After essentially resolving the threat posed by Dugu Bo and leaving a partial backup for the sect, Yang Xiong left with Lin Gong.
Given Dugu Bo and Yang Wudi's expertise in poisons, they should be able to communicate well going forward.
However, Lin Gong and Yang Wudi looked at Dugu Bo as if they were looking at a fool. Judging by the situation, all the spiritual herbs Yang Xiong took likely came from Dugu Bo's herb garden. Unfortunately, Dugu Bo had a treasure trove yet remained unaware of it, ultimately benefitting Yang Xiong.
Just a day later, Yang Xiong and Lin Gong arrived in the Star Dou Great Forest, preparing to hunt for Yang Xiong's fifth soul ring.
According to his plan, the fifth ring should be around 30,000 to 40,000 years old, preferably with fire or water attributes,though top-tier soul beasts of other attributes were also acceptable.
After absorbing his fourth soul ring, Yang Xiong had begun to grasp the energies of wood, earth, and metal elements. When these three energies were fused into his Rasengan, it seemed to undergo a qualitative transformation.
Not only did the Rasengan's power increase significantly, but because the three attributes didn't fully merge, they created a repelling force against each other. The collision of different elemental energies made it seem as if an explosion was imminent.
Even his internal organs seemed to grow stronger,his spleen in particular felt enhanced, increasing his body's resilience, which resonated with the earth attribute's enduring nature.
To find a suitable soul ring, they had no choice but to enter the core area of the Star Dou Great Forest, where the most powerful soul beasts resided.
Yang Xiong had considered going to other soul beast forests. In his estimation, fire-type soul beasts were likely to be found in volcanic regions, while top-tier water-type soul beasts would most likely appear near the sea or in the icy forests of the extreme north.
Yang Xiong and Lin Gong soon reached the core area of the Star Dou Great Forest.
They proceeded with extreme caution. The place was full of danger, and even with Lin Gong's strength, he dared not be careless.
Lin Gong had stopped questioning Yang Xiong's choice of soul ring age. Yang Xiong had already repeatedly shattered his expectations, and continuing to ask would only embarrass him.
After searching in the forest for over ten days, Yang Xiong finally found a soul beast that suited him perfectly.
It was in a very peculiar canyon,the ground was scorched black, the sky thick with dark clouds. The barren terrain starkly contrasted the lush forest around it, and even wildlife was scarce.
The air seemed filled with a terrifying thunder element. As Yang Xiong and Lin Gong approached, they discovered a massive cave. Inside lay a soul beast over thirty meters long.
It was a dragon,a Crimson Thunder Dragon. Its entire body crackled with lightning, and its eyes were blood-red. No wonder the environment here was so strange.
Yang Xiong stared fixedly at the Crimson Thunder Dragon. Thunder was known for having one of the strongest destructive powers. If this dragon weren't in the Star Dou Great Forest, it probably would've been hunted long ago.
Based on its size, this Crimson Thunder Dragon was about 42,000 years old,a true top-tier soul beast with terrifying strength. It could rival even the most elite soul beasts, and could likely hold its own against any soul beast under 100,000 years.
Lin Gong twitched at the corner of his mouth. "Xiao Xiong, aren't you overestimating yourself a bit? This Crimson Thunder Dragon is 42,000 years old, with a powerful dragon bloodline and elemental attribute. It could easily be used as the seventh soul ring for someone from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan,maybe even their eighth."
Yang Xiong smiled. "It's because it's strong enough that I want it as my fifth soul ring. Otherwise, I wouldn't even bother with it."
This Crimson Thunder Dragon had not only a powerful bloodline but was a pure strength-type soul beast with the most potent thunder attribute,an elite among soul beasts.
Lin Gong shook his head helplessly and began to quietly approach the dragon.
Suddenly, Lin Gong erupted into action, summoning his Purple Radiance Bamboo and eight soul rings, immediately activating his second soul skill: Purple Bamboo Thousand Thorns.
Countless razor-sharp purple bamboos sprouted from the ground, aiming to envelop the dragon. Wisps of purple energy on the bamboo spikes suggested they could erode defenses.
The Crimson Thunder Dragon reacted instantly. Its body lit up with lightning, and the incoming bamboos turned to ash upon contact, not even scratching its scales.
Even Lin Gong found it surprising. The dragon's attack and defense were frighteningly powerful. Although this attack was partly to test the dragon's strength, Lin Gong was still a Soul Douluo. His attacks shouldn't be so easily brushed off.
