Douluo, my clone Groudon

Chapter 438 Choosing a 100,000-Year-Old Soul

Back in Leng Yaozhu's office, the red-robed deputy tower master finally shed her seriousness, revealing a bright and charming smile, her tone carrying a hint of cheerfulness:
"It's not easy to make that old fox Qian Gu Dong Feng suffer a setback. The choice of four 100,000-year-old souls is a gain that far exceeds expectations."

"You can use it yourself, or you can designate it to someone you trust; just register it within the tower. Do you have any initial ideas?"

Gula quickly reviewed his own personnel in his mind.

Liu Niandao, Yin Wansheng, and Bo Xi have deep ties with the Tang Sect, the Federation, and the Star Luo Empire, respectively. If he were to bestow a 100,000-year-old soul spirit upon them, it would easily attract unnecessary suspicion and attention.

As long as the leaders of the three forces aren't blind, they will definitely devote all their efforts to cultivating these three geniuses. He doesn't need to worry about them; these three can be ruled out.

Many people know about Bai Yuan's relationship with him, so there's no need to hide it. You can reserve a spot for him.

Mu Yi is a disciple of the Body Sect. He has excellent strength and potential, but his background is relatively simple, making him a worthwhile investment.

Qing Liuli is already a core disciple of the Spirit Pagoda, and he has already prepared a better Bodhi Tree spirit for her, so he doesn't need this spot.

Du'an possesses the resources of an entire plane, and his sensitive identity makes it inconvenient for him to appear too often in this time and space, but this spot can provide him with a powerful assistant.

Ming Baixue has not yet broken through level 70 and needs a powerful 100,000-year-old soul spirit as a backup. Alice can take over on her behalf.

Thanks to his profound understanding of the original soul contract, Gula has many ways to ensure the absolute loyalty of souls and leave no hidden dangers.

He quickly assigned targets to the avatars.

He looked up at Leng Yaozhu and said, "Teacher, I'll make one contract for myself, and the other three spots will be for my three friends."

Leng Yaozhu's eyes crinkled into a smile. She knew perfectly well that Gula's "friends" were most likely his mysterious incarnations, but she didn't say anything, only nodding and saying:
"Alright. Let's not delay, lest Qian Gu Dongfeng back out or other members of the Qian Gu family interfere. Get your 'friends' here as soon as possible to complete the formalities."

Gula nodded, immediately took out his soul-guided communicator to send a message, and then said, "The last one will arrive this afternoon."

Leng Yaozhu nodded in satisfaction: "Very good, I will personally take you to the Soul Tower to make your selection this afternoon."

Gula then inquired, "Teacher, has anything major happened in Shrek City recently?"

Leng Yaozhu, who rarely relaxed, was happy to chat with her disciple. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Big news? There's nothing special. Shrek City has been relatively peaceful."

Seeing that he couldn't find any clues about the explosion, Gula stopped asking, took his leave of the office, and returned to his dusty forging room, where he quietly pondered the mysteries of the higher level of "Heavenly Forging".

In the afternoon, a streak of light sped from the direction of Tiandou City. It was Mu Ye, the sect leader of the Body Sect, who personally piloted a mecha and brought his disciple Mu Yi to the headquarters of the Spirit Transmission Tower.

Mu Yi had already completed his apprenticeship and only needed to follow the steps to cultivate the innate secret technique. However, when Mu Ye heard that someone was going to give Mu Yi a 100,000-year-old soul spirit, he immediately abandoned his friend, the divine craftsman Zhen Hua, and rushed over with his disciples.

He didn't care whether Mu Yi had another identity behind him. He had personally witnessed Mu Yi's second awakening of his platinum-level body and knew that his potential was limitless. He might even have a third awakening in the future!
This is absolutely the hope for the rise of the Body Sect, and any opportunity to improve its strength should not be missed.

At the entrance of the Spirit Pagoda, Gula came to greet them. Makino was also familiar with Gula, who had studied forging under Zhenhua, and patted him on the shoulder forcefully, laughing loudly:

"Good lad! You've improved a lot in the past few years, and you've made more and more connections with capable people!"

