DD2: [496] (Patreon)

The Golden Tortoise anxiously cried, "I want to live, of course I want to live! Young master, save me!"

Di Tian’s gaze gave it the illusion that he could slice it apart at any moment.

This made the already death-fearing Golden Tortoise even more panicked.

The Golden Tortoise clan has always boasted long lifespans, but for that very reason, they fear death even more than other soul beasts.

Especially since Di Tian clearly wanted to tear it to pieces. How could the Golden Tortoise not be afraid?

“Hmph, whether you live depends on your performance next,” Su Yu snorted coldly.

Di Tian frowned in thought. "Young master, you mean…"

Su Yu nodded, "This creature deserves death, but killing it outright would be wasteful."

"Mingli happens to need her seventh soul ring, and this creature is of decent quality."

"The Golden Tortoise may not have great attack power, but it's the top defensive soul beast."

"Especially since it also carries the power of fortune—it's an auspicious beast."

"This matches Mingli perfectly."

"Also, the Golden Tortoise is a golden-type soul beast, with an extremely strong body. With its help, Mingli’s martial soul true body will be greatly enhanced."

"As for this Golden Red Flame Lion King, it’s more suitable for Mingli’s second martial soul."

Since there were two suitable choices, Su Yu naturally wanted Di Mingli to absorb both soul beasts.

Turned into soul spirits, a hundred-thousand-year soul beast could provide three soul rings.

“What the young master says is absolutely right,” Di Tian agreed.

Indeed, the Golden Red Flame Lion King possessed a unique fire attribute, making it perfect for the Three-Eyed Golden Lion with its ultimate fire.

"Mingli." Su Yu called softly.

Di Mingli stepped forward, a rare smile on her usually cool and beautiful face.

Su Yu’s plan made her very happy.

If she could absorb both soul beasts, her strength would leap tremendously.

Then, even the once dazzling Long Aotian from the Continental Elite Soul Master Tournament would be no match for her.

She was confident of that.

But...

Looking at the slightly sleazy-looking Golden Tortoise on the ground, Di Mingli wrinkled her delicate nose in disdain.

Su Yu noticed her thoughts. "Don’t worry, I’ll block this guy’s perception. Outside of combat, it won’t sense anything from the outside world.”

Di Mingli sighed in relief and nodded.

“Let’s begin!” Su Yu announced solemnly.

Di Mingli composed herself and made preparations.

Su Yu glanced at the Golden Tortoise, saying flatly, “You know what to do, right?”

“Become Mingli’s soul spirit and assist her well. Once I become a god, I’ll grant you rebirth.”

“Otherwise…”

Su Yu made a throat-cutting gesture, scaring the Golden Tortoise into retreating its head into its shell.

“Hmph!” Su Yu snorted. Then, his aura shifted.

His eyes instantly turned gray and he began to chant.

Soft golden light surrounded Di Mingli and the Golden Tortoise, as a golden magic circle appeared beneath them, enveloping both.

"Roar!"

A loud dragon’s cry sounded. An illusory golden dragon spread its wings and sang.

A masculine, domineering aura, as vast as a mountain, burst forth.

Golden Dragon!

One of the purest dragon martial souls.

Even though Di Mingli’s bloodline was thin and her simulated Golden Dragon martial soul wasn’t among the strongest, on today’s Douluo Continent, it was still second only to Su Yu himself.

Except for Su Yu, who could claim a martial soul stronger than Di Mingli’s Golden Dragon?

The Golden Dragon’s might alone could suppress a swath of beast martial souls.

The Golden Dragon martial soul howled, and its explosive, domineering soul power surged out like a tidal wave.

Su Yu’s eyes were gray, and his chanting grew louder.

The soul spirit ritual was originally an equal contract.

But Su Yu was also a necromancer.

Though he rarely used necromancy, not because it couldn’t enhance his strength, but because it usually had little direct application.

Still, Su Yu’s understanding of necromancy had reached a considerable depth.

