"Old Gu, how much longer until you break through?"
After estimating that Great Star Dou Forest wasn't far off, Chen Junting suddenly turned to Gu Tianchen with this question.
After all, it had been another full year—and Gu Tianchen was surely close to Rank 60 by now.
If he could break through soon, they might as well seize the chance to acquire a spirit soul while in the Great Star Dou Forest.
"A few more months should do it," Gu Tianchen replied after a brief pause, brimming with confidence.
"Then we can't afford to wait too long. Luckily, I've got something that can help you smash through your bottleneck."
Chen Junting reached into his storage-type soul tool and pulled out a large chrysanthemum—purple petals with golden stamens. Just by looking at it, one could sense its extraordinary nature.
"What is this?"
Gu Tianchen was instantly captivated, as if every cell in his body began rejoicing.
Chen Junting didn't waste time. "This is the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum—a neutral immortal herb. Consuming it circulates energy through all four limbs and unblocks the eight meridians, forging a body nigh-invulnerable."
"An immortal herb!?"
Gu Tianchen was stunned, his astonishment plain on his face.
"You're just… giving this to me?"
"Of course."
After more than a year of traveling together, Chen Junting had come to fully trust Gu Tianchen.
They'd faced countless dangers side by side—so much so that each could confidently entrust the other with their back.
During this time, Chen Junting had even brought Gu Tianchen back to his sect, where he learned the "Bone Transforms into Divine Dragon" technique and was shown the ultimate combo skill, "Myriad Bones to the End: One Breath of Heaven and Earth," for joint study.
Given that bond, how could he possibly begrudge a single immortal herb?
To Chen Junting, the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum was now of little use—but for Gu Tianchen, who lacked a compatible immortal herb, this neutral variety was perfectly versatile.
Gu Tianchen accepted the chrysanthemum with careful hands and gave Chen Junting a long, meaningful look. "Old Chen, between brothers, no need for 'thanks.' How do I take it?"
Chen Junting knew the ingestion method by heart. As soon as he explained it, Gu Tianchen didn't hesitate—sitting cross-legged on the spot and consuming the herb exactly as instructed.
Time passed. Soul power surged within him.
With a series of sharp cracks echoing from his bones, Gu Tianchen effortlessly shattered his bottleneck and officially became a Quasi-Soul Emperor.
"I've broken through!"
Whoosh—!
Just as he spoke, a slicing gust of wind shot toward his ear. Still in martial soul attached form, Gu Tianchen casually raised his right hand—a wall of bone erupted from the ground, aiming to block the incoming blade qi.
But the overwhelming power of Pinnacle Metal cleanly severed every bone spike at its base, forcing him to vanish using "Void Aberration."
He reappeared behind Chen Junting.
"Old Chen! You attack me the moment I finish absorbing the herb?"
"What better way to loosen up your muscles?"
"Thanks, but no thanks."
Even as he spoke, Gu Tianchen flicked his wrist—and several bone spears shot up from the earth, stabbing straight at Chen Junting!
"River from the heavens, descend!"
Thousands of sword beams flowed like rushing water, sweeping up the bone spears as if caught in a roaring river. In an instant, the attack vanished without a trace.
Gu Tianchen could only raise his defenses again—but Chen Junting shattered them just as easily.
"Enough, enough! I can't even fight back!"
Gu Tianchen flashed to an open spot nearby and waved his hands in surrender.
"Your attacks have gotten downright monstrous. My martial soul's bone defenses can't withstand them at all."
"Then I'll give you a hand."
"A hand? How?"
At that, Gu Tianchen's interest immediately perked up.
Chen Junting stated plainly: "We'll start with your sixth soul ring. I'll find you a 100,000-year defensive-type soul beast—and make it your first spirit soul."
A 100,000-year soul beast!?
Gu Tianchen was utterly flabbergasted.
"Old Chen—are you serious? And can I even handle the pressure from a 100,000-year spirit soul?"
"Do I look like I'm joking?"
After a brief, self-deprecating chuckle, Chen Junting turned serious. "The soul beast I've chosen is special—it'll work. And once you contract it, your martial soul's defensive power will dominate your entire rank. From your seventh soul ring onward, you can finally develop spatial attributes properly. Don't waste your talent in that area."
With that, he started walking toward Great Star Dou Forest.
Gu Tianchen, deeply convinced, gave a firm nod and followed.
But then…
"What kind of 100,000-year soul beast are we talking about?"
"Golden Tortoise!"
...
Because Chen Junting was the originator of spirit souls, Di Tian had already warned most soul beasts in Great Star Dou Forest—especially those above ten thousand years—not to act hostile toward him.
Thus, with the "assistance" of countless soul beasts along the way, Chen Junting arrived smoothly at the tortoise's habitat: a secluded, mist-shrouded pond.
"Golden Tortoise—I've come to negotiate terms."
No sooner had he spoken than several ordinary tortoises scurried away in fright.
They all dove into the water—except at the pond's center, where bubbles began rising steadily. Moments later, a massive, dark-golden tortoise head emerged from its shell.
This tortoise's head was unlike any ordinary turtle's.
Three sharp ridges ran across its dark-gold skull, forming a slight triangle, and several beard-like spines jutted from its lower jaw.
This unique creature was exactly who Chen Junting sought.
"Golden Tortoise—I've come to negotiate terms."
The repeated phrase acted like a switch.
The Golden Tortoise lifted its head slightly—but within moments, its spirit visibly withered. Its eyes dimmed, and its entire body slumped as if drained of vitality.
"Human… what do you seek from this king? Is it… a spirit soul?"
"That's right. I want you to become a spirit soul."
"This king!?"
Before the Golden Tortoise could finish its startled protest—
"Old Chen, are you sure this is the one you told me about?"
Gu Tianchen studied the tortoise up and down, then voiced a suspicion that sent the beast into panic.
"By its aura, it doesn't feel like a 100,000-year soul beast at all—more like thirty or forty thousand years."
"The story behind that is… complicated."
Chen Junting's half-amused, half-mocking gaze made the Golden Tortoise tremble uncontrollably. It immediately assumed Di Tian had discovered its secret—sending this human as its final executioner.
Regret surged to its peak. All of this was its own greed.
Stealing a bit of Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's life force years ago had been risky enough—but its greed knew no bounds. Like a snake trying to swallow an elephant, it recklessly targeted the Life Gold, biting off a huge chunk from the Lake of Life despite the risk of Di Tian annihilating its entire lineage.
The result?
Constant fear, dwindling strength as the Life Gold sucked back its life force—and its cultivation regressing to just 30–40,000 years. In a few more years, it would die. And now… Di Tian might finally know! Was this the end?
But then Chen Junting spoke words that gave it one last thread of hope:
"Golden Tortoise… you wouldn't want Di Tian to find out you swallowed the Life Gold, would you?"
To the tortoise, that voice was heavenly music.
It meant—Di Tian didn't know yet!
As long as Di Tian remained ignorant, there was still hope!
"I confess! This king admits guilt!"
"Human, I'll become your spirit soul—just don't tell Di Tian! Otherwise… this king and my entire tribe will suffer worse than death!"
The Golden Tortoise was drenched—not in pond water, but in cold sweat.
"No problem, no problem," Chen Junting said with a smile.
But to the tortoise, that smile was the face of a demon—terrifyingly cheerful as it delivered its ultimatum.
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