However, he was actually very surprised. Under his dedicated training, Mu Yi's blood and qi were like a pump, his platinum awakening was achieved, his original secret technique was perfected, and his life essence was enhanced by the ultimate wood attribute. His blood and qi were so vigorous that no one among his peers should have been able to match it.

But the strength of Gula's blood and qi was surprisingly comparable to that of Mu Yi, which made him wonder how Gula cultivated.

Gula smiled slightly, his gaze briefly meeting Bai Yuan, Mu Yi, and Alice, and they instantly completed the information sharing.

He said, "Uncle Mu, the teacher is already waiting for us. Let's go in first."

Makino's expression turned serious: "The important matter comes first."

The 100,000-year-old soul spirit is related to whether Mu Yi can break through to the level 99 Limit Douluo with the fastest speed and the most stable foundation. As for whether Mu Yi can reach that height, Mu Ye has never doubted it.

The five entered the Spirit Pagoda and proceeded smoothly until they arrived at the Soul Pagoda in the core area.

Leng Yaozhu was already waiting there. Mu Ye stepped forward to greet her, and Leng Yaozhu nodded slightly in response. Her gaze swept over the three people that Gula had brought, and she was secretly surprised.

These three individuals possessed refined auras and solid foundations; each was a genius among geniuses.

When she gave it to the spirit of the Golden Ancient Tree, she never expected it to give rise to such an unreasonable transformation spirit skill.

Her gaze lingered a moment longer on Alice, whose beauty was unparalleled and whose temperament was unique; this was a "new" incarnation she had never seen before.

Gula stepped forward to introduce them, and also to the staff around him: "Teacher, these are my friends, Bai Yuan, Mu Yi, and Alice."

Leng Yaozhu greeted everyone with a gentle smile.

Alice and the other two returned the greeting respectfully.

Leng Yaozhu stopped being polite and went straight to the point: "Souls that are 100,000 years old already possess complete thinking and powerful strength. In the advanced spirit ascension platform, they are essentially in a 'living' state."

"Therefore, gaining their approval and taking them away is no easy task. Although the souls here in the Soul Tower can save you the trouble of searching and fighting in the Ascension Platform, you still need to pass the 'approval' test yourselves. Who wants to go first?"

"I'll go first." Bai Yuan stepped forward.

Leng Yaozhu nodded slightly: "What type of spirit do you need?"

She could naturally see that Bai Yuan's soul power had not yet reached its bottleneck and could not be fused with for the time being, but it could be sealed in her body first and absorbed directly after the breakthrough.

Bai Yuan's martial soul is the Abyss Glutton, and its devouring ability has reached a bottleneck. He directly asked, "Are there any 100,000-year-old soul spirits whose main attribute is devouring?"

Leng Yaozhu seemed to have expected this, and smiled slightly: "Yes." She gestured to the staff member next to her to introduce it.

A staff member stepped forward and respectfully said, "There are currently four types of 100,000-year-old souls in the tower that meet the requirements for devouring."

"The first type is the Soul-Devouring Spider King Soul Spirit, which is 100,000 years old. It is a top-tier insect-type Soul Spirit. In terms of pure lethality and devouring characteristics, it is superior to the Death Spider King and the Human-Faced Spider King. However, it is extremely evil and violent by nature, making it very difficult to tame and suppress. The risk of backlash is extremely high."

"The second type is the soul of the 100,000-year-old Human-Faced Spider King. Similar to the Soul-Devouring Spider King, since their creation and growth, no one has dared to risk being devoured by them and attempt to fuse them. Therefore, they have been sealed deep within the Soul Spirit Tower for a long time."

"The third type is the spirit of the Gluttonous Python. It is an ancient snake-like creature with an insatiable appetite and is rumored to be able to grow indefinitely. It is believed that it may possess a trace of the bloodline of the ancient divine beast Bashe."

"Because its race eventually went extinct due to its insatiable appetite and mutual devouring, this spirit was created by reproducing genes extracted from fossils. The fusion user must bear the effects of its enormous appetite."