He altered the soul spirit ritual, changing its foundation from an equal contract to a master-servant contract.

For other soul beasts, he’d use an equal contract.

But this Golden Tortoise?

Greedy and disrespectful, it even dared to steal from the core of the Star Dou Forest.

As the future master of Star Dou, how could Su Yu not punish it?

The master-servant contract was the perfect restraint.

With it, Di Mingli could completely control the Golden Tortoise, and it would be forced to obey.

As the fusion progressed, a powerful vitality gushed from the Golden Tortoise's body.

Su Yu was ready. With a flick of his right hand, a jade-green carving knife shot out.

The endless vitality streaming from the Golden Tortoise was all absorbed by the Life Blade.

Su Yu sped up, and the golden light around Di Mingli and the Golden Tortoise grew denser, with golden mist rising in waves.

Gradually, the Golden Tortoise began to shrink.

Under the golden light, it floated up, shrinking further.

When its body was only a meter long, Su Yu flicked his finger and a jade-green metal chunk flew from the Tortoise's mouth.

The Life Blade clanged, stabbing into the metal and absorbing it.

The jade-green metal was gradually consumed, and the Life Blade became longer and clearer.

"Fuse!"

Su Yu called, changing his hand seals.

An illusory Golden Tortoise spirit separated from its body and merged into the Golden Dragon.

Above Di Mingli’s sixth soul ring, a blood-red seventh soul ring slowly formed.

At the moment the seventh ring appeared, Di Mingli’s soul power naturally reached the Soul Sage realm.

Su Yu pressed his palms together, and the Golden Tortoise’s body shrank again, turning into a golden soul bone—a right leg bone.

Logically, the Golden Tortoise should produce a torso bone, but Su Yu had even higher requirements for the torso bone for Di Mingli.

So this soul bone became a right leg bone.

Just as the ancient Black Turtle held up the sky with four legs, the Golden Tortoise, though not its equal, still produced an excellent leg bone.

Under Su Yu’s guidance, the Golden Tortoise’s right leg bone fused with Di Mingli.

When the fusion finished, Di Mingli’s soul power rose again, breaking through to 75th level Soul Sage.

After absorbing the Golden Tortoise's soul bone, Su Yu performed another ritual.

This time, Di Mingli added a ring to her Three-Eyed Golden Lion martial soul.

When the Golden Red Flame Lion King also became Di Ming Li’s soul spirit, it provided a left leg bone.

With both leg bones, Di Mingli soared to 79th level Soul Sage.

Su Yu examined the now-dragon-blooded Di Mingli, eyes narrowed.

"Uncle Di Tian, bring me a hundred-thousand-year Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear right arm bone from Bear Lord. Tell him I asked, and I’ll treat him to barbecue next time."

Su Yu suddenly spoke.

Di Tian paused, then answered, "Yes, young master."

Di Tian vanished, reappearing soon with a hundred-thousand-year Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear right arm bone.

This was no ordinary bone—it came from one of the most powerful offensive soul beasts.

It would grant Di Mingli unparalleled destructive power.

"I also have a hundred-thousand-year Titan Giant Ape left arm bone. They’re a perfect match."

Su Yu handed both bones to Di Mingli.

She didn’t stand on ceremony; there was no need for formalities between them.

After absorbing both, Di Mingli broke through again, surpassing the bottleneck of Soul Douluo.

With the eighth ring from the Golden Tortoise soul spirit, Di Mingli became a Soul Douluo.

Her final soul power settled at level 82.

In a short time, she had risen from level 70 to 82—a massive leap.

"That’s about enough. Any more and it won’t be a good thing. Mingli, get used to your new strength."

Sometimes, advancing too quickly can be problematic if your mindset can’t keep up.

Luckily, Di Mingli was a soul beast, having lived over ten thousand years. This was still manageable for her.

Di Mingli nodded and began adjusting to her new power.

While she absorbed her rings, Wang Dong’er and the others had already finished absorbing their soul bones.

