....
Recovering from her shock, Bibi Dong gave Xuan Hao a deep look, her gaze filled not only with inquiry but also with an unwavering determination to succeed.
Twin martial souls, and the legendary existence of the Golden Dragon and Silver Dragon, which stand at the pinnacle of soul beasts.
She was determined to take the child back.
But she also knew that the child had a thorn in his side, and that the Spirit Hall was the culprit who "killed his parents" and "abandoned him."
Forcibly taking him away would only breed resentment in him. What she needs is a sense of belonging from him, for him to willingly call her "teacher".
Back at the camp, Hu Liena had already quickly set up the tent.
To Xuanhao's surprise, there were two tents standing in the camp.
One of them was the one that Bibi Dong and Hu Liena used before, and the other was brand new.
"Go inside and sleep," Bibi Dong said, pointing to the new tent.
Seeing Xuan Hao hesitate, Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow and added, "Don't even think about sleeping in a tree.
There are plenty of soul beasts around here at night.
If some blind fool snatches you away in the middle of the night, I'll have to spend time retrieving you, which is a hassle."
After saying that, she didn't wait for Xuan Hao's response and directly pulled Hu Liena into another tent.
"Good night." Before entering the tent, Hu Liena winked at Xuan Hao with a sly yet friendly smile.
Xuan Hao stood there, looking at the cozy-looking tent in front of him, and touched his nose.
He knew, of course, that Bibi Dong was making excuses.
With the strength of a Title Douluo, even if he were carried away from a hundred meters away, she could instantly scatter the soul beast's ashes.
"Sugar-coated bullets..."
Xuan Hao sighed, but his body betrayed him and he crawled inside.
After all, who would want to sleep on a hard tree branch when there's a soft mat to sleep on?
Since you can't resist, you can only enjoy it.
The tent was covered with thick blankets, which kept out the moisture from the ground.
Just as Xuan Hao was about to lie down, his gaze was suddenly drawn to an oil paper package on his pillow.
He picked it up and saw that it was the same bag of Black Horned Beef jerky that Hu Liena had handed to him during the day, but which he had refused because of his "face".
Xuan Hao paused for a moment, his hand holding the jerky tightening slightly.
"Tch... trying to win people's hearts."
He muttered something, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly.
This time, he didn't hesitate. He tore open the packaging and started eating it in big bites.
It smells so good.
...
Xuanhao slept soundly that night.
Although located in the perilous Star Dou Great Forest, with a peak powerhouse like Bibi Dong by your side and Ghost Douluo guarding the night from the shadows, this place is probably safer than the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.
The next morning, the three set off again.
Perhaps it was because of the "sweet talk" last night, or perhaps it was the goodwill that Bibi Dong and Hu Liena intentionally or unintentionally released, that the atmosphere between the three of them was no longer as stiff and awkward as it had been at the beginning.
For the next three days, they wandered around the perimeter of the mixed zone.
But luck is a hard thing to predict. Although Bibi Dong's spiritual power covered a very wide area, most of the soul beasts she encountered in these three days were not satisfactory.
"That won't do, that's a four-hundred-year-old wind baboon, too weak."
"That datura snake is old enough, but its attributes don't match."
Bibi Dong had extremely high standards for Hu Liena's second spirit ring, preferring quality over quantity.
Bibi Dong's plan for Xuan Hao is also very clear.
"Even in the Star Dou Great Forest, sub-dragon-type soul beasts are extremely rare."
During a break, Bibi Dong handed Xuan Hao a water bottle and patiently instructed him,"Since we can't find the dragon, let's set our sights on soul beasts with top-tier strength attributes."
"For example, the Vajra Tiger, the Mighty Ape, or the Ironclad Tyrannosaurus.
Although these spirit beasts are not of true dragon blood, their innate abilities are extremely compatible with your Golden Dragon Martial Soul, allowing you to develop its ultimate power to the greatest extent."
Xuan Hao listened attentively, occasionally asking a few questions, which Bibi Dong answered one by one.
Through these questions and answers and daily interactions, Xuan Hao's wariness towards Bi Bi Dong gradually melts away.