Upon hearing this, Mu Ye couldn't help but interject, his voice booming, "What's going on? Is your Spirit Pagoda just using these defective products with side effects to cheat people?"

The staff member glanced at Leng Yaozhu, and seeing that she didn't react, explained with a wronged tone, "Senior, please calm down. The Devouring attribute itself easily stirs up the desires in a Soul Master's heart, causing them to lose their way."

"Moreover, these are soul beasts that have devoured into their instincts and cultivated for 100,000 years. Their residual will is naturally stronger and more likely to cause them to lose control."

Bai Yuan remained calm: "It's alright, continue."

He had already gone through the stage of losing control of his consciousness. After being baptized by starlight and undergoing two evolutions of his bloodline essence, this kind of spiritual influence from external objects no longer posed a threat to him.

The staff continued, "The last type is a creature soul that accidentally drifted to Douluo Continent from a spatial rift many years ago. It takes the form of a giant silver wolf and its characteristic is that it likes to devour the souls of powerful creatures to strengthen itself."

He simultaneously displayed virtual projections of four different spirits.

Bai Yuan's gaze swept across the projection, lingering for a moment on the last one, a silver giant wolf that closely resembled Fenrir, the demon wolf from Norse mythology. However, considering that he already possessed a top-tier bloodline foundation comparable to the Golden Dragon King, he ultimately made his choice: "I choose the Gluttonous Python."

Under the staff's guidance, Bai Yuan was teleported into a separate contract space.

The space was completely dark, except for a giant python, over four hundred meters long, whose scales shimmered with a dark luster, coiled within. Its cold, vertical pupils were fixed on Bai Yuan, filled with primal hunger and greed.

It sensed an extremely dangerous aura emanating from Bai Yuan, but its blood-rooted appetite ultimately overcame its vigilance. With its massive jaws wide open, it lunged at Bai Yuan with a stench of blood!

Bai Yuan frowned slightly. He had expected this spirit to be gluttonous, but he hadn't anticipated it to be so reckless with its life. In the observation room outside the Spirit Tower, Gula asked, "Didn't we say there was no need for fighting?"

Before Leng Yaozhu could answer, the staff member quickly explained, "Normally it's not necessary, but the Gluttonous Python is an exception. The Soul-Devouring Spider King is very cunning and evil, but it can be communicated with. Its only 'rationality' is its appetite, and it's almost impossible to reach an agreement through regular communication. Other spirits don't have this problem."

At this moment, within the contract space, Bai Yuan let out a cold snort.

In an instant, the magnificent two-word battle armor "Abyss Devourer" was instantly attached to him, and his Martial Soul True Form was activated at the same time.

A terrifying aura far exceeding that of an ordinary Title Douluo erupted, and he directly charged forward, grabbing the giant python's upper and lower jaws with his bare hands in an even more ferocious manner. Terrifying abyssal power erupted, slamming it hard to the ground, followed by a merciless and violent suppression!

Watching from outside, Makino shook his head slightly, but his tone was full of admiration: "This kid is growing up at an alarming speed."

Leng Yaozhu nodded slightly, but she was even more curious about how Bai Yuan could maintain such a clear and rational state. This was definitely not something that could be achieved by conventional means. She wondered if it was the work of Shrek Academy or if her mysterious disciple had some other opportunity.
The battle was a foregone conclusion. With such an absolute disparity in strength, the Gluttonous Python was quickly beaten to the point of near death. Its remaining ferocity was completely shattered, turning into a dark light that Bai Yuan forcibly sealed into his body, waiting for him to break through and undergo final fusion.

Bai Yuan came out quickly. In the corner, a staff member operated an instrument, secretly recording Bai Yuan's martial spirit and abilities. Sometimes, the human eye is more reliable than instruments.

Seeing that Bai Yuan had successfully captured the soul of the Gluttonous Python, Leng Yaozhu nodded slightly. As his teacher, she offered timely guidance:

"Your understanding and control over the power you absorb is quite advanced, and I have nothing more to say about that. However, there is still room for improvement in your skills of perfectly integrating power with attack and combining the real and the illusory."

She knew that Bai Yuan was the incarnation of Gula, and she gave him all her guidance.