Wang Dong’er and Jiang Nannan both reached level 70.

Meng Hongchen also gained two levels, her strength advancing further.

“Dong’er, Sister Nannan, it’s your turn,” Su Yu called.

There were three hundred-thousand-year soul beasts left.

Wang Dong’er smiled, her pink-blue eyes curiously examining the soul beasts.

Her gaze landed on the leftmost soul beast and wouldn’t move.

It was a butterfly-like beast, about two meters across, its body glowing magma-red.

Its wings seemed aflame, radiating intense light and heat.

“This is a Molten Light Flame Butterfly—a nearly extinct soul beast.”

“This one before you may be the only hundred-thousand-year-old of its kind alive.”

“Molten Light Flame Butterflies possess both light and fire attributes, the undisputed rulers of butterfly soul beasts.”

“This one was injured long ago and never healed, its life force slowly draining away, bringing it to the end of its lifespan,” Di Tian explained.

Molten Light Flame Butterflies are super soul beasts.

Not as fearsome as Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bears, but certainly super-class.

And as the young master’s need, Di Tian had spent much effort to find it.

In quality, it was no less than the Golden Red Flame Lion King.

Its age was a bit less, but its quality was higher.

“Dong’er, did you hear that? It suits you well,” Su Yu smiled.

Wang Dong’er nodded, unable to hide her joy.

It was the same type as her Light Goddess Butterfly, sharing the light attribute—and a super soul beast, nearly extinct.

It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

If not for Su Yu’s special status, she could never obtain such a soul ring.

She understood this deeply, having read the script.

“Then I’ll get ready now!”

Su Yu incanted, a staff appearing in his hand.

Golden light enveloped Wang Dong’er and the Flame Butterfly.

A few hours later, Wang Dong’er finished the absorption.

Her soul power naturally broke through to Soul Sage.

Zzzap!

A pair of fire-red wings, glowing with magma-like veins, unfurled from Wang Dong’er’s back.

The Flame Butterfly provided the rarest of external soul bones.

Her power soared, finally stabilizing at level 75 Soul Sage.

Examining her changes, Wang Dong’er was all smiles, her face full of satisfaction.

Su Yu turned to the two remaining hundred-thousand-year soul beasts: a Red-Faced Fire Demon Monkey and the Lightning Rift Falcon.

The former was top-tier; the latter, a super soul beast.

Lightning Rift Falcons were known for their powerful attacks and blinding speed.

In quality, it was far above the Red-Faced Fire Demon Monkey.

Of course, the monkey was no slouch either—a top speed-attack type.

“Sister Nannan, how about choosing the Lightning Rift Falcon?”

Jiang Nannan answered without hesitation, “Xiao Yu, I’ll listen to you.”

Su Yu chuckled, “Then the Lightning Rift Falcon it is. You could hardly find it elsewhere.”

He spoke the truth.

Though there were four hundred-thousand-year soul beasts here and three were super-class, this was a special place, and Su Yu was no ordinary person.

Anyone else would never have such an opportunity.

“Come forward, Sister Nannan.”

Jiang Nannan’s physical strength wasn’t quite up to Wang Dong’er’s.

Even after taking the special elixir, absorbing a hundred-thousand-year ring as the seventh ring was still a huge challenge.

But with the two soul bones Su Yu had just given her, she barely met the requirements.

There was no helping it—her talent was still inferior to Wang Dong’er and the others, who weren’t even human.

…

Three more hours passed.

The Lightning Rift Falcon fused with Jiang Nannan.

Her soul power soared, reaching level 75 Soul Sage.

She also gained an external soul bone—the Falcon’s wings, granting her extreme speed and lightning control.

This ring was a huge transformation for her.

It covered the weaknesses of her Soft Bone Rabbit martial soul, which was mediocre at best, falling off badly in later stages.

Now, with the Lightning Rift Falcon, Jiang Nannan had fundamentally changed.

Her future looked bright!