Chu Chengzhou was not choosing at random. The Diamond Explosive Ape was a simian-type soul beast. Simian beasts are lively and love making trouble. It had surely bullied other beasts in the forest or been taught lessons by real tough ones. Compared with the earlier White-armored Earth Dragon, it was better suited to act as a guide.
Perhaps in the eyes of this Diamond Explosive Ape, its "big brother" who would back it up had arrived. Very soon it led Chu Chengzhou to a formidable pair.
They were two Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bears, one over eighty thousand years and the other over seventy thousand, likely a male and a female.
Chu Chengzhou: "…"
Good bears, but unfortunately he already had a Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear as a summoned spirit.
Two more hours passed. After the pair of Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bears, this Diamond Explosive Ape guide led Chu Chengzhou to several more tough beasts.
A spiritual-type soul beast, an over eighty-thousand-year Three-eyed Demonic Fox. A wind-attribute assault-type dragon soul beast, a ninety-thousand-year Storm Holy Dragon. An agility-type soul beast, a ninety-thousand-year Nether Shadow Panther. An evil plant-type soul beast near a hundred thousand years, a Bloodthirsty Devil Vine.
To be fair, in guiding this Diamond Explosive Ape was much more qualified than the White-armored Earth Dragon. Every target it found was something it could not defeat or could do nothing about. A competent beast indeed.
Chu Chengzhou also had to admit that if you count only numbers, not quality, then at the Titled Douluo level a single Star Dou Forest could wipe out the entire continental soul master world.
Many Titled Douluo on the continent cannot defeat even ninety-thousand-year soul beasts. With a stronger bloodline, even at only seventy to eighty thousand years, some can rival ordinary newly advanced nine-ring Titled Douluo.
If not for the heavenly tribulation that targets soul beasts at a hundred thousand years and above, the entire Douluo Star would belong to soul beasts.
Keep searching. If nothing better turns up, that Storm Holy Dragon will do.
On Xiao Yin's broad back, Chu Chengzhou thought to himself.
A low roar came from the Diamond Explosive Ape below in the forest.
"Oh? Almost there?"
At the sound, Chu Chengzhou raised an eyebrow, released his spiritual power, and probed carefully.
Two minutes later, looking toward a distant cliff, a smile appeared on his face.
"Not bad, little monkey. Go back, keep holding your two mates, and keep sleeping."
Chu Chengzhou lifted the control on the Diamond Explosive Ape and waved his hand. Whether or not the ape would feel grateful that he spared it, he had Xiao Yin carry him toward the cliff.
Diamond Explosive Ape: I thank your grandpa.
Near the nest at the top of the cliff, a dragon soul beast appeared before Chu Chengzhou. It emitted a faint golden glow. Its body was covered in pure white scales and hinted at a sacred aura. Aside from the different color and being a size smaller, its general form was almost the same as the Space Dragon Xiao Yin.
A Light Holy Dragon near a hundred thousand years. You will do.
Chu Chengzhou felt satisfied.
As for the ninety-thousand-year Storm Holy Dragon from before, that was just a backup. With a Light Holy Dragon near a hundred thousand years, there was no need to choose.
The Light Holy Dragon is one of the light-attribute dragon soul beasts whose bloodline is closest to the extreme. Its bloodline traces back to the Light Dragon King, one of the Nine Dragon Kings.
If not for countless generations of inheritance and gradual dilution, the Light Holy Dragon's bloodline tier would be Super God grade.
The Light Dragon King, head of the Nine Dragon Kings, is at God King level.
There are gaps between people, and between dragons too. At the same years, a Storm Holy Dragon cannot beat a Light Holy Dragon.
Vast spiritual power surged. Void Illusion Realm activated. The Light Holy Dragon, which had just sensed an intruder and awakened from sleep, had its consciousness seized.
"Sacrifice?"
Chu Chengzhou then gave the Light Holy Dragon its order.
Only soul beasts at a hundred thousand years and above are guaranteed to possess the ability to sacrifice. That does not mean those below a hundred thousand absolutely cannot. Some special soul beasts, such as the Dark Devilgod Tiger, can sacrifice even without reaching a hundred thousand years.
It was unclear whether a Light Holy Dragon near a hundred thousand years, whose bloodline originated from the Light Dragon King, could perform a sacrifice.
Compared with killing a soul beast and refining its ring, a voluntary sacrifice saves much of the time spent refining ring energy, and the drop rate for a soul bone is higher.
Legend has it that if a soul beast willingly sacrifices itself to a soul master, regardless of whether it has reached a hundred thousand years, a soul bone will definitely drop.
In the next instant, a trace of devotion flashed in the Light Holy Dragon's golden eyes. Golden radiance bloomed over its body. As soul power surged, a blinding black light spread from the center of its brow, instantly turning into a black halo.
"Good. A fine dragon."
Seeing a somewhat different yet very familiar light of sacrifice, Chu Chengzhou nodded in satisfaction.
Perhaps by the favor of the Goddess of Luck, this Light Holy Dragon near a hundred thousand years had grasped the ability to sacrifice ahead of time.
Soon, black flames of sacrifice rose over the Light Holy Dragon and rapidly spread.
At that moment, an accident occurred.
Abruptly, as if its meridians had suddenly opened, the Light Holy Dragon's aura surged upward. The black flames flared higher and transformed into crimson blood flames.
"What the… it broke through?"
Chu Chengzhou's eyes widened in disbelief.
This was not the favor of the Goddess of Luck. This was the Goddess of Luck lifting her skirt.
He had never expected the Light Holy Dragon to break through.
So this was the so-called great terror between life and death, and the great chance within it.
After the shock came delight. The Light Holy Dragon had advanced to a hundred thousand years at the brink of death. Leaving other gains aside, at least one hundred-thousand-year soul bone was guaranteed.
Break free of control?
Impossible. Once a sacrifice begins, it cannot be interrupted unless halted by power beyond mortal imagination.
Even a hundred-thousand-year Light Holy Dragon could not escape the Void Illusion Realm. Only a Ferocious Beast-class Light Holy Dragon at three to four hundred thousand years might manage it.
Light Holy Dragon: Good news, I became a hundred-thousand-year beast king. Bad news, the hundred-thousand-year beast king me is in the middle of a sacrifice.
The blood flames roared higher and higher, shifting from red to dark red. In the process, the Light Holy Dragon's body faded, like a piece of red crystal turning more and more transparent.
The sacrifice did not take long. Soon, all the red condensed into a vast crimson ring that slowly contracted. It circled around and merged into both it and Chu Chengzhou.
After a long moment, when the radiance on the Light Holy Dragon had completely faded, the surging blood-flame ring snapped back and turned into a bright red soul ring. It appeared at the ninth ring position outside the eight existing rings on Chu Chengzhou's True Spirit Banner martial soul: black, black, black, red, black, red, red, red.
In an instant, a series of low booms burst from Chu Chengzhou's body. His aura surged. His soul power broke the level 90 barrier. He formally advanced to a nine-ring Titled Douluo.
At the same time, a dense white light suffused with holiness shone down on him. A phantom of scales flashed and vanished.
T/N: For 40 chapters ahead on my translations, become a p@tron at [email protected]/LordHipposApostle