She raised her slender hand, and a cluster of blazing "phoenix flames" suddenly leaped up in her palm. The flames were so lifelike that even the surrounding air distorted slightly due to the high temperature.

However, Leng Yaozhu's next words surprised everyone: "Look closely, what I have in my hand is actually just highly condensed fire-attribute soul power, not real flames."

Her gaze swept over the puzzled crowd, and she explained, "The flames you 'saw' were an illusion created by your eyes capturing the simulated light and heat effect of soul power, combined with your own mental power, 'deceiving' your brains. But—"

She changed the subject, her tone carrying an undeniable authority, "If struck by this punch, the enemy will not only suffer a soul force impact, but will also experience real burning damage and a feeling of soul scorching. This is a high-level application of mental intent and the essence of soul force, making the real appear real and the unreal appear unreal, attacking the unprepared and damaging the root."

A look of understanding flashed in Bai Yuan's eyes, and he bowed respectfully, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, Your Majesty Tianfeng. I have learned a great deal."

He realized that this was the key to combining his powerful mental strength with the devouring power of the abyss at a deeper level, which could greatly enhance the unpredictability and lethality of his attacks.

Leng Yaozhu smiled gently: "It's alright. Who's next?"

Mu Yi stepped forward, his voice steady: "Your Majesty, I will go."

He stated his thoughts directly: "I would like to exchange a batch of soul-forged metal with a fusion rate of over 90% for the golden-haired lion-mastiff soul spirit stored in the tower."

"At the same time, I am willing to exchange my qualification to select a 100,000-year-old soul spirit for the corresponding resources needed to upgrade this golden lion mastiff soul spirit to the 100,000-year age limit."

He knew that the defensive power granted by the Body Sect's innate secret technique was unparalleled among its peers, but even after the five-fold amplification from the Platinum Awakening, its offensive power was still insufficient compared to top-tier offensive martial souls.

Therefore, he decided to choose the recognized top-tier offensive spirit beast—the Golden Lion Mastiff—to make up for his shortcomings with its domineering and unparalleled attack characteristics.

Leng Yaozhu quickly understood Mu Yi's plan and pondered for a moment.

A batch of high-quality soul-forged metal is quite valuable and will greatly benefit the development of the Soul Guidance Devices of the Spirit Pagoda. Although upgrading a designated Soul Spirit to 100,000 years is extremely costly, it is reasonable to offset it with a 100,000-year Soul Spirit quota in terms of authority and resource accounting.

“Okay.” She finally nodded. “I can agree to this exchange. However, Mu Yi, you need to think it through. Golden-haired lion mastiffs are proud by nature and extremely ferocious in battle, unyielding and unyielding.”

"Even if you provide resources to help it improve, it may not be willing to submit to human soul masters, and the risk of forced fusion is extremely high."

Mu Yi's face revealed absolute confidence, his blood and qi surging slightly, exuding a steady aura as firm as a mountain and a hidden sharpness:

"It's alright. I'm confident that it will willingly acknowledge me and stand by my side."

His confidence was not unfounded. The second awakening of his platinum-level martial soul not only gave him a comprehensive improvement in physical attributes, but also a kind of pressure and potential at the level of life.

He was confident that, with his absolute strength and potential, he could subdue this unruly golden-haired lion-mastiff.

"Okay." Leng Yaozhu said no more and signaled the staff to proceed. Part of the Soul Tower was connected to the Advanced Spirit Ascension Platform, so the group did not need to change locations.

Soon, Mu Yi was teleported to a forest area filled with a wild and untamed atmosphere. A huge beast with a lion's body and a head covered in dazzling golden fur was lying on the ground. Even in its spirit form, the ferocious and savage aura of the king of beasts was still overwhelming.

It sensed Mu Yi's arrival, slowly raised its head, and its golden pupils held no gentleness, only scrutiny and arrogance, as it let out a low, threatening roar.

Without uttering any unnecessary words, Mu Yi directly released his vast and refined blood energy, with a platinum luster subtly flowing beneath his skin. An aura of pressure no less powerful than that of a 100,000-year-old soul beast swept outwards.