Thunder, after all, could suppress almost all other elements.
The Crimson Thunder Dragon grew furious. It swiped its claws at Lin Gong. Even though Lin Gong summoned more bamboo to block it, the bamboo was quickly scorched and shattered under the overwhelming lightning.
Yang Xiong was shocked,this was the first time he'd seen Lin Gong's Purple Radiance Bamboo destroyed like that. His understanding of power dynamics was shaken.
Still, Lin Gong was unfazed and summoned another wave of bamboo, launching them like swords at the dragon. As the dragon approached, the bamboos exploded, forming a powerful blast that sent even the mighty dragon flying.
This was Lin Gong's fourth soul skill: Purple Bamboo Burst. Though it was only a thousand-year skill, it had astonishing power.
The dragon let out a deafening roar, swinging its massive tail toward Lin Gong like a bolt of lightning.
Lin Gong sneered and activated his seventh soul ring,his soul avatar skill: True Form of Purple Radiance.
Massive purple bamboo shoots filled the sky. Each was not only incredibly sharp but also thicker and stronger. At that moment, Lin Gong's strength surged.
The battle between man and dragon was intense. Even with Lin Gong's Soul Douluo-level power (rank 89), he didn't gain the upper hand for quite some time.
Only after half an hour did Lin Gong finally start to dominate. Even Yang Xiong hadn't expected the Crimson Thunder Dragon to be this strong. If they had known, they would've brought more experts.
When the battle finally ended, the dragon lay dying on the ground. Lin Gong was exhausted and had even used his eighth soul skill.
Yang Xiong quickly fed Lin Gong a Dragon Ganoderma Leaf.
Lin Gong sighed in relief. "You've got some good stuff hidden away,Dragon Ganoderma Leaf, no less."
"But think carefully. This dragon is stronger than we imagined. Among soul beasts under 100,000 years, it's hard to find any stronger."
"Especially since thunder is one of the most domineering elements. Even members of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan would need it as their seventh soul ring at minimum."
Yang Xiong's eyes flashed with determination. "Teacher Lin, I have great confidence in myself. I believe this thunder dragon is a perfect match for me. I don't want to miss this opportunity."
Lin Gong sighed. "You've always aimed for the top-tier soul rings. I can still barely handle this one, but if your next soul ring is even stronger, I can't imagine what kind of monsters we'll be dealing with."
Yang Xiong smiled. "I've already planned ahead. I'll just bring more people next time. And Teacher Lin, you're already level 89. If you break through to Title Douluo, your strength will increase dramatically."
Lin Gong gave a bitter smile. "Alright then. I'm starting to think you're some kind of reincarnated monster. I just hope your confidence doesn't become your downfall."
Yang Xiong didn't hesitate. He rushed to the Crimson Thunder Dragon.
With its 42,000-year defense, even Yang Xiong might not be able to kill it head-on.
But now he wanted to test the true power of his Rasengan.
He began forming a basketball-sized Rasengan. It started out light blue, but as he channeled his energy, gold, green, and brown began to mix in.
The three energies swirled violently within the Rasengan, colliding with each other, making it unstable. It gave off a harsh screech, as if something were tearing apart inside.
Once his soul power reached its peak, Yang Xiong hurled the Rasengan at the dragon's head.
When the Rasengan hit, it exploded violently. The blast even sent Yang Xiong flying over ten meters, despite being the one who launched the attack.
His right arm throbbed with pain, as if it had been torn apart.
The Crimson Thunder Dragon suffered far worse. The Rasengan had been aimed at its eyes, which were completely blown out. Half of its massive head was destroyed, leaving brain matter and blood all over the ground. A massive black soul ring emerged from its corpse.
Lin Gong was stunned. "Xiao Xiong, that move of yours is pretty interesting. If you become a Title Douluo one day, your technique might rival a 100,000-year soul skill."
Yang Xiong laughed. "A 100,000-year soul skill? If it doesn't at least match that, why would I spend so much effort developing it?"
Lin Gong was speechless. This kid really knew how to boast. How could he possibly know the true power of a 100,000-year skill?
Yang Xiong sat down beside the dragon and began absorbing the soul ring.
As the Crimson Thunder Dragon's soul ring fused with his martial soul, a surge of energy flooded his body. It was as if he were immersed in thunder; every cell and bone felt like it was being electrocuted and paralyzed.
The terrifying energy poured in. His originally silver skin turned pitch black, as if he'd been struck by lightning.
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