After all, who could resist a stunningly beautiful, incredibly powerful, and caring older sister?
Finally, on the fourth day after entering the forest, things took a turn for the better.
Around noon, in a secluded valley, they discovered a fox that was entirely black with a third vertical eye between its eyebrows—the Three-Eyed Demon Fox.
"Around 750 years, dual cultivation of mental and charm attributes, it's practically tailor-made for you."
A hint of satisfaction flashed in Bibi Dong's eyes, and she immediately struck, severely injuring him.
Hu Liena didn't waste the opportunity, stepping forward to finish off the enemy and beginning to absorb the spirit ring.
The process went smoothly, and an hour later, she successfully advanced to the Great Spirit Master level, gaining a very powerful charm control skill.
With Hu Liena's problem solved, the remaining issue is Xuan Hao.
Hu Liena was a smart girl. She could see how much her teacher valued Xuan Hao and understood her teacher's intention to win over this genius boy.
So, during the rest of the journey, she took even better care of Xuan Hao, acting like a caring senior sister.
She not only shared her food with him but also helped him when the road became difficult.
Perhaps good luck is contagious.
That night, just as darkness enveloped the forest and the three had finished setting up their tents and preparing to start a fire, a wild tiger's roar shattered the tranquility of the night.
"roar--!!"
A tiger, over three meters long, with muscles bulging like granite and fur gleaming with a metallic sheen, leaped out of the bushes, its scarlet eyes fixed on the three people in the camp.
"King Kong Tiger?"
Bibi Dong's eyes lit up, and without even getting up, she simply waved her hand casually.
An invisible surge of soul power erupted instantly. Before the majestic Vajra Tiger could pounce, it was as if it had been slammed to the ground by an invisible giant hand.
"boom!"
The ground trembled, and the Vajra Tiger let out a mournful cry. Its limbs were pinned to the ground, rendering it unable to move.
Its bones, which were originally as hard as iron, made cracking sounds as they could no longer bear the weight.
Bibi Dong walked up to the immobilized tiger, examined it carefully, then turned to look at Xuan Hao, a smile playing on her lips:
Looks like I won't be getting any sleep tonight.
"The Vajra Tiger, which is about 850 years old, has amazing defense and is one of the best among soul beasts of the same level.
As the first soul ring of the Golden Dragon, although it is not a sub-dragon species, it is definitely considered top-grade."
She looked at Xuan Hao and handed him a sharp short sword: "Go, kill it."
Xuan Hao took the short sword, took a deep breath, and walked to the Vajra Tiger that was still growling.
Although it was his first time killing such a ferocious beast, he didn't hesitate much. In this world, it's either you die or I die.
"Pfft!"
The short sword pierced the Golden Tiger's eye socket with precision, penetrating straight into his brain.
The Vajra Tiger convulsed violently a few times before falling silent.
A bright yellow spirit ring, with a hint of purple, slowly rose from its corpse.
"Sit cross-legged, focus your mind on your martial spirit, and use your soul power to guide the soul ring." Bibi Dong's voice rang in my ears.
"Remember, this soul ring is very old and its impact will be very strong. Guard your mind and don't be overwhelmed by the violent energy."
Xuan Hao sat down as instructed and summoned the phantom of a golden dragon.
As the spirit ring entered his body, a surge of scalding heat rushed into his limbs and bones, as if countless red-hot knives were churning wildly inside him.
The energy of a spirit ring that has been around for over eight hundred years is indeed far too domineering for the first spirit ring.
Xuan Hao's brows furrowed instantly, his jaw clenched, his body began to tremble uncontrollably, and fine beads of blood even seeped from his skin.
"Hold on!" Bibi Dong, who had been guarding him, immediately released a gentle spiritual force to protect Xuan Hao's heart meridian.
"The Golden Dragon is the ancestor of power. Use your will to control this power, instead of letting it burst you!"
Xuan Hao heard Bibi Dong's voice. In his sea of consciousness, the proud golden dragon seemed to be enraged by this foreign, savage power.
"hold head high--!!"
A powerful dragon roar exploded within his body.
Golden light erupted from Xuan Hao's body, forcefully suppressing the violent tiger-like aura.