One day later, the sky gradually darkened. In a clearing within a dense forest located on the border between the Heaven Soul Empire and the Star Luo Empire.
Crackling!
Undried firewood continuously popped and crackled as it was consumed by the flames.
The dim yellow firelight illuminated Wang Lin's face. He was currently adjusting his body's state with his eyes closed, his breathing becoming gradually steady.
Wang Lin opened his eyes. His storage soul tool flashed, and a vertebral bone, entirely resembling yellow crystal, appeared in his hand.
This peculiar vertebral bone emitted a faint life aura and was visibly wider than other vertebral bones.
It was precisely the 50,000-year-old Golden Hawksbill Turtle Spine Bone.
Unlike the Golden Dragon, the Golden Hawksbill Turtle was a soul beast traditionally known for its longevity, a purely Life-attribute creature, and a symbol of good fortune itself. It was said that cultivating near it could largely prevent natural disasters.
Therefore, the Golden Hawksbill Turtle had almost no natural enemies.
However, it could avoid natural disasters but not man-made calamities, which was why Wang Lin held this Golden Hawksbill Turtle Spine Bone.
It was precisely because of the Golden Hawksbill Turtle's pure Life attribute that Wang Lin decided to absorb this spine bone first.
This was also Long Xiaoyao's suggestion. Moreover, despite the Golden Dragon soul bone being only 10,000 years old, it was much harder to absorb than the 50,000-year-old Golden Hawksbill Turtle soul bone.
The Golden Dragon was one of the top-tier Dragon races. The difficulty in absorption was probably due to the Golden Dragon's "pride."
Thinking this, Wang Lin relaxed his mind considerably. Soul power, under his control, slowly touched the Golden Hawksbill Turtle Spine Bone.
A faint luminescence lit up, but then immediately went out. A puzzled expression appeared on Wang Lin's face.
"What's wrong, Little Linzi?"
Long Xiaoyao, who was guarding him on the side, saw the situation and asked.
"Uh, soul bone fusion can only fuse with the corresponding bone, right, Master?" Wang Lin asked, frowning.
"Of course. However, as long as you can withstand the soul bone's backlash, you can fuse with bones from different parts, provided you're willing to become a Soul Master with two right arms or three legs, naturally no one will object."
Long Xiaoyao explained, worried that Wang Lin wouldn't understand: "The fusion of a soul bone with a bone from a different location will cause bone deformation."
Wang Lin understood Long Xiaoyao's meaning. If he fused a right arm bone to his left arm, his left arm would turn into a right arm.
The simple thought was a bit unsettling. Wang Lin shook his head and then asked: "What about fusion with an external soul bone?"
"External soul bone?" Long Xiaoyao was stunned, then understood: "You mean, your Ice Silkworm Shedding can fuse with this Golden Hawksbill Turtle Spine Bone?"
"Yes." Wang Lin nodded.
"Try the Golden Dragon soul bone!"
"Okay, Master."
Wang Lin took out the Golden Dragon Right Arm Bone. Soul power flowed, touching the surface of the soul bone. A faint dragon's might permeated from the surface of the soul bone.
At the same time, a brutal, bloodthirsty killing intent rushed straight into Wang Lin's Spiritual Sea, but was instantly suppressed by an invisible spiritual force the next second.
"It can fuse too. It should be because of the Ice Silkworm Shedding." Cutting off the soul power touching the soul bone, Wang Lin looked up and said.
"Your external soul bone is quite extraordinary." Long Xiaoyao narrowed his eyes upon hearing this. He knew his disciple had stumbled upon a treasure.
"Try to fuse it."
"Are you serious, old man?" Wang Lin was stunned upon hearing this. What if he fused it and another spine bone grew out of his back? What would that make him? Quasimodo, the hunchback of Notre Dame!?
"You can try it. Your Ice Silkworm Shedding is special, so it shouldn't cause a similar situation. It's highly likely to be like the chrysanthemum on your chest."
Long Xiaoyao said in a deep voice.
"Take off your clothes and try it. If bone deformation occurs, this old man will immediately forcibly interrupt the fusion. At most, you'll suffer some injury to your back meridians."
"At most, some injury to your back meridians!?" Hearing this, Wang Lin got an idea. The Eye of Ice and Fire had already been moved into the Undead Demigod Plane by Elder Yi.
With the immortal herbs in the Eye of Ice and Fire, meridian injury was a minor issue, not a problem.
"Then I'll try!"
Wang Lin nodded. If this worked out, he might be able to fuse an extra set of soul bones. This was indeed a tremendous opportunity.
When he previously attempted to fuse the Golden Dragon Right Arm Bone, he could feel that the Golden Hawksbill Turtle's fusion location was the upper body, and the Golden Dragon Right Arm Bone was the right arm.
They did not conflict.
"Take off your clothes and fuse it." The old black dragon said in a deep voice.
"Okay." Wang Lin took off his upper garment. Although he hadn't deliberately exercised, his muscles were clearly defined, radiating health and strength.
After some thought, Wang Lin put away the Golden Hawksbill Turtle soul bone. He decided to fuse the Golden Dragon Right Arm Bone first. If another bone grew out of his body after fusion.
A right arm bone would look better than a spine bone, and it wouldn't affect daily life. He didn't want to be the Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Holding the Golden Dragon Right Arm Bone with his right hand, Wang Lin exhaled lightly.
"Phew, Master, I'm starting."
As his voice fell, Wang Lin closed his eyes. Soul power surged within his body. A faint dragon's might, accompanied by golden luminescence, permeated from the surface of the soul bone.
The brutal killing intent rushed into his Spiritual Sea again but was easily suppressed by Wang Lin.
Elder Yi had been suppressed in his Spiritual Sea for twelve years. A mere Golden Dragon soul bone was nothing to Wang Lin.
As the golden luminescence slowly settled onto Wang Lin's arm, it was like a drop of water falling into a puddle.
Faint golden patterns lit up like ripples, starting from Wang Lin's right hand, and instantly covered his entire body.
Long Xiaoyao was staring intently at Wang Lin at this moment. He hesitated for a moment. A light flashed in his hand, and a jade-white bead appeared in his palm.
"Mu En, this brat has good luck. If anything unexpected happens, I'll use this Dragon Pill first. I'll make sure he compensates the person you chose."
The old black dragon muttered to himself, his mind made up. He gripped the Dragon Pill in his hand, his gaze sweeping over the golden chrysanthemum pattern on Wang Lin's chest.
He examined the golden patterns emerging over Wang Lin's entire body. He suddenly realized that aside from the chrysanthemum pattern on his chest, the patterns everywhere else were extremely simple.
It gave the feeling of a blank sheet of paper, seemingly allowing anyone to draw on it freely.
As the faint golden luminescence continuously integrated into Wang Lin's right arm, Long Xiaoyao noticed that the golden patterns on his arm suddenly began to change.
The originally straight golden patterns divided into hair-thin long lines. The long lines curved and twisted, gradually forming irregular rhombuses connected to one another.
Long Xiaoyao, whose martial soul was the Dark Holy Dragon, immediately recognized the rhombus pattern as the pattern of dragon scales.
As the dragon scales appeared, Wang Lin's right arm lit up with a faint bloody color, and he couldn't help but groan.
"Mmhmm."
A series of excruciating, bone-gnawing pains first appeared in Wang Lin's forearm, then spread to his upper arm and right hand.
At the same time, Wang Lin could feel a peculiar energy surging into his bloodstream, circulating throughout his entire body. His whole body felt faintly energized as the peculiar energy flowed in.