Chapter 24: Breakthrough, Soul Elder
Facing the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear, who had closed its eyes and calmly accepted its fate, Lin Yun could only end its life in the most painless way possible.
Golden dragon scales emerged on his right hand, forming the Golden Dragon Claw once again. To spare the bear from any suffering, he even utilized the power of destruction, which he could currently only barely control.
"Don't worry, it'll just be like sleeping. When you wake up again, you'll become even stronger than your father," Lin Yun gently reassured.
Understanding Lin Yun's words, the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear gradually relaxed, its previously trembling body calming down.
"Woo—"
It softly growled once. Lin Yun nodded, and his fearsome dragon claw swiftly descended. The power of destruction penetrated through its skull, instantly destroying its brain without damaging the exterior.
Hum—
A profound soul ring radiating intense soul power gradually formed. This twenty-thousand-year-old soul ring from the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear revealed its power openly before Lin Yun.
Staring silently at the soul ring before him, Lin Yun remained still for a long time.
The overwhelming power of destruction had allowed the bear to pass painlessly, as if merely sleeping. In the future, when Lin Yun reached divinity, it would be revived in its strongest form.
"Di Tian, take its body back to Xiong Jun for proper burial. As for your request, this king agrees," Lin Yun said softly, then sat cross-legged, guiding the soul ring into himself.
Just like with the Titan Snow Devil's soul ring, the energy from this ring wasn't volatile. Instead, it actively and cooperatively integrated itself into Lin Yun's body.
Perhaps this was the hidden benefit when a soul beast willingly accepted death.
Soul beasts under a hundred thousand years couldn't perform sacrifices, but their voluntary death made their soul ring's energy gentler and easier to absorb.
Perhaps…
Becoming the ruler of the soul beasts wasn't such a bad thing after all.
The events of recent years had gradually led Lin Yun to accept his identity as the soul beasts' sovereign. Initially, claiming to be the Golden Dragon King had simply been a means of survival.
But now, he truly had grown fond of these lovable soul beasts and wished to help them break free from the seemingly indestructible cage that was Douluo Continent.
Trust was mutual.
Since the soul beasts were willing to devote everything to Lin Yun, naturally, he would spare no effort in assisting them.
Observing Lin Yun enter a meditative state, Di Tian revealed a heartfelt smile on his usually stern face.
'It seems the battle back then truly changed the lord. He's completely different now.'
Yet the current Golden Dragon King was even more worthy of their loyalty.
In Lin Yun, Di Tian genuinely saw hope for the revival of the soul beast race. With such an overwhelmingly strong, wise, courageous, and compassionate ruler, what more could they ask for?
Quietly, Di Tian left the Lake of Life carrying the lifeless body of the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear.
Upon finding Xiong Jun once again, Di Tian gently placed the corpse on the ground.
Xiong Jun, his back facing Di Tian, shuddered slightly, his voice filled with complicated emotions. "Is he already dead?"
"Yes, his soul ring is now part of the lord's power. Furthermore, the lord has promised that when he returns, he will not be weaker than you, the chief of the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear clan," Di Tian smiled gently.
Xiong Jun seemed to let out a relieved sigh and slowly turned around, approaching the body of his son.
"For the sake of the soul beast race, this is all worth it."
…
The dark soul ring rhythmically pulsed like breathing, channeling vast amounts of soul power into Lin Yun, gradually absorbed by him.
Alongside the energy of the soul ring, another special form of energy began to emerge.
This was another power the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear had offered Lin Yun. After circulating once through his body, it finally converged in his right palm.
Previously, he'd absorbed a right palm bone from a Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear. Now, Xiong Jun's son infused the original soul-bone essence of its lineage into Lin Yun's existing external soul bone, greatly enhancing it.
Once the last trace of energy was fully absorbed, the Dark Gold Terror Claw palm bone—originally a ten-thousand-year-level external soul bone—now exhibited power equivalent to forty thousand years.
This was the nature of a growth-type external soul bone.
Not only could it strengthen along with Lin Yun's own cultivation, but it could also increase in age through absorbing compatible soul-bone essence.
The absorption of the soul ring was now nearing completion.
Five hours slowly passed.
The fully assimilated soul ring finally settled as Lin Yun's third ring, thoroughly integrating itself into his power.
Soul ring configuration: purple, purple, black!
The bottleneck to Soul Elder was instantly shattered. Lin Yun's soul power, previously stuck at rank thirty, surged rapidly, finally stabilizing at rank thirty-four.
Undeniably, the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear's soul ring suited Lin Yun's Golden Dragon King martial soul exceptionally well, even awakening the latent Golden Dragon King bloodline within him.
Unbeknownst to Lin Yun, dragon-scale patterns gradually spread over the surface of his Dark Gold Terror Claw palm bone. Even the original soul skill transformed into Heaven-Splitting Dragon Claw.
At his back, the external soul bone from the Blue Shadow Divine Eagle was similarly transformed—the feathers on its wings slowly replaced by dragon scales, its shape shifting closer to dragon wings.
"Hoo—"
Lin Yun exhaled deeply, completing his cultivation. His eyes suddenly opened, flashing from brilliant gold into blood-red vertical pupils, before swiftly returning to normal.
A fierce aura erupted from him. His soul power fluctuations alone reached the Soul King level!
And not an ordinary Soul King, but one with an extremely deep foundation—a true genius Soul King.
Roar!!!
A mighty dragon roar resounded across the Lake of Life, and an imposing phantom of a golden dragon soared skyward.
"Congratulations, my lord!" Di Tian knelt respectfully on one knee, fervently staring upward at the roaring golden dragon, his eyes filled with reverence and awe.
This was the majesty of a true deity!
Their lord—the last glory of the Dragon Clan!
(Gu Yuena: ?) Di Tian, are you looking for death?!
The metallic golden scales gradually receded beneath Lin Yun's skin, his draconic transformation fading away. The explosive fluctuations of soul power around him gradually calmed down.
Glancing down at his fist, Lin Yun threw a punch through the air, instantly producing a sharp, piercing wind!
"I've grown even stronger!"
This year, he was eleven years old, rank thirty-four, with two purple and one black soul rings—his martial soul: the Golden Dragon King!
"Ignorant and foolish Shrek soul masters! Just wait; this king will soon rule over you all!"
(End of Chapter)
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