He beckoned to the golden-haired lion-mastiff with his finger, his eyes calm yet carrying an undeniable sense of challenge.

"Losing to me means obeying me."

"Roar--!"

The golden-haired lion-mastiff was completely enraged by this blatant provocation. It transformed into a golden lightning bolt and pounced, its claws tearing through the air with an aura of annihilation.

Mu Yi neither dodged nor evaded, but activated his innate secret technique to its fullest extent, instantly entering the Platinum Awakening state. All his attributes were enhanced fivefold, and the three-word battle armor "Indestructible Gold" was attached to his body. His skin instantly showed a white jade-like luster, and he threw a punch to meet the attack!
"boom!"

Fists and claws clashed, unleashing a deafening metallic clang. A shockwave rippled through the air, causing the entire golden space to tremble.

Mu Yi stood firmly in place, without retreating an inch.

The golden-haired lion was forced back half a step by the force of the recoil. Its rage intensified, but a hint of disbelief and astonishment flashed deep within its eyes.

This human's strength and defense were completely beyond its comprehension!

The battle instantly became intense.

The golden-haired lion mastiff unleashed its full range of innate abilities with a frenzied attack, bite, and sonic roar.

Mu Yi, on the other hand, was like a rock in a raging storm, pushing his physical defense to the extreme. At the same time, every part of his body—fists, elbows, knees, shoulders—became the most terrifying weapon. Every attack contained the immense power to shatter mountains and split rocks, as well as the relentless penetrating force of the ultimate wood.

He didn't use any fancy soul skills, relying solely on the supreme secret techniques of the Body Sect and the physical strength brought by the Platinum Awakening to engage in the most primitive and ferocious head-on clash with this 100,000-year-old soul spirit!
Mu Ye, watching from outside, nodded repeatedly, his eyes filled with pride. This was the true power of a true martial soul! Brute force could overcome any technique!

Leng Yaozhu was also slightly moved. The pure physical strength and fighting will that Mu Yi displayed were indeed amazing. No wonder he was confident in subduing the golden-haired lion mastiff.

The battle lasted for quite some time. The golden-haired lion-mastiff's attacks became increasingly ferocious, but it was still unable to break through Mu Yi's abnormal defense. On the contrary, under Mu Yi's counterattack, which contained the ultimate penetrating power of wood life, its soul-condensed body showed a slight tendency to disintegrate.

Finally, after a straightforward clash of strength, and being knocked back by Mu Yi once again, the golden-haired lion stopped its attack.

It was panting heavily, its golden pupils fixed on Mu Yi, whose aura remained as steady as a mountain. The ferocity in its eyes was gradually replaced by a complex emotion—shock, resentment, but more than anything, an acknowledgment of absolute power, but absolutely no surrender!
It raised its proud head and let out a low growl full of fighting spirit.

Mu Yi showed impatience and directly used the spiritual power of his main body to forcibly use the Soul Contract, forcing the golden-haired lion-dog to crawl on the ground.

The loser has no way to resist his forced contract. No matter how proud the soul beast is, once it goes out and Alice trains it, it will turn into a docile dog.

He walked up to the golden-haired lion-mastiff, reached out, and gently placed his hand on its massive nose. He slowly channeled his powerful and vibrant energy into it, helping to stabilize its somewhat agitated soul.

"Follow me, and I will show you a wider world and help you climb to higher peaks." Mu Yi's voice was calm yet powerful.

The golden-haired lion-mastiff raised its head, giving Mu Yi a fierce look. In the end, it was forced to retract its golden light, transforming it into a solid golden stream of light that willingly merged into Mu Yi's body. This meant that it had willingly accepted its host.

Mu Yi successfully acquired the golden-haired lion-dog's soul and obtained the resource permission to upgrade it to the 100,000-year level.

As he stepped out of the advanced spirit ascension platform, Leng Yaozhu nodded approvingly. Mu Ye patted him on the shoulder forcefully, everything understood without words.

“Next.” Leng Yaozhu’s gaze fell on the stunningly beautiful Alice.

(End of this chapter)