Chapter 8: Breakthrough, First Ring
After nearly ten thousand years of being sealed, even with its formidable body, the Behemoth had long become severely weakened.
That much was clear from its withered muscles—its bulk was mostly just fur propping up the illusion of strength. There was barely any real flesh left underneath.
Under such fragile conditions, Lin Yun's slap ended its life cleanly and effortlessly.
With Di Tian and Bi Ji by his side, the Lake of Life was as safe as it could possibly be. Lin Yun sat down directly on the ground, released his Golden Dragon King martial soul, and drew the Behemoth's spirit ring onto himself.
The moment the purple ring settled on his body, Lin Yun felt a sudden weight. Immense pressure poured out from the ring, pressing down on every bone and limb in his body.
However, to Lin Yun, it wasn't much.
To say it fed on dragons—well, that depended on the kind of dragon. Before the Golden Dragon King, even the strongest Behemoth would likely just be asking for a slap.
Let alone this minor three-thousand-year-old one?
With a powerful physique to rely on, Lin Yun was confident. Following instinct alone, he steadily circulated his spirit power, absorbing the influx of energy from the spirit ring.
Di Tian and Bi Ji stood silently nearby, guarding Lin Yun as he cultivated.
Even though few spirit beasts dared approach the Lake of Life, and fewer still could bear the overwhelming dragon might radiating from Lin Yun, Di Tian still kept watch without pause.
Bi Ji lightly bit her fingertip with her pearly teeth, staring intently at the golden dragon looming faintly behind Lin Yun.
'So that's the true form of the Venerable? As expected of the Golden Dragon King... even unintentional waves of his dragon might make one instinctively want to submit!'
"Di Tian, you've never told me about your dragon clan's history. Could you tell me?" Bi Ji whispered.
Di Tian, completely focused on Lin Yun, blinked in surprise at her sudden question.
"What's there to say about our dragon clan?"
During the Dragon God War, not to mention Bi Ji—even Di Tian had just been a minor foot soldier. Naturally, Bi Ji knew very little about those times.
At most, she'd heard a few rumors, but no one dared to ask Di Tian for details.
She was just using this opportunity to bring it up now.
"Just curious," Bi Ji muttered softly.
"You're wondering about the specific events of the war against the divine realm, right? I don't know much about it either," Di Tian shook his head.
"When that war broke out, I was barely strong enough to count. I had no right to take part in it. All I know is that nearly all my uncles and aunts died in it. It was the Venerable who singlehandedly held off the divine gods to buy time for the Master and me to escape back to the Douluo Continent."
As he recalled the past, a crimson glint flashed in Di Tian's golden eyes. That was the hatred of a species war—etched too deeply to forget.
"That's why both the Master and I trust the Venerable completely. Without him, our fate would've been even more disastrous."
The Golden Dragon King.
After the Dragon God was split, he was the true backbone of the dragon clan. Even when fighting all the gods alone, he wasn't slain—just sealed away in the Forbidden Land of Gods. The ultimate berserker.
That towering back as he stood alone against the gods had left a lasting impact on the once-weak Di Tian.
So even if Lin Yun was now "reincarnated" as a human child—someone Di Tian could crush with just a finger—his respect remained absolute.
Bi Ji was equally solemn.
Even from Di Tian's brief words, she could glimpse the scale of that epic battle and the Venerable's once-unmatched strength.
All of this—was just their imagination.
While Lin Yun was still absorbing his spirit ring, he had no idea that Di Tian had just talked Bi Ji into becoming his little fangirl. This couple had basically bowed their heads and pledged loyalty to him.
Not that he'd complain—it would definitely make ordering them around easier in the future.
As the two great beasts chatted, Lin Yun's absorption process gradually neared completion.
The golden dragon phantom behind him, previously faint and hazy, suddenly solidified. Its dazzling golden eyes glanced down at the purple spirit ring wrapped around Lin Yun, a flicker of disdain—or perhaps something else—flashing through its pupils. Then it opened its mouth and inhaled.
The ring was sucked in like a strip of jerky.
The golden dragon burped, then slowly faded into Lin Yun's body. The glowing golden tattoos on Lin Yun's skin gradually dimmed.
As the dragon vanished, Lin Yun opened his eyes.
A low growl, filled with powerful dragon might, rumbled from his throat. A lustrous, noble purple ring rose from beneath his feet and finally hovered around his dragon claw-formed right hand.
First ring—acquired!
"Spirit power level fifteen? That's a bit low." Lin Yun frowned slightly, sensing his current strength.
Normally, even a four-hundred-year ring could raise one's level to eleven or twelve. Yet this Behemoth ring, nearly ten times stronger, only boosted him by five levels?
Even if spirit power of extreme attributes gets compressed, he hadn't yet reached the Spirit Elder level, where such compression becomes relevant.
Unable to figure it out, he temporarily set the matter aside.
By age, he was only nine. With this strength, he was already ahead of the curve. At this rate, breaking through to Spirit Elder within three years should be easy.
As for Spirit Ancestor by age twelve? That seemed unlikely—especially with his extreme attribute, and that unknown, possibly destructive "annihilation" trait mixed in. That probably explained the low spirit power level.
Di Tian and Bi Ji exchanged uncertain looks, not daring to speak. Lin Yun's furrowed brows left them anxious, unsure what had gone wrong.
But soon enough, Lin Yun relaxed and turned to look at them.
"Old Bro Di, I'm hungry. I want fish tonight."
He still said it.
Bi Ji immediately struggled to hold back a laugh. Her strained expression left Di Tian completely baffled.
The Venerable wants to eat fish...
So just make it for him, right?
Why's she laughing so hard?
While he remained confused about Bi Ji's reaction, Di Tian suddenly realized what Lin Yun had called him—"Old Bro Di."
In that moment, Di Tian was overwhelmed with emotion.
The Venerable called me brother!
It felt like getting recognition from his idol—pure bliss.
"Yes, Venerable! I shall prepare it right away!" Di Tian answered with booming energy, struggling to keep the grin off his face.
(End of chapter)