"What?!"
Even though Chen Yi had prepared himself mentally, he was still shocked by Chu Shanhe.
What is a grand gesture? This is a true grand gesture. A Diamond Mammoth left leg bone, and 90,000 years old! This was a true blood sea treasure, worth more than many 100,000-year soul bones.
"Wait—"
Suddenly, as if realizing something, Chen Yi looked at the seemingly indifferent Chu Shanhe and asked:
"90,000-year Diamond Mammoth? Sect Master, this soul bone wouldn't be from the same soul beast as your ninth soul ring, would it?!"
Upon hearing this, Chu Shanhe could no longer maintain his calm expression. His eyes twitched violently, clearly hit by some unwanted memory, his face visibly unnatural.
"Hahaha!"
The Great Elder, who had been silent nearby, couldn't hold back anymore and laughed heartily while stroking his beard.
"It really is!" Seeing their rare loss of composure, Chen Yi's tone was full of emotion.
It wasn't a secret in the Body Sect that Chu Shanhe's ninth soul ring came from a 90,000-year Diamond Mammoth. After all, the sect's social circle was small; not just soul ring origins, even Chu Shanhe's youthful gossip could be easily found out with intent.
It was said that back then, the Body Sect mobilized everyone to find a suitable soul beast for Chu Shanhe, finally discovering a Diamond Mammoth nearing 100,000 years in the Extreme North, which thrilled everyone at the time.
In the soul master world, it was long rumored that top soul beasts like Diamond Mammoths had gone extinct, but unexpectedly, one still existed in the Extreme North, with over 90,000 years of cultivation. According to Chen Zhen, that Diamond Mammoth was not far from 100,000 years.
In the end, everyone expended tremendous effort to hunt it, and rumors said the old Sect Master was severely injured in that hunt, passing away a few years after returning to the sect.
"It's just a pity that Diamond Mammoth's cultivation didn't reach 100,000 years, or it wouldn't be just a left leg bone." Looking at the soul bone, Chu Shanhe's eyes were complex, with reluctance and regret.
On Douluo Continent, aside from growth-type external soul bones, the importance order of soul bone parts is generally torso bone, skull, right arm bone, left arm bone, left leg bone, right leg bone. As a left leg bone, it was inferior to other parts, but its top quality was enough to compensate for all shortcomings.
It was well known that 100,000-year soul beasts guaranteed a soul bone, and it would be the part the soul master lacked. But that Diamond Mammoth, though close to 100,000 years, ultimately fell short, and the dropped bone was a left leg bone that Chu Shanhe already had, which depressed him quite a bit back then.
"You should be content. That beast at 90,000 years already beat us so badly. If it were really 100,000 years, we probably all would've perished there."
The Great Elder didn't think so. Diamond Mammoths were top power-type soul beasts with extraordinarily strong defense. One of the seven major sects, the Elephant Armor Sect, had Diamond Mammoth as their inheritance martial soul, and Sect Master Huyan Zhen could even challenge Titled Douluos relying on its power.
Hunting a 100,000-year Diamond Mammoth would require significant effort even for the current Body Sect, let alone back then.
Seeing the Great Elder's speechless expression, Chu Shanhe gave an awkward laugh: "I was just sighing."
The Great Elder ignored him and turned to Chen Yi: "When to fuse this soul bone is up to you, but you can consider the Sect Master's suggestion. If you fuse it now, the soul power boost effect upon breakthrough will be greatly reduced."
When soul masters hit a bottleneck and don't promptly acquire a soul ring to continue cultivating, they can still improve, bursting out upon getting the ring; but the effect isn't ideal, as that time could have raised one or two more levels.
The same applied to soul bones—if absorbed now, Chen Yi would gain at least three levels less than absorbing later.
Chen Yi thought about it. With his current physical quality, first soul ring 2,000 years, second 4,000 years. Under the boost of two millennium soul rings, he could at least reach level 26, and with some effort, level 30. After getting the third soul ring, fusing the soul bone could push him to at least level 36!
Hiss—
Thinking of this, Chen Yi sucked in a cold breath. Damn, is this the benefit of innate level 20 soul power? Cultivation is like flying! (TL: And yet Qian Renxue wasted it. lol)
However..
"Sect Master, if I absorb it now, can my absorption limit increase a bit more?"
Chen Yi looked expectant.
Chu Shanhe shook his head and explained: "You spend a lot of time in the library, so you should know that soul ring years are indeed important for soul masters, but whether the soul ring fits is even more crucial. Moreover, you're only six years old, your body still developing. Absorbing a soul bone now might raise the limit, but how much higher could it go?"
Chen Yi touched his nose, the expectation on his face gradually fading, replaced by clarity. Yes, his current physique was already world-shocking. Even in the future, among heirs of major forces who took heavenly treasures from childhood, those achieving millennium second rings were rare, let alone millennium first rings.
Moreover, with divine trials and body martial soul secondary awakening, high-year soul rings were only useful early on for him. Since that's the case, why force it?
"I'm sorry, Sect Master, Great Elder; your disciple was shortsighted."
The Great Elder smiled slightly: "Actually, your idea isn't wrong, but Xiao Yi, remember: on Douluo Continent, the golden stage of cultivation must prioritize raising soul power; everything else is illusory."
"Your disciple is enlightened." Chen Yi bowed respectfully to the two elders.
The two nodded satisfied and slowly stood: "In that case, we'll leave first. Little guy, see you tomorrow!"
...
In a mysterious world suspended above endless nebulae, enveloped in seven-colored auspicious lights, under a giant tree that seemed to reach the heavens.
A serene-faced woman, emanating life force, smiled at the man opposite her, her eyes full of affection.
"Little Green, some time ago, the Red Moon plane had an evil spirit blood-sacrificing the entire plane to become a god. If not for the God of Abundance arriving in time, there might be no more Red Moon plane."
"Recently, I inspected the God Realm's outer outposts and found those guys neglecting their duties. It really pissed me off!"
"And that Asura guy, I don't know what's with him lately. As the enforcement god holding judgment authority, his mind isn't on enforcement at all. Truly derelict."
The green-clothed woman smiled as she listened to the man's complaints, pouring him a cup of fragrant tea while laughing: "Little Purple, the God of Asura has always been fair; it should be an unintentional lapse. Of course, those negligent gods should indeed be reprimanded."
"Sigh~"
Hearing his wife's words, a trace of helplessness flashed in the purple-clothed man's eyes. He naturally wanted to properly clean up the God Realm's issues, but this was a problem from God Kings down to divine officials—how could one person handle it?
"Hehe, when did the God Realm's enforcer, known for being swift and decisive, the God of Destruction, become so hesitant?"
Suddenly, a light laugh came from under the giant tree. A tall, imposing man appeared before the two.
The purple-clothed man and green-clothed woman were abruptly startled. Someone able to appear before them silently—even the God of Space couldn't do that easily.
Upon seeing the newcomer, the woman's pupils contracted, her face full of incredulous shock; but the man beside her stiffened, then a trace of moisture appeared in his eyes.
"Little Thunder, is it you?"