With the Three-Eyed Golden Lion leading the way, no other Spirit Beasts naturally appeared along the path.
However, as Wang Nan and Wang Xing delved deeper, the surrounding environment underwent significant changes.
Towering ancient trees stood all around, their bark covered with traces left by various Spirit Beasts, and their canopies intertwined, blocking most of the sunlight. Only a few rays penetrated the gaps between the leaves, forming patches of light on the ground.
There were almost no traces of human activity left, indicating that they had passed through the Mixed Zone and were now heading toward the Core Zone.
Even though Wang Xing trusted Wang Nan, he still glanced uneasily at Wang Nan at this point.
"Wait a moment," Wang Nan called out to the Three-Eyed Golden Lion ahead.
Although Wang Xing had broken through to level sixty, his talent was not exceptional, and the spirit ring he could withstand would not exceed thirty thousand years. The Spirit Beasts living in the Core Zone were too old for him.
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion stopped and looked back at Wang Nan.
"Is there some misunderstanding? Although I have also reached a bottleneck, I'm not the one acquiring a spirit ring this time. My father needs a spirit ring of a lower age, and the Spirit Beasts in the Core Zone might not be suitable."
"That's right, it's for him."
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion said, glancing at Wang Nan intently several times.
In fact, Wang Nan's spirit power cultivation had already surpassed the Three-Eyed Golden Lion. Even though it possessed mental force exceeding that of ordinary Spirit Beasts and Spirit Masters, Wang Nan was not far behind. Therefore, it had not initially noticed that Wang Nan also needed a spirit ring.
Seeing the Three-Eyed Golden Lion slow its pace, Wang Nan quickly took two steps to catch up to its side.
"When you asked me to follow you earlier, were we going somewhere, or was someone going to meet me?"
"I'm taking you to a place where someone wants to meet you." It was unclear whether the Three-Eyed Golden Lion didn't understand the meaning of Wang Nan's words or was intentionally concealing information, as its reply didn't reveal much.
Wang Nan rarely communicated with Spirit Beasts, and the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's uninformative answer left him at a loss for words.
The two people and one beast walked side by side, with the Three-Eyed Golden Lion intentionally slowing its pace so that Wang Nan and Wang Xing could easily keep up.
Not long after, a bamboo forest appeared before Wang Nan.
Before them was a vibrant green expanse, with dense, tightly packed bamboo forming green pathways.
The Heaven and Earth Energy in the Star Dou Great Forest was rich, and it was even more so near this bamboo forest. With each breath, the spirit power within one's body seemed to subtly increase, and the air itself became much fresher. The moist air entering the body was invigorating.
Following the natural passages formed by the bamboo, they walked deeper, and plant-type Spirit Beasts gradually appeared among the bamboo.
Continuing further, what caught Wang Nan's eye was a tall, straight, dark green Golden Silk Bamboo.
No other Spirit Beasts lived near this bamboo, leaving a large open space around it. The dark green bamboo stalk soared into the sky, resembling a dark jade artifact under the sunlight, covered with golden patterns.
These patterns resembled blood vessels, with a golden luster slowly flowing within them, moving upwards from the ground along the bamboo stalk. Each bamboo leaf seemed to be coated with a layer of golden film, sparkling brilliantly.
Dragon Blood Golden Silk Bamboo.
Only then did the Three-Eyed Golden Lion stop and glance at Wang Nan.
Wang Nan stepped forward. The Dragon Blood Golden Silk Bamboo swayed gently in the wind, emitting waves of spirit power fluctuations.
Turning his head, Wang Nan looked at Wang Xing.
"Dad, what do you think of this?"
Wang Xing's journey had taken him from shock and unease to a calm acceptance.
He didn't know exactly what Wang Nan had experienced over the years, but now it seemed that Wang Nan even had good connections among Spirit Beasts.
Even though Wang Xing had seen the Three-Eyed Golden Lion transform into human form before, he couldn't immediately connect the Spirit Beast before him with the young girl from a few years ago.
"This is it," Wang Xing nodded.
Wang Xing's Coiling Dragon Staff did not contain a Dragon Soul, so his Spirit was easily influenced by the source of the spirit ring. This Dragon Blood Golden Silk Bamboo, in addition to providing the needed spirit ring, could also enhance the strength and toughness of the Coiling Dragon Staff Spirit.
Neither the day's experiences nor the plant-type Spirit Beast before him had met Wang Xing's expectations, so he naturally wouldn't refuse.
"Good." Wang Nan stepped back, leaving the space for Wang Xing.
Plant-type Spirit Beasts were inherently easier to deal with than animal-type Spirit Beasts. With the Three-Eyed Golden Lion nearby, this Dragon Blood Golden Silk Bamboo was struck down by Wang Xing without any resistance.
A black spirit ring slowly appeared, and Wang Nan stood by, watching his father absorb it.
Wang Xing quickly entered a state of meditation, and his aura became steady.
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion squatted nearby, alternately looking at Wang Nan and the surrounding plant-type Spirit Beasts.
Only when Wang Xing's aura gradually stabilized did it approach Wang Nan.
"What kind of spirit ring do you need? I can take you to find it."
Wang Nan shook his head. Although he knew the Three-Eyed Golden Lion genuinely wanted to help him, given his current physical and mental force strength, the spirit ring he needed would have to be at least over a hundred thousand years old.
Even with the Dragon God's Tear, his status within the Dragon Clan, and even among Spirit Beasts, would not be low. But it was impossible for them to offer a hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast to become his spirit ring.
"My previous spirit rings should all be related to you, right?"
Wang Nan said, revealing his Spirit. As the Evil Breaking Dragon circled around him, a tiny figure vaguely appeared on the fourth golden spirit ring, resembling the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.
When his cultivation was lower, he hadn't noticed much, but now it seemed that his first two century-old spirit rings had been obtained from mutated Spirit Beasts, and the process of acquiring the third spirit ring had also been exceptionally smooth. It was almost as if a suitable Spirit Beast appeared by his side as soon as he stated his need.
The fourth spirit ring was even more so. The appearance of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, long extinct on the Douluo Continent, before him could no longer be explained by mere luck.
"Yes, it was me."
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion did not deny it.
"That Tyrannosaurus Rex actually died when it self-destructed. Its consciousness had already dissipated, so it couldn't have become your spirit ring. I fused my power into its body to allow it to persist until you personally killed it."
Wang Nan was slightly stunned. He had always thought that the Tyrannosaurus Rex had developed characteristics related to the Three-Eyed Golden Lion because it was influenced by it. But now, hearing the Three-Eyed Golden Lion say this, it seemed that the spirit ring back then was not solely provided by the Tyrannosaurus Rex.
To be precise, his fourth spirit ring was actually provided jointly by the Tyrannosaurus Rex and the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.
No wonder the consciousness captured by the Evil Breaking Dragon from the spirit ring belonged to the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.