Chapter 31: Manor Soul Beasts, Xiao Wu's Sacrifice (Seeking Votes)
On the mountain peak within Blue Silver City.
Lan Tian arranged for people to keep an eye on those individuals in Blue Silver City, then led his people up the mountain. There were still important matters to attend to.
Upon entering the manor, several soul beast auras instantly spread out, and various plant-type soul beasts' vines reached the entrance of the manor.
The strongest of these creatures had over seventy thousand years of soul power, while the weakest had fifty thousand years, and they had already developed some rudimentary spiritual consciousness.
However, to think like a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, they still lacked a crucial opportunity.
They only had instinctive preferences. For example, Lan Tian, who lived here and continuously nurtured them, was like a family member in their eyes.
This was similar to how a small dog greets its owner returning home, and also partly because Little Lan's earlier outburst had drawn some of their soul power, causing them instinctive fear and worry.
Given the situation in this manor, even without Little Lan, an ordinary Titled Douluo who stumbled in unknowingly might perish here.
"Don't worry, nothing happened..."
"Guard the manor well; don't let outsiders in."
Little Lan comforted a few of the larger creatures. As for the smaller soul beasts that hadn't even awakened their spiritual consciousness, they didn't receive the same treatment.
"Is this the Purple Light Myriad Lightning Vine I brought back?"
"Good heavens, it's already reached fifty thousand years of cultivation and developed spiritual consciousness?"
Lan Zheng, who was following behind, looked at a thick, arm-sized, purplish-blue root system with lightning patterns and asked in surprise.
He had absorbed a sixty-thousand-year Purple Light Myriad Lightning Vine back then and specifically kept seeds to bring back.
The Purple Light Myriad Lightning Vine seemed to notice him, slightly approaching and wrapping around him for a moment, but quickly lost interest.
Although it shared some similar aura, it didn't recognize him.
"Indeed, this fellow has developed quite well; it's considered a talented soul beast," Lan Tian calmly explained from the side. Its growth rate was also quite fast.
On his arm, a dark vine radiating purplish-black soul power was already coiled.
This was the strongest plant-type soul beast in the manor, apart from Little Lan, with over seventy thousand years of cultivation.
His eighth soul ring was absorbed from this type of soul beast, named the Myriad Soul Devouring Spirit Flower, which had one hundred twenty thousand years of cultivation.
This one was actually not bad either. It was the latest to arrive here but was the strongest in terms of power.
In just over a decade, it had gained several thousand years of cultivation annually, partly due to the Spring of Life and partly because this creature was truly exceptionally bloodthirsty, enjoying the Devour of other soul beasts, and its cultivation soared.
Its attributes were life, soul, and devouring.
When this creature continued to grow to over eighty thousand years, it would likely reach the level of a Level 91 Titled Douluo.
He estimated that the one hundred twenty thousand-year Myriad Soul Devouring Spirit Flower was at the level of a Level 92 Titled Douluo.
If it were outside, it would definitely be a destructive force. Of course, outside, it would probably be difficult for it to survive to this strength, and resources wouldn't be as abundant as here.
Nurturing these creatures consumed a lot of resources, but the rewards were also quite substantial...
He had a Lake of Life next to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, created with the Goddess of Life.
Each year, the overflowing Spring of Life from the Lake of Life would be collected to nurture soul beasts.
If these resources were concentrated, there might be more than just Little Lan as a hundred-thousand-year soul beast.
However, hundred-thousand-year soul beasts involve too many accidents—uncontrollable, or lightning tribulations, fear of exposure and being hunted, and insufficient soul power, among other reasons.
Therefore, there was no need for that many hundred-thousand-year soul beasts. Besides, if one needed strong hundred-thousand-year soul beasts, couldn't they just go to the Star Dou Great Forest or the sea to find them, or perhaps they might even deliver themselves to the doorstep.
Of course, the main reason was that these plant-type soul beasts each had their own value, which was far better than having just one or two more hundred-thousand-year soul beasts.
For example, the sap of the Purple Light Myriad Lightning Vine could be made into a medicinal liquid that enhances lightning-attribute soul power and improves physical constitution.
There was also a sixty-thousand-year Evergreen Tree inside, which produced many fruits each year. Those Evergreen Fruits all had the effect of enhancing vitality, and many soul masters in Blue Silver Academy needed them.
Moreover, increasing vitality could also extend lifespan, especially for low-level soul masters and ordinary people, the effect was astonishing, and selling them could fetch sky-high prices...
The Myriad Soul Devouring Spirit Flower could also be used to create medicinal liquid that enhances spiritual power.
These were all precious treasures, one of the foundations of their Lan family's talent cultivation.
Without these, the so-called geniuses in their family would all drop a level in strength.
"Here are your things. They should be very useful to you."
Lan Tian didn't forget to destroy the evidence, directly handing Tang San and Tang Hao over to the Myriad Soul Devouring Spirit Flower.
The other party was clearly very interested in the Titled Douluo's corpse. It quickly wrapped them up and left with the two bodies, already beginning to enjoy its meal along the way.
Soon, the plant-type soul beasts were dismissed, and he didn't pay attention to the animal-type soul beasts deeper inside that served as consumables.
Leading his people to a grassy area surrounded by blue silver grass, Lan Tian took out the spoils from killing Tang Hao earlier and looked at Lan Zheng and Lan Lu.
There were seven soul bones in total, but he wasn't interested in them.
Nor was he interested in the hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor soul bone; he already had the right leg bone of the Myriad Soul Devouring Spirit Flower.
The soul bone abilities included a direct mental attack and a mental division ability.
"Pick some. Although they've been absorbed by others before, they should allow you to reach level ninety."
"As for that little rabbit, we'll proceed as discussed earlier."
These soul bones, each of which would undoubtedly cause a huge stir outside, made Lan Zheng and Lan Lu's breathing quicken, but they didn't fight over them.
Both of them currently had incomplete sets of soul bones.
The two exchanged glances, each vying with the other.
"Let's absorb one soul bone first."
"Whoever breaks through first will absorb that rabbit."
Even if Xiao Wu's soul ring might not be suitable for them, they didn't mind.
One or two soul skills wouldn't significantly affect them.
Even without that condition, they weren't unable to absorb ten-thousand-year level soul rings.
Each of them chose a soul bone they didn't have, then sat cross-legged to absorb it.
"Bring that little rabbit over here."
After observing that the two were in stable condition, Lan Tian looked at Little Lan, who nodded.
Soon, Xiao Wu, who had already been sent to the manor, was brought over.
At this moment, Xiao Wu's face was pale, but her injuries were no longer as severe.
Her pink clothes were much more tattered, and she looked utterly disheveled.
She walked with reluctance and a stumble.
"How is Third Brother?"
"I can sacrifice myself for you, but please spare Third Brother."
When she arrived in front of Lan Tian, she didn't make a fuss.
As an old hundred-thousand-year rabbit, she naturally knew the situation of Little Lan, who appeared before her.
She also clearly understood that her identity must have been exposed.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have been brought here alone.
Especially the two people absorbing soul bones not far away, whose strength was clearly extraordinary.
"What a pity. Your Third Brother, alas, has already departed."
Lan Tian looked at the little rabbit, who was speaking her last words.
He gave her the answer she least wanted to hear.
"You..."
"Third Brother..."
Xiao Wu's body stiffened at the news, and she soon collapsed to the ground.
She was overwhelmed with grief and indignation; he had occupied nearly half of her life after transforming into human form.
His status was almost comparable to Da Ming and Er Ming.
She never expected that merely coming to search for a soul ring would lead to his death here.