Halfway up the mountain, a snake-type soul beast was undergoing a metamorphosis.
Its original species could no longer be distinguished, but multiple parts of its body had already completed dragonification.
“This fellow’s fortune is not shallow, to actually complete dragonification with a four-hundred-year cultivation,” Chen Xin couldn’t help but sigh.
Given time, this soul beast would inevitably become an overlord among soul beasts.
Unfortunately, having encountered them, this fellow had no future.
“If this old man is not mistaken, it is about to transform into an Azure Dragon.
Tianchen, let’s wait here.
When it completely finishes its dragonification, the soul ring it drops will grant you the greatest benefits!”
Ning Tianchen nodded earnestly.
A soul beast undergoing dragonification was similar to a soul master’s martial soul evolution.
It required tremendous fortune to achieve.
In the Sunset Forest, the greatest fortune was the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, a true treasure trove.
Could it be that this fellow had accidentally eaten an immortal herb from there?
After a moment of thought, Ning Tianchen dismissed this guess.
The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had been turned into Dugu Bo’s back garden.
That mountain peak was enveloped in a poisonous miasma, making it impossible for a hundred-year soul beast to sneak in.
Since the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well existed in the Sunset Forest, perhaps there were other fortuitous encounters around.
However, Ning Tianchen had no intention of taking the immortal herbs from Dugu Bo right now.
Dugu Bo was a man who valued friendship and loyalty.
Relying on force might make him submit temporarily, but it would not win his true loyalty.
Although Ning Tianchen had the backing of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, he also wanted to build his own core group.
After all, one shouldn’t put all their eggs in one basket.
Furthermore, Spirit Hall would launch their soul hunting operations against the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan in the future.
If he didn’t make early preparations, everything would follow its original timeline.
…
Ning Tianchen and Chen Xin waited at the foot of the mountain for two days.
Early on the second morning, a dazzling cyan light erupted from the mountainside.
The soul beast had completely finished its metamorphosis.
At this moment, it had truly become an Azure Dragon.
Dragon-type soul beasts possessed the ability to ride the clouds and fly.
This fellow seemed to realize that the commotion it caused had attracted the attention of powerful experts.
Now, it flew high into the sky, attempting to escape the pursuit of the strong.
“Sword Douluo?” Ning Tianchen couldn’t help but urge.
Chen Xin was not in a hurry.
With his strength, no matter how this Azure Dragon tried to escape, he could catch it.
The commotion from the Azure Dragon’s transformation was not small, and many people had already surrounded the area.
This fellow’s cultivation was at four hundred years.
For most soul masters, it was too high for a first soul ring, but too low for a second soul ring.
Therefore, most of the people coveting the Azure Dragon didn’t want its soul ring, but rather its flesh and blood.
Chen Xin was alone; he couldn’t guarantee Ning Tianchen’s safety while hunting the soul beast.
“There’s no rush.
When the time is right, this old man will naturally capture it.” Saying that, Chen Xin motioned for Ning Tianchen to walk in the opposite direction.
Finding a secluded corner, Chen Xin formed a sword gesture with his right hand and controlled the Seven Kill Sword to draw a few casual strokes around Ning Tianchen.
“The sword qi this old man has left around you is enough to withstand a Soul Sage expert.
Just wait here, this old man will be right back.”
The Seven Kill Sword landed beneath his feet, lifting him into the air.
He moved so fast that he drew a silver-white arc across the sky.
Ning Tianchen simply sat cross-legged on the spot.
Based on what he had read in books and learned in the sect’s academy, he had a general understanding of how to absorb a soul ring.
With Chen Xin’s strength, he didn’t think the Azure Dragon would be snatched away.
However, absorbing a four-hundred-year dragon-type soul ring was still a challenge for him.
“My physical constitution is still too weak.
It would be great if I had a beast martial soul.”
Beast soul masters inherently possessed stronger physical constitutions than tool soul masters.
However, tool soul masters were not without their advantages; their spiritual power was far stronger than that of beast soul masters.
Strong spiritual power made it easier to resist the mental shock (soul tremor) brought by a soul ring.
But for soul rings under ten thousand years, there was only the impact of soul power, which tested the soul master’s physical constitution.
“I really need to exercise my body more in the future,” Ning Tianchen scratched his head, seemingly very dissatisfied with his progress after having transmigrated for only a month.
Before long, Chen Xin returned with the dying Azure Dragon in his grasp.
Some foolish people had tried to cause trouble along the way, but upon seeing the nine soul rings beneath Chen Xin’s feet, they sensibly backed away.
Approaching the Azure Dragon, Ning Tianchen could clearly hear that its breaths were shallow and fading.
Chen Xin said calmly, “You should know that a soul ring can only be absorbed by the one who kills the beast.
Use your Seven Kill Sword martial soul and finish it off yourself.”
Taking a life seemed easy in theory, but it was difficult to actually do.
Struggling to overcome his psychological pressure, Ning Tianchen raised the Seven Kill Sword and aimed it at the Azure Dragon’s neck.
Closing his eyes, he pushed down with both hands.
The sharp Seven Kill Sword pierced the Azure Dragon’s neck without resistance, ending its life.
Perhaps he had hit a major artery, because Ning Tianchen was immediately covered in splattered blood.
A yellow soul ring floated above the corpse.
Ignoring the stench of blood on his body, Ning Tianchen immediately sat cross-legged and used his intent to pull the soul ring onto his martial soul.
“Very good.
It seems you haven’t slacked off in your theoretical studies.
Sit cross-legged, clear your mind, and try to fuse the soul ring with your martial soul,” Chen Xin added, “I will stand guard for you here.”
As the soul ring’s energy entered his body, the powerful surge of soul power made him feel immense pressure.
Enduring the pain and discomfort, Ning Tianchen continued to absorb the soul ring.
Leaning against a nearby tree trunk, Chen Xin couldn’t help but feel nervous.
The success rate of absorbing a four-hundred-year dragon-type soul beast as a first soul ring was very low.
But once successful, it would be of immense help to Ning Tianchen’s future cultivation.
If he failed, Chen Xin naturally had the means to forcefully interrupt the absorption.
At most, it would leave Ning Tianchen with some hidden injuries.
But with the heavenly treasures in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan’s inventory, curing those injuries wouldn’t be a problem.
With that in mind, letting Ning Tianchen take this risk seemed very worthwhile.
Time ticked by.
Knowing that Chen Xin was here, many soul masters tactfully avoided the area to prevent any unnecessary encounters.
By evening, seeing that the soul ring absorption was nearing its end, Chen Xin finally walked over to the soul beast’s corpse to search for any spirit bones.
“Nothing?
That makes sense.
The probability of a hundred-year soul beast dropping a spirit bone is still too small.”
Chen Xin muttered softly.
Suddenly, Ning Tianchen let out a cry of pain, and his entire body tensed up again.
“The soul ring absorption is nearing its end, how could he possibly feel pressure again?”
Even the usually calm Chen Xin couldn’t help but panic.
With the absorption almost complete, it couldn’t be interrupted.
Ning Tianchen had to endure whatever was happening on his own.
A moment later, strange patterns inexplicably appeared on the surface of his Seven Kill Sword martial soul.
Looking closely, these protrusions were actually dragon patterns.
“Dragon Pattern Seven Kill Sword?” Chen Xin suddenly smiled.
“This kid is truly lucky.
Absorbing a soul ring actually caused his martial soul to mutate.”
Whether it was a positive or negative mutation remained to be seen.