
Li Xun took a deep breath of fresh air and immediately listed all the Soul Beasts he knew of, specifically mentioning Beast God Di Tian.
Sword Douluo's mood at this moment was as complex as when he first learned about the many hidden powerhouses in the Spirit Hall. "I never imagined there were so many powerful Soul Beasts, and that Di Tian..."
"It's a good thing you discovered this early. Otherwise, if these Soul Beasts were to leave the Star Dou Great Forest one day, it would be a disaster for all of humanity. Now that we know this, we can prepare in advance."
"It's alright, Sword Grandpa. Aren't there gods above us?" Li Xun, who was well aware of the world's current situation, remained calm, as this was no longer the era of Tang Shenwang.
"Xiao Xun, remember this: never place your hopes on outsiders, not even gods." Sword Douluo sighed and patted Li Xun's shoulder. "After all, they were once human too."
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Li Xun was momentarily stunned, then nodded thoughtfully. "Understood, Sword Grandpa."
Deep within the Sunset Forest, Tang San was currently watching four Soul Hunting mercenaries surround a Wind Spirit Wolf that was around a thousand years old.
A thousand-year Soul Beast posed no threat to them, but if they could bring the Soul Beast out intact and sell it to Xunyang Pavilion, it would be an additional source of income.
In recent years, Xunyang Pavilion had become incredibly popular. Many civilian Soul Masters had alleviated their financial difficulties by selling Soul Beast meat to the pavilion. This had also given rise to some risky ventures.
Although the Spirit Hall and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School imposed strict restrictions, and one could easily end up on a blacklist, there were still many who slipped through the cracks.
The Soul Hunting Squad that Tang San had hired with his last five hundred Gold Soul Coins was one such group.
They controlled two private sales channels. When taking on commissions to help others obtain Spirit Rings, they not only sought the Soul Beast's body but also earned some extra income on the side.
Before long, as the thousand-year-old Wind Spirit Wolf let out a mournful cry, a purple Spirit Ring slowly rose into the air. A mercenary eagerly stepped forward and placed it into a large snake-skin bag that had been prepared in advance.
He then carefully set it down in the grass and sprinkled a generous amount of snake-repellent powder over it, planning to retrieve it on their way back.
"Off to a great start!" a burly man with a thick beard laughed heartily.
The other three also broke into smiles upon hearing this.
In such a cheerful atmosphere, Tang San and the group continued their journey until they encountered a Great Strength Gorilla that had just reached the ten-thousand-year mark.
(End of Chapter)